Lacquer Collectibles and Curiosities

Chinese Chess Set with Immortals & Campaign Lacquered Board Circa 1960s This exquisite Chinese chess set with immortals and a campaign lacquered board is a striking combination of...

Rare Limited Edition Ligne 2 Snake Lighter. Designed by Philippe Tournaire master jeweler for Simon Tissot Dupont commemorating the Chinese zodiac year ...

Elegant Dunhill Red Lacquered 18 Carat Gold Plated Rollagas Classic Cigarette Lighter Made in Switzerland With Dunhill Embossed Box Inscribed with "Dunhill" on the base. Weighs 75g...

Barman dispenser box with lighter designed by Ronson. An exceptional and very beautiful desk piece, created in New Jersey United States by The Ronson Lighter Co. during the art deco...

Elegant St Dupont for Davidoff Black Laque De Chine Ligne 1 Pocket Cigarette Lighter Made in France Stamped 1E9DY06 With Black Leather Branded Davidoff Slip Case 2.5" x 1.4" x 0...

Commissioned by a special client as the perfect stage for their chess battles, this table is a showcase of NOVOCASTRIAN’s creative ability, of almost 10 years of experimentation, ref...

A special chess set in solid, hand-patinated brass and walnut. Handcrafted in the North to order. Available in a range of materials and finishes, Otterburn can truly be customized an...

This is a limited edition S.T Dupont Ligne 2 Lacquer American Art Deco (Chrysler Building) Lighter. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, Art Deco has influenced many areas of des...

Steinway & Sons, Baby Grand Model L Piano, Refurbished Satin Ebony, 1911, 88 Keys, Serial Number 146562 This exceptional 1911 Steinway piano, Model 146561, has undergone a complete ...

Deluxe desk lighter designed by Ronson. This extremely rare Ronson Deluxe Classic Touch-Tip lighter was made in 1938 by the Ronson Art Metal Works Inc. located in Newark, New Jersey in the United States. This lighter began a very successful era for Ronson Touch Tip series of lighters which pushed out the strike lighters from the market. This fabulous Art Deco / Machine Age design, was crafted with streamline patterns. Solid construction in polished chrome and the metal body is treated with brown faux tortoise lacquer and the lighter base is padded with green felt. This surely is a very decorative piece and a great conversation item in gorgeous and exceptional preserved and almost near mint condition with the original cardboard box included. Model: Ronson Deluxe T-T Classic lighter...

Ronson Art Deco Combination Humidor and Touch Tip Table Lighter. This Art Deco smoking accessory is a combination humidor box and touch tip lighter by Ronson Lighter Co., back in th...

19th century Edo-Meiji period samurai Tantō knife/short blade sword and scabbard By: unknown Material: iron, metal, paint, steel, leather, wood, lacquer, metal Technique: forged, ha...

A striking and artistically crafted Backgammon board that doubles as a captivating piece of modern décor. Sleek lacquered details elevate this game board into a true work of art, fea...

Art deco magic penguin mechanical dispenser box designed by Ronson. A beautiful, exceedingly rare and very decorative mechanical dispenser desk box, created in the city of Newark, N...

Junior barman with touch tip lighter designed by Ronson. An exceptional and very beautiful desk piece, created in New Jersey United States by The ...

A ball table lighter designed by Ronson. Very beautiful RonDeLight Junior desk lighter, created in England by The Ronson Co. during the art deco period, b...

Table petrol lighter designed by Mercedes Benz. This is a beautiful petrol desk lighter, created for the Royal London Limited, back in the 1966. The desk lighter has been crafted in...

Art deco magic monkey mechanical dispenser box designed by Ronson. An extremely rare and very decorative mechanical desk box, created in the city of Newark, New Jersey United States by The Ronson Metal Works Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1936. This is the mechanical Pik-a-Cig Monkey box...

An exceptional 19th-century Burmese Kammavaca manuscript, composed of 14 lacquered palm-leaf-style panels, each meticulously decorated in orange and ...

A special chess set in solid hand-patinated brass. Handcrafted in the North to order. Available in a range of materials and finishes, Otterburn can tru...

