Ms Dow Antiques Tique Talk by Marianne Dow

My May 2013 Springfield Extravaganza Antique Show Photo Album

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:21:00 +0000

Sigh... well, that was it. The Spring Extravaganza has come and gone. Here are some photos I took on Friday during Early Bird shopping. It stayed overcast till noonish, after a super foggy start. Even though there was an awful accident on the freeway, which caused a lot of people to arrive late, there was still a huge crowd. There were more dealers than the last few years too, so there was plenty of cool stuff. Hope you found a treasure or two -- I did! Already looking forward to the fall Extravaganza.

[Click on the pix to see a larger view.]

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Collecting: Syroco Wood Look Bookends, Figurines, Corkscrews and So Much More

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:19:00 +0000

.

These are some BOOKENDS -- Dogs on Chairs and Fireplace Mantels, that I sold over on my Delightfully Vintage Stuff site.

Both sets are in the carved-wood-look style of SYROCO WOOD.

The photo collages above show a variety of Syroco items (click the pix to enlarge). Just do a 'google images' search for whatever category of Syroco items that interest you: bookends, ashtrays, corkscrews, figurines, tie racks, clocks, whisk brooms, and so much more. Those are the earlier pieces. Later they made home decor like ornate wall sconce candleholders, and sunburst clocks. Even later they were making resin patio furniture like adirondack chairs (see the top photo).

Here is some history about the company that made so many highly collectible and coveted decorative and novelty items.

Pic and info from VintageCorkscrews.com:

The SYRACUSE ORNAMENTAL COMPANY, also known as SYROCO, was founded in the late 1890's by an Austrian woodcarver named Adolph Holstein. Initially the company produced ornamental carvings for the embellishment of coffins and furniture as well as the interiors of fashionable homes, including the New York Governor's mansion in Albany.

As demand increased, a molding technique was developed where Syroco could create perfect replicas of their original carvings. These molds also featured a wood grain within the mold, allowing for a more detailed aesthetic.

The recipe of wood flour, waxes, and resins combined with compression molding created an inexpensive, but high quality product.

Check out Corkscrews.com for more history, and lots more photos of cool Syroco corkscrews.

More info from SCOOP:

During the '30s and '40s, Multi Products and Syroco created products for general use such as corkscrews, decorative mirrors, bookends, thermometers, ashtrays, tie racks, and other items. Numerous souvenirs were also manufactured for events and locations, including the New York World's Fair 1939.

As of 2007, Syroco has gone out of business. (Source)

See more Syroco items on this collector's blog -- Syroco Kid Corkscrews

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

Early Bird Shopping is Best at May 17, 2013 Springfield Extravaganza Antique Show & Vintage Marketplace

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:32:00 +0000

Want to see a Springfield Extravaganza in action?!!

It's an amazing antique show. The PBS show, Market Warriors, filmed an episode at the 2012 May Extravaganza. Watch the entire episode online here.

See my post with all the fun photos I took of the cast and crew while I was there hunting for vintage treasures -- here. This is just one shot:

Miller Gaffney -- Castmember of PBS's new TV show Market Warriors, which was taping at the May 2012 Springfield Extravaganza Antique Show -- photo by Marianne Dow

This is the big one, vintage lovers: The May Extravaganza!

Spring is finally here, and that means great big outdoor antique shows. And here in Ohio we have the famous Springfield Extravaganza Antique Show.

For over 25 years, twice a year, this monthly antique show kicks it into overdrive and over 2,000 antiques and vintage dealers cover the fairgrounds venue. Wear your comfiest walking shoes!

The show is located at the Clark County Fairgrounds, 4401 S. Charleston Pike, Springfield, Ohio 45502.

Directions and details here on their website.

[Here are my photos from the May 2013 Extravaganza.]

Listen to Shirley: ”The Early Bird Gets the Worm”!

Early Bird Shopping

Friday, May 17, 2013 -- 7AM to Noon:

Admission is only $12 (free parking) -- and it is good for all 3 days.

This is a great value for all you serious shoppers. Get a hotel room and shop all 3 days. And you can hit the Springfield antique malls too. There are 2 big malls, with another 1,000+ dealers!

Heart of Ohio Antiques Center 650+ dealers
Springfield Antique Center 450+ dealers

Worms = Swag Bags!

The first 2,500 cars will receive swag bags (one per car) and a chance to win one of 6 shopping prizes in the form of “Vintage Marketplace Golden Tickets”!

There will be five, $100 golden tickets and one, $500 golden ticket. You may just be one of the lucky ones and find a golden ticket in your swag bag.

All golden tickets must be redeemed at the Vintage Marketplace tent [you can't miss their big tent in the center of the show], May 17, 18 or 19, 2013.

In addition to the golden tickets lucky show goers might also find a $250 gift certificate for Heart of Ohio, free food vouchers (of which there are 100’s), oodles of vendor discounts, and some last minute surprises brought to you by the fine folks of Vintage Marketplace.

Release the Hounds --- at Noon!

At noon the ''regular shopping'' begins. Although this is the Extravaganza, so there's nothing regular about it. There's still plenty of treasures left.
Admission $7 (free parking)

More of my Extravaganza photos here and here

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Rare Antique Folk Art Sand Paintings in Glass Bottles and Jars by A. Clemens

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

The artist who created these beautiful bottles in the late 1800's was Andrew Clemens (1857-1894) of McGregor, Iowa, who was a deaf-mute.

