Early 20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities

5 Antique Saddle Leather and Gilt Steel Grey Bound Gilt Theatrical Books in Greek European and early 20th-century authors, including Anton Chekhov, et al. Five enchanting Antique Sa...

ABOUT A highly detailed diorama titled "Christmas Morning" featuring a French living room scene during Christmas morning. Almost every piece of molding, furniture, rugs, and accessory items that are contained in the room is designed and created by hand. Original signed tag on the back. Comes with two booklets by Mrs. James Ward Thorne (Narcissa Ward), an original photograph signed by the artist and newspaper clippings. CREATOR Narcissa Ward aka Mrs. James Ward Thorne. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1933-1942. MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Wood, Glass, Fabric, Metal, Paper. CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use. DIMENSIONS H 11.25 in. W 13.75 in. D 7.75 in. HISTORY Mrs. James Ward Thorne of Chicago loved dollhouses and miniatures as a child. After traveling in Europe where she collected miniature furniture and accessories, Mrs. Thorne commissioned over two dozen miniature rooms created by cabinetmakers from her own drawings. The scale is: one inch to one foot. The rooms were exhibited in the 1933-1934 Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition, the 1939 San Francisco's Golden Gate International Exposition, and in the 1940 New York World's Fair. Later, Mrs. Thorne had 29 more rooms created, copying Europe's castles, museums and historic homes. She commissioned architects to create historically accurate settings and had the textiles and carpets made by the Needlework Guild of Chicago. The rooms showing the French and English architectural and decorating styles from the 1500's to the 1920's, were exhibited in 1937 at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1942 Mrs. Thorne gave 37 more Miniature Rooms to the Art Institute of Chicago. Those rooms offered views of American history between 1875 and 1940. The Art Institute of Chicago's Thorne Miniature...

American polychromed wooden boat model on stand, with polychrome painted decoration, and linen sails, original condition. Dimensions: 60" H x 36" L x 9.5"...

PRESENTING A RARE EDITION hardback copy of The Epic of America by James Truslow Adams, Illustrated by M.J. Gallagher, Published by Little, Brown and Company of Boston in 1932. Con...

Genito-Urinary Anatomical Chart by Fritz Frohse. Dated 1922. Paper mounted on canvas. Shows wear but still presents very well!

Elegant urn-shaped silver trophy cup and cover in the restrained and graceful neoclassical Adam style with long sweeping handles decorated with a fine bead decoration. Two bands of ...

PRESENTING A FABULOUS Original hand-written Letter from Theodore Dreiser dated 19 Dec 1916 to Eliza Calvert Hall. The letter is entirely hand written with pen and signed by the re...

Carved Wood Model of a Locomotive showcased in a glazed and painted wood case. This intricately crafted piece captures the essence of a locomotive with stunning attention to detail. ...

