Brueg Art & Design

Ikea knives are a joke… Antique field surgeon kits are amazing. The craftsmanship that went into these precise instruments is unbelievable given the manufacturing practices at the time.

Collecting medical instruments and even civil war surgeons kits has quite a following on the internet these days. Ebay is strife with interesting finds. I wasn’t able to find too many civil war kits, but there were several $10,000 German WW2 kits for sale. Expensive, but they may be worth their weight in silver.

The Peace Dollar is in my opinion the most stunning coin design in the history of the US mint. The coins were initially made to commemorate the end of WW1 and replace the aging Morgan Dollar and remains the last true Silver Dollar minted for circulation in the United States.

The beautiful design by Anthony de Francisci features Lady liberty, modeled after his wife Teresa Cafarelli, and a perched eagle on the reverse. A 1922 Peace Dollar was the first significant coin in my coin collection when I was a kid and will always be my favorite. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea how to display it properly. Any ideas?

Originally designed in 1958, the Nelson Swag Leg Desk is still a highlight at furniture stores like Hive Modern and Design Within Reach. The modern version even includes a cable management system so you can use it with your laptop. Most retailers sell it for $1849, but deals can be had if you look long enough.

Last weekend I found 2 nicely displayed Westclox Big Ben alarm clocks on the shelf at Eleven, a Nolita area vintage clothing shop. They were on the pricey side at $270, but a later Ebay search revealed many similar clocks for less than $50.

Westclox first started making clocks under the name Western Clocks in 1887, which was shortened to Westclox around 1910. Their trademark product, the Big Ben, was brought to market in 1909. Many different styles of the Big Ben exist and are still being made today.

The clocks at Eleven appear to be Big Ben style 1a Luminous made from 1919 – 1935, which were in very good condition and may command a premium over other versions. Try Ebay for more Westclox Big Ben clocks.

If you’ve got the room and the cash, a bobsled (or bobsleigh) could be the perfect large addition to your living space. For at least the last months, there has been a real competition bobsled for sale on Ebay in the Motors category for a thrifty $10,000.

The item description claims that there is over $100,00 invested in the sleigh. Unfortunately the description also states, “Please be advised the buyer is responsible for pick up and /or shipping, we will provide additional information upon request for buyer to obtain shipping quotes.  Sled can be packaged on pallets and loaded on to truck with our forklift.”

Though I couldn’t find exact figures, I believe the weight of the sleigh can range from 200-400 pounds depending on if it’s a two or four man bobsled. That’s quite a commitment for the purchaser, especially an urban apartment dweller who moves every few years. Of course, how amazing would it be to have a Bobsled in your living room? It’s not just a common conversation piece – I don’t think it’s possible that a person could walk through your bobsled housing room without saying something.

You could also take it a little further and turn the sled into a high tech photo booth. Purchase a Mac Mini, a web cam, and a cheap LCD screen, then place the web cam on the front of the bobsled and setup the computer nearby. Friends could snap photos in the sled and upload them to their favorite social networking site in minutes.

Of course if budget is an issue, there’s also a stylish 1938 bobsled WPA poster that’s widely available and doesn’t require a forklift to move it.

Though probably not as functional as your GPS, gimbled nautical compasses were used for navigating the world’s oceans. Gimbled refers to the pivoting construction that would always keep the compass level with regards to the surface of the earth, even when the boat was in rough waters.

This one was an Ebay find for only $50. Barely readable and inscribed on the inside of the lid is 1915, Marine Ex______, Atlantic ___. The compass shows its age, but that’s the point. There’s plenty more available on Ebay too, but avoid new gimbled compasses made to look old.