This was not a Halloween or child’s toy costume. This is an original METALUNA headpiece worn by actors. It was used outside theaters to promote the 1955 classic science fiction movie “This Island Earth“. It’s made from a early rubber and is very fragile… so almost no original examples still exist. In fact I know of no other mask in existence. There is some edge cracking but the colors are still bright and makes a striking display. You’ll never see another…. $950
March 20th – “Obscura Day” is now an international phenomenon. We are honored to be part of it. But I’m sorry to say that the Radio-Guy Museum Tour was booked up within an hour of it’s announcement… Who would have guessed! We’re now trying to squeeze in a 2nd tour so please check The Obscura Day website for more details and other listed events. Steve Erenberg Prop.
Radio-Guy has been invited to join 1stdibs.com. Under the Radio-Guy name we will bring the best in antique industrial lighting as well as our strange and oddball mix of antique objects. It’s one more place to find us. Pay us a visit. Steve Erenberg Prop.
One visit to the radio-guy.com website and you’ll see why we are known internationally as the largest and most eclectic collection of helmets and masks in the world. As rare as these horse specs are… we have them. You’ll also find other examples pictured on other site. Horse goggles mounted on custom iron museum display stand… SOLD
Here is one of the most interesting and creative objects I have offered on this site to date. It’s a running motorcycle sculpture. You can actually take this on the road or just park it in the living room. Not only is my good friend William Whalen an amazing artist and local hero… He’s also a master machinist by trade. I’ll let Willy describe the bike in his own words…
“This motorcycle started as a 1965 160 Honda “Dream”. The “ROADHEAD” atop the front fender was a housing from which the high voltage cable exited the transformer from an old dental x-ray machine. 12 gauge building wire was used for the “hair”, inside is an air horn compressor that feeds up to the meat grinder on top in which hides a condom that inflates at the push of a button. The cowgirl is a Barbie that has been “embellished ” with Bondo. The vertical shaft ahead of the seat is a 1937 Chevy emergency brake lever and now functions as the shift lever, the release trigger on it activates one of those bells that went “bong” when you pulled into the gas station. The arrangement on the rear fender was an old upright vacuum cleaner and it is fitted with 8 baby bottle nipples which of course light up. Obviously there is a lot more crap on the bike than I have pecked out here.”
As He says there’s lots to see on the bike. Take hours looking it over and you’ll still find some little sunrise that was missed. Pictures just don’t do it justice. Let me point out one additional item…. the red sticker on the lower left fork leg is a valid {though presently expired} N.Y.S. inspection certificate should there be anyone crazier than Willy who would actually ride this “bike”.
Offered at $7600. All inquires to Steve Erenberg at erenberg@bestweb.net
The wide variety you’ll find in Patent Models and Salesman’s samples is truly amazing. From the 1800’s into the early 1900’s miniature product replicas were produced in very small quantities. These were created to make life easier on “Door to Door Salesman”. What the companies produced were not toys. These were small highly detailed and faithful representations of real products. Some of the most sought after examples are early mechanical farm equipment. Shoes, hats, vacuum cleaners, architectural items and printing presses are just a small list of what’s out there. Patent Models are a bit different. These were hand made and one-of-a-kind. the Patent Act of 1790 required that anyone applying to the U.S. Patent Office submit a working model of the invention. Over 200,000 models were submitted during the next 90 years, but after two fires and a growing lack of space, the model requirement was abolished in 1880. Look for the original tags sometimes tied to these objects. This helps when researching government record books. Some items are too esoteric, so as a collector I try to find examples that are recognizable. In the pictured group above there’s an important documented patent model of an invalid’s mechanical chair… $2400
Today the Journal News paid us a visit. To read the story and get a sneak peek at our collection go to… “Wonders from the past gain a new life”… “Steve Erenberg’s Steampunk collection featured at the NYC Antiques Pier show”.
We were in Vienna this summer and stopped into one of our favorite shops. Simon Weber-Unger’s “Wissenschaftiches Kabinett“. It can be found directly across the street from the Dorotheum Auction House… also a must to visit. This impressive animated life size devil and ornate cabinet dates to the 1700’s. I would love to own it but was afraid to even ask the price.
Our recent buying trip to Paris rewarded us with some interesting and bizarre finds. This early life size copper gargoyle was at the top of the list. It looks to have come off a Masonic Temple. Note how the eyes float in their sockets on wire. Originally there may have been a light behind them. This is truly one-of-a-kind…. SOLD
We are always hunting for the very best examples for our museum. Pictured here are 8 very rare experimental military visor helmets. They were produced in limited quantities between WWI and WWII. Military equipment is not what we normally collect but these have just the right look. • Pictured above are all French helmets. The center helmet is a French Adrian style from 1918. • The helmets below are American and English. Top row-left is a celebrated Model 8 Steel Helmet This experimental helmet features a visor to protect the wearer’s face almost completely. The manufacture of this helmet, was undertaken by Ford Motor Company in November 1918. About 1,300 helmets of this model were produced.