Dureum brass desk Nautica lighter designed by Ronson. This very rare Ronson Nautica Classic Touch-Tip lighter was made in 1938 by the Ronson Art Metal Works Inc. located in Newark, ...

Franco Albini Radio In Cristallo For Cassina LIMITED EDITION OF 5 PIECES HAND WIRED A radio at the forefront of modern Italian design, developed from a canny intuition to put the ...

Antique early-20th Century American Art Deco 14k gold vanity case, of elegant rectangular form with gracefully rounded sides, this exquisite vanity case exemplifies fine craftsmanshi...

A stainless steel lighter designed by Ronson. Very beautiful desk Rondette lighter, created in New Jersey United States by The Ronson Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1934. This is a very unusual lighter designed with wonderful geometric patterns and crafted in solid steel with a central round body set upon two smaller cylindrical feet. Embellished with black lacquer, creating a great contrast with the base polished steel. Extremely well made and solid construction with very nice care and attention to all details. This surely is a very decorative piece and a great conversation item in gorgeous and exceptional preserved condition. Weight: 104.9 Grams, (67.24 Dwt). Measurements: 66 mm by 21 mm by 82 mm (2.59 x 0.83 x 3.23 Inches). Marks: Stamped with the maker's mark and signed, "RONSON US PAT.RE.NO.19023 RONSON RONDETTE ART METAL WKS INC NEWARK NJ US PAT.RE.NO.19023". The Ronson lighter company started as The Art Metal Works in 1897 and was incorporated on July 20, 1898, by Max Hecht, Louis Vincent Aronson and Leopold Herzig, in Newark, New Jersey. Louis V. Aronson was a huge creative driving force for the company; and, with a few business adjustments, including the addition of Alexander...

A wonderful piece! two sided with leather hand painted snare on two sides trimmed in nail heads. The collapsable wooden stand, while making the piece complete, can be put aside and t...

Desk buffalo touch tip Striker designed by Ronson. The striker lighters made by Ronson are famous under collectors. This extremely rare desk Striker L...

These highly lacquered items come from Russia. They're hand painted. The inside of the tinker box is a beautiful orange lacquer. The pin is stamped made in Russia. Pin size is 2.5'

This exquisite Tetsusabiji Uchidashi Gomai Dou Gusoku (Five-Plate Russet Iron Embossed Cuirass Armor), crafted in the 18th century, exemplifies the pinnacle of Edo-period samurai arm...

Willie Kool desk-table electric lighter. This is a beautiful electronic bar or desk lighter, created as a promotional item by the Kool Cigarette Company, back in the 1938. The sculptural and elusive electric lighter has been crafted with the iconic figure of the company Willie Kool, in color plastic with parts in metal and fitted with a long electric cord. The figural penguin is in pretty very good shape, in working condition and should be a gorgeous addition to any collection. This will be a great conversation item. Willie The Penguin Willie the penguin was introduced in 1934 by The Ted Bates Advertising Agency. During the time there were several other cartoonish spokespersons like Kellog’s Snap, Crackle & Pop, Reddy Kilowatt, and the Campbell’s Kids. Willie’s product line included salt and pepper shakers, ash trays, holders for wooden matches, lighters, and when air-conditioning was introduced, a version was created to suggest customers to enter a storefront because it was “Kool” inside. It has also been debated that a picture of Willie wearing a top hat was the inspiration for the Penguin character in Batman. Regardless, Willie appeared in his own comic books after he was licensed by Standard Comics for six issues, with the cigarette brand dropped from the title. By the ’60s, however, the company had shifted advertising focus and opted for wintry outdoor scenes to promote their business. (Miller Fenwood with thanks) Materials: Lacquered and color plastic, metal, electric cord and enamel. Year: 1934-1940. Weight: 1.5 Pounds, (0.68 Kg.). Measurements: 89 mm by 114 mm by 223 mm (3.5 x 4.25 x 8.75 Inches). Marks: "KOOL MILD MENTHOL CIGARETTES". Note: This lighter is empty of any flammable, gas or butane substances and is ready to be ship by any carrier. This lighter just need a new flint and proper lighter fluid. Was tested and is in working condition. Note: This is an electric novelty advertising lighter, is a very old vintage Tobacciana...

