Swapatorium

Garage Sale Finds of the Day

There were some good garage sales today. Some of the purchases include:

• 3 Knoll Platner lounge chairs from 1978 (2 small, 1 large)
• 1 Knoll Platner side table
• 1 Florence Knoll coffee table with marble top
• 1 large 7Up sign (for our kitchen)
• 1 Dr. Pepper Light (for our garage)
• a 1940s sterling silver tea set from Mexico
• 6 Arne Jacobsen chairs for Fritz Hansen
• 2 old wooden tea carts
• a box of old letterpress blocks
• a 1975 Hundertwasser poster
• a blow up blimp
• an oil painting of a tiger
• a few misc. objects for me

Here are a few examples:

It Was This Big

Polaroid Land photo, 1972.

    Vintage Wicker Fish Purse
Estate sale find, $1.
    Souvenir photo, circa 1930s-40s.

    Oil Painting by Beckendorf

  Trick photo, circa 1920s-30s.

Crime & Punishment

Mugshot, 1924.
Purchased from a retired policeman's collection. 


  Fingerprint ink with box, date unknown. Purchased at a flea market table for $1.


 

Punishment Book, Auburn Prison, New York, 1840s-1880s.

Purchased from a rare books dealer.  This is a fascinating and chilling account of the punishments that were given to prisoners in the 19th century at Auburn Prison.  It was not cheap, but considering its historical significance, it was well worth the price we paid.  It's quite large and fragile and not easy to scan.  If I can figure out a way to get a good shot of the whole page, I'll post more in the future.

Caption Contest #2

Best caption/story wins this photo. Leave your entry in the comments. Deadline is next Wednesday, June 4, 2008.

U.S.S. Michigan

Carved wooden frame with photo of soldier.  I'm not sure of the connection between the USS Michigan and Shanghai.  Any military buffs have a clue?

Pencil Box

Eagle Mirado Chemi-Sealed pencils and boxes.

Ring Worms

Two page letter from a Girl Scouts camp, circa 1930s, written by a girl to her father. Part of a large lot of ephemera and photos from an estate sale. From what I could gather, they were a wealthy family and this girl was an only child. Her mom died when she was a small child and was raised by her father.  I have not come across any Girl Scout photos yet, but I'm hoping that I find the film that she shot that corresponds with this letter.

Dear Daddy,

There are two new girls in our cabin. They came yesterday.

I might have ring worms. I have a scab on my head that might be ring worms. Joan & two other girls have them too.

Last night we hiked to town & went to the lodge.

This morning real early we went on a cook out & made pancakes.

I wish you could have come yesterday. It was visiters day. We made pop corn balls & punch for the visiters but we ate most of it. We're going to make shepperd horns today.

We're going on a moonlight ride tonight if it doesn't rain. Wednesday we're going to hike to the "fire tower". It is 16 miles. When we get there we have to go up 10 flights of 40s steps.

We had a Fiesta the other night. We had enchaladas & corn bread & apricot fried pies. We had our fortunes told.

We learn a whole lot of new songs every day.

We make our beds Klondike style. It sure is warm.

We've been horseback riding several times. We hiked to the Y.M.C.A camp last week. It was 7 miles. I sure was tired.

For dinner today we had: Goolosh or something, potatoes, corn bread, milk, water, & rice pudding.

I have run out of films for my camera & I need some more. They cost too much here. it is P.D. 16.

 I can't think of anything else to say except that I hope we don't have ring worms. Write soon.

Love, Violet

Belly Dancer

Preserved for Posterity

The Wedding Gown of Mrs. Van Lloyd... Preserved for Posterity by Heirloom Process.





Your Heirloomed gown prior to sealing, July 1954.

Interior booklet reads: You may rest secure in the knowledge that your wedding gown will be perfectly preserved until the sealed container is opened; whether it be twenty-five, fifty or one hundred years from the time it was Heirloomed. It will be as fresh and dainty as the day you were a bride...

Hubert's Freaks

I received Hubert's Freaks yesterday from Amazon and I can't put it down. I stayed up half the night reading it.

Drink Up

John found this old figure at a garage sale this morning for $75. He seems to be well made with nice details in his clothing and painted metal body. It appears that when he moves, he throws his arm to drink and cocks his head back. Unfortunately, the key to wind him is missing. I did a quick Google search, but could not find anything. I don't know if he is some sort of automaton or advertising figure.







While searching for this guy, I found this automaton video on YouTube.

B.V.D.

Box found at an estate sale yesterday.

Light-Handed

Verso reads: This is Frances Hinds, Peck she would make you a dandy girl, only she is kind of little for your size. Real photo postcard, circa 1910s.

Education

I thought this was a church scene until I got it home and enlarged the text on the blackboard which reads, ROGERS ADULT SCHOOL, J. W. Wesley, Teacher.  Possibly Galveston, Texas.  Found over the weekend at an antique shop, paid $1.

Watchdog

We went to a sale this weekend that was held in a 4000 sq. ft. warehouse. It was a moving company's storage facility. Based on the ad, these items were being sold to pay for unpaid storage fees. John went on Friday during his lunch hour. I went back with him on Saturday to see what was leftover since the items are marked down on the final day.

Stickley desk and chair.

