Its design may have derived from the gun worm which was a device used by men to remove unspent charges from a musket’s barrel in a similar fashion, from at least the early 1630s
The corkscrew is possibly an English invention, due to the tradition of beer and cider, and Treatise on Cider by John Worlidge in 1676 describes “binning of tightly corked cider bottles on their sides”, although the earliest reference to a corkscrew is, “steel worm used for the drawing of Corks out of Bottles” from 1681.
In 1795, the first corkscrew patent was granted to the Reverend Samuel Henshall, in England. The clergyman affixed a simple disk, now known as the Henshall Button, between the worm and the shank. The disk prevents the worm from going too deep into the cork, forces the cork to turn with the turning of the crosspiece, and thus breaks the adhesion between the cork and the neck of the bottle. The disk is designed and manufactured slightly concave on the underside, which compresses the top of the cork and helps keep it from breaking apart.
A heritage corkscrew. When the old London Bridge was demolished in the 1831, its surviving fragment was turned into a corkscrew, which was sold at an auction in Essex, UK for £40,000 (around $62,790), about 100 times its guide price.
So there you go … more than you ever wanted to know about the familiar corkscrew. But it just might put you on the path to being a helixophile. We’re here to guide you. And you bet, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
What is it about keys that are so intriguing? Is it the mystery of what they might unlock? Or maybe who used them and where?
Cagophilist
This is the word for one who collects, or has a fondness, for keys! CLICK HERE to hear how to prounounce it!
The picture above is our latest addition to our collection – keys from the 1930s that were, at one time, in the Hatem Store in Havre de Grace. Many of these were keys used in amusement machines.
Another addition to Bahoukas History MuZeum the Brass National Cash Register that came from the Hatem Store that was at 600 Franklin Street. There are also pinball machines, other games, and a racehorse game machine. A very cool piece of Havre de Grace History from “The Casual Historian” #thecasualhistorian NOTE: The items in this photo are NOT for sale as they’re part of our HdG History Collection. The keys above ARE for sale.
A variety of shapes and sizes of keys from our collection., also for sale.
And just in case you also love locks, we have a few of those as well.
… a variety of keys, padlocks and more for sale
So whether you’re a ‘cagophilist’ that collects keys or you just has a fondness for them and might be looking for a couple for a craft project or decorating, we invite you to stop in and visit. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
A letterpress drawer is a thin wooden tray with compartments. These drawers were part of a larger printing cabinet that were common between the 15th and 19th centuries. The small sections store letter stamps or “sorts” that were used in a printing press for relief printing. Letterpress drawers are also referred to as type cases, type drawers, printer block drawers, and printer’s trays.
Old metal type can easily be used to add a bit of pizzazz to a craft. You can ink it with a stamp pad and using it to make your own gift wrap, to decorate a lunch or gift bag, to create a card, or to just give the kids a little knowledge about using type.
Visit us and we’ll show you what we have in our printer collection. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Are you aware that John Wayne was in 179 film and tv productions? And he wasn’t always a cowboy! The above photo is from The Quiet Man movie – filmed in Ireland. The link below the following quote will take you to an interesting article regarding 100 of his movies.
Have you seen them all?
The controversial film star was most famous for his roles in Westerns, but also starred in war dramas, took on the role of an American boxer in “The Quiet Man,” and put himself on the other side of the camera as a producer and director. Wayne was nominated three times for Academy Awards, winning once for lead actor in 1969 when he played U.S. Marshal Reuben “Rooster” J. Cogburn in “True Grit.” He was even posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980 by Jimmy Carter.
A lobby card (in German) for the movie “Who Shot Liberty Valence” … available in our shop
John Wayne
18″ Ensco chalk figure 1970s available in our shop!
Do you know John Wayne’s birth name? (Answer at the bottom of this post)
John Wayne American Collector Watch
John Wayne Collector Figure (both have dome covers)
… and a SINGER? Yep!
Another fun item is our selection of Collector Plates.
A collection of beautiful Collector Plates: John Wayne
So if you, or someone you know, grew up loving everything “John Wayne,” stop in and have a peek at these great collector items. Yessireeeeee…. we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
John Wayne’s given name was Marion Robert Morrison! Did you guess it?
It’s Saturday and Saturdays just feel like a perfect day to enjoy a Disney Character or two! These 5″ funny friends of Snow White are actually ‘squeak toys’. They’re in excellent condition considering they’re from the 1960s! The dwarf in the back is from a different group and he’s 6″ tall.
