Design – Ephemerascenti

Vintage Rolodex 3500 S Phone Desk Organizer

rolodex

rolodex 3500s

rolodex 3500 s

Industrial strength, they just don’t make things like this today! Made in that wonderful industrial greige (that’s grey and beige), this Rolodex is special! Even the top that closes is all metal, not like the newer ones that are plastic. The condition is very good to excellent, no dings, or dents.

As you can see, the plate that indicates it’s a Rolodex 3500 S is present.The handle wheels on either side read Zephyr American Corp., New York, N.Y. Even the bottom still has all four protective pads. I removed the used cards, but left the retro blue alphabetical dividers A-Z, and some blank cards. You would just need to add your contacts if you are using as more than an iconic prop or desk accessory.

Measurements: 10″ tall x 10″ d x 9″ w

Photo-Lettering, Inc. Alphabet Thesaurus Vol. 3

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We have had interest and several serious inquiries regarding our hard bound manual of typefaces: Alphabet Thesaurus Vol. 3, published in 1971. As collectors, and designers, we have long held a fascination with type. We received a note from a graphic designer and typographer, Alex Sheldon, whose foundry is called Match and Kerosene. As a freelancer, he has “had the pleasure to work with the likes of Fearless Records, Warner Brothers Records, Motown/Universal, Epitaph Records, and Tooth and Nail/EMI.” His fonts are available through My Fonts. As fellow type and hand lettering fanatics, we thought we would acknowledge him and share some of the original inspirations for our interest.

Our initial interest in hand lettering and fonts was kindled in youth, by the lettering and graphics designed for use in print media in the 60s and 70s. Posters, handbills, album covers, dust jackets, still memorable examples of posters for legendary bands including Cream, Blue Cheer, Traffic, Quick Silver Messenger Service, Moby Grape, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Doors, the Velvet Underground, and countless others.

Posters by unknown and marginally known artists, such as Wes Wilson, Bob Fried, Gary Grimshaw, Lee Conklin, Bob Schnepf, Bonnie MacLean, as well as the giants, Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley designing under the moniker, “Family Dog” or Victor Moscoso’s “Neon Rose.” The posters and handbills they created for shows at landmark venues for promoters such as Bill Graham Productions, including the Fillmore Auditorium and the Avalon Ballroom, are highly collectible ephemera today. Boasted as “the world’s largest dealer” in rock and roll posters from that era is ClassicPosters.com. Other resources include Psychotron Posters and Wolfgang’s Vault. The original hand drawn graphics of this era are inspirational. The vibrating and psychedelic effects of some are visually boggling, even to those adept at the latest design apps available through Adobe.

Just the beginning of lost creative innocence, because our interest evolved further with jazz artists and the covers for their vinyl recordings. But beyond even those seminal interests associated with advertising art, however subliminally, we as artists, have sought out and used fonts in our creative endeavors. Paying homage to the creators of well known and well used fonts, as well as more obscure and headline fonts in our work as artists, in print, and through use in our neon and dimensional signage and sculpture. All are bits and pieces of a curious creative continuum.

Apple Powerbook 2400C

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When I think of the word vintage, I think wine, audio equipment, cars, clothing, films. Vintage to some antiquarians also conjures negative connotations – obsolete, or outdated. But, vintage as an adjective has recently seen a resurgence in popularity and use particularly in communities such as Etsy and Tumbler. Vintage has adapted to its new cachet, its time, again, is now.

VIntage Apple 2400

Now that I have your attention, 2400’s are r-a-r-e. Only the PowerBook 550 seems to appear less frequently than the 2400 and, naturally, when they do surface, they tend to demand premium prices. It’s understandable that it is rarely found, let alone, available to collectors, given the nature of this diminutive machine. The 2400 was the precursor to the MacBook Air with its external floppy drive. The PowerBook 2400c was introduced in May 1997. Production was terminated abruptly in May 1998 to be followed by the PowerBook G3.

This Powerbook 2400c is up for auction on ebay.

Classic Cannondale Criterium 3.0 Frame Bikes

Vintage Cannondale SR2000, a pristine whip!

This 1988 Cannondale SR2000, 58cm sports a hand built frame and all original, Dura-Ace components. Made when Cannondale was comprised of a few master welders that were fueled by their cycling enthusiasm to build a better bike. And, check out the graphics and paint job! This whip is of museum quality and design.

sr800 cannondale 1988

Vintage Cannondale SR800, a classic!

If you haven’t ridden a Cannondale, they are a paradox characteristic of few bikes, sturdy yet nimble. This is a classic 1988 SR800. It has a hand built 53 cm Criterium racing frame with respected original Shimano components. A used car dealer sweeten the pitch, “it has low miles, is all original, and had one owner.”

Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glasses

1955 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glasses

Bold bright yellow and green graphics feature two horse racing vigorously, one with #3 on saddle blanket. Five fastest winners names and times are listed.

1961 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glasses

Black and red Kentucky Derby text is arranged diagonally with a large front view of horse and rider wearing red. Text is arranged diagonally with winning horses names listed randomly.

