1920s Collectibles and Curiosities

"Elmer Gantry" by Sinclair Lewis. Published New York, Harcourt Brace and Company, Inc. 1927. First Edition (Second State Binding)This is the story of a con man who gets together with...

This extraordinary Art Deco-style game box represents a veritable treasure trove of 1920s Italian design and entertainment. Made of fine walnut burl, it is distinguished by the refin...

This rare large double sided desk was designed by Lajos (Ludwig) Kozma, who had an unprecedented influence on the European design through his drawings, buildings and furniture. Th...

OHIO STATE FLAG WITH CIVIL WAR VETERANS' OVERPRINT FROM THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC POST IN COLUMBUS, MADE IN MOURNING OF THE 1925 PASSING OF NATIONAL G.A.R. COMMANDER IN CHIEF DANIEL M. HALL, WHO ALSO SERVED AS COMMANDER OF THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF THE G.A.R., AS WELL AS THE LOCAL CHAPTER Flag of the State of Ohio, printed on oilcloth-like cotton, affixed to its original wooden staff. Made for Civil War veteran's use, the flag bears a stamped overprint in the striped field that consists of an open wreath of laurel branches, inside which is the following text: “GAR [Grand Army of the Republic] Post, Dan Hall, Columbus, OH”. Born on October 20th, 1842, Daniel M. Hall enlisted with the Union Army as a Private at the age of 18 on August 25th, 1861. On October 8th of that year he mustered into the Co. H of the 2nd Ohio Cavalry. Discharged for disability on June 28th, 1862, he reenlisted approximately 17 months later, on November 11th, 1863, and mustered into Co. F of the 12th Ohio Cavalry at Camp Cleveland. He was at some point promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and, on February 21st, 1864, to the rank of Corporal. He mustered out at Nashville on November 14th, 1865. Hall mustered into the Hamlin Post of the Ohio G.A.R. on May 23rd, 1883. He would go on to serve not only as Commander of the Dept. of Ohio for the organization, but as National Commander of the entire Grand Army of the Republic. The Grand Army of the Republic was the primary veterans association for Union Civil War soldiers. Founded in 1866, its members dressed up in Civil War uniforms, attended parades and reunions, and the organization was somewhat more fraternal in nature than today’s VFW or American Foreign Legion. Flags overprinted for the purpose of advertising are a specialized form in American flag collecting. A flag with a basic G.A.R. overprint is the most common type. This might be accompanied by a post number and a date. More elaborate the overprints are more highly desired, such as this one, which is the only variation I know of that honors a particular person who was not the namesake of the chapter itself. It is of interest to note that a sister variety of 48 star parade flag is known, printed on the same fabric, that bears the same overprint, accompanied by the words: “We Mourn Our Comrade." From the additional text on the 48 star variety, one can extrapolate that the flags were made to mourn the passing of this important leader of Civil War veterans on October 19th, 1925, just one day before his 83rd birthday. The State Flag of Ohio was designed in 1901 by Cleveland architect John Eisenmann, who designed the Ohio building for the state's exhibition at the Pan American Exposition World's Fair in Buffalo, New York. It was officially adopted by the Ohio legislature on May 19th, 1902. It's elements are centered on a red disc, set against a circular white ground that forms a letter "O." This simultaneously represents a buckeye, the fruit of the state tree and an iconic Ohio symbol. The flag's 5 stripes are said to represent the state's waterways and roads, while the triangular shape of the union is said to illustrate hills and valleys. The presentation of 13 stars along the hoist end, arranged in a semi-circular medallion with two off-set stars above and below, reflects the original 13 colonies. The diamond of stars, towards the fly end. bring the overall count to 17 to reflect Ohio's admission. When the design was adopted by the state legislature, the position of these stars was changed slightly, moving them further around the circle to form a wreath. Flag expert Whitney Smith, who coined the term Vexillology in the late 1950's (the accepted term for the study of flags), pointed out that the format of the flag itself was reminiscent of Civil War cavalry guidons, carried by Ohio regiments throughout the state. These were of swallowtail form, though with 13 stripes, all horizontal and 90 degrees to the hoist. Most often these had circular star patterns around an open center, which makes them even more similar to the Ohio flag...

Check List of Early American Bottles And Flasks by Stephen Van Rensselaer. Privately printed, New York, 1921. Original first edition softcover. ...

Great maps of the USA in 3 sections Unframed Original color By John Bartholomew and Co. Edinburgh Geographical Institute Published, circa 1920 The measurements given is for just...

French Art Deco Bicycle-Themed Smoking Set, France, 1920s. This whimsical French Art Deco smoking set from the 1930s features a charming bicycle theme...

c1920's French Art Deco Worl Globe On Pedestal. Rare form, this globe stands beautifully on this original base.

