Powder Horns and other unique items can be discovered at Bahoukas!
Our shop offers a dizzying array of antiques and collectibles. But don’t let that make your head hurt. Just give yourself time to browse our 9,000 sq ft of yesteryear! From Havre de Grace history to the amazing Beer MuZeum and everything in-between, you’ll be recalling stories from childhood!
Just two photos of the unique collectibles that we have are the recent selection of collectible/antique powder horns and the medical/pharmaceutical collectibles below.
This is just one tiny shelf of the medical/pharmaceutical/advertising collectibles in our shop.
Along with very practical mortar and pestle sets, we have many unique medical collectibles that will remind you of products that you may have used in your early years or even items your parents/grandparents may have mentioned.
Whether you just like owning a few ‘conversation pieces,’ or you collect them en masse, we just might have the item that will suit your need or complete your collection.
Stop in soon and enjoy your own adventure as you travel our nostalgia lane! Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
A selection of cast iron skillets and more at Bahoukas
The History of Cast Iron Cookware
The first known use of cast iron cookware was during the Han Dynasty in China, around 220 A.D. Casting techniques became widespread in Europe by the 16th century, and since then, this versatile equipment has been a staple in households all over the world. In 1707, Abraham Darby patented the sand casting method, which is similar to the way we make cast iron today. Because of Darby’s contribution, the 18th and 19th centuries saw a boom in cast iron cookware. Cast iron pots and pans were so important to daily life that in his book, The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith says they were worth more than gold. Cast iron cookware saw a decline in the 20th century as other cooking materials like aluminum grew in popularity.
Many pieces that seem too difficult to clean-up may be handled with several soakings in vinegar. That and other suggestions are in the following video.
A very informative video re cast iron pans
We have several cast iron cooking/baking pieces that will be great in your home, at the hunting lodge, or to use on your campfire!
Cast iron cookware has been around forever, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. If you want to get in on this trend, follow these tips and you’ll be whipping up pan-seared steaks and skillet cornbread in no time.
Stereoscopes, Viewmasters, Nintendo, X-box and More…
Recently a young teen came into the shop sharing his love of playing albums on a record player vs mp3’s. We’re also seeing a re-birth of physical book stores. In that light, we thought we’d share these fun items that some of your kids (and adults) might enjoy and appreciate.
Of course, it’s not too early to think unusual gifts for the coming holidays!
Many of us have seen the original stereoscope, although it might have been in a museum. But it’s effect on entertainment, education, and even culture was definite. It’s amazing to think that Underwood & Underwood was producing over 25,000 images a day for the stereoscope. (See the quote below)
Claims that there was a stereoscope in every parlor in America came as early as the 1860s (Darrah, 2), but in their second wave of popularity in the 1880s-1910s, the availability of stereographs could be quantified: Underwood & Underwood, one of the three major stereographic companies in this period, produced over 25,000 images per day (Darrah, 47), and an estimated 300 million stereographs were issued between 1854 to 1920 (Wadja, 112). Selling at six for a dollar, most stereographs captured the interest of middle class consumers, but a few companies catered to the working class, providing similar views at 3 cents a piece or 85 cents per 100 (DeLeskie, 69). Found in drugstores, distributed through mail-order catalogs, given away as premiums by cereal and tea companies, and canvassed cross-country by college students (including a young Carl Sandburg), it is no wonder that many scholars consider the stereoscope as the first mass photographic medium prior to cinema or television (see Trachtenberg, Reading, 17). from xroads.Virginia.edu
Imagine learning about the wonders of the world, feeling like you were there, as you viewed the scenes in a stereoscope! There was a lot of promise. But, as you know, progress moves on and photographs, movies, and television replaced these viewers. But many saw great promise in connecting humanity at the time!
IN HIS WRITINGS ABOUT the stereoscope, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. was what we would now call a tech-utopian. He declared that the stereoscope would become “the card of introduction to make all mankind acquaintances.” from BostonGlobe.com
If you’re curious as to how 3D-glasses work today (and in the movies), you may want to check out THIS LINK.
Electronic and Computer Consoles/Games
Then we moved to the beginning of electronic games in the 1970s. Many will remember their first Atari or Nintendo video games. and Sega games. In the 1990s Playstation was introduced along with the original X-Box. These links are all courtesy of Wikipedia.
