ABC Wednesday Challenge - V

It's ABC Wednesday again, and this week, the letter is

As I get older, I have realized a certain affinity for older things. I listen to the oldies station, reminisce about the good old days, and find myself admiring old things at flea markets garage sales and thrift stores.

Because of my recent fascination with older things I have come to notice a term that gets used, overused misused and abused on a regular basis.

VINTAGE. What does it mean? I see it on ebay, I see it on dishes at the flea market, I see it on blogs, and yet I have never been quite sure I understood it.

Way back, in my youth, an antique car was a car that was 50 years old or older, while a VINTAGE car was 25-50 years old. At least that was how the DMV differentiated in regards to license plates. But I wondered if that was an official meaning, or just a handy way for them to decide which taxes to collect.

So I did me some investigating and I discovered a few things.

VINTAGE originally was a term used to describe a wine. A particular VINTAGE referred to all of the grapes that came off of that particular VINE, that particular year. Later it was expanded to become a general reference to the year a wine was made.

When used properly the term VINTAGE should be followed by a year. So, one does not drive a VINTAGE car, one drives a VINTAGE '65 Mustang.

You don't buy VINTAGE glassware, but rather VINTAGE '58 glassware (or VINTAGE 1958).

If used properly, one would not have to wonder if something qualified as VINTAGE, because my VINTAGE 2001 truck would be self explanatory.

But alas, somewhere along the line, the practice of including the year was dropped, and the term has been hijacked by junk dealers, and used to make sales. The impression that I got, from my research was that the term VINTAGE generally means, "This is old and dirty, I know nothing about it, but I want you to buy it thinking it is really VALUABLE, so I will put a tag on it that says VINTAGE".

I have seen items at the local antique mall marked VINTAGE, when they still had the TJ Max sticker on them, I guess if you can't sell them as antiques, you call them VINTAGE and convince people they are worth something.

It seems that there is no official determination of how old something has to be before we can call it VINTAGE.

So, I have come up with my own definition of sorts.

For me, VINTAGE is an item or object that is old-fashioned or obsolete representing a past time or bygone era.

So, now that I have a definition I can live with, I want to show you a recent VINTAGE find.

I will also be joining Suzanneat The Coloradoladyfor Vintage Thingie Thursday

Recently one of the towns in our area had a city wide garage sale weekend. What an adventure. I was just minding my business, driving home from somewhere when Diann called me, it seems she had filled up the back of her truck, and need me to com find her, so she could fill up the back of mine too.

It seemed like everyone in town was selling things. The local congregational church even had tables of stuff for sale, along with a bake sale. Who could pass up a deal like that?

We found a few odds and ends, but this one was my favorite oddity of the weekend.


It is a metal file box, the front hinges forward, for easier access to the files,

and there is a "secret" locking compartment built into the lid for additional storage.


It was sold by a company called New Process Company, founded in 1910. The company changed it's name to Blair Corporation in 1989, meaning that this box is at least that old, but wait, there's more.

It indicates that it came from "Warren, Penna". Since USPS standard two letter state abbreviations were implemented in 1963, I am guessing that this box is at least older than that.

I cannot find much other information out about it, but I did find an identical box for sale on an Etsy store and a similar box on eBay, both for around $15.

I was particularly impressed by the frugality of the previous owner. Not only are the original file folders, (also marked "Warren, Penna") inside,
but you can see where they have taped over the tabs, and used white out on them so they could be reused multiple times.

It was an interesting find, a VALUABLE VINTAGE item, and will be a fun conversation piece.

I am guessing it is VINTAGE 1955/60-ish...



Please take some time to check out what others were INSPIRED to blog about this week, at

ABC Wednesday,
and feel free to add your own blog to the list as we work our way through the alphabet.

Be sure and join me each Tuesday for Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where readers are invited to share trivia and show off their treasures. Read all about it here

Thrifty Vintage Thursday Thingies

Today I will be joining two different blog parties, which is OK, because I have two different things to show off.

I am joining:
Vintage Thingie Thursday at The Coloradolady
Because, although I don't know all the details, they sure look vintage to me,

And, I will be joining: Thrifty Thursday at Tales From Bloggeritaville
Because it doesn't get much thriftier than this.