Walk of Fame
Did you know that Snow White is one of a very view Disney Characters who was honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? It’s true.
An older photo of a Snow White doll and her dwarfs!
The Queen and the Wicked Witch
Ever wonder about some of the voices behind the Disney Characters. Well, there’s a great fact regarding the voice behind the Queen and the Wicked Witch. CLICK HERE for the value of false teeth – or not!!!
Before it was completed, 750 artists drew more than two million sketches. The movie ultimately contained more than 250,000 separate pictures.
The First Friday in August is International Beer Day. No matter where you are or how you celebrate, raise a brewski and enjoy.
International Beer Day is a global celebration of beer, taking place in pubs, breweries, and backyards all over the world. It’s a day for beer lovers everywhere to raise a toast to our brewers and bartenders and rejoice in the greatness of beer!
We have at least 10 beer mats at Bahoukas Beer MuZeum.
Tegestologists
If you collect brewmania, you might know what this word is:
Tegestologists have a great excuse to spend time in bars since they collect coasters or beermats. They should probably team up with labeorphilists, or collectors of beer bottles.
We have thousands of beer coasters. Are you a TEGESTOLOGIST? Stop in and view our collection. We might add, that it’s hot upstairs where our Bahoukas Beer MuZeum is located. So visit us first, then go and enjoy a cold beer at any of our great restaurants and pubs and celebrate International Beer Day and your exciting, new purchase for your collection!
Of course, we have plenty of beer bottles to add to your collection… but that’s another story. In the meantime, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
It’s been a while since we’ve shared our variety of bottle collections. An old bottle is a great way to upcycle – use to keep pens, show off a small bouquet or a single flower, or just add to a windowsill with a sprig of ivy. Check out just a few of our collections in the store.
Milk Bottles
A great collection of milk bottles
Milk Bottle Sampler
Medicine Bottles
Do you love flowers? Well, our collection of bottles can give you beautiful cut flower containers. Consider these for a bud face or simple flower:
pharmaceutical bottles
CLICK ON OUR BOTTLES category (on the right side of our page) to see more complete posts about our many bottles available.
Vintage Bottles
Unique vintage bottles
Whether you have a windowsill filled with tiny bottles or a cabinet filled with your collection, we encourage you to stop into Bahoukas Antique Mall to see if one – or a dozen – might add to your collection or to your decor!
…working men protected their lunches from the perils of the job site (just imagine what a coal mine or a quarry could do to a guy’s sandwich) with heavy-duty metal pails.
Historic lunchbox, 1880s. A tobacco box was recycled as lunch box. Harold Dorwin / SI
Soon after…
Around the 1880s, school children who wanted to emulate their daddies fashioned similar caddies out of empty cookie or tobacco tins. According to the timeline, the first commercial lunch boxes, which resembled metal picnic baskets decorated with scenes of playing children, came out in 1902.
Do you have a favorite boo character/tv show/celebrity collectible lunchbox? Or maybe you’ve been looking for one? Stop in and visit us soon to see our extensive collection.
More lunchboxes from the collection at Bahoukas.
Yes, we are watchin’ for ya! And don’t forget, school is right around the corner. Possibly your youngster would love to have a lunchbox from Bahoukas!
We have two fine beer tap handles celebrating Natty Boh! Just two of an amazing collection of brewmania throughout our shop and in our Beer MuZeum upstairs.
CLICK HERE for a great piece about us from the Baltimore Sun.
The other side of these wonderful beer tap handles for National Bohemian!
Natty Boh Beer Cap Puzzles
Did you know there were puzzles to be solved under the beer cap? Did you realize that recently there are no puzzles? Read this article for details.
Want to learn some fun facts about Natty Boh? CLICK HERE
What kind of facts? Well, did you know that National Bohemian was the first to bottle beer in 6-pack cans in the 1940s?
We’ve heard that the bottle cap puzzles will be back. We sure hope. We also hard that there may be an app available for the beer cap puzzles. That would be fun!
This company, founded by Samuel Sabin in 1946, did not manufacture china, but it decorated “blanks” (i.e., undecorated pieces of china) purchased from ceramics companies that made the actual pottery and porcelain. Sabin applied decoration to these blanks — often by using decals — and then resold them to a variety of wholesalers or retailers. It is reported that Sabin also decorated glass.
