Catalog (459)

Measuring 8.25 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches high, this gorgeous, Ohio-made, yellowware fruit bowl features fabulous, heavy blue sponging with gold gilt highlights along its decoratively embossed and scalloped rim.

The bowl has glaze crazing typical of an 85+ year old piece of pottery with no cracks or hairlines. Three imperfections are noted and are in close proximity to one another (see photo): a manufacturer’s abrasion that is coated in original glazing and two small, superficial (1/8” and ¼”) flakes.

An lovely piece of American Spongeware! Becoming much more difficult to find- particularly in this condition!

Please type the word "spongeware" into the Search box to find the other pieces of C1900-1920 Ohio Yellowware Spongeware currently being offered for sale. All pieces are prices separately.

Offered is a wonderful group of seven, circa 1920-1930's, John Wyeth apothecary bottles sporting fancy, shield-shaped, foil labels.

They are being sold separately for $55.00 each. The POISON bottle BELLADONNA is SOLD as is GELATINE CAPSULES QUININE.

Decorative stock bottles such as these beauties were meant to be refilled and reused and were the pride of the pharmacy staff. Eye-catching, reflective medicine bottles such as these also served as an advertising mechanism as they often were placed prominently on the front row of pharmacy cabinets.

Each amber colored bottle measures 8.5 inches tall, has a narrow or wide mouth and sports a stopper with ground glass construction. The bottles date to the 1920-1930's era.

The condition of these empty bottles are excellent. Some of the stoppers are stuck in place.

The bottles sport either gold or silver toned foil labels which show slight wear and staining, commensurate with age and use.

A lovely group indeed!

Offered is a wonderfully hand-crafted, 19th century SMOOTHING PLANE.

This lovely example has a subtle, coffin-shape form and sports a dovetailed base that was expertly joined. This handsome tool measures 7.25 inches long and retains its original, aged, brownish patina. The owner's initials, "N.S", are stamped on the heel of this plane.

The condition is commensurate with a mildly-used, antique hand tool. There are the expected unobtrusive small dings, scratches and imperfections typically seen in vintage tools. The blade is sharp, well maintained and has a "BUCK BROTHERS" stamp imprinted upon it. The wedge and blade fit perfectly.

A smoothing plane is typically the last plane used in woodcraft, and when skillfully employed, it offers a finish superior to that of fine sandpaper!

Offered are two, decorative, late 19th century, English, porcelain, dental, toothpaste, pot lid containers. They are priced separately with the ORIENTAL TOOTH PASTE pot lid offered at $115.00, and the WOODS CHERRY TOOTH PASTE pot lid offered at $75.00.

The ORIENTAL TOOTH PASTE pot lid measures about 3 inches in diameter, sports a marbled exterior and is in very nice condition with a few faint edge chips to the base. There is a slight variance in color between the top and base.

The WOODS CHERRY TOOTH PASTE pot lid measures over 2.5" in diameter, sports red printing on top and is in very good condition. This container has some small chips on the interior edge of the base.

Displayed together as a pair or individually, these dental pot lids will add visual interest and appeal to your collection!

Measuring 11.5" wide x 15.75" long, this lovely, circa 1930, crosstitch cross stitch sampler depicts the history of a New York City and New Jersey family with multiple cultural nationalities displayed as well as a variety of early family occupations, significant streets, town, and structures.

Interestingly, whomever wrought this very detailed, family-history sampler omitted just one significant detail- the family surname!

On the left side of the sampler, the Scotch nationality is wrought along with the occupations of Parson and Doctor, with a 1725, antique salt box style home the domicile of the parson (?) wrought below the later 1930s domicile of the doctor (?) at New York City's Park Avenue address.

The right side of the family sampler depicts French origins with a 1777 mentor (teacher) and his red schoolhouse wrought below the 1861 farmer residing in the town of Morrisania (Morristown, NJ?).

The central aspect of the sampler depicts a number of images: a very stylish horse drawn carriage with driver and a sun umbrella--holding, female occupant, a well-landscaped, bright yellow homestead dated 1777, the nationality of "English" stitched out, and finally, a tall-spired village church with accompanying date of 1752.

