My Gritzner R (Selecta) “Lewenstein” sewing machine

Max Carl Gritzner (1825–1892) did start to manufacture sewing machines in 1872 in a smal town in Baden in Germany , Durlach. By 1902 they had produced over one million machines. The Grizner Company did take over Frister and Rossmann in 1925, but they did continue to use the name Frister and Rossman on some sewing machines. In 1963 Pfaff Sewing Machine Company takes over Gritzner, and in June 2000 Husqvarna takes over Pfaff.

detail

The Gritzner factory in its heyday

One of seven murals in the “Rheinischen Creditbank”. The painting represent the machinery factory of Gritzner in Durlach.

Was created in the year 1926 by Albert Haueisen (1872-1954 - Germany Painter\Decorative Artist and Director at the Karlsruher Kunstakademie)

High: 1.75 m wide: 2.73 m

My set of Murano Glass - 20th Century

Wonderful large murano venetian glass hanging fixture
with ambar trimming. (Retro Italian Art Glass,1970’s)

Charming and very feminine table lamp in original condition.

Materials/Techniques: hand blown glass

My Singer Puzzle Box

Whilst attachments for European made Singers came in cardboard boxes or tins, in America attachments could be supplied in a wooden fold out box which was patented February 19 1889. Usually associated with treadle machines the box was well made with dove-tailed joints and brass hinges.

Singer Treadle Sewing Machine Attachments Puzzle Box - Patent 1889

This is a reproduction copy of the 1889 patent for this famous Puzzle Box. It consists of one detailed drawing page giving all the details on how it was made.

My silver plated spring-push pickle fork

Maker: LS FORN

Style: art deco

Age: 1900-1930

Specifics – Silver Composition: Silver plate

This wonderful silver plated pickle fork was made circa 1920/30. Ideal for cocktail onions and olives, gherkins, eggs, even sausages, cherries……the list goes on. This serving fork has a mechanical push button for item to fall off making it easy to eat. An amazing collector’s item and a great gift!

My WMF copper inkwell

ART NOUVEAU / JUGENDSTIL

WMF (Württembergische Metallwaren Fabrik)

COPPER INKWELL / INK STAND

GERMANY, ca. 1890 - 1900

MARKED WITH THE EARLY WMF STRAUSS MARK.

The German factory W.M.F. produced some of the most elegant and evocative metalware in the ART NOUVEAU style from the beginning of the 20th century until the start of World War I.

The Wurttemberg Electroplate Company was founded in 1853 by Daniel Staub in Geislingen.

It was renamed the Wurttembergische Metallwaren Fabrik - known as WMF- in 1880 following an amalgamation of several firms.

The company began with only 16 workers, but by 1914 the enterprise had grown to some 6,000 employees, with factories in Germany, Poland, and Austria, and showrooms in London, Paris, Hamburg and Berlin.

The sphinx Sign of wisdom and protection. With a human head, body of a beast, the sphinx had access to all wisdom and strength. Symbolised the riddle of human existence.

Symbol of Ra - The Winged Disc

The Divine Logo combined with wings becomes the Symbol of Ra and is used to represent the creative elements of nature. The Divine Logo represents the mathematics of creation while the wings represent the coming forth out of creation.

The Symbol of Ra is a representation of Creation and Nature. That is what the teachings of the Summum Principles are about, and that is the meaning behind Summum’s use of this symbol. Its also indicates membership in an organization of people dedicated to attaining personal ascension and represents membership in the organization of Summum.

The ancient Egyptians believed that a winged disc or gemstone would protect the wearer from evil. With the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922, this and many other Egyptian-inspired motifs influenced design in the mid 1920s

WMF (Würtemburgische Machin Fabrik), formed in 1850 from Straub & Sohn and A Ritter & Co. and famous for art metalware. A variety of marks have been used during their 150 years of production. The well known ‘ostrich’ mark originates from the German word for ostrich, ‘Der Strauss’ after Daniel Straub, one of the founders. The ‘G’ in the mark stands for the town of Geislingen, near Ulm in Baden-Würtemburg. This beehive mark was introduced in 1909. A version of the beehive with clear top was introduced in 1910 for the French market.

My English Victorian Paper Clip

Height: 13,5 cm

Material: Stamped metal

Leacock, Stephen, 1869-1944

“Love me, love my letters”

The use of ink for the first inklings of love.

THE OLD-FASHIONED STYLE

Love letter of the year 1828 sent by messenger from Mr. Ardent

Heartful, The Hall, Notts, England, to Miss Angela Blushanburn, The

Shrubberies, Hops, Potts, Shrops, England, begging her acceptance

of a fish:

“Respected Miss Angela:

“With the consent of your honored father and your esteemed mother,

I venture to send to you by the messenger who bears you this, a

fish. It has, my respected Miss Angela, for some time been my most

ardent desire that I might have the good fortune to present to you

as the fruit of my own endeavours, a fish. It was this morning my

good fortune to land while angling in the stream that traverses

your property, with the consent of your father, a fish.

“In presenting for your consumption, with your parents’ consent,

respected Miss Angela, this fish, may I say that the fate of this

fish which will thus have the inestimable privilege of languishing

upon your table conveys nothing but envy to one who, while what he

feels cannot be spoken, still feels as deeply as should feel, if it

does feel, this fish.

“With the expression of a perfect esteem for your father and

mother, believe me,

“Your devoted,

“Ardent Heartful.”

My silver egyptian revival pendant

Excavations in the 1800’s created an interest in Egyptian style in Victorian era jewelry. The Art Nouveau jewelry makers utilized Egyptian motifs; winged scarabs are a beautiful example, often with wings of translucent plique a’jour enamel. Discovery of King Tut’s tomb in the 1920’s made Art Deco jewelers interested in re-creating the style. In the 1960’s, the movie “Cleopatra” created another surge of interest in these motifs. Each era interpreted Egyptian designs in their own way. Scarabs, asps, ankhs, sphinxes, pharonic heads - these and other motifs reflected the art and history of ancient Egypt.

My 19th century Spanish briar wood cigarette case

The box is carved from one piece.

Six heraldic shields of arms in enamel (Basque Country-Euskal Herria, León, Navarra)

The briar is a bush that grows in all forests of the mediterranean area, from Greece to Argelia including Italy, France, Spain and Morocco. This bush develops a ball-like root which is cut in blocks (plateaux and ebauchons).

My Royal Albert “Lady Hamilton ”

Salad plate - Set of 2
20 cm, 8 inch

Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante, after Louise Elizabeth Vigee-Lebrun

Henry Bone

“Lady Hamilton was not very intelligent, although she was exceedingly mocking and denigrating, to the point that her faults were her only means of conversation. But she was cunning, and this helped her to snare a husband”. (Vigée Lebrun)

My dragon wood and the seven Samurai

“Seven Samurai” or “Shichinin no samurai” Directed by Akira Kurosawa