Antique forty six star large wool American flag by Horstmann Company, circa 1908-1912. Horstmann firm was founded by William H. Horstmann (1785-1850), who had immigrated to Philadelphia from Germany. Horstmann bought out a local swordmaker in 1828 and thereafter entered the military goods field. The firm benefitted from the Civil War, becoming the largest military goods supplier in the nation by 1864. WILLIAM H. HORSTMANN & SONS, Manufacturers of Dress Trimmings and Military Goods. 5th & Cherry Streets, Philadelphia, PA. This house was founded, in 1815, by William H. Horstmann, a native of Cassel, in Germany. He had learned the trade of silk-weaving in France, and, emigrating to the United States in the above-mentioned year, established himself in Philadelphia as a manufacturer of fringe, laces and trimmings of various kinds. He married the daughter of Frederick Hoeckly, a German settler in Philadelphia, and also a manufacturer of fringe, coach-lace and tassels. He devised several improvements in this trade, especially by introducing varieties in the styles and patterns of this class of goods, there being at that time only two patterns used in the trade, which were known as the Jefferson pattern and the Monroe pattern. In 1824, he introduced into this country from Germany the use of plaiting or braiding machines, and about the same time he was the first to introduce into this country the use of the Jacquard loom, for weaving patterns in textile fabrics. His location was in the first instance at No. 50 North Third street, but within a short time he removed to a store next to the Harp and Crown tavern, afterwards known as the City hotel, and continued his business within a short distance of this point for many years. In 1828, he commenced the manufacture of military trimmings as a special department, and this branch has grown to most important proportions, Horstmann's military goods being in demand throughout time country. The firm have also executed large Government contracts in this line for the War and Navy Departments. In 1831, he established a branch house in New York city, and about the same time erected a factory at the corner of Germantown road and Columbia avenue. The factory was continued here until time erection of the extensive building at Fifth and Cherry streets, where the works, salesrooms and offices of time firm now are. This massive structure is six stories high, and extends 140 feet on Fifth street and 200 on Cherry street, and reaches back to Race street. The separate departments into which the business is divided are thirty in number. More than 1000 distinct looms and machines are in use in the building, many of them very costly and some invented and used exclusively by this firm, the motive power being supplied by a steam engine of fifty horse power. The area covered by the works is about 11,000 square feet. Time number of hands employed is very large, about 500. When the erection of a vast factory at this point was first proposed, a strong opposition was made by time holders of the neighboring property. The ancient German Lutheran Church and burying ground, since removed, stood opposite the site, and a bill was introduced into the Legislature to forbid the use of a steam engine within 100 yards of any place of worship. The interests which such a bill would have affected injuriously, especially those of several newspapers, roused a strong opposition to it, and it failed to become a law. In 1845, William H. Horstmann, the founder of the house, retired from the business, and his two sons, William and Sigmund, assumed the management and it was under their direction that the new building, above described, was erected. The goods produced by this house are of almost endless extent and variety. They include goods woven from all the various textile fibres—cotton, wool, silk, etc.—in every style, color and pattern, and are used for an infinite number of purposes. Narrow woven goods are time staple production, made up into material for dresses for both sexes, for use in daily life, and for regalia for ""societies;"" for the costumes of the stage, the upholstering of houses and of carriages, the uniforms of soldiers, together with equipments for the same, and for funeral purposes. The raw material used in the manufacture is to a great extent very costly, and their store rooms often hold as much as $200,000 worth of goods in an unworked state. There are two rooms devoted to power looms in the factory, one for coach lace and one for other styles of weaving, in which about 250 of these machines are constantly running. The braiding machines in the coach lace room are very noteworthy. The cord to be covered with braid is drawn through an opening in time middle of a flat, circular, metallic plate, about 15 inches across. Up to a point on this cord, about a foot above the plate, the threads of the braiding material converge, like the ribs of a tent-roof, and there weave in and out and out and in, as the coating of braid grows, and time covered cord rises and is wound away above. The weaving is accomplished by the motion of the spools below that carry the different threads of the braid. These spools stand in uprights, which are carried round and amongst each other in curved slots in the above-mentioned broad metallic plate. All but two of these spools run in and out among each other, with a swift, easy and intricate motion, mind so rapid that time eye can hardly follow it, while one or two special spools run steadily round and round among time twisting spools with the most extreme swiftness. Many other machines, displaying equally ingenious mechanism, are used in the factory. The various details of equipment manufactured and supplied by this house are also important, both for their number and the superior quality of the manufacture. The one article of swords may be taken as an instance. This trade grew naturally and immediately out of the established army and navy goods department of the works, it being necessary that the sword itself should be furnished together with the sword-belt and other trappings all complete. Every part of the sword and trappings, with the exception of the blade, is made on the premises. The blades are almost all imported from the ancient German sword-blade emporium of Solingen, where, it is said, swords have been made ever since the year 1147, when Count Adolphus of Berg brought home from the East and established there the business of forging Damascus blades. There is in this department a stock of some thousands of blades, of many different patterns and sizes, ready to be set and finished. Any style or sword can be had from this warehouse, from the plainest kind up to a presentation sword...

Antique balancing Nautical / ship / boat wine/champagne cooler holder with glass inner bowl. This superb combination is in very good condition. Rare bottle...

Four groups of colored paper collectible sports cards mounted on blue paper pierced in the margin for placing in a notebook. Now mounted on off white card and custom framed. The cards include images of boxers Al Kaufman, Mike Sullivan, Gans and Nelson and many others. Along with images of track and field and swim athletes. Some faded black printed faded paper ones with portraits of boxers e.g Jack...

Jewish ritual objet Besamin TOTEM Silver spice tower Origin Germany Circa 1900 at its base it has the silver seals Possibly a flag missing 95 g of weight.

This pewter trophy was awarded to the Yacht Mistral for a win in the Manhassett Bay Yacht Club Fall Regatta in 1900. The prestigious MBYC was founded in ...

This is a real unique map made by the famous Rand McNally Company. This rare schoolmap is probably made in the late 1920's. The map of all the ...

This a pair of wide cylindrical white porcelain apothecary lidded jars. They are hand painted and decorated with some laurel’s branches in the front. The lids are shaped as doctoral ...

Antique wheeled platform articulating pull toy featuring a teddy bear stuffed animal seated in a red white and blue wagon with arms that move up and down a...

Presenting a very important Teddy Roosevelt Letter of June 1911 . On ‘The Outlook’ letterhead. Typed and personally signed and amended by President Theodore Roosevelt. Dated June 20th 1911. What makes this letter so important is the author, the office and the content. It refers to the beliefs and opinions of the then President and First Lady (Edith) towards the women’s sufferage and empowerment movement that was the ‘hot topic’ of the time. It is addressed to Eliza Calvert Hall/Obenchain who was a well known author at the end of the 19th Century and Early 20th Century. In 1905, Teddy referred to her book “Aunt Jane of Kentucky’ in a speech and recommended that every man in America should read it to understand ‘the plight of their womenfolk’. He regularly corresponded with her and we have a number of those letters in our collection. It appears that both he and Edith became big fans of Mrs Hall/Obenchain who was also heavily involved in the Suffragist movement. The letters also provide a fascinating and historic record of Roosevelt’s personal beliefs and feelings on female empowerment. The Letter Reads: The Outlook 287 Fourth Avenue New York Office of Theodore Roosevelt June 20th, 1911 “My dear Miss Hall: I am touched by your sending me “To Love and To Cherish”. But then, I am one of those included in the dedication, for I well know and dearly love ” Aunt Jane of Kentucky”. Mrs. Roosevelt and I do not feel that the hero ought to have yielded to his wife’s feelings ! Ultimately it was doing an injustice to her and to his children, as well as to the State. It is a good thing to have a Governor’s wife a woman who can be as gracious a hostess, and of as fine a type, as Dolly Madison...

