Collectibles and Curiosities

Servofumo is an ashtray that belongs to the \"Servi\" series by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. Ashtray with polypropylene base, steel support rod and sand tray in painted alum...

48 crocheted stars on a very graphic, three-dimensional flag made from silk ribbon and crocheted rings, WWI Era (U.S. involvement 1917-18) Homemade, ha...

Fabulous and hardly used. Dunhill Rollagas Rulerlite butane lighter made in Switzerland. In original case with 3 booklets. Excellent vintage condition...

Rare Original Fendi satchel bag from the Stiassi series from the 1980s, made of glossy black vinyl canvas printed with colored graffiti and writing p...

Indiana State Flag With Square-like Proportions, An Offset Device, And Gold Fringe, Circa 1930-1955: Despite the fact that most of the United States joined the Union during the 18...

Antique Victorian leather coin wallet snap purse 1890s Maker stamp. Dimensions: 1.13 H x 3.63 W x .75 thick inches Original antique vintage presentation ...

Latin American Taxco Jewelry by modernist Antonio Pineda sterling silver Mexican circles link bracelet 1960s Maker stamp is present. Measures: 6.5 lo...

Table Settings, Entertaining and Etiquette: A History and Guide by Patricia E. Roberts. Viking Press, New York, NY, 1967. Third Edition hardcover with dust jacket. A concise history of good manners and utensils are displayed. It presents many pictures and diagrams explaining the Fine Art of entertaining and showcasing beautiful silverware, crystal ware...

Rare 1950's Salesman Sample of Russian Mining Stone Collection Detailed measurements of the individual pieces: - Booklet; 3.8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches. Each of the 15 sample stones; 1 ...

Charming handmade toy storage box. The roof opens to revel space for toy, or whatever you'd like to store. Minor wood elements missing ( one step platform ).

1862 Civil War playing cards with stars, flags, shields, & eagles, and face cards illustrating civil war officers and lady, Columbia, ca 1862, Benjamin Hitchcock, New York 1862 Civil War playing cards with suits represented by stars, flags, shields, & eagles, in lieu of the traditional French suits of hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. The face cards feature Union Army officers and Lady Columbia [a.k.a. Lady Liberty, Goddess of Liberty]. Entitled “Union Playing Cards,” two versions of this deck were produced in New York by Benjamin W. Hitchcock’s “American Card Company.” This is the earlier of the two. The other was released in 1863. There are 52 cards in total with the ace of spades doubling as the title card, as was often the case during the 19th century. The telescoping box...

Architecture of Wm. Frank McCall Jr., FAIA, A designer working in the classical tradition. Savannah: Golden Coast Pub. Co., 1985. Stated first printing ha...

New York, New York, U.S.A.: Smithmark Publishers, 1993. Published 1993. Collection of still photos from Hepburn's better- and lesser-known movies, with accompanying text. Black hardc...

A unique look inside a world of design sophistication, this volume showcases the interiors of the world's most prestigious art dealers. From New York to...

Basquiat Haring & Kenny Scharf at Lio Malca: Rare sought after 1990s hardcover catalogue featuring works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, & Ken...

Rare liberty gold turquoise Arts & Crafts Art Nouveau pendant, William Haseler, circa 1900. Fully signed for W. H Haseler and 15-carat for Liberty, oval c...

Picasso and the Age of Iron By doré Ashton, Carmen Gimenez & Francisco Calvo Serraller Published by the Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1993. A pivotal chapter in the annals of mode...

The "Henso Reporter" was made by Iso in Milan, introduced in 1954-1955 for export purposes, after the "twin" Iso Reporter. The Camera comes with its case ...