"... It's estimated that of the hundreds of sand art bottles Clemens made during his regrettably short life (he died at age 37 or 42 depending on which account you read) only about 50 bottles remain. They are highly coveted by American folk art collectors for their ingenuity and beauty. Prices range from about $500 for lesser quality examples to as much as $25,000. Four bottles are on display at the Iowa State Historical Museum in Des Moines ..."

Sand painting is called Marmotinto.
The Victorian-era celebrated crafts, and took Marmotinto to the next level by putting the sand paintings inside bottles and jars.
Andrew Clemens was the undisputed master.
The sand is tightly packed, but not glued.
It could take the artist 3 weeks, or 3 months, or sometimes up to a year to complete one bottle.

These antique glass bottles are filled with tiny grains of colored sand, all placed by hand, with what was basically a long-handled hook (see pic of tools at left). Absolutely amazing, right?!

This really rare matched pair of sweetheart sand bottles Clemens made for Henry Reinken and his future wife Helen Wimmler, have an estimated value $25,000-35,000, according to Cowan's Auctions.

Find out more about Andrew Clemens, and see many more pix of his beautiful bottles in these informative sites:

A. Clemens Bio -- Read his story, and about how he made his art.
Photo Gallery of Clemens Sand Bottles -- Super page with pix of Clemens, and about 20 of his amazing sand art bottles.
Wes Cowan's Article on the Worthpoint blog.
THE SAND MAN & HIS SPECTACULAR BOTTLES from Antique Trader's article archive.

You can go see some of Clemens' Sand Bottles on exhibit at the State Historical Society of Iowa Museum.

Lot 206 -- Signed Sand Picture in a Glass Bottle Showing a Paddlewheeler, Andrew Clemens, McGregor, Iowa, c. 1888 [Sold for $17,775]

There was one of these beautiful pieces on the Roadshow back in 2002 -- here's the link to the PBS archive of that rare Clemens Sand Art Bottle -- see photo and video. It has a mortar and pestle/pharmacy theme - fabulous!

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'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

Vintage Chef Kitchen Collectibles ~ My Display Video

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:49:00 +0000

I recently pulled together most of my Chef collectibles that have been in my kitchen for years. I'm displaying the collection at the Lima Public Library. [Note: Originally posted in 2010]

Below is a video of the display cases in the front entry of the Lima Public Library. This collection will be on display until the 2nd week of March 2010. Come have a look for yourself!

You'll see some great vintage CHEF's from my kitchen. There are figural cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers, advertising tins and labels, as well as a fun selection of hard plastic jello-molds, spoonrests and notepad holders. Detailed pix are below the video.

Here's a link to the CHEF DISPLAY video just in case the above player didn't work.

Many of these items will be featured in an upcoming book.

Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles 2nd Edition (Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s:) [Paperback, Illustrated]
C. Dianne Zweig (Author) Publisher: Collector Books; 2 edition (May 25, 2010)

Here are lots of individual pix:

Collectibles from Marianne's Kitchen -- Plastic Chefs and more...

Click on the thumbnail pic to see the large JPG pic pop up in a new window.

Both sides of a can with a colorful NOS "Chef Brand Berdan & Co. Toledo Ohio" lithographed paper label
Antique CHEF stone lithograph cigar box label
Art deco tray with Oriental Chef Silhouettes
Ceramic chef head spoon rest (Japan import)
Chalkware Chubby Chef wall plaque with potholder hooks
Plastic Chef grocery list maker by NOMA
Figural plastic Chef holding salt and pepper shakers
Little Chef on plastic handled salt and pepper holder
3 small plastic Chef and Maid Jello molds
2 Plastic Chef notepad holders
5 Chef plastic spoon rests
Plastic CHEF notepad holder
Plastic CHEF notepad holder
Plastic CHEF reamer/cutter with advertising
Miniature metal childs/toy mold with Squirrel
Red Wing Pottery CHEF PIERRE Cookie Jar in Blue (comes in several colors)
Small ceramic canister GREASE Jar marked Japan
McCoy Pottery CHEF Head Cookie Jar
American Bisque CHEF Cookie Jar
Assorted sizes of ceramic Chef and Mammy Head Salt & Peppers, all marked Japan
Ceramic Little Chef Spice Shakers in a wall-hanger wooden shelf/holder - marked Japan
Ceramic CHEF Head Wall Pocket with hooks and hanging small spice shakers - marked Japan
Hard plastic wall-hanging Rooster with Measuring Spoons
Shafford CHEF salt and peppers
Pigs Dressed as Chefs S&Ps
Tall CHEF shaker
Hard plastic MAMMY Notepad Holder
Painted Chalkware Wall Plaque with Pot Holder Hooks
Stuffed TOASTER MAMMY Doll with Full Skirt to hide the toaster

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

Feliz Cinco de Mayo ~ Collecting: Vintage Bauer Pottery

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Fri, 03 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

May 5th = Cinco de Mayo ~ ole!

There's plenty of info out there about this day and its importance to Mexico. This site has several info links: Cinco De Mayo Sites.

If I were still living in Southern California, I'd pull out one of my vintage Mexico-themed tablecloths, and set the table with my colorful vintage Bauer Pottery dishes, and have a PARTY!

I'll bet you thought I'd say FIESTA, and then show you pix of vintage Homer Laughlin "Fiesta" dishes... like this:

But I don't collect Fiesta. I used to collect Bauer Pottery, and still have a lot of my fun rainbow-colored collection displayed in my kitchen.

I am especially fond of my group of rare hand painted Bauer plates. Here's a fuzzy shot of a few:

Bauer was one of the great "CALIFORNIA POTTERY" companies and is highly collectible. For Bauer history check out these sites:

Matt Carlton and his Bauer Pottery
The Collectics Reference & Collector Education pages.
Bauer Pottery @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauer_Pottery

Photos of collections of vintage Bauer pottery:

Here's the gorgeous kitchen set from the TV show The New Normal, chock full of vibrant California pottery tiles and dishes. I'm sure many pieces are from the gorgeous new line of Bauer Pottery.