A superb and very rare 19th Century Chinese lacquered games box, dating to around 1890. Decorated with intricate traditional scenes and a fin...

Art Deco Ladies Black Lacquer & Marcasite Cigarette & Matchstick Case 1930's. Both Within a Shagreen Presentation Case. Item Was By Esteemed British Luxury Brand Finnigans of Dean...

These pieces are a part of smoking set tabako-ire. It consists of a kiseruzutsu (pipe case), a kiseru (pipe), and a tonkotsu (tobacco pouch). The pouch is made of lacquered crocodile...

19th Century Japanese Makie Kushi and Kanzashi Hair Ornament Set A fine 19th-century Japanese kushi (comb) and kanzashi (hairpin) set, crafted in tortoiseshell or similar material and decorated in the makie technique with gilt lacquer. The kushi features a gently arched form with intricately applied gold foliage and floral motifs. The kanzashi is delicately shaped, with gilt decoration echoing the comb’s design, and includes a split shank and scooped end typical of traditional Japanese hair...

Desk elephant Striker Lighter designed by Ronson. The striker lighters made by Ronson are famous under collectors. This extremely rare desk Striker Lighter was created in New Jersey United States by The Art Metal Works for The Ronson Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1935. Designed in the shape of an Elephant made in polished solid chromed steel attached to a oval black base. The colored plastic tusks were named Ïvoroid” by Ronson. Weight: 597.5 Grams, (1.32 Pounds). Measurements: 82.55 mm by 91.44 mm by 116.84 mm (3.25 x 3.60 x 4.6 Inches). Marks: Signed with the maker's mark label, "FASHIONED BY RONSON". Ronson The Ronson lighter company started as The Art Metal Works in 1897 and was incorporated on July 20, 1898, by Max Hecht, Louis Vincent Aronson and Leopold Herzig, in Newark, New Jersey. Louis V. Aronson was a huge creative driving force for the company; and, with a few business adjustments, including the addition of Alexander Harris (1910–11) as Business Manager, the company soon became World Famous. In the 1910s The Art Metal Works were producing very good quality Hood Ornaments and gained a reputation as a dependable supplier of same. All accounts state that Louis Aronson was a gifted man, who at 16 years old set up a money-making shop in his parent's home - before receiving a U.S. patent for a commercially valuable metal-plating process he developed when he was 24 years old, and he sold half the rights while retaining the Right to Use. "His experiments, which he has been conducting since his early youth, resulted in 1893 in the discovery of a process for electrically producing tinplate. Much money was expended upon improving the process... and has been of great practical value to the whole industry. Retaining its rights, he sold half the patent rights, and later used part of the proceeds to open the Art Metal Works in Newark, N.J. Soon the company was producing a variety of high-quality Lamps, Book ends, Art Statues and other decorative items, prized today for their detail in the collector marketplace. Literature: Urban K. Cummings, Ronson, the World's Greatest Lighter : Wick Lighters...

Atomic age abstract female display mannequin having a tulip form or mermaid style design. Constructed from fiberglass and finished in gilt over a coat of red lacquer. The svelte form...

This is an extraordinary set of seven Puppets depicting the characters of the Venetian Art Comedy of Art in the theater, the Doctor, the Miserly, the Captain, the Brother and then ...

