Dads carried metal tins with lunch to their jobs in the coal mines and factories. Of course, it wasn’t long before their children wanted to copy their dads.
… the first commercial lunch boxes, which resembled metal picnic baskets decorated with scenes of playing children, came out in 1902.
The first lunch box decorated with a famous licensed character was introduced in 1935. Produced by Geuder, Paeschke & Frey, it featured Mickey Mouse, and was a four-color lithographed oval tin, with a pull-out tray inside. It had no vacuum bottle, but did have a handle.
In 1950, Aladdin Industries created the first children’s lunch box based on a television show, Hopalong Cassidy. The Hopalong Cassidy lunch kit, or “Hoppy”, quickly became Aladdin’s cash cow. Debuting in time for back-to-school 1950, it would go on to sell 600,000 units in its first year alone, each at US$2.39. In 1953, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were featured on models introduced by American Thermos.
Huge collection of decorated lunchboxes in plastic and metal
Many of the latest additions are complete with thermoses as well. Do stop in and check it out. They are a great last-minute gift for a child in your life – or your favorite collector. Remember, not just great for lunch, but fun for picnics, playing, keeping treasures, and more.
School Desks
Beautiful wooden and cast iron school desk.
The above desk is in beautiful condition. We also have another as pictured below:
Another beautiful wood school desk.
Another choice is this wood desk:
The front of the desk had the bench for the desk that sat in front of it
1881: The Fashion School Desk
The First Model
The first school desk was made in 1880 by John D. Loughlin in Sidney, Ohio. The desk, known as “The Fashion Desk,” proved to be extremely popular across the country. The practicality of the desks allowed for many to be put together in a one room schoolhouse, and the fashion aspect of it was aesthetically pleasing to those in the education industry. Loughlin’s marketing campaign also helped to sell these desks, which would eventually sweep the nation. The “Fashion Desks” were desks attached to one another and were big enough to seat two or three children. Usually, there was an inkwell so that the student could replenish his pen’s supply.
The Sidney School Furniture Company, located in Sidney, Ohio, began manufacturing the popular “Fashion” school desk in 1881. Advertising for the desk claimed, “No desk in the market is made with more care, nor of better materials than the ‘Fashion,’ and none has met with a more popular reception, or gives better satisfaction.” The desk featured a Patent T-head, which eliminated screws and bolts by joining the wood of the top, back, and seat to the legs, which were made of cast iron.
… with writing pad. These are solid and have a shelf on the bottom to place books and bags.
So whether it’s a lunchbox or a school desk, we can add a last-minute ‘surprise’ to your holiday gift-giving. Hurry in. We’re watchin’ for ya so that we can help you with your last-minute searches. Don’t forget, we DO CLOSE for Christmas Day and New Years Day. (Give us a call to be sure we didn’t leave early on the eve of both!) Happy Holidays!
What is it about the smell of coffee that can take us back to grandma’s or mom’s house in our memories? Even those who don’t drink coffee share similar memories. (Sorry, can’t help but remember this sound from the Maxwell House Coffee commercial!)
Of course, we know the aroma most often brings warm and cozy feelings to mind. Sitting around a kitchen table, fingers wrapped around a hot cup of coffee, conversation lively and fun.
We have some beautiful chrome electric percolators available at Bahoukas. Various shapes and sizes and yes, they do work!
An electric percolator – great for entertaining.
May Your Holiday Offer the Warm Feelings of Years Gone By
This ad seems to be perfect for the season. Enjoy! And don’t forget, we’re here except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. Give us a call on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve just in case we leave early to enjoy our holiday with our loved ones and friends.
Vintage cake carriers and keepers, also known as cake savers, are once-common items that bring a nostalgic or vintage feel to the kitchen.
Tins have been used for saving and transporting food since the 19th Century. There were also covered metal “pails” for carrying lunches and multi-compartment ones for taking pies, cakes, and other dishes one from place to another.