There is a great line of new Bauer Pottery , that looks like the original, but is clearly marked as new. They imprint "Bauer 2000" on the bottom of each piece.
Good news - they can restore your damaged vintage Bauer pieces since they are set up with the glazes and colors.

Oil Jar during repair (left) and after (right)
They are even reproducing the Bauer Russel Wright pieces.

Here's the TOP 10 LIST of 'Most Watched' BAUER Pottery eBay Auctions listed now.

'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

It's Derby Time ~ Collecting Kentucky Derby Glasses, Hats and Horse Racing History Books

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

It's Derby Time! The famous horse race is always on the first saturday in May, so this year it's on May 4, 2013.

Here's just a taste of Kentucky Derby history and lore. There's tons more info online. Get all the details:

The Kentucky Derby Official Website
Blog: http://blog.kentucky-derby.net/

There's more to it than just beautiful horses. There are beautiful hats, interesting traditions (including an official drink), and lots of memorabilia and collectibles.

Check out the Kentucky Derby Museum website.

Mint Julep

The Mint Julep has been the traditional beverage of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby for nearly a century. Early Times Kentucky Whisky has been privileged and honored to be a part of that tradition. The Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail has been "The Official Mint Julep of the Kentucky Derby" for more than 18 years.

How to Make a mint julep ›

From 'A Taste of Kentucky': "While the concept of serving mint juleps was not new, the development of the Mint Julep Glass came later.

Many people think that Kentucky Derby Mint Julep glasses started in 1938, but although the confusion is understandable, they did not. What happened in 1938 is that instead of serving their mint juleps in paper cups, Churchill Downs served them in tall water glasses and people kept stealing them!

So the following year in 1939 Churchill Downs created a promotional piece — the birth of the Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Glass — that people could purchase and keep as a souvenir of their visit to the Kentucky Derby.

Over the years mint julep glasses have gone through many designs and styles."

Collecting Derby Glasses
The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection - Derby glasses
Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs

It's a fun tradition for ladies to wear big-brimmed flower and ribbon trimmed hats at the Kentucky Derby.

Some designers specialize in over-the-top toppers. Read "Crowning Glory: The Art of Kentucky Derby Hats".

Believe it or not, this hat's relatively conservative.

Ladie's hats have been fanciful for decades (at least). Here's an illustration from 1902 from the Edwardian Clothing fashion history blog:

HORSE RACING BOOKS & DERBY HISTORY

Read Horse Racing History Books from Arcadia Publishing

[Note: This post was updated for the May 4, 2013 race, so the race date in the photo up above is wrong.]

Some Kentucky Derby books from Amazon:

May Queen For A Day ~ May Day Maypole Dance Celebrations ~ Collecting Vintage Photo Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:22:00 +0000

Vintage Products for the Merry Month of May

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Isn't it appropriate that income tax month begins with April Fool's Day and ends with cries of May Day!?

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

“As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer.”

― William Shakespeare

Happy May Day!

May 1st is another celebration day for us to enjoy some pretty antique postcards and photographs.

Here's a lovely May Queen all decked out to celebrate this Rite of Spring. Isn't this hand tinted photo postcard gorgeous!

There are many rituals, generally including women and children. There are several traditions behind the day, and many people have written about it.

Here are just a few assorted links along with some vintage postcards and photos.

Read about the MAYPOLE DANCE here.

Read about the crowning of the lovely MAY QUEEN.

Pretty images of May Queens and Maypole Dancers abound, from Victorian era cigar box labels...

To 1920's paper doll magazine pages...

To stereo-view cards...

And of course RPPCs (real photo postcards) ...

Check out this site -- this woman has the most amazing collection of May Day postcards-- all showing MAYPOLES!!

Here's the site of another gal who is having too much fun with the whole May Day scene!

Hope you enjoyed these pretty May Day images.

Here are some books on Amazon:

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

1,000 Posts - A Blogger Remembers Getting My Blog-a-Rythym

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:38:00 +0000

Pic of my first 'Tique Talk blog post.

I am well into my 6th year of blogging. I started in January 2008, and time has gone by quickly. Looking at my archives, between 'Tique Talk (this blog), and the FinBotClub blog, I have written over 1,000 posts. If I add in Twitter Tweets and Facebook posts, it's quite a lot of commenting about the antiques biz. I hope my readers have enjoyed it as much as I have.

I do wish I could go back and re-write some of my pieces, especially the early ones, but there's always something new to write about.

Thanks for stopping by!

___________
Amazon books on blogging:

Spring issue of Antiques & Fine Art Magazine online now ~ Sign up for FREE 2 year online subscription

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:15:00 +0000

The Spring 2013 issue of Antiques & Fine Art Magazine is online now.

Sign up for their FREE 2 year online subscription - AFAmag.com

April 15th ~ Ole Sir Taxy Waxy Says It's Tme to Pay Up! Income Tax Cartoon

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:41:00 +0000

OLE SIR TAXY-WAXY

Ole Sir Taxy Waxy
He turned my income out
Ole Sir Taxy Waxy
He knocked my upkeep down
My overhead he under-footed
My profits all he gayly looted
He got my shoes and I got booted
Ole Sir Taxy Waxy
He's sho' got me uprooted.

"Don't that get your pity pumping?"

This cartoon sums up many people's feelings on Income Tax Day.

