Saturday, January 29, 2011
RANDOM 341 OBJECT
BIG Mysterious ANTIQUE Hinged CARRYING CASE Unknown USE-$15
Rarely do I find an object so baffling that I can’t even come up with a plausible name to put with it. I even posted this one on the “community boards” here on eBay. Lots of people had ideas as to its use. I’ll list them in a jiffy. But first . . .
BIG Mysterious ANTIQUE Hinged CARRYING CASE Unknown USE-$15
Rarely do I find an object so baffling that I can’t even come up with a plausible name to put with it. I even posted this one on the “community boards” here on eBay. Lots of people had ideas as to its use. I’ll list them in a jiffy. But first . . .
It is made like an antique hard-shell case for a musical instrument, and it is hinged and has latches to keep it closed.
It stands 35 ½” tall, and both ends are 12 ½” in diameter. When I say “tall,” I do mean tall – as in, it has tiny little metal, button feet on one end.
That’s the top. As we go along, you’ll noticed this thing is absolutely blessed with latches.
And that is the interior. It is “leather-textured” heavy paper of some sort, but it is NOT padded. OK – Now that you’ve had a quick look, let me list the guesses of our fellow eBayists on the “Antiques” discussion board.
Here is a list of guesses; in no particular order:
Case for a “foreign” musical instrument
Barbell carrying case
Salesman’s Sample carrying case for a fern stand
Protective case for a precision industrial instrument
Case for the HOLY GRAIL
Thing to hold mayoral regalia or Masonic stuff
Galileo Thermometer case
Hourglass or Sandglass timer case
I’m not making these up. These were answers to my query on the “boards.”
Something ceremonial but not religious
Case for ceremonial mace
Looks like a case for the Stanley Cup !!
case for a very fancy shooting stick type thingie
portable bar table
church or synagogue related
(One of my favorites) . . .case for a thingamabob that was lightweight, not fragile, valuable... Well, that narrows it down to only three or four hundred possibilities. The problem is, I can't think of a single one of them. But I'm intrigued, and will continue to think about this.
carrying case for a baptismal font
(Another good one) "We all need something to lean on."
protective carry case for portable deco style parking meter
Surveying instrument?
ENOUGH ALREADY !
I can swear to only three things:
First, it’s old – likely from somewhere around 1900-1920.
Second: Even though I have no idea what it is, it’s the best one I’ve ever seen.
And Third: NO DISAPPOINTMENTS
RANDOM ESTATE SALE/EBAY
i got the pail of clothespins at the bay view estate sale a few weeks ago. think i had a pic of the full bucket of clothespins. well, i separated them all into groups. i kept a few of the hand made ones and a couple of the wire ones. well, i listed them by type. the plain ones are on ebay now. 3 people are watching them? well, the 16 handmade ones made over $3. paid for the estate sale, so, it was profit from there. but the wire ones? granted over 40 of them, but they sold for $23+! whoda thunk it. i think me ebay angel udged me a little, but te second i saw the wire ones. that meant old. now i gotta look for clothespins. but i tend to take them anyways. new chinese ones SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK. i kept the spring ones for chip clips.
RANDOM 341 OBJECT
Rare BUSINESS Book, BARTLETT’S Tables 1855 Cincinnat OH-$61
It is a leather-bound volume; it is an important volume; and it a rare publication. The full title:
Bartlett’s (Stereotyped) Commercial and Banking Tables: Embracing Time, Simple Interest, Unexpired Time and Interest, Interest, Account-Current, Time and Averaging, Compound Interest; Scientific Discount, both Simple and Compound; Annual Income and Annuity Tables, Equally Adapted to the Currencies of All Commercial Nations and True or Intrinsic Value of the Gold and Silver Coins, and the Standard Weights and Measures of All Commercial Countries. ~Also~ American, English, French and German Exchange. Together with the Exchange of Brazil, and the Importation of Rio Coffee. “Arranged with reference to the harmonizing of the accounts and exchanges of the world, the whole upon an original plan.”
Okay, one thing we know for sure: the title of this book is alarmingly lengthy.
It is a truly rare book that doesn’t come up for sale often. Right now I can’t find even one copy available from any of the gazillion internet booksellers. (Yes, I know one could pop up any minute…or not.)
I don’t know how many copies of this title were published, but it seems Mr. Montgomery gave one copy to each of his graduating students—personalized with the student’s name & graduation date on the cover. Wow!
Author: R. (Robert) Montgomery Bartlett (founder of Bartlett’s Commercial College, Cincinnati, Ohio). Publisher: Moore, Wilstach, Keys & Overend, 1855, Cincinnati. Name of graduate: William Sortman, graduated in August of 1856. (First printing of the book was in 1851).
The book is leather-bound with gilt lettering & fanciful design on both front & back. Superb. SIZE: About 10-1/2” x 13”. 348 pages. Marbled page edges & endpapers.
CONDITION: Alert: the leather spine strip is missing! But this is just the special book that you might consider having professionally restored. If not, the binding is firm; there’s nothing loosey-goosey about it.
Book has some foxing, some staining/smudging, a few pages with turned corner. Expect other minor flaws, but nothing hideous.
