Astonishing/Outstanding vintage pieces.

[Baron Kurtz]

The thread for the gems of your collections. This could be from any realm of the vintage-sphere. Some guys will have unbelievable ties, or a Sulka robe of unusual quality, or an 18th century hat; the ladies might own a stupendously well made corset by a top maker or whatever else it is the ladies buy.

But nothing "ordinary" please (i.e. No blue serge suits unless they were owned by someone very famous). I'd like to see what people have got that we'll rarely ever see another of.

bk

 

[Torpedo]

This looks like a great idea!

My contribution is going to be very modest - this means things will go up from here!

This is the only item I see as "special" in my collection. It is a Stetson Whippet, black felt. It belonged, appropriately enough, to a reverend, as seen in the sweatband.

It is this small history bit what makes it to stand out to me.

It brings to my mind the character Pat O'Brien played in Angels with Dirty Faces.

Regards!

 

[Shangas]

Really unique stuff, huh?

The latest addition to my Fountain Pen Collection:

1940s Japanese-made fountain pen. Why is it special? The nib is made of glass and the body of the pen and cap are made of bamboo.

My ca. 1957 Ball-Record 435C railroad pocket-watch and my 1920s Wahl Art Deco vest-pocket fountain pen. The B-R 435C was one of the last major commercial-production railroad pocket-watches. It was also one of the most accurate.

The gold vest-pocket pen is just unique and it's a special piece in my collection.

My 22kt gold dragon pinkie-ring. Given to my father by my late maternal grandmother on the event of my parents' marriage in the late 1970s.

The pen at the bottom is the oldest fountain pen in my collection. I actually beat another avid pen-collector to the mark when I bought this. It dates from ca. 1900-1905 and is in 95% mint condition. And yes, it does work.

One of the absolute prides of my collection is this jade, diamond and white-gold ring. It's at least fifty years old, and it belonged to my paternal grandmother, who, at the age of 96, doesn't wear it anymore. So I took custody of it.

 

[Nick D]

One of my suits, from the late '50s, belonged to a rear admiral in the Royal Navy.

 

[cookie]

Stetson Philly Spades

My best so far vintage shoe score. The tan ones are mine whereas Cane Rod Maker now owns the burgundy coloured ones.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Really unique stuff, huh?

The latest addition to my Fountain Pen Collection:

Now that is fantastic. Looks like an interesting filling mechanism. Describe (for non-specialists )?

bk

 

[Shangas]

Certainly, Baron.

It's a 1940s Japanese-made crescent-filler. The cap and pen-barrel is made of bamboo. The nib is made of glass. The filling-mechanism is a simple crescent-filler.

You rotate the black band (called a 'locking ring') so that you can depress the metal crescent. Depressing the crescent forces air (if empty) or ink (if full) out of the ink-sac. Releasing the crescent creates a vacuum that sucks in fresh ink. Once the sac has been inflated, the crescent pops up again and you swing the locking-ring underneath it again to prevent the crescent accidently being depressed and squirting ink out everywhere.

This is my second crescent-filler. My first crescent-filler may be observed in the photograph with the two black pens and the gold pocket-watch. That one is a 1914 Conklin crescent-filler made of ebonite.

 

[Chasseur]

Compared to what some here have, my collection is pretty modest. However, I do have two very nice, relatively rare pieces:

Silk plush top hat by Dunlap, in a large size 7 3/8, I got from XPLSV a year or so ago. Came with its original leather case and was made for a Minneapolis Judge and Bank Director back in 1913. Still waiting on it coming back from a refurbishment.

Palm Beach white dinner jacket, Palm Beach cloth, double breasted, shawl collar (the "Rick" style jacket from Casablanca), from the late 1940s-50s that in the large size of 44.

 

[fluteplayer07]

Where's Marc's outstanding art deco Elgin pocket watch? That's a special one.

Nice idea for a thread.