Oversized Wax Anatomical Model – 1800s

This highly detailed model looks to be two times normal scale. These wax models were the first examples used as teaching aides. It took many hours of hand work to create this example. These were not machine made and took a skilled and knowledgeable craftsman to do this. Wax is very delicate and many of these early examples no longer exist. The detail is amazing… Every blood vessel and tendent is hand made and in place. The eyeball has layers of detail as well as the bone and marrow. It sits on the original wood base. This model was well taken care of… $1600

Folk Art Cleopatra Necklace – Made From 750 Safety Pins

To look at this beautiful and elaborate necklace you would never guess what it was made from. It’s in perfect condition and ready to wear. The pins are linked 5 rows deep and 5 inches. Two of the rows are embellished with blue green iridescent glass beads. it has an 18 inch diameter. I can’t even guess how many hours it took to make this ingenious piece of folk art jewelry…$550

Wall of Draws Finds Loving Home.

To enjoy what you do is a blessing. Finding that hidden and weathered gem is only half the fun. Seeing it repurposed and becoming a new and useful family treasure is the best part. OK… We make a few bucks as well. Lindsey sent us these wonderful pictures. The draws are a perfect fit.
Steve

1800s Museum Quality Dental Chair

Basil Manly Wilkerson an 1868 graduate of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, was a prominent dental inventor of the 19th century. Among his inventions was the first hydraulic dental chair.
In the 1882 edition of Codman & Shurtleff’s catalogue, the chair is referred to as showing great originality… all cranks are dispensed with and levers substituted for them. The chair was raised by a foot lever and requires very little effort, takes only eight seconds…. lowered by another lever it sinks rapidly and noiselessly.

If your a collector of early dental furniture than you already know how inportant and rare this chair is. It’s one of the earliest examples of the Wilkerson Dental Chair. It was a milestone of early technology and the first hydraulic driven mechinical chair. This is one of their most decorative examples. There are 4 legs with lions paw feet and a filigree back plate. The seat, back and arms have been faithfully restored using the correct burgundy plush fabric. All the painted cast iron parts have not been touched. What you see is the original paint and gold decorative pin striping. This chair sat on display in an important collection for almost 60 years. Note the original mahogany arm rests are there as well. All the tilts and adjustments work smoothly. The up and down mechanisem works but can stick if pumped to it highest point. You just don’t find examples this nice. It’s also as comfortable as it gets… $3200

Radio Guy’s newly listed finds now on 1stdibs.com

(A) This is an early full draw cabinet from the mid to late 1800s. We pulled this right out of the old machine shop where it sat for over 100 years. It’s complete with all 132 draws and each draw is numbered with a raised metal plaque. The original draw pulls are cast iron and it’s only missing a couple. The weathered paint and aged patina is something that can never be reproduced. We did find it in a machine shop but it could have originally been produced as an apothecary or seed cabinet. The size is a dramatic 54 inches by 80 inches wide. It’s only 12 inches deep so it dosn’t eat up tons of space but still makes a big statment… $3200
(B) We left this early Icebox just as we found it. The painted finish has an aged patina with the galvanized metal showing through. All the original removeable racks are still in place. It sits on legs with wheels. The size is very managable at only 50 x 27 x 21 inches deep… $750
(C) This table features a one-of-a-kind industrial base. We discovered this amazing hand-wrought and riveted drum in an early brick foundry building. It’s at least 100-125 years old. It was salvaged off a huge parts polishing machine. When in use this drum was filled with a fine sand and would slowly tumble the cast parts until they were smooth. This drum must weigh at least 300 lbs… so it’s more than sturdy. We took a close up picture of the rivets and paint patina… the finish and age can’t be duplicated. Only a century of wear can do that. The rivets are hand hammered and are each about the size of a dime. The bottom has a 32 inch diameter and tapers to 22 inches. You are buying the base only. We show the table with a 60 inch glass top for illustration purposes only. Any type of surface will work well on this base including marble, steel, wood or glass… $1600
(D) This is a very early all original cupboard. I’m guessing 150 to 200 years old. You can still see a hint of the original paint. It’s even signed on the front in a couple of places. G. Hall Jr. Co. was an 1800s thread manufacturer… $850
(E) This has to be one of my favorite street lamps. The details are amazing. The body is solid copper and it has all the trap doors, clips and porcelain connectors. It stands an impressive 30 inches tall with a 20 inch diameter. The original plaque is there and reads… Westinghouse Enclosed Arc Lamp. We have rewired it for home use… $2400

