Black Fireman's Helmet with Leather Shield, circa 1940-1950

ABOUT Middlebury college leather football helmet. Hand block not included. CREATOR Uknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1940. MATERIALS...

ABOUT Rare Ray Flores black leather boxing gloves with white leather thumbs. Original "Flores, San Francisco, CA" label and original drawer strings. Filled with horse hair. The leat...

ABOUT An early 20th c. wooden foosball table top with distressed, painted metal Mexican soccer players, rubber handles and metal "Gebar" branded ashtrays on each end. Original paint...

ABOUT Rare Ray Flores black leather boxing gloves with white leather thumbs. Original Ray Flores label and original drawer strings. Filled with horse hair. The leather is very soft ...

Leather fireman's parade belt with the word "LIBERTY in white on a red ground, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, circa 1900 This fireman's parade belt is of the type produced during the latter part of the 19th century, between roughly 1870 and 1900. Made of leather, the body of the belt is black. In the center is a recessed window, with a fancifully scalloped edge, behind which a red leather panel, upon which the word "Liberty" appears in raised, white letters. There is a white binding, it's edge trimmed with pinking shears to create a decorative border. The metal buckle fits into an opposing leather strap, small in scale and riveted beneath the outer one. The words that appear on fireman's parade belts were customized, sometimes displaying the title of the wearer (i.e., "chief" or "clerk"), sometimes the name of the city or town, and sometimes the name of the station, as-is the case in this instance. Attributed to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania (Columbia County), I acquired it about 25 miles southwest, in adjacent Union County. Bloomsburg's first fire house, Friendship Fire Company, was established in 1868, shortly following the Civil War. Like most volunteer departments of that time, it was staffed by returning Union soldiers who volunteered, enjoying the comradery. Three more would follow, including Rescue Hose & Ladder (1870), Winona (1881), and Liberty Fire Company (1900). In the early 1990's the process was begun to modernize and consolidate all four stations into one. Liberty's fire house still stands on the 100 block of Leonard Street. Probably made in the year the Liberty Fire Company was established, for related parades and festivities, the great thing about this belt is the combination of the wonderful, early, painted surface and the terrific verbiage. While words such as "Clerk," "Bloomsburg," or "Rescue" would have limited appeal, the word "Liberty" opens the playing field to a nation-wide audience. Fire memorabilia...

Unusual Leather Helmet. A very unusual leather helmet with padded protection. The hard leather shell is stitched together and has ventilation holes in the top. There is padded protec...

Copper & brass ship's binnacle with compass & lantern, circa 1940s-1950s.

This rare black leather pipes displayer has been made by famous French designer Jacques Adnet, circa 1950.