The feature image is of two beautiful candy heart boxes – one cardboard and the other metal. Visit Bomboy’s Candyfor your Elvis-loving sweetheart. Or maybe that special someone would prefer a box of macarons from Les Petits Bisous!Yep – the perfect gift! And no need to wrap – ELVIS says it all!
We have THE cutest vintage valentine cards – from tiny 2″ or 3″ squares to larger cards. There’s a perfect card for any age. Exquisite, romantic, even humorous!
VINTAGE POSTCARDS
Vintage postcards for your Valentine are also available. Again, they are beautiful and with a variety of sentiments. They can also add to someone’s collection, be used on a gift you might be creating, or given in a frame.
Another HEART Idea!
This collectible green glass dish with a heart decoration is just the right size to add some jewelry (hint-hint), candies, or any other little ‘somethings’ you’d love to offer your special love.
Vintage Green Glass Dish – ashtray – candy dish – jewelry – with a perfect little heart!
Of course, we have jewelry, wonderful tin signs, and pretty much any collectible that would be a perfect addition to your sweetheart’s favorites. Something for all ages is available at Bahoukas.
And Yes – George is watchin’ for ya! He’s ready to help you discover that perfect gift. Hurry – less than two weeks til Valentine’s Day!!
There are as many reasons one might collect beer labels as there are the number of different labels available to collect! Some are just simple text while others are beautiful works of art.
The quote below is a great example of a few of the reasons. Do you collect them? What’s your reason?
Beer isn’t just one of the world’s most popular beverage it is also an art form in many respects. That might sound a little over the top but beer is a very collectible industry with a lot of followers. Beer labels, in particular, are something many people love.
They have even attracted people who don’t even particularly like the taste of beer. Beer is a very versatile beverage in many respects and there is a lot of scope to what you can find on a beer label. Many beers have very colourful and creative labels which is why there are many keen collectors out there.
Here’s a list of the areas the latest label collection represents. We encourage you to drop by and browse the collection. And you know, we’re watchin’ for ya!
During World War II in the Philippines, the occupying Japanese government issued a fiat currency in several denominations; this is known as the Japanese government-issued Philippine fiat peso. … The Second Philippine Republic under President José P. Laurel outlawed possession of guerrilla currency, and declared a monopoly on the issuance of money, so that anyone found to possess guerrilla notes could be arrested or even executed.
Some Filipinos called the fiat peso “Mickey Mouse money”. Many survivors of the war tell stories of going to the market laden with suitcases or “bayóng” (native bags made of woven coconut or buri leaf strips) overflowing with the Japanese-issued bills. According to one witness, 75 “Mickey Mouse” pesos, or about 35 U.S. dollars at that time, could buy one duck egg. In 1944, a box of matches cost more than 100 Mickey Mouse pesos.
was a currency issued by the United States for use in Allied-occupied France in the wake of the Battle of Normandy. With the swift take-over of sovereignty by General Charles de Gaulle, who considered the US occupation franc as “counterfeit money”, the currency rapidly faded out of use in favour of the pre-war French franc. First Series-Supplemental French Franc Currency. Second Series-Provisional French Franc Currency.
We have 3 different German Marks that have recently arrived at our shop.
1920 German Mark
1908 German Mark
1923 German Mark
Stop in to view these latest currencies in our bill and coin collections. Here’s a sampling of the rest of our collection:
Just a sampling of our coins and currency collections.
It’s the perfect time to begin to think of that unusual, unique, special gift for that very important person on your holiday gift list. And we’re here – watchin’ for ya!
Bahoukas has just received an interesting collection of old newspapers.
Ephemera
Old newspapers can give us the feel of a particular time period, details of history from the news stories and editorials, and a good deal about life through their ads and human interest stories. So why do people collect them?
Well, often they’ve kept papers from a historical period – a war, presidential news, disasters, and such. Sometimes a newspaper may connect to a particular birthdate, death, a favorite sports team, and other more personal topics.
Kennedy Assassination
LINDBERGH
This 1927 newspaper is in good condition for coming out of someone’s attic.
