Collecting Fruit Jars (Mason Jars, Ball Jars, Atlas Jars)

Ball Jar with Frog Lid $22.00

The problem with being a collector of many collections is I end up with all kinds of little doodads and whatsits. Its no wonder that within my collection of collections lives a stockpile of storage. I have lots of jars. I've always had lots of jars. Weather I am collecting my brown vitamin bottles to keep beads or buttons or ribbons, or I'm paying top garage sale dollar for a strong shoulder Atlas jar for my collection, I seem to hoard jars. One year for Christmas my mom mailed me a box of Ball masons and a book on collecting them. I even took a trip on the coast of Maine and came back with the required sticks and shells, but the only souvenir I managed to pick up for myself was a pair of aqua, glass lid Ball jars (which I of course filled with moss before loading them in my suit case).

Atlas Strong Shoulder Mason Jars set of 3 $40.00

Because a good strong canning jar is built to last and last and last, they are always up for grabs at your local thrift store, second hand store, estate and garage sales. I always keep my eyes peeled for a new jar to add to my collection. Weather or not I am displaying them, I always need more jars. They make great vases! And they are the perfect addition to a home made treat from the kitchen-I was gifted some gorgeous handmade marbled marsh mellows this past winter holiday and they came-for all eyes to view-in a mason jar wrapped with a red ribbon. 

Blue tinted Ball Mason Jar w/ lid $12.00

The need for canning jars was a long time coming. Napoleon even issued a reward to the person who could come up with a surefire way to keep fresh food available for his soldiers. In 1858 John Mason applied for a patent for the "Mason Jar." The invention changed food preservation immensely. Canning jars took on many forms after that, each manufacture attempting to improve the seal or lid. The Ball Brothers created the "Ball Jar," which due to popularity is synonymous with the Mason Jar. 

Early Mason Jars Wooden Model/Glass Model

Some collectors strive to collect every single bottle they can. Others look for specific colors. Some are looking for logos with specific fonts or scripts. And some collectors are simply looking for the most rare pieces they can find. This article on Food.com can help you identify your mason jar, as well as this article on ApartmentThearpy. Or if you are trying to date your Ball jar you might find help here.

Teal Ball Mason Jar w/ Glass lid and Wire Basket $22.00

If you are interested in learning more about collecting Mason Jars, a great resource available is the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. They host wonderful glass bottle themed events, put out a quarterly and run a large network for other collectors to connect. There are dozens of books out there on the subject. Ask your local librarian to recommend some titles that your library may carry. Amazon.com has a few available for purchase. These may be helpful to your inquiry: "1000 Fruit Jars." (with 2010 pricing),  "Red Book 9, The Collectors Guide To Old Fruit Jars,"  and "A Collectors Guide To Ball Jars."

Number 13 Blue Ball Mason Jar $48.00

All of the sweet jars you see here are available for purchase on Etsy. Thank you Etsy sellers for the use of your stunning photos!

Collecting Vintage Letterpress Equipment

Alphabet set of 26 (Various Fonts) $89.00

I love old letterpress equipment. When I was a little girl my dad gave me a beautiful wooden toolbox that had a front panel that folded down and slid below to display rows of drawers. The purpose of the drawers was to hold letters for printing. I adored it. Over the years it held many different things, barbie accessories, beads, and later magazine cut outs. Often I come across letterpress type when I'm trolling around antique stores and estate sales. I've always like the number 8, so I've picked up a few 8's along the way. 

"Be Happy" Set of 7 letters $45.00

The art of letterpress dates back to the mid 1400's. It's invention is credited to German born Johannes Gutenberg. His creation used hand carved blocks set together to create words and sentences and pages. Then they printed a relief print, and were taken apart and set again to make the next page.  Gutenberg's printing system literally changed the way history was written. 

Hamilton letterpress drawer $56.00

If you are interested in collecting vintage letterpress first off The British Printing Society and The American Printing History Association are member operated organizations and would offer tons of resources. The Early Office Museum had a large variety of online exhibits to view, plus good history. And this blog had a few years worth of various postings about letterpress.

Alphabet and numbers 0-9 Set of 41 blocks (Various Fonts) $170.00

As per usual, I would advise you to check your local library for books about printing history, if you have any questions that need answers. A friendly librarian could point you to the right stack. Amazon.com had some helpful titles; "The Little Book Of Letterpress" and "A Practical Treatise Upon Modern Printing Machinery And Letterpress Printing." 

Metal Numbers and Letters Set of 10 with Drawer $30.00

Also, if you are interested in learning the art of letterpress printing there are a lot of schools out there that have brought it back into their curriculum (a resurgence that began in the 90's). If you are looking for such schools, that would for sure be something that your friendly librarian could help you with (as many of these said school's printing classes are connected with their libraries).