From the fantastic Krazy Kat comic strip by George Herriman.

__________________________

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com
Check out Amazon for antiques-related books and Kindle E Books.

Something Fishy Fun and Foolish ~ #Vintage April Fools Day Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Starting off with some pretty April postcards, then you'll see some pranks.

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!!

Watch out for those April Fools Day pranks.

Why do we have the April Fools Day tradition? Read this:

Don't let yourself be "fished in"!

What's April 1st have to do with fishies, you ask? Well... In France, it's called APRIL FISH DAY, because young naive fish are easily caught. They had some lovely, and odd, postcards in the early 1900's. Here are a few for your amusement and entertainment.

Also, here's a couple of April Fools Day info links: Wikipedia --- and Info Please

Easter Bunny Says Happy Easter with Beautiful #Vintage #Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

I love Easter, especially the colorful toys and vintage postcards.

Here's a link to a display of some of my Easter Toys collection that I had up at our local library a couple of years ago.

Easter always falls on the Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox which is every March 20th. This tradition was based on the lunar calendar to signify Passover. Hence the reason the Easter holiday moves around each year.

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter!

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com
Check out Amazon for antiques-related books and Kindle E Books.

Ebay News March 2013 ~ To Store or Not, That's the Question ~ Big news from ebay re major pricing structure changes ~ mostly good news

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:19:00 +0000

New ebay fee structure (Starts May 2013)

New listing fees and commision fees -- big pricing changes starting MAY 1, 2013 -- read all the details here: 2013 Spring Seller Update: Fee update

Looks like mostly good news. Just depends on how many items you list per month. You still get at least 50 free listings, more with a store. It appears you can have a store on a month-by-month basis, so you can switch plans depending on your busy vs slow times of year. I like that the listing scheduler is free. And adding buy-it-now to auctions is free. Of course then it's not really an auction. That's how they're turning all of ebay into fixed price. and the flat 10% fee is ok, but don't forget you have 3% paypal fees on top of that, as well as your shipping costs.

Below is from the ebay update. I've highlighted a few points:

2013 Spring Seller Update: Fee update

This spring, eBay will virtually eliminate the basic upfront cost to list for all sellers—here’s how: with eBay’s new everyday rate plans, all sellers get FREE listings* every month—fixed price or Auction-style. There’s a plan to meet the needs of all sellers.

For one low monthly fee you can subscribe to an eBay Store and get from up to 150 to 2,500 free listings*, with final value fees simplified to just five competitive category-based rates from 4%-9%*.

With eBay standard rates, you still get up to 50 free listings per month—now either fixed price or Auction-style—and one simplified 10% final value rate*.

Choose the plan that’s best for you.

See the new plans at a glance

Use the Fee Illustrator to determine the best option for you.

Highlights

New eBay Stores subscriptions:
- Starting May 1, 2013:
- - Pay no insertion fees on up to 2,500 total listings* per month with an Anchor Store subscription. The subscription fee for an Anchor store has been reduced to $179.95 per month with a yearly commitment and $199.95 for a monthly subscription.
  - Pay no insertion fees on up to 500 total FREE listings* per month with a Premium Store subscription: just $49.95 per month with a yearly commitment or $59.95 for a monthly subscription.
  - Pay no insertion fees on up to 150 total FREE listings* per month with a Basic Store subscription: just $15.95 per month with a yearly commitment or $19.95 for a monthly subscription.
- Free listings* can be either fixed price or Auction-style.
- As always, get up to 12 pictures per listing FREE (Motors Vehicles excluded).
- Final value fees will be simplified to just five flat rates—as low as 4% and never more than 9% of the total amount of the sale—with a maximum fee of $250*.
- Final value fees will always be lower with an eBay Stores subscription compared to standard fees, so if you sell more than 50 items a month, an eBay Stores subscription may be the right option for you.
See Plans at a Glance for details. Use the Fee Illustrator to determine the best option for you.
NON-STORE LISTINGS INFO:
New standard fees (fees without an eBay Stores subscription):
- Continue to pay no insertion fees on up to 50 listings* a month.
- Starting April 16, these free listings can be either fixed price or Auction-style.
- Add Buy It Now FREE to your free Auction-style listings* (MUST BE 30% more than starting bid).
- As always, get up to 12 pictures per listing (Motors vehicles excluded).
- Get the listing scheduler FREE and control when your listings start and end.
- When your item sells, you’ll pay one flat 10% final value fee based on the total amount of the sale, with a maximum fee of $250*.
- eBay’s standard fees may be the right choice if you sell occasionally or sell to earn extra cash. If you sell more than 50 items a month, you may benefit from the overall discounted rates that come with the new eBay Stores subscriptions.
See Plans at a Glance for details. Use the Fee Illustrator to determine the best option for you.
For Top Rated Sellers:
Your Top Rated Plus listings (listings with 1-day or less handling time and a 14-day or longer return policy) will continue to get a 20% discount on final value fees.

See how the new everyday rate plans compare with Amazon selling fees!
Auction-style listings with Buy It Now:
To keep the unique eBay Auction-style listings a great attraction for buyers, starting May 1, when you add Buy It Now to any Auction-style listing, it must be at least 30% over your listing’s start price.

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Happy St. Patrick's Day ~ Vintage Postcard Collages

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:48:00 +0000

Top O'the Morning To You!

May Your Glass Always Be Full!

Bigger is better, so click the collage pix to enlarge (there are 6).

See more vintage St. Patrick's Day postcards on Pinterest.