Decorative roller desk box designed by Park Sherman. Very decorative desk box, created during the art deco period in America by the Park Sherman Company, back in the 1930. This roller-lid box is very innovative in design and with Avant Garde look. It was crafted in chromed steel with red lacquer and elements in red and black Bakelite. It is fitted with a roller lid, which is in perfect working condition. The Park Sherman Company Park Sherman was an important Springfield company for several decades ending with the sale of the company to a New Jersey firm in 1960. They mass-produced smoking accessories, particularly lighters, as well as a multitude of office, novelty, and other items. The Park Sherman Company operated in Springfield, Illinois until 1960 when it was sold to a New Jersey company. A man named Jacob S. Sherman was the founder of the Park Sherman Company. The company sold miner's supplies (miner's cap lamps, match cases, etc.) and later specialized in things like coin banks and smoking accessories such lighters and cigarette cases. The company's products were sold throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. 'Everdry' was a brand name that Park Sherman used on some of its products. The word "Everdry" was used, for example, on match cases to indicate that the case would prevent the matches from getting wet. Presumably, your "Everdry" cigarette case kept the contents from getting wet. Materials: Chromed steel and red and black Bakelite. Weight: 231.7 Grams, (0.51 Pounds). Measurements: 114.3 mm by 101.6 mm by 63.5 mm (3.50 x 4.0 x 2.50 Inches). Literature: Rodney and Diane Capstick-Dale, The art deco Collectibles...

English Victorian black lacquered zither with gold floral stenciling and spindle handle (signed)

A most charming and artistic naturalistic embellished wall mount with imitation deer antlers and accents. Featuring faux eleven point antlers mounted to a square lacquered wood boa...

A large Theravada Buddhism scripture book from Burma, circa late 19th century-early 20th century. The book opens to continuous folding pages that is accordion like. Ink scriptures in curvy Burmese language were handwritten on both sides of the pages. The papers are bind by two lacquered wood covers with elaborate design that features relief scrolls and mini mosaic...

Chinoiserie decorated circular barometer, circa 1930s. Black background with gold decoration,  Depicting, houses, temple, figures, trees & foliage, Brass face, Badge on back, re...

Mechanical cigarette dispenser barman designed by Sudre. This is a fabulous and very rare piece of tobacciana, created in Austria by Sudre for Ro...

The Vanderbilt Collection consists of two one-of-a-kind monumental floor lamps from Christopher Tennant's 2022 solo exhibition at the Vanderbilt Museum in Long Island, New York, inspired by the tastes and eccentricities of globetrotting amateur naturalist and Jazz-Age aesthete William "Willie the K" Vanderbilt. Jumbo Crab Lamp...

This beautiful French late 19th century chest of drawers in black ebonized wood and cherrywood reproduces with perfect proportions in scale a miniature cabinet with three drawers and an upper flap door that opens to reveal a white marble top and an oval mirror inside, nice hand carved band on top with geometrical pattern and molded base. The black lacquered wood creates a wonderful contrast with the beautiful honey-colored wood grain. Despite its convenient size, extremely detailed, this chest of drawers is equipped with a white Carrara marble top and a small mirror that make it even more special and useful. The model of a piece of furniture was originally created by cabinet makers to show their skills to the customer and to present the sample of the furniture which would then have been produced on a larger scale. These commode miniatures, along with other specimens, were displayed in the craftsman's workshop to serve as examples to aid the potential client in making a selection. Some also think that these little chests were used as doll and puppets...

Early 20th century Art Déco french polished black lacquer and silver plated cigarrette box/case By: unknown Material: lacquer, metal, silver, silver plate Technique: cast, molded, metalwork, lacquered, polished, plated, silvered Dimensions: 3 in x 3.5 in x 1 in Date: early 20th century Style: Art Déco Place of origin: France This sleek early 20th century french cigarette...

A very fine Japanese maki-e lacquer decorated tabako bon, or smoking box, late Edo Period, mid-19th century, Japan. The elegant smoking box of black lacquer decorated with a wonderful gold lacquer takamaki-e design of a gnarled and elegantly twisted plum tree with branches in full bloom. A border of golden cranes in flight to the top. The smoking box, called a tabako bon, is comprised of an open section at the top with inset with two cylindrical metal canisters...

A composite model of a Concorde in full Virgin Atlantic livery mounted on a tripod stand, circa 1992. This scaled down aircraft model was presented to one of Virgin's top travel agen...

Model No. 014 is a one-of-a-kind art lamp featuring a vintage rice-paper shade constructed from an exceedingly rare 1919 French parasol advertising a lin...

