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Memoribilia to view - A guide


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I'm going to add a couple of items here rather than try and start a separate thread - these are pretty neat but scarce items - Tobacco jars/humidors. There are some varieties that are figural - depicting an image of a chauffeur, or early motorist.   One of my favorites is this chauffeur in the lower left corner.  It was produced by the German manufacturers WS&S - Wilhelm Schiller and Sons.  The company began in the 1800s but did not survive after WWI.  They were well known for producing majolica porcelains. The bright, bold colors are indicative of that style of pottery.  The cap of the chauffeur removes to access the tobacco stored inside.  A compartment made as part of the underside of the cap has a space to hold a damp sponge to keep the tobacco moist.

The three "cartoonish" humidors are designed by the Italian caricature artist Peko.  The designs for these particular humidors were taken from illustrations done in both postcard and lithographic form.  These three different humidors all have removable caps, again with a place for a damp sponge.  In the back, lower level is a full-figured, rotund chauffeur by an unknown artist.  It is quite early, probably European and painted in the majolica style.  

 

There are many other motoring related tobacco jars, some full figured motorists, and others simple containers with an automotive scene illustrated on them.  I'm always looking for others, as are of course those who collect smoking related artifacts.

 

Enjoy,

Terry

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Full figured humidor.jpg

Edited by Terry Bond (see edit history)
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 Here is an item that I recently acquired that will interest both vintage car and watch collectors and has appeared in AACA and NAWCC forum postings in the past.  It is a 1927 Chevrolet radiator watch produced by the H. Didisheim Co., Switzerland.  A fairly rare item today, approximately 600-800 were made and not sold at retail.  They were given to salesmen "For Making Quota, 1927 Used Car Campaign" as inscribed on the back of the watch.  The majority of these Chevrolet watches are from 1927, but I did see a 1929 version online.  In the 1920's, Mido produced watches in the shape of automobile radiators from a wide variety of brands such as Buick, Bugatti, Fiat, Ford and Hispano-Suiza.  I also found a Mercedes Benz radiator grille watch produced by Bueche-Girod in the 1960's and a Corum Rolls Royce radiator grille watch from the 1970's being sold online.  In my watch, you will notice that the watch face is at a different angle than normal.  It takes a bit to get used to, but I enjoy wearing it.

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Nothing wrong with going overboard unless you are buying on credit.  We have the Pate Swap meet coming up in  a little over 2 weeks and I can't wait.  Great collection of Buick memoribilia.  Reminds me that I have a similar heavy paper weight to the one you found.  The question is

4 hours ago, MetroPetro said:

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 WHERE???

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20 hours ago, MetroPetro said:

Went a little overboard but was having withdrawal symptoms from all the shows being cancelled.

 

Wow, you did good, REEEEAL GOOD, scored some rare pieces, a few I have but some I've never even seen. Guess I need to try and make that show some day.  Congrats!!!

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The Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company was a streetcar and later a bus company  beginning in 1919.  It was in service until  it was acquired by the Bay Transportation Authority in 1968.  I purchased this sign at the fall Mt Doro Antique Show 20 years ago. Although I was attracted by the graphics I always thought this was a fantasy piece.  Today I noticed that it is dated in the lower right hand corner A-M 1-63.  What do you think??

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Edited by Robert G. Smits
correction (see edit history)
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5 hours ago, md murray said:

A truly spectacular piece that a fellow collector was courteous enough to share recently on social media. I have a few of the plugs but has anyone else ever seen this display? 

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Yes, very familiar with it.  I've been outbid twice on these cabinets. Although its not a really rare spark plug for collectors, the display cabinets are. We have to compete with collectors of all kinds of graphic advertising, and this is one of the best. There are a couple of other varieties of these that are not so spactacular. 

As a plug collector, collecting these "go-withs"  I'd a pretty popular thing. 

Terry

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Here is another category we've not explored yet- pocket knives. These are a few of the small. pen-knives in my collection. Thesr are made in Germany and are marked on the blade near where it is hinged. Quite a variety, some with advertising on them.  

