Building Collector Holiday Gift Guide

We search antique stores, frequent flea markets, exist for hours on ebay all in pursuit of souvenir buildings. To assist your search, I scoured the internet for ideas and tips for a Building Collector Holiday Gift Guide. There’s still time to buy for a loved one, friend or to even treat yourself. Of course, InFocus Tech always has great and finely-detailed building replicas which make great gifts. For the dinning table, how about S&Ps such as Eiffel Tower Salt and Pepper Shakers andNew York Landmarks Salt and Pepper Shakers Set Here’s a twist on the old standard neck ties…architectural-theme neck ware like Chicago Skyline by RM Style multicolor polyester ties or Commercial Blueprint by Wild Ties blue polyester ties Check out this interesting gothic lantern called the Pickford Indoor/ Outdoor Luminary Lantern Perhaps a building pop-up book such as Architectural Wonders: A Pop-Up Gallery of the World's Most Amazing Marvels Show your worldliness with a Cathedral World game Family Games Cathedral World Pewter Plaza offers some souvenir buildings on their website including: Heidelberg Castle, Bratislava St. Michael's Tower, Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle and Bamberg Cathedral and others. Don’t forget Timothy Richard’s building models. Gift shops, such as Washington D.C.’s National Cathedral, have an online stores with architecture-related items. Do you know of other online sources for souvenir buildings? Let us know using the ‘comments’ link below.

Pan Am Ruler

This 2.5 inch high metal Pan Am Building mounted on a 6-inch solid brass ruler is a souvenir from opening day of the NYC building. The words, March 7, 1963, are engraved on the ruler. It recently sold on eBay for $172.50. The Pan Am Building was the largest commercial office building in the world when it opened. At one time, NY Airways offered helicopter service from the roof of the building to New York’s three major airports. In 1981, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company purchased the skyscraper located at 200 Park Avenue in NYC.

English Mill Building

This rare souvenir building of the Dugdale Brothers textile mill in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England was offered on eBay recently. It’s a metal box with a hinged roof lid and wooden lining. The front looks like the mill building and the back has flowers and bird design. The silver-plated replica dates from the 1910-1930 period. The Dugdale Brothers is still in existence and has supplied wool worsted cloth for suits since the mid 19th century to the tailoring trade, including Savile Row in London. The building replica is 6x3 inches made by “The house for value.” It sold for $177.

Oriskany Monument Wooden Replica

Check out this monument which sold recently on eBay. It’s a scale replica of the Revolutionary War Battle Monument in New York State. This replica was crafted from the wood of an oak tree under which General Lafayette was received by the citizens of Oriskany, NY. The sale included newspaper clippings and handwritten provenance from the former owner indicating that only two of these commemorative items where hand made. The replica is 10 3/4" tall and sold on eBay in January for $260. The actual monument was erected by the Oneida County Historical Society to mark the spot of the battle of Oriskany was fought and General Herkimer fell. The 85-foot high monument was dedicated August 6, 1884. Its bronze plaques depict the battle and list the names of some of the men who fought there.