People collect dolls for many reasons. Some collect them because of fond childhood memories, others for the artistry that goes into making them, others for historical value, and still others for their resale value. People collect what appeals to them and reflect their desires and values.
Here in our store, we have gathered quite a collection of dolls (and stuffed animals). Our “Barbie” collection is fairly extensive. But we’ve other delightful additions to consider whether it’s a gift for a young one to enjoy or to be added to a collection.
Shirley Temple Doll
This delightful doll can be purchased with 6 outfits, but we have a total of 16 if you’re interested!
Brief History of Dolls
Another excerpt:
Dolls in the Middle Ages were often made from clay, tin, or glass. Clay figures of horses and knights and figurines from glass and tin have been found. In addition, dolls made from bread representing various saints were eaten on religious feast days. Beginning in the 1400s, fashion dolls were created to display the latest Paris fashions to wealthy customers.
In America, one of the oldest dolls is the Kachina, made by the Hopi Indians in Arizona. Kachina dolls were hand carved from cactus root or cottonwood, painted with symbolic colors and designs, and dressed in traditional dresses. These dolls were intended as sacred objects for children to study, and were not used as toys. During religious ceremonies, Kachina dolls were given out by masked priests who dressed as ancestral spirits and offered petitionary prayers for the tribe.
Colonial Americans made dolls from whatever materials they had on hand, including corn husks, corn cobs, fruits, nuts, and gourds. Northern Indians and Eskimos fashioned their dolls from whalebone, walrus tusk, and mammoth teeth.
We’ve been posting about dolls over the years. CLICK HERE to see some of those older posts.
Wonder Why We Collect Dolls?
You’re in good company if you love to collect dolls of any kind. Some famous people, such as actress Demi Moore and actor Johnny Depp, collect dolls. Even British singer, Sophie Ellis Bextor, collects a variety of dolls because they’re full of personality and charm. You may collect dolls purely for investment purposes. After all, an original and mint condition G.I. Joe doll can fetch a pretty penny, as can a rare, vintage, or designer diamond-encrusted Barbie doll. But you likely already know that not all dolls are worth a fortune, so there may be another reason behind your habit.
Whether you’re looking for a Barbie to add to your collection, a Victorian doll, or a princess or baby doll, we may be able to help. So we encourage you to stop in soon. Yep, we’re always watchin’ for ya!
Gentle Reminder:
Might we add that 5 months from now will be the Christmas Holidays.
In 2020, thanks to a covid pandemic, delivery to our door has become commonplace for just about everyone! But if you’re familiar with Jewel Tea Co., you may not realize they started their door-to-door business in 1899.
Although many remember the Jewel Tea Co. which closed in 1981, few are probably aware of just how unique and entrepreneurial this company was. The following quote is a great example of how nimble and quick-thinking they were:
There were many tea companies at that time, and they all sold door-to-door, giving premium coupons with grocery purchases. When enough coupons had been saved, the customer had a choice of premium items offered. One day Mr. Ross knocked on the kitchen door of a prospective customer and had hardly stated his business when she grabbed a broom. He returned later that same day and learned that the lady had saved coupons for six months buying coffee and tea from a “wagon man” and had expected to get a rug with her coupons. However, the wagon man stopped coming around. Mr. Ross quickly offered her a premium to be left with her first order, to be paid out with a later trade.
This story varies from a broom to hot water, but the fast-thinking Mr. Ross with his idea of advancing the premium set the Jewel Tea Company apart from all other existing tea companies of the day.
Jewel Tea Co. “Autumn Leaves” dishware by Hall Co.
Many of the baby boomers today will recall these dishes from having had them in their homes growing up. They were premiums offered by Jewel Tea Co. and made by Hall China Company.
In the mid-1920s, the directors of Hall China made a decision to associate with the Jewel Tea Company to produce an exclusive line of dinnerware for them. Jewel started using Hall teapots as premiums, and then expanded the promotion to include its own line of distinctive dinnerware and kitchenware. New pieces were introduced by Hall China for Jewel until 1980.
This image is from a tching.compost and shows both the Autumn Leaves and Cameo Rose designs.
Do you collect the Cameo Rose pattern?
There’s much to be learned from earlier successful companies. And it’s always fun to start a collection where you can share a bit of the ‘story’ that comes with them.
Drop by and chat with us, browse our 9,000 sq. ft. of collections. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Yes, we’re living in a world full of selfies. Smiles that are so practiced that we’ve nearly forgotten what a great, spontaneous smile actually looks like. But stop by our shop for a great history of photography as you browse our vintage camera collection.