The French Fleur de Lis is wrought into the sampler as well as the very ancient, stylized, so-called-today "swastika" cross, a symbol of peace and prosperity that can be traced back to ancient Byzantine times and which was frequently featured in early Native American culture as a symbol of abundance.

The sampler hem is completely hand-stitched. The sampler, itself, is in very fine condition retaining bright coloration and an absence of holes, tears or discoloration of any kind. Background color of the linen is an even, mellow, tannish-off-white.

A well-executed cross stitch sampler, an example of fabulous Americana Folk Art, which is shrouded in mystery as to family origin!

An unused, "New Old Stock", Pharmacy or Drug Store display from the 1940-1950's era, complete with 10 full rolls of "FOXES" Throat Soothing Horehound Drops!

This diminutive size display measures 4.25" x 3.25" closed and is in very nice condition. The top lifts up to facilitate advertisement of the product and would have been placed on the counter top of a pharmacy in this fashion. A neat find!

Offered are two, very special, late 19th century, hand-blown medical ear syringes, one that retains its original wooden case.

First is a choice, five inch, wooden-cased hand-blown glass syringe that appears unused and is in excellent condition. The plunger glides smoothly and the syringe fits snugly inside the treen case.

Second is a 6 inch example that appears lightly used. The plunger is in fine, perfect condition; however,it seems to be stuck inside the syringe, and I have chosen not to try to move it.

An additional, third syringe included in this grouping is missing its tube, but is otherwise in good condition.

Measuring 6 1/4 inches high x 5 3/4 inches wide, this circa 1930's, VERY RARE, Japan made, Polka Dot Kerchief, Mammy Head String Holder is in near mint condition with no chips, cracks, or hairlines! Mammy is the mate to the Maruhon Ware Mammy series--Cookie Jar, Basket Handle Biscuit Jar, Teapot and related kitchen items-- all made with this same Mammy's face.

The String Holder is stamped "JAPAN" on the back side, and it has a hole in the center of her mouth to accommodate the string! This wonderful piece has expected and typical glaze crazing and even comes complete with vintage string! On the upper right hand side of her forehead, these is a small white spot about 1/4 of an inch long where the face paint was not applied prior to factory glazing (see photo)- a tiny, insignificant manufacturer imperfection that does not detract from this rare piece! The entire piece is glazed with the exception of Mammy's lips which are cold-painted (meaning that the paint was applied after firing). As such, this area of paint would be the most vulnerable to wear, and Mammy does have 2 microscopically-sized specks on her upper lip where the paint has come off. Too tiny to be picked up in a photo!

Please note that photos were taken with a flash, so any white markings on the piece are flash reflections only and not imperfections.

Offered is a very nice set of brass weights manufactured by Fisher Scientific Co., dating to the turn of the 20th century.

The weights are housed in a fitted, hard wood case that appears to be maple, and it includes a brass tweezers for securing the six individual milligram weights. Also included are eight of the nine brass matching weights, with only the 1mg weight missing.

The wooden case measures 6 inches long x 2.5 inches wide x 1.5 inches high and sports a metal label on top. Condition is very good with the finish and wear commensurate of a used antique collectible.

Offered is a handsome, C1870s, woodworkers, Adjustable Dado Plane. It is marked "W.COATES 57 BRIDGE STREET - MANCHESTER" and is most likely of English origin.

Dado planes are designed to cut a groove across the wood's grain. The front-mounted nicker iron would score the edge of the groove and thus avoid splitting and lifting the grain. The adjustable depth stop (which is controlled by the brass screw on top) regulates how deep the blade cuts into the wood.

This plane cuts 1/2 inch grooves and sports two functional blades that are in well-maintained, sharp, usable condition. The plane shows various scratches, dings, and minor wear commensurate with a modestly-used antique tool.

Measuring just over 9 inches long and very solid, this tool of the trade is ready for your collection.

Measuring 10.5" high x 10.5" deep x 6.5" wide at the widest point, this very unique, circa 1940's, pharmacy, ALKA-SELTZER advertising piece displays just wonderfully!