We purchased a stack of art books, some 1960s colorful fabric watch bands, a very cool vintage watch for me, a pair of 1950s/60s Ray Ban sunglasses for John, 1950s Mexican silver large spoon and fork with rosewood handles, 3 pieces of vintage art, and a few pieces of pottery.  It was an interesting sale, but a bit on the expensive side.

Freaky dog that stood about 5 feet high.

Pop Art Puzzle

Unopened Pop Art Elsie puzzle in tin can, 1966.

Pre-Splash

Kodachrome slide, circa 1960s.

Tune In to My Birthday

Radio Shack radio pendant, 1971. Garage sale find.

Pointdexter

Small oil painting, 1939.  Purchased at an estate sale.

Ford Exposition 1934

A Century of Progress, Chicago, Ford Exposition coin, 1934. This was found in a box lot of stuff from an estate sale. I found a source online that states 104,934 were sold.

Wooden Dolls

1920s-30s photographs mounted on wood.

More Pins

20 pinback buttons added to the album.

Ready for the Pen

Leather pig, novelty mailer, 1907.

Erasers

Tiny erasers, made in Japan. Date unknown.

Toughskins

Florida, 1954. Kodachrome slide.

The Clash

Color photo, circa 1970s.

Eighties Pinback Collection

1980s button collection pinned to a pillowcase.  Twenty-five cents for the whole set, found at a garage sale on Saturday.

Happy Mother's Day

My mom, circa 1964.

Souvenirs

Trinidad, 1963. Kodachrome slides.

A Bomb

This Kodachrome slide was among thousands that came from the estate of a man who was a Colonel in the Army. The back reads, Nevada, A Bomb Cloud, 1952. It was in a Kodak Carousel and oddly positioned between normal family shots. Although the slide is mounted on a Kodachrome mount and not a mass produced one, this could still be some sort of souvenir. I have no idea of its origin, but I found it to be an eerie image. 

Ethyl

A Clean Start

I've been cleaning our garage like mad and figure it will take me a good month to completely get it done.  As I have mentioned in the past, our garage is filled from floor to ceiling with boxes of things from estate and garage sales. Mainly, it's photos, ephemera, and films.  Some have sat in there over a year or more.  It started about the time my mother became ill.  Back when I was selling vintage clothing and photos on eBay, in the late 1990s, my parents would come over and help me pack items and go to the post office for me.  It was really nice having them around my home.  My mom would water my plants and my dad would hand stamp all of my envelopes with DO NOT BEND or clean fiberglass Eames shells.  I guess in some ways, I had avoided the garage because it reminded me of them.  I have been dealing with their deaths much better these days and I think if I can conquer our garage, I will be on my way to a more peaceful life.  I know that sounds strange. 

Anyway, while going through a box of slides, I found this cool IBM box for typewriter ribbons. It had been used to hold slides, so it's not in the best of shape. Still, I love the graphics and colors. 

Documentaries

I am a documentary junkie.  I was so excited to learn that there is a Documentary Channel.   My excitement soon turned to sadness when I learned that Directv does not carry this great channel.  There is a petition that you can sign asking Directv to add it to their roster.  If you love documentaries and have Directv, please email them. 

Other People's Pictures will be broadcast there this month.  If you have have not seen it yet, be sure to catch it if you have the Dish Network.

Permanent Damage

Ektachrome slides, 1976.

Hiss Car

Ektachrome slide, 1976.

Take a Free Trip #2

FREE, for the taking, 80 (give or take) Kodachrome slides from 1966. There are a handful that are mounted on plastic squares. They were taken in Kusnacht, Berne, Zurich, and other sites by an American family.  Based on other photos from the lot, I would say that they are mainly typical tourist shots.  Read here on how to get them.   (no longer available)

Take a Free Trip

FREE, for the taking, 80 (give or take) Kodachrome slides from 1966. They were taken in Bergen, Stockholm, Florence, and Copenhagen by an American family who went there on vacation. I have not even looked at them, but most are probably typical tourist shots (based on other slides from the same lot). I just pulled one to scan which is shown above. If you want them for your collection, just email me.  The only requirement is that they not be destroyed, thrown away, or used for altered art.  I would prefer if the person who wants them will preserve them.  First person to respond gets them.  (no longer available)

Name that Photo #1 - WINNER

The winner of the Name that Photo #1 contest is luckygirl!  Email me your mailing address luckygirl and I will send the photo to you. 

But wait, there's more!  I appreciate each and every comment, so guess what?  Everyone who left a comment on this contest will receive a free vintage photo.  If you entered, send me an email and be sure to include the name you used in the comment and your mailing address.  If there is a particular topic or era you like (ie: animals, women, funny, children, Polaroids, 1930s, etc.), just let me know.  I can't promise that I will have it, but I'll try.  Thanks for playing everyone!

Abstract

Real photo postcard, circa 1910s.

The Lives They Left Behind

Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic. This is right up my alley. I immediately ordered the book.

Preservation Photography

I am intrigued by old, abandoned buildings. Preservation Photography has some amazing exterior and interior photos of interesting architectural sites.

Charles A. Leuschner

This Southern Cross of Honor medal came from an estate sale a few months ago. John found two of them, but only this one has a name engraved on the top bar. We admired them, then put them away like we do with many of the things we purchase.  Recently, John decided to look up the name.  Lo and behold, Charles A. Leuschner kept a diary. I ordered the book today. Now we are excited because we get to read about the man whose medal we own.