What else do you collect beside toy soldiers (1 Viewer)

[Louis Badolato]

I picked up a circa 1820 pocket globe with the bottom portion of a shagreen box. Photos to follow shortly.

Here they are:

 

[Terp152]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

A pocket globe? I guess if you got lost in the early 1800's you pull out your handy pocket globe for reference. .. ^&grin. Nice pick up. Chris

 

[Louis Badolato]

A pocket globe? I guess if you got lost in the early 1800's you pull out your handy pocket globe for reference. .. ^&grin. Nice pick up. Chris

Chris,

Pocket globes were carried by wealthy 18th and 19th century travelers and used by well to do 18th and 19th century families in the education of young children. I have 3, and they are of no practical use to a traveler, being between 1-1/2 and 3 inches in diameter they simply lack enough detail for any navigation purposes. I think they were more status symbols than anything else. The bast ones came in Globe shaped shagreen (shark or ray skin) cases with celestial globe gores (star and constellation charts) on the inner surface of case, about the size of a baseball, which would fit inter wealthy traveler’s writing kit or pocket. The best ones look amazing- you just want to pick one up and study it- but are peohibitively expensive. When I was a young lawyer, on a guys only trip to London with some friends I saw my first pocket globe in a very fancy antique shop on Jermyn Street. It looked so cool I thought this could be my big purchase on the trip. I asked the salesman how much it cost, and he, looking at me like something unpleasant he had stepped in and needed to clean from his shoe, responded “5,000 pounds, sir” in a tone reserved for the rif raf. Obviously I left with my tail between my legs, but I have collected antique globes ever since, especially miniature ones, with a focus on pocket globes. To date I found a circa 1870 pocket globe missing its box or case, an 1840 Klinger Pocket Globe in its original wooden box (intended for educational purposes) and this latest circa 1820 pocket globe in half of its shagreen box (probably for a traveler of more modest means, who like me, cannot afford one of the really fancy ones in in globular shagreen hinged case).

 

[Terp152]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Chris,

Pocket globes were carried by wealthy 18th and 19th century travelers and used by well to do 18th and 19th century families in the education of young children. I have 3, and they are of no practical use to a traveler, being between 1-1/2 and 3 inches in diameter they simply lack enough detail for any navigation purposes. I think they were more status symbols than anything else. The bast ones came in Globe shaped shagreen (shark or ray skin) cases with celestial globe gores (star and constellation charts) on the inner surface of case, about the size of a baseball, which would fit inter wealthy traveler’s writing kit or pocket. The best ones look amazing- you just want to pick one up and study it- but are peohibitively expensive. When I was a young lawyer, on a guys only trip to London with some friends I saw my first pocket globe in a very fancy antique shop on Jermyn Street. It looked so cool I thought this could be my big purchase on the trip. I asked the salesman how much it cost, and he, looking at me like something unpleasant he had stepped in and needed to clean from his shoe, responded “5,000 pounds, sir” in a tone reserved for the rif raf. Obviously I left with my tail between my legs, but I have collected antique globes ever since, especially miniature ones, with a focus on pocket globes. To date I found a circa 1870 pocket globe missing its box or case, an 1840 Klinger Pocket Globe in its original wooden box (intended for educational purposes) and this latest circa 1820 pocket globe in half of its shagreen box (probably for a traveler of more modest means, who like me, cannot afford one of the really fancy ones in in globular shagreen hinged case).

Louis, thanks for a very enjoyable explanation tied to your own experiences. My personal interest in globes and maps led to a geography major in college. Great post. Chris

 

[Louis Badolato]

Louis, thanks for a very enjoyable explanation tied to your own experiences. My personal interest in globes and maps led to a geography major in college. Great post. Chris

Chris,

Glad you liked my anecdote. Here are some photos of one of the fancy ones I can’t afford:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Sometimes you just get lucky. I have been after a Holbrook hinged pocket globe (made in the United States circa 1850, used for students) for years, but have never been able to find one I could afford. Today I found a bargain:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

The 1820 Pocket Globe arrived. Here are some photos of my Pocket Globe Display as it presently stands (the tiny globe on the left is a mid-19th Century Globe Inkwell 1inch in diameter), I will be adding the Holbrook Hinged Pocket Globe shortly:

 

[DMNamiot]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Nice acquisition Louis. Don't see those every day.

One of the things my wife and I collect are wooden carved figures from Oberammergau in Bavaria. We have figures of people in traditional Bavarian clothing and animals as well as a nativity scene. I also have a nativity in flats from Germany. Anyway I will post some photos tomorrow.
Dave

 

[Louis Badolato]

Nice acquisition Louis. Don't see those every day.

One of the things my wife and I collect are wooden carved figures from Oberammergau in Bavaria. We have figures of people in traditional Bavarian clothing and animals as well as a nativity scene. I also have a nativity in flats from Germany. Anyway I will post some photos tomorrow.
Dave

Look forward to seeing the photos Dave!

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Picked up another Steiff WWI Soldier Doll, this one from the 15th or 20th Uhlan Regiment with the yellow piping and facings:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

The Holbrook Hinged Pocket Globe arrived:

 

[DMNamiot]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Here are some photos of the wooden figures my wife and I have collected from Germany. All the carved figures come from Oberammgau.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Here are some photos of the wooden figures my wife and I have collected from Germany. All the carved figures come from Oberammgau.

View attachment 221083View attachment 221084View attachment 221085View attachment 221086

Those are very cool, Dave! Love the details, the artisans are very skillful!

 

[DMNamiot]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Hi Louis

It’s amazing what these folks can do with a chunk of wood! Glad you enjoyed these figures. I really like your globes. Very interesting piece of history.

Dave

 

[Bessieres]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I picked up a Steiff WWI Italian Bersiglieri in need of much TLC dirt cheap (I already contacted a steiff repair person):

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

The Steiff 20th Uhlan arrived today, here are some photos:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I picked up a reference book on Steiff’s products from 1892-1943, written in both German and English. The book has a mix of black and white and color photos of 110 of the at least 126 Steiff Soldier Dolls. In addition, the book has a photo of two Steiff Cavalry Horses, made in 1916, complete with swords, rifles, blanket rolls, etc.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I picked up a reference book on Steiff’s products from 1892-1943, written in both German and English. The book has a mix of black and white and color photos of 110 of the at least 126 Steiff Soldier Dolls. In addition, the book has a photo of two Steiff Cavalry Horses, made in 1916, complete with swords, rifles, blanket rolls, etc.

Here are the Horses:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I picked up a Civil War or slightly post-Civil War era New York Militia Waist Coat, with original period "Excelsior" buttons. Here it is hanging with some other tunics, mess jackets, and a New York Volunteer Infantry Officer's Kepi: