Author: Deanna

Deanna is the founder of Inherited Values, among other sites. She is also an antique dealer.

Vintage Camera Shops

I was so thrilled when I spotted these vintage photos because it reminded me of this recent tweet by TheLarmy:

All I have in the fridge is baking soda, camera film and boysenberry yogurt. Anyone got any recipes?

I then knew it was the writing staff behind Cougar Town who wrote the tweet — because Laurie Keller certainly isn’t old enough to have kept film in her refrigerator (it’s been years since this was something recommended to consumers).

For those of us who remember film photography, you’ll enjoy seeing these vintage photos of shops long out of the picture.

First, this photograph of this drive-up film developing stand called the Shutter Shak. (Or perhaps it’s the Shutter Shack? It’s hard to tell from the angle.) This stand-alone building has the shape of a camera, complete with dials and flashbulb on top, and rivals the details of any kitschy roadside attraction! I have no idea where this shop was located; please post a comment if you know more about it.

This next photo is of a camera and supply shop called The Darkroom, with it’s storefront window looking like a camera lens. According to Fine Arts LA:

The Darkroom (5364 Wilshire Blvd.) was once the photographic supply store of choice with a 9-foot tall camera storefront. Built in the early ’30s, it is now the home of El Toro Cantina.

Digital cameras have nearly Photoshopped these places from our main streets — but they live on on photographs.

PS I found these photos via Old Chum when I found these classic roadside attraction food stand photos. Old Chum says they are from California Crazy: Roadside Vervancular Architecture, compiled by Jim Heimann and Rip Georges; more pics here at his other blog.

When Roadside Food Stands Went To The Dogs

So you and your family are driving down the road, on your way to some vacation destination spot, and suddenly a giant dog appears — I mean a huge building designed to look like a dog. A classic roadside attraction offering ice cream, coffee, sandwiches, and, of course, hot dogs. It didn’t matter if you were hungry or not, you’d just have to stop!

Photos via Old Chum (presumably Walter Manning of the Old Faithful Shop). If anyone knows more about these kitschy classic roadside wonders of yesteryear, please leave a comment and let us know!

The Value In Collecting & Reading Antique & Vintage Publications

It’s funny how your perspective changes…

I first wrote/posted about this November 1953 issue of Silhouette Magazine in July of 2008 — but when preparing to list it for sale on eBay, I found myself thumbing through the vintage publication with completely different eyes. For you see, when I first posted those images and silly thoughts, it would be another four months before Things Your Grandmother Knew would be born. Now I’m spotting tips on cleaning corduroy in a very different light!

Funny how perspective changes… Not just the out-of-sight-out-of-mind of putting the vintage booklet away, but the way we look at things, what we take from them, what our intentions are in terms of use — and the blinders we put on ourselves even when our intentions are “good” and purposeful. Yes, adding another blog opened my eyes to see old information in a new light. But what else might I see with another blog (oh, no, I have enough!) or in another few years, as life shifts my purpose, my interests, my needs? How does the old stuff maintain the same yet live on with new purpose?

In theory, and practice, this is the heart of recycling. But had I recycled this vintage booklet (either in the practical paper way or in an artistic one, using it for an altered art product or something), the content itself likely would have been lost.

As a collector and a reader, I’m often amazed at the power old periodicals and books have. Good fiction remains good fiction. And the non-fiction still teaches us things. Sure, some of it’s frightfully funny — or just plain frightful. Old medical and science texts, obviously spring to mind. So do the works which expose the woefully ignorant in terms of cultural issues, such as gender, race, etc.

But even when the information is hopelessly outdated or just plain hopeless, reading old works gives us great insights into how things really were at that time. And let me tell you, not a whole lot has changed. Humans still desire the same things, buy and sell with the same motivation, and whatever styles have faded to black have zoomed back into fashion too. More or less. The cultural or political pendulum swings back and forth. What’s gone around, comes around. Especially history we are doomed to repeat for having overlooked the earlier lessons.

