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Friday, March 15, 2013

Just a bit of browsing!


I hit this antique mall quite a bit – and it’s amazing the amount of stuff that just SITS.

I guess stuff just has to have the right person come along to love it ---and no matter how much “WE” are all over the quilts and machines, the average every-day antique browsing person just is not that interested in antique quilts or vintage sewing machines and irons!

Still – I found some things that were photo worthy if just to acknowledge that these things were there and that at one time they DID have a life!

A perfect example --- this wooden based washing machine.  $500.00.  I’m trying to think of why anyone would want this washing machine enough to pay $500.00 for it ---it’s an interesting piece of history, but I certainly don’t have room, and at this point I am fully aware of just how “MODERN” a girl I am, no matter how I love vintage things!

Mom said the washing machine that she had when she first married my dad had a wringer on it --- some how I think that was much more modern than this one!

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Old Vintage Iron!

This is one of the very cool ones that has no bottom rest --- you tilt it on its sides on the little wings that are standing out when not in use ---but do you see how the cord is frayed? Nope.  I passed on this one too.  I’d like to find one of these but I don’t want one with scary wiring.

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Iron resting on its side.

I did spy a big huge box ((minus a handle)) that looked vaguely familiar:

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I believe I know what you are!!

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White Rotary!  Beautiful decals….but they wanted $125.00 for it --- and The wiring on this didn’t look great either.  It has a knee control, but no foot pedal….so it was also a catch and release.  But isn’t she pretty? I swear she weighs 55 lbs!

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In another area was a black sides 128 ---I already have one, and doesn’t the wiring look a bit circumspect on this one either? The clue in for me?  Masking tape around the cord…..

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This is a very fun machine to sew on – and dates from around WWII to the early 1950s.  During the war they used chromium ((A component of CHROME of course)) for the war effort, so they switched metal parts to a blackened finish which is what you see on the face plate and the bobbin slide plates. Great piece of history with the godzilla or crinkle finish.

As always --- the ugliest NO WAY JOSE item came into view as I rounded a corner:

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Re-upholstered in 1970’s bordello!

The chairs are fine…the upholstery! OH BOY!!  There were 8 chairs, all matching, some with arms, some without – can you imagine this in some vintage hotel dining room?

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Flocked to knock your socks off!

Now I’m sure that someone will be offended that I made fun of these poor chairs, but we all have to agree to disagree on some things….I’m just betting there was flocked wall paper to match at some point!

We sewed a bit late last night –I set up with my feet up on the couch binding after dinner…….sometimes I’m perfectly content to make SMALL progress instead of sewing hell bent for leather ((whatever that means!)) on whatever I sit down to.

It’s been a fun time!  I’ll be heading for home this afternoon --- so glad I came and hope we can do it again!

13 comments:

  1. Hey Bonnie, 'hell bent for leather' means the same as 'crusin for a brusin'. In othe words you are determined to do what you want no matter the cost. Lol, you know just like the kid that is going to do what they want to do even tho they know they are going to get into trouble.
    Thanks for the great pictures of years gone by.
    Cindy N.

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  2. Hey, I stayed at that hotel, it was in upper Montana ;)

    I haven't read any of the opinions about guests on quiltcam but after thinking about it, I would prefer the relaxed just friends quilting together format now in place. You talk to us off and on, at guest would turn it into two people talking at us.
    Thanks for all the sharing you do and congratulations on all the recently won titles.
    Sharyn in Kalama

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  3. I'm interested in knowing where these antique stores are -- esp knowing that you were close to home yesterday. some great finds indeed.

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  4. geeesh... looks like a walk thru my grandmothers house!

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  5. I am only 62 but Mom had a wringer washer for years and I can remember helping her with the clothes. The tub was metal not wood, not sure how the wood is still there. Would love to stroll through a antinque mall with you anytime.

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  6. thank you for showing us the pictures of the antique sewing machine, brings back some very nice memories. When I was younger we had a cottage on a lake, our place was across the street from the lake and on a hill. Myself and 3 brothers would spend the summers there with my grandmother. We had no running water but we did have electricity, on washing day, my brothers would bring pails of water up to the cottage to fill the washing machine, my job was to run the clothes through the wringer and then help gran hang them on the line. Gran was the one how taught me to knit and croceht and she also made all are quiilts.

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  7. I remember my mom wringing diapers through a wringer washing machine in the early 1970's. It didn't have a wooden tub though. I didn't even use cloth diapers when my kids came along - I'm so lazy. (I'd rather sew!!)

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  8. My mom had an iron like that (maybe a little bit more modern in the 70's) and the cloth frayed and a stream of sparks shot out one day while I was ironing my dad's shirts. I'll never forget the burn I had on the underside of my forearm. ouch. I just ordered a new cord for my featherweight because I saw the insulation split and I am STILL leery of such risks...BE CAREFUL AND CHECK YOUR WIRES PERIODICALLY, LADIES!!!

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  9. I really love this post and your remark about the chairs cracked me up, LOL. I had to giggle at the masking tape on the Singers wiring too...seems some folks don't know about that handy dandy 'Electrical Tape' specifically for that purpose, but even then, bad wiring is very scary, I would have passed up these too, even if they had been items I was looking for. Oh and the phrase "hell bent for leather", well, when I was younger and rode horses a lot at my sis and her hubby's place, they were always hollering at me saying I didn't have to ride "hell bent for leather" every time I sat a horse...meaning I didn't have to ride so fast and reckless. Thought I'm not sure if that is the true explanation of the phrase or not, but that's how I use it now. Hugs...

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  10. I like the chairs. I guess I am weird!!!

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  11. I always enjoy your antiquing adventures! Thanks for sharing the pictures. Makes me want to get out to those shops more--but I have the same problem--I'm out of space!

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  12. Anonymous6:29 PM EDT

    Back in WWII, there were many many scrap metal drives. People turned ineverything ot needed or naileddowntohelp in theWar Effort.It was thepatriotic thing to dofor our country.
    So all of these old oldpieces, must have been truly needed to have not been turned in!!!

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  13. Those chairs are a parlor set, and were the featured pieces in someone's fancy parlor in the early 1900's - the one you didn't use except when company came! There is a settee, chairs, a platform rocker, everything the proper Edwardian era sitting room needed. I imagine that they were once upholstered in a flat weave damask or striped fabric; I agree that the 1970's clipped velvet is unfortunate. My mom has a three piece parlor set in oak that remind me of the carved backs on these chairs. They arrived at her house looking just as sad as these but now are gorgeous.

    Thanks for the antique shop tours - such interesting items. The masking tape on the cord was truly scary. The rule about this old stuff is that anything with a cord is immediately rewired - don't even plug it in before you refurbish the wiring. Old electrical items are often sold with the plug cut off so no one is tempted to try them out before rewiring. My husband collects antique radios and many were that way when he bought them.

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