These are some of our newest finds. You can see them now on 1stdibs.com

The Gregg Museum’s New Show “Farfetched” features One Of Our Favorite Objects.

From January 17th to April 26th, 2013 The Gregg Museum of Art And Design (located at the North Carolina University) will feature it’s newest exhibition “Farfetched”. Mad Science, Fringe Architecture and Visionary Engineering takes as its basic point of departure British mathematician Alfred North Whitehead’s famous quip that, “Every really new idea looks crazy at first.” The exhibition will feature objects that question (and push) the boundaries of what is considered “normal” in art and technology. The show was Co-curated by Tom Patterson and Roger Manley.

The first object you see at the entrance to the show is the from the Radio-Guy.com Museum collection. Its a Phrenology based quack device. This is one of my favorite items in our collection. It’s a low voltage shock therapy helmet that sends impulses to selected parts of the head. Whenever I look at it I’m reminded of Fritz Lang’s futuristic movie “Metropolis”. This helmet was custom custom made by Energo of Turin Italy. He was one of the more important instrument makers at the turn of the century.

Interesting Collection of Antique Medical Items – See us on 1stdibs.

1) I love this 1800s doctor bag. What could be more perfect than Dr Feelgood. This goes back to a time when they actually made house calls. A number of years ago we found a Cow Doctor case and have been looking at bags in flea markets ever since. Well… we got lucky and found one that may even be better… $525

2) This is a Folk Art door from a Turn-Of-The Century doctors cabinet. The hand carved skull and cross bones plus the word poison have a wonderful naive quality… $550

3) This is a life size medical model. They were used as teaching aids for medical students. These models were an important part of medical history and a teaching tool through the formative years of plastic surgery. This is an early cast metal example from the 1920′s and is complete with all it’s 2 face parts. It’s signed The Plastic Surgery Laboratories. Every time I look at this display I can’t help but think it could have been done by the Surrealist master Salvador Dali. We rarely sell examples like this from our museum collection… $1600

You can see these 3 items listed on the “Radio Guy” 1stdibs.com site.

1800s Frye Phipps & Co. Hardware Store Counter Display

This is a rare 1800s point of purchase counter display. Its totaly untouched and original. It has the wire easel back so it can stand on its own or hang on the wall. Included is a collection of 9 period locks… $800

Restored 1884 Columbia Highwheel Bicycle

If you’re sporting the correct old timey mustache and tweeds then you are ready for a once around the park. At 54 inches this is one of the largest highwheel bicycles Columbia made in 1884. It’s an impressive and correct older restoration and was on display and well protected at a well known bicycle museum. The restoration included paint, nickel plating, rubber and leather. Unlike most of these true antiques it’s solid and very rideable. Stamped into the frame is 54 for the wheel size as well as the serial number 8312. here’s your chance to become a Wheelman or simply hang this wonderful example of transportation history on the wall. Just listed on 1stdibs.com

Rare 1800s Adrian Fireman’s Smoke Mask – Radio-Guy.com Museum

We just added this amazing mask to the Radio-Guy.com museum.  It looks to be early 1800′s and is definitely French. The insignia on the hand bump was used by the fire service in France and known as the Sapeurs-pompiers. If you have any additional historic information on this helmet email me at erenberg@bestweb.net.
Steve Erenberg Prop.