Presenting a rare book, namely, Sketches of North Carolina by Rev WH Foote. Titled: “Sketches of North Carolina, Historical and Biographical, Illustrative of the principles of a p...

Presenting a very important Teddy Roosevelt letter of January 1918. On ‘Sagamore Hill’ letterhead. Fully handwritten and personally signed by President...

Presenting A Very Important Teddy Roosevelt Letter from White House June 1907. On ‘The White House’ letterhead. Typed and personally signed and amended by President Theodore Roosevelt. With it’s original White House envelope, stamp and postage marks. Dated June 14th 1907. What makes this letter so important is the author, the office and the content. It refers to the beliefs and opinions of the then President and First Lady (Edith) towards the women’s sufferage and empowerment movement that was the ‘hot topic’ of the time. It is addressed to Eliza Calvert Obenchain who was a well known author at the end of the 19th Century and Early 20th Century. In 1905, Teddy referred to her book “Aunt Jane of Kentucky’ in a speech and recommended that every man in America should read it to understand ‘the plight of their womenfolk’. He regularly corresponded with her and we have a number of those letters in our collection. It appears that both he and Edith became big fans of Mrs Obenchain who was also heavily involved in the Suffragist movement. The letters also provide a fascinating and historic record of Roosevelt’s personal beliefs and feelings on female empowerment. The Letter Reads: The White House Washington Oyster Bay, N.Y., June 14, 1907 Personal “Dear Mrs. Obenchain: I gladly accept the autographed copy of “Aunt Jane” which you have been so kind to send me. But Aunt Jane is so good and so wise that she must not (amount “race (illegible)) fall into the terrible mistake of the self-indulgent, selfish, shortsighted women, cold in heart and in temper, who shirk the duties of mother-hood and then try to cover up to themselves and to others their cowardice or self-indulgence by making believe they are actuated by wise or lofty motives. * With great regard, believe me, Sincerely yours, Theodore Roosevelt *And she must not give aid and comfort to unsexed or sexless creatures by a jest which they may take for earnest ! Mrs. Eliza Calvert Obenchain, Bowling Green, Kentucky.“ The envelope is From: The White House. Addressed to: Mrs. Eliza Calvert Obenchain, Bowling Green, Kentucky and marked ‘Personal’. It is stamped on the front as posted from Oyster Bay, New York Post Office on June 16 1907. It has a red 2 Cent...

A vintage cast iron doorstop showing a geranium plant set inside a woven checkered flower pot on an iron plinth. Retaining the original painted finish. Beautiful patina. Circa 1930 ...

Antique panorama children’s book illustrated by Willy Pogany and retold by Edith L Elias. A total of 14 panels, one side with illustrations, and the other with text. Published by George G. Harrap & Company. This book is part of a children’s series by Willy Pogány of folding panoramas illustrations and text, inspired by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1855 epic, The Song of Hiawatha. Lines from Longfellow run underneath Pogány’s illustrations, which follow the Ojibwe child Hiawatha from his early kinship with the wild animals, through his struggles with Nahma, King of Fishes, and his own estranged father, Mudjekeewis, up to his courtship of Laughing Water (Minnehaha). The prose text by Edith Elias, printed on the verso of the panorama, carries Hiawatha’s story farther, through the death of Minnehaha and the coming of “the Pale-Face Chief.” Pogány’s dynamic frames, with their striking use of negative space, show the influence not only of Golden Age illustrators like Walter Crane, but also the new generation of cartoonists like Winsor McCay...

H.M. Tomlinson "The Sea and The Jungle" First Edition with woodcuts by Clare Leighton, circa 1930 Rare First Edition. Very good condition. Fantastic woodcuts by noted artist Clare...

Presenting a very rare first edition hardback copy of The Life Record of H.W. Grabber, A Terry Texas Ranger 1861-1865 Sixty-Two Years in Texas. Copyright ...

"The Last Supper" metal relief.

A 1912, Weber upright piano for sale with a figured, mahogany case. Piano has fluted Doric style piano legs with an urn shaped pedestal. Entire cabinet is inlaid in a variety of woods with stylised Neoclassical motifs and geometric forms. The front panel is inlaid with a central oval and inverted scalloped stringing, surrounded by crossbanded hexagons and circles. The piano fall features stringing in a classical meander. The key escutcheon is surrounded by swagged bellflowers. Swagged bellflowers also adorn the square piano cheeks. The base of the piano fall is inlaid with a scrolling guilloche punctuated with trefoils. The piano top rim is inlaid with crossbanded satinwood with circular inserts. Piano has an eighty-eight keyboard and two pedals. Neoclassicism draws inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. European Neoclassicism began c. 1760 in opposition to the then-dominant Rococo style. Rococo architecture...