Over the past year or so, here at Bahoukas Antique Mall, we’ve acquired a surprising variety of antique, vintage, and collectible cameras. Whether you’re a photographer who loves to collect vintage cameras or someone who just loves how they look as unique decorating items in your home or office, we have a wonderful selection to choose from.
In researching the collecting of cameras, we found this most informative blog post on “How to Start a Camera Collection” from the blog Amateur Photographer. CLICK HERE to read a great post and maybe tickle your ‘collector self’ into considering a small camera collection.
Wonderful variety of vintage cameras at Bahoukas!
Here’s a short video that gives you a bit of camera history as well as the joy of collecting.
Did You Ever Make A Pinhole Camera?
Many can remember, as a kid, making a pinhole camera from an old shoebox. Did you ever do that? Have you shared that with your kids or grandkids. In today’s busy, techie world, it might be fun to share this simple project with a youngster in your life while teaching them a bit about how our eye and brain work to give us our vision and the pinhole camera is a great example.
Vintage Fun
Stop in today and browse our wonderful variety of cameras. Add to or start your collection today!
Of course, as always, we’ll be watchin’ for ya. Stop by and say ‘hello’ and share your favorite collectibles! You might just discover an addition that “you’ll just have to purchase!” See you soon!
At Bahoukas we have a great assortment of Action Figures from movies and television shows including Star Wars to Star Trek, Sports with Starting LineUp and even bobbleheads!
Star Trek Action Figures
Star Wars Action Figures
Star Wars Action Figures
Love Sports?
A wide variety of sports are represented with our Starting Lineup Action Figures!
Starting Lineup Action Figures
Starting Lineup Action Figures
Along with a wide variety of action figures, we also have sportsbooks, bobbleheads, and more.
Sports Books, Bobbleheads, and more
So if you enjoy Action Figures…
You’ll definitely want to stop by Bahoukas Antiquesand browse through our collections. Whether you’re looking for a special one for your own collection, helping someone start a collection, or just want to play with some, we have a nice variety – many more that what we show here.
So yes, we’ll be watchin’ for you and ready to show you our Action Figures Collections!
Are you serious about reusing items to keep them out of landfills? Many items in antique stores, besides adding to a collection or being a wonderful decorating item, are also quite useful.
Kitchen Utensils to Repurpose!
Look at this photo of one wall of kitchen items that could easily enjoy another few years of purpose.
Just one wall of great kitchen utensils that could be used today!
We also have
… rolling pins, cake dishes, pie tins, and cast iron pans to name just a few easily repurposed.
So many great ideas…
Cast iron pans
It’s well worth a visit to Bahoukas Antique Mall to see if we might have ‘just the item you need.’ If you need a link for other ideas, CLICK HERE. You’ll find dozens of items you probably never would think to look for at Bahoukas. Of course, we’re always watchin’ for ya!
These two antique pieces arrived recently. We’re excited to share them with you.
Civil War Naval Cutlass
First, let’s share a little background regarding this Naval Cutlass:
First cousin to the longer, lighter cavalry saber, the naval cutlass was designed for sea-fighting as the saber was adapted to land-battles. Because boarding actions were fought on the crowded decks of small vessels amid tangles of shrouds and splintered spars and struggling shipmates and foemen, Jack Tar’s blade had to be short for easy control, and heavy enough to provide its own momentum in slashing. (Unlike the cavalry trooper’s trusty saber, Jack’s cutlass did not have the weight of a galloping horse behind it!) The cutlass had a straight or slightly-curved blade designed both for cutting and thrusting. A large, enclosed guard shielded the swordsman’s hand.
from website History.naval.mil
Are you wondering just who “Jack Tar” might be? Here’s a bit of info:
Jack Tar (also Jacktar, Jack-tar or Tar) is a common English term originally used to refer to seamen of the Merchant or Royal Navy, particularly during the period of the British Empire. By World War I the term was used as a nickname for those in the U.S. Navy. Members of the public and seafarers alike made use of the name in identifying those who went to sea. It was not used as a pejorative and sailors were happy to use the term to label themselves.
US Naval Cutlass on left – Ceremonial Sword of Knights Templar on right
There’s an interesting link from this cutlass to Havre de Grace via Commodore John Rodgers.