13 hand sewn stars in a circular version of what is known as the 3rd Maryland pattern, with an especially large center star, a flag with especially tiny scale among those with pieced-and-sewn construction, exceptionally rare, made circa 1890: 13 star flags have been flown throughout our nation’s history for a variety of purposes. They were hoisted at patriotic events, including Lafayette’s visit in 1824-25, the celebration of the centennial of American independence in 1876, and the sesquicentennial in 1926. They were displayed during the Civil War, to reference past struggles for American liberty and victory over oppression, and were used by 19th century politicians while campaigning for the same reason. As the number of stars grew with the addition of new states, it became more and more difficult to fit their full complement on a small flag. The stars would, by necessity, have to become smaller, which made it more and more difficult to view them from a distance as individual objects. The fear was that too many of them close together would become as one white mass and distort the ability to identify American ships on the open seas. Keeping the count low allowed for better visibility. For this reason the U.S. Navy flew 13 star flags on small boats. Some private ship owners mirrored this practice and flew 13 star flags during the same period as the Navy. Flag experts disagree about the precisely when the Navy began to revert to 13 stars and other low counts. Some feel that the use of 13 star flags never stopped, which seems to be supported by depictions of ships in period artwork. This was, of course, the original number of stars on the first American national flag, by way of the First Flag Act of 1777, and equal to the number of original colonies that became states. Any American flag that has previously been official remains so according to the flag acts, so it remains perfectly acceptable to fly 13 star flags today by way of congressional law. Since there was no official star configuration until the 20th century (1912 specifically, beginning with the 48 star count), the stars on 13 star flags may appear in any one of a host of configurations. Some of these are more rare and desirable than others. The stars of this particular flag are arranged in what has come to be known as the "3rd Maryland Pattern." This configuration, whether oval or circular, is appreciated both for its visual appeal and the scarcity of its use. a circular wreath of 12 with a single star in the center. The name comes from a flag that resides at the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis, long thought to have been present with General Daniel Morgan at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. According to legend, the flag was supposed to have been carried by Color Sergeant William Batchelor of the 3rd Maryland Light Infantry and was donated to the State of Maryland by Batchelor's descendants. The story was disproved in the 1970's, however, following an examination by the late flag expert Grace Rogers Cooper of the Smithsonian, who discovered that the Cowpens flag was, at the earliest, of Mexican War...

IRONSTONE PLATE WITH "VOTES FOR WOMEN" TEXT, MADE JOHN MADDOCK & SONS FOR SUFFRAGIST ALVA BELMONT FOR MARBLE HOUSE, HER FAMOUS ESTATE IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, CIRCA 1914: Porcelain objects related to the Suffrage movement are extremely scarce. The most celebrated of all American suffrage dinnerware consists of a service of white ironstone, commissioned by Alva Belmont,* prominent Newport, Rhode Island, socialite. Belmont was the founder of a pro-suffrage group called the Political Equality Association. According to Suffrage memorabilia expert Ken Folley, "There are at least eight different examples known in this design, including a cup and saucer, a lunch or dinner plate, a salad or bread plate, a berry bowl, a soup bowl, a celery dish...

EXTRAORDINARILY EARLY (1806) PRINTED LINEN KERCHIEF GLORIFYING GEORGE WASHINGTON, PRINT WORKS, GERMANTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA Printed in blue ink on coarse, white linen, this patriotic kerchief shows a standing portrait of George Washington, above which is a swag valance and the words “The Effect of Principle, Behold the Man”. The portrait is based on a mezzotint after Gilbert Stuart’s very famous painting of Washington in his later years, most often referred to as the Landsdowne portrait. Stuart painted three versions of it in oil on canvas, one of which was completed in 1796 for a wealthy merchant by the name of William Constable, who commissioned the work for Alexander Hamilton. The kerchief is interesting because it is both American-made and documented. This is exceptionally unusual for any printed textile of the 19th century or prior and the earlier the time period the more unlikely an object is to be identified. This kerchief and a companion piece entitled “The Love of Truth Mark the Boy” (also glorifying Washington, through the fabled story of the cherry tree), were made circa 1806 by Germantown Print Works in Germantown, Pennsylvania. To the left of Washington's image is a portion of his infamous farewell address to his troops at the end of the Revolutionary War. To the right is a short excerpt from his eulogy. Below these are three images. In the center is a square-rigged tall ship with “Commercial Union” above it, flanked by the American eagle on the left and the British lion on the right. It is reasonable to assume that the textile may have been produced in demonstration of the maker's desire, and/or that of others, to advance trade with England. Commercial printers were very influential in early America, as they possessed the means by which to disseminate information. This kerchief and its companion piece are documented in Threads of History, Americana Recorded on Cloth, 1775 - the Present, by Herbert Ridgeway Collins (1979, Smithsonian Press), p. 63, items 38 & 39.* The two pieces pictured are in the collection of Cornell University, but the Collins text also cites an uncut pair to be present in the collection of the Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, OH. The name "Germantown Print Works" is printed on the Western Reserve examples. Another example of the textile in question is documented in "Running for President, The Candidates and Their Images, 1789-1896" by Schlesinger, Israel, and Frendt, (1994, Simon & Schuster), p. 15. I have seen three different color variations of this textile, including sepia, mulberry red, and blue. This particular example has a hand-sewn binding along the top, lower, and left edges. Mounting: The textile was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by expert staff. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and have framed thousands of examples. The gilded molding has a rippled profile and dates to the period between 1825 and 1850.The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color. The glazing is U.V. protective plexiglass. Feel free to contact us for more details. Condition: There is an all-over golden oxidation of the white fabric and there is very minor staining. There are tiny tack holes in each corner and there are minor nicks around the perimeter. * Collins relates that Germantown Printworks was operated by the Hewsons. In doing so he cites one of Worthington Chauncey Ford's books on George Washington, but it isn't clear which one (there are many) and no page numbers are given. John Hewson was an Englishman who came to America and opened his printing business on the advice of Benjamin Franklin. He was one of the first “calico printers” and is the earliest documented to have advertised printed kerchiefs. His ads for bandanas appear as early as June 20th, 1774. He is suspected of having produced the very first American kerchief that pictured an American president, which is documented in Collins as item 1 on page 48. Linda Eaton, curator at Winterthur, in 2012, is currently doing in depth research on the three printers of fabrics that were operating in Germantown in early America. She discovered that the owner and/or operator of Germantown Print Works, while not currently known, was not John Hewson. This information is not yet published. She also noted that Winterthur possessed examples of the two George Washington textiles...

