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.
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!
They might remember playing on the Odyssey 2 system. by Magnavox! Released in 1978, the Odyssey 2 was unique in the home video game systems of the times:
One of the strongest points of the system was its speech synthesis unit, which was released as an add-on for speech, music, and sound effects enhancement. The area that the Odyssey 2 may be best remembered for was its pioneering fusion of board and video games: The Master Strategy Series. The first game released was Quest for the Rings!, with gameplay somewhat similar to Dungeons & Dragons, and a storyline reminiscent of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Later, two other games were released in this series, Conquest of the World and The Great Wall Street Fortune Hunt, each with its own gameboard.
The Ultimate Computer Video Game System…by Magnavox – the Odyssey 2
We received a complete game system with a large variety of games recently. Enjoy ‘the good ole days’ and have fun with some of the earliest computer home game systems.
A look at some of the items that come with the Odyssey 2 Video Game System
Looking for a ‘unique gift’ for Dad or Granddad?
Father’s Day is Sunday, June 20th. Looking for a unique gift that you can all share and laugh about? This Odysses 2 Game Set just might be the perfect answer. Talk about bridging generations!!!
In any case, stop in and browse our shop. You know we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Lucy Ricardo is the wacky wife of Cuban bandleader Ricky Ricardo. Living in New York, Ricky tries to succeed in show business while Lucy — always trying to help — usually manages to get in some kind of trouble that drives Ricky crazy. Their best friends are Fred and Ethel Mertz, who are also their landlords. Usually, Ethel becomes Lucy’s less-than-willing partner in crime. Ricky and Lucy welcomed little Ricky in 1953, whose birth was a national TV event. Later in the show’s run, the Ricardos (and the Mertzes) moved to Hollywood, where Ricky tried to become a movie star.
from Google search
The I Love Lucy Show ran from 1951 to 1957. Do you have a favorite episode? Many remember this scene:
We have some new I Love Lucy items that arrived in our store. Stop by and check them out.
I Love Lucy Collectibles
A locking canister with different scenes on each side.
An I Love Lucy Sales Resistance Mattel Doll is straight from Season 2 Episode 45: “Sales Resistance” which aired January 26, 1953.
We just love the great items that cross our counter. Even better is when someone browses our shops and discovers the perfect item that they didn’t know they were looking for. Love it!
Stop in and visit. We’re here and ready to say, “Welcome to Bahoukas.” Havre de Grace offers so much for every interest. Need a bit of guidance, just “ask George” – he’ll point you to whatever it is you’re looking – inside the store or anywhere in Havre de Grace. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Early optical Laserdisc technology was invented by David Paul Gregg in 1958. By the time Gregg had patented his transparent videodisc system in 1961 and again in 1969 he decided to sell the patents to electronics manufacturer Philips. Philips had already been working on a reflective videodisc system at the time and gaining ownership of Gregg’s invention helped them push technology forward. Philips’ main goal with the Laserdisc was to sell feature films on them to consumers, so they teamed up with MCA, an entertainment company that owned the rights to the largest catalog of films at the time, to bring the Laserdisc technology to market. Collaboratively, Philips and MCA demonstrated the technology in 1972 and made it available for consumers on December 15, 1978. Philips manufactured the hardware players and MCA made the discs. The format went by many names including DiscoVision, but most referred to it as Laserdisc. from CultureandCommunication.org
A little more of the history…
DVA traces its beginnings to 1965 with the formation of Gauss Electrophysics, a company started by David Paul Gregg to pursue the storage of video information on optical disc media. At the time, video information was stored on large reels of large-width magnetic tape. Magnetic tape and the equipment used to read and record magnetic tape was expensive at that time, while VHS and Betamax tape systems were still years away from being created.
During the time that David Paul Gregg formed Gauss Electrophysics, MCA (the movie company) was interested in finding a suitable storage medium to mass market MCA’s large movie library to consumers to allow people to watch MCA’s movies in their homes. MCA learned about the work being performed at Gauss Electrophysics and purchased the company in 1968.
The Laserdisc format was more popular in Japan than it was in North America because it was a big force in the anime market. Collectors of anime content helped drive the sales of the format in Japan.
The instant-seeking functionality of Laserdiscs allowed developers to create interactive video games for LD players. The most popular LD game was Dragon’s Lair and it used pre-recorded animated scenes to tell a story. A user would use a remote or joystick to command the story to move forward and make decision for the on-screen characters. Gameplay was similar to current RPGs.
Although Laserdisc is a dead format today, it was a major stepping stone for the industry to reach modern technologies such as the CD, DVD, and MiniDisc. Many of David Paul Gregg’s early patents were licensed by companies to create these formats we know today.
We have a laserdisc player and a number of fine movies available at Bahoukas
JAWS – The first LaserDisc title marketed in North America was the MCA DiscoVision release of Jaws on December 15, 1978. The last title released in North America was Paramount’s Bringing Out the Dead on October 3, 2000.
