Late 20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities

Custom linen blend accent pillow with down insert Color: Cappucino A pretty copper/brown colored nubby style pillow with a stitched edge, metal zipper closure. Size 20" x 20" Our pil...

The Thousand Islands of the Adriatic Hardcover Book 1965. Text by Antun Soljan Published by Yugoslavija 1st edition 1965.  

A perfectly postmodern telephone handset designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme telephone was the result of a collaboration between...

Unique model of dial plastic phone by Sergio Todeschini, made in Italy in the 1970's.

Custom linen blend accent pillow with down insert Color: cappuccino fromentera A copper / brown colored nubby textured style pillow with a stitched edge, metal zipper closure. Size 1...

Custom linen blend accent pillow. Color: Ardolse A black/grey colored nubby textured style pillow with a stitched edge, metal zipper closure. Our pillows are constructed with vintage...

Mughal ladies Tom Pouce lighter designed by Cartier. Fabulous and extremely rare ladies cylindrical gasoline lighter. Created in Paris during the art deco period by the house of Cartier, back in the middle of the 1920's. This miniature Tom Pouce lighter, takes its name from the classic short fairy tales by the Grimm's brothers, Tom Thumb (Tom Pouce being the French translation). It was crafted with Champlevé colored enamels over rustic bronze and accented with details in yellow gold of 18 karats. Embellished with natural lapis lazuli and an emerald. The main outside body is decorated with organics elements and figures of red and blue birds. Gorgeous look and surely a great conversation piece which is accompanied by the round Cartier red box. Champlevé, in the decorative arts, is an enameling technique or an object made by the champlevé process, which consists of cutting away troughs or cells in a metal plate and filling the depressions with pulverized vitreous enamel. The raised metal lines between the cutout areas form the design outline. Emerald: Accented on top in a bezel setting, with 1 square faceted cut of a natural green emerald of about 0.15 carats. Lapis: Mount with 1 flat round cabochon cut, carved from lapis lazuli of about 1.25 carats. Birthstone: Emerald for the month of May. Weight: 21.95 Grams, (14.07 Dwt). Measurements: Have a diameter of 16 mm and a height of 33 mm (0.63 x 1.30 Inches). Hallmarks Stamped with the maker's mark, the serial numbers, the French taxation mark for luxury items BL inside a rectangular cartouche and signed, "CARTIER 5554", stamped with matching cases numbers, 13 & 13. Ministere Des Finances Lighter Tax 1911-1945 Note: On 10th December 1910 the French state adopted a new tax regulations on all devices indented to produce spark or fire by friction, or by any other means, and of the combustion of a flammable substance. Since 1st January 1911 every lighter in France that was intended for sale in the French market had to be taxed and adequately marked. To confirm that the excise duty was paid to the Ministry of Finance a special duty metal plate (stamp) was attached (usually welded) to the lighter by the lighter manufacturers. The fees charged by the French state were high but the tax rates levied by the state were varying depending on the type and finish of the lighter. Following tax rates were used: 2 French francs for common pocket lighters, 5 Fr for pocket lighters made of silver, 20 Fr for luxury pocket lighters (e.g. made of gold), 5 Fr for common table/desk lighters (over 10 cm), 10 Fr for table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of silver, 50 Fr for luxury table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of gold or platinum. Between 1911 and 1916 a simple copper plate was used which had the date 1911 engraved. Later, between 1916 and 1945 a new plate (undated) was introduced with the letters "C" and "I" (stands for indirect taxes) and a profile of Mercury (patron god of financial gain, commerce and messengers) with an inscription "Ministère Des Finances" (eng. Ministry of Finance). Two shapes were used for the plate – oval for table lighters, the other one for pocket lighters. Additional to the two duty plates a marking "BL" (Briquet de Luxe, eng. luxury lighter) was introduced in 1926. It was a small hallmark which was considered as more discreet and applied only on luxury lighters like Quercia or Lancel. It is worth to mention that France was not the sole country where lighters were taxed and marked with special plates...

Radio "Super" G11 by Swiss designer Hans Gugelot for Braun in 1955. Braun is of course well known for their iconic, Dieter Rams designed, audio equipment. This piece is not tested, w...

Casa California: Spanish-Style Houses Santa Barbara Hardcover Book. Signed by Russ Bonto for one of the home owner featured in the book. Rizzoli 1st edition 1996, 1st Printing. Missing dustcover Casa California: Spanish-Style Houses from Santa Barbara to San Clemente. Mc Millian, Elizabeth. The Spanish-style architecture of Southern California's seaside estates, canyon villas, and courtyard bungalows is central to its romantic image, one that has traditionally evoked a Mediterranean paradise. The details of this in exhaustively rich style, ornate wrought iron and wood balconies, colorful tiles, graceful arches, and palm-dotted gardens, reflect the region's Spanish, Mexican, and southwestern history and culture as well as its popular outdoor lifestyle. This book showcases Southern California's most historically significant and beautifully preserved Spanish-revival houses of this century. Twenty-one private homes built between 1922 and 1991 are featured in stunning color photography that captures exterior and interior architectural details, Spanish and Mexican antique furnishings and Folk Art, and lush landscaping and tiled...

Fin titanium Boeing all in titanium in polished finish. This CFM56 fin is made for Boeing 737. Riveted on transparent plexiglass base, base dimensions: L 19 x D 13 x H 1.5cm. Fi...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique French silver vesta case in the form of a mussel; an addition to our diverse smoking related silverware collection This exceptional antique French silver vesta case has an elongated asymmetrical form, realistically modelled in the form of a mussel shell. The anterior and posterior surfaces of the vesta are embellished with engraved decoration replicating the contours of the natural shell. This fine antique silver vesta...

Knoll au Louvre: Catalog of the Exhibition Held at Pavillon de Marsan Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris: January 12 to March 12, 1972. Printed in Italy. full page and double page la...