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!
Does your Dad love radios? Does he collect them? We have a really beautiful and unique radio from the 1920s.
This is a “FADA Eight” – table model, 1926, wood, low rectangular case, center front dials, loop antenna stores inside when not in use, lift top, 5 knobs, BC, 8 tubes, battery. You can see the loop antenna which would be raised up to ‘receive’ when in use.
Of course, we have a variety of radios for the collector and the curious.
Maybe Dad remembers his first ‘transistor’ radio. We have those, too.
We offer a variety of collectibles that just might bring a big smile when you give it to Dad for Father’s Day. So stop in soon. And yes, of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
The above openers are from left to right: a reproduction cast iron goat and a 4-eyed, a 1940s Syroco horsehead, old cast iron drunk-on-a-pole, parrot and the seagull (on the right). A brass “donkey” and a Coca Cola wall mounted opener are included.
According to the site of the Figural Bottle Opener: they established the characteristics of these collectibles as follows:
At the first collector convention, members established the criteria for a figural bottle opener.
It must be a figure designed for the sole purpose of opening a bottle.
It must be three dimensional on both sides.
It must be free standing or wall mounted.
The part that actually lifts the bottle cap should be an integral part of the figure.
Some openers do not meet the last criterion, but have gained club acceptance because they were included in the original catalogues of well-known opener manufacturers. Most figural openers are made of painted cast iron or aluminum. The hook may be hidden in a piece of shrubbery or be part of a beak, tail or mouth.
Stop by and see this unique assortment of figural bottle openers. Of course, you’ll have to browse a few of our hundred other collections. And you know we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
… play with a bow, some with picks, many with plucking and strumming
Above we have a beautiful violin (autographed, but we don’t recognize the names – maybe you will), a dulcimer, a Bauer Bowl Mandolin, a Russian balalaika, and the frame of a banjo. Oh yes, and a tambourine! (Come on… let that 60’s child out and enjoy a bit of rhythm!)
The balalaika (Russian: балала́йка, pronounced [bəɫɐˈɫajkə]) is a Russian stringed musical instrument with a characteristic triangular wooden, hollow body and three strings. Two strings are usually tuned to the same note and the third string is a perfect fourth higher. The higher-pitched balalaikas are used to play melodies and chords. The instrument generally has a short sustain, necessitating rapid strumming or plucking when it is used to play melodies. Balalaikas are often used for Russian folk music and dancing. from wikipedia.org
Listen to an explanation and hear the beauty of this instrument in this video:
If you go to another blog post on our site, CLICK HERE, you can also enjoy the beautiful sound of the dulcimer and the mandolin.
Music seems to be as old as the human race. It has comforted us, given us joy, led us to war, and created amazing celebrations.
“While language splits the world into detailed, distinct pieces, music unifies the world into a whole,” Perlovsky writes. “Our psyche requires both.”
I believe we may have posted these before Christmas. Most of them came in just before the holidays. There are many different sizes, colors and patterns.
If you’ve ever thought a couple oil lamps would add a touch of warmth and light to your home or get-away cabin/cottage, now is the time to stop by and choose the ones you’d love to have.
Oil lamps are practical, functional and beautiful. Pick up a couple in case of an electric outage. Pick up a few others just for the ‘ambiance’. Beautiful and practical – a perfect combo for any reason. Stop by. We’ll be watching for ya!
Do you still use fine china, stemware and napkins?
Sometimes we find it sad that in our fast-food lifestyle, everyone seems to be looking at their phones instead of the people that are with them. So every now and then we love to post a few collectibles in the hopes that you just might want to bring some of the old entertainment ways back to your lifestyle now and then. In this photo is a beautiful set of dishes by Haviland Limoges of France. This is their floral pattern. Imagine your delectable dinner being served on this beautiful collection.
History
David Haviland was an American businessman from New York dealing with porcelain. While seeking out new business interests, he arrived in Limoges, France and by 1842, he was able to send his first shipment of Limoges porcelain to the United States. He was also key in adopting a new process by which to decorate porcelain pieces developed in 1873.
In 1890, David Haviland’s son, Théodore Haviland, built a very large and prominent factory in Limoges and introduced a variety of new processes for firing and decorating porcelain pieces. The Haviland company has since been overseen by grandson William Haviland, and great-grandson Theodore Haviland II.
Present Day
Haviland & Co. is still operating as Haviland Company, though the facilities are now modernized and now sell silverware, crystal, and giftware in addition to porcelain.
The Victorian Sofa is perfect for a young girl’s smaller dolls. Burgundy cloth on a beautiful wooden frame is a perfect ‘seat’ for a variety of dolls including the Victorian Stuffed doll on the right. Of course, Mickey Mouse or a little doll with boots and coat will also enjoy the sofa.
… to Masters of the Universe – STRIDOR
STRIDOR carries He-Man to victory. And we have two of these awesome war horses sitting on the shelf waiting for the perfect owner.
We encourage you to stop in soon and see not only these items, but the variety of toys and games for the young and the young-at-heart. We’ll be watchin’ for ya.
We have a pair of these amazingly beautiful vases.
They are 1800s Victorian – hand-blown glass and enamel painted. The colors are exquisite. The shape is beautifully fluid. You must see them to appreciate just how spectacular these vases are.
If you looking for a beautiful ‘conversation piece’ that will stand out in any room, or if Victorian is your home decor, one – or both – of these vases will most certainly add a stunning beauty to your home.
Stop in soon and see these for yourself. And yes, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
This is the time of year we peruse our garden catalogs and consider how we might want to update our homes. As we huddle in our living rooms to stay warm, our thoughts go to projects for Spring.