Japanese Surrender – WWII
We have others in our recently acquired collection of old newspapers. It’s so interesting to read from the very day of these events. In many cases, these are complete newspapers giving you the opportunity to really get the atmosphere in our country surrounding these historic moments!
Why Would Anyone Collect Newspapers?
Sometimes, newspapers writing of historical events were tucked away only to be left in their hideaway for a later generation to discover. But there are collectors who save papers of historical significance. Others collect them for the feel of a particular time period, a birth or obituary, news of someone famous or notorious, and for an event in the family’s life.
There are even collectors who love to save the advertisements, whether for a particular product or brand, or just advertising in general.
Whatever the reasons, we have a rather wonderful collection that, if you love old newspapers, you may want to come in and take a peek. And you can be sure – we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Deltiology … is the study and collection of postcards. Professor Randall Rhoades of Ashland, Ohio, coined a word in 1945 that became the accepted description of the study of picture postcards. It initially took about 20 years for the name to appear in a dictionary.
Our feature photo shows a variety of postcards for different holidays. But we have plenty more throughout the store.
Postcards are considered “ephemera:”
things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time.”there were papers, letters, old boxes—all sorts of ephemera”
from a Google Search
Beautiful Vintage Postcards
Crafty?
Are you wondering what you might do with old postcards? Check out this article that offers 16 PROJECTS. Some of the ideas mentioned include scrapbooking, decoupage, origami, and framing them to display.
We look forward to showing you our collections of postcards. And absolutely, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
The latest addition to our Military and Civil War Antiques and Collectibles are about 20 issues of Harper’s Weekly Magazine from the 1860s.
Harper’s Weekly was the most widely read journal in the United States throughout the period of the Civil War. So as not to upset its wide readership in the South, Harper’s took a moderate editorial position on the issue of slavery prior to the outbreak of the war. Publications that supported abolition referred to it as “Harper’s Weakly”. The Weekly had supported the Stephen A. Douglas presidential campaign against Abraham Lincoln, but as the American Civil War broke out, it fully supported Lincoln and the Union. A July 1863 article on the escaped slave Gordon included a photograph of his back, severely scarred from whippings; this provided many readers in the North their first visual evidence of the brutality of slavery. The photograph inspired many free blacks in the North to enlist.
Some of the most important articles and illustrations of the time were Harper’s reporting on the war. Besides renderings by Homer and Nast, the magazine also published illustrations by Theodore R. Davis, Henry Mosler, and the brothers Alfred and William Waud.
Thomas Nast, legendary for his political cartoons in Harper’s, also cemented our present image of Santa Claus. CLICK HERE for his story. It’s a most interesting read.
Thomas Nast cemented our present-day image of Santa Claus
Remember, Sunday is Father’s Day – June 20, 2021
From antiques and collectibles, games and videos, to our amazing Beer MuZeum, there’s sure to be the perfect gift waiting for you to discover! We’re here … and we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
TRIVIA QUESTION: You might have noticed that all cars in the United States have license plates that are exactly the same dimension of 6″ by 12.” And soon after, at a World Meeting it was agreed that ALL countries would have vehicle license plates with the same dimensions.
WHAT YEAR DID THIS OCCUR?(answer at bottom of post – no cheating!)
Did you love cereal prizes?
Bahoukas Antique Mall recently received two collections of mini-license plates (or “bicycle” plates). The first is a series of metal license plates for each state of the U.S. They were offered in Wheaties cereal boxes.
General Mills has been surprising cereal lovers with fun toys and games right inside the box, or by mail, for more than 90 years.
Our first on or in-the-box premium is believed to be Skippy cards, featured on 12 different Wheaties packages in 1933.
One of our most memorable items were the mini license plates available in Wheaties boxes in 1954. Our Consumer Relations team still receives phone calls, emails and letters about them.