Maybe you can’t get him the ‘real’ one… but we have some models that would make perfect stocking stuffers!
Duck decoys
Our selection of duck decoys is limited but very interesting. Stop in to see what we have!
Bob Lackey is known by many in Harford and Cecil County and definitely by residents of Havre de Grace. We carry his books – the entire series. This is a great historical fiction series that starts in the canal days of Havre de Grace and is truly a wonderful way to get a feeling of what life was like in those years gone by.
Of course, our Brewmania collection… well stop in and see for yourself!
Bahoukas’ Beer MuZeum is amazing! Huge selection of brewmania for any man cave! Whether a collector or just adding to the ambiance, we have something that will work!
We have several slot machines and jukeboxes.
Stop by and check them out. Nope – won’t fit in a stocking, but just might be the perfect gift!
Vintage tools are always of interest … stop in and see if we have something that guy on your list can use – or to add a bit of interest to the decor! We can help you with your choices.
Heddon Fishing Lures
The fisherman (or woman) in your life may be VERY familiar with these lures. Stop by and check them out. They are a collector’s dream Perfect extra thoughtful gift!
Of course, these gifts aren’t limited to the guys. And remember, we have over 9,000 sq ft of items to discover. When Thanksgiving is over, we’ll be ready to help you with your holiday shopping. Join us for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday… or ANY day that you’re in the mood to discover the perfect gift. (We promise not to tell you bought something for yourself while you were here!)
And yes, we’re here… and we’re watchin’ for ya! Happy Thanksgiving!
Well, that’s not exactly how it works. While George visited family in Montana, Barbara put her ‘shoulder to the wheel’ and began to clean and organize. The following photos don’t do the items justice (glassware is a bit challenging):
pink depression glass
Betty (one of our steady ‘volunteers’) wanted a bit of ‘pink’ near the counter. The above pink depression glass is much more beautiful when you stop by the shop to see it. We also had a great suggestion from one of our ‘regulars’ – the pink depression glass is stunning on a navy blue tablecloth!
beautiful leaded and art glass
These wonderful shades of green are absolutely stunning. There are some amazing pieces that are waiting for you! Just one could add a dash of class to your holiday decor.
glass serving trays and more
These glass plates can be used to serve nearly everything from delectable chocolates to a vegetable and dip. Wonderful macarons from Les Petits Bisous would be perfect!
Covered serving dishes and other items for your holiday decor plus some mixers to help in the preparation.
The white covered serving dishes above would make a great dish for those yummy and much anticipated holiday dishes – mashed potatoes or a green bean casserole. YUM! There are many fine items throughout the shop to add a bit of eye appeal to your holiday festivities. Add your favorite recipes to fill the dishes and you’ll have some very happy family and visitors.
Stop by and see how many items have been brought to life with the elbow grease and determination of Barbara. She loves showing off the great collections at Bahoukas Antique Mall. of course, there’s no end to this task. So we encourage you to stop in frequently as more items are cleaned, shined, organized and readied for your holidays!
Be sure to stop by and say “hi” to George. Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya.
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!
You may have grown up in the era when families gathered around their radio to listen to the President address the nation (especially Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt), or possibly listen to your favorite baseball team. Many still remember some of the early radio shows from Amos and Andy and Burns and Allen, The Shadow, Popeye, and even Gunsmoke was first a radio show!
The earliest radio programs of the 1920s were largely unsponsored; radio stations were a service designed to sell radio receivers. By the late 1920s, radio had reached critical mass and saturated the market, necessitating a change in business model. The sponsored musical feature soon became most popular program format. Most early radio sponsorship came in the form of selling the naming rights to the program, as evidenced by such programs as The A&P Gypsies, Champion Spark Plug Hour, The Clicquot Club Eskimos, and King Biscuit Time; commercials as they are known in the modern era were still relatively uncommon and considered intrusive. During the 1930s and 1940s, the leading orchestras were heard often through big band remotes, and NBC’s Monitor continued such remotes well into the 1950s by broadcasting live music from New York City jazz clubs to rural America.
Maybe you remember Kate Smith, or Bob Hope, or even War of the Worlds!
beautiful ARVIN radio
1966 Kensington Solid State Transistor to a Traveler from 1948 and a Craig Radio & Cassette Player 1990s
The history of the radio is very much linked to our country’s history. Radios were used to help us through bad economic times, wars, and more. It was a time when the nation shared the same experience: gathered around their radios and listening to the same news and other programming.
We have floor model radios and a new selection of recently acquired table and portable models. Stop in soon and see how beautiful some of these are. And yes, we’ll be watchin’ for ya.
It’s not quite the same – movie posters and art shows. But here at Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum, we wanted to be sure to show our enthusiasm for the 56th Annual Havre de Grace Art Show sponsored by the Soroptimist International Havre de Grace!
