Featured Finds Thread

I'm stickin' with Italian - not able to check since I don't own the book, but pretty sure that form, with the leaf feet, appears in Pina's book on Seguso, and on my monitor looks like a blue and amber sommerso, would guess mid-20th century...

~Cheryl

 

I'm going to throw a few of my latest finds into this thread.

Most of them I realize are pretty much worthless, but they were interesting to me at the time

First is a silver plated chocolate? pot by Searle and Co London. Any help on dating it? I'm thinking 60's to 70's...

Also, two superman figures, it says made in china on stickers on the back. No other identifiable features. I'm guessing very cheap knockoffs?

Also bought an old Merrythought bear. Mohair? Poor condition (missing an eye), but still a great conversation piece!

The one I love the most is the old celluloid gymnast. Still works perfectly although the gymnast's hat does have some damage. I've seen it listed on other sites as manufactured between 20's and 40's. Is there any way of dating it slightly more precisely?

 

Here are photos of our "assorted crap" closet.

If anybody sees something in there that they have interesting info on, please let me know

 

I found these on my trip to Oklahoma this past weekend. It's a pair of vintage chalk ware circus couple. It's marked C.A.P 1088 and 1087. I haven't found any others with those markings online.

 

There is something endearing about a one-eyed teddy bear.

 

Hmmm... I posted a reply on this thread about 10 or 15 minutes ago, and it has disappeared. Will try again.

Snip, the Searle & Co., Lombard St., London, pot was made between 1896 and 1933. Searle moved to Lombard St in 1896 and moved from Lombard St. In 1933.

"Searle and Company Limited, jewellers and silversmiths, were established in the City of London in 1893. They have specialised in antique and modern jewellery and silverware, handling corporate commissions, heraldic engraving, repairs and restorations, and making hand and machine-made wares. The company originally had premises at 80 Cornhill, moving to 78 Lombard Street in 1896, and 1 Royal Exchange in 1933 where they remain as of 2008."

The finial is strange on this pot. Is that a stone holding the finial in place? I'm not sure what I'm seeing on the lid.

At first I thought Searle & Co might be the retailer rather than the maker because I hadn't found any silver listed for them. I had found jewelry & watches for them on high-end auction sites such as the following:
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20747/lot/161/

I guess I'm wrong for now have found their silver maker's mark on the following site:
4th set of marks down
http://www.silvercollection.it/englishsilvermarksXS.html

--- Susan

 

Snip, found the following site on Merrythought Bears. It has pics of 5 of their labels. Yours appears to be dated before WWII. No specific years are given for it; however, as the company was founded in 1930 this Teddy was probably made in the 1930s. Under the trademarks section, yours appears to be the 2nd label, right after the round button one:
http://www.mibepa.info/tb/tb109.htm

annndddd then there is this site about your particular bear with the "Hygienic" label giving detail about the bear.
http://www.teddybear-museum.co.uk/products/1930-early-merrythought-hygienic-label

--- Susan

 

Thank you!

@Greg, Below is a better shot of the amber (blue & green as well)..



Below are 2 images that were sewn inside the other 1960s/70s jumpsuits/costumes. From what I've been able to research so far, the costumes were made for a ringmaster (Harold Ronk) and a performer (Eddie Sokolowski) for the Ringling Brothers circus. One name is handwritten inside and the other typed.

 

Snip, as to the gymnastic doll, I have found a couple of male gymnasts with the same mechanism that are credited to the USSR and found a female one called "Lola" with box having a bit different mechanism credited to Japan. They all appear vintage 1930s to 1950s. This certainly doesn't help you on a timeframe. No doubt you have seen them, but if not, here they are.

EARLY RARE VINTAGE SOVIET WIND UP MECHANICAL TOY GYMNASTIC DOLL DINAMO RUSSIA
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EARLY-RAR...t=Vintage_Antique_Toys_US&hash=item5d37fb4321

1950s ANTIQUE USSR CHILD MECHANIC CELLULOID TOY GYMNAST
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950s-ANTIQUE-USSR-CHILD-MECHANIC-CELLULOID-TOY-GYMNAST-/231057951705

Reckturnerin "Lola"
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/32175156_reckturnerin-lola

--- Susan

 

Thank you for the help everyone.

Susan, I believe the gymnast is probably Japanese and not Soviet, simply looking at the casing of the mechanism (mine is plastic, whereas most of the Soviet ones seems to be metal).

But I have also found that most list them to be from the 30s to 50s. Seems the Soviet ones are quite a bit more expensive, which makes sense (I only paid the equivalent of about 12USD for mine).

The Merrythought bear was a wonderful buy. Bought it at a garage sale for next to nothing (something like the equivalent of 2USD). Only found out it's Merrythought when I got home and opened the plastic it had been in. Was a very pleasant surprise! Especially since it now appears to have been one of their earlier bears.

Thanks so much on the help on dating the Searle and Co pot Susan. I would not have thought it to be that old. The finial has a sort of wooden stone on top, that is slightly loose - seems it's just a bolt that's come a bit loose, will try to tighten it myself, but don't want to damage the pot. Can't find any other markings on the pot. Is there any way to tell for sure that it's silver plate, and not something else? Definitely not silver, and I believe it's not pewter (too much rubbing), but just wondering how I can tell if it's definitely plated.


Thanks again for all the help. I love finding interesting items, but am not an expert in the field at all!

 

>...how I can tell if it's definitely plated.<

With the lack of any British silver hallmarks like the silver standard hallmark of a lion passant for sterling/.925, it would mean silverplate. British equivalent to US "sterling" is the passant lion punch. British pewter usually has more markings than this has.

Hmmmm, at least this Russian gymnast is celluloid and to me the shape of the metal frame is the same.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950s-ANTIQUE-USSR-CHILD-MECHANIC-CELLULOID-TOY-GYMNAST-/231057951705

--- Susan

 

This had 3.60 written with marker on the bottom. I wonder if that is the 1959 price or a later second hand price.

 

Sounds like a thrift store marking

 

I've had this for a little while, got it at a thrift store.
Mandruzzato Faceted 2 Layer Sommerso Vase Murano
I originally got it for $2. I didn't know what it was until I was searching the net and came across Murano vases. It needs a little polishing.

 

You are correct on the colors Cheryl. I'm with you on this one.

 

I thought this was cool. It's a John Henry sculpture made out of coal. I've seen examples of coal sculptures online but not one of John Henry. It's dated 67'. It has the artist name but very hard to make out. It also has that it was made in WV. It stands about 6" tall.

 

This is my wife's favorite. She use to keep it at work but everyone was threatening to steal it. It's a Mardi Gras pumpkin. It's from Rosetree Glass Studio in New Orleans. It's the smaller size. With all my pieces, I never plan on selling, so I'll state the price in which I bought it, $4 at Goodwill.

 

These 3 first half of the 20th C. items cost $24 ...

Chinese enameled box.

Chinese carved nut and jade necklace.

Japanese ojime necklace.

 

The Christopher Dresser has sold. Net is about two hundred quid, and it cost me 1.50. Oh, that all margins were like that!