Friday, August 31, 2012

Time Traveler





Early wooden cane handle with an original cabinet card of the owner holding the same cane.

Available here.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Shampoo Specs


"Thirsty terry cloth absorbs suds and chemicals."

Available here.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Early Folk Art Carved Plane








Early 20th century folk art carved plane. Wonderful carvings of an elephant, rooster and a mystery animal enliven the surface of this old handmade plane. Found in Buffalo, New York.

Available at Anonymous Works.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Pipe Bowl

Circa 1750-1800 carved catlinite Native American pipe bowl.

Collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Photo ©2012, Detroit Institute of Arts

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Key that locked the cell of the conspirator of A. Lincoln

Auction house description:
An inked manuscript label applied to the print reads Key that locked the cell of the conspirator of A. Lincoln, full size cut and the same inscription plus Compliments J.E. Buckingham is visible at the bottom of the mount, which is partially missing. A paper label from the Summit County Historical Society, Akron, Ohio is applied to verso.

This is the original albumen used in J.E. Buckingham's 1894 book Reminiscences and Souvenirs of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, where the key is described as the one used to lock Lewis Payne's cell prior to his execution. Lewis Payne (1844-1865), aka Lewis Powell, was the young conspirator who attempted to assassinate Secretary of State William Seward at his home at nearly the same time President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater.

Lot passed at Cowan's.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

"Reach for the Sky!"






19th century folk art carved utility shelf. Possibly a gun rack.

Sold for $348.00 on eBay.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Friday, August 17, 2012

Steve Harley: An Original Life
























Steve Harley (1863-1947) was a Michigan native, who moved to the Pacific Northwest in the 1920s. He painted a series of obsessively detailed landscapes of the mountains, valleys and rivers that enthralled him. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum owns every known work of his, which only amounts to five paintings.

The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum at Colonial Williamsburg through January 2014.