Learn about collecting vintage postcards here:

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Letterman Show Uses Antique Trader Price Guide for Book Joke

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:55:00 +0000

Did you see David Letterman last night? He had his fake book segment, and poked fun at antiques price guides with a copy of the Collector’s Guide To The Previous Editions of the Collector’s Guide -- and the mock up featured the Antique Trader's price guides. -- Eric Bradley Noah Fleisher Karen Knapstein Antoinette Tschirki Rahn -- at the 16:07 mark here: http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/video/

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Happy PI Day ~ It'd Be Irrational To Repeat Myself, But Happy PI Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:11:00 +0000

It's National PI Day

March 14, aka 3/14, is National PI Day, to commemorate the number called pi -- 3.14159265359etc.

Here's your math lesson, for those who don't remember pi from their school days:

The number π is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, and is approximately equal to 3.14159.
It has been represented by the Greek letter "π" since the mid-18th century, though it is also sometimes written as pi.
π is an irrational number, which means that it cannot be expressed exactly as a ratio of two integers (such as 22/7 or other fractions that are commonly used to approximate π); consequently, its decimal representation never ends and never settles into a permanent repeating pattern.

More info about pi here -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi
More info about PI DAY here -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day

Since celebrating PI Day started in 1988, it's not exactly vintage, so it might seem irrational to write about it on here on 'Tique Talk. But what the heck, it's an irrational number and I say "Here's to being irrational!

Happy PI Day, y'all!"

BONUS: And while we're being festively irrational, Happy Birthday to Albert Einstein.

"It gives me great pleasure indeed to see the stubbornness of an incorrigible nonconformist warmly acclaimed." -- Albert Einstein

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Keep Your Eyes Open for Daruma - Japanese Good Fortune Doll Figurines History

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:23:00 +0000

Daruma: this red round doll represents Bodhidharma, a priest and founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. It is traditionally purchased at the beginning of the year for good luck and throughout the year for hope and courage. One eye is painted in when a wish is made, and the other when the wish is fulfilled. [Info source: Tokai Gifts]

________________________________

I picked up a pair of charming figurines today -- a small red head, and a little bit bigger gold head bank. They are roundish, made out of papier mache / composition, and are hand painted. But they don't have a maker's mark, so I had to spend some time trying different search terms to find out what I had. My first impression was that they might be Russian as they reminded me of nesting dolls. (And well they might. See the Bonus Fact link below.)

That search didn't work out. Finally I tried the simplistic "red painted head", and hit pay dirt. Turns out these are Japanese folk art toy dolls called DARUMA. Alas, they're not rare, but they are interesting. Mine appear to be vintage, so perhaps are worth a little more than the new ones available on Amazon. For now, they look great on my shelf.

Here's a little more info:

Daruma -- via Wikipedia -- a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism.

These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Dharma), vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist.

Though considered an omocha, meaning toy, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement.

Eyes

A daruma doll with one eye filled in for wishing.

The eyes of Daruma are often blank when sold. Monte A. Greer, author of Daruma Eyes, described the "oversized symmetrical round blank white eyes" as a means to keep track of goals or big tasks and motivate them to work to the finish. The recipient of the doll fills in one eye upon setting the goal, then the other upon fulfilling it. In this way, every time they see the one-eyed Daruma, they recall the goal. One explanation how this custom started says that in order to motivate Daruma-san to grant your wish, you promise to give him full sight once the goal is accomplished. This practice might also have something to do with the "enlightenment", the ideal attainment of Buddhism. This custom has led to a phrase in Japanese translated as "Both Eyes Open". Referring to "opening" the second eye, it expresses the realization of a goal.^[12] Traditionally, the Daruma was purchased as a household, and that only the head of the household would paint in the eyes.

History and commercialization

The current popular symbolism associated with Daruma as a good luck charm in part originated with the Daruma-dera(Temple of Daruma) in the city of Takasaki (Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo). Josef Kyburz, Author of "Omocha": Things to Play (Or Not to Play) with, explained that the founder of Daruma-Dera would draw New Year's charms depicting Bodhidharma. The parishioners would keep these charms to "bring happiness and prosperity and ward off accidents and misfortune".[3]

It is believed that the Daruma figurine then originated from this region when the ninth priest, Togaku, found a solution to handle the constant requests of the parishioners for new charms. The charms were always given with an effectiveness of one year, so the people required new ones every year. He solved this by entrusting them with the making of their own Daruma charms near the beginning of the Meiwa Period (1764–72). The temple made wooden block molds for the people to use. The peasants then used these molds to make three-dimensional papier-mâché charms.[4]

Kyburz notes that though it is unknown when the Daruma figurine combined with thetumbler doll, the two were well recognized as synonymous by the mid-19th century. The doll quickly grew in popularity, becoming a mascot of the region. This was due greatly in part to fact that the majority of the families were silk farmers, a crop which requires a great deal of luck for success.[3]

There is an annual Daruma Doll Festival (達磨市 daruma-ichi?) held by the city of Takasaki in celebration of being the proclaimed birthplace of the Daruma doll. The celebration is held at the Shorinzan, the name of Takasaki's "Daruma-Dera". According to the Takasaki City website, "Over 400,000 people from all over the Kanto Plain come to buy new good-luck dolls for the year. Takasaki produces 80% of Japan's Daruma dolls."

Now

Darumas are still usually made of papier-mâché, have a round shape, are hollow, and weighted at the bottom in a way that it will always return to an upright position when tilted over. In Japanese a roly-poly toy is called okiagari.meaning to get up (oki) and arise (agari). This characteristic has come to symbolize the ability to have success, overcome adversity, and recover from misfortune.[3]

Daruma are also sold as a set of five colors - blue, yellow, red, white and black - called Goshiki Daruma. These days, daruma can also be found in colors other than red, including gold, which is meant to bring luck in financial matters.

