Treasure Chest Thursday: The New Home, 1973

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

The linking and transcribing projects continue, here, and there, when time and energy permit.

It's surprising what has survived - -

This letter was written in January of 1973 just weeks after we had moved into our first home, a brand new almost 1000 square foot ranch. The Red House, I showed it to you here. A description of the rooms and furnishings filled up most of this letter.

And, some of of the furnishings have also survived.

"Kitchen - Coppertone stove + frig; avocado can opener, Meals in minutes, tablecloth; white blender; silver 4 slice toaster; white with avocado and gold design curtains.

Bath - white tile, Formica + floor; white curtain + shower curtain; avocado scales + hamper.

Den  - gold curtains; red (major color), blue, white + gold Moroccan rug; (desk + shelves later)

My Room -  dark royal blue pile-less corduroy bedspread and pleated drapes to match with pale blue sheers underneath; blue, red, gold + white Moroccan tapestry rug the same as den; tapestry pillows for bed, one red, one blue (blue-kittens in basket, red - lions head gold);  blue background tapestries for pictures on wall.  Makes for plush, rich looking bedroom, nice!

(written off to the side - I made bedspread + drapes (not the sheers tho)."

** I believe this is that rug, with a very young son # 2

"Front room - - Gold curtains and sheers (I like a little privacy and even if I plant shrubs this spring there's no way I'll have coverage for a few years, stuff grows slower here - remember)

Rocker with gold pads.

Hutch"

**Here is the same hutch, years and years later, in our current home.

"Buffet

Steamer Trunk"

**  As with the hutch, the steamer trunk is still with us, this photo obviously taken around Christmas.  Actually the Buffet is also still with us, but, I don't seem to have a photo of it.

"Chair - tan with browns, golds and rust.

Couch - dark brown, gold + rust, gold throw pillows - corduroy

Brass lamps and knick knacks."

** The lamps are actually a form of a samovar, possibly Russian in design.  With a little image research on Google, I found this photo of a similar samovar at Flicker.  You can learn more about samovar at this Wikipedia page I found.  We purchased them in Morocco and Man "electrified" them.  And, yes, they are still in our home.

Much changes, I cannot imagine a copper-tone stove these days.  Much stays the same. The color scheme of the master bedroom is still blues, the carpet is dark navy blue.

By the way, it is OK to laugh at the descriptions, I know they have brought me a few giggles over the last few days.

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The Quilt of Many Stitches: Treasure Chest Thursday

Copyright 2016, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Recently added to my wonderful collection of family heirlooms.  Velveteen pieces.  The stitching I believe is called blanket stitching.

The colors sing to my soul.  This is the only piece that I have with this variety of stitches.

Here is a closer view:

This is the back of the quilt, the fabric seems to be a heavy cotton.  (excuse the out of focus photo)

*  Update.  Friend Terri tells me that this is considered a "Crazy Quilt" and sent me this link.  Tomorrow, I'll be searching for Spider Web stitching.  Stay tuned.

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Treasure Chest Thursday :: Crock n Pot

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

From Man's mother's home.

On the left a crock type container with lid.  On right, what reminds me of a brown bean pot.  Sadly, we do not know the family history, if any, of either pot.

A closer look at the crock type pot.  That "3" is the only marking I could find on the crock type pot. All I could find on the brown bean pot was "USA" on the bottom.

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Treasure Chest Thursday :: Millie's Nut Meat Chopper

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

We are in the last throws of the clean out of Man's mother's home.  He came home with this 5.5 inch tall Nut Meat Chopper the other day.  He remembers his mother chopping nuts with it for cooking.

The top part is a thin metal, the bottom is a glass jar.

As is the usual case, when I start blogging, I start researching.  I turned the chopper over and over and finally found in tiny tiny stamped letters, Pat. No. 27001075.  I went charging over to Google Patents and started searching.  At first I thought maybe the number was 27001079.  That stamped number is VERY small.  However, in just a few minutes I found the correct number and the chopper patent.

The drawing:

The basic data:

Publication number US2001075 A
Publication type Grant
Publication date May 14, 1935
Filing date Nov 21, 1932
Priority date Nov 21, 1932
Inventors Sundstrand Carl A
Original Assignee Sundstrand Carl A

The first few paragraphs from the patent read:

"This invention-relates to a new and improved device for chopping or breaking up nut meats and other foodstuffs.

Despite all the ingenuity that has been exercised in the development of numerous articles of kitchenware, it appears that nothing practical has been developed for breaking nut meats, and as a result, this and other work of a like nature is still done to a large extent by hand. The work is not only tedious, but the results are unsatisfactory. The customary practice is to have the nuts in a chopping bowl and to keep working them with a knife or chopper until they are brought to the desired fineness. This, as stated before, is tedious work, and there is the objection that the stuff is not cut to any uniform size, some particles being cut very fine and others being left very coarse. Furthermore this old method was objectionable because of the loss of the natural oils and flavor.

It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide a device operable by the turning of a crank for ease in operation, and constructed to break the nut meats or other food to a fairly uniform size.