The Bennington Battle Monument Its Story and Its Meaning by John Spargo. The Tuttle Company, Rutland, Vermont, 1925. First Edition hardcover no dust jacket. An overview of the histor...

very rare spittoon, circa 1920s, of Italian manufacture, of those used in hotels or bars of the time, of the column type, with circular base and central metal column, glass neck with...

Pencil drawing by Riccardo Cavigioli in the early 1920s depicting a two-seat biplane airplane for reconnaissance Brandenburg C I of 1916, built by Ufag in Budapest. Measure with fram...

Furniture Masterpieces of Duncan Phyfe by Charles Over Cornelius. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1928. This book contains a detailed g...

A 1920s souvenir building architectural model as a toothpick holder stand. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is old-age. Made of metal and glass. A beautiful nice item for your ...

"Dodsworth" by Sinclair Lewis, Published: Jonathan Cape, Thirty Bedford Square, London, 1929. Retains its original dust jacket now covered in mylar. This is the first U.K. edition (...

Industrial Art and the Museum by Charles R. Richards. 1st Ed hardcover published by The Macmillan Company, 1927. Including: Industrial Art Museums of Germany (München, Hess. Landesmu...

Brass starfish ashtray 1920 - Private Collection Domenico Rugiano

Black Forest style carved walnut barometer, Germany, ca. 1920. An impressive carved walnut barometer with masterfully carved flowers and leaves. A small mirror on the top of the roun...

Very large roll-up movie screen in a box. Overall W 75 x D 12.5 x H 57.5 in. Screen W 68 x H 53 in.

Great map of South East Asia Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Great map of South Island, New Zealand Original color. Good condition / repair to a minor tear on right edge Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Early 20th Century Scratch build folk-art ship model Stood on a hand-crafted gesso painted sea effect, which is framed by an ebonised pine base. This is an charming example of an ea...

An antique hand-painted early 20th century anatomical model of the human circulatory system. The plaster and polychrome painted model is mounted on a wooden board. Probably German, ...

Author: BURROUGHS, Stephen (Robert Frost) Title: Memoirs of the Notorious Stephen Burroughs of New Hampshire. Publisher: NY: The Dial Press, 1924. ...

Great map of North America Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.  

Large 1920's Vintage scientific anatomical human 3D ear model. Large 16" scale and wonderful antique patina!

A large beautiful and unique vintage wrought iron ashtray on a stand in the form of a sailing ship. The ship features a classical dragon and a match box holder. USA, Circa 1920s Me...

This is a large volume antique copy of Andrees' Handatlas. A German, bound chromolithography atlas, dating to the early 20th century, this edition published in 1924. Full title: And...

Great map of The United Kingdom Unframed Original color By John Bartholomew and Co. Edinburgh Geographical Institute Published, circa 1920 Free shipping.    

Large French Art Deco galley by Anthoine Art Bois, France, 1920s. Wood and chrome. Height : 15.35"(39cm), Width : 17.3"(44cm), Depth : 5.7"(14.5cm). Excellent condition.

Founded in 1886, the A.C. Williams Toy Company in Ravenna, Ohio, manufactured this toy circa 1930. This cast iron truck car carrier loaded with three blue "Austin" sedans ("Austin" embossed on the side of each car) is completely original with no restoration of any kind, and is in original paint with no touch-up or repaint. I have black lighted everything to insure originality of paint. A red Mack truck hitched to a green trailer pulls the car carrier with it's three original cars; all nickel plated wheels on all vehicles are original. Other markings include #5, #11, and #1 on the inside of each car by rear axle; and #5 on the green trailer; #5 on the red truck. Wonderful piece of Americana in very nice condition; one or several of the cars usually are missing and/or typically repainted due to rough floor play. See my other listings of over 100+ vintage toys and antique children's toy savings banks from which to chose. Dimensions: 12 1/2" long x 2" wide x 4 1/4" high. Each cast iron car...

Great map of Switzerland Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.  

Unique Hand-Carved French Art Deco Mother & Child Statue by René Mercier, 1920s Rare Wood Sculpture. This exceptional hand-made French Art Deco mother and child statue by renowned sculptor René Mercier dates from the 1920s, a prime period for elegant and emotive decorative art. Meticulously hand-carved from solid wood, this unique sculpture measures 16.1 inches (41 cm) tall, 9 inches (23 cm) wide, and 9.8 inches (25 cm) deep. The statue beautifully captures the tender bond between mother and child, embodying both intimacy and grace with refined Art Deco stylization. Mercier’s expert craftsmanship is evident in the smooth contours and expressive details, making this piece a rare and moving example of early 20th-century French wood sculpture...