Daruma Burning

Burning of the daruma

At the end of the year, all the Daruma are brought back to the temple they were purchased from for a traditional burning ceremony. This ceremony, called the Daruma Kuyo is held once a year usually right after New Years Day.

At these events, people bring the Daruma figures they had used that year to the temple. After expressing gratitude to them, they turn it over to the temple and buy new ones for the next year.

All of the old Daruma figures are burnt together in the temple. After a solemn display of the monks' entry, reading of the sutras, and blowing of horns, the tens of thousands of figurines are then set aflame.

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Dharma listen (help·info) (Sanskrit: धर्म dhárma, Pali: धम्म dhamma) is the Law that "upholds, supports or maintains the regulatory order of the universe".^{[citation needed]}

Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism all have the idea of dharma at their core, where it points to the purification and moral transformation of human beings. Though differing in some particulars, all concur that the goal of human life is moksha or nirvana, in which the ultimate nature of dharma (as cosmic law) is apprehended experientially.

In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for "phenomenon".^[1]

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The Japanese daruma dolls are based on a supposed real man who had a beard -- modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. -- I imagine Bodhidaruma doll just became Daruma in translation from Chinese to Japanese.

Throughout Buddhist art, Bodhidharma is depicted as a rather ill-tempered, profusely bearded and wide-eyed barbarian.

Bodhidharma

Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch'an (Sanskrit: Dhyāna, Japanese: Zen) to China, and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. According to Chinese legend, he also began the physical training of the Shaolin monks that led to the creation of Shaolinquan.

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Bonus Facts:

Matryoshka, the Russian doll, is said to be inspired by the Daruma doll.
Jenna Elfman played Dharma on TV's Dharma and Greg. Her husband is named Bodhi -- http://bit.ly/ZA1IpM -- and he's composer Danny Elfman's nephew (Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Simpsons, etc. themes) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000384/

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Perfect Portable Pantry for Camping Chuckwagon Cooks ~ Antique Tin Food Storage and Dispensers

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 01:07:00 +0000

Love this counter top metal tole painted cabinet, with the colorful birds and flowers. There is a great gear-y clock work in the center. You can barely make out the words PERFECT PANTRY stenciled on the bin front. Click the pic to enlarge it.

I pictured this pantry (here) when I was sharing some photos I took at an antique mall. Having a camera with me all the time has turned into a way to enhance my antiques-looking-fix. No way can I sanely buy everything that I think is cool, but I can enjoy the photos, and sorta feel like I have the item. And since pix taking is free, I don't put the hurt on the ol' wallet.

Today I received emails from two separate people saying they saw my photo of the tin Perfect Pantry, and asking me if I knew the value. Weird, huh? Two in one day.

Anywho, a quick google didn't turn up any value info, but I did find this 1905 san Antonio Gazette newspaper archive that mentions the Perfect Pantry Company of St. Louis Missouri -- link.

San Antonio Gazette 1905-06-19 Page-5

Also found a similar metal pantry listed on ebay. repainted and yucky, so that sale will not tell us value. But it does picture the clock that's missing from ''my'' pantry, and the clock is marked Perfect Pantry Co. St Louis MO. -- (ebay listing link).

The ebay seller did give me another clue, saying these type of pantry dispensers were considered portable and used in chuckwagons.

So that search led me to a wide variety of portable pantry cabinets by many different companies, and to some interesting Western Cowboy history sites. I also found a completed auction price on a similar piece, but that doesn't mean that's the value today. I found a few pantrys listed on antiques dealer websites, and prices are all over the place. So I am not giving out any valuation here. Just going to share some pix and links of what I found.

This one was shared on Collectors Weekly (here), where the owner said: "I collect old west memorabilia and found this in St. Louis Mo. area. It is actually a portable pantry and was used on the back of a wagon. I also have documentation that it was used in all the Disney western movies in the 80s."

Calendar Clock Safe - this one sold for $1300 (here).

This one was pictured on the Round Top Antiques Show site - no value.

Folks making Western movies and TV shows, and anyone interested in reenacting authentic Western trail life, want vintage ''period'' items, much like Civil war reenactors do. There are plenty of cowboy lifestyle & supplies websites, and they seem to ask a hefty price for these portable pantries. But they will certainly make your chuckwagon look like the real deal.

"By the late 1880s, the westward expansion of the railroads, which could transport live cattle, put an end to the trail drives. The era of the chuck wagon came to a close. Some of the old wagons have survived and been lovingly restored by enthusiasts who have sparked a revival of interest in this venerated style of cooking. Every year, modern-day cowboys travel around Texas to attend chuck wagon rallies and cook-offs, where they prepare the kind of dishes that sustained their forebears out on the range." -- Chuck Wagon Cooking

Read more Chuckwagon History here.

This site is asking $3500 for theirs -- http://www.cowboycooking.com/antiques.html

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Baseball's Controversial Cosmetic Surgery - Is the Infamous T206 Honus Wagner Card Trimmed? Video

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:27:00 +0000

Honus Wagner, 1903

Baseball's Controversial Cosmetic Surgery - Is the Infamous T206 Honus Wagner Card Trimmed? Video

The T206 Honus Wagner baseball card depicts Pittsburgh Pirates' Honus Wagner, a dead-ball era baseball player who is widely considered to be one of the best players of all time.[1] The card was designed and issued by the American Tobacco Company (ATC) from 1909 to 1911 as part of its T206 series. Wagner refused to allow production of his baseball card to continue, either because he did not want children to buy cigarette packs to get his card, or because he wanted more compensation from the ATC. The ATC ended production of the Wagner card and a total of only 60 to 200 cards were ever distributed to the public. -- wikipedia link

So what's the big deal about this one particular baseball card? Why is it the Holy Grail?