Another object consists in the provision of a device consisting of a hopper in the bottom of which the breaker means is embodied, arranged to be mounted on a jar by means of a screw-on cap, thus providing a relatively inexpensive device, attractive in appearance, and extremely practical for the purpose intended."

How interesting is this??  Well, there's more, lots more over on the Patent page from Google.  As I have probably exceeded a "fair use" test on borrowing from the web page, you really should go read it for your self!  What a hoot, and run all the way down to the bottom of the page, where you will find references to additional patents connected to this one, you will undoubtedly recognize the names Hamilton Beach and Pampered Chef!

What a little treasure Man brought home this time, and a lesson in history and patents.




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Treasure Chest Thursday, a New and Special Treasure

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

While visiting Statesboro Georgia, I had a wonderful meetup with a Bowen cousin.  It was a special day, yes, I blogged about it.

This special cousin gifted me with this tiny toy tea set.  A new and very special treasure. It will find it's new home with my other small treasures in one of my shadow boxes.

Thank you NLB.




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Treasure Chest Thursday, Child's Tea Set

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

While visiting with family over the holidays, this "Made in Japan" children's tea set was given to me. There are pieces missing, which is good and bad.  Bad, because we always love to have full sets.  Good, cause that means it was well used and well played with.  There was even silverware!

It is possible that my cousins played with this set as well, as it seems to have come from my grandmother's home.

It is hand painted, there are pieces with globs of paint.  The top to the tea pot is missing, and one small desert plate.  3 spoons missing, and 2 forks, although it you look close that one fork is in rather sad shape!  The knives had "Germany" stamped on the blade.

Tea anyone?




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Treasure Chest Thursday :: The $100.00 1938 Hupmobile Loan

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

In going through Man's mother's papers recently we found a note/chattel mortgage Man's father took out in 1946 for $100.00 to purchase a 1938 Hupmobile,  the engine number, serial number and title number are even on this document.  Oh, and the 1946 license number too!  CJ 4591

Now, you know the researcher types, it did not take me long to go looking for an image of a 1938 Hupmobile, and it did not take me long to find one either!  LOL  So, used with permission of Flickr user Alden Jewell - -

I am in love!!  Let's go shopping!!  That color will be just perfect, thank you!




*  Many thanks to Alden for the permission to use his image.

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Treasure Chest Thursday, the Googly Eye Doll, a Rerun Post

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Back on September 17, 2009 I ran this post for Treasure Chest Thursday.  I rarely do rerun posts, but, this morning blogger friend Barbara from Life From the Roots ran some more photos of her sweet doll, and the very first photo is of the doll sitting in her high chair, looking a lot like like my doll's high chair.  So, I decided to rerun my Googly Eye Doll post, for fun and because I am pre-occupied these days with cemetery books and web pages and face it, a rerun is sorta easy and very fast, although I did redo the photo in the digital editor a bit, the last version was a bit dark.  I hope you enjoy:

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This replica of a Googly Eye Doll was hand made in Germany. Son # 1 and his bride found a doll maker in Regensburg and brought this sweet thing home to me. Her oak high chair was made by Amish (either in the Elkhart County Indiana or Holmes County Ohio area).

I saw a photo of a very old Googly Eye Doll in a magazine and was immediately infatuated. I don't have a large doll collection, but I do have a few that caught my imagination and a spot in my heart. For me, it is usually love at first sight.

Tonight a little snooping on the Internet gave this description, "GOOGLY EYES: Big, round, side-glancing eyes, very popular on dolls from 1910s through the 1920s."

There were a lot of dolls with Googly Eyes for sale too! But I have mine and she is a treasure to me.

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Treasure Chest Thursday :: Work Badge

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Man's mother's work badge, sometime in the early to mid 1940's.  It is almost 2 inches in diameter.  The outer ring is metal, inner ring is a heavy paper, and the 3rd layer down is, of course, the photo.  Screw Machine Products was on Fort Street, near Outer Drive, Lincoln Park, Wayne County, Michigan.

Don't ya just love the back, the clasps to hold it together, the pin??  Ya, we do too!



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Treasure Chest Thursday :: Leaves of a Different Kind

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

As we continue to sort through Man's Mother's goodies, we continue to turn up some interesting tidbits, like

Lather Leaves:

There are 23 leaves in this packet, at least one was used.  I did a short Google search, sure did not find much. The image results I found during my search showed different covers, obviously aimed at different markets (one was for fishermen).  I checked Google Books, and could only look at a snippet view.  I looked at that snippet and it seemed to indicate a possible patent number, so next I went on a patent search with that number and with a word search of "lather leaves" and even added in the year (1943).  So far, I am still searching.

If you know anything more about Lather Leaves, I would love hearing from you.

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Treasure Chest Thursday, The Halterman Bottles

Copyright 2011, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This small collection of bottles (and one vase) came from my grandmother, Minnie Agnes Halterman Trumbo.  Some of them may have come from her parent's (Ida Matilda Whitmer Halterman and hubby David Halterman) farm.  They have been in my possession for well over 20 years.  Not particularly valuable, but, treasures to me.