First of all, I have to say how and where I got them.

Those who read Diann's post Wednesday about junking, will know I am not above a bit of dumpster diving, curb crawling or various other means of acquiring treasures.

Well, I was just driving down the road, minding my own business, when I saw this big pile of trash bags sitting out at the curb, with legs sticking out from the top of the pile.

Not people legs, of course, but table-ish legs. So, I stopped to see what it was.
Someone had thrown these two treasures out with the trash.

Now, I don't know when this telephone table was made, but Diann and I were just talking about what The Princess will think in a few years when she hears the term "telephone table".

Um sure, I can set it on a table if you want, but why not put it back in my purse?

Kind of like the 53 Cadillac, some things are just gone from todays world...




It's rough, but I think I can work with it, to give it some new life. It has some neat detail in it.



And this one was made sometime between 1974 and 1979, if my research is reliable. Which makes it younger than me, so not technically vintage, but well out of its' youth.








I haven't even plugged it in to see if the motor works yet, but I did notice that it has a belt, a needle, and a bobbin, in fact there is still thread in the bobbin, so I think it has all its' parts.

Somebody here collects old sewing machines, I don't remember who, but I'm sure once I start playing with it, I can get some good advice on how to make it work.

I like to tinker and play with stuff like that. Refinishing the table won't be as fun, but you have to take the good with the bad, I suppose.

Now, I admit, they both need some TLC. But you can't beat the price.

Heck, they would have been a good deal at twice the price!

~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~

Be sure and join me each Tuesday for Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where readers are invited to share trivia and show off their treasures.


Read all about it here

Vintage Thingie Thursday

It's Thursday and time for a Vintage Thingie Thursday.



Be sure and visit The Coloradolady to see all the Vintage Thingies that people have show off, and then add your own!

Yesterday, On ABC Wednesday, I showed some pictures of my Estwing hammer.



I don't know if this is officially a Vintage Thingie, because Estwing still makes hammers almost identical to this one, but let me share some of the history of this hammer, and then, if Suzanne wants to kick me out of Vintage Thingie Thursday, I'll understand.

First of all, it is important to note that Estwing started making hammers in 1926. That Estwing hammers were made from one solid piece of steel, instead of the wooden handled hammers of the day. A solid constructed hammer never needed a new handle, it was stronger and more durable, but the one piece hammer also was not as shock absorbent. The wooden handles allowed some of the shock of impact to be absorbed, so Estwing developed a Leather, and later a nylon grip for their handles to make them more user-friendly.



This handle is nylon, but is green, unlike the blue handles produced today.

This particular hammer is the first one I ever used. It belonged to my father, and when I was 8 years old, and had to learn to use a hammer in cub scouts, this one is the one I learned how to hammer with. My dad had a larger heavier version of the Estwing Straight Claw hammer, and that was the one he used.

Dad always taught us to take care of our tools and to put them away when we were done with them.

Some 20 years later, my dad was working on a service project for the church. They were helping to shingle a church member's roof. My Dad got too close to the edge of the roof, he leaned back and put his hand out to support him, but there was nothing there and he fell off the roof. He landed face first, breaking his cheekbone, his shoulder and collarbone and a couple of other bones in his arm. This would have been hard enough on a young man, but he was in his 60's at the time.

As they were loading him in the ambulance, he said he couldn't go yet, he had left his hammer on the roof. Everyone told him that he had his hammer with him when he fell, but he was adamant that he had left it on the roof. When we went to see him, at the hospital, he was still very concerned about his hammer, that it was out on the roof, and it was going to rain that night.

We explained that they had finished the roof, they had brought down all the tools, and that there were no hammers on the roof. His hammer had been in his hand when he fell. But he was so concerned that my brother promised to go back on the roof and check.

Sure enough, there, behind a chimney, where no one had seen it, was this hammer. He had taken both hammers with him, in case someone else needed one, and he had his bigger hammer in his hand, but the other had been on the roof.

The fact that he was so worried about his tools and that they be put away properly, even when he himself was seriously hurt, really represented my Dad's philosophy on life. You take care of the things you value, before you take care of yourself.



