I feel sure most of my former colleagues will identify with this …

Here is a selection of the weird and wonderful from the last two sales at our local auction house. The variety of old toot is amazing as well as the strange juxtapositions. And as so often the sting is in the tail. Enjoy …
Four gentlemen’s 90ct [sic] gold rings, estimated weight 15.3grm
A collection of antique oddments
Hmmm … very helpful — NOT
A tribal carved stone figure of a man with large ears and a South American terracotta wind instrument player [right]
A vintage ivory light switch now containing an erotic scene, an erotic fragment, a tiny carved bone skull, and nine dice
Four leaded glass windows of square design
Eight fruit knives, a quantity of collectable matchboxes, a Ronson Varitronic 400 lighter, and an oriental bamboo sun parasol [sic], etc.
An African spear and utensil, and a cased wooden African female head with elongated ears and ring neck decoration

A copper and brass bugle by Henry Potter & Co., Charing Cross Road, London, a highly decorative brass power horn, a glass fruit bowl containing marble eggs, a Nori model Porsche Panameras, Black Forest carved figure of a bear, a large quantity of CDs, etc.
A small quantity of silver plate to include a cruet set on stand, sugar bowl on stand, a pewter three-piece tea set, a child’s scooter, a wooden marquetry inlaid box, an old leather flask holder, a Weetabix advertising cased ruler and an old Satellite boxed transistor radio, and a tooled leather cigar box, etc.
Two brass and glass Welsh miners’ lamps, a wall hanging Swiss cuckoo clock and a model trawler
A quantity of interesting collectables including clocks, such as a brass sunburst, a clock by Tim Automatic, a Smiths bakelite alarm clock, a pink 1950’s and a Westclox electric similar, an enamel faced clock dial, an old 1960’s/70’s ‘phone, a wooden speaker, 19th century chest expander, two vintage bags, a pair of 1940’s ankle boots, astrakhan detail, three hair clippers, two razors, a quantity of silver plate, cut flatware including fish knives and sets, cake forks, butter knives, etc., a pair of sugar tongs, a silver spoon, silver plated candelabra and a camera, plus a plasterer’s tool
A pair of African tribal spears
A large quantity of drinking glasses including shot and wine glasses, goblets, hock, mugs, etc., and other glassware including vases, bells, jugs, etc., and a large ouzo decanter in the form of a Greek gentleman in national dress
A Hohner piano accordion, in original case, an old violin and two bows, in case, and a zither
An interesting lot comprising a number of regimental plaques in wood and plaster, a watercolour on glass of an old sailing boat, and a box of transport related items including books on trains and buses, a folder of Elvis Presley fridge badges, etc.
A carton of medical instruments including a blood pressure gauge, ear inspection lamp, scissors and other strange implements
In other words, we don’t have much of a clue!
Many hundreds of glass marbles in four Tupperware style boxes
Five silver-handled implements including three in green enamel, also a photograph frame, a plated bread basket and pierced belt, nickel-plated corkscrew, brass corkscrew, etc.
Another where we don’t have much of a clue!
A boxed vintage 216 [sic] and two-thirds fluid oz bottle of Dimple Scotch Whisky
At 6.4 litres that would be one mighty big bottle of Scotch!
An original full-size United States Marine Corps flag, with felt-tip inscription dated 2003, with wooden flagstaff, together with two Johnson pottery meat dishes and six pieces of cutlery
Two taxidermy specimen caimans [right]

Two stone busts of an African lady and man, a pair of African carved wooden bookends, a quantity of wooden animal figurines, a set of six coconut shell bowls, wooden table lamp, a gourd fruit shaker, a jade hippo ashtray, an amethyst model tree and another, similar, and other wooden decorative wares
A quantity of trench art to include a shell case modelled as a vase, H140M/MI on base, a pair of brass bullets with wooden tops, with the numbers 39, a pair of shell cases modelled as eggcups with the insignia Ubique on the front, a pretty Ensignette by Houghtons Ltd of London, cased camera, a quantity of slate pencils in original box, a lovely wooden billiard brush by Arran London, two treen stretchers, a pair of brass and mother-of-pearl opera glasses, a further pair of leather and silver plated binoculars Sporting Club, Paris, and another pair of cased binoculars, an old German accordion, a lacquer box, wooden jewellery box and key, marquetry inlaid box decorated with Scottie dogs, a wooden display stand with medals for prize birds, a matching spoon and an old vanity case
A vintage Underwood typewriter and an old copper and brass samovar
A large quantity of screws, wires, nails, etc., and an old wooden toolbox and contents, hammers, hand drills, etc.
An old country wooden farming yoke, initialled PM, and a small handcrafted wooden wall cupboard
Three shelves of interesting decorative items including a pair of Victorian Sheffield plated candlesticks (one nozzle only), a Bush vintage radio, an Olympia camera, pretty ginger jar and cover, a large ceramic table lamp depicting a train, a bust of Laurel & Hardy, a quantity of figurines, many depicting children, novelty teapots including a cat and Coronation Street, a quantity of glasses including wine and shot glasses, quantity of clown figurines, glass paperweights, marble chess set, busts of Bugari, oriental geisha figurines and a soft toy Sherlock Holmes …
A large figurine of Elvis, a large windmill ornament, a figurine of a soldier going into battle, on wooden base, further similar of a golfer, an alien decorated photo frame and a rooster doorstop
A large Hotpoint fridge/freezer in a silver case
I just hope the case is hallmarked!
More anon …

Earlier this week I bought a small, cheap Qanliiy telescope which as one might guess was made in China. The three images which follow are the sum total of the English section of the instruction manual. Please enjoy meaning you out work.

In March 2013 the Law Commission’s Statute Law Repeals team put together a document summarising the answers to some of the queries that they regularly receive about
alleged old laws. (Find the full document here.) While most of the curiosities documented have no basis in the law as it currently stands, some do, including:
It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour. This dates back to the 1313 Statute Forbidding Bearing of Armour.
Under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 (which had force well beyond the London Metropolitan area) the following are illegal:
– carrying a plank along the pavement
– firing a cannon within 300 years of a dwelling house
– beating or shaking any rug or carpet in the street (although shaking a doormat is OK before 8am).
Under the Metropolitan Streets Act 1867 it is illegal to drive cows down the roadway without the permission of the Commissioner of Police.
And under the the Licensing Act 1872, it is an offence to be drunk in charge of a carriage, horse, cow or steam engine, or whilst in possession of a loaded firearm.
From: Legal Curiosities: Fact or Fable?