NOTE: If you saw our FB question, the answer to SEGA is that originally the company provided coin-operated slot machines to U.S. bases that were called “Service Games,” later becoming SEGA! Who knew?
At Bahoukas Antique Mall you’ll be able to find some of the games for the above game stations. Stop in and see if we have one you’ve been looking for.
Of course, if you’re a real techie, then you may want to visit the following article on CNET about Virtual Reality, 360 viewing, 3-D, augmented reality and more. ENJOY!
Books you may remember – fun for the young people in your life!
Hardy Boys Series
Even more Golden Books for all ages…
Books are a great way to enjoy a rainy day … or just curl up and read for the fun of it. At Bahoukas Antique Mall we have a surprising number of books in nearly every category. Stop in and discover for yourself that book you’ve always wanted to read!
World’s Great Literature
World of Cookbooks and more…
Military books
Maybe you can’t convince a young one to read a book! But you might get them started by having them read a comic!
Don’t forget we carry the Pulaski Saga series by Robert F. Lackey. It starts with Pulaski’s Canal and the setting is our very own Susquehanna Lock House! Book six recently released: Serpent’s Compromise. And continues through book seven: Despot’s Heel, coming out in November!
We’ve heard it said that “Locks don’t keep the thief out. They know how to open locks. Locks keep the morale person from being tempted.”
Wonderful variety of locks and keys at Bahoukas Antiques
We’ve posted several items related to locks and keys. Consider these links: Above photo: CLICK HERE Below: CLICK HERE
Some are looking for the key to open a chest or a door. Others just love collecting skelton keys.
The above links share interesting tidbits about padlocks, master locks, and skeleton keys. Take a peek, the stop by and see these items for yourself. Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
for their Fall Festival – Saturday & Sunday, Sept 28-29
As you recover from this past weekend’s amazing weather, we know you’re already thinking of what to do next weekend. We share these ideas – a visit to Steppingstone Farm Museum for their Fall Festival. Then stop in and see what we have available in vintage tools. Of course, we have thousands of square feet of other items …
Vintage tools including planers, ice tongs, and more
CLICK THIS LINK for a variety of vintage tools that we have. Then visit us at Bahoukas Antique Mall for amazing vintage tools. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
We love ducks. Hey, we live in the Duck Decoy Capitol! How can we NOT love ducks… and duck decoys.
Duck Decoys- shelf 1 – at Bahoukas
Duck Decoys and more – shelf 2 – at Bahoukas
We have unique Havre de Grace carvers – as well as collectible duck figures.
Duck Decoys – shelf 3 – at Bahoukas
Duck Decoys and more – shelf 4 – at Bahoukas
We have fun items and some seriously beautiful carved decoys. You have to browse our shop. You just never know what you’ll find that fits your collection perfectly!
Duck Decoys – shelf 5 – at Bahoukas
Duck Decoys – shelf 6 – at Bahoukas
Add a duck decoy lamp or another unique ‘duck-related’ collectible to make your personal collection truly unique.
Duck Decoys – shelf 7 – at Bahoukas
Duck Decoys – shelf 8 – at Bahoukas
So take some time to stop by Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum. Of course, we have 9,000 sq ft of amazing collections. So yes, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
These irons might look familiar to you. Well, maybe to your mom and dad. Electric irons make your cotton clothes look sharp and pressed!
Although clothes made of ‘permanently pressed’ fabrics made needing an iron less necessary, there are still folks who like ‘that perfect crease.’
quite hard to date these slickers, sleekstones’, slickenstones, in german language, glättstein gniedelstein, gniddelstein, grindstein these glass iron smoothers are believed to have served as a pressing iron. The earliest linen smoothers date from the Viking to the Middle Ages, and the latest were made in the 18th century.
Do you know what this is? Is what they call a linen-smoother made from very slick stone. They were used from the days of the Vikings through the Middle Ages and into the 18th century. Who would have guessed!
The forebears to modern electric irons, these flat irons are often triangular or come to a point to make it easier to iron around buttons. The heft of a sad iron would help it hold heat, as well as to press the fabric flat. To protect fabric and surfaces from singeing, sad irons often came with metal trivets to rest on, and these are often-beautiful, intricate, and collectible examples of metalwork that were made in a myriad of designs.