Antique and vintage publications are too often overlooked themselves. Even by collectors. At appraisal fairs and on the television shows, experts continue to tell us “Old books, newspapers, and magazines have no value,” except in very rare cases. Perhaps that’s true in terms of the market price evaluation — but that’s merely a reflection of a lack of buyer interest. And the few who are buying old magazines and books often do so not for the written content, but for the cover art, the illustrations inside. (I personally feel they should just buy poster reprints and stop cutting up my precious bound babies!) Even those who buy firsts and other rare works seem to value the objects, but not the contents themselves.

It seems rather messed-up to me. You should buy an old book, magazine or newspaper for the same reasons you’d buy a new one: because of the story it tells, the information it provides — because you want to read it. And maybe even reread a few of them because your opinion may change over time.

If you really don’t want it, pass it along to one who does. We’re out there, really we are!

Racist Greeting Card Collecting

George sent in this vintage greeting card…

Along with the following information:

I have a stereotype birthday card from Canada.

It is approx. dated between 1916-1931 by William E. Coutts Co. Ltd.

On the front printed: HAPPY BIRFDAY
(with caricature of small dark child with bright red lips, bow in hair, in dress, holding Good Wishes cards)

GOOD WISHES AM EXACTLY WHAT I SENDS YOU ALL I’SE GOT
OF (and inside card printed, with same picture of girl in
a shy, flirting pose)

‘CAUSE LIKIN’ YOU IS SOMETHIN’ DAT I DOES A POWERFUL
LOT OF!

(Signed by Tiny)

On the back of card, COPYRIGHT WM. E. COUTTS CO.
LIMITED TORONTO, CANADA 5 B 103

Coutts came to Toronto in 1895. In 1916, he founded the William E. Coutts Company, Limited. In 1931, Mr. Coutts entered into a gentlemen’s agreement with Mr. Joyce C. Hall of “Hall Brothers Inc.” and then purchased 40% interest in the William E. Coutts Company, Limited in 1948. The Hall Brothers Company became Hallmark Cards Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri, one of the world’s largest privately held companies.

It is unusual for a black stereotype card to come from a large greeting card company from Canada besides the USA. I cannot find any other Canadian racist examples like mine.

Contact me when you can.

As I told George, most of my cards of this nature I’ve sold. (It’s not just a “make money” thing; I feel these items are better off in the collections of those persons more dedicated to preserving their own history. Yeah, and as a white person, I not only feel that guilt many white people do, but I’m uncomfortable with the idea of being found with such things in my possession — will others know I’m preserving history, or just think I’m a racist who “likes” the things? So unless the items fit into my other areas of collecting, I move them on to other collectors.)  But I have made a number of blog posts about racist items (both items I’ve owned and those I’ve found on the web); most of them can be found at my Kitsch-Slapped blog, under the category Colorful Prism Of Racism.

Yet George’s comment about the US having produced more racist or stereotypical greeting cards is intriguing… I don’t know if that’s a purely anecdotal statement base on what George has seen, or if there’s some data behind it. But it’s an interesting perspective. We Americans sure have a problem accepting our difficulty with race — then and now.

As I noted in my review of The Very Best from Hallmark: Greeting Cards Through the Years, by Ellen Stern, there was no admission of any racist Hallmark greeting cards — and very few cards featuring people of color period. So the documentation of our racist history is probably best left to collectors who are more interested in cultural history than in preserving a pristine corporate image.

Which reminds me that as Americans, we resist calling racist cards what they are, racist. Instead, we call racist depictions of African-Americans “Black Americana.” ( Do Canadians use “Black Canadiana”? I don’t know; you Canadians will have to tell me.) Is it more or less respectful to use such a term?