The story about the infamous Gretzky / Wagner card's history is fascinating. Watch the 15 min. video documentary to learn more. Is it authentic? If it's been trimmed, what does that do to the value? This card restructured the baseball card collecting hobby. There's huge value in that. What are the repurcussions of devaluing the T206?

The T206 Honus Wagner Documentary with Keith Olberman

Watch on ESPN : The T206 Honus Wagner - ESPN's video (link)

Bonus Facts: Hit the above wikipedia link to read about the other Honus Wagner cards, with their own fascinating stories and scandals.

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Happy President's Day ~ Some Vintage Patriotic Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:41:00 +0000

Presidents Day -- Read lots of history info here: link.

Collecting Vintage Valentines Day Cards and Postcards ~ Happy St. Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 22:26:00 +0000

Vintage Valentines - sweet, colorful, addicting. But fewer calories than a heart shaped box of chocolates.

They came in every theme imaginable, for all tastes. Some a little naughty, some for little kids, romantic or ''just friends''. Hearts and Flowers, or... you just name it.

And even some mean-spirited insulting cards called Penny Dreadfuls, or Vinegar Valentines. Here's a great article on those comical cards - Happy Valentines Day: I Hate You.

I highly recommend using this website to help find more vintage Valentines for your collection:

Besides articles and reference links, their search engine will show you all the Valentines listed on ebay by bid amount or by number of watchers, and they show the COMPLETED.

That's a great help if you're trying to get values on your cards. But remember since there were millions and millions of cards and postcards made, and still being made, this is a hard category to try to decide on definitive values. The good news though is that you can build a collection to suit your tastes and your budget.

Best to do your homework first. Here's a list of links that will teach you everything you need to know about collecting Valentines cards of the Antique, Vintage, Victorian varieties. http://bit.ly/XtsygE

Here are some more pix of cute Valentines -- Happy St. Valentine's Day, y'all!

--Click the pix to enlarge--

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Pssst... Wanna See Some Vintage Badges? Collecting Bicycle Badges

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:28:00 +0000

Screen shot of Collectors Weekly's new BADGES section.

Pssst... Wanna See Some Badges?

''We DO need to show you some stinkin' badges!'' says Collectors Weekly. So they added a Vintage BADGES section.

It's a great addition to their site, with articles, links to info resources and collector groups and clubs, and of course the great photo gallery of ebay listings which show you all the badges sorted by highest bids, most watchers, or COMPLETED. Super helpful in researching your items, and to add to your collection.

We have a small collection of antique badges, with the focus on Ohio Chauffeur badges, and whatever Lima Ohio badges we can find.

Here's a few fuzzy snapshots - there are more badges somewhere in the house, but where, oh where?

We also collect bicycle badges.

On the Collectors Weekly BADGES page, you can sort by a few different sub-categories, too. You can also select medals, pins, car badges.

But not BICYCLE badges -- yet... Soon, I hope.

Badges

"BICYCLE Badges? We ain't got no BICYCLE badges. We don't need no BICYCLE badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' BICYCLE badges!"

What's a bicycle badge? The brand/logo plate that went on the head bar. They came in a million cool graphic designs. Here are a few pix:

Screen shots of google image search for bicycle badges.

Learn about, and see tons more photos of vintage bicycle badges here:

Stinkin' Badges

Dobbs: "If you're the police where are your badges?"

Gold Hat: "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!"

Before Mel Brooks altered the line for 1974's Blazing Saddles, it was used in 1948's The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (with Humphrey Bogart as Dobbs, and Alfonso Bedoya as Gold Hat). (More)
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Will Punxsatawney Phil Punk Us Again? Groundhog Day ~ Now with More Vintage Collectibles

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 12:47:00 +0000

Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? Will we have more winter? Something tells me we will have many more weeks of cold, no matter what the famous Groundhog does or does not see!

Find out all you ever wanted to know, and more, about Groundhog Day at http://www.groundhog.org/ ... or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day

I love the 1993 Bill Murray / Andie McDowell movie, Groundhog Day (see video clip below).

Here are a few pix of vintage Groundhog Day items to look for, for your collections.

Here's a few Groundhog Day video clips from the new search engine "experience" Qwiki.com --

Groundhog Day history -

Punxsatawney Phil -

Groundhog Day, the movie -

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Thor Motorcycles ~ Turning Bicycles into Moto Cycles ~ Lima Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (Marianne Dow) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:52:00 +0000

Here's a Pandora's Puzzle Box of a photograph. Researching it turned up all kinds of information, but never completed the puzzle I set out to solve.

I saw the original sepia toned photograph (below), and did a B&W digital edit to get more details. What we see is the A.J. Gladwell Bicycle shop, with 665 above the door, and 665 R. Beechman on the awning.

So I set out to find more about Mr. Gladwell, and why the name Beechman was on his awning but not his painted window sign.

Here's an ad in the 1898 Lima Daily News that says R. Beechman had a meat slaughter house at 665 South Main Street (Lima Ohio).

That's it for Mr. Beechman. I couldn't find anything else on him online.

I found Andrew J. Gladwell's obituary in the Lima News, 1955. They wrote: Born July 27 1873, in Virginia, Mr. Gladwell came to Lima in 1900. He engaged in the bicycle business here for a number of years and later entered an automobile repair and paint business.

