When I saw the long shelf of ruby and clear glass containers, I thought they were pretty, but I wasn’t sure what they were. They were surrounded by other long shelves filled with lovely antique…
Month: January 2020
Store signs leave a huge impression
Posted in Advertising, Businesses, history, and Signs
When I saw the broom holder with the attached Bond Bread metal sign, I knew I had found what I was looking for. The wooden holder was exactly what I needed to store the vintage…
The auctioneer was being decidedly honest. He didn’t expect the collection of condensed milk containers – however lovely – would sell well or at all. Not a single one had attracted a bid on the…
It was like looking into a rainbow. Lining two walls of long shelves at the auction house, carnival glass and other glassware glistened in the artificial light. It looked as if the auction-house staff had…
Interesting array of old things
Posted in Businesses, camera, collectibles, and Home
My walk-through at the auction house wasn’t turning up any noticeable gems on this particular day. But I’ve been going to auctions long enough to know that items sometimes hold a story and a history…
As I was flipping through the catalog for the upcoming auction of artwork from Johnson Publishing Company, I quickly noticed that most of the artists were from Chicago where the company was located. I had…
Vogue picture records lead to ‘ace jazzman’ Charlie Shavers
Posted in Black history, history, and Music
When I first saw the phonograph records, I was drawn to the illustrations. All were brightly colored and painted into the surface – unlike the black vinyl I was used to seeing with a circular…
1920s photo posters of Armstrong, Smith & other jazz greats
Posted in Black history, Music, and Photos
A black and white photo of a man with his fingers on the keys of a grand piano lay atop a stack on a table filled with papers at the auction house. His skin was…