Spencer Whiting of Franklin, Massachusetts

Spencer Whiting

Something tells me Spencer was a very confident young man who was secure about his dress and social standing. Love the hair!

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Hurricane Irene hammered our little shop in Cuttingsville, Vermont

On Sunday, August 28, 2011 Hurricane Irene arrived at the back door (the front doors were locked so she made her own entry) of our little shop in Cuttingsville, Vermont.  In a matter of hours our livelihood was churned into a soggy, muddy mess. Irene left us her calling card and everything went from this...

to this...

One of the few consolations is that we now have a nice beach with 10 inches of sand on our back lawn.

From the front of the shop everything looks fine, even just a little muddy. However, Irene chose not to use the front door when she left her calling card...

Irene tore 4 panels of T1-11 off the back of the shop. We found 3 of them.

This is the bridge next to the shop. The debris dammed up and caused even more water to flow toward the shop.

The water line inside the shop.

Looking back at the shop from the bridge.

Some things floated outside and managed to survive somehow.

Not sure if we'll be having a 'hurricane' sale or a 'beach' sale in the near future but thank God everyone is safe. All this can be replaced. Family and friends cannot!

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See more photos of Irene's destruction and aftermath in the Cuttingsville, Wallingford and East Wallingford areas here.

Vintage hairstyles: curls, ringlets and braids

From the days when a woman's hair was considered her crowning glory!

Women would use metal curling irons to curl their hair. These irons usually had wooden handles and were inserted into an open flame to heat them. Once heated the woman would proceed to curl her hair. Many times the hair or scalp was burned in the process. It was a rather dangerous way to satisfy a woman's vanity.

I can remember my mom using an old metal curling iron on my hair when I was younger. It was nasty business. Not only did she burn my scalp sometimes but the smell of singed hair was very unsettling! Curling irons of today have safety features and the heat can be regulated. To learn more about vintage curling irons read this article.

Another method of curling the hair was the use of strips of rags. I can also remember my cousin curling my hair with them but I don't know how she actually did it. The results were rather good and much less painful.

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Caption this!

Caption this...

I simply love the expression on this babe's face. Can you think of a caption for this vintage photo?

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eBay dumps BigCrumbs...for now!

The following announcement was made on BigCrumb's website:


"At eBay's request, cash back at eBay.com will no longer be available 
on BigCrumbs.com or any other rewards website for purchases made 
on eBay.com from June 16, 2011 at 12:00 AM PST through October 1, 2011 at 12:01 AM PST.

During the suspension period, eBay plans to re-evaluate the current pricing 

model for loyalty partnerships and possibly make adjustments to that model

when the program resumes.

This suspension only affects eBay.com and does NOT affect the following 
eBay sites: ebay.co.uk, ebay.ca, or ebay.com.au. Additionally, Half.com 
cash back rates will remain unchanged.

Please note that purchases at eBay.com made via BigCrumbs through 

June 16, 2011 at 12:00 AM will continue to credit at the normal rate. 

We encourage you to make any planned purchases prior to that date.

As many of you know, BigCrumbs was the original eBay cash back affiliate 
partner. Over the past 5 years, we have served thousands of loyal members
and provided millions of dollars in cash back and referral commissions on 
eBay.com purchases. 

We are disappointed by eBay's decision to suspend their partnership with 

BigCrumbs.com and we promise to keep you informed of any future updates. 

We do recognize that some of our members will be significantly impacted

through loss in both the generous cash back and referral commissions that

we paid on eBay.com purchases.

But, please rest assured that BigCrumbs will not waver in its continuous 
efforts to provide superior value, exclusive deals and the highest overall 
cash back at over 1,200 other top retailers. During eBay.com's hiatus, 
we plan to actively pursue new partnerships and grow existing partnerships 
with retailers that offer similar products, deals and cash back."

What's up with eBay? BigCrumbs has brought eBay a ton of business and 
this is how they reward them? Guess we'll need to wait and see. Meanwhile, 
BigCrumbs is still great for shopping online at over 1,000 other stores. eBay 
isn't the only act in town. Is eBay an indication of how far south our economy
has gone? As eBay goes, so goes the country? This feels like a classic 'Survivor'
blindside!


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WVFD Sponsors Annual Townwide Tag Sale Saturday, June 18, 2011

Saturday, June 18, 2011
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The Wallingford Volunteer Fire Department in Wallingford, Vermont, will also be holding a second day tag sale on Sunday, June 19 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the firehouse at 17 Depot Street in Wallingford.