Terry

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I bought this one in 1970 at Hershey and have carried it ever since. I replaced one of the rivets with a nail. The other rivet is now needing to be replaced. I was 17 when I bought it....

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  • 3 weeks later...

The General Motors Craftsman's Guild for many years had annual contests for people to submit models they built ( usually made of wood, metal, possibly some plastic small parts) for competition. There was a great book written and published on this subject. The models were sometimes returned to the builders but not always. Some wound up being displayed on assorted GM facilities. This one was in the Ohio GM Body plant, when that facility closed the lobby displays were cleared out and most stuff trashed. This was saved by one of the workmen and I bought it from the grand daughter of the fellow who took it off the trash heap and had boxes of stuff her grandfather saved . This was decades ago. It is made of wood, metal trim is all hand formed. missing one headlamp lens.  I don't really collect post WWII era stuff ( this dates from 1953) but this is a real treasure for me and sits next to the wood styling model for a body for a Franklin sedan that is 30 years earlier  I also have in my collection ( that is the size of a small dog house!)

Anyone getting weary of all this obscure stuff that mostly disappeared a few years after it was made? .  No, I don't live in a museum ( !!!  ) nor consider the stuff I have "investments" , the history and the visual impact it gives me every time I see it just makes me feel good and I feel honored to be the current curator . Eye Candy artifacts.

Walt

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Couple of pick ups for the museum this week. The Chrysler Plymouth would have originally been a lighted hood sign. I'll have to get one made for it. I have it in a late 50's sign catalog. The Used Trucks is a spinner piece. Lightweight as it's hollow inside. Reflective paint, so I'll see how I can hang it and have a light on it for max impact. From the United Neon Sign Co in California. Will have to look up some info on them.

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Here is a accessory propeller that would attach to a bracket near the radiator cap or lower near the cross bar between the headlamps/license plate mounting. the whole thing would spin as the car went down the road, that includes the radial engine piece that was immediately behind the prop.

Also a license plate topper of a "cop" that would attach to the top of the rear license plate that was on the long stem taillight bracket. The figure would lean forward then back as the car would brake and the signs would flap as would the figure.

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One more for today. Some "memoribilia" is larger then others so far as collections go. If you collect radiator shells ( some with radiators still solidly brazed in place) it can be daunting to move and store or display. I don't have many of these ( only 4 total dating from 1908 to 1936) and here is the one I have for  a 1936 DeSoto. Purchased in only "ok" condition I restored it to presentable display condition about 15 years ago. Now sits in my library/study taking up room . A great visual art moderne piece . I marvel at how that grille was cast as one piece, finished off and then mounted in a car.

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Edited by Walt G
date correction (see edit history)
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Wow, that's some cool stuff. I keep looking through this section and continental to thoroughly enjoy looking at the great items. So many things to collect...

As mentioned before I've written a monthly column for our AACA Region newsletter "The Mudflap" snce 2013 using a different topic each time, all about collecting automobilia. Well never run out of topics based on what I've seen here.

Thanks Walt (and all the contributors) for keeping us inspired.

Terry

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Terry, my friend you are welcome. I always feel it is good to share things - makes us more aware of what existed so if we are inspired to own something similar we know "what is real" . It is also reassuring to know that there are so many "fellow squirrels" out there that have the same attitude and appreciation of all of this "stuff" . It also gives us an excuse to continue the hunt for these treasures , large and small, we can look at our relatives, neighbors, etc. and fairly state " See they like and collect it too - so I am not so crazy as you think"  . 😏

Walt

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In our email discussion, we talked about early automobile accessory catalogs as being a great source for information.  I have collected them for many years, starting at Hershey in the old Red field when I came across a vendor selling several for $5 each.  He had a good stack of them and I sorted through and bought all the pre WWI catalogs he had - 7 of them.  At the time I bought them strictly to help ID and date some of the interesting spark plugs in my collection.  Later, when I became editor of the local AACA region newsletter I used some of the great illustrations as clip art to fill empty space.  The copy machine earned it's keep.

