He was Fonda View-Master

If you grew up in the 70's, odds are you saw Henry Fonda's endorsement of The GAF View-Master viewer and disks (photo courtesy of www.viewmaster.co.uk). If you remember this, then you may also remember some comedian of that era doing a Henry Fonda impression and really exaggerating his pronunciation of GAF as, "GGGAAAAFFF". For those of you who grew up during the 80's or later, well, your time line for the progress of picture viewers goes something like this: Cave drawings>View-Master>Image viewer on an I-pod, or mp3 player. So, somewhere in the middle ages a company, possibly Sawyer, invented a hand-held slide viewer that could hold 7 images with a caption on a single disk. Oh, there were other viewers, but mainly the kind that you find for inspecting a single 35mm slide. The View-Master was really an updated version of the stereoscope.

I often see these disks and viewers at tag sales and get a little nostalgic for the one I had as a kid. In the 60's & 70's the company (or whom ever owned the rights to it) reinvented this toy by creating disks that featured scenes from Disney movies and television programs. In many cases these scenes were elaborately recreated by modelers with full back drops that allow the View Master photographers the ability to create the 3d effect with great depth of field. I remember the Flintstones disk I had and how they had captured the "barney-copter's" flight and froze it in mid air. This was impressive to a 10 year old. So, I look at these disks from time to time, just to see what's on them. I am not sure at which sale this one disk caught my attention:

Hmmm, rural Connecticut. This really tickled the urban archeologist in me. Local history courtesy of View-Master promoting the images as "7 more wonders of the world". What in Connecticut could possibly have stood out to the photo editors as comparable to the great pyramid of Giza?

Whoa! 3 locations in Western Connecticut! Kent Falls, Lover's Leap, and Candlewood Lake . With a copyright date of 1950 this means there may be an opportunity to compare the images on the disk side by side with the 3 locations now 59 years later. The challenge (or fun) will be trying to figure out where the photographer was standing when he/she took the pictures and how to get these to a size and resolution where visitors can appreciate them. Here is my best shot of the Candlewood Lake one (note the yellow flowers in the foreground):

Any guesses? Ugh! Me neither. Maybe from Mist Hill in New Milford as you look at the behemoth peninsula that becomes Indian Point? However, without subtracting 59 years of growth and development I may have to stand in someone's basement to find the right spot. I took the same close up of this disk section and flipped it because it has as good a shot of Lovers Leap (clicking on it will make it easier to see):
What I find fascinating in this shot is the huge land mass that occupies the middle of this northerly section of lake Lillinonah (which the Housatonic feeds in to). Look at this image which was loaned to me for this post by RichardRizzo from his blog: Minds Eye.
Though taken in 1979 you can see that the land mass or island shown in the slide is gone. Where did it go? Erosion from the various draw downs over the years as this man made lake was managed over the years? That's my guess. Anyone who has visited the "leap" will tell you, if you happen to be out some day looking for something to do, check this park out. The restoration, which was completed in 2007 has created a nice parking area, preserved an old iron bridge and created marked trails to explore. You may just see me there, I'll be the one who keeps looking through the View-Master, then peering out, then looking through the View-Master until I'm sure I am standing in the right spot. Or, I may just be looking for the "barney-copter".

You can't judge a book by its cover

Before you donate that old dictionary to Goodwill you might want to flip through the pages. It is amazing what has been tucked in the pages of books. It can be a good way to flatten out an old silver certificate, but don't let it slip your mind. Case in point:This patch looks as though it just came from the (where do patches come from?) patch factory? patchery? the loom? It looks as good as it does because it has been sitting squashed between the pages of a book for the past (take a deep breath) 40 years. How do I know this? Take a look what came with it:

I marked this as a"part 2" from the previous post because I thought the relationship between the mug and this invitation was funny, Tricky Dick funny. This is one cool item. Apollo 11 was the big one. Neil Armstrong's first step on the moon and his most important quote of the century, which he apparently flubbed by leaving out the "a" in "That's one small step for [a] man..."  Nothing against Neil. There's a long standing argument for and against whether it was a flub or not. 

In the grand scheme of things, it makes little difference what he said and far more significance for what he did.  Anyway, back to this find. Here are all three pieces:

The addition of the envelope makes this complete. If you click on the image you may be able to see the cancellation better. There is a story here: I suppose even an invitation from the President with an official Apollo 11 patch inside may not have been enough to impress the guy who was head of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. He probably looked at the patch and said "Pftttt! Big Deal! I have the Spirit of St Louis hanging from my ceiling!" 

 Check your books!

Dumpsters Are a Grime of Opportunity

I vow not to align myself with any political party or faction and subject my readers to the blathering of liberal or conservative claptrap. That is my campaign promise to you.
So, what's with all the republican talk, you're wondering?

