French Wine Corker

Originating from the Kerala region of Southern India, this 19th century arivalmanai, or culinary cutting instrument, is a traditional tool used in the preparation of vegetables throughout India. Comprising an engraved steel blade mounted upon a carved wood base, the user would place their weight on the wooden base by either sitting or kneeling, and prepare their ingredients accordingly. The craftsmanship and size of this fascinating relic denotes its usage in a Hindu temple setting, as offering food to the deities is believed to direct the mind towards spirituality. Food plays an important role in Hindu worship, and because of the veneration of the cow and belief in non-violence, most followers follow a vegetarian diet. The vast majority of Hindu religious...

French Master’s Lock 18th Century Ingeniously crafted with a hidden mechanism, this 18th-century French lock known as a serrure de maîtrise, or master’s lock, was likely used by saf...

As exceptionally scarce as it is fascinating, this autochange disk player by the Polyphon Musikwerke in Leipzig, Germany can change between six disks and play with the incredibly rare addition of bells that accompany the music. Before a coin is dropped into the slot, slide the brass indicator until it points to the desired music selection, insert a penny, and the chosen song will play automatically. An extremely limited number of these automatic disk changers were ever created, and even fewer have survived in such outstanding condition. Standing over seven feet tall, this particular model boasts a magnificent walnut case with handsome burl panels on its original, matching storage cabinet. A true technical marvel for its day, Polyphon’s automatic disk changer symbolizes pure ingenuity and superlative craftsmanship. This antique player...

This exceptional and rare French nécessaire de voyage is almost certainly the work of the highly respected Parisian manufacturer Pierre-Dominique ...

A cast iron wine corker from 19th century France. Painted a still vibrant green, fixed with a smooth turned wood handle. This unique apparatus has a lot to...

This unique apparatus has a lot to do with the history and shaping of French history and culture: the wine bottle corker. Made of iron around 1890, was ...

This unique apparatus has a lot to do with the history and shaping of French history and culture: the wine bottle corker. Made of iron around 1890, ...

This unique apparatus has a lot to do with the history and shaping of French history and culture: the wine bottle corker. Made of iron around 1890, was used in a winery in Bordeaux. ...