Showing posts with label Antiques. Show all posts

Old Things

I have been a bad blogger lately. I was putting out at least three post a week, now I’m lucky to get out one a week. I’m still here and still read other post each morning during my breakfast. I just can’t seem to come up with a post for some reason. I guess my life is just that boring right now. With all the time I have on my hands, you’d think I would be crafting, cooking and exploring more, but I’m not. Well, except crocheting. Been doing a lot of that.

I get up each morning, pour myself a cup of coffee and sit down to breakfast. While I have my breakfast and for about the next hour and five cups of coffee afterwards, I read from my Bible app, read blogs, and apply for jobs on Indeed. I also look at my facebook and instagram but that’s pretty much all day long.

Mid morning I will turn on the tv and do some hula hooping and other small exercises in the living room. I think I have seen every episode at least 10 times of Rosanne, Mom and Two and Half men. I think that’s more than all the Gilligan's Island and Andy Griffin shows I’ve watched. 

I look forward to going to the grocery store now as it’s an excuse to get out and buy something. Some days we will just ride around and visit Antique malls and thrift stores. Life is pretty boring to me right now. I do not like being without a job and no money coming in. I hope something gives soon. However, I love the time I get to spend with my sweet husband. 

Speaking of Antique malls, We visited one this past weekend and I snapped a couple photos of some old things that will tell you my age.

Metal Skates.

I had a pair just like these, you just tied them on your shoes. One size adjusted to fit all.  Honestly, I’m not sure if they were my moms and she let me play with them or if they were mine. But I also remember later having a pair of booted skates with metal wheels and could never understand why I couldn’t wear them in the skate rink. “They are sidewalk skates”, they said. 

School Desk.

I sat in many of these during middle school. By high school, we had larger wooden desk with arm rest made for all the right handed students. 
I’m a lefty but learned to manage. They were all so uncomfortable and as far as I know, they still use the wooden ones. 

Tennis Racket

Oh this brings back memories. Mom and Dad had a set of these old tennis rackets with the wooden frames. We played with them a lot.
In high school, I wanted to play tennis. We practiced with nice larger and short handled aluminum rackets, like you see today.
Well, I made the tennis team but in order to play, I had to have my own racket. I remember daddy taking me to the mall and after seeing the prices on new rackets, he decided I didn’t need a new racket like everyone else. I was often reminded that I “was not like everyone else”. 
He said I will just have to use the old rackets we already had. Needless to say, I never played tennis. They never believed I would stick to anything or succeed in much. They were pretty much right. I know they didn’t mean it in a negative way. I was just that kind of kid.  

It’s always fun to see old antiques and relive old memories. 
I bet the other girls rackets on the tennis team are not worth 48.00 now days. 

Estate Sale Finds

Nick ventured out on his morning walk while I stayed in cleaning the house, dancing and singing all to myself! That's usually how I start my Saturdays.

While I was dusting, I got a text. It was Nick letting me know that there was an estate sale in the neighborhood if I want to check it out. He mentioned there was a couple small coffee makers that our daughter had requested wanting. She does not care if it is new or used, as long as it will make her a cup of coffee. Hers broke and she needed a replacement. She doesn't like the fancy ones with the timers. She just wants an off/on switch.

I threw on some decent clothes and headed up the road. Sure enough there was two nice little coffee makers waiting for a new home. I picked the better of the two and headed to the pay table.


This coffee maker costed me $2.00. After a good wash and sanitizing, it’s like new.

Before leaving, I noticed a table of old costume jewelry. I'm a sucker for old jewelry but rarely wear it. I found this set of clip on earrings and thought about my mom. She does not have pierced ears and likes small dainty clip-ons. I thought these were really pretty and looked like her.


I purchased these gold/rose clip on earrings for .75 cent and she liked them and actually had a necklace to match.

Oh but that's not all. I also kept eyeing an old coat pin. I could tell it was pretty old by the shape of the pin itself. It had five little hand painted wooden Russian nesting dolls hanging from it. I kept questioning myself if I really want it or not. That's when Nick walked up and told me to just go ahead and get it. It was different. So I did.


This little charm was only $1.00.