The WVFD is looking for participants to join them for a day of town-wide tag sales on Saturday, June 18, 2011.

To help with your own tag sale see the FREE online copy of the tag sale booklet above. It's titled: Tips & Strategies For A Successful & Profitable Tag Sale: A guide to planning and conducting your next tag sale with less hassle & bigger profits!

Now is your chance to clean out the clutter you’ve been accumulating for years in that basement, barn, attic or garage. Benefit from the WVFD’s advertising for their sale held at the firehouse on that same day.

Contact the WVFD for more information at:
Wallingford Volunteer Fire Department
P.O. Box 280, Wallingford, VT 05773
Phone: 802-446-2295 Email: wvfd3300@yahoo.com

The WVFD is also accepting donations for their annual tag sale. Please contact department members to schedule a pick up of your donated items or drop off under the tents.

The WVFD has a limited amount of vendor spaces available for rent. Contact the department for more info.

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Turner Falls, Massachusetts

Was this a school? A business?

This group is seated on the lawn in first photo

These old photos were taken by the A.W. Howes & Co. photographers in Turner Falls, Massachusetts. Was this a school? A business? The group of well dressed people in the second photo were standing on the steps of this building. In the first photo they are seated or standing on the lawn in front of the building. There is only one gentleman in the group. Was he the custodian or owner of the business? Does this building still exist?

Old photos fascinate me. Some scenes and identities are lost to time. It is my hope to preserve some of those images even if the names and places may never be known.

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Grandma's Atlantic Gasoline pump

What a wonderful photo! Is that the price (23) on this Atlantic Gasoline pump? This is not my own grandmother but I just love how this enterprising woman found a way to make a living. The ground under the pump looks freshly dug and the pump looks spiffy new.

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Proud police officers

These old photos do not identify the gentlemen in them but the town of Cambridge, Massachusetts was stamped on the back of both.

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What would life be without...eBay?

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Star Wars collectibles destroyed in storage unit fire - SignOnSanDiego.com

Star Wars collectibles destroyed in storage unit fire - SignOnSanDiego.com

More collectibles up in smoke. Just a reminder to take precautions against fire, flooding and theft with your valuables and collectibles. Those plastic tubs may be great against water but they are no match for fire. Sad.

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Some 1924 inhabitants of Minneola, Florida

Children of Minneola, Florida in 1924

These serious looking children in the photo are not identified but were living in Minneola, Florida in September 1924.

Alligators in Minneola, Florida September 1924

These alligators may have been captured from one of the large lakes in the area. The measurements for the alligators were written on the back of this photo: 1st gator was 11 feet 9 inches long; 2nd gator was 8 feet long; 3rd gator was 5 feet long.

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Qualified TV Service...All Makes Serviced

TV repair man

In the past televisions and their parts needed a large vehicle to transport them in.

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Wallingford Cubs baseball team

Wallingford Cubs

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Vermont MVD Inspector and his antique Harley Davidson

Recently I took some time to sort through my collection of old photos and ran across this nifty image. I'm not good at identifying vehicles or the year they were manufactured so if someone knows what year this may be from please feel free to share. The patch on the officers shoulder reads 'Vermont MVD Inspector'. The motorcycle is marked Harley Davidson. Check out the little dog who seems to want a ride.

Vermont MVD Inspector

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Siblings

Some old estate photos of siblings from years gone by. None of these children were identified and their names are lost to history but these are darling photos of them. Having your picture taken was an occasion to dress in your Sunday best. Some of these children are wearing very fashionable clothing at the time.
 

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Bad economy forces man to sell his antique electric chair | bad, tampa, chair - Northwest Florida Daily News

Bad economy forces man to sell his antique electric chair | bad, tampa, chair - Northwest Florida Daily News

"It's just kind of rare," he said. "I've never heard of anybody ever having one. It turned a lot of heads, and it was kind of fun weirding out my friends all these years. Everybody dug it, but at the same time they were kind of creeped out to come into my house."

Creeped out? You think? Neat story though.

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Sculpture proves old doesn't equal antique | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Sculpture proves old doesn't equal antique | detnews.com | The Detroit News

"As a decorative piece, she appraised it at $50-$125, although it would be much more to buy it new online (a similar, larger version sells on the Lone Star Trading Company website for $899). Ebay and other sites have various versions of Santini sculpture for a wide variety of prices."

Bummer! It's still a nice sculpture to look at though.