A Japanese export Nagasaki lacquer tobacco box with the portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte Edo-period, circa 1810 The box in black lacquer on copper, ...

A rare Japanese export lacquer medical instrument box Edo-period, 1650-1700 L. 19 x W. 6 x H. 8.5 cm This unconventionally shaped lacquer b...

A fine lacquer decorated carved boxwood netsuke of a Noh dancer in a Hannya role, unsigned, Meiji period, late 19th century, Japan. The boxwood netsuke finely carved as a kneeling Noh dancer dressed in striking geometric patterned robes. The actor holds an opened war fan behind their back in one hand, a Shinto wand slung over the shoulder in the other. The war fan, tessen, decorated in red lacquer with a golden rising sun at the center. Tessen were sturdy fans used by samurai as protective devices, and sometimes as weapons. The wand, called an onusa, is a traditional Shinto ritual implement comprised of folded paper streamers, shide, attached to a wooden wand, often used in purification rituals. Here, the shide are crafted from silver maki-e, with the handle of the natural boxwood. The actor wears a fierce and unearthly hannya mask...

This elegantly carved temple drum wase use in Buddhist Temples. It’s carved from teak and lacquered black with red and green stripped details. The top and straps are made of leather. These gigantic goblet...

French Mid-Century (1940s) pink mirrored rectangular miniature cabinet with 2 doors and bevelled trim on lacquered base with mahogany interior

A ball table lighter designed by Ronson. Very beautiful RonDeLight Junior desk lighter, created in Newark United States by Art Metal Works Inc. for The Ro...

Candle Triplex 6500 table lighter designed by IMCO. This is a brilliantly engineered, unusual and quite ingenious semi-automatic table petrol lighter designed by Julius Franz Meister in Austria, back in the 1950. This model was made by the IMCO company and was named Candle triplex 6500. Has been crafted in solid chromed steel, with aluminum parts and embellished with green lacquer. This lighter is in unused grade, never fired and in superb mint condition with the original box from the stated period. About the mechanic, there is a button on the inserted lighter - pressure solution for stone-flint change. The lighter has a sliding flame regulator or windshield, a space in the base-socket for reserve stones-flints and a special filling tank that you can either pull out for filling or you can pull out the bottom for filling. Stunning modernist design. Model: Triplex Candle Table lighter 6500. Materials: Chromed Steel, aluminum and green lacquer. Weight: All together 66.30 Grams. Measurements: 63.5 mm by 63.5 mm by 207 mm (2.50 x 2.50 x 8.15 Inches). Rarity: Rare in mint, never fired condition and with the original box. Marks: Stamped with the maker's mark and signed as follow; "IMCO MADE IN AUSTRIA 6500". IMCO IMCO was a very important Austrian manufacturer of cigarette lighters. Established in 1907 by Julius Franz Meister, who was formerly a manufacturer of brass buttons for the Austro-Hungarian Army. The first IMCO lighters...

Double desk box with lighter designed by Ronson. An exceptional and very beautiful desk box, created in New Jersey United States by The Ronson Co. during the art deco period, back i...

Ferrari Freccia Rossa speed motorboat is a very rare vintage decorative object handcrafted in mahogany wood, metal and leather finishes. Scale model of the exclusive Ferrari F430-...

Boca do Lobo presents the ultimate recreation of a vintage piano tailored to give rise to a unique piece, embellished by one of the oldest jewelry-making techniques known, the Filigr...

This antique 17th century Louis XIV period Italian architectural altarpiece fragment is made of a masterfully sculpted rectangular solid wood panel...

