arustocracy

We are pleased to offer a rare fumi-e, an antique Japanese icon with an unusual and disconcerting history. During a time of religious oppression in Japan, Christianity was illegal. Fumi-e (“stepping-on pictures”) were used by the Tokugawa shogunate as a test of allegiance: suspected Christians were ordered to trample an image of Christ or the Virgin Mary to prove they were not believers. Those who refused could face imprisonment, torture, exile, or death.  Because of their rarity and symbolism, they are sought after by collectors and museums. There are many categories of antiques and collectibles that shall remain nameless that...

We’re currently offering two “vintage” cellular phone dealer advertising signs, one for Nextel and one for metroPCS. Vintage mobile phones—like the Motorola DynaTAC “brick” or the original iPhone—have been collectible (and sometimes expensive) for a while. A new, growing segment is emerging: cellular device and carrier advertising memorabilia. From illuminated and neon dealer signs and branded displays to obsolete carrier swag, mobile phone collectibles, particularly those of defunct carriers and manufacturers, are gaining attention. The mobile phone industry from the 1980s to the early 2000s was a free-for-all of competition, innovation, and frequent rebranding. Carriers like Cingular, MetroPCS, Voicestream, Nextel,...

We are pleased to offer a rare and interesting medical diagnostic reference, a 1959 edition of Tests for Colour Blindness signed by the author, Dr. Shinobu Ishihara (1879–1963), a pioneering Japanese ophthalmologist best known for developing the Ishihara Test, a groundbreaking diagnostic tool used worldwide to detect color vision deficiencies. First introduced in 1917, the test consists of a series of plates printed with colored dots that form numbers or paths—visible only to those with normal color vision. The simplicity and accuracy of the test made it an immediate success, and it remains the global standard for detecting red-green color...

We recently picked up this cool 1950s Olympia SM2 typewriter with an Arabic keyboard. A typical manual typewriter is already a complex device, but for someone from the west, this machine adds another level of interest. In the English-speaking world, we call the standard keyboard layout a “Qwerty,” (rhymes with “thirty”) for the first six letters left to right on the keyboard. I’ve seen many “Qwertz” (rhymes with “hurts”) keyboards, the standard in much of Central Europe, including Germany and Switzerland, where so many great typewriters were made. On the other hand, this Olympia SM2 has a completely different character...

We recently acquired a number of really cool international police uniform caps. One group from the estate of a collector who was a retired police officer includes hats from Spain, Peru, Italy, Denmark and more. We also have some French police and military kepis and paratroopers berets coming from Europe. Be looking for those on our site soon.