Cereal box prizes and premiums have been distributed in four ways. The first, not frequently used now, was an in-store (or point-of-sale) prize that was handed to the customer with the purchase of one or more specified boxes of cereal. The second method of distribution is to include the prize in the box itself, usually outside the liner bag—often called an “in-pack promotion” in retail marketing. The third method is attaching the prize to the box – “on-pack” promotion – (as with plastic records laminated to the back of the box) or printing the prize on the box (as with numerous games and trading cards) or simply attaching the prize to the box with tape or shrink wrap. Some prizes include a gameboard or other interactive activity printed on the box that corresponds with the prize inside the box, which is used as a gamepiece. The fourth method of distribution is to have the consumer mail in the UPC proof-of-purchase labels cut from a specified number of boxes, sometimes with a cheque or money order to defray the cost of shipping, and the premium is sent to the consumer by mail (rarely first-class), usually from a third-party source.
The second collection is a series of mini-cardboard license plates of World Capitals and U.S. States/Capitals. They include drawings and data on things like: State bird and other symbols, populations, etc.
Goudey Gum Company has an interesting history. Known for their artistic baseball cards in the 1930s, they also created these cardboard mini-license plates for the World’s Fair, featuring countries and their capitals and U.S. States and their capitals. They also included stats like ‘state/country symbol, flower, population, etc.’
Read the article linked with this quote for more details on the unique character of the character behind the Goudey Gum Company as they tried to survive following WWI and the depression.
The Goudey Company survivors and descendants have something valuable to hold on to – a little gum company with limited resources that took a “little” bubble gum and small picture of someone or something, wrapped it with printed premium offers and sold it for one cent to “kids.”
A bit more about the Goudey Gum Company can be found by CLICKING HERE.
CELEBRATE DAD’S DAY
Sunday we honor all the DAD’s for their wisdom, their lessons, their humor, their laughter, and their love! It’s a great reason to stop in and browse our shop. We have so many unique ideas that might be the most perfect gift for Dad! Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya … and we’re here to help you discover that perfect gift (even if it happens to be for yourself. Shhh… we’ll never tell!)
It seems like the perfect day to mention our collection of Flags of the World by TOPPS 1950s. These non-sports collectors cards by Topps have colorful drawings on the front and information about the country on the back with a bit of trivia.
Stop in to browse this collection, they’re in excellent condition.
What is Flag Day? Why is it on June 14?
Flag Day is celebrated annually on June 14 to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. It was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777.
The first “American” flag was created in 1775 when the Continental Army was established to fight against the British during the American Revolution, according to HISTORY.com. It consisted of red and white altering stripes and a Union Jack in the corner. Not wanting the new nation’s flag to bare a resemblance to the British one, George Washington called for the creation of a new symbol.
It was resolved during the Second Continental Congress that, “the flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
Enjoy this amazing day as we celebrate our Grand Ole Flag. Your kids (grandkids) might enjoy this fun video celebrating our flag!
Don’t forget, we’ll be watchin’ for ya. And remember, Father’s Day is this coming Sunday (June 20, 2021). We’re a great place to find a very special gift for that special dad in your life!
Do you have a player piano? We have the music rolls!
Well… not exactly!
Looking for unusual, and often forgotten, items, we found these up on a shelf. We have quite a selection of old Player Piano Music Rolls.
First, let me explain what a player piano is. According to Wikipedia:
A player piano (also known as pianola) is a self-playing piano, containing a pneumatic or electro-mechanical mechanism that operates the piano action via pre-programmed music recorded on perforated paper, or in rare instances, metallic rolls, with more modern implementations using MIDI. The rise of the player piano grew with the rise of the mass-produced piano for the home in the late 19th and early 20th century.[1] Sales peaked in 1924, then declined as the improvement in phonograph recordings due to electrical recording methods developed in the mid-1920s. The advent of electrical amplification in home music reproduction via radio in the same period helped cause their eventual decline in popularity, and the stock market crash of 1929 virtually wiped out production.
Now we’ll add a video to actually show you how it works. The first minute or so shows it before it’s fully repaired. About half-way through, you can see and hear it working. Pretty cool, huh?
So, what DO we do with these piano rolls?
