Antiques & Vintage Collectibles

I knew that whatever was in this old glass jar was not a “good thing,” but somehow the metallic silver tone still sparkled and beckoned from behind the decorative molded glass. Look how the caramel-colored whatever-it-is seemed to flow along the inside of the smooth art deco lines! And who doesn’t love the dear Old Manse paper label on the front?! So I snapped it up.

But, oh, the work!

Like many people, my first jobs were in retail. It was work I actually loved; but retail doesn’t pay enough to support a family, so I left it & got a college degree. Years later, I still consider myself to be a “retail brat” — and so I collect vintage retail store items. Like most collectors, I tend to focus on the names that mean something to me. For me, these are the department stores of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Vintage paper needlebook A Gift for You from your Red Owl Store, where you will always find friendly courteous people to serve you. Marked Made

katewatkinson: “ new office decor! #antiquing #fleamarketfind ”

Lot of two tokens for Sebastians in Mitchell, South Dakota. Each is worth 10 cents in trade, each measures 7/8 between parallel sides. Tokens

This is a near perfect set of miniature bottles.
Advertising Goetz Country Club Pilsener Beer.
I'm guessing from about the 1950's.
Made of amber glass.
Stickers are intact. No rips or tears.

Despite repeated requests from family and friends to join in the adventure, it’s something I (selfishly) prefer to do solo. I like going at my own pace, without worrying about a guest who is bored 10 minutes into the day, and getting lost in the nostalgia of it all.

While I rarely have something specific I’m looking for, I always seem to find “just the right thing” to add to my collection. Items featuring Michigan receive top attention of course – especially travel brochures and magazines, food and agriculture focused pieces, unique license plates and slightly-rusted signs. I’m also drawn to cottage- and beach-themed décor, garden art and things that are red (the primary accent color in my home).

This past April, a couple treasures found their way into my heart (and ultimately into my bag). A wooden dachshund with “Frankenmuth Beer” in faded paint was a steal at just $5 (even with its chipped tail – which to me, adds to its character). I also scored 5 juice-size glasses adorned with red roosters – perfect for sampling my favorite made-in-Michigan spirits – for $7.

Golden yellow and brown 8 oz. advertising tin from Fiebings Saddle Soap, Fiebing Chemical Co., Milwaukee 4, Wisconsin. This tin once

You are bidding on a 1960 smokey the bear handkerchief,it has some ink spots in a couple places ,but is still a nice collector piece.good luck and happy bidding

Volume 14, No. 9, issue of The Capacitor magazine, September, 1949, published by Cornell-Dubilier Electric Corp, South Plainfield, N.J.

Tourists have collected travel kitsch since the Crusaders plundered their way through the Holy Land.  Postcards, pennants, shot glasses, spoons, as well as,  a plethora of other items have topped the list of must haves from exotic and pastoral locales. These items are readily available at estate sales as they lose their meaning once their purchaser has passed. I have a different take on souvenir purchases; I try to find an antique or vintage piece that I can use and enjoy in my home decor.

[F]rom the 1920s to the 1970s, certain artists—including Alberto Vargas, George Petty, Gil Elvgren, Earl Moran, and Zoë Mozert—made their careers painting “pin-up” girls exclusively. This Golden Age of the pin-up art lasted until color photography took its place.

Perhaps even more exciting for collectors is the fact that while these bowls are not marked “Red Wing”, they were in fact made by Minnesota’s own Red Wing Stoneware Company. (Red Wing collectors will note that these bowls are specifically mentioned in collectors’ guides.) As such, they are very fine examples of pottery and the rich brown yet imperfect glaze with exposed stoneware on the thick shoulders of the rims makes them quite popular with today’s trend in primitive or rustic country home decor looks.

The use of printing blocks in newspapers and other printed advertising resulted in vast quantities of these blocks being produced. Examples of the same logo were often replicated in several sizes depending on the usage. Larger sizes for newspaper or magazine ads, with full, half or quarter page ads requiring different size print blocks. Even smaller versions were needed for letterheads, business cards or company envelopes.  These are now a relic of the very recent past, and quite collectible.

Vintage promotional booklet from The Souix City Journal and Journal-Tribune newspapers of Souix City, Iowa, serving The Farm Weekly to all of