Cake carriers have a wire, metal or plastic, to hold the pieces together (plate and cover) so that you can transport it. Cake servers usually have a cover that fits over the plate of cake. It often is designed to sit on a kitchen counter and match the kitchen’s decor.
Cake Plates and Stands
beautiful glass cake plates
A cake stand is a structural, stool like object on which cake and other pastries are decorated and served. Cake stands are generally a single plate connected to a pedestal or multiple plates in a tower like hosting object. Cake stands are a form of tableware, they come in different materials like wood, pottery, metal, etc.
… The cake stand came into use in the late Victorian times when afternoon tea came into fashion. Presenting the cake at a higher level above the table gave the cake more attention. Therefore the cake stand usually has multiple tiers and hooped handle for the purpose of carrying.
To offer a beautiful way to display your Holiday Cakes, stop by and see our selection of plates, stands, servers, and carriers. Don’t forget that muffins, cupcakes, and other delicious pastries can be displayed and transported with these items.
It’s a wonderful way to share a message of ‘welcome.’ Just like we do at Bahoukas Antiques when we keep reminding you that “yep, we’re here and we’re watchin’ for ya!”
The above photo is a 1910 Oliver Typewriter available in our store. Here’s a great quote from a collector’s website:
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the typewriter industry was developing rapidly. Before the Oliver typewriter entered the market, text remained hidden from the typist on the underside of the platen as it was typeset until the platen was lifted. This design was convention across many successful typewriter brands of the era. However, the typewriting industry was soon revolutionized by Reverend Thomas Oliver and his eponymous invention. The Oliver typewriter features two towers of typebars which strike down onto the platen, allowing the text to remain visible at all times. With this iconic typing mechanism, the Oliver become known as The Standard Visible Writer.
The history of manual typewriters began in 1575, when an Italian printmaker, Francesco Rampazetto, invented a machine to impress letters on papers. Not until 1714 did a Brit named Henry Mill take out a patent for a machine similar to a typewriter.
It was until 1874 that these typewriters were commercially introduced to Europe and America. By the early 1900s, the electric typewriter would hit the market.
Tom Thumb Cash Registers and Typewriter
Did you ever get one of these for a Christmas gift? The cash registers came first to be followed in 1953 with the Tom Thumb Typewriter.
Tom Thumb toy typewriter by Western Stamping Co.
It was the beginning of the glory days of the durable metal Tom Thumb toy cash register, manufactured exclusively at Western Stamping Co., 2203 W. Michigan Ave.
“I bet they made 600,000 of those cash registers a year for at least 10 years,” said Edna Whiting, 86, of Blackman Township, daughter of Arthur Poole, a company founder.
… The toy cash register’s keys were first attached one at a time. By 1953, they were attached in one process, which upped production and enabled the company to produce half a million cash registers and 100,000 typewriters that year.
Many of us “boomers” probably remember the heavy black Royal typewriter. They seemed to last FOREVER! This interesting quote may help explain why:
To promote the ruggedness of its typewriters, George Edward Smith, president of Royal bought a Ford-Stout tri-motor airplane in August 1927. This plane will drop over 200 typewriters in crates with parachutes to dealers over the eastern seaboard of the USA. Royal will eventually deliver over 11,000 this way with only 10 being damaged.
Many famous writers used their typewriters, often long after the computer arrived.
Author Will Self explains why writers use a manual typewriter: “I think the computer user does their thinking on the screen, and the non-computer user is compelled, because he or she has to retype a whole text, to do a lot more thinking in the head.”
In 1883, Mark Twain was the first to present his ‘typewritten manuscript” to a publisher. The book? Life on the Mississippi
And did you know that J.R.R. Tolkein typed and retyped his Lord of the Rings manually on a typewriter? Jack Kerouac was a speed typist at 100 words per minute!
Read more about writers and the typewriters in the link in the above post.
