Saturday, June 19, 2010
RANDOM 341 OBJECT
BIG Antique BUTTON w Amethyst & Mini PERFUME Bottle MOP-$20
People collect different things for different reasons. Some delude themselves by collecting some new toy made by tiny hands in a foreign country and thinking they’re investing. Some collect nothing but the finest china, porcelain, silver, you name it. But here we have two things that fit into a whole ‘nother category: “Things that are 2 inches tall.” If you know someone who collects 2” stuff, better give them a heads-up.
I don’t know why eBay doesn’t have a separate listing category called 2” tall things, but they don’t. I may just have to give them a call about that.
When I first started selling on eBay years ago, I sold virtually nothing BUT buttons. I sold them by the hundreds – all kinds from rare to odd. However, all I learned about buttons has leaked out my ears. I can’t remember a thing about them. But I know this is a beauty, and it’s from the 1800s.
I had so many buttons and took so many pictures of buttons and packed so many buttons that, to this day, I still have to choke back a gag when I see one. (That’s not casting aspersions on this Victorian beauty; it’s just making the point that one can get totally burned out on anything . . . except you-know-what.)
To be exact, the button is 1 ¾” by 1 1/8”. The perfume bottle is 1 7/8” tall. I’ll bet those hoards of collectors of 2” things are pretty miffed right about now for me misleading them a fraction of an inch. So be it. They’re usually a “little odd” anyway. You wouldn’t want to have them over for the weekend, although they’re masters of small talk.
The perfume is actually a glass bottle inside a gold-tone case with a mother of pearl face and cap top. Then there’s the fleur-de-lis in the middle. (The Boy Scouts didn’t sell perfume at one time, did they”)
I don’t know who made the little perfume – anonymous I reckon. I have a lot of his stuff.
I sure hope you love these two pieces because a sure hope to sell’m.
RANDOM 341 OBJECT
ART NOUVEAU Antique Pre-1922 WEBER COSTELLO World GLOBE-$206
I don’t know a soul who isn’t fascinated by old globes. Most everyone feels compelled to spin it around and look for this place or that, even it’s simply their own little bailiwick.
And when you find an interesting old one like this, it’s even more exciting, especially if you enjoy tracking down the date according to which countries gained independence in such-and-such a year – or when the US acquired an island. In this case, Russia is still Russia, prior to it becoming the Soviet Union. That makes it pre-1922. Plus, the Philipines had been acquired by the U.S., so that makes it post-1898.
You gotta love the iron stand with its Art Nouveau embellishments and its nice fat paw feet. Even the finish is original and untouched. A surprising percentage of the bronze finish remains intact as well.
It’s a 12” globe by Weber Costello. The total height of the piece is approximately 20 ½”. Also please note one of the flaws – some narrow separation of the map to the right of the logo.
The paper map isn’t in perfect condition, but it’s still an incredibly decorative object as well as a piece of history. The worst area is the one seen above in Russia.
I’ll show you a lot of pictures of various parts of the world, featuring not only the flaws but also some of the areas that would make the exact date obvious to those who know their globes. I’m just not one of them, but I know the back roads of southern Indiana about as well as anyone.
Uh-oh. There are a couple surface losses in Greenland and Iceland.
I’ve seen what a restorer can do for an old globe, and I have a feeling this would be child’s play to fix up. Speaking of child’s play: You actually CAN see Russia from here by looking at the image above.
This very moment is the first time I noticed the markings on the bottom. I can’t quite make it out, but it looks like a logo beginning with “M” and ending with “Cast.”
Aha! Afghanistan became Afghanistan in 1919, so we’re already narrowing it down.
I just wanted to show you Baghdad because I’ve always been a little miffed at the “h” right in the middle of the word.
Those wonderful paw feet are definitely the stars of the show.
Sorry Minnesota and Wisconsin, but you were warned about sending all that cold air down on us here in Ohio. We had to have your statehoods peeled.
Friday, June 18, 2010
RANDOM LAND & PEOPLES
RANDOM 341 OBJECT
RARE Antique Pair CAST IRON 1800 ALMS BOX SLOTS w Saint-$63
When Larry McMurtry wrote the line for the title character in his book, Cadillac Jack: “Anything can be anywhere,” he was dead on right! This very rare pair of decorative cast iron money slots for a mid 19th Century or earlier alms box walked right in my front door when I was just sitting around feeling sorry for myself, not having discovered anything super-exciting lately.
Each is approximately 5 ¼” by 3” by nearly ¾” deep at the sides of the slot. Together they weigh 1 lb. 5.7 oz. - or 615.184 grams, if you think in those terms.
Obviously the surfaces are covered with an earned rusty “patina.” They could be cleaned up, of course, but I’m not sure I want to do too much. They’re old – They look old – And they look just the way they should after over 150 years.
I’m not sure who that is between the two cathedral windows. I’d guess it’s a saint associated with giving to the poor. Dang! This is the one time when it would be handy to be religious. I should call somebody, but I’m afraid they’d eventually get around to inviting me to their church, and I don’t enjoy being rude. (Well . . . sometimes I do. Don’t you? Like right now, I’d love to bump into an oil company executive who’s in charge of off-shore drilling. I’d open a very large can of rude on him in a heartbeat.)
Each would be held in place with four screws. By the way, there is no damage to either.
An old, old piece of paper is stuck to the back of one. It may or may not have something to do with the pieces, but I thought I’d show you a close-up anyway – just to be on the safe side.
This is the kind of discovery that keeps me in the game. You won’t be disappointed.