Ludlow letterpress drawer $42.00

Thank you etsy sellers for the use of your beautiful photographs. All the fine letterpress paraphernalia you see here is available for purchase.

Collecting Cast Iron Mechanical Banks (and Still Banks)

(Reproduction) Williams Circus Elephant Still Bank $45.00

Collecting mechanical banks is a big deal. Lots of money moves around during big, highly attended, auctions. There are collectors out there that have been accumulating banks for centuries. One of the larger and more acclaimed collections was auctioned off a few years ago, bringing in 7.7 million dollars!  

Mechanical banks became popular in the mid-century. Their original purpose was to get children interested in saving. 

(Reproduction) Ole Puffer Mechanical Bank $45.00

If you are interested in collecting mechanical banks the best place to start would be the Mechanical Bank Collectors of America, a super involved non-profit, with hundreds of members all devoted to the collection and preservation of mechanical banks. Their website offers a complete network for any collector-expert or novice. They meet yearly and even put out a triannual publication called the Mechanical Bank Journal. 

(Reproduction) Trick Dog Mechanical Bank $25.00

The Kidd's Toy Museum in Oregon is the temporary site of the Mechanical Bank Collectors Library archives. If you would like information from any of their many documents and books, contact them. Also, your local library should have a book or two on cast iron banks; mechanical or still. Asking your librarian to help you find them is a good idea. I found these titles available on Amazon: The Official Guide To Mechanical Banks, and  A Penny Saved: Still And Mechanical Banks.

Hubley Sailor Still Bank $38.00 

Another element of mechanical bank collecting is obtaining mechanical bank trading cards. There are considered quite rare. Bruce T. Roberts penned "Mechanical Bank Trade Cards."

And here is the link to Dan Morphy's Mechanical Price Guide, with beautiful photographs and limited quantities it rings in around $125 a book.

Original Cast Iron Still Bank ($29.95)

There has been a lot of commentary about the images and offensive stereotypes in some of these antique banks. Below is a video from CBS Sunday Morning regarding such topic. It also shows a great variety of banks from the big Stekbeck auction!

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Collecting Frozen Charlottes and Bisque Dolls

Thuringen Recovered Doll Head $6.00

A handful of years ago, I was browsing the shelves at my most favorite natural history store "The Bone Room" (Albany, CA) when I noticed the very friendly sales girl unwrapping some peculiar broken dolls. My friend and I were immediately drawn in and the sales girl was so excited to tell us all about them. I bought two dolls after the girl explained that they had been excavated from a former bisque factory in Thuringia Germany. She told us that when it rained these old doll fragments would pop out of the moist ground after having been buried in the dirt for quite a while. I knew then that I had to have them.

Sitting Bisque Twins $9.00

Bisque dolls were popular between 1860 and 1900. They were favored because of their realistic looking features made of unglazed porcelain with a matte finish. These dolls were predominately made in Germany factories. The first dolls were made in the likeness of adults. After a few decades they were made to resemble children. The earlier ones referred to as "dolly-faced dolls." Many of these child-like dolls, produced between 1890-1930, were made in factories in Thurngia, Germany, the region rich in natural clay deposits used in the production.

Painted Frozen Charlotte Head $8.00

Frozen Charlotte is a term to describe a particular china or bisque doll. These dolls were moulded in one solid piece-essentially "frozen" in one place. The theory goes that their name was derived from the poem "Young Charlotte" by Seba Smith, a sad Victorian story of a young girl freezing to death. 

Set of 2 Recovered Doll Heads $9.00

To this day enthusiasts and collectors are still excavating dolls and doll pieces from the old factory sites in Thurngia. 

If you are interested collecting bisque dolls and Frozen Charlottes I suggest asking your local librarian for directions to the antique and collection section. A good library should have a few books on doll collecting. Amazon.com com offers a few helpful titles; China, Parian & Bisque German Dolls, A Pictorial Reference Guide To German Chinas, and In The Palm Of One's Hands: Small Bisque Dolls, 1877-1920. If you are wondering about values, check a Blue Book Doll book, Amazon has those too. 

Collecting: Vintage Aprons

A few years ago a lovely lovely lady gifted me a most beautiful handmade vintage apron. It was a full apron made of a very busy (but adorable) fabric. It had detailing of little pockets and turquoise trim around the edges. I cherished it. I wore whenever I was cooking something special. And this is how my vintage apron collection began. 

Crochet White/Pink/Red Apron $14.00

a·pron /ˈeɪprən/ Show Spelled  

noun
1.a garment covering part of the front of the body and tied at the waist, for protecting the wearer's clothing: a kitchen apron. 