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1958 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Mid Century black and gold graphics are well done and present Iron Leige on front of glass as the last winner. Graphics are slightly different on each side. Horse with #2 is featured on one side, reverse side has horse with #3.

1962 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Gold gilt text arranged on frosted glass with winners listed in red text, rider on horse # 6 draped with an oversized rose collar. Steeples, jockey caps and horseshoes are accents.

1963 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Brown and white with gold leaf text, the rider is wearing #7. In the background, the steeple of the track is visible. Jockey caps are the other decorative elements.

1963 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

The brown and gold distinctive graphics on these glasses feature the head of a horse surrounded by text arranged in an arch. Jockey caps are the other decorative elements.

1965 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Bold red banners float about the distinctive race track buildings and horse in brown graphics. Glass is completely frosted and highlighted by red Run for the Roses text. Roses are depicted in a large bouquet on back of glass.

1965 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Two riders on horses numbered 2 and 3 are depicted in a side view within a circle that is surrounded by gold leaf text. Four fastest running years are listed below horses. The famous steeples of Churchill Downs are on the back of glass.

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1967 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Black squares are filled with racing graphics, steeples with pennants flying and other symbols. Frosted white squares have lists of winners. Text is gold ink.

1968 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

The famous steeple banners fly over a red and blue shield with racing graphics. Gold ink is used for the derby text.

1970 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Green shield shaped graphics have a crossed ribbon detail for gold ink text. Red jockey caps are an accent graphic.

1972 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Orange and green graphics feature two horses charging toward the finish line. Steeples are in green with orange used for the text.

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1973 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

Elegant red, green and black graphics feature a rider and horse draped with rose collar and the famous steeples. Text and other graphics are in green.

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1974 Vintage Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass

The official 100th Anniversary glass has a brownish tan frosted finish as the back drop for a horse head surrounded by a gold oval.

These vintage items are pre-owned by one family and were collected when new. Used primarily for display they were recently discovered carefully wrapped in a family storage cabinet.

Vintage Swatch Watch 1984 Chrono-Tech Swatch Rare

A 1984 Chrono-Tech, rarely found or sold, on Swatch watch collectors must have list! Among the Originals Family of Swatch Watches. It was purchased and worn occasionally. Retro, and highly collectible vintage considered a women’s watch measuring 25 mm in diameter. The Swatch model is LB104 and was produced for the Fall – Winter 1984 Swatch Collection. This is the ladies version of the GB403 Chrono-Tech. Its red band is plastic, it has a black case, with red, blue, and yellow hands. Like all Swatch watches of that era, it is a Swiss quartz, battery operated analog watch which is water resistant to 3 Bar/100′. It has a new battery. It is in very good vintage condition, see photographs.

Measurements: 25.00 mm diameter case, 7.50 mm thick case, 12.00 mm strap width

Modern 60s White Panasonic Cube Radio

Panasonic "cube", model R-47A radio

Vintage in a historical sense, this plastic transistor radio referred to as the Panasonic “cube”, model R-47A exhibits pure modern design and pays homage to Eero Saarinen by eliminating a “slum of legs” with a singular tulip pedestal. Manufactured in the 60s by Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, the cube measures approximately 4″ x 4″, 5.5″ tall; elevated on the iconic tulip base.

The plastic is a sophisticated matte finish, off white. The dial face is silver behind a clear eye. The graphics are mod, if not groovy, frequency numerals are in purple with a clear dial needle punctuated by an orange bubble design that can be seen through the edge of the clear plastic. The AM only frequency,volume, and on/off are controlled by two ridged silver dials on one side. The speaker is on the opposite side comprised minimally of perforations in the molded plastic. There is a jack for an earphone on the back.

Minimal in design, it has a few minimal nicks or scuffs among its simple angles, curves, and surfaces. These minor imperfections do not effect the significance of this iconic mid-century piece. Tested for full range of volume and frequency tuning, the radio requires a single 9 Volt battery (not included.)

As a design product, this Panasonic “cube” radio is a rare find in working condition exhibiting not only innovation and invention but featuring elements of other design disciplines of the 60s. This radio would be a treasured beginning or addition for someone interested in MCM design, a radio collector, a graphic artist, an industrial designer, a 60s music or record collector, …

Measurements: 5.5″ tall, 4″ wide, 4″ deep

Vintage 60s Mid Century Modern Robert Long Ltd. Lighting Polished Chrome Chandelier

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This stunning Mid Century Modern design chandelier has a 3′ chromed chain and chromed canopy. It was produced in the 60s by Robert Long Ltd. in Sausalito, California. A small firm, Robert Long Ltd., existed between the 1960s through the 1980s. Typically, their designs were minimalist, architectural, simple. Specified for not only modern commercial offices, as well as stylish modern homes, the fixtures are considered to be of highest quality. This fixture with its highly reflective chrome (bumper quality) finish is wired to excite the visual senses. We acquired it from an office building owned by a friend which housed a design firm which was moving to bigger digs.

The chandelier is in excellent vintage condition features five tubular light cylinders each with one up lights and one down light, or 10 total lamps. We recommend reflector bulbs for the best effect, not included.

Measurements: tubes 11″ tall, 12″ central ring, 18″ diameter