Well, if you don’t have a player piano, you might want to consider a craft or two where these would be amazing. If you search Pinterest, you’ll find hundreds of ways to incorporate these rolls.
On the other hand, are you an artist who loves working with paper? Then you may already see a dozen uses. I’m wondering if those folks who sculpt using old books might find these of interest. Hmmmm….
CLICK HERE for just one blog post I found that’s pretty interesting. There are lots more.
If you’re still trying to picture using these rolls in a craft, view this blog post we found.
Of course, now that you realize how beautiful these piano player rolls really are, you might want to stop in and grab a couple for yourself. Want a dozen or more, or even all of them, talk to George for a deal. 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!
Of course, you’ve seen our Christmas Tree decorated with PEZ! And we have a huge selection in our shop. Did you know that George has an entire room in his home dedicated to PEZ. Yup, he sure does!
Canning labels are very collectible and can add to your kitchen decor as well.
Canning was a major industry in Havre de Grace for many decades. And collecting canning labels is a passion for many. Our label reprints make for some very colorful items to create decorative pieces especially for your kitchen.
We encourage you to visit Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum to discover our many ‘collections.’ George really is a “Collector of Collections”! We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
One of the things we hear people saying is how ‘commercial’ Christmas is. We can help change that if you visit us at Bahoukas Antique Mall. We have a wonderful variety of toys and gifts that add value and excitement to your gift-giving.
Above is a well made, wooden firetruck sure to please that young toddler on your list. Nothing fancy, nothing to break, just a great toy! Stop by and see it for yourself.
Create a reader with these Golden Books and more
Remember all of your favorite books of years gone by. You can bet that we have some of them in our store. Come browse our children’s book section and find a couple that you’ll definitely want to share with the young reader on your list. Remember, there’s nothing kids love more than having you read to or with them!
Lunch Boxes for nearly every tv show or movie character.
Everyone had a favorite tv or movie character, often on their favorite lunch box. We have a huge collection of character lunch boxes that you’ll surely discover the perfect one for the lunch-carrying kid on your gift list. Or maybe, they just want to hide their treasures in one. Oh, and don’t forget, there are ‘big kids’ that love carrying one of these to work! So come in and pick out a couple for those on your gift-list that carry lunches or have treasures to hide!
Puzzles and more…
This is only one shelf of a huge collection of puzzles for all ages. We have large puzzles of 6-8 pieces for the toddler, 24 pcs for the pre-school, and plenty of other puzzles of all shapes, sizes, and number of pieces to entertain any puzzle lover – toddler to adult!
So while you’re enjoying tonight’s Holly Jolly First Friday with parade at 6, the lighting of the tree, carolers and stilt walkers, Santa’s arrival, shops open late, plenty of eateries – indoors and outdoors, take a few minutes to check out all that we have to offer for those on your gift list (and yes, even for yourself)! You can always come back tomorrow when the kids aren’t with you.
In the meantime, enjoy the festivities. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
We have a set of 20 volumes of the World’s Greatest Literature in excellent condition. This beautiful set by Spencer Press is from the 1930s. Someone on your Christmas list will cherish this gift.
In doing a little research, we learned a bit about Spencer Press and the marketing of the World’s Greatest Literature series.
The World’s Greatest Literature series seems to have been sold in the late 1930s and early 1940s, as shown in the newspaper advertisement near the beginning of this entry.
As said before, these seem to be the same books. (as the Spencer Library of Immortal Masterpieces … or Literature) from SeriesOfSeries website
The history of marketing affordable books of World Literature in the early 1900s has a colorful history. We’re probably much more familiar with these tactics today. Here’s a quote from this colorful history from the SeriesOfSeries website.
Finally, the series is affiliated with the “American Home Library Foundation” which is portrayed as a charitable literary foundation, subsidizing the series to promote the reading of the classics. Together, the binding, the series name, and charitable literary foundation worked to convince potential book buyers that the Spencer Library was an opportunity they could not miss. That’s the spin: to sell copyright-free literary classics with dubious and fraudulent methods to gullible working and middle-class consumers who wanted to be at least perceived as a bit literary and intellectual.