Great map of Japan Unframed Original color By John Bartholomew and Co. Edinburgh Geographical Institute Published, circa 1920 Free shipping.  

Fantastic transitional piece, arts & crafts to art deco captured in this ashstand. Fabulous mixed metals create a very pure and interesting stand. Match Holder opposite the ashtray....

Great maps of American Cities Unframed Original color By John Bartholomew and Co. Edinburgh Geographical Institute Published, circa 1920

Great maps of The North Pole. Unframed. Original color. By John Bartholomew and Co. Edinburgh Geographical Institute. Published, circa 1920. Free shipp...

Great map of India Original color. Good condition / repair to some minor damage just above Sri Lanka. Shown in the last image. Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Great map of the South pole. Unframed. Original color. By John Bartholomew and Co. Edinburgh Geographical Institute. Published, circa 1920.   

The Plutocrat by Booth Tarkington. Doubleday, Page and Co. Garden City, New York 1927. First Edition hardcover with dust jacket. The adventurous roman...

Great map of Iceland Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Charming charm bracelet in adult size (19 cm). Easily adjustable to a smaller size due to the old lock mechanism. It is made from 826/1000 silver and is...

Taking One's Own Ship Around the World. A journal descriptive of scenes and incidents, together with observations from the log book. Recorded on the Voyage Around the World October 25, 1928 to May 16, 1929 of the Yacht Ara, Written and Signed by William K. Vanderbilt. This is a First edition of Vanderbilt’s account of his voyage around the world aboard the diesel yacht Ara. Bound in the original brown buckram, with gilt titles and tooling on the spine, and a gilt top edge with pictorial endpapers. Illustrated with colored engravings after photographs by Wiliam E. Belanske, Pierre C...

Antique map of Africa titled 'Northern Africa'. Old map of North Africa depicting Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Tunis and surroundings. This map originates from 'The Times' atlas. ...

Pencil drawing by Riccardo Cavigioli in the early 1920s depicting a two-seat biplane airplane for reconnaissance, probably a Fokker, armed with twin Spandau’s 7.92 mm. Aircraft produ...

A Handbook of the American Wing: Opening Exhibition by R.T.H. Halsey, and Charles O. Cornelius (Assistant Curator in the Department of Decorative Arts.) New York: Metropolitan Museum...

Taxus baccata, enlarged and removable didactic model of the yew seed, tree very used as hedge, belonging to the order of the conifers. German manufacture of the twenties made of papi...

Mounted Bronze Ships Bell from MV ERIMUS 1922, Thornaby on Tees Bronze Ships Bell with purpose made Mounting Bracket from MV ERIMUS which was launched in 1922 and was launched from ...

Great map of The South Eastern States Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Great map of Japan Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Great map of China. Original color. Good condition. Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

The Pine Furniture of Early New England by Russell Hawes Kettell. Doubleday, Doran & Company, 1929. First Limited Edition. Hardcover. No Jacket. Exhaustive coverage of the subject; n...

AUTHOR: VERINEAU, Alexandre de, (Louis Perceau), (Gerda Wegener - illustrator). TITLE: Douze Sonnets Lascifs: pour accompagner la suite d'aquarelles int...

Author: Milne. A. A.. Title: [Collected Plays], First Plays; Second Plays; Three Plays; and Four Plays. Publisher: London: Chatto & Windus, 1919, 21, 23, 26. Description: a...

Great map of British Island Possessions Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Zoological didactic plate n. 62 lithograph on cardboard made in 1925 depicting molluscs. Dybdhals Zoologiske Plancher P.M.Bye & Co Oslo. Made by H Aschehoug & Co. Good condition. Mea...

This is a wonderful piece of suburban folk art and mid-century Americana. It is a vintage 'bench made' table lamp incorporating an actual working electric company meter. When the l...

Elegant tobacco jar in pewter with handles in the shape of pipes. Swedish Grace from the late 1920s. Manufactured by A M Berglund in Linköping, Sweden. Wear consistent with age and ...

A very rare object of the famous Austrian workshop Hagenauer, based in Vienna since the opening in 1898. Objects made by the designers Hagenauer are sought after worldwide and this ...

This pilot's or passenger's seat from a circa 1920s airplane is an excellent example of early 20th century industrial design. The frame is made from rod iron, and the seat and back are woven rush. The rear of the seat back has a cleverly integrated map pocket of the same woven material. The legs bend at the bottom to form feet, which have holes to allow them to be secured to the floor of the aircraft. The design is an elegant and functional solution to the specific needs of light weight plus strength. We purchased this piece from the estate of a collector of aviation related items. It was only identified as an airplane chair...

This exquisite Art Deco vanity case, crafted in France around 1920, is a remarkable example of early 20th-century luxury design. Made of silver with enamel, Chinese lacquer, and diam...