The earliest metal flat irons were forged by blacksmiths in the Middle Ages. These were heated on an open fire or a stove, and the metal handles had to be grasped with a thick potholder, rag, or glove. Women had to be careful not to track soot or ash on the clothing they were ironing.
flat irons often filled with hot coals or heated on a coal or wood stovetop
Of course, they can be cleaned up and used as a bookend, a doorstop, or just a unique item for your decor that is most certain to be a ‘conversation piece!’
Stop in today and check these out (even if you have no intention of ironing your summer clothes)! We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Bahoukas Antique Mall has a beautiful 1912-1914 Edison Gramophone with a selection of wax cylinders. It’s a beautiful piece. Edison had a wonderful view of the many uses that would benefit society that included dictation, recorded books for the blind, music boxes, and others.
Another view of the beautiful Edison Gramophone available at Bahoukas.
One use was to have music available for soldiers, that gave them a taste of home through familiar music. Though not considered by Edison, he welcomed the opportunity to acknowledge the sacrifice of American and Allied Nation’s soldiers in WWI. You can listen to Edison here:
Edison speaking public on a phonograph – 1917
Edison Invents the Phonograph
Many of the uses Edison suggested for the phonograph have become a reality, but there were others he hadn’t imagined. For example, the phonograph allowed soldiers to take music off to war with them. In 1917, when the U.S. became involved in World War I, the Edison Company created a special model of the phonograph for the U.S. Army. This basic machine sold for $60. Many Army units purchased these phonographs because it meant a lot to the soldiers to have music to cheer them and remind them of home. This is an audio clip of Edison himself in which he expresses his pride in the soldiers and reminds Americans of the enormous sacrifice and contribution made by the other allied nations.
Stop in soon and see this beautiful Edison Gramophone. We have others as well as newer model phonographs/record players. You do know the records are coming back – right? Well, we’ll be watchin’ for you!
Do you think you know what’s hiding in the 9,000+ sq ft of antiques at Bahoukas? Well, you might just want to stop by and see how diverse we really are.
Amazing sculptures at Bahoukas in Havre de Grace
Here’s a sampling of some beautiful wood sculptures. They’re just one of the many unique pieces of art you might find to delight the perfect person on your holiday gift list.
You really do want to drop in and spend some time browsing all our shelves and nook and crannies. It’s astounding just what you’ll find.
At Bahoukas, we have a nice selection of old tools including a few saws.
A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and moving it forcefully forth and less forcefully back or continuously forward. This force may be applied by hand, or powered by steam, water, electricity or other power source. An abrasive saw has a powered circular blade designed to cut through metal or ceramic. from Wikipedia
The above photo includes 2-man (person) saws and an ice saw. Below we have an electric meat saw (used by a butcher).
At this time of year, I think of all the folks gathering and chopping wood to be prepared for the colder days and the long winter nights. What’s the poem about your wood chopping efforts? Oh yea, it warms you when you cut it and again when you heat with it. But the following is from Almanac.comand we think that’s probably much more accurate:
I figure that this wood will warm me seven times.
1. Cut
2. Split
3. Put into truck
4. Take out of truck
5. Bring into basement
6. Stack
7. Burn
But just like those who knit and crochet, or color intricate designs, cutting wood can also be very satisfying as noted in the following quote:
I spend a lot of time doing carpentry. Sometimes there is nothing that gives me the contentment that sawing a piece of wood does. Abbas Kiarostami
We look forward to showing you all the wonderful, old tools available at Bahoukas. So stop in soon. Someone may love one of these under their Christmas Tree. Oh wait, maybe they need one to ‘cut the tree!’ In any case, yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general, they are the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage (also called leverage) to multiply force. The six classical simple machines which were defined by Renaissance scientists are:
Lever
Wheel and axle
Pulley
Inclined plane
Wedge
Screw
The simple machine was the beginning. We could take a simple machine and multiply our efforts. Then …
Substitution as makeshift is when human ingenuity comes into play and a tool is used for its unintended purpose such as a mechanic using a long screw driver to separate a cars control arm from a ball joint instead of using a tuning fork. In many cases, the designed secondary functions of tools are not widely known. As an example of the former, many wood-cutting hand saws integrate a carpenter’s square by incorporating a specially shaped handle that allows 90° and 45° angles to be marked by aligning the appropriate part of the handle with an edge and scribing along the back edge of the saw. The latter is illustrated by the saying “All tools can be used as hammers.” Nearly all tools can be used to function as a hammer, even though very few tools are intentionally designed for it and even fewer work as well as the original.