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Shadow Box Number 3, Treasure Chest Thursday

CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Last year before THE Trip, I was sharing my shadow boxes with you on Treasure Chest Thursday.  The first appeared on May 13, 2010, and the second was published on June 24, 2010.

Many items in the collection were given to me by my grandmother, Florence Ruth Dews Bowen.  This box is actually a jewelry box which I converted to a shadow box.  The figurines in this particular box are quite small.

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THE Trip, Treasure Chest Thursday, RV Style - 1930-31 Ford Model A House Car

Copyright 2011, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

While visiting Johnny Cloud's Museum, we found tucked into a building, this 1930-31 Ford Model A House Car.  Johnny told us his father had actually purchased it from his mother's school teacher.  Seems the school teacher and spouse built this and used it to live in while they were building a home in Parker Arizona.  Boondocking??  Well, they had all the conveniences, let's start on the inside (noting I did NOT climb inside, I leaned in as far as I could safely and did the best I could while trying to balance myself and get the photos.)

Storage cabinets over the driver and passenger seats.
Also note, what is believed to be a roof vent.

This one is hard to figure out because of angles, etc.
Forward almost white colored cabinets, believed to be sink.
In back left, dark colored, dresser drawers and in
very back, ends of two bunks.

Left, sink and dresser drawers.
Back:  Two sleeping bunks, over head
lighting, square on roof is vent.
Right:  stove.

Right:  Driver's seat, steering wheel.
Left:  Refrigeration.  (Drawer on top?
Have no idea, probably not part of OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer)

Furnished Apartment For Rent - Johnny has a dark
sense of humor, eh??
The bottle under the sign is the fresh water tank.
Talk about needing to conserve.  WOW!!

In all it's beauty!
Bottle on right is propane for cooking
and heat, possibly refrigeration.

Wouldn't you just love to see this restored??  And, isn't the front awning over the windows awesome?

The early motorhome - - history buffs and RVing buffs, enjoy this little trip to the past.



*Want to see more early motor homes??  Try a surfing trip over to Old Woodies.

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Treasure Chest Thursday, Toni's Wardrobe

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Recently I shared with you my doll, Toni.  I promised to show you her wardrobe, treasures themselves, as my mother made all of them, except maybe one or two of the outfits.

Above:  The collection (or most of it).

Toni's cowgirl outfit, felt-like material.  Note the gun which fits in the holster pocket, gun is less than an inch in length.  The gun came out of one of those machines where you put in a coin and get a small prize.  My mother made my father put $$ into a machine until he "won" the gun!

Toni's nurses outfit, including the hat.

Toni's band uniform, made even more special since my

mother was a band director before marriage to my father.

Toni's bath robe, clown costume and 50's apron.  (Don't cha just love that rick rack trim?)  Believe the clown costume may have been made about the same time as the costumes that my brother and I wore here.

Toni's skating outfit, including panties and skates.  Dark blue velvet. Gotta say, the fur trim did not stand the test of time very well!  (LOL)

On left:  sun dress and coat.  Top middle: school dress and white shirt.  Bottom middle, maybe the original???  I believe this is the only dress/outfit my mother did not sew.  Right, I was a Brownie, and so was Toni.

Toni the bride.  Dress, slip, panties, flowers, and veil (which I had to put on an upside down coffee cup so  I could get the photo)  Satin, of course, with a bunch of netting.

Toni's formal evening dress, the slip changed the color of

 the dress, quite elegant.  Fur cape and hand warmer/muff.

Toni's summer lawn party dress.  (Hey, my Toni, my designations!  LOL)  This is the outfit that I patterned the dress in the photo from the prior post.  This one has a cotton slip, and the dress and hat are made from a polished cotton.  I could not find polished cotton when I was making her white dress.  Fickle material designers!  (LOL)

Toni's black velvet formal cape with fake fur trimmed hood.  The velvet has worn well.  And, last, well you know - -  

Top:  Wool (?) warm coat, the hat has real fur buttons (must be real, not shedding at all). Bottom:  skirt with hand beading (not sure what the material is, heavy tho), note to the left of it is a small hand bag that is hand beaded as well.  Middle:  from left to right, starting with, yes, indeedy, Johnson's Baby Powder.  Must have been used with another baby doll I had, and yes, there still is powder in the metal dispenser.  Small mirror, white Toni shoes, one sock (have no idea where the other is), blue shoes and to the far right, mittens.

I can see that I need to take some time next year and investigate cleaning and pressing her clothes.  Considering they have been stuffed into a drawer and stored away for, mmmmm, well, a LOT of years, I was rather surprised at how well preserved most of them are.  Maybe that lack of care was actually a good thing, as they were not torn, or abused, they were just tucked away, out of the light and dust. 

Toni's clothes, she was a well dressed young lady.  The photos don't do justice to the detail of each outfit. 

Toni's treasures.  Carol's treasures.

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