When I am on the hunt, I don't actually plan to dumpster dive, if there is a dumpster on site it indicates that the sale may be a true clear-out. I will be able to look anywhere in the house, if the home is 50 years or older then I may be able to find something that hasn't seen the light of day in a long time. 

There's no shame in DD because personal experience has taught me that things get put in dumpsters that definitely should not. Now, there are those who are not afraid to hang around the Office Max dumpster looking for treasure, but that's not for me.

It was on top of a full dumpster that I found this mug, so there was no diving involved, but had this  item been deeper, yes, I would have dived. It was in pieces when I found it: Broken handle, and the cup in 2 or 3 sections. Still, it caught my eye. Finding all the parts, I carefully lifted it out and placed it on the floor of my car where it wouldn't degrade further. A little glass cleaner and some epoxy later, it now holds all the pens on my desk.

This piece of Republican memorabilia took a beating and was still able to be put back together. Hmmm.... maybe some where far off there is hope for the two-party system

Book Review: Strategy for Survival...Glowing! Radiant! A Story brighter than a thousand suns!

 I am not a pack rat, I can find value in almost anything, but I am fairly selective. When I buy something it has to have more than just a single value, it has to be deeper. I also don't want to raise the ire of my wife, who's job it is to keep my head out of the clouds and my feet on the ground. When I saw these at a Bridgewater, CT tag sale I knew I had to have them.

The symbol on the book is not one warning of radiation, but of civil defense. I am sure I saw this book and the color alone caused me to read the label. It's a color best described as "Cold-War Yellow" true caution. Written in 1963 it is a compendium of facts and information about what could be in store for 303 target cities in the US should a thermonuclear war occur and how a strong civil defense plan is the only solution.Worried about whether you should emerge from the fallout shelter you've built to spec in the backyard?

Just ask the Bendix Corporation. Don't guess! Know for sure with this:

The condition of the kit is unfortunate. It had been sitting in a dampened basement for years, but no so dampened that the contents were rusting or smelly. Just the box is stained and has lost its shape and can't be restored to display quality. But I knew when I saw it that I had to have it. I love the cover and its manufacturer's decision to lead with the word "Family" for the title. Maybe there was a version for pets, or neighbors, or maybe this was counter to the competitor's product which might have been "Personal Radiation Measurement Kit". I guess "family" indicates that during the threat of nuclear attack you won't take the panic level to the "Every Man For Himself!!" stage and you fully plan to let the whole clan into the bunker.

The basic operation of this kit allows you to carry 2 meters that will tell you : 1) if radiation is present, and 2) what level of radiation you have received. The charger allows the testers to be reset. It all works (as best as I can tell) and the addition of the Grant's Department store battery is a nice period touch. I picked this up because I can never pass up scientific equipment and I like to ponder the anachronism that these items represent. Would this sell today at Target? What were these folks thinking? What was it like to have to buy something like this from Woolworth's right next to the picnic baskets and barbecue grills?

We seem to have a history of fear mongering. Today, it's economic collapse, yesterday it was nuclear annihilation - I should have invested in fear years ago, it's a stock that keeps paying high dividends.

Don't take any wooden nickels..Nooo...Take the big metal one!!

At a time when the sales had all but run dry, my partner and I (5 years old, all hands no restraint) took a chance on an estate sale in Danbury. There was an air of morbidity surrounding this one; the home was adjacent to to a funeral parlor on White Street. If you've read this far, well, you know we parked the car and walked in. The sale was within four rooms on the main floor of a very old house. I was waiting for my daughter to comment on the thick and musty aroma, but she is very capable of restraint. There was nothing that immediately leaped out at me (fortunately) until we reached a small room off the kitchen. Guarded by a portly gentleman who said nothing, but nodding acknowledgement of our presence. In a cardboard box were 6 or 7 decks of cards, which deserved a quick look but normally don't interest me. They were old and common but one pack of cards was different:

Although in questionable condition and possibly not complete (something to be aware of when purchasing games, toys, or puzzles) I recognized something that was clearly a game and with a bit of political commentary included. I removed one of the cards to see what they looked like:

1919! This was cool! The whole box of cards had been marked at $5 but in this economy even that much can be considered an unnecessary expense. So, we walked around the four rooms, making sure we'd seen it all, and finally paid $1 for the deck and walked out. Upon closer inspection of the box I was delighted to find this:

Although delicate, a full set of directions was really unexpected for a piece that was 90 years old.

This should be the end of the story, but wait! There's more.

On the porch were a couple of boxes, which displayed the word "Free!" for the taking. Each one looked scarier that the next but a few pocket book novels, WWII editions, caught my eye (dog eared by dog faces, I thought.) I continued to dig and came up with the coin. I still don't know what it is made of, but the dings and dents indicate a soft metal.