19th century Grand Tour / Egyptian Revival carved and polished black slate obelisk, the fronts decorated with very fine incised hieroglyphic designs which have been accented with gol...

"EQUAL SUFFRAGE FOR MICHIGAN IN 1916," ADVERTISING FAN FOR THE BISSELL 'CYCO BALL BEARING CARPET SWEEPER,' COMMISSIONED BY ANNA BISSELL (1846-1934), AMERICA'S FIRST FEMALE CEO Oriental-made, twill-woven silk fan with gilt lettering that reads : "Bissell's 'Cyco Ball Bearing Carpet Sweeper' makes sweeping easy," set within an interesting, open, geometric design. A purposefully curved, paper label beneath was applied by the "Michigan Equal Suffrage Association, Kalamazoo, 405 So. Burdick St.," whose byline is along the bottom. On it, a terrific message reads: "OVER 100,000 WOMEN pay taxes in Michigan on property assessed at $177,596,938. In 1910 OVER 175,000 MICHIGAN WOMEN signed a petition sent to Congress asking for Equal Suffrage. 247,373 MICHIGAN MEN voted...

Original British color synopses for the film Reach for the Sky, 1956 This film was a Biopic of RAF Group Captain Douglas Bader who, after having los...

vintage Murano glass ashtray oval shape blue and green Made in Italy 1960s. Unmarked. Nicks and scuffs present. Refer to images. 4 W x 5 D x 2 H Original vintage unrestored condition.

“THE MAN WITH A HEART, THE PARTY WITH A SOUL”: FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT POSTER, MADE FOR HIS 1936 PRESIDENTIAL RUN, THE BEST OF ALL KNOWN EXAMPLES ACROS...

38 WHIMSICAL STARS, WITH 6-POINTED PROFILES, SIMILAR TO THE STAR OF DAVID, ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG OF THE CENTENNIAL ERA; A REMARKABLE SPECIMEN, ONE-OF-A-KIND AMONG KNOWN EXAMPLE...

Rare Japanese "SWIFT" Microscope By Stereo Ninety

20th-century costume jewelry necklace, metal and crystal stones, Sharra Pagano design, Monroe model, Hollywood collection, Italy, 1970.

Mobilier de Haute-Normandie by Edith Mannoni. Editions Charles Massin, Paris, 1995. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. The Norman cupboard, the most beautiful of regional furniture, ...

Mobilier Savoyard & Dauphinois by Edith Mannoni. Massin, Paris, 1994. 1st Edition hardcover with dust jacket. Examines Savoyard and Dauphin peri...

Penguin Books founded in 1935 and known for their iconic design of two solid bands of colour sandwiching a band of white. The most common was orange for ...

Vintage green crystal necklace with pin attributed to Hagler Pin Marked Stanley Hagler NYC Lariat 40" L x 3/4" W Pin 2.5" Simila...