However, even if using such an intellectual term to white-wash the racist reality of the past seems almost as pejorative as the words and illustrations used, at least it’s some sort of (sideways) recognition. Other racist, prejudicial or stereotypical depictions of races and ethnicities are referred to as “not PC” or “not politically correct,” as if it was just a minor social faux paus that was made. (Ditto gender stereotypes.) So maybe the term “Black Americana” is better than that. I don’t know…

But in any case, help George and I out here.

Share your knowledge and observations on racist and stereotypical vintage greeting cards (and other items too). George is especially interested in Canadian cards, but I’d love to hear from collectors in all countries. What do you call this category of collecting?  Did America produce the most of these items?

Share your thoughts in the comments. Give us links to your posts on this area of collecting. Send me your images and comments via email (Deanna.Pop.Tart@gmail.com). Do all of the above!

Vintage Ad For A Motel I Can’t Bear To Stay At

I love bears. A lot. So I sure would have been lured into staying at this motel promoted by an ad featuring dancing bears — especially when the ad says, “You’ll feel like doing a dance too when you Visit Your Smokies!”

But, unfortunately, this vintage advertisement was for the Bearskin Motel. Which doesn’t bode well for bears. And if I dance too, am I also performing some sort of death dance?

That’s too frightening. Too much for recommendations from Triple A and even Duncan Hines to overcome.

I’m not certain this Bearskin Motel, of Gatlinburg, is affiliated with the Bearskin Lodge in Gatlinburg. Even though it looks likely to the same same family ownership, they probably shouldn’t be condemned for the promotional sins of their fathers. But I’m not sure I can move past it… If I find myself visiting The Smokies, I don’t think I’ll be staying there. Oh, the nightmares of the poor bears!

Vintage ad found in the May 1963 issue of This Week In The Land of the Smokies and The Southern Highlands. (Yup, it’s titled “this week” but for the month.)

Vintage Central States Football League (CSFL) Yearbook

As promised in the 1972 Central States Football League (CSFL) Yearbook post, scans from the pro-football league’s 1974 yearbook.

This one is also from the Wisconsin team the West Allis Spartans.

(Again, if you wish to post/share these images, please credit this site with a link to this post, thanks!)

Opening message from Al Nau, President, wiht game action photo of guards Mike Chowaniec and Bob Daley pulling in front of running back Randy Letsch to start the sweep.

Robert Daley and James Glembin

Errol Barnett and George Grbich

Ted Dyrnda and Rick Kujawa.

Tom McKinney (who’s photo looks more like a silhouette — a shame when he’s called “among the best in CSFL history”) and Paul Lathrop.

Gary Zauner and John Hammer.

Mike Garecki and Dick Bilda.

Jim Tharpe (played with Cleveland Browns in 1070) and Doug Erlancher.

Jeff Jonas and Larry Wakefield.

Willie Carter and Brian Wilson.

Central States Football League Statistics, 1973. The pro-football league divisions as follows:

Northern Division:
Madison Mustangs (Divisional Champs)
Manitowoc Co. Chiefs
Wes Allis Spartans
Sheboygan Co. Redwings

Southern Division:
Lake Co. Rifles (Divisional Champs)
Rockford Rams
Racine Raiders
Delavan Red Devils

Coaches & Staff: Jerry Zunk, Head Coach; Mike Heckel, Assistant Coach; Kurt Abraham, Assistant Coach; John Seyboldt, Assistant Coach; Grayle Bolkman, Head Trainer; Ed Kozak, Head Equipment Manager.

A full-page ad for Lincoln Contractors Supply, Inc., which proclaims their heavy support of the CSFL team (home of the Spartan offices, help finding recruited players jobs, etc. “[W]e do everything else we can to make the Spartans a ‘Success’ — all without cost to the club.”)

Game schedule with ads, including photo of Bob Dohnal, a pharmacist at Larry’s Rexall Drugs.

Spartan Boosters with photo of the Spartan cheerleaders, the Spartanettes.

Spartans football action shot.

The Spartanettes.

West Allis Spartans, Inc. officers, board of directors, stockholders.

