Veneer Collectibles and Curiosities

A Philco Model 9-S-262 console radio with multiple band dial. Circa. 1938. All electrical components and speaker intact, but not tested. Beautiful dial, grill cloth and finish. 42 ...

A Very Fine German 19th Century Louis XVI Style Burr Walnut Bechstein Concert Grand Piano, Serial No. 5655. The beautifully crafted Grand piano, raised on three tapered barrel shaped legs, with an intricately carved ornate music desk and original keys. Circa: 1872. Length: 80 inches (203.2 cm) Width: 59 inches: (149.9 cm) Height (top closed): 38 5/8 inches (98.1 cm) C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik AG (also known as Bechstein) is a German manufacturer of pianos, established in 1853 by Carl Bechstein. Before Bechstein Young Carl Bechstein studied and worked in France and England as a piano craftsman, before he became an independent piano maker. His first pianos were made for other companies. C. Bechstein C. Bechstein piano factory was founded on 1 October 1853 by Carl Bechstein in Berlin, Germany. Carl Bechstein set out to manufacture a piano able to withstand the great demands imposed on the instrument by the virtuosi of the time, such as Franz Liszt. In 1857, Hans von Bülow (Liszt's son-in-law) gave the first public performance on a Bechstein grand piano by performing Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor in Berlin By 1870, with endorsements from Franz Liszt and Hans von Bülow, Bechstein pianos had become a staple in many concert halls and private mansions. By that time three piano makers, all of which were founded in 1853, became established as the industry leaders across the world: Bechstein, Blüthner and Steinway & Sons. In 1881 Bechstein began supplying pianos to Queen Victoria. A gilded art-case piano was delivered to Buckingham Palace, followed by several more Bechstein pianos to Windsor Castle and other royal residences. By January 1886 they were among the piano manufacturers holding a Royal Warrant as a supplier to the Queen. Several British embassies across the world acquired Bechstein pianos. In 1885, Bechstein opened a branch in London, that eventually grew to become the largest showroom and dealership in Europe. By 1890 showrooms had been opened in Paris, Vienna, and Saint Petersburg. On 31 May 1901, Bechstein Hall, built at a cost of £100,000, was opened next to the company's London showroom at 36-40 Wigmore Street. Between 1901 and 1914, C. Bechstein was the largest piano dealership in London. At that time, Bechstein was patronized by the tsars of Russia, the royal families of Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Austria and Denmark, and other royalty and aristocracy. The list of royal clients of Bechstein may be found on the soundboard of vintage Bechstein pianos made before the Second World War. The list is part of the original Bechstein trademark logo; it can be seen under the strings in the center of a piano's soundboard. The signature of Carl Bechstein The years from the 1870s through 1914 brought Bechstein their most dramatic increase in sales. In 1880 a second Bechstein factory was opened in Berlin, and the third factory was opened in 1897 in Berlin-Kreuzberg. Production reached 3,700 pianos annually in 1900, and 4,600 in 1910, making Bechstein the largest German manufacturer of high-end pianos. At that time, about three quarters of production went to international markets, especially Britain and the Commonwealth, and Russia. Carl Bechstein died in 1900, and the Bechstein company continued to operate under the management of his sons. Between 1900 and 1914 C. Bechstein was one of the leading piano makers in the world, employing 1,200 craftsmen and workers by 1913 and making five thousand pianos per year. First World War C. Bechstein suffered huge property losses in London, Paris, and St. Petersburg during World War I. The largest loss was in London. Although the company's position in the United Kingdom was initially unaffected, with the company still listed as holding a Royal Warrant in January 1915, Warrants to both King George V, and his wife Queen Mary were cancelled on 13 April 1915. Bechstein was not the only musical concern to be affected by growing anti-German sentiment: there were earlier attempts, led by William Boosey, to boycott German music altogether. In 1915, despite being a Baronet and Privy Counsellor, Sir Edgar Speyer, who was then funding the Proms, was forced to leave the country. Following the passing of the Trading with the Enemy Amendment Act 1916 the British arm of the company was wound-up on 5 June 1916, all Bechstein property, including the concert hall and showrooms full of pianos, were seized as "enemy property" and closed. In 1916 the hall was sold as alien property at auction to Debenhams for £56,500. It was renamed Wigmore Hall, and then re-opened under the new name in 1917. All 137 Bechstein pianos at the Bechstein showrooms were confiscated too, and became property of the new owner of the Hall. After a dispute with his brother, Edwin Bechstein left the company and was paid off. Eventually the Bechstein factory resumed full-scale production during the 1920s. At that time, technical innovations and inventions of new materials and tools, as well as improvements in piano design and construction, had allowed Bechstein to become one of the leading piano makers again. The most successful models were the updated "A"-185 and "B"-208 grand pianos. The upright pianos became more popular after the war, and C. Bechstein were successful with its upright pianos Model-8 and Model-9, both of which have been considered the finest upright pianos. As the company was changed into a joint-stock company 1923, Edwin Bechstein and his wife Helene, bought themselves back into the company as shareholders. In 1930 the company collaborated with German electrical goods manufacturer Siemens under Nobel laureate Walther Nernst to produce one of the first electric pianos...

