George Glazer Gallery

Graduation Days are coming, and if your favorite grad is headed for the business boardroom or the legal profession, antique and vintage gavels make great gifts. This one happens to be on sale through May 20th at bit.ly/gallerysale. As the brass band attached to this gavel notes, it is Made of the original oak removed from the gun deck of the U.S.S. Constitution IX 21. The 18th-century battleship also known as "Old Ironsides" was restored at various times during the 20th century. This gavel was made from original wood removed during the restorations, probably undertaken in the 1970s or the 1990s. We have a large selection of antique and vintage gavels at georgeglazer.com

Happy #weirdwednesday! Need a prop rental for a photo shoot or a window display? We can lend you a hand for example, this 19th-century mannequin hand of typical form, realistically modeled. Measuring almost 10 inches long, the fingers can be moved to different positions and the wrist turns. Available for prop rental or sale from georgeglazer.com

This is an unconventional bench-made armillary celestial sphere that appears to have been custom made by hand in Eastern Europe, probably early in the 20th century. Typical armillary spheres are entirely open in the center. However, this one is designed so that it almost fills the sphere. Available for sale on georgeglazer.com, where you can also find a description of its use as a demonstration device to explain the motions of the stars and of the Sun, and show various aspects of the seasons. But as you can see from the photos, it has sculptural appeal when viewed from different angles.

Happy #mapmonstermonday! This double-spouting fanged whale lurks off the coast of southeastern Europe in Abraham Ortelius's map of Romania and neighboring regions, published in Antwerp in 1587. Check out the rest of the images to see the whole map and the over-the-top Baroque cartouche. Map available for sale at georgeglazer.com

This Month in History: April 1865 marked the beginning of the end of the American Civil War and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. This allegorical print of the apotheosis of President Abraham Lincoln was published in Philadelphia, in the months following his assassination in 1865. He is shown receiving the reward of the just." The stylized rendering depicts him seated on a cloud and supported by two winged figures representing Genius and Immortality. Also present are Liberty and a Native American brave. On sale now at bit.ly/gallerysale