Rare and Unusual items

Rare hand-colored Broadside - House Wife's Companion, Ca. 1847-49. Alexander Anderson, America's first professional engraver. Published by Ensigns & Thayer, 36 Ann St., New York, and D. Needham, 12 Exchange St., Buffalo, and Jos. Ward, 52 Cornhill St., Boston, and Rufus Blanchard, 242 Main Street, Cincinnati. [1849 or 1850]. Illustrated broadside, 29” x 19.75”, plus margins; 13 wood-engravings, 2 initialed “A” for Alexander Anderson. A scarce and delightful broadside including over 100 recipes and illustrated with a number of handsome, hand-colored wood-engravings, two signed by Alexander Anderson. Divided into six columns within a decorative grape cluster border, this “housekeepers’ assistant” is devoted to recipes for meats, fish, seafood, vegetables, breads, pastries, and sweetmeats. Illustrations at the top of the columns depict a fish, a steer, a sheep, a basket of vegetables, a sheaf of wheat, and three jars. Found here are recipes for Alamode Beef, Calf’s Head, Cod Sounds and Tongues, Southern manner of Boiling Rice, Calf’s Liver and Heart, Fricasseed Beef, Tripe, Pot Pie, Economy Cakes, Saleratus Biscuit, Tomato Pie, Rice Pie, Boiled Indian Pudding, etc. Also included are sections devoted to such matters as “Choice of Fish,” “Directions for Boiling, Broiling and Frying Fish,” “Rules to be observed in making nice Cake,” etc. Inset engravings at the top right and left depict two women in a kitchen preparing foods. Each is signed with an “A” by Alexander Anderson. Appropriately enough, at the top center, a tom turkey with fanned tail feathers divides the words “House” and “Wife’s,” as if presented as a potential feast. A recipe for roast turkey is indeed included here. Good condition, some folds, tears, losses, time toning, stains and foxing. Could benefit from proper conservation. The American Antiquarian Society and the New York Historical Society lists only two known copies of this scarce, and highly desirable broadside. No doubt, most were likely heavily used and subsequently discarded.

RARE MATTHEW BRADY STUDIO CARTE DE VISITE, CIRCA 1864 OF FREDERIC EDWIN CHURCH (AMERICAN 1826-1900), . THIS CARTE DE VISITE IS AN ORIGINAL, RARE MATTHEW BRADY ALBUMEN SILVER PRINT MEASURING 2 15/16 X 1 13/16 INCHES (7.5 CM X 4.6 CM), ON THE ORIGINAL, UNTRIMMED MOUNT. IN PENCIL ON THE VERSO, IT READS: CHURCH, ARTIST. THE IMAGE ITSELF IS SIGNED IN THE PHOTOGRAPH: BRADY/N.Y. THE CONDITION IS ABSOLUTELY SUPERB FOR THE TIME PERIOD AND THE PIECE IS ORIGINAL, UNTRIMMED AND GUARANTEED TO BE AS DESCRIBED. Price: $425.00.

J.W. Fiske Iron Works, late 19th century Cast-Iron Aquarium. 25.50 x 14 x 18 inches. Fully restored and repainted. Quite rare and desirable, I originally purchased this in 1992, 30 years ago from a private collector. It was in original condition, missing glass and with the patina of surface rust and traces of the original paint. It was a slightly darker green. Would also make a great terrarium. Price: $1,950.00.

Rare, large, late 19th/early 20th century four panel onionskin marble with opposing panels of turquoise/white and blue/white with a small spot of red and one of yellow. Excellent condition, 1 5/8 inches in diameter. Faceted pontil. Dubbed "Earth."

Eastern Roman Unguentarium, Imperial period (likely from Syria), 1st-3rd century CE. 1.2 x 5 inches. Beautifully crafted holding vessel or Unguentarium. Free blown from sea colored, blue-green glass. Smooth pontil scar beneath a drop-form body, corseted neck line with cylindrical neck above and an in-folded disc rim. Interior areas of silvery iridescence have formed which add to the beauty of this early piece. Old paper label on base. Provenance: Ex. coll. Lyle Dees, Topeka, Kansas, (acquired ca. 1950-70).

Roman Glass Flask, Imperial period, circa 1st-3rd century CE. 1.9 x 4.6 inches. An elegant form of free blown, translucent glass of a sage green hue. Petite base with rough pontil mark, beneath an ovoid body, rounded shoulder and cylindrical neck and in-folded disc-shaped rim. Silver and rainbow iridescence inside the body add to the beauty and charm of this rare piece. Provenance: Davis collection, Houston, Texas.

Scooby Doo 13 Ghosts of Scooby original production used celluloid, 1985. 11 x 14 inches, lithographic printed background. Excellent condition save from a small loss to Scobby's left leg. Unframed. Price: $425.00.

White's of Utica - Rare group of three miniature stoneware canteens. Utica Commandery. Rochester, September 4, 1900. Decorated with cobalt blue.

A Rare, early American Thumbprint Punch bowl on a high standard. Mid-19th century, Bakewell, Pears & Co, Pittsburgh, Pa., with 32 even scallops around the rim, above seven rows of graduated thumbprints on the bowl, wafer construction. Atop a raised double step hollow stem with 12 flutes; circular foot with 24 even scallops. 12 1/2 inches (diameter of bowl); 12 1/2 inches (height); 7 1/2 diameter of foot. Weighing in at more than 10 pounds, this rare punch bowl is one of only a couple of known examples, one of which resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and another at the Corning Museum. This is the largest size of the punchbowl and is a grandaddy of Early American Glass. Reference: Lee/EAPG, pl. 59. illustrates a smaller example, text page 183, "The large covered compotes and the punch bowls are among the most interesting specimens of American glass, and are so gorgeous in appearance as to justify their being classed as veritable museum pieces." Price on Request.

Henry Knox Smith (American 1879-1957) - Glass Mosaic panel study for Christ on the Cross, 1909. 5.50 x 4.50 inches. Titled, signed and dated by the artist, incised verso. Pristine condition, Framed in a period Old Master frame.

Rare 19th century miniature covered Firkin in pristine original condition. Hersey, Hingham, Mass. Original surface. 2 1/4" height; 2 3/8" wide at bottom; 3 1/2 inches to the top of the handle.

Copper Arts & Crafts mailbox. Unmarked. Circa 1915-1920's. 10 x 7 x 3 inches. Original condition. A classically designed Copper mailbox with repousse and applied copper decoration. One of two available.