No matter what the reason: you love to type on a manual typewriter, you’re fascinated by the mechanics themselves, or you’re a collector! Stop by and browse our collection of typewriters. We’re here and we most certainly are watchin’ for ya!
The tools pictured are ice tongs and ice saw used to cut blocks of ice from the Susquehanna River when it froze thick enough – ideally 8″ thick! It was hard work. The blocks of ice at 8″ thick would average 2.67 cubic feet and weigh about 150 lbs (considered manageable weight)! This info is included in the book: Heavy Industries of Yesteryear, Harford County’s Rural Heritage, by Jack L. Shagena, Jr. and Henry C. Peden, Jr. (available in our store).
Why did we need ice blocks?
Into the 1930s, households used large blocks of ice to keep food cold in “iceboxes.”
This photo is from the 1920s. Courtesy of the Sloane Collection.
By the end of the 1800s, many American households stored their perishable food in an insulated “icebox” that was usually made of wood and lined with tin or zinc. A large block of ice was stored inside to keep these early refrigerators chilly. By this point, cold had become the clear choice among food preservation methods, proving less labor-intensive and more effective at preventing spoilage. Other techniques, like salting, drying, and canning, erased any appearance of freshness and required more time to prepare. Iceboxes also presented a new way to save prepared foods—or leftovers—that previously might not have lasted beyond one meal.
The above photo is of Abbott Bros Ice House, located where the Havre de Grace Marine Center is on Water Street in Havre de Grace.
For the local history lover on your holiday gift list, at least one of the items featured, the book, and the Abbott Bros Ice House photo (available at Bahoukas) would make an awesome addition to their collection. Talk to George today.
In the meantime, hurry in to find YOUR favorite items for someone on your gift list. And yes, we’re definitely watchin’ for ya!
Everyone at Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving, hopefully, shared with family and friends. PLEASE NOTE that we are CLOSED for Thanksgiving Day to enjoy our own families and to appreciate all that we’ve been given. Regular hours will return tomorrow and we’ll be open 7 days/week until Christmas Day!
We know that as soon as this holiday is over, folks will be “full steam ahead” for holiday decorating and gift-giving ideas. The above photo gives you a peek at our latest addition to our vintage holiday decorations – beautiful Vintage Santas!
These beautiful very collectible, figural glass ornaments are beautiful. The set, from Santa’s Kaleidoscope, is waiting for just the right home to add a bit of pizzazz to your holiday decor!
Vintage Christmas Decor
Vintage Christmas Decorations
Here’s a sampling of more vintage and very collectible decorations to add a bit of whimsy to your holiday decor. Hurry in. These items tend to go quickly. And yes, we’re watchin’ for ya and are ready to point you in the right direction!
Again, Happy Thanksgiving. Safe travels. Always be grateful!
It is estimated that over the years, more than 300 million miniature Wade figures have been distributed with Red Rose Teas. Does someone you know collect them? And Red Rose Tea is still very popular as are their Wade miniatures!
Miniature Wade figures of farm animals and more
Another Tiny Collection
These miniature Wade Figures offer another ‘tiny collection’ that can be fun to collect. Maybe you have a child that would enjoy creating a collection. Originally called Wade Whimsies, there are several series created through the years.
The American Series #1, (1983 to 1985) consisted of 15 figurines, with one Whimsies packaged in each box of Red Rose tea.
The first animal series included a chimp, lion, bison, bush baby, owl, bear cub, rabbit, squirrel, bird, otter, hippo, turtle, seal, wild boar, and elephant.
Series II ( 1985 to 1996 )
The second series, also of animals, was issued from 1985 to 1996 and totaled 20 figurines. It was selected from a group that had also first appeared in earlier Wade series. The animals represented were the giraffe, koala bear, pine marten, langur, gorilla, kangaroo, tiger, camel, zebra, polar bear, orangutan, leopard, rhino, raccoon, leopard, puppy, rabbit, kitten, pony and cockateel.
Series III – The Circus Animal Series (1994 to 1999) was the third to appear.