In 1808, Commodore John Rodgers of the Brooklyn Navy Yard awarded Nathan Starr a contract for 2,000 cutlasses at $2.50 each. This weapon was 35 ¼ inches long with a single-edged, straight blade. The guard was made of iron, beaten to concavity and lacquered black. The grip was a maple cylinder protected from splitting by two metal rings (ferrules) clamped around the handle near its upper and lower ends. In the hands of New England seamen, these cutlasses felled scores of Britons during bloody boarding actions in the War of 1812, including the capture by HMS Shannonof James Lawrence’s Chesapeake in 1813, and Wasp‘s victory over HMS Reindeer in 1814, one of the fiercest cutlass-fights in the annals of the sea.
Rodgers Tavern (where Abbey’s Burger will open later this month) is connected to the Rodgers Family and their history with Havre de Grace. Here’s a tribute to Commodore Rodgers from Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton:
When I first saw Commodore Rodgers, which was after I had reached senatorial age and station, he recalled to me the idea of those modern admirals, and subsequent acquaintance confirmed the impression then made.
He was to me the complete impersonation of my idea of the perfect naval commander; person, mind and manners with the qualities of command grafted on the groundwork of a good citizen and good father of a family and all lodged in a frame to bespeak the seaman and officer. His very figure and face were those of the naval hero such as we conceive from naval songs and ballads and from the course of life which the sea officer leads exposed to the double peril of waves and war, contending with the storms of the elements as well as with the storm of battle. We associate the idea of bodily power with such a life, and when we find them united the heroic qualities in a frame of powerful muscular development, we experience a grateful feeling of completeness which fulfils a natural expectation and leaves nothing to be desired.
Now you can see how easily you can get pulled into learning a bit of history while at the same time having fun!
Knights Templar Ceremonial Sword
There is a great deal of folklore and conspiracy theory when you speak of the Knights Templar of the Middle Ages. For an interesting read, consider this article – 10 Thinks You Never Knew About The Knights Templar by Dan Jones in the British Edition of GQ Magazine.
The sword with its scabbard is probably early 1900s. George is still researching it.
Here’s another photos of these two awesome antique pieces:
We look forward to having you drop by and view these two pieces of history. Remember, George is the “Collector of Collections.” We’ll be watchin’ for ya to stop by so we can help you find your favorites!
As we keep reminding you, we have something for each and every age, taste, and style! Now, we know there are adults that have Pez Collections (Just ask George about his!). But we’re sharing some fun items for kids this time.
PEZ
Kids-of-all-Ages
… love PEZ collectibles. And George is our expert on All-Things-PEZ.
Do your kids have favorite characters from movies, cartoons, etc?
Bring them in to see if there are some PEZ items they might enjoy collecting.
CLICK HERE for more PEZ related posts on our website.
PEZ – PEZ – PEZ
books – Books – BOOKS!
Books for all ages and all interests at Bahoukas.
From classics to Dr. Seuss and everything in between, our shelves of books for children are sure to make a perfect escape on a rainy (or simply ‘too hot’) day! Bring them in and give them the opportunity to discover something of interest: Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, Donna Parker, the Classics, and a great variety of Golden Books.
Of course, we have comics and puzzles, and other fun items for kids.
And don’t forget, we also have a wonderful selection of books and magazines for adults including the complete Pulaski Seriesby Robert Lackey that are historical novels that center on Havre de Grace beginning with our canal and lockhouse time period. In fact, he visited with his latest book of the series, #10 Pulaski’s Redemption.
You’ll notice all kinds of fun events related to “Christmas in July.” Here at Bahoukas Antique Mall, it’s like Christmas all year when you browse our 9,000+ sq ft of treasures and discoveries!
Christopher Radko included
Included with the latest addition to our Christmas collections, are several dozen beautiful ornaments that include some Christopher Radko designs. Do you know that Christopher Radko is still alive and making gorgeous Christmas ornaments? Do you know the history?
CLICK HERE for interesting background from his website.
Watch the video below to see how they create a Christopher Radko ornament. Here’s the link to their page with more details. At Bahoukas we love sharing bits of knowledge about our wonderful collections, it’s our ‘thing.’
Since you’re in the mood for “Christmas”
CLICK HERE for more info about Christmas and Holiday Decorations at Bahoukas from previous posts!
And just in case you didn’t realize, we have a wonderful Christmas in July event THIS SATURDAY, July 10, 2021, at our local Joseph L. Davis Post 47 American Legion. Here’s the info below.
Be sure to visit us Bahoukas …
We’ll be here til 8pm! And yes, you can be assured, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
