A Couple Stumpers

[The Night Owl]

A couple objects I've found which I haven't been able to identify...

A weird hat thing...



A weird plastic cube...

[The Night Owl]

1. Hat thing identified...

Apparently, the hat thing is called a conformateur and is used by hat makers for taking precise head measurements. And, it appears to be highly collectible. Woo hoo! Of course, the fact that mine is missing a few rods might drastically reduce its value.

http://carlotta.gotlib.goteborg.se/pls/carlotta/VisaPerson?pin_perMasidn=150320

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=310062690396

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. Cube looks like an acrylic/Lucite paperweight...?

:shrug:

The design of the suspended cube looks like it may be from the '70s pop/op art contrasting colors design concept that was popular then, but could also have been made as recently as last year.

Again :shrug:

[The Night Owl]

4. Yeah, I figured that the cube is a paper weight, but...

...the design is setting off bells in my head for some reason. I'm wondering if the cube was sold in conjunction with some sort of exhibition of pop art. I vaguely remember seeing artwork similar to the designs on the cube, but I can't remember the artist's name.

[grasswire]

3. that hat thing is hilarious!!

I was thinking that the top of it looks a bit like a toilet seat cover.

[The Night Owl]

5. Some people have told me that the conformateur looks like a torture device. {EOM}

[Duer 157099]

6. Hah, size is everything

I couldn't tell the scale right away, and my first impression was that the top thing was part of a typewriter, lol.

But now that I know it's a hat thing, I can totally see how it would work, that's very cool. I want one! LOL

The bottom one immediately brings to mind Robert Indiana style. Here's a page with a bunch of posters/artists from that era -- a few come close:

http://www.allposters.co.uk/-st/Modern-Art-Posters_c2134_.htm

http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A2812&page_number=4&template_id=1&sort_order=1

Edit: That poster site is great - I'm finding so many designs that I recognize but would never have known the artist's name.

And I might have a new favorite: Robert Delauney

http://www.allposters.co.uk/-sp/Rhythm-Joie-de-Vivre-Posters_i1250641_.htm

Whenever I see art like that, I'm convinced these artist's suffered from migraines. Those patterns are at once beautiful and terrifying.

[Vinca]

7. The hat thing is great! Any idea what it's worth?

I know people collect wooden forms made to shape hats on and I bet your bizarro form would have some value.

[The Night Owl]

8. The conformateur is worth about $2000. See post #1 for links to information. {EOM}