Fifteen figurines made up this series, including; ringmaster, human cannonball, strongman, clown with drum, clown with pie, bear, sitting elephant, standing elephant, male monkey, female monkey, lion, poodle, seal, horse, and tiger.
SERIES IV – Endangered North American Animals ( 1999 and 2002 ), was the fourth series.
The 10 figurines were the spotted owl, bald eagle, polar bear, peregrine falcon, humpback whale, Florida panther, manatee, green sea turtle, timber wolf, and sturgeon.
SERIES V – Noah’s Ark was the fifth series.
Fourteen male and female animals, representing seven kinds of wildlife, and a single figurine of Noah and his wife made up the set of 15. They include the elephant, rhino, zebra, goose and gander, hen and rooster, ram and ewe, lion and lioness, and Noah and his wife.
SERIES VI – Pet Shop Friends ( 2006 to 2008 ) was the sixth series.
The 10 animals appearing between 2006 and 2008 were the duck, pony, rabbit, turtle, kittens, puppies, Labrador, budgie, tropical fish, and cat.
SERIES VII – The Wade Red Rose Calendar series ( 2008 to 2012 ) was the seventh series.
One figure representative of each month was included from 2008 to 2012: snowman, cupid, leprechaun, Easter bunny, Mother’s Day flowers, graduation, Uncle Sam, sandcastle, scarecrow, pumpkin kitty, turkey, and Christmas tree.
SERIES VII – the Nautical Wonderland Series, the eighth and current series, was introduced in 2012.
The series includes the compass, conch shell, mermaid, ships wheel, treasure chest, divers helmet, lighthouse, sailboat, seagull, seahorse, crab, and starfish.
They are still creating Miniature Wade Figurines for Red Rose Tea. And the Red Rose Tea website has very interesting information related to their teas as well as their Wade figures.
*In 2012, The Nautical Wonderland Series came next.
Explore our nautical heritage with these twelve figurines. This series illustrates everything to love about the ocean, from the warmth and calm of the beach, to the adventure and spirit of sailing the seas, to the mysteries and legends of the sunken depths.
*American Heritage Series (2016)
Exclusively designed by Wade Ceramics, these splendid, porcelain miniatures celebrate the illustrious history of America, from Colonial Times to the Space Age. Red Rose Tea is proud to depict landmark moments in our national history through these distinguished miniatures.
*World Monument Series (2020)
Explore the globe with these porcelain miniatures exclusively designed by Wade Ceramics! Iconic landmarks, feats of architecture and mysteries of the world are represented. Travel back to ancient times or marvel at modern achievements – the Worldwide Monument Series has it all!
*These are from the Red Rose Tea website. At this site, you can view photos of the latest miniatures.
So stop by and see our collection of Wade miniatures. Maybe you’ll want to add to your own collection or help a young person start their ‘tiny collection.’ We’re here. And yep, we’re watchin’ for ya!
Whether or not you smoke, ashtrays are appealing collectibles for numerous reasons.
First, they are small, which means you can acquire hundreds of ashtrays and display them in a relatively finite amount of space.
Second, they were made out of a wide range of materials, so if you are a fan of art glass, pounded copper, or ceramics, there is bound to be an ashtray for you.
Third, ashtrays were produced during some of the most creative periods in history, which means there are ashtrays for fans of the Victorian era, Arts and Crafts, and Art Deco.
Finally, ashtrays are snapshots of their culture, so it is not uncommon to find ashtrays that were produced to advertise products and events of the day.
Ashtrays came in all styles – silly to beautifully designed, touristy and promotional.
To show you just how diverse ashtray collections can be, here we show you a German Spinner by Gerzt (top center), the resting Mexican (made in Japan), the promotional ashtray from PENROSE, and the horse’s ‘arse’. Yep, something for everyone!