So now we may surmise that Beecham must have quit the meat business, probably right around 1900, and still owned the building since his name was still on the awning when the shop space became Gladwell's.

A J Gladwell's obituary mentions he retired about 1945, but I didn't find any other mentions of him online in later years. Perhaps I will find him and his auto repair & paint business listed in city directories at the public library.

One other tidbit I did find was in the Dec. 26, 1912 issue of Motor World magazine, noting that: Gladwell & Crossley Motor Co., under Ohio laws, authorized capital, $10,000; to deal in motor cars. Corporators - AJ Gladwell, CC Crossley. FA Holland, HI Bland, JW Roby. (In today's dollars, that's over $200,000.)

Next I found Lima News archive link mentions of:

Gladwell & Crossley, repairers of bicycles and motorcycles
GLADWELL AND CROSSLEY AGENCY FOR THOR MOTORCYCLE

The Thor Motorcycle was built by the Aurora Independent Machine and Tool Company in Aurora Illinois from 1903-1920. At first, Aurora built motors for Indian motorcycles, then they started their own competitor, Thor, in 1903.

If our boys Gladwell & Crossley didn't get their Thor shop up till 1912, then they came to the ''moto cycles'' party late, and also backed the wrong machine.

"1915 was a banner year for Indian, Harley, and Excelsior. They each offered a three-speed transmission of conventional design. The best Thor could do was a new designed cast iron two speed that mounted aside the rear hub. By 1918 the Thor Motorcycle Company was fading into obscurity. In 1920 the board of directors announced a halt to motorcycle production."

Read more Thor history on Gregory Walter's THOR Motorcycles website.

Of course they could have still been successful, but I just didn't find any other info online -- yet. And the fellows below, the Kulp Bros. of Reading PA look like their Thor business was booming in 1917.

Motorcycle Race at the 1920 Allen County Fair in Lima Ohio.

Look at the rider, 2nd from the left. He's wearing a THOR logo on his shirt. Wonder if it's Gladwell?

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Ms Dow Antiques Tique Talk by Marianne Dow

My May 2013 Springfield Extravaganza Antique Show Photo Album

Collecting: Syroco Wood Look Bookends, Figurines, Corkscrews and So Much More

Early Bird Shopping is Best at May 17, 2013 Springfield Extravaganza Antique Show & Vintage Marketplace

Want to see a Springfield Extravaganza in action?!!

This is the big one, vintage lovers: The May Extravaganza!

Release the Hounds --- at Noon!

Rare Antique Folk Art Sand Paintings in Glass Bottles and Jars by A. Clemens

Vintage Chef Kitchen Collectibles ~ My Display Video

Collectibles from Marianne's Kitchen -- Plastic Chefs and more...

Feliz Cinco de Mayo ~ Collecting: Vintage Bauer Pottery

May 5th = Cinco de Mayo ~ ole!

It's Derby Time ~ Collecting Kentucky Derby Glasses, Hats and Horse Racing History Books

Mint Julep

HORSE RACING BOOKS & DERBY HISTORY

May Queen For A Day ~ May Day Maypole Dance Celebrations ~ Collecting Vintage Photo Postcards

1,000 Posts - A Blogger Remembers Getting My Blog-a-Rythym

Spring issue of Antiques & Fine Art Magazine online now ~ Sign up for FREE 2 year online subscription

The Spring 2013 issue of Antiques & Fine Art Magazine is online now. Sign up for their FREE 2 year online subscription - AFAmag.com

April 15th ~ Ole Sir Taxy Waxy Says It's Tme to Pay Up! Income Tax Cartoon

Something Fishy Fun and Foolish ~ #Vintage April Fools Day Postcards

Easter Bunny Says Happy Easter with Beautiful #Vintage #Postcards

Ebay News March 2013 ~ To Store or Not, That's the Question ~ Big news from ebay re major pricing structure changes ~ mostly good news

2013 Spring Seller Update: Fee update

Highlights

Happy St. Patrick's Day ~ Vintage Postcard Collages

Letterman Show Uses Antique Trader Price Guide for Book Joke

Happy PI Day ~ It'd Be Irrational To Repeat Myself, But Happy PI Day!

Keep Your Eyes Open for Daruma - Japanese Good Fortune Doll Figurines History

Eyes

Bodhidharma

Perfect Portable Pantry for Camping Chuckwagon Cooks ~ Antique Tin Food Storage and Dispensers

Baseball's Controversial Cosmetic Surgery - Is the Infamous T206 Honus Wagner Card Trimmed? Video

Honus Wagner, 1903

Baseball's Controversial Cosmetic Surgery - Is the Infamous T206 Honus Wagner Card Trimmed? Video

So what's the big deal about this one particular baseball card? Why is it the Holy Grail?

The T206 Honus Wagner Documentary with Keith Olberman

Watch on ESPN : The T206 Honus Wagner - ESPN's video (link)

Happy President's Day ~ Some Vintage Patriotic Postcards

Collecting Vintage Valentines Day Cards and Postcards ~ Happy St. Valentine's Day

Vintage Valentines - sweet, colorful, addicting. But fewer calories than a heart shaped box of chocolates.

Pssst... Wanna See Some Vintage Badges? Collecting Bicycle Badges

Pssst... Wanna See Some Badges?

We also collect bicycle badges.

Badges

Stinkin' Badges

Will Punxsatawney Phil Punk Us Again? Groundhog Day ~ Now with More Vintage Collectibles

Thor Motorcycles ~ Turning Bicycles into Moto Cycles ~ Lima Ohio

The Spring 2013 issue of Antiques & Fine Art Magazine is online now.

Sign up for their FREE 2 year online subscription - AFAmag.com