English Mahogany 19th Century Stick Barometer by Tarone Classic traditional English mahogany stick Barometer. Excellent and original feat...

A rare—and rarer still, fully functional—mid-century modern Hoffman Radio Corp. model A-309 tabletop tube radio designed in 1946 by Charles and Ray Eames, and produced in association with Evans Products Company in 1946–47. Bentwood case with waterfall top and slightly sloped sides fabricated by the Charles Eames-helmed Evans Molded Plywood Products Division. Clad in combed oak veneer with original semi-opaque warm blonde lacquer finish. Back-lit glass dial face is screen printed on the front with crisp off-white AM band frequency numbers that are cleverly drop-shadowed in orange from the back. The back is also screen printed with an olive, green, and orange striped design and green tuning pips. Metal frame with brass finish and embossed Hoffman nameplate below. Original speaker grill cover is off-white woven cotton with a distinctive atomic-style brass finish metal decoration across the face. Dark khaki-colored painted trim around the grill is accented by the same around the bottom of the case. At bottom left and right corners of the grill are Bakelite on/off/volume and tuning knobs in a light tan and cream marbled color complimentary to the case and grill. Though it can occasionally be a bit temperamental—as vintage tube radios often are—when given ample time to warm up (the longer the better), one can smoothly dial in stations within range and hear them coming in loud and clear, or at least as clear as AM radio reception typical allows. Video of it in action can be shared upon request. Original paperboard back retains UL and Hoffman Radio Corp. labels, with the latter listing model number and specs. “INSPECTED” is stamped on the back and the edge of the case. Taped to the inside of the back is a detailed electrical and tube schematic. We’re unsure whether this was originally stapled to the underside of the radio as seen with other examples of this model online, or if it’s an additional schematic that was originally always affixed somewhere inside, thus meaning the one that was on the bottom of our example is no longer extant. The Eames’ radio...

This beautiful and intricate William and Mary style oyster veneer miniature chest on stand is done to a 12/1 scale. It is made with the same hand made traditional methods as in the...

George III Mahogany Banjo Barometer By Edie & Son. Edinburgh Alexander James Adie FRSE MWS (7 November 1775, Edinburgh – 4 December 1858, Edinburgh) was a Scottish maker of medical ...

Danish design A rare Danish midcentury pianette made of mahogany. It is called pianette due to the 82 keys rather than the standard 88 of a full size piano. This pianette is made by ...

German 50s foosball table. Attributable to the manufacturer Leonhart, who has stood for the best quality and innovation in the field of foosball tables since the founding of the fami...

This Caviuna Record Player was produced by Forma S.A. Móveis e Objetos de Arte in the 1950s, whose designs were made by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler. This typology was part of the storage furniture from the period, appearing in several interior projects published in the most known design and lifestyle magazines. It was part of modular furniture, commonly assembled with shelves, flower boxes, and bar compartments. Extraordinarily complex and hand-crafted, the wood pieces produced by Forma Móveis e Objetos de Arte in Brazil in the 1950s have unique construction details, very distinctive of any production of the time in Brazil. This Record Player is composed of two hanging doors...

A custom made walnut and maple chess set and game table we commissioned. It is solidly made with squares of curly maple and walnut. The table legs and borders are solid walnut. The c...

19th c., American, four drawer miniature chest with Sheraton style pulls, on scalloped blocked feet. This attractive salesman sample is characterful with a lovely deep aged cherry co...

Over the years, British design company Linley has developed expertise in creating scaled versions of famous architectural buildings including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Opera House. In this instance, Highclere Castle...

A very fine Anglo-French 19th century rosewood, palisander, amboyna and satinwood marquetry (inlaid) art-case baby grand piano, the works by "Collard & Collard". The intricately deco...