The card game/puzzle turned out to be complete. I haven't found the "Puzzl" man who created it anywhere in my research, but that was not the point. You can't take anything for granted no matter what the sale looks like. You never know what you might miss.

Ancestors for sale!

Maybe you've seen this sign in an antique shop or at a flea market: "Buy some new ancestors". This is followed by a great many portrait photos from the late 19th early 20th centuries. These photos all capture a moment in time when a still image of yourself or a loved one was a "must have."  I find them interesting but without some explanation: the where, when, why, and who, it is really just frustrating guesswork or research. Take the two relatively small images that were in the envelope that has now generated 3 blog posts:


Meet Cornelius and Elizabeth Van Winkle Post. They look successful and established but I can't find anything more about them. If I pick up pictures like these it is usually with the hope that they might be somebody famous. With names like that you would hope that they might be well known or accomplished at something. As far as I can tell neither made their mark on society. But there is more information, look at the back of one of the cards:

There were four photos and on the back of each was the same information for the photographer and each one had a tax stamp. One clearly showing the date of 1865. On each someone had cleverly written the name of the person pictured, typically, you find nothing but the photographer's name and address.  I hope that someone will see them and say,"Hey! There's your great,great Uncle Cornelius." If that turns out to be you, just let me know what happened to this couple.

The Envelope...please

This is part 2 of a post I started last time regarding an envelope from 1889 which contained several different types of memorabilia. Here is a cool stamp that I reprinted from yesterdays post: I can't decide if I like it more for its depiction of Pocahontas (Is it true that Mel Gibson wouldn't come out of his trailer during the voice over work on Disney's version until they re-designed Miss P into something he could find attractive?) or for the ability of my Sony Mavica to shoot macro with such detail. Click to see the larger image.

You may notice that the stamp is clearly stuck to something. That is what is left of a shredded fractional note. There were 2 in this envelope and fortunately the other one looked like this: A little folded but not bad. I have determined that this front/back represent the first issue of paper coins.




This next piece I need help with: This is connected somehow with either the envelope or Paterson, N.J. I can't find any address records to verify where this piece originates from. It feels and looks like parchment and the fact that it refers to shillings yet has a New York address makes me wonder if it isn't really old. Looks like there's going to be a Part 3 to this post. Big things really do come in small packages. Here is another tease for part 3:

44 cents to mail a letter! It used to be 2 cents!

Having only a couple of flea markets to chose from in this area (one year round, and one seasonal) pickings can get mighty slim for an Urban Archeologist, especially when there are no estate sales or major digs to be found. Fleas are great, but a last resort, because in effect the things there have already been found. You have to look a little harder and the messier the booth the better.

 Only very few of the dealers are the ones who perform the whole-house, whole-attic, or whole-garage kind of services during the week so they can stock their regular booth locations on the weekend.

So, during the 10 or so Sundays I visit the flea, do I ever come across something really good. But, I guess that's what this obsession is all about. How many sweeps of the Atlantic did Ballard make before he found the Titanic?

This envelope contained more than I can put in one post, but after so many sweeps of so many dealers it was nice to dig through the bottom of a box and pull out this letter. I didn't look through it, I knew it was old and by the thickness I knew there was a variety of items within. I just handed it to the dealer and in my best poker face I asked, "How much?" His response after taking a peek, "Ehh, 2 bucks." Sold! The receipt alone to me was great.

My next post will reveal more treasure from this old envelope.

Tip #1 - Look for what's NOT for sale

If you hit as many sales as I do you are probably confronted with all types of folks running them. Usually it's the owners of the estate sale service. There is a trick to getting a good deal on your purchases.  First, understand that whom ever is running the sale they have likely been working all week to organize, price and display the stock. They have been there since before dawn and maybe even slept there to be ready for the crowds.

Build a rapport! Say, "hello" and make eye contact, comment on the sale or the house, ask questions, but expect you may find them too busy to talk for long. If they remember you at check out they may haggle based on your general attitude while in their "store." Treat them as you would like to be treated.

I like it when they ask me what I'm looking for - even if i am not sure. Conversation builds trust, trust build relationships.

The trick I use in hunting is to not looking for anything in particular, because you don't want to limit your focus or attention to a single thing. I am trying to look with such objectivity that I won't miss that which is disguised by it's surroundings.

In the purest sense I am not looking for what is for sale I am trying to look at everything, in the hopes that, should I see something I want, it will be for sale. Sometimes there's so much clutter, if there's a gem in there my brain can't sort through it all with out missing something. I often need to make numerous passes in order to see it all. I also need to look in less than obvious places.