Here, at Bahoukas Antique Mall, we have a variety of tools for nearly every need. We have a wonderful assortment of vintage tools used for woodworking. But check these out for a different peek at what you might find on a shelf :
On the left is a beautiful microscope that just might delight a young person learning a bit of science! In the center, well, this is quite the calculator. What we can do on our smartphones is so much more than the efforts made with the Comptometer! Here’s a great video explain the mechanics behind the Comptometer. You can see how the ‘simple machines’ noted above make up the way these machines worked.
Do you wonder how you use them? Here’s another video. You can advance to around 3 minutes to see how to use it.
And finally, we have an old version of a tool/instrument to read your blood pressure. It’s intriguing to see wrist cuffs now that do the same.
Keep in mind, that tools started with the simplest machines noted above. Later, when you added steam, electricity, transistors, all leading to the computer age and the use of chips. Tools and instruments are fascinating. If you’re an older person, you’ll remember many of these transitions. If you’re a younger person, it might be fun to understand the development required to have the amazing tools you use today!
Hey, stop in and visit us at Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum. We love chatting. And yes, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
When you collect miniatures, they’ll take less space. For the minimalist, it might be the perfect way to enjoy vintage and antique collectibles in a smaller or simpler space.
How long have we been collecting miniatures? Consider this quote:
Archeologists have discovered wooden miniatures of farm animals, carts and other everyday objects that date back to at least 5,000 BC in Egypt. It’s difficult to catalog the exact history of miniature collecting since there are so many different types of miniatures and ways the miniatures were used.
While people have collected miniatures for thousands of years, most early miniatures served a utilitarian purpose. Armies used miniature models for battlefield and wartime strategies. Architects and designers used miniature models to help visualize and refine designs for structures and furniture. Regardless of the purpose or type, it’s safe to say that people have been interested in miniature collecting for as long as miniatures have been around.
Above is a beautiful collection of miniatures including Czech glass – tiny, exquisite, and beautiful.
The above collection are lead crystal sets by Princess House. They include fish, horse, cow, rabbit and rat plus four circus figurines: clown, lion, elephant and seal.
So if you would like to start collecting, but also want to keep it manageable, start with ‘miniatures.’ Of course, we’re not saying that miniature collections can’t take over your space. But, that’s for another post!
Stop in and see the miniatures we have throughout the shop. We have also have a number of printers trays that are great for small collections. Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
We walked around the shop this week to find school-related items. We have a couple of fun posts for you.
Just the tin (top photo) that these watercolors are in is beautiful. Below you’ll see the actual watercolors and most are still complete. What a fun way to say, “Happy Back to School!”
Below is a group of very unique school collectibles.
On the right is an individual slate board from the 1920s-1930s. In front is a plastic recorder from Creative Playthings (R) from the 1970s. On the left is an 1883 vintage item: From Blackboard to Books – Calkins’s Reading Cards. There’s a sample reading card in the middle.
Going back to school may have a bit of trepidation to the youngest, while some returning students look forward to it and others feel like it’s a punishment to be endured. But no matter, we send best wishes for a successful year to each and every student!
Drop by Bahoukas Antique Mall and check these items and more. Yes, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
It took three times around the shop to actually find all the ‘play horses!’ And we’re not even talking about the horse figurines, which we’ve posted in the past. These amazing rocking/springy/bouncy children’s horses come in all shapes and sizes. But don’t stop there.
We also have several wooden horses including this Fench Rocking Horse from the early 1900s. It’s not in the best of shape, but someone out there could create a beautiful upcycled pieced, we’re certain.
The other fun ‘horse-y’ items are the 1940s stuffed horse and jockey. These are just too cute.
You might notice in our slideshow two unique pieces. One is a stick horse which requires actually walking/running around pretending you’re riding a real horse. Hey, exercise that’s fun! The other is a huge wagon wheel. Why? I don’t know, just seemed to fit with horses. One is all metal; the other is wood with a flat metal tire. These are large wagon wheels at least 3 feet in diameter. Can you come up with a unique upcycle?