We thought this might be a perfect time to highlight the gorgeous Fire King Stove and Hoosier Cabinet and the other kitchen accessories in our front window. The Hoosiers is a 1920s oak cabinet with an enamel top. Made by Sellers of Elwood, IN. It has a flour bin and bread box. Beautiful condition.
The 1920s Fire King Stove/oven combo was made in Baltimore and yes, it works! On the shelf above the oven, you’ll notice an electric, table-top washing machine.
On the Hoosier sitting on top is a sausage or fruit press (the black item). On the wall is a coffee grinder and a drying rack. On the enamel top of the Hoosier are cast iron items that include a matches holder, pancake maker, ice scraper and lemon squeezer. There’s a cast iron toast holder, various utensils, dishes, wonderful pottery bowls and old tins, plus a yellow egg basket.
Just looking at the photo seems to make us feel warmer. Stop in and take a peek for yourself. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Please note that Bahoukas will be closing at 2 p.m.
today to prepare for our Family Holiday.
We will be closed on CHRISTMAS DAY and
re-open regular hours on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017
Tomorrow you’ll be gathering up wrappings and the surprises will be over. The kids will excitedly play with new toys. Hopefully, mom and dad will have a chance to breathe a bit.
Most of all, everyone from Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum
wishes you a safe, Happy Holiday Season
overflowing with the love of family and friends. Remember to share
a bit of time with someone who may need a friend during this season.
Sometimes that special guy in your life is difficult to find the perfect gift. Bahoukas would like to help you with some ideas:
Antique and Collectible Tools are a great idea for the wood worker in your life:
Of course, our Beer MuZeum offers a wonderful variety for that ‘man-cave’.
Thinks like beer taps & mugs, Neon signs, mirrors, beer steins and more. We have a variety of brewmania to make the ‘man-cave’ perfect or to add to his collectibles.
We have some fine men’s jewelry pieces
… that include watches, pocket watches, ‘girly stuff’ such as Playboy Cuff Links.
For the sportsman,
… we have Heddon fishing lures, Decoys, Nascar items, collectible sports cards to name just a few things.
Maybe old bottles, coins or a special knife would be a better fit.
Have you considered games, cameras, old phones, military items, or even scales?
Hurry in to Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum – let us help you find the perfect gift for the special guy on your list. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Jewelry is a very much loved gift for many on our list. Have you ever considered an antique or collectible to fill that wish?
The above photo is a ‘mere sampling’of the many unique and fun pieces of jewelry we have available for you this year!
Have a techie in your group that still wears a tie – or maybe one who would love to place this on a scarf? Check out the little ‘robot man’ tie tack (toward the bottom of the photo by the wreath).
We have a variety of wonderful jewelry items in red to add that festive charm to your outfit or to give to someone on your list. Possibly a vintage ladies watch or pocket watch might brighten the eyes of someone you know.
Whether it’s fun and frivolous, or classic and stylish’…
…we have jewelry pieces for as little as 2-for-$3 to hundreds. We can help you find that perfect stocking stuffer, that beautiful piece that you know will be perfect, and even a silly gag gift – you know – just like ‘ugly sweaters’! Stop in to Bahoukas Antique Mall today… we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
In researching a bit more about collecting coffee tins, we learned some interesting facts. First, that collecting antique coffee tins is second only to collecting tobacco tins. But this excerpt from Collectors Weekly is most interesting:
The widespread practice of packing food in tin cans and containers was a direct result of the public’s acceptance of the Germ Theory of Disease. In the 19th century, many Americans were still willfully oblivious to the breakthrough research of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch. People were more interested in the pitches of snake-oil salesman and their medicine shows, where cure-all elixirs and exotic balms in medicine bottles were sold. It never occurred to many of these good folk that the best way to be healthy might simply to be clean.
In the early 1800s, cleanliness was one way for the upper classes to distinguish themselves from the working and lower classes, as only the wealthy had access to water and soap. However, as germ theory became more prevalent during the Victorian Era, it became unacceptable for the working poor to be dirty. Most food was displayed and accessed at the local five-and-dimes in communal food barrels—grimy, germ-infested hands would not do.
These days, people of means tend to dismiss canned or “processed” food as something people without access to fresh food eat. But in the late 1800s, food in tins was highly desirable. It was considered much more sanitary, and therefore healthier, than food offered in bins or barrels.
The Vintage Virtue website discusses collecting coffee tins with this introduction:
The coffee tin came into being as long ago as the early 1800’s in a time when most people bought fresh green coffee beans to roast and grind fresh at home. Pre-roasted and packaged coffee became popular much later in the late 1880’s. Over the years, coffee containers were produced in many shapes and sizes; they could be square, cylindrical, rectangular, or trapezoid shaped and ranged in size from one ounce sample tins to large bins holding more than fifty pounds of coffee. Coffee came in boxes and in pails with metal handles and in addition to tin, some containers were made of cardboard and others featured paper labels over tin. The lids also can in a variety of styles that evolved other the years. The early tins had hinged lids or lids that could be pulled off. Later tins were made with pry lids, slip lids, and lids that screwed off and on, these were followed by lids that utilized keys for removal.
The advertising, as in the graphics on the tins, has also made them highly collectible. The graphics became more interesting as companies realized that making the tins reusable with very beautiful graphics added to the appeal for their product. Ah yes…. advertising!
Now that you appreciate a bit more the value of the ‘tin can’ … stop by Bahoukas Antique Mall to see the many collectible tins we have for coffee, tobacco and other products.