The little can opener you see in the picture was this kind of find. It wasn't laid out on a table with a price tag tied to a string through the hole. No, this was found on an old piece of property inside a barn. You've seen these sales. they open up the house, barns, and sheds and let the hunters and diggers "have at it!" I scoured through this barn looking in every nook and cranny and sure enough hanging from a nail was this inauspicious can opener. When I read the one side I knew I had hit pay dirt:
Stanley Steamer?! That put this piece around 1917.

If you have read this blog before you know I save something for dramatic purposes. Upon turning the opener over I got a better surprise. Look at that phone number: Ask the operator for 137 and ring it 4 times.
Finding a piece of local history or memorabilia is a true high. The Arcade Machine Works had been located in what is, or was, "The Maxx". A New Milford Youth Agency building refurbished to provide kids with their own location to hang on Railroad Street. It had been several businesses between the machine works and the Maxx but to me it was like looking into a time machine. Moral: When they ask, "What are you looking for?" just tell them, "I'll know it when I find it." The cost of a slice of New Milford history? 50 cents.

There's no money, like old money, like no money I know

Everything about it is appealing. I have found some cool old paper over the years, but Currency or "official" documents are by far the most interesting. I wonder, "Who used this money?" "How many hands did this pass through?" and "How did it end up here?"
These bills were found at an estate sale in December 2008. How did I find them, when most estate sales have been descended upon by more hardy diggers than I? Well, to find that out you will have to sign on as a "follower" of this blog.

Are they authentic? I am not sure, but I have found the reproduction currency sets that sell at museums. Those could fool anybody, but the difference is the quality of the paper and the ink. The suspicious aspect with these are the randomness of the samples. It was as though they were one of these repro "sets". The only thing that I can find in my research to confirm their authenticity is the color of the ink used to sign the notes:brown. Had they been signed in black they would have been fake. They are all very thin and worn especially the Mechanics S&L note. More questions need to be answered. Look at the reverse side of this same note:What do the "TWO" and "Three" indicate? They seem to be partial light prints of other notes running perpendicular to the original. There is definitely more to learn.

The final note in this group is something I have found before Fractional Currency paper coins. My best explanation is that these were issue by the Post Office in the post Civil War era in a time when precious metals for coins were scarce. These could be found in small denominations.

Wasn't Franklin Against the Stamp Act?

I'm not a philatelist, I've never even been to Pennsylvania, but I can't resist an old stamp when I see one. The image is a little dark because I'm still perfecting the art of macro-photography. I am into old paper and I don't care what it looks like or where it is, but if it has a date on it, I'm all over it. This was actually a pair of stamps that were affixed and canceled in 1908 on a unique envelope that was as translucent as onion skin.Most of the old envelopes I normally see have had the stamp unceremoniously torn from it. To me, the two are more interesting as a set and add provenance to a likely worthless stamp. Sorry Ben even at 100 years you are only worth a few pennies more than your face value. Then again, I am not ready to sell.

The trouble with being Ernest....for openers.

I picked this up many years ago at the Elephant's trunk in New Milford, CT. At first, I couldn't really remember why. I don't collect letter openers. Sometimes I will pick an item up because it might make a good joke gift, but I don't usually buy things this random.


Then I turned it over and I remembered why I couldn't resist.

Ernest Burbank could have done anything with his life, but during one period he was a door-to-door salesman for the Fuller Brush company. Is this even a real name? If I were an author looking for a character to build a story around, after picking this up, I would be inspired to create a world around how this letter opener came to be.

Little did Ernest's parents know, that when they named him, they may have sentenced him to a life of door to door sales. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but, what a name!

Got a Match? .... Don't answer that!

I don't want to spend too much time reflecting on the contents of someone's basement, but if you have one, or your parents had one, well, maybe you'll understand.

I was always fascinated by the odd things my parents kept down there. What was it all, and where did it come from?

This intrigued me growing up, and I often snooped through my parents basement storage trying to uncover the past. I liked the treasure hunt and the detective work. What would I find?

A friend, though possibly better described as an "enabler", permitted me to venture through the basement of a home he and his wife were clearing out as a favor to a family. The owners had either passed away, or been moved to a hospice and had left behind a lifetime of "stuff". The family had taken everything of value to them, and my friends offered to toss and tidy the rest in preparation for a sale.

I came with my partner; my 5-year old daughter. She has been my companion on many a "dig" and though sometimes easily bored and distracted, she usually is the one to come away with a pile of treasure.

This time we both scored. Her pile consisted of a few utensils and decorations for her play kitchen, and me, an old wooden tool box filled with odds and ends. One of the items was a match box cover/protector advertising a Bridgeport business; the age is unknown.

The matchbox was still tucked inside it, though I didn't think to remove it from the cover until a few weeks later. It was a find within a find. The box is made of wood, very delicate but the overall condition was very good and still workable, though no matches. I am still researching the age of this as well.