Back cover “Go Spartans!’ ad from Post Publications (West Allis Star).

Vintage Flocked Hallmark Easter Card

This vintage Easter greeting card features a blond toddler in a flocked bunny suit, exploring his Easter basket full of dyed eggs — the one in his hand has hatched and he’s surprised to meet the chick inside!

On the back, the Hallmark stamp (10E630-5), copyright MCMXIIX (1920) Hall Brothers, Inc.

Unique Way To Display Your Button Or Pinback Collection

I spotted this clever display idea at a local antique mall: the dealer has put a selection of collectible pinbacks in a birdbath.

At home, of course, this might present a dusting problem (always the bane of collectors!), but if you used a sturdy cement birdbath, you could place a large round piece of glass or Plexiglass over the top. Like the kind used to make those round boudoir tables.

The clear covers would keep dust, pet hair and other contaminants out (and, if UV protective, damaging sunlight too) while still allowing the collection of vintage lithos, celluloid, and metal pinbacks to be on display. This would work well for housing and displaying vintage and antique buttons and other small bits and bobs too.

Imagine it as an end table, next to your sofa or chair, with a little vintage lamp on top, lighting the contents, inviting guests to look inside. A very charming conversation piece!

Vintage Central States Football League Yearbook: 1972 West Allis Spartans

Until I found these two pro-football yearbooks, I’d never heard of the Central States Football League or CSFL — and I come from real football country; Wisconsin, home of the Green Bay Packers!

I still don’t know much about the league… Seems to have started around 1961 and ended about 1975.  If you have any information, please share it in the comments.

Below are a bunch of scans from the 1972 yearbook or program for the West Allis, Wisconsin, team the Spartans. (Because there are so many scans, I’ll be sharing the other vintage football yearbook in a separate post.)  I’ve concentrated on the player photos and bios, team and league stats, coaches and staff, etc., but I couldn’t resist tossing in a few of the local ads too. If you’d like to post or share these scans, please credit them with a link to this post — thank you!

1972 Pro-Football Yearbook for the West Allis Spartans

The Central States Football League In Brief, by Jordan Kopac, General Manager

Dan Celoni and Tony Catarozoli

Tom McKinney and Robert Daley

Jim Traskell and Marvin Waters

Vaughn Chattman and Greg Lehman

Ted Dyrnda and Rick Kujawa

Randy Letsch and Mike Heckel

Errol Barnett and Benjamin De Leon

Bob Lowery and Richard Joy

Al Charnish, Greg Braun, Gary Zauner and Michael Dressler

John Hammer, Willie Dixon, Paul Lathrop and Ron Bruce

John Lisinski, Fran Charland, Michael Chowaniec and Mike Gallo

Pete Bock and Ed Carufel

Jim Glembin, Gary Bosack, George Grbich and Terry Fredenberg

Rick Palmtag and Chris Spolum

1972 Spartan team “rooster,” err, roster.

1972 West Allis Spartan team photo.

1972 Central States Football League Schedule

Coaches and Staff: Harry Gilbert, Head Coach; Ed Bolch, Backs & Receivers; Al Tratalli, Line Coach; Joe Bukant, Consulting Coach; Jordan Kopac, Defensive Coach & General Manager; Grayle Balkman, Head Trainer, with assistant Ralph Morbeck; Ed Kozak, Assistant Equipment Manager; Frank Kopac, Equipment Manager; Clifford Street, Water Boy; George Gjuran, Ball Boy.

“1972 A Whole New Ball Game” Allis-Chalmers Ad

Fair Finance Corp. ad (with photos of Don J. Ripp and Sally E. McNamara) and photo of the Spartanettes cheerleaders.

Photo of team mascot on horseback: “The West Allis Spartan Pauses To Watch The Action.”

CSFL League Stats

Candid photo of All-pro Tom McKinney and Rich Kujawa with equipment.

Photo of the official play by play anchorman for the Spartans, Hal Walker of WISN.

