Leader Board Ad

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Massive Mid Century Estate Auction This Friday UPDATED! with Highlights!

You may have missed the auction, but not the action. I have added a few clips so you can watch the money flying back and forth and the bidders gnashing their teeth and tearing each others clothes to get the attention of the auctioneer...well, actually, it was a little more sedate then that, but the money did fly. Take a look:
 

I helped my friend Mitch from Applebrook Auctions put together this video review of just a few of the highlight items for his auction on Friday. If you want to see the whole 8 page list just watch the video on my YouTube channel and you'll see the link in the video description.


Saturday, June 22, 2013

Gossip is a Topic for Another Time

Cleveland Town Topics

Take a look at this portrait, signed by Goodnow there is no year and only the words “Cleveland Topics.”  I like local history and old paper but I felt this was too random and couldn’t see bringing it home. When I asked how much, I was shocked to hear her say “No charge.” I may have been the only one after the line of early birds to show any interest in its heritage and was bribed to take it and research it. The bribe, or generosity as I prefer to think of it, was accepted.



I was pleased to see attached to the back was a folded piece of letterhead and the portrait subject’s business card. Using these, I did the best search I could. Cleveland Town Topics began publishing in 1887 and was “a review of Society, Art, and Literature.” It catered to the upper crust of society reporting gossip, events, other goings-on and lasted until the very early 1930’s when the depression caused it to merge with a similar publication The Bystander. This move couldn’t save either publication and both seem to be gone by 1934.

There is nothing I can find on Harry C. Eggleston, only a little on the back of a photograph of the editor Frank Foxcroft (above), and nothing on the artist, Goodnow. If reader would like to tackle this mystery, I invite you to leave what you find in the comments. I know there’s always more to the story.


During WWII the Kelloggs Company was trying to take on the evil axis powers by publishing cartoons along with their recipe newsletters. Take a look at a few of them here.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

We're Gonna "Snap" "Crackle" and "Pop" Hitler's Butt!

Promotional Cookbooks and regular newsletters for those that signed up were extremely popular in the first half of the 21th century. Who doesn't like to get mail, right? Food companies were thrilled to send their recipe suggestions for anyone that wanted to cook with their product, When I go looking for old paper I have found lots of these items. I always prefer the ones that make a specific link to a period in history. These post-able tear-off cartoons are clearly WWII advertising propaganda that cam along in a newsletter full of recipes and tips from Kellogg's own fictitious spokesperson Barbara B. Brooks. 
You can read more about Barbara in a post on this blog here. Now on to the toons:



There are many more of these, because this was a monthly newsletter. These are the only samples I can find. If you know anymore about these, please leave something in the comments or reach out to me by email.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Hypnotised by the best- SEXTUS!

I am often bound by books (instead of the other way around) because of the title, subject matter, age, images, author's name. In the case of this book, its all of them. Here's the cover:

 Though the cover is a little worn the book is in pretty good shape for 1893. I couldn't get enough of the symbol in the front, it was almost as if I had to buy this book.
The author is Carl Sextus and being the pun-ster and wordsmith I claim to be, this name needs to be published with all it's implied impropriety. Here is the man himself:
I am not one who believes in the restorative and manipulative power of hypnotism as Mr. Sextus promotes. This book is large and full of all the angles of Hypnosis, including how to hypnotize animals. Much of the book really seems to be said in defense of Hypnotism as if the author knows it isn't real but is convincing readers by using example after example, through personal testimonial of how he was able to accomplish his results. 
 Many of the plates feature Sextus at work:


Carl seems to be ready to do his Sextus thing on the ladies, or anyone who will watch. There is a disclaimer in the book that frowns upon using this talent to take advantage of the weak and unwilling...the willing, however, should steer clear of Carl.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Your 1904 Lunch Menu - Ox Tongue!

This post is by no means a strike against food companies from 100 years ago, because what is available to us today would shock or kill most late 19th century citizens. Canned meat processing was based on the diet of the times and it is likely that very little of the animal was wasted. Today is no different, but at least 100 years ago they labeled and canned and called it what it was...or at least Libby's did.


 

I've bitten my tongue enough times to know I wouldn't like the taste of any tongues no matter how much spices and salt have been added.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Guess the Gadget - Steam punk C-Clamp? Or, ...you decide

I was at a good estate sale yesterday, which may not have seemed like a dig, once I got to the basement, my quest was satisfied. There I found a 10' workbench that was clearly the site of many advanced project from the 60 or 70 years.  Although meticulously kept I was still able to find a few treasures. I wish I could remind myself "Self! Take pictures!" I get so wrapped up in talking and searching that I forget to look through the eyes of visitors to this blog.  Here is one piece I picked up, just because of the way it was designed.  
steampunk C-Clamp

The person manning the basement and trying to clean up and sell heavier items had no idea either, though we could both guess. Here are more images, which should help you guess.

If you can provide some background on this, send me a note or leave it in the comments. Me and the rest of the interwebs will be most appreciative. I am already appreciative for Ed who tried to help me with this one, and as I left the basement, he followed and called ahead to his wife, "No Charge!" It turns out these folk I met there in Redding CT, where neighbors back in Brookfield. So glad I can still say "Small world..."