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Did you know that ashtrays are a design element included in the Cooper Hewitt Museum, located in the Andrew Carnegie Mansion on Fifth Avenue, NYC? We sure wish we had one of these in our collection!
Russel Wright designed ashtray
… is displayed at the Cooper Hewitt
Preserving the natural qualities of ceramics in spite of the dominance of machine-produced pottery has been a challenge for designers since the introduction of machinery to the production process in the eighteenth century.
Russel Wright addressed this design dilemma through his biomorphic earthenware. This ashtray, part of a 1949 series manufactured by Sterling China for hotels and restaurants, embodies Wright’s idea of designing machine-made ceramics that simulate their handcrafted counterparts. Flaring up and out from its low base, the ashtray has a curved, asymmetrical rim that appears as though it was pinched and folded by hand. Although entirely molded by machine, the ashtray’s profile suggests the involvement of human contact throughout its production. The organic form also makes the ashtray user-friendly and invites human contact and interactions: the undulating rim is excellent for resting cigarettes, and the groove holds a matchbook perfectly. The groove also allowed restaurant workers to stack multiple ashtrays, the base of one fitting neatly into the ashtray below.
Do you ever wonder who invented the first lighter? No, it wasn’t the Zippo Company, though they certainly improved on it! The first was invented in 1823. The Zippo didn’t come into the picture until 1932.
Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner invented the first lighter known as “Döbereiner’s Lamp.” It looked nothing like the lighters we use today and was also difficult to use and extremely dangerous.
The above lighters can be found in our shop and include: Top left: a cigarette case with lighter, a Queen Anne style lighter, a novelty grenade, military shell, and card cube, a Zippo lighter, and a rather art deco looking styled tabletop lighter.
So if you, or someone you know, has a collection of lighters and/or ashtrays, you just might want to check our collection. We’re here. And we’re watchin’ for ya!
These photos barely touch on the splendor of beautiful teacups and saucers, teapots, and more. Whether you use them to drink your favorite tea or to decorate with them by adding a living plant or a dried arrangement, these pieces are stunning.
Is there a little spot in your home that needs just what these pieces offer – beauty and color and function if you wish? Stop in and pick your perfect choice today!
One example are these pieces of Japanese teacups and teapot to the left. Beautiful colors in fine pieces waiting for you to put them to good use.
All of these wonderful pieces are just waiting for the appreciative eyes of a lover of all things exquisite.
Need ideas for decorating with teacups? CLICK HERE!
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Do we have teacups?You bet we do!
Maybe you have a youngster who would love to have a tea party with you. Check us out. And you bet, we’re watchin’ for ya and ready to help you find the perfect item you’re searching for.
Do you or someone you know need a lamp? We bet you didn’t think of Bahoukas Antiques when you decided to look! But we have wonderful lamps. You’ll need to look UP – DOWN – and yes, ALL AROUND! Maybe you need a cute lamp for a new baby’s room. Or a lamp to read by that accents your living room decor. Whether short and stout, tall and slender, or in-between, we have LAMPS!
We also have a huge supply of oil lamps that add a certain charm to the holidays and are very helpful when the electricity goes out!
Look up! You’ll find a wonderful variety of lamps!
With a store that overflows with hidden treasures, we have to encourage you to look UP to see a variety of lamps and lanterns available to light up your home or office.
We look forward to helping you find a few very special gifts for your holiday list. Stop in and let us help. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
During the 1970s phone subscribers were permitted to own decorative housings for their phones for the first time. Teleconcepts was one of the pioneers that provided innovative decorative phones.
This unique and quite charming clamshell phone is the “Shellamar” by Teleconcepts. It has a retractable fabric cord and YES, it absolutely works. I believe the color would be ‘caramel.’
Did you know deregulation brought us these phone designs?