That's all I picked up this day. I usually like to go searching estate and yard sales for vintage tea towels. As summer approaches, there will be more sales spotted around the neighborhood.
You never know what kind of goodies I might find. 

Vintage Finds- Pins

I was over at my late father in laws estate this past weekend as we are getting things cleaned up for a future auction.
As I was looking around, I found a couple little vintage trinkets and decided to add them in my Etsy shop for fun.

I saw these hatpins and fell in love with them. I have not actually seen a hatpin in use so I looked up a little history on these jewels.


Here are a few fun facts I found about hatpins.

~Hatpins were origianally made to hold wimples and vials in place.
~Hatpins became popular in the 1880’s to use on hats.
~Women used hat pins as self defense against attacks by men.
~In 1908 A law was passed in America that limited the length of hatpins because they were afraid they would be used for weapon by suffragettes
~I just learned a new word.
~In the 1910s, an ordinance was passed that required hatpins to have covered tips so they would not accidently hurt someone.
~In 1918 passengers were advised to leave the trams if hatpins were uncovered but a law was never passed for that. 
~Now days, they are used as brooches on coats or as a conversation piece by collectors.

How about that? I never knew. But I can see these things being weapons as they made pin cushions out of me on the way home. I did not realize they were so sharp. Two of them have protector caps, but one does not.

Next, I came across these adorable little vintage diaper pins. These were also before my time, dating back to the 50’s. They are made of sterling silver and can be monogammed. I’m thinking this was a nice gift for the new baby back in the day. This set is a little tarnish. 


Diaper pins were still being used in the 60’s. I remember my mom using cloth diapers on my sister and brother. She was good about pinning them on without sticking the baby. She would place her hand behind the pin and sacrifice her own fingers. 

I’m wondering if some people still use cloth diapers now days. I’m surprised they have not made a come back in the organic and recyclable world. 

Both of these items and more can be found in my shop until sold. 








Vintage Find- What is it?

I am in possession of the this cool looking antique gadget. I know it had to be used in baking but I just can’t find the connection.
The tag that was hand written on a sticker said “biscuit cutter”  but I'm just not buying the idea that this thing is a biscuit cutter. I have never seen biscuits shaped like this. Maybe in France or something but not here in the South.

So, What is it?


I searched the Internet for such a tool and found something newer but similar, called a “Hex Roller Cutter”... Ok but I want to know what exactly does it cuts???? 
I could not find anything else about it.

It consist of twelve hexagon shaped cutters and rolls like a rolling pin. 

My father in-laws parents were from Italy, so maybe it's a Ravioli cutter?

I’m thinking its some sort of pastry cutter.

Maybe its some kind of cookie cutter?

Could it be something that was used to make brick or cut shapes into concrete?

What’s your idea?

UPDATE: since posting this, I did some more research and it seems to be a “Moline Stainless Steel commercial Hexagon roller bisquit cutter” 


Vintage Find- What is it?

The other day while at my late father in laws estate, I seen this large pin laying around. I picked it up and smiled. The first thing that came to mind was how in the 60's,70's or 80's the girls would wear plaid wool wrap skirts. The fad was to wear a large safety pin on the skirts, not only to make a fashion statement, but to also hold the wrap together so we didn't show our draaawls.
This pin reminded me of those days.

Not doing the math, but I actually wore one. However, I come to find out, this is not the same kind of pin. "Yea, I thought it looked pretty old".

So, What is it?


I posted the photo on Facebook to get peoples response to if they remember what this pin was used for and here are a few of the responses I got.

My daddy guessed: 
It was an "Apron Pin"

One facebook friend said: 
It was a "Locker Pin". 
"They used wire baskets at the public pools to put your personal belongings in. 
The pin had a number that identified your locker basket".

Another Facebook friend suggested: 
It was a "Coal Miner's Pay Pin". 
"Miners would shovel coal into a coal car. When it was full, he would attach his pin to the car. 
When the ponies pulled out the cars, the miner, who's pin was attached, was paid by the car. 
Each miner had his own number".

I found all these answer very interesting but the locker pin sounds more like it to me as it was suggested more than once. But they all could be wrong or they all could be right...

Do you have any other ideas what this pin was used for?