ELONGATED PENNANT MADE FOR THE 1912 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT & HIRAM JOHNSON, WHEN THEY RAN ON THE INDEPENDENT, BULL MOOSE / PROGRESSIVE PARTY TICKET: Elongated,...

Signed Danny Lyon photography book 'Burn Zone,' along with Story of Sam, is Danny Lyon's newest work. Burn Zone is a Cri de Coeur directed at the artist community and our youth aski...

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, three centuries of French Domestic Silver by Faith Dennis Volumes I & II. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 196...

First edition, published in 2010. Bvlgari's jewels are not just jewelry, they are fine artistic creations. In this glossy photobook, published on the occasion of the 125th anniver...

HAND-PAINTED 19TH CENTURY BANNER WITH AN 1867 VERSION OF THE SEAL OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, PROPOSED IN THAT YEAR BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, BUT IN A VARIATION NEVER FORMALLY ADOPTED Banner with the Illinois State Seal, in a rare variation of the design, never adopted. In 1867 Illinois Secretary of State Sharon Tyndale proposed that the phrases in the state motto be reversed. In the wake of the Civil War, (which ended in 1865,) Tyndale suggested that the verbiage be changed from "State Sovereignty--National Union" to "National Union--State Sovereignty,” which made sense given the recent secession of the Southern States, which placed their own interests first. Illinois' own Abraham Lincoln had worked hard to preserve national interests, echoed here in the altering of the language. Though Tyndale’s suggestion was rejected, he was nonetheless charged with creating a new design, which he did and was soon adopted. This displayed the dates of "1818," when Illinois became a state, and "1868," when the seal was officially changed. Interestingly enough, Tyndale did manage to send a message in the new version by turning the word “sovereignty” upside-down , with the surmised explanation that this fit accordingly with the orientation / position of the streamer. The banner is beautifully hand-painted on muslin and retains its original staff. The shape is beautifully scalloped at the bottom edge, which is painted to look as if there is an applied fringe. Most of the elements are congruent with the 1868 version, but there are various differences. Set within a shield-shaped medallion—usually circular—is the expected eagle in a side view, spread wing pose with beak uplifted. The eagle is supposed to be perched upon a rock with one talon, while gripping a Federal shield in the other. Here there is no rock and both talons grip the shield, which displays 13 stars. Note the date of "1867" and Tyndale's preferred order of the wording on the billowing ribbon in the eagle's beak. The foreground of the official design is all grass. Here there are olive branches—a peacetime reference appropriate for a country recovering from war—on a grassy area, set upon a sandy shore before Lake Michigan, with a rising sun on the horizon. Mounting: The banner was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by masters degree trained staff. We take great care in the mounting and presentation of flags and have preserved thousands of examples; more than anyone worldwide. The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color. The mount was placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. A shadowbox was created to accommodate the staff. The glazing is U.V. protective plexiglass. Feel free to contact us for more details. Banner - 49" x 56.5" Frame - 67.75" x 59.25" About Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques, Inc.: As an advisor to top museums and collectors alike, Jeff Bridgman is the world's leading expert and source for antique American flags and political textiles...

Architecture of the Old South: Louisiana by Mills Lane. Abbeville Press, New York, 1990. First edition hardcover with dust jacket. The early architecture of Louisiana, carefully reco...

Troy's One Hundred Years: 1789-1889 by Arthur James Weise. William H. Young, Troy, 1891. First edition leather-bound hardcover. A great history of Troy, N...

Small Houses of the Late Georgian Period by Stanley C. Ramsey. London: Technical Journals, Limited, 1919. First edition hardcover with no dust jacket as issued. 227 pp. An antique re...

Original US film poster for Sergio Leone's Classic Spaghetti Western staring Clint Eastwood.

HAND-PAINTED PATRIOTIC BANNER WITH THE SEAL OF THE STATE OF OREGON AND GREAT FOLK QUALITIES, 1861-1876: Swallowtail format, patriotic vertical banne...

Italian 17h century sculpture of a Santos in carved wood - resting on his steel display stand, circa 1680.

Rare Mass Mortality Ammonite

Cast metal aeronautical smoking stand topped with a model of a plane with spinning propeller.

Large original painted 19th Century drum with one original stick.

British route sign on fabric, ready to hang. Highlighting: Wallace Arnold, excursion express, private, racing on tour, Barnard castle.