Desk cigarettes humidor box with lighter designed by Ronson. This is an amazing desk cigarettes box & touch-tip lighter, created in New Jersey United States by The Ronson Lighter Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1937. This is a rare near mint box with a single lid with a five-barrels hinge and an integrated touch tip striker lighter. It was designed with strong geometric patterns and crafted in solid chromed steel. Embellished with black lacquer, creating a great color contrast and the interiors are lined up with natural cedar wood. Extremely well made and solid construction with great care and attention to details. This surely is a very decorative piece and should be a great conversation item. Model: 16268. Country: New Jersey, United States. Period: Art Deco, 1937. Materials: Chromed steel, cedar wood, black lacquer. Weight: 897.5 Grams, (1.96 Pounds). Measurements: 203 mm by 102 mm by 89 mm (8.0 x 4.0 x 3.5 Inches). Marks: Stamped with the maker's mark and signed, "FASHIONED BY RONSON NEWARK NJ US PATS BRITISH PAT IN CANADA 1935 NEWARK NJ-USA-ART METAL WORKS INC. RONSON-TOUCH-TIP ". The Ronson Lighter Company The company started as The Art Metal Works in 1897 and was incorporated on July 20, 1898, by Max Hecht, Louis Vincent Aronson and Leopold Herzig, in Newark, New Jersey. Louis V. Aronson was a huge creative driving force for the company; and, with a few business adjustments, including the addition of Alexander Harris (1910–11) as Business Manager, the company soon became World Famous. In the 1910s The Art Metal Works were producing very good quality Hood Ornaments and gained a reputation as a dependable supplier of same. All accounts state that Louis Aronson was a gifted man, who at 16 years old set up a money-making shop in his parent's home - before receiving a U.S. patent for a commercially valuable metal-plating process he developed when he was 24 years old, and he sold half the rights while retaining the Right to Use. "His experiments, which he has been conducting since his early youth, resulted in 1893 in the discovery of a process for electrically producing tinplate. Much money was expended upon improving the process... and has been of great practical value to the whole industry. Retaining its rights, he sold half the patent rights, and later used part of the proceeds to open the Art Metal Works in Newark, N.J. Soon the company was producing a variety of high-quality Lamps, Book ends, Art Statues and other decorative items, prized today for their detail in the collector marketplace. Louis Vincent Aronson Louis Vincent Aronson was an American inventor, industrialist and philanthropist who is best remembered as the inventor of Ronson lighters. "He was a son of Simon and Jennie Aronson, who were natives of Prussia. He was born December 25, 1869, in New York City, and there his boyhood was spent. Aronson was an exceptionally gifted young man who graduated from public school at the age of 12 before entering a New York Technical School specializing in metallurgy, practical metal working and mechanical drawing. At the same time, he set up a laboratory in the basement of his parents' home where he experimented with plating processes and turned-out money-making items while he devised ways of metalizing common items, in a durable finish of matte gold, including flowers, butterflies, animal claws and baby shoes. Aronson natural ability for designing was honed at the technical school and served him well throughout his life. He excelled and completed the School four year academic program in three years. When he graduated in 1886, at the age of 16, he was qualified as an Expert Metallurgist, Draftsman and Designer, he also had a high-level knowledge of Chemistry. He returned to the school five years later as an instructor in metallurgy for several years before devoting all his time to his own company. When he was 24 years old, he sold the rights to a commercially valuable metal plating process according to Urban Cummings book Ronson, The World’s Greatest Lighters, Wick Lighters 1913–2000. He gained public recognition when he won an award in 1893 from the Belgian government for the creation of the first non-toxic match, and young businessman Aronson received 50,000 Francs, equaling $10,000 in U.S. dollars. In 1897 he received a U.S. patent (592,227) for a match design (called the Wind-match) that would light in windy conditions or when wet. He continued working on his match designs including inventing the “Birds Eye” or “Kitchen” match that had a dual-tip design in 1903; this was an important safety improvement because friction matches of the day would sometimes light accidentally especially when stepped on or while in one’s pocket. He realized that placing a small friction ignition chemical on the tip instead of the entire match-head greatly limited accidental ignition. This style of match is still in use today. Literature: Urban K. Cummings, Ronson, the World's Greatest Lighter: Wick Lighters 1913-1966 Bird Dog Books, California. 1992. Pp-168 Figure-187 for this box illustrated. Note: This piece and the touch-tip lighter are empty of any flammable, gas or butane substances and is ready to be ship by any carrier, Condition: The overall condition of this Ronson cigarettes...