Tropic Zone with Ronald Reagan and Rhonda Fleming, 1953
Tropic Zoneposter , featuring Ronald Reagan and Rhonda Fleming (1953)
Reagan’s character, Dan McCloud, is an American (described as a “soldier of fortune” in the publicity for the picture’s release who becomes the foreman of a Central American banana plantation. Learning that his employer, Lukats, is corrupt and trying to corner the market, McCloud joins with one of the smaller growers (played by Rhonda Fleming) to organize the workers and stop Lukats’ scheme.
Rhonda Fleming was known as the “Queen of Technicolor” and is still loved by many cinephiles. If you’d like to view this movie, we’ve linked to it here.
Blood Alley with John Wayne and Lauren Bacall is a 1955 film.
Blood Alley poster
A group of oppressed villagers ask a merchant skipper to guide their Chinese ferry to Hong Kong and freedom, but the skipper, a prisoner of the Chinese authorities, must first be sprung from captivity before he can ferry the stolen paddleship. Navigating the treacherous waters, the captain and his strange crew have a gun boat and a destroyer hot on their heels.
Tennessee’s Partner 1955 film features John Payne, Ronald Reagan, Rhonda Fleming and Coleen Gray
Tennessee’s Partner poster
A debonair gambler, Tennessee (John Payne), gets into some trouble in the rough-and-tumble mining town of Sandy Bar, Calif., and it takes the bold action of Cowpoke (Ronald Reagan) to get him out of it. Grateful for Cowpoke’s intrusion, Tennessee does him a huge favor and informs Cowpoke that his fiancée, Goldie (Coleen Gray), is a dastardly gold digger. Cowpoke isn’t pleased with Tennessee’s news and they fight. But Cowpoke comes to the gambler’s aid just when Tennessee needs him the most.
What’s interesting is this movie is actually based on a novel published in 1869!
Tennessee’s Partner is a short story by Bret Harte, first published in the Overland Monthly in 1869, which has been described as “one of the earliest ‘buddy’ stories in American fiction.” It was later loosely adapted into four films.
First printed in California in the Overland Monthly for October 1869, “Tennessee’s Partner” was reprinted the following month in Baltimore, in the New Eclectic Magazine. In 1870 the story was published in a collected volume of Harte’s short stories, printed in Boston, The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Sketches. Reviews of the volume appeared in the Lakeside Monthly, the Atlantic Monthly, and in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, all giving particular mention to “Tennessee’s Partner”. In the same year the story was anthologized in London in George Augustus Sala’s A 3rd Supply of Yankee Drolleries: The Most Recent Works of the Best American Humourists. Thereafter it continued to appear in magazines, such as Boston’s weekly Every Saturday of Jan. 14, 1871, as well as in other anthologies and in collections of Bret Harte’s work.
We have a few instruments in our store that might be worth taking a look at. But we thought it might be fun to mention our Jim Beam collection! After all, consider this quote from Eddie Condon:
While your strolling the streets and enjoying the Jazz Festival, drop in and see what we might have in our ‘collection of collections.’ For instance, our Jim Beam collectibles might be of interest.
Jim Beam Collectible Decanters and Go Withs
From the 1980 JIM BEAM Vintage Decanter Fox on a Dolphin South Florida Club Regal China to the Clown Fox Paperweight Figurine Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey 1980 Regal China and more, you just might find the perfect collectible.
Jim Beam Collectible Decanters and Go Withs
Do enjoy our First Friday and our 3-day Jazz & Blues Festival. Between the exciting performances and films, be sure to stop into Bahoukas Antique Mall & Beer MuZeum. You bet, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
You know we try to find a unique box or bin for our Wednesday surprises. Every now and then, we’ll remember something tucked away underneath a counter, or spot a shelf behind a shelf, or something way up high. That’s what happened today. These were sitting high up on a cupboard.
old movie projectors
Have some old movies? Take a peek at these amazing old movie projectors. On the left is a 1940s Cinematic movie projector, all electric. On the right is a Keystone Movie Graph, electrified (meaning it uses an electric bulb rather than a candle) but hand operated.
Either of these would make a wonderful conversation piece among your collectibles. We encourage you to drop by today. If these aren’t what you’re looking for, stop in and see the many other collections we have. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
We have a few very special vintage collectibles that you might want to add to a collection…
Easter Eggs and Little Lamps
Here we have a couple glass/porcelain eggs and lamb decorations. Collectible and so cute!
Decorative Eggs Come in all Sizes
These very collectible decorative eggs might just be the perfect addition to a very special Easter basket or a unique Easter decoration.
So come on in and see if one or two of these wonderful vintage Easter collectibles is perfect for your celebration. Yep, you know we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Comics encourage reading, imagination, and give us encouragement!
