Featured Finds Thread

A knee-jerk, bee-in-my-bonnet purchase. After the recent thread on Fontaine fable engravings, I went looking for one cheap on eBay, and found one. The Lion and the Rat is one of the better known fables. This is a full-sized 1755-9 plate, about 11 1/2" high for the border. There are a lot of Fontaine/Oudry based engravings listed, most in the $15 to $20 range (+ shipping), but they are later editions and less than 1/4 the size. This cost less. Laid paper, no watermark. Happy to have it.

 

Beautiful, nice find!!

 

Not something you see every day.

The green dip jasper roundels are pre 1860

 

Nice dogs!

 

Hah. There was a nice pair of wall sconces at auction last night with blue jasper plaques which were very much the same design as your dogs. Didn't sell - got down to a reserve of fifty quid.

 

They're so nice, u don't even need the fireplace !!!!

 

I'm not sure if it would actually work, but I've had an idea for a while to use firedogs as bookends. A nice collection of books on a sideboard or a table maybe.

 

If I had not dismantled them for storage I would have tried that to see the effect!

 

These "white whale" shoe laces were an interesting find. I've done quite a bit of research on them. Most people assume the "white whale" is referring to Beluga whales since, in modern times, belugas are sometimes called white whales.
In fact, a 1915 publication from the Department of Commerce has a chapter on the hunting of the white whale in the Arctics and, according to this publication, the white whale at that time referred to the Balaena Mysticetus, or bowhead whale. It was hunted for its oil, however the rawhide was tanned and made into shoe laces due to its "great strength and durability".

 

Can those be sold legally?

 

I have been doing a lot of research on that. At this time, I'm under the impression that they can since they are over 100 years old.

 

WARNING WILL ROBINSON!
Got this last weekend out G-saleing.
I grabbed it because I thought it was a Netsuke, butt thank God, there's no hole in it.
Cannot find any marks.
It is 2-1/4" tall. What is it???
Anything good?
Value?
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which of course I read as "out G-stringing"...............then I saw the photos...........and all I can say is that it appears to be an early Asian form of advertising...................

 

Got these last weekend out G-saleing.
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1) Any clue on this BAKER? Did he hold kitchen tools?
2) Snoopy Astronaut 'Fly me to the Moon' music box. He's missing the front of his helmet and I fear all is yellow from nicotine.
3) 2 Jerry Garcia ties.
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HA! MY MY!
Have any $5 bills handy?

 

Not a lot of value there....these are being made still...many at a time....many signed....
Likely ivory....& I've seen them from $50 to $100.....prices all over the board,,
They do reflect the netsuke style of carved item.....butt are not.

On 2nd look...I can't say yours is ivory......

 

I think the Snoopy was a Whitman's Candy container.

 

OH! Thanks!
I'll have to look tomorrow and see if it's ivory!

 

Lid does not come off.

 

Got these last weekend out G-saleing and S of L at GW.
1) Carved Indian S&Ps
2) G. Washington ornament
3) Statue of Liberty nutcracker injured and missing her 4th of July tablet.
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