Black Gingham Apron $14.00

Aprons are as old as time. Traditionally it was a garment worn for housework etc. However, as time ticks by the apron has evolved into many things, including a fashion accessory. It's commonly used now as a uniform. Outfitting waitresses, nurses, barbers, doctors, chefs, artists, butchers, welders, blacksmiths and so on. This utilitarian attire knows no bounds. 

Floral Bib Apron $25.00

The English word "apron" is said to be derived from the old French word "naperon" meaning napkin or small table cloth. 

Turquoise Embroidered Half Apron $15.00

Apron styles are endless. There are full aprons, half aprons, pocketed aprons. I've seen aprons made of hoops, old towels, quilted, rick-racked, embroidered, and laced. There is no end to the possibilities of apron types. Your apron collection can be as varied and vast as the sea. 

Lace Half Apron $19.99

If you are interested in learning more about collecting vintage aprons there are many books available on the subject. Pay a visit to your local library and see if your librarian can help you track some down! Amazon.com has a good variety available too. "The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort"is available for $16.99. "Aprons of the Mid 20th Century" 160 detailed pages sell for $29.95. Also look for "Aprons: Icons of the American Home" and  "Gingham Aprons of the 40's and 50's: A Checkered Past".

Mustard and White Gingham Apron $38.00

There are so many options for displaying and showcasing your apron collection. Don't leave those beauties locked in a closet or trapped in a drawer! For some creative apron sharing ideas look here: Country Living and here: The T. Cozy and also here: Joyful Abode. 

Embroidered Full Apron $24.00

And check out this interesting and detailed feminist commentary on aprons throughout history. 

Santa Half Apron $9.99

All of the aprons you see here are available for sale on Etsy. Thank you Etsy sellers for the use of your lovely photographs!

Collecting: Wooden Toys

I love toys. I (of course) loved them as a child. I love them as an adult. And as a collector, I adore them. The world of collecting toys is quite vast. There are dollhouse miniatures, Barbies, View masters, paper dolls, comic books, Fisher Price, wind-up toys, music boxes, mechanical banks and Tonka Trucks to name a few. I'm sure I will end up talking about toys many more times, but I thought I'd start with a personal favorite,  wooden toys. 

Building Blocks $50.00

I'm sure it's safe to say that wood was one of the first materials used in crafting toys. A hundred some years ago, hand carved, one of a kind toys were it..The first wooden toys sold in the United States were largely from Germany. They were made with water powered drills; water wheels moved by flowing rivers sent power to the drills. Each toy was slightly different than the next, not like today's assembly line toys.

Tug Boat (Sold)

During the 19th century wooden toys were the standard. Children were playing with wooden trains and tracks, toys soldiers, tea sets, wooden food, alphabet blocks, pull-behinds, dolls, and jigsaw puzzles. Many children were only allowed to play with toys on Sundays, making many wooden toys available, of a biblical nature e.g. Noah's Arc.

Alphabet Blocks $32.00

After World War II the manufacturing of wooden toys declined. The plastic business was booming. Though you could still find wooden toys or hybrid wooden/plastic toys. Wooden toys had fallen out of fashion. They seem to be making a comeback these days, with spiking interest in Waldorf education and a desire to return to simpler times. 

Gymnist Hand Puppett $23.00

There are a few good manufactures making quality wooden toys these days. Melissa & Doug are quite popular and can be found a number of places. I really love the German company Haba and have invested in some great Haba toys for my daughter. The site Mookla offers the largest selection of modern wooden toys I've ever seen. But I prefer antique and vintage wooden toys. My daughter loves the springy tail with the wooden tip on her Lil Snoopy Dog pull-behind (the same Lil Snoopy Dog I drooled all over.) Wooden toys last much longer than plastic and can be heirlooms, shared between generations. 

Tiny Teddy Pull $18.00

If you are interested in learning more about collecting wooden toys there are many books available on toy collecting, which you may have to scan through to find wooden specialties. It is always helpful to ask your friendly librarian. The Wonder Of American Toys 1920-1950 is available for only $13.95 on amazon.com. Old Wood Toys.Com  is a very helpful website, full of links and answers to questions. And Wooden Toy Museum has a good list of links available too.

Remeber to care for and clean your wooden toys to insure their lifespan. Fauxgrain.com gives us this helpful adivce: 

NEVER SOAK A WOODEN TOY.

*Direct sun can also damage a toy over time, particularly those that are unfinished or oil preserved.

*Wood that is overly dry is prone to cracking and splitting.

*Rough or splintered edges should be smoothed with fine sandpaper.

*The character of your wood can change with humidity, therefore it is essential that you routinely inspect the toy for parts that may have loosened.

*DO NOT use furniture polish on wooden toys...it is toxic to children. It is helpful to know what type of finish is used on your toy; this will determine the maintenance required. 