Stop in and think creatively. Whether you purchase one for your bouncing, active little one or you upcycle it in some way, we have a nice selection to choose from. Stop by and share your stories of playing on your bouncy, springy, rocking horse. Yessireeee… we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
The variety of implements and tools are wide and varied in our antique mall. The above slides include a spinning wheel, butter churn from the early 1800s, coffee grinder, kerosene heater, minnow basket, a wheel from an assembly line belt from FW Smith & Son (out of Belcamp), a 150-year-old cask that sits on a table and in the photo is sitting on a table that would have held large barrels (from Europe and over 200 years old).
Did you notice the clothes washer? It’s a 1950s electro mite portable, electric, washing machine. The tub holds 4 gallons of water and sits in the base that is a motor that agitates the tub, washing the clothes. That’s it – add a bit of detergent to the water, add clothes, plug in and agitate – easier than a washboard!
This is an amazing set of implements and tools.
Stop in and check these out. We’ve plenty of ‘unique’ for you to browse. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Well, they may not have much in common. But they are a great example of the variety of treasures you might find at Bahoukas Antique Mall. According to holidayinsights.com, International Kissing Day is today, July 6th. Kisses can be anything from a peck on the check to those long, toe-tingling lovers’ smooches. If you just want to celebrate with a little gift, check out these cute little oriental figurines ‘smooching.’ Don’t they just make you smile? Oh, come on, just a little bit!
Tomorrow, July 7, is Cherry Pit Spitting Day. Who knew! Here’s the history from: HolidayInsights
Date When Celebrated : First Saturday of July
In 1974, Herb Teichman of Eau Claire, MI.held a cherry pit spitting tournament as a joke, at a picnic. It was a real hit, and has been held annually since that very first tournament in 1974. Little did Teichman know at the time, that this would become an annual event, and spark the creation of International Cherry Pit Spitting Day .
The timing for this holiday on the first Saturday in July is perfect, as the cherries are ripe. As we hold Fourth of July and summer picnics, fresh cherries are available in abundance.
Are you looking to break the record? Well, you’d better start practicing. The world record for cherry pit spitting is 100′ 4″ !!
Celebrate this special day by holding or participating in a cherry pit spitting contest.
About the date: Herb Teichman, the originator to the Cherry Pit Spitting contest, set the first Saturday in July for this annual event. There are some references to this day always being on July 7th. This is erroneous. It is not a fixed date.
This amazing cast iron cherry ‘pitter’ is waiting for the champion ‘spitter’ to use to create his/her arsenal. (Now isn’t that a tongue-twister!) Have fun!
Then on Sunday, July 8, we have Video Games Day!
Video Games Day – always on July 8th
National Video Games Day – always on September 12th
Video Games Day celebrates popular video games that stormed onto the market, and changed the way your kids play games. From Atari to Nintendo to Xbox, video games provide all too many hours of playing time on your television set.
In grandma and grandpa’s day, they had stick horses for toys and playtime. Todays kids (big kids and little kids) have an enormous array of video games to play. Before you get tired of one game, another one hits the market.
Our extensive research into this special day discovered two separately distinct dates. Also, both dates for this special day refer to it as Video Games Day and National Video Games Day. Based upon our research results, we give the edge to September 12th as National Video Games Day. Lucky gamer that you are, you get to celebrate two video games days.
Celebrate National Video Games Day by playing video games. If you are off from school (or if you are a big kid off from work), make this a marathon day for video games. Better still, invite a few friends and hold a competition. Just make certain that you have enough controllers. … Holiday Insights
And yes, for today’s celebration, Bahoukas has a variety of those pre-historic…. errr… historic video games you know and loved in decades past. Stop by and browse.
Don’t forget it’s also our “CHRISTMAS in JULY” sale with 20% off EVERYthing in the store. So stop in soon… browse for your treasures. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Yes, we’re trying something different. As temperatures increase, we thought we’d decrease our prices with 20% offEVERYthing in the store. So click on “BLOG, and browse samplings of what we have to offer. Then come on by and enjoy our “CHRISTMAS in JULY” Sale!”
Don’t forget, we have another Bahoukas Paranormal Investigation and Haunted Building Tour coming up on July 14! It’s a great time and a fun evening. Join us! Call TODAY!
