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Ready?...slippers on? Let’s go
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New York City
Police Academy Shooting Range Target...affectionately known as"The Thug"
Just the thing for those that want
something out of the ordinary...
...this vintage life-sized paper target figure is known officially as
"Advanced Silhouette".
It is one of the earliest versions of this particular target...later
targets were used by other agencies and identified as either SP-83A or
B-60 depending upon the era of production.
Nicknamed "The Thug"...
...it was the target of choice at the Department's outdoor firing range at
Rodmans Neck in the Bronx when it opened in 1960.
24 inches wide and 34 inches high...it has 49 recorded bullet holes...the
unidentified shooter did well and received a high score...with 45 of the shots
falling within the outlined zone...and only one shot totally missing "The
Thug".
The decision is still out as
to who served as the inspiration for "The Thug"...some call it the Ernest
Borgnine target...after the tough guy actor who later became known for his
role in the television series "McHale's Navy", while others feel it was a
New York City Police Sargeant who spent 35 years teaching at the
Department's official firing range. Whatever the source, it became known
as "The Thug".
It's in reasonable condition
for an item that is normally thrown away...someone was obviously proud of
their results and saved it...there are some crinkles and there is a small bit missing in the top
left corner.
Being paper, we've also
included "The Thug" in our listing for Antique Paintings, Prints and
Pottery.
Shades of Max
Headroom...Vintage French Mannikin Head
Reminiscent of Max Headroom...the 80s
science fiction character credited as being the first cyberpunk character
presented on American broadcast television ...
...he takes his name seriously with that haircut! (Supposedly the
character's name comes from the last thing he saw as a normal
earthling...a low clearance warning sign in a parking garage).
Crafted of genuine plastic...he's been in a few scrapes here or there as
it looks like someone nibbled at his right ear...
...and tried some off-brand hair tonic!
But measuring 12.375 inches high, 8 inches wide, and 9 inches deep , he still displays his winning wit!
Clasped Hands
Motif Embroidered Appliqué
This three-dimensional cloth appliqué
is in
the form of clasped hands, a symbol that originated centuries ago and that
can often be found on old tombstones. In that context, the clasped hands
symbolize unity and affection that continues after death. The depiction of
a right hand gripping another hand that is relatively open signifies a
close bond between the individuals...typically a marriage. The partner who
dies first holds the other's hand, guiding the spouse to Heaven. In
this particular example, the frilly cuff on the right represents the hand
of a woman...symbolic of a last good-bye or farewell to those who remain
behind, she is welcoming the
resumption of their eternal relationship.
The motif of clasped hands is
also used to represent peace and friendship and in some cultures is used
as a symbol for a union of two people about to embark on a trial marriage.
Definitely unique, it measures 9.675 inches wide by 3.375 inches high and features gold buillion thread accents.
Vintage Bottle Cap
Purse
Bottle cap art makes an instant
statement...both as outsider art and as an ecological message.
Row upon row of disgarded
Tusker beer caps...
...were ingeniously joined to fashion...
...a functioning purse.
The choice of caps...
...graphically adds to its interest.
Tusker beer had its beginnings in Kenya in 1922 when
George and Charles Hurst formally registered the firm then known as Kenya Breweries. Their first beer was brewed in small
copper vessels heated over burning kuni wood. It was bottled by hand and the
first order of ten cases was personally delivered to the
Stanley Hotel of Nairobi, which, over the years, has hosted
kings, queens, movie stars such as Clark Gable and Grace
Kelly, plus international adventurers like William Holden and Ernest
Hemingway. Tusker beer is reputed
to have been Hemingway's favorite beer.
The Snows of Kilimanjaro and The Green Hills of
Africa are just two of the stories reputedly written by Hemingway
while under the sway of a Tusker beer.
The purse measures 7.375
inches wide, 5.5 inches deep and is 9.75 inches high, including the
handles. It is in great vintage condition with just some of the caps
having reasonable surface wear.
Appealing to fashionistas, literary fans, as well as
ecologists....this example of vintage bottle cap art is great on its own displayed on a shelf or
when used to
uniquely hold some of that stuff in your life that needs to be contained.
Vintage French
Milestone Box
Always in search of unusual
containers...this wonderful box is in the form of a borne...
...the classic milestones that mark the passing kilometers along the
roadways of France. This one represents RN7...Route Nationale 7...the
precise spot just 15 kilometers from Paris. RN7 is the longest of
France's routes nationales...996 kilometers...619 miles, stretching
from Paris to Menton in the south of France. Passing through Lyon, Orange,
Provence and onwards to Monaco, it is also known as la route bleue
or la route des vacances. It begins at point zéro in
Paris...the parvis or square in front of the Cathédrale Notre
Dame de Paris...the spot from which all French measurements of
distance commence.
One of the towns along the RN7 is Montélimar...considered to be "The
Gateway to Provence" and famous for its nougat. As befits its form, the
original use for the box was as a container for that wonderful confection
from Montélimar... honey, egg whites, and almonds combined to the delight
of kings, presidents, and countryfolk for centuries.
Measuring 4.125 inches high, 3.375 inches wide, and 2.375 inches deep, it
has a few scuffs here and there, but nothing that detracts from its
whimsical nature. A great little accent piece...wouldn't it also be superb
as a place to stash mad money for that next trip to Paris or as a gift box
to commemorate an important milestone?
Vintage Mug Shot/Scranton, Pennsylvania
Would you buy a used car from this man?
This would be Daniel Richards alias Daniel Williams…a salesman who
gave his address as 121 N 16th Street in Philadelphia. This
image dates from 1938 when he was arrested by the Scranton police
for issuing worthless checks.