No matter the tactics, we have this beautiful 20 volume set that is perfect for the right person! Do you know someone who would love this gift? If so, drop by Bahoukas Antique Mall today and grab it before the set gets broken up! And yes, we will be watchin’ for ya!
While sorting some items in the shop, we realized that our reproduction canning labels are truly beautiful. Most are $5 each and we can order more and get them back in a day. (We also have some ‘original, collectible, canning labels if you desire those. Priced a bit higher.)
Anyway, check out the artwork. WOW! The photos don’t do justice to how great these actually look. (We took photos through a vinyl covering.)
Could you imagine decoupaging some of these beautiful canning labels for unique kitchen decor!
Beautiful. Oh, not sure what decoupage is:
Decoupage or Découpage is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it in combination with special paint effects, gold leaf and other decorative elements. Commonly, an object like a small box or an item of furniture is covered by cutouts from magazines or from purpose-manufactured papers. from Wikipedia
Look around. You can create beautiful coasters, cover a cutting board or that wood knife holder on your counter, a tray (metal or wood), cupboard doors, jars, and more. Beautiful, unique, and truly your own! Stop by Bahoukas Antique Mall today and plan your holiday gift or creative decor items. 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!
On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 was launched from Cape Kennedy Space Center atop a huge Saturn V rocket. On July 20, 1969, the Lunar Module, nicknamed the “Eagle”, touched down on the surface of the moon at Tranquility Base. Upon landing, Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong reported “The Eagle Has Landed”. A few hours later, Neil Armstrong, stepped off of the Eagle’s ladder, placed one foot upon the moon’s surface and proclaimed: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. from Holiday Insights
We offer a few items like a Life Magazine, A Little Golden Book, Exploring Space, Hot Wheels Armageddon toys, and more.
Then we just couldn’t resist a celebration titled “Ratcatchers Day” on July 22 – what possibly could that be?
One of the most well known German folklores is the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The town of Hamelin, Germany was infested by rats. The mayor promised to handsomely pay the Pied Piper, if he rid the town of rats. from Holiday Insights
This is an interesting interpretation of “Ratcatchers Day” and you just might want to click on this link above and read the rest. In the meantime, we found a rat (well, mouse) trap and have Ratatouie Pez! ENJOY!
And then PARENTS DAY!
We have lots of things for Parents Day but were tickled by these “Maw and Paw” saucers.
Today is not a day of gift giving. That’s for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The best way to mark this day is by spending time with your parents doing something fun. Its also important that you let them how how much they are loved and appreciated.
Show Mom and Dad you love ’em. Stop by Bahoukas Antique Mall and walk down “Nostalgia Lane” with them. Listen to their stories and give them a hug.
In 1994, President William (Bill) Clinton proclaimed the fourth Sunday in July as National Parents Day.
Quotes are from Holiday Insights.Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya! Remember, everything is 20% off during our CHRISTMAS in JULY SALE!
Old photos always take us back to another time. Visually they help us see another era. But they also cause us to wonder about their lives. Sometimes you even ponder if there was a way you could create something with the photos that seem to touch you in some way. Speaking of how a photo may touch us, did you notice the vintage Harley Davidson in the front of the photo above? Well, now you see it!
Do you ever fall in love with old photos you find in antique shops and wish there was a project so you could use them? We’ve included a wonderful link in this post that gives you 30 ideas. Once you look it over, I’ll bet your creative mind will be going in 100 directions, thinking of the gifts and unique items you might create for others as well as yourself. Stop in and see our many old photos.
This webpage gives 30 Creative Ways to Repurpose Repurpose Old Photos. It may, at first, feel like it wouldn’t work for anything you want. But as I perused the options, I was picturing all the beautiful black & white and sepia tone photos I’ve seen in antique shops. What if all those amazing bridal photos were used to create a lovely runner for the bride’s table. Just an idea. Now go create! Yes, we have lots of old photos and we’ll be watchin’ for ya!