The Deregulated Phone The 1977 breakup of AT&T revolutionized telephone design, which had been, as Michael Sorkin noted, “sheltered from the vagaries of taste and the manipulations of the marketplace.” The phone was no longer a standardized, leased portal into AT&T’s network; it became an object unto itself, with results that verged on a kind of giddy kitsch, as if people were overcompensating for the long gray-flannel winter. “Today Alexander Graham Bell’s invention comes in a menagerie of forms,” the New York Times wrote in 1986, “that include Coca-Cola bottles, toucans, peekaboo Lucite globes and, in the case of the desk-top Versailles phone, with a reproduction Renoir discreetly planted in the number card.”
Cabbage Patch phone, Turkey phone, Airplane phone The Farmer’s Novelty Phones/gifarmer.com; Shoe phone dldt via ebay. from SLATE.com
What fun it is to consider the changing look and feel of telephones and the continuing changes from big, boxy, cell phones to our modern-day ‘smart’ phone where the telephone function is a small part of the instrument!
In 1973, the company came up with a prototype of the world’s first portable cellular telephone, using the DynaTAC (Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage) system. In the year 1983, the world’s first commercial hand-held cellular phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X phone, got FCC’s approval.
Weighing in at 28-ounce (794-gram), it went on sale the following year. The device used to take 10 hours to fully charge, and offered around 30 minutes of talk-time. Capable of saving last 30 dialed numbers, it carried a price tag of $3,995.
The phone had long appeared in advertisements in the hands of executives as they sat in their cocoons of power, surveying their empire below, but a new kind of power was typified in the 1987 film Wall Street, in which Michael Douglas’ Gordon Gekko clutches a Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. “Oh, jeez, I wish you could see this,” he tells Bud Fox, as he walks a Hamptons beach, “the lights coming up over the water.” It’s like an advertisement for dominion over place: You can’t be here, but I can, and I’m going to use this wonderful instrument to remind you of that fact. A descendent of Motorola’s walkie-talkie work for the military (and looking like it), the DynaTAC, designed by Rudy Krolopp, came on the market in 1984, at just below $4,000 and 28 ounces.
The LUCITE CLAMSHELL PHONE is a beautiful collectible from 50 years ago that reminds many of us just how quickly things have changed. We look forward to showing you this great piece and any collection ‘of our many collections’ that you might want to peruse. Yes… we are watchin’ for ya!
We’ve not been able to find a lot about this piece – a German stoneware wine cask/dispenser in Cobalt blue and white. We did find a similar piece on an auction site. CLICK HERE to view it.
Thanks to Edel Patterson, owner of Edel’s Bridal Shop here in Havre de Grace, we are able to give you the translation on this beautiful wine dispenser/cask.
Iss, was gar ist. Trink, was klar ist. Sprich, was wahr ist. Lieb, was rar ist.
In English, it translates as follows and is from Martin Luther:
Eat what is done. Drink what is clear. Speak what is true. Love what is rare.
This piece recently arrived at Bahoukas and it’s truly exquisite!
While we’re discussing wine casks/dispensers, have you ever wondered who might have the World’s Largest Wine Barrel?
World’s Largest Wine Barrel
Well, wonder no more… within the cellars of the Heidelberg Castle in German, is the Heidelberg Tun:
The Heidelberg Tun (German: Großes Fass), or Great Heidelberg Tun, is an extremely large wine vat contained within the cellars of Heidelberg Castle. There have been four such barrels in the history of Heidelberg. In 1751, the year of its construction, the present one had a capacity of 221,726 litres (58,574 U.S. gallons). Due to the drying of the wood its current capacity is 219,000 litres (57,854 U.S. gallons). One hundred and thirty oak trees were reputedly used in its construction. It has only rarely been used as a wine barrel, and in fact presently enjoys more use as a tourist attraction, and also as a dance floor since one was constructed on top of the tun.
Located in the cellars of the Heidelberg Castle is this mammoth wine barrel. Check out the size of the people around it and the stairway to the right that takes you up to the top landing. WOW!
Now that we’ve piqued your interest. Stop in and see the beautiful stoneware wine cask. And, of course, we’re watchin’ for ya!
