Machine Age Collectibles and Curiosities

A Maltese clock & touch tip lighter designed by Ronson. This is an extremely rare Ronson Maltese clock Touch-Tip lighter. This is a very iconic piece made in 1936 at Newark, New Jersey in the United States by the Ronson Art Metal Works Inc. This touch tip 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 chromium plate and parts of the metal body are treated with black 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 mint condition. This version with the large dial are more rarer and more prized and desirable for collectors than the small dial version. It is illustrated at the Cummings book as very rare. This piece was used in 1941, in the Hollywood movie titled The Maltese Falcon, there the nick name for this specific model. Weight: 897.45 Grams, (1.87 Pounds). Measurements: 108 mm by 64 mm by 103 mm (4.25 x 2.52 x 4.06 Inches). Marks: Stamped with the maker's mark and signed, "RONSON TOUCH TIP US PATS. 1,986,754-DES PAT. 97,247 BRITISH PAT. APPLY FOR CANADA PAT. 349,148 NEWARK NJ-USA-ART METAL WORKS INC". With all supportive Ronson stickers and labels at the bottom. 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. Literature: Urban K. Cummings, Ronson, the World's Greatest Lighter : Wick Lighters...

A 19th-century Polish Shofar which is a remarkable piece of Judaica reflecting the Jewish community's life in Poland during that era. Poland was home to one of the largest and most...

Great Machine Age, American Art Deco floor scale, Weigh Master by Hanson. The scale is fully functional, it shows cosmetic wear to the paint finish, and th...

Beautiful and complete tricycle horse with its cast iron details with a stunning patina. Amazing period piece. This type of 19th century French velocipede tricycle horse was origina...

A vintage Industrial flameproof ceiling striplight / tube light made by Wittenburg of Germany. Originally designed for hazardous areas in factories and on cargo ships. Reclaimed,...

Transport yourself back in time with our exquisite 19th-century Singer Sewing Machine, discovered in France. Crafted with a sturdy cast iron base and an elegant oak frame, this vinta...

Under-appreciated but exceptionally made Antique New Williams Company treadle sewing machine with leather belt and working mechanism. Inside it ...

***Reduced In-House Delivery Rates - Click on “Ask Seller” to Request a Quote*** Antique Victor Victrola VV-230 Mahogany Phonograph Credenza Cabinet C1920 Measures- 36.5"H x 38"W x...

Antique wall-mounted cast iron gym exercise machine. This early exercise device, designed for shoulder and arm workouts, features sturdy wooden mounting panels and durable cast iron pulleys. The top wooden panel bears a decal from the Narragansett Machine Company, highlighting its historical craftsmanship. A unique and functional piece, it makes a fantastic addition to any home gym or vintage fitness...

Collectible Antique Narragansett Machine Company Forearm Exercise Machine is constructed of wood and iron. To operate, one merely turns the grip in different directions to engage dif...

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...

This is an Aretino Machine Phonograph. It depicts a square wood cabinet that has at the top a round platter where a disc/record is placed and can be heard after the needle attached t...