1st Dibs offers for sale <a href="https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/models-miniatures/engineers-scale-model-extending-fire-escape-ladder/id-f_24242572/" alt="this unusual antique" class="on">this unusual antique</a>. The auction site describes it as an engineer’s model of a fire escape that extends lattice girders.

It’s electrically powered, but can also be manually wound. It’s almost 12 feet long when fully deployed—a measurement that I assume includes the wheeled base that rests on top of a flat surface. The prices is $6,168.90 with shipping from the UK to the US at an astonishing $1,999.The antique dates back to 1955. Why was it built? I’ll offer a guess that it was made for salesmen to use to sell to prospective customers.-via <a href="https://www.bookofjoe.com/2022/10/my-entry-20.html">Book of Joe</a>#antiques #scalemodels

For Sale: An Intricately Detailed Scale Model of an Extending Fire Escape

Sheppard’s Irish Acution House offers <a href="https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/sheppards-auction-house/catalogue-id-srshe10091/lot-69784788-fe34-441c-809e-ae3e00c489b1">this unique item</a> for sale. Let’s call it a conversation piece because it will definitely provoke conversation with the next people who visit your office and/or bathroom.The sculpture is about 9 inches tall and is centered around a preserved ostrich egg. The hungry squirrel is holding what the auction listing describes as a pine nut, but I suspect is actually a polished stone. The silver squirrel, though, doesn’t know any better. He appears to be in a foul mood--most likely as a result.The head lifts off for storage in the egg’s interior. I suggest using it to store nuts.-via <a href="https://twitter.com/arkhamlibrarian">Rebecca Bauman</a>#antiques #eggs #squirrels