If you follow the link you will also find information regarding stains, finishes, glues and assembly.  

Bill Ding Clown Blocks and Bowling Pins $15.00

Reminder: Not all wooden toys are safe for children, especially vintage wooden toys with their lead based paints and their small parts. Always use caution and supervision where necessary.

All of the wooden toys you see here are available for purchase on Etsy. Thank you Etsy sellers for the use of your spectacular photographs!

Instant Collection

1923-1934 Vintage Honey Bunch Children's Books $149.00

"1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse"

In my family, Tuesdays are library days. With lots of room, thanks to the stroller up-grade, I can now check out books for myself, along with the board books and Charlie & Lola dvds. This last Tuesday I selected a book called "1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse" by Garth Johnson. 

 What a wonderful discovery from the library. This thing is packed with page after page of inspiration. So many artists and craftsmen are featured. And the entire things is broken down into organized sections. Did I mention how lovely the photography is too? 

I'm always on the look out for new ideas of things to collect, or ideas for my existing collections. "1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse" sparked the collector in me, introduced me to some artists I hadn't yet heard of and brought a big smile to my face. I'd like to share.

Elizabeth Morisette: 
Elizabeth Morisette created a series of vessels using unusual objects. I love the zippers seen here. As a sculptor Morisette is challenging our idea of traditional sculptural materials and continues to make pieces with everyday items. She has a blog where she updates and informs about her upcoming shows. 

Margaux Lange:
Margaux Lang is making one of a kind jewelery pieces using Barbie parts. I've seen her work before on the Etsy open page. It was great to see her again in "1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse." Her pieces are so well done. I love the humor/tongue-in-cheek aspect. Lange has a beautiful Website with many, many pieces available. Midge's Mind is her adorable blog. If you are interested in any of her pieces you can find them on her Etsy page.

Jarod Charzewski:
Jarod Charzewski's exhibition "Scarp" at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in South Carolina speaks mountains of our consumer based culture, our desire to acquire, and how these themes affect our global landscape. I find all of that fascinating, but what really drew me to this piece was the colors. And Charzewiski's ability to collect a vast amount of the same thing, in this case clothing, to re-arrange it into something different and beautiful. I can only imagine what went into gathering 5000 pieces of clothing, transporting, storing and setting up. I bet Scarp is amazing in person! On Charewski's website you can see what he has been up to lately.

....Kinda makes you want to do something with those collections, huh?

Collecting: Fossils

The other day I was watching an episode of Charlie & Lola with some babies. In the episode Charlie, who is Lola's big brother, is quite interested in collecting fossils. Lola, due to proximity, becomes interested in fossils too. While on a fossil expedition, Lola finds what she believes is a fossil, but her brother tells her otherwise. It was at that moment that I realised that I have no idea how to properly identify fossil myself. 

Ammomite Fossil

 The best place to find fossils is in sedimentary rock, rock that has been effected by age and erosion. There are a number of factors required for a fossil to become a fossil. Check out the clip below, describing how fossils are formed.

Collecting fossils is a fairly delicate process. It is forbidden to go digging around some strangers land, pulling up pieces of dirt, bringing them home and tossing them on the coffee table. There is a code of fossil finding ethics. Though it seems obvious enough, the Geological Society established rules of fossil collecting require one to collect responsibly, seek permission from landowners, label specimens, and seek advice on rare finds. 

Once you've studied up on all the rules and regulations, it's time to gather your supplies. You will need a hammer, chisel, and a mallet for breaking up rocks. A trowel and brushes will help rid of sediment of various densities. Sieves and mesh bags help with removing excess dirt.  And don't forget safety, helmets, goggles, gloves and flashlights. 

The next step will be to identify your fossil. I'm clueless as to how to identify an actual fossil. Comparing your discovery with a photo from a book, or a website is probably good for the beginner. I'm guessing the more fossils you acquaint yourself with, the better you will become at identifying them. If you are buying fossils that someone else found it is important to stay away from fakes or fossil fraud. Apparently this happens, I had no idea. 

Once you have identified your fossil it is very important to label and code your find. Cleaning and caring for your fossil will only help preserve it. You can use a  vinegar soak to help remove remaining sediment. Some fossils still have a bit of tissue intact. In these cases you must be more careful in the cleaning process. Here are some very detailed instructions on cleaning your natural discoveries. 

White Fossilised Coral

  

If you are interested in learning more about fossils, I suggest making a trip to your local librarian, asking  to point out some fossil finding books for you. An Illustrated Guide to Fossil Collecting is only $9.95 on Amazon.com. The Fossil Hunter offers this great directory of North American fossil collecting sites, broken down by state. And this page offers you so many links to sites offering fossil resources and knowledge.

Flat Fossilised Coral

Get out there and start identifying some fossils!