Game-action photo with caption: “Spartans Fans will never forget the great running ability of Ron Ternouth, retired this year because of injuries.”

Full -page ad for Ira Fistell and Ted Moore of WEMP radio.

Reminder ad for season tickets and the big Madison game at Marquette Stadium.

Again, if you wish to post or share these images, please credit by linking to this post.

A Word From The Spartans’ Chairman Of The Board, Milton Mendelsohn, and a list of the members of West Allis Spartans, Inc.

Vintage Standard Doll Co. Catalog Pages

I don’t only dig through stacks of old magazines and papers; I go through them, page by page. How else would I find this page listing Virginia Lakin publications? (More scans from that booklet here.)

Found inside this 1977 Standard Doll Co. catalog, along with this page of Kate Greenaway postcards, miniature patterns, dollhouse items, etc..

Vintage catalogs are great ways to help date and identify what you have — and identify other items you need for your collection. *wink*

Cute Vintage Little Girls Gloves Inspires Idea

An adorable pair of 1960s little girls gloves with cross-stitched floral details:

When I saw them, I immediately thought this would be a great thing to do to jazz up a pair of cheap gloves (or mittens). And then I thought, “Wouldn’t that be one way to salvage those lonely single mittens and gloves left in the closet…” You could take one black glove, add some needlework in red and white thread; then use black and white to stitch the same designs on a solo red glove — and you’d have a quirky pair!

Image credits: Photo of blue child’s gloves from ValeriesVisions.

What I Dig Through

What I Dig Through

As an antiques dealer, or picker, I spend my days digging through great volumes of stuff trying to find the things collectors want.

 

On any given day, I might be at an auction, sorting and sifting through the items and boxed lots and waiting for specific items to go up for bidding. I might be driving around, going from rummage sale to garage sale to yard sale, looking over all the used clothing and household items for the vintage collectibles and antiques. I might spend hours at a single thrift shop, sorting through, piece by piece, thousands of old crafting booklets (see photo). I might be waiting in the snow for my chance to enter an estate sale. I might be waiting in the rain (or, if I’m lucky, in my car waiting out the rain) at a flea market. I might be on the way home from the grocery store and find myself stopping for an impromptu dumpster dive or negotiation with a guy just cleaning out his garage.

Such glamorous work, right? *giggle*

Most collectors appreciate these efforts and understand that’s why prices are what they are; I am paid, in part, for my efforts in finding the collectible needle in the proverbial hay stack. Collectors know how much work this is because they’ve done it themselves. Collectors pay not only because I was the finder of the keepers, but because they may not have the time to search as many places, for as many hours, as I do.

But…

Have you ever noticed the number of people who complain about prices dealers ask for?

Not just comments made in antique malls and flea markets, but the accusations made in comments left at blog posts and forums about collecting television shows?

People seem so outraged that pickers, auction buyers, dealers, pawn show owners, et al want to buy low in order to turn a profit. As if they would sit on a floor at a thrift shop, sorting through every single craft booklet, for several hours — on the chance they’ll find anything interesting. And, should they find something deemed worthy, take the gamble on the investment hoping for a return if and when another person finds it worthy of their own collection.

If these people who complain about the unfairness of pricing had ever put in such time and effort, well, they wouldn’t complain!

(And, of course, dealers also have overhead or costs of doing business. Whether it’s a physical shop or selling online, there are costs beyond the initial cost of the item.)

I know most of you reading here are collectors — and many of you are pickers and dealers too. So you get all this. But sometimes a girl just has to defend the realities of collecting, to vent a bit. Even if it is like preaching to the choir. *wink*

(Feel free to vent yourself by leaving a comment!)

Schiaparelli Glasses Are The Cat’s Meow

Designer Elsa Schiaparelli made many fabulous things, but this pair of gold cat eye glasses with rhinestones and silver flower design are incredible.

This pair, available from Vintage50sEyewear, are in excellent, unused, vintage condition because they are New Old Stock (NOS), complete with Farondole sticker.