Cleverly conceived and constructed, this display combines a very, visually-pleasing, accessible medicine display that promoted spur-of-the-moment purchases at the drug store cash register, along with a tape dispenser for use by the pharmacist and his employees! Quite clever--- as it guaranteed that the display would remain in use and visible in the pharmacy as the tape dispenser provided a nice convenience for drug store employees!

In very nice condition with expected scratches, paint rubs, and non-problematic, superficial surface rusting here and there (please see photos) expected of a 75+ year old functional display.

The display retains one of its twelve, original, glass Alka-Seltzer medicine bottles (empty of contents) as well as an older, used roll of tape in the dispenser!

A very unique advertising drug store display sure to start an interesting conversation at your next dinner party!

Offered is a simply outstanding, extraordinarily scarce, 1920-1930s Art Deco era, ceiling-mount-hanging, drugstore show globe in impeccable condition!

The fancy and highly-stylized, Art Deco, aluminum frame cradles an equally highly-stylized, classically-ribbed, clear glass show globe and finial. If so desired, the show globe will hold colored-water as was the display fashion back "in-the-day". The frame is embellished with a buffed, silver matte finish with design details outlined in contrasting black to further enhance the fabulous, Art Deco styling. The chain link is also painted black, echoing the black detailing of the frame, and it retains most of its gorgeous, original finish, with absolutely no pitting! The hanger medallions retain their original finish and are ready for mounting. Here and there, the metal parts retain a faint honey tone adding to the show globe's antique charm. This fabulous apothecary showpiece measures approximately 34.5 inches from the top of its fancy, ceiling-mount hanger to the base. If desired, it is possible to add additional chain links to further extend the overall length of the globe.

The condition is excellent. The globe glass is clean and clear except for some very, very faint haze on the interior top of the globe just below the neck. A perfectly fitting, ground-glass faceted finial echoing Art Deco design, rounds out this beauty.

The combined take-away of this offering, this outstanding piece of nearly 100 year old, American pharmacy history, is its exquisite Art Deco styling with extraordinary visual appeal, its utterly excellent condition, and its very scarce, ceiling-mount design, making it a true rarity among extant Apothecary antiques and collectibles!

Measuring 7.75" tall with a bell diameter of 4" at its base, this fabulous, C1870's, school teacher's, hand-held bell sports a wonderful, all-original, vintage patina.

This solid, 1/8" thick bell gives its ring the classic resonance one would expect to hear in a 19th century bell - a sound that would carry a good distance announcing the start of the school day!

The top of the bell features a decorative 3 rimmed edging. The bell retains its original black-painted wooden handle, and iron clacker and loop. A very tiny 1/16th" superficial edge chip exists - the bell must have hit a very hard surface to create that! (see close-up photo)

A lovely 19th century example of a teacher's school bell, sadly being de-accessioned from my own collection due to lack of display space!

Measuring 21 inches in length, this very handsomely attired, gentleman golliwog doll hails from the early 1950's and remains in near pristine condition. Displayed under glass all of these years, his clothing retains good color and is free of soiling with the exception of his white cotton vest which has one small spot on either side that are both nicely concealed when his jacket is set properly in place. (Clothing is removable if the new owner wishes to launder.)

The golly's clothing is machine stitched; his red mouth and white eyeballs are constructed of felt. His body is tightly stuffed with cotton batting allowing him to be displayed either in a sitting position or standing with the support of a doll stand.

A brief history of the Golliwog doll: The Golliwog is based on a Black minstrel doll that the Victorian era illustrator, Florence Kate Upton, born in 1873 of English parents, had played with as a small child in New York. Upton's Golliwog character was first introduced to the world in her 1895 book entitled The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls. Like the rag doll that inspired it, the Golliwog in her book was an ugly creature with very dark, jet black skin, large white-rimmed eyes, red clown lips, and wild, frizzy hair. Golliwogs are typically male and are generally dressed in a jacket, trousers, bow tie, and stand-up collar in a combination of red, white, blue, black, and occasionally yellow colors.

A very sweet piece!

Manufactured circa 1920's by the Wurts Creation Company, this scarcely-found, Black Chef, kitchen collectible doubles as both a string holder and a grocery list memo board!