If you’ve browsed an antique shop, you’ve most likely noticed the old photos in boxes, stacked in corners. You’ve also most likely been drawn to one or two, wondering where the place is or who are those people. You may have even commented on their attire or the sternness in their expression. The article connected to the following quote is a very easy and interesting read.
The People Who Collect Strangers’ Memories
In gathering old photographs of daily life, family scenes, and illness, hobbyists get an intimate view into past lives.
There are many reasons old photographs are collected. Some folks are looking for certain locations while others may be collecting a category, say, a particular advertising, old motorcycles, vintage farm photos, portraits. You name it, someone’s collecting it.
But we’re most assuredly pulled into wondering about the story behind the photo.
Farrell Auto Co. photo advertising BUICK
Vintage photos – don’t you wonder about who they are?
What To Do With The Found Vintage Photos You Love
Feeling crafty? This article gives some great ways to incorporate those vintage photos into your decor. CLICK HERE for the article from salvagedliving.com
TINTYPES
Tintypes
We also have a few tintypes in our store. Do you know what “tintypes” are?
A tintype, also known as a melainotype or ferrotype, is a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal coated with a dark lacquer or enamel and used as the support for the photographic emulsion. Tintypes enjoyed their widest use during the 1860s and 1870s, but lesser use of the medium persisted into the early 20th century and it has been revived as a novelty and fine art form in the 21st.
It might also be of interest to you to learn why tintypes are so special.
Tintypes are a very early type of antique photograph dating back to the late 19th century.
… There is no negative in the tintype process, making each one a rare, one-of-a-kind photograph. Tintypes are valuable capsules of history and should only be directly worked on by an archival specialist. Today virtually all tintype images needing restoration are restored digitally on the computer.
CLICK HERE for an intriguing article that explains much more about the markings on a tintype and also how to get some clues from the photo. It’s a really interesting piece.
So there you have it. We have vintage photos and a few tintypes. Stop in and see if something catches your fancy or adds to a particular collection you may have. In the meantime, be assured. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
The blue crab is a highly sought-after shellfish. Blue crabs live up and down the Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico and are caught by both commercial and recreational fishermen. Its scientific name—Callinectes sapidus—translated from Latin means ‘beautiful savory swimmer.’
Blue crabs are the most valuable fishery in the Chesapeake Bay. They are also major predators of benthic communities and are prey for many other fish species. Blue crabs are so treasured in the region that the blue crab is the Maryland state crustacean.
Along with a few crab mallets, we also have these beautiful oyster knives.
Oyster Knives
Finally – Maryland Skipjacks
Skipjacks in the Chesapeake and oyster drudgin’ are as much a part of Maryland culture as duck hunting and decoys. We couldn’t talk about crabs and oysters without a bit about skipjacks. And don’t forget to visit the Havre de Grace Decoy Museumand Havre de Grace Maritime Museum for local history.
SKIPJACKS
The Maryland State Boat has a colorful history. And you might find some items in our shop at Bahoukas to add to your Maryland collection.
The skipjack became the State Boat in 1985 (Chapter 788, Acts of 1985; Code General Provisions Article, sec. 7-327).At that time, the General Assembly noted that: “. . . Recent efforts to restore the environmental integrity of the Chesapeake Bay have rekindled interest and appreciation in the majestic estuary as not only an economic asset but also as the foundation for a way of life for many Marylanders; and . . . Nothing better represents the way of life of Maryland watermen than the historic Chesapeake Boat known as the Skipjack . . .”
Skipjack under sail on Chesapeake Bay. Photo by Marion E. Warren (Marion E. Warren Collection, MSA SC1890-BP7506, Maryland State Archives).
We encourage you to stop in and see these items. We may have some oyster plates as well. And check out our book selections, you just might find a cookbook with ideal recipes for crabs, oysters, or perfect side dishes. Yep, we’ll be here and waitin’ for ya!
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!
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!
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!