Learn to look for markings that will give you an indication of what material an item is made of. It doesn't pay to guess if you're investing a good sum of money into the item in question.

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Antiques and Nautical Collectibles at Lannan Ship Model Gallery

Antiques and Nautical Collectibles at Lannan Ship Model Gallery

"This is a journey for enthusiasts of ship models and marine memorabilia that is unfathomable. There are paintings and a plethora of nautical antiques that puts you right at sea level, including binnacles, engine-room telegraphs, compasses, telescopes and barometers."

Lannan Ship Model Gallery
99 High St.
Boston, MA 02110
www.lannangallery.com

Wish I lived closer to this gallery. I love the history and items connected with the high seas.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton get royal treatment in collectibles - Chicago Sun-Times

Prince William and Kate Middleton get royal treatment in collectibles - Chicago Sun-Times

"The 1980 royal wedding of Prince Charles to Diana Spencer ignited a collectible frenzy. With the recent announcement of Prince William’s engagement to long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton, the collectibles market is in high gear."

Brace yourself folks!

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Utah Pawn Shop Law Requiring Fingerprinting Threatens Other Secondhand Shops | Christian Probasco | Politics | NewWest.Net

Utah Pawn Shop Law Requiring Fingerprinting Threatens Other Secondhand Shops | Christian Probasco | Politics | NewWest.Net

"Each violation of the act—every fingerprint or item not recorded and uploaded on a daily basis—could result in a $500 fine. The act exempts items sold on eBay, Craigslist and other electronic forums."

“The legislature doesn’t see the logistics,” he says. “We have seven stores taking in maybe 15 to 30 items a day each. Our customers already have a trade card with their name and address. We already have to grade and price each item. We already have to hold the merchandise for 10 days. Now we have to enter the information about each item—including a serial number if there is one—and the customer’s fingerprint into a database every night.”

Is this truly about crime fighting? Doubt it.

"Sanders believes the board’s pawn shop owners have more sinister motivations than crime fighting for trying to impose their rules on every secondhand business in the state."

“They have a vested interest, a personal interest in parity for all secondhand shops,” he says. “Their intent is to put other secondhand dealers out of business.” 

It would appear that this is exactly what this is about...putting others out of business.


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Cure your cabin fever at Prozzo Auction Gallery January 23, 2011

Getting cabin fever yet? Need to get out and do something fun? Do you love antique auctions? Bob Prozzo of Prozzo Auction Gallery in Rutland, Vermont has yet another great auction scheduled for Sunday, January 23, 2011. See his full listing and photos for this auction at his website.

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Touching the past at antiques show | The Columbian

Touching the past at antiques show | The Columbian

"Victor once valued a pair of old athletic shoes at $25,000. They happened to be an early pair of Nikes from the 1970s. Nike was establishing a museum at the time, and had just bought back a pair for $28,000. The ones Victor appraised lacked shoe laces, which knocked the price down a few thousand dollars."

If you just inherited grandma's estate you should NEVER throw anything out until after you've talked with an estate sale coordinator or at least someone who understands the market for collectibles. Even an old postcard could be worth hundreds of dollars. Just the other day 3 old pairs of athletic cleats that were headed for the dump fetched over $28 on eBay. It may not have been $25,000.00 like these Nikes but you never know what people will want or why they want it. With websites like eBay you can make a steady income, work from home, and clean out the clutter all at the same time. Heck, you can even help grandma clean out her clutter before she passes on so she can enjoy a little added income as well.

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They were white and they were slaves

The Forgotten Slaves: Whites in Servitude in Early America and Industrial Britain by Michael A. Hoffman, II is a very interesting read. This is information most people are unaware of but thanks to the internet is readily available today.

"When White servitude is acknowledged as having existed in America, it is almost always termed as temporary "indentured servitude" or part of the convict trade, which, after the Revolution of 1776, centered on Australia instead of America. The "convicts" transported to America under the 1723 Waltham Act, perhaps numbered 100,000."

This link is a brief synopsis of Hoffman's book. History can no longer be denied by the descendants of those who helped create it. White slavery still exists today in many forms. Can you spell t-a-x-e-s?

The following is a video documentary on white slavery in Europe:

 

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Jon Jenkins on the Next Generation of Antiques Show Goers

Jon Jenkins on the Next Generation of Antiques Show Goers

"...insight from a man who’se been setting up since age three and operates a number of shows in Nashville, Springfield, Ohio and Farmington, Connecticut."

Since the age of three! Listen to the podcast at this site.

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