Vintage Glass Chef S&Ps

There are a lot of vintage shaker sets with chef designs, but I’ve never seen these clear glass ones with the chef’s face printed on them in black.

Cute little salt and peppers — I wonder if they might even have been from a restaurant?

As they were for sale in an antique shop (and I wasn’t going to buy them), I didn’t handle them; but I’m pretty sure the tops were plastic.

If you know anything about these charmers, please let us know by leaving a comment.

Making A Tidbit Or Serving Tray Right Round Again

Two things that are always plentiful at thrift shoppes…

Partial tidbit trays or plate holders / servers…

And unwanted vinyl records. (And by “unwanted” I mean they are either badly scratched or recordings so common, they are only destined for recycling or worse.)

So why not put them together and make a retro-styled display piece?

I wouldn’t use them for serving food. And unless you firmly attach the records to the frame, there’s the danger of the records, and whatever light objects are placed upon them, sliding off. As I just played at the thrift store (yes, they looked at me oddly) I haven’t experimented with how to attach the pieces… But a glue gun would likely do the trick!

At the very least, this piece can one again hold stacked plates and other items at the buffet table — allowing your guests to talk about how clever and resourceful you are.

Vintage Birthday Greetings From Goldilocks & The Three Bears

This vintage greeting card has birthday wishes from Goldilocks and Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear, aka The Three Bears.

Along with the cute illustrations (there are even three bowls of porridge on the back!), this card opens to reveal a four-page storybook!

The story is, naturally, of Goldilocks And The Three Bears.

The back of the card only bears the stock number (565) and Made in U.S.A., but the back of the little story-booklet (also marked 565 and made in the U.S.A., so it’s surely its original mate) says the copyright belongs to A.G.C.C., 1949.

A.G.C.C. made several versions of these greeting cards for children with nursery rhyme story inserts — a great way to begin collecting vintage greeting cards!

Now in our Etsy shop.

Vintage Valentine’s Day Greeting Cards

I’ve posted a lot of other cute, kitschy and even racist vintage Valentine’s Day cards at my other blogs, but it wouldn’t be fair not to show off some of my own vintage greeting cards for this holiday from my collection here, would it? *wink*

The first is an Ameri-Card (# X-6545/8 D) that asks, “‘Hula’ ya luv?”

Second, this vintage die cut, red flocked pony Valentine’s Day greeting card. (Opens up for the poem & signature; marked Whit. O-372A U.S.A)

Last, but not least, a vintage Valentine’s Day card from EFCO (5-9453, Litho in U.S.A.) with “just an old-fashioned girl getting into shape to send you this…”

“Old fashioned Valentine!”

Which is where you see that the pink Xs shown in the hourglass die cut opening that looked like a corset was actually the trim on a less risque card — from an older lady. (I suspect that the man who received this might have been more than a little disappointed, even if he had a good sense of humor. *wink*)

Pawn Queens Becomes A Series

Via Entertainment Weekly, news that TLC has picked-up episodes of Pawn Queens.

Stating that the two episodes I reviewed, which aired back-to-back, was a “special,” TLC has committed to an eight-episode series order.

I’m excited to see Pawn Queens return to the air (but remain appalled by the sexist comments that continue to poor in about the show).

No word, yet, on TLC’s other antiques and collectibles special/show, What The Sell?!

Adorable Vintage Childrens Wooden Hangers

I don’t know where Joan “No More Wire Hangers, Ever!” Crawford stood on wooden hangers, but I’m guessing she wasn’t a fan. However, these cute vintage wooden hangers for the nursery might have made her at least think of them as adorable display pieces…

Painted pink, with decals of kittens and little girls, I nearly bought these at a local thrift shoppe… But at $2 a piece, I left them all there.

When I went back with second thoughts a day later, all of them had sold.

I left empty handed, with a heavy heart, reminded once again that the time to buy something is when you see it.