Constructed of painted wood that is nailed and glued together, this vintage collectible retains quite a few of its original but yellowed-with-age grocery shopping list pages. The holder/board retains a ball of string and a stub of an older, red pencil. It also has an inkwell cut-out that would have accommodated a bottle of ink; presumably, an inkwell pen once resided beside it versus the current pencil.

The holder/board remains in all original condition with no repaint or repair. The black chef is not painted on but is a decal--all original. The pale blue paint has appropriate, minor, age-related wear as noted in photos.

Has great visual appeal and displays wonderfully!

Pictured is an absolutely fabulous and wonderful Victorian Child's Rocking Chair sporting a fancy crest with an incised design in what appears to beautiful burled walnut. This diminutive gem with beautiful detailing is further embellished with caning woven to its back and seat.

Overall, this heirloom piece flaunts its desirable size with a nice early finish, lovingly curved armrests, perfect-condition caned seat and back, and decoratively turned spindles and front legs.

Given its age, the rocker remains very sturdy and ready for the child in your family to enjoy! It has the expected, minimal surface blemishes and unobtrusive dings and wear that are commensurate with a piece of child's furniture from the 1880 era. Additionally, there are two very, very tight hairline splits in the left side of the seat frame, that again, do not effect the chair's structural integrity. The first is noted just in front of the base of the left arm (when sitting) and the second is seen where the back of the seat joins with the vertical rail. Both imperfections have been photographed, are solid, and do not impact the rocker's structural integrity. The chair measures just over 27 inches tall and the seat width at the front of the chair measures 15.5 inches wide. The rockers measure 24 inches in length.

Just a lovely and special heirloom piece for the new baby or toddler in your family!

Please note that because this item would be classified as oversize by delivery carriers, this item does not qualify for free shipping.

These wonderful, circa late 1950-early 1960's, TRU-TONE No Roll, school or art crayons manufactured by the Milton Bradley Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, are in mint condition! The crayons are unused and are all original! The box measures 4.5 inches tall x 4.5 inches wide x 1/2 inch deep.

An absolutely wonderful addition to one's School or Artist Memorabilia collection!

Also pictured are two other mint condition, unused, boxed, school crayons that are currently offered for separate sale. The group of three make a charming, visual display!

Presented as a historical and cultural artifact, this extraordinarily RARE, very, very scarcely found, cloth book entitled "Pickaninny ABC" was published in London, Patented March 7, 1905, Number 39, by Dean's Rag Book Co. Ltd. The book measures 8.50 inches long x 6.75 inches wide, and is the companion volume to the also exceedingly rare 1904 Dean's Rag Book, "Ten Little Indians" which I have had the pleasure to offer for sale only twice in my decades-long antiques career (see final photo for a cover shot of the companion Ten Little Indians book).

Each of these rag books were published as alphabet and numerical teaching tools for the very young children of the wealthier class who could afford to purchase books to furnish their children's home library as well as to support their early home-tutorial education.

While clearly overtly racist in title (pickaninny) and conceptualization ("A" stands for Alabama Coon, "P" stands for Pickaninnies), the book also promotes age-old stereotypes as well ("W" stands for Watermelon, "U" stands for Uncle Tom, "H" stands for Hen-Roost, "C" stands for Cake Walk, etc) that were, unfortunately, acceptable societal references at the turn of the twentieth century.

This 116 year old book remains in all-original, very good condition with no alterations or repairs. While the front and back covers exhibit significant age-related staining, the interior pages are significantly "cleaner" and the illustrations remain very brightly colored. Interior pages present varying degrees of very light soiling, light foxing, and yellowing of linen, commensurate with age. The exterior binding has teeny spots of wear to the first layer of binding fabric which do not impact binding integrity. Top and bottom edges are subtly frayed.

This book is in truly remarkable condition for its age and in consideration of its all-cloth construction. This title is very RARELY found in today's market and is the first I have ever had the pleasure of offering for sale in my nearly 40 years dealing in this field! This is an absolute cornerstone piece to any serious Black Memorabilia collection!