The electric shock has gone through a good many uses since we first harnessed electricity and promptly began using it in comedy. From inspiring an entire field of “quack” medicine in the second half of the Nineteenth Century to, oddly enough, making its way into modern-day therapies where it is used to relieve nerve pain, electricity has always inspired us to mold our natural world into a more hospitable place. But to many, the electric shock is just good old-fashioned fun, as evinced in a 1909 French electric shock machine — a game to see who could hold on the longest as the current was amplified. The mischievous pig’s eyes would light up red and a bell would ring when the player held out to handle all the swine could dole out. With the holidays coming around, we can’t help but wonder why this machine isn’t on more shelves this year. It’s only at Auction Team Breker, and it joins other lots from around the world in this week’s picks.
AUCTION TEAM BREKER
Sale Date: November 11, 2017
Lot 419
French Electric Shock Machine
Manufactured by Maurice & Molle, Paris. Pink piglet of embossed and painted zinc, coin-slot for ten centimes, two brass handles. Turning the right handle while holding the left will deliver a mild electric shock to the player. The longer he can hold on, the greater his shock will be until the pig’s eyes light up mischievously and a bell rings to signal his resistance, 29 inches high.
Estimate: $20/30,000
HERMANN HISTORICA
Sale Date: November 6–17, 2017
Lot 5550
A Deluxe Presentation Sword Gifted To Benito Mussolini
Gifted to Mussolini from the city of Genoa, “La Superba,” 1938. Manufactured in massive silver, partly gold-plated and nielloed. Blade shaped like a Roman gladius (short sword), obverse side on blackened base engraved with battle scene from 1936. A high quality gift of honor, probably presented on the occasion of Mussolini’s 55th birthday on July 29, 1938, and in memory of his visit to Genoa in May, 1938.
Estimate: $55,000+
FONTAINE’S
Sale Date: November 11, 2017
Lot 61
Patek Philippe Model 3880 Skeletonized 18K Wrist Watch
Purchased at Tiffany & Co., New York City. Excellent ovoid, very thin case has large crystals on both front and back exposing the movement on both sides. Pierced filigree decorated movement with dial engraved “Patek Philippe, Geneve, 1389576,” stem wind and stem set with a blue sapphire cabochon on the winding crown.
Estimate: $30/45,000
HARGESHEIMER
Sale Date: November 9–11, 2017
Lot 891
A Monumental Pair Of Royal Doors
Showing the Annunciation and the four evangelists from a church iconostasis, Greek, Eighteenth Century, oil on wood panel. In baroque style, with foliate-carved and C-scroll frame set with six medallions showing the four evangelists and Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Mother of God.
Estimate: $10/20,000
BRUNK
Sale Date: November 9–11, 2017
Lot 1369
“Hadley” Chest Attributed To Guilford, Conn., 1670–1710
Oak throughout with hinged lid and open interior set with a till, paneled sides over a single side-hung drawer, early red brown surface with ebonized moldings over central front panels, retains a fine old surface.
Estimate: $12/18,000
BONHAMS
Sale Date: November 13–14, 2017
Lot 119W
An Impressive Pair of Levantine Shell And Bone Inlaid Octagonal Tables
Thirty-two inches high.
Estimate: $10/15,000
FREEMAN’S
Sale Date: November 15, 2017
Lot 354
Rare Sheet Metal Fox And Copper Goose Weathervane
Circa 1880, three-dimensional goose with verdigris surface and silhouetted fox raised on scrolled post with original copper directionals.
Estimate: $10/15,000
MICHAAN’S
Sale Date: November 11, 2017
Lot 327
American School, “Folk Portrait Of George Washington”
Early Nineteenth Century, oil on canvas, 54 by 39 inches.
Estimate: $5/7,000
BERTOIA
Sale Date: November 11–12, 2017
Lot 881
Impressive Nodding Santa And Nodding Reindeer
This key-wind nodding reindeer with big brown glass eyes and rack of antlers is pulling an early German Santa Claus, who is also a key-wind nodder. Santa has big blue eyes and sports a bushy white beard, dressed in red with white trim and blue trousers and holding a multi-tiered feather tree, 43 inches length.
Estimate: $10/15,000