I'm not sure exactly when he got it, but like I said, he had it when I was 8 years old, so, This hammer is at least 35 years old. And although Estwing still makes a 16 oz straight claw hammer, similar to this one, this hammer is one of a kind.


It is nicked and scarred, and shows signs of use and hard work. It isn't shiny or flashy. But it is solid, dependable, and just as good today as the day it was built.

Every time I use it, I think of the things my Dad stood for, the things he taught me, and the things he tried, that never sank in. I like to think that each time, they sink in a little more, and although I lost my Dad almost five years ago now, His spirit is right there with me whenever I use his hammer.



~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~

Be sure and join me each Tuesday for Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where readers are invited to share trivia and show off their treasures.


Read all about it here

Vintage Thingy Thursday - Jumpin Jack Flash!

Today is Thursday, and that means a visit to:


The Coloradolady for Vintage Thingy Thursday

To explore the treasures of yesteryear.

Check out the cool cookie jar that she got and while you read, here is something to think about.

We know that Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, and that he had a great fall, and that all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again. But here is the real question: What, exactly, did they expect the horses to do?

OK, now that you have pondered that, it's time for my vintage thingy!

Way, way back in the early fall of 2009, (remember back then?) Diann was posting about some good deals at Aldi's and she posted about a great deal they had on a generator. I saw that post and dropped a hint to Santa that he may want to do some shopping at Aldi's.

Well, Santa is no dummy, he knows a good deal when he sees it, so he ran (flew?) right over and got one. (He actually got two of them, one for me and one for my Father-in-law but who's counting?)

So, knowing that I may be getting a generator for Christmas I let Diann know I would be interested in getting a couple of gas cans. I wanted to be able to take our trailer back into the woods and not be running out for gas every day.

I could have just gone and bought a new one, but it really bugged me to pay $15 for an empty plastic bottle.

Well, Diann is every bit as smart as Santa, so she watches for good deals too. We spent most of last summer camping, while she combed the flea markets, thrift stores, antique barns, yard sales, bargain barns and other secret sources for bargains and deals.

So, I was not surprised when she showed up with this beauty.



I WAS pleasantly surprised when she told me how much she had paid for it.



This was one of those, OK, I'll buy item A if you throw in Item B for 50 cents kind of deals, so as part of a package deal of bargains, this one was less than a dollar.



It has a bit of a dent in the top. I think I can straighten it out a little, I haven't tried yet, but, the lid still screws on and off, so it's not critical.





I'm not sure of the details, but check out the vented lid, with the
spring loaded vent.





I don't know exactly how old it is, but I do know that plastic cans were developed and introduced into the general market in the mid 1970's, so for a metal design to be a "new" design, as specified on the side, I imagine it is somewhat older than that.


And now, since I can't seem to post something without a touch of trivia, here is a tidbit or two.

This can was made by the Eagle Manufacturing Company of Wellsburg, West Virginia. Eagle was founded in 1894 as a decorative glass company. They started with metalwork when they needed to make metal lids for their glass jars. Then, as industry demand grew, they grew to meet the demand. By 1907 they were making metal cans for the railroad industry. In the 1970's, as Occupational Safety became more of a concern, they expanded their line to include a wide variety of safety items.

Incidentally they still make a 2.5 gallon metal can. You can buy them brand new online if you want. Check out the price.


The very best vintage thingies are the ones where you get a really good bargain! So, although Diann did the bargaining on this one, it was still a thrifty purchase. That's why I feel good about linking this post to

Thrifty Thursday at Tales From Bloggeritaville Check out the other thrifty blog posts over there!

Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway, you can be entered up to 6 different times!


Read all about it and enter here.


Be sure and join me each Tuesday for Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where readers are invited to share trivia and show off their treasures.


Read all about it here
I apologize in advance to any anonymous posters. Because of the large amount of SPAM I was getting, I had to block anonymous comments.
Sorry,

Troy

Vintage Thingie Thursday Feb 17, 2010

Today is Vintage Thingie Thursday at The Coloradolady.
When you are done here, head over and see the fun vintage thingies everyone else has to show off and read all about Suzanne's awesome pocket watch experience.

