V.F. Cerveny & S. - Hradec - Kralove Furniture

1902 Regina music box with 3 discs and crank. Molded oak case. One additional disc should not be used. "Regina 66394". Box clasp lacks hole part to hold shut...

Suiseki rock-stone on a hardwood base. The stone has an exciting expression of flowers. Suiseki in Japanese, Scholer's Rock in Chinese and Suseok in Korean. Asian Zen tradition ...

Hohner C-Tenor "Koncert" wooden recorder; this circa 1950, made in Germany instrument is in excellent condition (appears to be unused); is made of pearwood. It is in three pieces con...

Dimensions: Frame: height 70.5 cm / width 56.5 cm Oleo printing: height 62 cm / width 44 cm.

Naval range finder made by Waymouth-Cooke of London. These were based on the principals of a sextant range finder. They were patented in 1914. The Mark II like this one came out in 1...

Dimensions: Frame: height 71.5 cm / width 55 cm Oleo printing: 63 cm high.

Wireless set No. 19, MK II. Canada, around 1942. Commonly known as Wireless Set No. 19, it was a mobile radio transceiver used in World War II mainly by ...

Considered the first step into the world of modern photocopying, the copying machine was among the first widely used devices to successfully produce an ex...

As exceptionally scarce as it is fascinating, this autochange disk player by the Polyphon Musikwerke in Leipzig, Germany can change between six disks and play with the incredibly rare addition of bells that accompany the music. Before a coin is dropped into the slot, slide the brass indicator until it points to the desired music selection, insert a penny, and the chosen song will play automatically. An extremely limited number of these automatic disk changers were ever created, and even fewer have survived in such outstanding condition. Standing over seven feet tall, this particular model boasts a magnificent walnut case with handsome burl panels on its original, matching storage cabinet. A true technical marvel for its day, Polyphon’s automatic disk changer symbolizes pure ingenuity and superlative craftsmanship. This antique player...

A Botanical model by Robert Brendel, famous German botanist, 19th century. As detailed by the University of Aberdeen Zoology Museum, "In the late 19th century Botanist and model-make...

A masterpiece of both cabinetmaking and mechanical engineering, this one-of-a-kind expanding table was crafted by the renowned cabinetmaker Samuel Hawkins of London for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Diminutive in size, the fascinating table was designed as a model to demonstrate Hawkins’ innovative patent screw movement to visitors of the Exhibition – six million people in total over five months. It was exhibited again a century later at the Victoria & Albert Museum during the Festival of Britain, an event intended “to symbolise two main qualities of the national character: realism and strength on the one hand, and, on the other, independence and imagination” (Catalogue of the Exhibition, 1951, p.117). To this day, the miniature masterpiece demonstrates the quest of English furniture makers to combine technical innovation with superb craftsmanship. Displaying exceptional ingenuity, Hawkins’ wind-out screw mechanism allowed one to extend the table’s base to accommodate concentric leaves with the simple crank of a handle. It is based on the inventive expanding table originally designed by Robert Jupe in 1835, which used a swivel mechanism to separate sections of the tabletop and allow for segmented leaves to be inserted. Hawkins’ tabletop, on the other hand, extends outwards directly from the center in order to accommodate additional leaves around its diameter. This unique design allowed the mechanism to also smoothly operate on rectangular tables, which could be wound out from the middle to allow for more table space. Hawkins was not alone in his endeavor to combine the technical merits of engineering and mechanics with the most artful pursuit of cabinetmaking. The first half of the 19th century saw a prolific increase in the popularity of applying new ideas to traditional furniture principles, which allowed furniture to serve many purposes. The resulting “patent” furniture was practical and refined, though few were as innovative as Hawkins’ prodigious design. Carved with the year of the Exhibition on the beautifully designed pedestal base, the table is a testament to the significance of this innovation. The model is mentioned in detail in the catalog of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the first international exhibition of industry, manufacturing, and science. Held at London’s dazzling Crystal Palace, its visitors were treated to exhibits from around the globe, including feats of engineering, innovations in industry, and marvels of design. Queen Victoria herself was a frequent visitor, along with her husband, Prince Albert, and others including Charlotte...

This exceptional singing bird cylinder music box is a wonder of Austrian mechanical ingenuity. Not only does it play a selection of classical airs with remarkable tone and clarity, but its lush sound is accompanied by a colorful, singing bird automaton...