As my collection(s) of automobilia continued to expand, I used those catalogs as reference to help ID and date everything from unusual tools and garage equipment, to brass lamps, odd accessory items, and of course more spark plugs. My collection now exceeds 150 various catalogs from a wide variety of companies nation-wide.  I even have a few early British catalogs from the 1905-10 era.  They are fascinating.  Here are a few examples including some recent acquisitions.

Terry

 

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Morgan and Wright was founded in 1891 in Chicago during the bicycle boom. By the end of the 19th century they were the largest supplier of pneumatic bicycle tires and bicycle related accessories in the world. 

In 1894 they patented the “Quick Repair Bicycle Tire” which allowed for “on the road repairs “. With the rotation to automobiles in the early 20 rh century they turned to the automobile market moving to Detroit in 1905. They were purchased by USRubber in 1911 and eventually became Uniroyal.

This lithograph was sold to me by East Coast Picker friend who was a business associate of Ray Klug author of Antique Advertising Encyclopedia. I was told it was rare but thought it was a sales pitch. It has been hanging in various locations for 20 years and never out of sight. After Walt started this subject I decided to research the lithograph. I have not been able to find it on the internet or in any publications. If any of you have seen this before let me know and thank you Walt!!!

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Edited by Robert G. Smits (see edit history)
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8 hours ago, Terry Bond said:

came across a vendor selling several for $5 each.

I was thrilled to get out and go to the Pate Swap Meet a few weeks ago.  A "junk" vender had a small stack of old magazines bound with twine for $5 that I couldn't pass up.  The top magazine was a 1905 Christian Herald with an interesting electric NYC sightseeing bus.  As I was going through the stack a few days ago I found this Tucker AD folded up inside one of the magazines.  Certainly worth the $5.

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3 hours ago, Robert G. Smits said:

Morgan and Wright was founded in 1891 in Chicago during the bicycle boom. By the end of the 19th century they were the largest supplier of pneumatic bicycle tires and bicycle related accessories in the world. 

In 1894 they patented the “Quick Repair Bicycle Tire” which allowed for “on the road repairs “. With the rotation to automobiles in the early 20 rh century they turned to the automobile market moving to Detroit in 1905. They were purchased by USRubber in 1911 and eventually became Uniroyal.

This lithograph was sold to me by East Coast Picker friend who was a business associate of Ray Klug author of Antique Advertising Encyclopedia. I was told it was rare but thought it was a sales pitch. It has been hanging in various locations for 20 years and never out of sight. After Walt started this subject I decided to research the lithograph. I have not been able to find it on the internet or in any publications. If any of you have seen this before let me know and thank you Walt!!!

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That's one of my favorite prints. I have one hanging in a prominent place.  Although I don't know the arist, it is commonly believed the boy used as the subject was the son of the company president.  They do turn up occasionally but are hard to find in pristine condition.  I found mine at an advertising show many years ago.

Terry

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Terry, thanks for the additional information on the Morgan and Wright.  I was sure that someone on this forum would have come across this before.  Mike Eckles (Showtime Auctions) stopped by the other day and said he had sold a similar print in poor condition 10-12 years ago but knew nothing about the history.

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A new addition to my collection of small pins, buttons, etc - this is a souvenir pin from Dieppe France.  It's silver with some gold highlights and is quite early.  

What is recognized as the world's first automobile race was held in 1894 and was run from Paris to Dieppe.  That was the beginning of the famed city-to-city races held in France at the turn of the century.  I did a seminar on these early events at the AACA Annual Convention a couple of years ago.  Dieppe became a well know place for early motoring events, and when the Automobile Club of France took over the Gordon Bennett Cup race series in 1906, it became a popular stop along the courses.
While this pin (as far as I know) does not commemorate a specific event, or represent a particular car, it does represent how important Dieppe was to the history of the automobile - racing in particular.

A nice addition to my collection that arrived safely today from France.

Terry

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An interesting advertising piece that has been in my collection for over 40 years. Famous childhood actor who won an Emmy as a director.  Sorry for the glare but this is hanging 14 feet up on a wall in my car facility 

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