But first I have to tell you about my Vintage Thingie.

I have the most wonderful wife in the world. (No, she is NOT my vintage thingie.)

I will tell her something that would be fun to have, or point out something in a store that I like but that is just not in our budget at the time, and she will smile and remind me how much it costs and how much we have to spend.

Then, as soon as she gets a chance, she scours flea markets, thrift stores, clearance sales and whatever other secret sources she has, to find me one that does fit our budget and she'll surprise me with it.

Before Christmas we were at one of those fancy-schmancy high-dollar book stores, and I saw a bartender gift set. It had all the bar tools and everything along with a bartenders' guide book. It was priced in the $35 range and all boxed up in a fancy box.

Now, I have mentioned before, I grew up in a non-drinking home. As an adult, I didn't know a Tom Collins from a Tom Cruise.


All I knew about cocktails was that they were a type of pickled onion.



And a sauce that you dipped shrimp into.



So I kind of wanted to get an education. I had heard names of drinks in my life. Mint Julep, Sloe Gin Fizz, Boxcar Willie... no wait, he was a singer, it was Boston Side Car that was the drink.

But they were all foreign terms to me, words that I read in books, but had no clue what they were talking about.

So, if I read a book that said:

"She walked into my gin joint, one hip at a time, with a face like a Dixie Julep and a figure like a Singapore Sling".

I vaguely knew that she would be more appealing than if she had a face like a Fish House Sour, or a Hop Toad Flip. But beyond that I really didn't know what they were talking about.



I will never be a heavy drinker. I am actually glad that I never developed the taste for most alcohol. A lot of it reminds me of when we were kids and we had to siphon gas out of the truck to fill up the gas tank on the lawn mower so we could cut the grass. And Diann, luckily isn't a real drinker either.

This is good, because when we go out to eat with couples we know who like to drink, it always amazes me that they spend twice as much on drinks alone, than we spend for our food.

But from time to time, I like to taste new things, try new things, experiment, investigate. I have an inquiring mind, and inquiring minds want to know.

That's where my incredible wife comes in.

For Valentine's Day, she got me the Old Mr. Boston DeLuxe Official Bartender's Guide.





Originally written in 1935, the book has had multiple printings and a few revisions. Most recently, it was revised in 1960 to include color pictures. My copy is from the 1961 printing.

I love old books. The way they feel in your hand. The way they set type back before everything was typeset with a computer. The way the edges of the pages aren't always precisely lined up.

But most of all, I like it when I read an old cookbook, or reference book and find pages that have extra fingerprints or dogears on them. Then I know that those are the "good pages".

I am always suspicious when I see a cookbook that is 50 years old and is in brand new condition. I can't help but wonder how good those recipes are if they went 50 years with nobody making them.

This book has it's fair share of fingerprints, on some of the popular pages, and on the pages that talk about bar measurements. It is comforting knowing that the book was used and usefull to a prior owner.
The end sheet inside the front cover has a color illustration of different drinks.



Then, inside the back cover is the same picture in red tone with the different glasses highlighted so a novice like me knows the difference between a Highball glass, an Old Fashioned glass, a Goblet and a Pony.



It was easier to take the pictures with a little help from the The Little Princess, and she has much cuter fingers than I do.

Of course, the book wasn't complete without the bar tools and a shaker, so she got me a set of bar tools. They aren't vintage, but they should do the trick until I can learn how to use them, and if I know Diann, she is keeping her eye open for a vintage set, to match the book.


The shaker has the recipes for several popular cocktails around the outside. You just dial up the drink, and the ingredients appear in the little slots on the side.


Diann wanted me to point out that she let me use her vintage hand embroidered napkin with handmade lace as a backdrop for my pictures. She just got them this week at a thrift store, and I expect them to appear on her blog soon.



~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~ ~{@ @}~

Be sure and join me each Tuesday for Tuesday Trivia Tie-in, where readers are invited to share trivia and show off their treasures.


Read all about it here

I apologize in advance to any anonymous posters. Because of the large amount of SPAM I was getting, I had to block anonymous comments.
Sorry,

Troy