How many times have you looked at someone enjoying a comic book and wondering “why?” Well, according to Scribendi, there are a number of good things to come from enjoying a comic book including the one below:
#2: Comic Books Help Us Think Differently According to University of Windsor English professor Dale Jacobs (2007), comic books require readers to create meaning using “multiple modalities.” Readers of comic books must process all the different components—visual, spatial, and textual—of what they are reading and integrate these components into one solid understanding of the story. This means that, even though comic books may appeal to readers for the same reason these individuals are drawn to other forms of entertainment, such as television and video games, reading these books actually involves much more complex processing. More research remains to be done regarding the neurological benefits of reading comic books, but it is evident that there is far more to this genre than simply “looking at pictures,” as some critics of comic books believe.
I’ll bet you never thought about that. So possibly for you, or even for a young person who seems to not care about reading, maybe it’s time to start your own collection of comics. The article above has 5 great points to encourage enjoying a few comic books!
We have comics that include: Golden Age, Silver Age, Modern Age, Disney, Super Heroes, Villains, Adventure, and War. Well, those are just for starters.
By the one, did you know that this #1 Collectible Comic is SUPERMAN #1 Action Comic! Sorry, we don’t have one of those!! But we’ll help you browse our selection if you stop by and say ‘hi!’ It’s such a fine day! We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Serving deviled eggs at picnics and cocktail parties may have been de rigueur in post-World War II America, but these classic creamy concoctions did not originate in the United States. Although they weren’t prepared the same way, the roots of modern-day deviled eggs can be traced back to ancient Rome, where eggs were boiled, seasoned with spicy sauces and then typically served at the beginning of a meal—as a first course known as gustatio—for wealthy patricians.
Just a few of our beautiful egg plates in time for Easter celebrations.
We have a nice variety of egg plates to serve those delicious deviled eggs after they’re all discovered from their hiding places on Easter Sunday. Knowing that the deviled egg goes back to Roman Days, you’ll be proud to serve this wonderful tradition on these gorgeous plates.
By the 13th century…
… stuffed eggs began to appear in Andalusia, in what is now Spain. An anonymous cookbook from this time period instructs the reader to pound boiled egg yolks with cilantro, onion juice, pepper and coriander and then beat them with murri (a sauce made of fermented barley or fish), oil and salt. After stuffing the mixture into the hollowed egg whites, the two halves were then fastened together with a small stick and peppered.
According to OurState.com – Since 2000 Fiesta Ware has introduced egg plates…
There are egg plates for anyone’s taste. They come in an Easter-egg array of colors: cobalt blue, marigold, persimmon, sunflower, plum, scarlet, tangerine. They’re made of milk, Carnival, or Depression glass. Trimmed in gold or silver. And shaped like Easter bunnies, Christmas trees, butterflies, watermelons, ladybugs, hearts, geese, wreaths, pigs, shamrocks.
We invite you to stop in and see what we have in our collection. Make your deviled eggs the ‘talk of the party’ when you present your favorite deviled egg recipe on a beautiful plate. 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!
Chalkware is an American term for popular figurines either made of moulded plaster of Paris (usually) or sculpted gypsum, and painted, typically with oils or watercolors. They were primarily created during one of three periods: from the late 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century, during the Great Depression, and during the ‘mid-century modern’ era as decorative lamps, figurines and wall decor from the 1940s-1960s.
These figurines were often hand-painted, sometimes glazed. When Carnival chalkware was popular in the 30s through 50s, it could be hand-painted or sometimes air-brushed. Below is an excerpt from a great article in ANTIQUE WEEK:
Condition of carnival chalkware, like other collecting categories, does affect price, but thankfully not all that much. The nature of chalkware lends itself to being easily chipped. That’s understood. The coloration is also known to fade mainly because these items were rarely glazed. Carnival chalkware might have worn a coat of beeswax or varnish for protection, but often their porous surface was left as is straight out of the mold with only paint as its finish.
Speaking of paint, the earliest carnival chalkware were usually painted by hand, so looking at the quality of the paint job helps collectors get a feel for when it was made.
Starting in the 1920s, many pieces were air-brushed to speed up the process and because of this, details, especially facial details, suffered. To hurry along production even more and cut down on the cost of hiring air-brush artists, stencils were later employed with details becoming even more generic.
Another indicator of age is the amount of paint on a piece; especially human figures like the Kewpie Doll, Sailor or Cowboy. If both the front and back of the figure is painted, it was probably made in the 1940s. Additions on the figure can also be an indicator. Glitter is often found on pieces made after 1930. Other additions can include feathers or even a wooden “cigarette.” Many animals made between 1935 and 1950 have glass eyes.
What prizes did you win from the days of going to the carnival in early to mid-1900s? The history of chalkware is fascinating.
Stop in and see us soon. Check out our selection. And yes, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
