Summerhill Curiosities

Summerhill Curiosities Summerhill Curiosities is an online store with interesting (and often curious!) one-of-a-kind vintage and antique china, pottery, decor, books and artwork.

A Starburst of Mid-Century ColourWith its sculptural starburst form and vivid contrast of deep forest green and chartreu...
08/26/2026

A Starburst of Mid-Century Colour

With its sculptural starburst form and vivid contrast of deep forest green and chartreuse yellow, this impressive Beauceware No. 258 vase makes a statement from every angle.

Produced by Céramique de Beauce in Quebec around the late 1950s or early 1960s, the vase reflects the company’s adventurous approach to modern Canadian design. Its deeply fluted silhouette is equally striking filled with flowers or displayed on its own as a piece of ceramic art.

Beyond its distinctive appearance, Beauceware has a fascinating history. The company grew from a rural-development initiative that trained local farmers in pottery making, eventually making Beauceware one of Quebec’s most important twentieth-century pottery manufacturers.

https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/large-beauceware-canada-no-258-green-and-yellow-starburst-vase

A Victorian Light for the Night WatchDating to the late Victorian era, this compact Dolan & Co. “Crescent Lamp” was made...
08/21/2026

A Victorian Light for the Night Watch

Dating to the late Victorian era, this compact Dolan & Co. “Crescent Lamp” was made in London around 1880–1900. Its projecting bullseye lens focused a strong beam of light, while an ingenious sliding internal shutter allowed the user to dim or conceal the light without extinguishing the flame.

Lanterns of this type were carried by police officers, railway workers, night watchmen, and others who worked after dark. This example retains its folding handles, belt hooks, removable burner and fuel reservoir, and prominently marked maker’s plaque.

Rich with authentic wear from decades of practical use, it is a wonderfully atmospheric piece of Victorian industrial history—and a great addition to a collection of antique lighting, railway memorabilia, or policing artifacts.

https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/dolan-co-the-crescent-lamp-bullseye-dark-hand-lantern

Before electric headlights became standard, early motorists relied on lamps like this.This beautiful brass Joseph Lucas ...
08/15/2026

Before electric headlights became standard, early motorists relied on lamps like this.

This beautiful brass Joseph Lucas “King’s Own” F146 automobile side lantern was made in Birmingham, England around 1902 — right at the dawn of the motoring age.

This was once a working car lamp, and it carries the honest signs of use: scratches, dents, wear, and a wonderfully aged brass surface. Today, it makes a striking display piece for collectors of early motoring, antique lighting, or British engineering: https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/joseph-lucas-kings-own-f146-automobile-side-lantern.

A little book about one of London’s great landmarks from the late-eighteenth-century.This volume, Particular History and...
08/12/2026

A little book about one of London’s great landmarks from the late-eighteenth-century.

This volume, Particular History and Description of St. Paul’s Cathedral, tells the story of a site at the heart of London’s religious, architectural, and civic life for centuries.

St. Paul’s is more than a cathedral. It is a witness to medieval London, the Great Fire of 1666, the rebuilding of the city, and the architectural vision of Sir Christopher Wren.

Books like this were made for readers who wanted more than a simple guidebook — they offered history and description to help travellers understand one of Britain’s most famous buildings.

A wonderful piece for collectors of London history, church architecture, English topography, travel writing, guidebooks, and antiquarian books with a strong sense of place.

Available through Summerhill Curiosities on AbeBooks: https://www.abebooks.com/History-Description-Pauls-Cathedral-Built-Area/32466673766/bd

A small sign from a big moment in motoring history.In the 1920s, four-wheel brakes were still new enough that drivers wa...
08/09/2026

A small sign from a big moment in motoring history.

In the 1920s, four-wheel brakes were still new enough that drivers wanted to warn the car behind them: this vehicle could stop quickly.

This triangular metal warning sign would have been mounted on the rear of a car fitted with the newer braking technology — a charming reminder of the early days of automobile safety, when innovation had to be announced right on the vehicle: https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/four-wheel-brakes-warning-sign

A miner’s lamp was more than a source of light.This Koehler “Approval No. 203” flame safety lamp dates to the 1920s–1930...
08/08/2026

A miner’s lamp was more than a source of light.

This Koehler “Approval No. 203” flame safety lamp dates to the 1920s–1930s, when mining equipment was becoming increasingly regulated for worker safety.

Made by the Koehler Manufacturing Co. of Marlborough, Massachusetts, this type of lamp helped miners see underground — but it also served a second, more critical purpose: detecting dangerous methane-contaminated air.

The hood is marked “Miners Safety Lamp, Approval No. 203,” issued to Koehler Mfg. Co., and the glass insert is marked “Pyrex R Made in USA.” The numbered metal tag, labelled 1880, was likely used by a mine to track its equipment inventory.

With its steel, aluminum, and brass construction, intact dual wire-gauze system, surface corrosion, dents, and honest working wear, this piece carries the rugged character of American industrial history.

A compelling display piece for collectors of mining history, industrial antiques, safety equipment, or occupational memorabilia: https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/koehler-no-203-mining-lamp

Before lighters, people carried their matches in little cases like this...This small vulcanite match safe — also known a...
07/24/2026

Before lighters, people carried their matches in little cases like this...

This small vulcanite match safe — also known as a vesta case — dates to 1901/02 and was made to commemorate King Edward VII’s accession to the British throne.

One side features Edward VII’s portrait, while the reverse carries the Order of the Garter motto: “Honi soit qui mal y pense” — “Shame on him who thinks evil of it” — surrounded by shamrocks, thistles, and roses representing Ireland, Scotland, and England.

The case is made of vulcanite, also called ebonite: a hard, lightweight material created from rubber and sulphur, and once used for everything from jewellery and pens to pipe stems, vesta cases, and even (ewww) dentures.

https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/vulcanite-match-safe-vesta-case

Made by E.T. Wright & Co. of Hamilton, Ontario around 1915, this Canadian utility lamp may have served on a car, carriag...
07/20/2026

Made by E.T. Wright & Co. of Hamilton, Ontario around 1915, this Canadian utility lamp may have served on a car, carriage, railway vehicle, or as a portable hand lamp — the kind of practical object that quietly did its job in the early age of motor roads and working rail lines.

The design is simple but full of character: a clear front lens to cast light forward, a deep red rear lens for visibility behind, and a sturdy handle for carrying. The top is marked “E.T. Wright & Co. Mfrs, Hamilton, ONT.”

The lamp has been repainted, giving it a clean display presence while still retaining the form and atmosphere of a working object from more than 100 years ago.

A wonderful piece for collectors of Canadian industrial history, early motoring, railway lighting, carriage lamps, or antique utility objects: https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/e-t-wright-car-carriage-lamp

Before headlights were electric, the road was lit by flame.This remarkable Besnard “Les Vestales” automobile lamp dates ...
07/16/2026

Before headlights were electric, the road was lit by flame.

This remarkable Besnard “Les Vestales” automobile lamp dates to around 1900, when cars were still new, roads were rough, and night driving required both courage and good lighting.

Made in France, the lamp features a large clear front lens, a smaller side lens, and its original removable fuel burner.

Even better, the burner still has its French operating instructions, including how to adjust the flame and empty excess fuel after filling. It is a small reminder that this was not made as decoration — it was real working equipment.

A striking piece for collectors of early motoring, French automobilia, antique lighting, or industrial design: https://summerhillcuriosities.com/products/phares-besnard-car-side-lamp

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