A Very Fine Early 20th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Three Leg Grand Erard Piano By François Linke François Linke Beautiful quarter veneered case inlaid with cartouche panels surmounted by a hinged lid, with great quality pierced foliate bronze mounts running down each leg, finishing off with lion paw feet. Signed F. Linke to the bronze clasp on the side leg, The movement stamped with Erard serial number 97037 and patent stamps, the interior of the case further stamped F. TURBEC/A LEMOINE. Erard is the oldest and most prestigious French piano manufacturer. The firm was founded by Sebastian...

Impressive French mahogany barometer and thermometer from the Louis-Philippe period (Circa 1840), by Jean Gabriel Augustin Chevalliier. The barometer features an indicator arrow adju...

This exceptional Georgian barometer by the leading London instrument-maker John Bennett strongly reflects the prevalent furniture style and archite...

19th c. Charming antique miniature chest of drawers. The chest has a marble top. The case is figured mahogany, with four stacked drawers, the ...

J. M. Pagani Barometer From the 19th Century in Walnut Case A large liquid barometer with a thermometer, dated to the 2nd half of the 19th century, signed by J.M. Pagani from Gronin...

Pair Obelisks with travertine and marble veneer. Handsome pair of high quality stone veneered obelisks. Done in a pale travertine outlined with gray marbl...

Lucky to find a 30" globe in this condition. The best that Weber Constello ever put out.

A strongbox was a type of travelling chest and these types of boxes were more common in England than anywhere else where they were fabricated between 1660 and 1720. The earliest proo...

Seven Furstenberg miniature busts of English men of letters, early 19th century together with a William IV Amboyna two-door glazed cabinet. Including, Locke, Dryden, Garrick, Pope.

Important automatic self-playing piano called "Bastringue", from the beginning of the XXth century, working with an interchangeable cylinder stamped by the organ and piano makers "J....

A 19th century French Empire miniature commode. A well executed miniature chest made of walnut and veneer of walnut with two large drawers below a smaller top drawer and with solid walnut columns. Inscription written in ink on the back of each of the large drawers: Don D...

Rare Cabin Decor Antler Humidor, circa 1890-1900 An antique turned wooden box with lid, venered with several fine antler slices from the deer and decorated with tips of roe deer antlers. (woodcrack at the lid - see pictures). On top of the lid with hollow turned antler box for matches...

This beautiful and intricate William and Mary style oyster veneer miniature mirror is done to a 12/1 scale. It is made with the same handmade traditional methods as in the 18th and ...

A wonderful turn of the century gilt bronze mounted Louis XVI style six-leg Grand Erard piano Beautiful satinwood veneer, bronze mounts, standing on six legs centered by a stretcher. The movement stamped with Erard serial number 93712 and patent stamps, the interior of the case further stamped F. TURBEC/A LEMOINE, and M. BECKER. Erard is the oldest and most prestigious French piano manufacturer. The firm was founded by Sebastian Erard...

This beautiful and intricate William and Mary style oyster veneer miniature mirror is done to a 12/1 scale. It is made with the same handmade traditional methods as in the 18th and ...

Fabulous, hand-carved and veneered, 1700's, solid marble tabernacle from an Italian church altar. The scrolling, side pillars are surmounted by a ...

A French Louis Philippe style miniature commode, or sample chest made of beautiful book matched veneer of walnut. Four dovetailed drawers with blue velvet lined interior. Original br...

This beautiful and intricate William and Mary style oyster veneer miniature chest on stand is done to a 12/1 scale. It is made with the same handmade traditional methods as in the 1...

exquisite exemple of a miniature sample of an empire chest made by a "Compagnon" most likely this was for the mentor to judge the ability of his pupi...

This beautiful and intricate William and Mary style oyster veneer miniature chest of drawers is done to a 12/1 scale. It is made with the same handmade traditional methods as in the...

A French Empire style wooden lit en bateau doll bed from the late 19th century, with out-scrolling accents. Created in France during the last quarter of ...

The model in various woods and bone inlay and finials. An arched window with painted copper roundel. With hinged rear door access. English

This beautiful and intricate William and Mary style oyster veneer miniature pair of chest of drawers is done to a 12/1 scale. They are made with the same hand made traditional meth...

This antique miniature French table top commode dates to the early 1900s. It is in the Louis XV style with splayed feet, shaped (or "bombe") sides, and bronze hardware throughout. Th...

Rectangular German Baroque style chest of drawers with curvy front standing on four bun feet and holding three frieze drawers with bronze handles. Top, front and both sides with fine...

Model commode, Louis Seize around 1790, walnut veneered and marquetry, 3 drawers, brass knobs, restored condition, shellac polish height: 30 cm, width: 40 cm, depth: 24,5 cm