By some accounts, the mug shot was invented by Allan Pinkerton
(1819-1884), the nineteenth century detective, famous as the founder of
the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Others date its origin as 1848
and the place as a Liverpool, England police station. Still others say the
custom began in the 1870s, in Paris, France by Alphonse Bertillon, a clerk
at the Préfecture de
Police. The earliest mug shot still in existence is thought to be one
that dates from 1843 and was taken by the police in Brussels, Belgium…very
early indeed, as that would have happened only a few
years after the
invention of photography.
Whatever the true origin, the mug
shot has become a cultural icon of sorts.…folks as diverse as Bill Gates
and Elvis Presley…even Bert from Sesame Street, have heard the
drill…face front, hold still, turn to your left, etc.
This particular mug shot
consists of the traditional double "portrait" mounted on a three by five
inch card on which Officer Kelly of the Scranton Police Department
recorded the pertinent identifying features of Mr. Richards alias Mr.
Williams.
The image is in mint condition.
It is fabulous on many
levels and thus, it's included here as an example of Folk Art and
Curiosities and also in our link for Vintage Photography and
Photographica.
Vintage Instrument for an Old-Time Opthamologist/Optometrist/Optician...Auto-Visiomètre
The official definition of Folk
Art includes items that originated as Tools of the Trade, but in this case, there's no question
that this instrument used by nineteenth century eye specialists truly is a
piece of art...so we're listing it on both of those links...
It's called an Auto-Visiomètre...and
is a
circa 1850 optometer invented by Desage...it is what the well-equipped eye doctor used in
the nineteenth
century.
Used to examine each eye
individually as well as to determine the patients' proper prescription for
eyeglasses, it folded up for travel...forming its own elegant and compact
walnut carrying case.
The walnut case measures 18.675 inches high, 10.675 inches wide, and 3.75
inches deep...including the hardware, the depth measures 4.25 inches.
It opens to measure 21.675 inches deep...the portion with the bellows
extending out 11.875 inches.
The instrument is still fully functional...it contains twenty-five lenses of
graduating strength for each eye...fifty lens in all. Each eye can
also be measured at 0...that is without any corrective lens. The lenses
range from -.75 to -10 for nearsighted prescriptions and +.75 to +8 for
patients who are farsighted. Here's an interior view of the lenses...
The patient reads the chart housed within the unit...
...while the doctor turns a dial to change the lenses through which the
patient is looking...the chart is labeled for viewing distances ranging
from 5 meters to 50 meters.
In addition to being a
serious medical instrument, it manages to delight with the
"funny face" formed by the combination of the wood and bronze elements on
the front. The walnut case was crafted with meticulous join work and
handled the rigors of travel with minimal effects after all these
years...the back and one side has small areas where some of the wood is missing. There is
one small tear in the bellows and some small bits of hardware that are
missing...including two of the case's protective "feet", but considering its age
and use, it is in excellent condition...all fifty lenses are intact.
The inventor, Desage, was French
and a plaque on the front asks the patient to approach as closely as
possible...
...this is the deluxe model, and includes an area that recedes to allow
for a precise reading in those instances when the patient's nose is a bit on the generous side...
The doctor could then examine
the patient's eyes and if eyeglasses were deemed necessary after the reading
of the integrated eye chart, the lens for each eye could be individually
selected and set in place by turning the dial...separate dials for each set of
lenses. I tested it and it still works to perfection...it recommended the
exact same strength of lenses that my eye doctor's new-fangled computerized machine
did...only with a much more interesting and humorous sense of style.
The "mouth" of the face is
formed by the patent registration.
Rare to find something that is sculptural
and scientific in the same package!
Vintage Chinese Feng Shui
Compass
A handy tool for organizing your life...
...or a conversation piece paperweight to organize your desk...
...this vintage Chinese Feng Shui compass is definitely an
interesting curiosity! The detailed decorations are wonderful...all the
pertinent symbols are here, including the all-important tiger and a number
of industrious rats...
...not to mention the couple of intricate dragons surrounding the classic
ying/yang motif on the bottom...
It measures 4.675 inches in diameter and stands .9375 of an inch high on
raised feet; circa 1920, it's in excellent condition.The earliest
compasses originated in China and were used for Feng
Shui before they were ever used for marine
navigation.
Feng
Shui is used to determine the most auspicious
positioning for burial sites or buildings of different sorts. It is also
used to select the best times and locations for important events
and the most beneficial layout of one's personal surroundings...home,
office, etc.
The
instrument has a compass needle at the center, and
concentric tables expanding out from the middle to
numerous points containing data relating to astrology, time of day,
the elements, directions, and forms of landscape - all the various factors
thought to help in deciding the best orientation for one's
life.
A curiosity indeed, but it's also a
tool, and thus, is also included in our link for Antique Tools of the Trade.
Sixteen-inch Pewter Charger with
Tremblé Decoration
Measuring 16.065 inches in diameter,
this impressive pewter charger features a central motif of a rooster and his
mate...
...sitting atop...
...a heart-emblazoned basket of flowers. The work was accomplished using
the old technique known in France as gravure au tremblé.
The border
has the name Anne..
 .
...Catherine...
...Balaine...
...and is dated 1799...
The front of the charger has a lovely patina and was at one point
cleaned...the back still has a heavy layer of grime except for where it
was cleaned to reveal the two touchmarks...
...the mark shown on the left is called a bodenrosette and was used
in northern and eastern France...
...the origin of this lovely
pewter charger that exhibits the rare combination of
classic, refined elegance and folk art naïveté...
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