Radio Guy & Early Electrics Folk Art

When we first found this neon sign our restorer was excited to work on it. He believes that the sign was a handmade and one-off being produced by a skilled metal fabricator. It was most likely used outside a small shop in Denmark. This is a traditional sign used for a Danish Bakery...

175 years ago this was created as a fountain that worked on water and counter weights. The elephant can now be plugged in and runs on dry land using a motor, cables and gears. The he...

This item is a lot smaller than it looks in the pictures. The handlebars are less that 2 foot tall. Its sized for a small child but has the proportions of a full size motorcycle. Tha...

At the turn of the century this type of "corporate head" portrait was very popular. They were often displayed on or in the lobby of the company headquarters. This striking wooden exa...

I found this interesting cardboard study in a New York Flea Market almost 50 years ago. It been on the shelf all that time and never gave it a 2nd thought. Its unsigned and I have no idea if its important or not... It is what it is...

This type of head gear was used in shops to protect workers from flying particles. This hood was perfect if you worked on grinders or a wire wheel. This shop...

This life-sized character of a period bar tender was mounted outside on top of the saloons main sign. It's two sided with heads facing both ways. It's spent many years outside and ha...

This was an estate find and part of a beautiful collection of rare excellent turn of the century posters. They were hidden away for over a 100 years. About the poster: You'd think that a play called 'The New Baby' might feature said child in its promotional material. But here's the thing, there really isn't a baby at the center of the comedy, and that's the crux of this entertainment. The plot concerns a husband who is so bored with country life that he dreams up the idea of having an illegitimate son in London as a way to get into town for an occasional 'night off'. When his wife decides that the child should be adopted, the expected comic tissue of falsehoods and misunderstandings frays and hilarity ensues. Adapted from German by A. Bourchier, the farce opened in London in 1896 to what a local critic termed 'much mirth'. Several years later, when the play had crossed the Atlantic and entered the repertory of David de Wolf - cleverly called the Baby's 'chaperone' on the poster - and his troupe of travelling players, that understated review was translated into the more American howling success'. The cast and director would've been totally unfamiliar with the British hinterlands, so this splendid design concentrates on the hi-jinks of the characters and their situation.' At the start of the 20th century, America was in the full glory of its cultural adolescence, bursting with energy and optimism. In 1900 in New York there were 33 legitimate Broadway theatres, and many more would be built within the next decade to meet growing audience demand. New York's exploding population was also enjoying increased mobility. In 1904, the city opened its first underground commuter railroad lines. Thanks to these 'subways,' tens of thousands living far from the theatre district could catch a Broadway show and still sleep in their own beds. Add in the ever-increasing numbers of tourists who came into the city by rail and steamship, and it was easy to see why Broadway could now support more productions and longer runs than ever before.' We believe this magnificent and awe inspiring poster typifies the best of musical history and musical posters...

This is one of the best signs I've ever had. It's 10 feet 8 inches long by 19 inches by 5 inches thick. The letters are painted in the negative, just like an X-ray. The letters are "...

This is one of the best locksmith trade signs we have offered. It’s early and all handmade in iron with original paint. It's very well done and a wonderful piece of Folk Art.

The patina and age of this well done carving make a striking display. I'm guessing its 18th century and Italian. It has just the right look.   

This five foot plus papier mâché pig was used as a fund raiser or trade stimulator. The brass stomach plaque has a coin slot and reads in French... Pu...