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January 2012 - Who loves a snow day?
Kids, dogs and school teachers!
My mom just retired from teaching last year - you never heard anybody let out a WHOOP! like she did on a snow day. The Flexible Flyer will probably need a lot more than a good waxing to make it fast again, and the toboggan has a chunk of wood missing at the top, where it looks like it might’ve hit a tree or rock. The two corgis are the late Matilda, in the background, and Cami Sue, in December 2007.
December 2011 -
Christmas at Hattie's Arts & Antiques in Princeton, IL
Hattie's offers lovely antiques and glassware, at 24 Long Street in Princeton, south of the railroad depot. Click on the pictures below to see a larger copy in a new browser window.
  
  
  
Christmas at Harristown Depot Antiques, Harristown, IL
The Harristown Depot is a unique shopping experience conveniently located in Harristown, Illinois. Our inviting atmosphere boasts 10,000 square feet for your shopping pleasure. Our antique vendors feature a wide variety of antiques, glassware, primitives, tools and books. Hours 10-5 Thur-Sat 12-5 Sun Click on the pictures below to see a larger copy in a new browser window.
  
Christmas at Showplace Antiques, Sterling, IL
Today's featured store for Christmas is Showplace Antiques in Sterling, IL. We'd like to show you these pretty pictures, below, of some of the great items they've got for you for the holiday season. If you go, tell Joanne that you saw them at The Treasure Map Online!
Click on the pictures below to see a larger copy in a new browser window.
  
May 2011 - WHAT’S THIS BOX THING? --> Joe explains all!
Someone asked me the other day, “What’s a QR Code?” For those of you who are up to date with todays’ technology and smart phones, you already know the answer. For those of us who are more familiar with a phone-a-graph than an i-phone, we may have seen them but not known what they were for. And certainly have not used one. Well, a QR code is that funny looking box you see at the top of this page. It stands for Quick Response Code. With the right app and a smart phone, you just point your phone at the box and it takes you right to a predetermined internet page. In this case, it will take you to our web site with all your stores on it - www.thetreasuremap.net You now see one of these on our cover and in various places throughout the magazine. It’s just one of the many things we are doing to help the next generation to find your stores. We are now on facebook, just started with linked-in, and who knows, by next month we may be tweeting. Our web site is being updated all the time too. We already plug your stores and events, but soon we will be set up to present you and your stories to the world wide web and the next generation of shoppers even better than ever before. Pretty ironic how we can use tomorrows high tech gadgets to find yesterdays treasures. Very kool.
- Joe Bartman
editor.
April 2011 - Glassware - Family Treasures
Here are a few treasures from Mary’s mother, Grace:
Bubble or convex glass oval frame, with hand-colored photo;
Ringed or ribbed footed glasses;
Milk glass salt & pepper shakers with metal lids;
Fenton cobalt blue glass hobnail shoe with cat on the front; cobalt blue glass bottle with stopper;
and a ruffled edge amber carnival glass bowl in Luster Rose pattern by Imperial Glass.
The convex glass frame and the carnival glass bowl seem to be bringing more on eBay than any of the others, just from a quick check. I couldn’t find anything on the glasses - I think they were giveaways, maybe from Grand Union Tea - and that would probably make them some kind of Depression glass.
If you know more, let us know!
March 2011 - Old Cameras - Junk or Gem?
What makes a camera junk? Generally, if it’s big and heavy, it might be worth something. Heavy means glass and metal, and as long as it’s been kept in a clean, moisture-free environment, you might have something there! Fungus is your enemy, and if you look at the lens and see little moss-like, lacy areas, that’s bad. Most college towns with a photo department will still have a camera shop, and your best bet is to haul it in and have an expert give you an opinion. Camera people LOVE to talk about them, so don’t be shy! Names like Hasselblad, Mamiya, Rolleiflex, Bronica and Nikon/Nikkor are worth being excited about, while Minolta, Pentax, Yashica and Canon could go either way.
With most amateur cameras, the value depends on whether or not you can still get film for it. Kodak used to make several different sizes of film, but now we’re pretty much down to 35mm and 120 (medium format) film. Really nice older professional cameras also take sheet film, which is still being made, but those are not very common. The spools below, right to left, are a 127 size, a 620, and a modern 120 size spool, next to an exposed spool of 120 film showing the paper wrapper. If you are really, really determined to use a 620 camera,
you can re-wind 120 film onto a 620 spool, but there really isn’t much of a reason to do that!
These old Kodak cameras aren’t worth much, though they probably took 98% of everyone’s old family photos. Most were either cheap to start with, or take film you can’t buy anymore, and they’re all really, really common. Not worth much more than $5-$10.
These plastic 620 cameras are junk. Oh, they’re stylish and pretty, and look great on a shelf, but you shouldn’t pay more than $5 for them.
This is not junk! The plastic Diana camera takes 120 film, and actually used to go for around $90 on eBay a few years ago. I should’ve sold it then, because they’re only going for $30 or $40 now, since these and other cheap plastic medium format cameras are being re-made to sell to the trendy-retro-hipster crowd.
The two on the right are my gems, the nice old Rolleiflex, which I bought recently instead of saving for a digital, because I’m wrong in the head that way, takes 120 film and shoots 12 square pictures per roll. My Nikon FE2 35mm, which I bought as a student in 1988, is still my favorite camera. Both of these are models that hold their value, and are worth around $200-400, depending on condition and what kind of lenses are with them.
Hope this helps, and don’t let these great old film cameras go to waste - get out there and shoot film while you still can!
- Dayna
February 2011 - Hand-Crafted Furniture
February seemed like the perfect time to talk about what I love most in antiques. And that is the old hand crafted furniture. The antique shop owners can tell you that when I’m browsing through their stores, it’s the furniture section that I end up in. Most of the new pieces you find today just does not have the character and quality that you get in the pieces of days gone by. For many years we lived in a huge 1860’s house that we refurbished and outfitted with and an eclectic array of furniture. I’d get home from another trip of delivering magazines and Mary would just shake her head and wonder where we were going to put this next piece. Then when Tim went off to college, we gave away most of our old treasures to family and friends and downsized our living accommodations. Now I just admire and dream. Knowing that if I buy, I also have to sell a piece. As there is no more room for new treasures.
If you think about it, buying quality antique furniture makes great financial sense too. It’s better built and cost less then much of todays pieces. On one trip I went into a favorite antique furniture store and Don was all smiles. He had just sold an entire household of furniture to a young couple of newlyweds. They explained how they had not only saved a bundle compared to buying new but also were going to be able to enjoy these antiques for a lifetime and leave quite a legacy of furniture to their kids. A win win for all.
Being in the printing business, I have always had a soft spot for the old wooden printers type cabinets. Unfortunately, most of them have been parted out over the years as dealers found it more profitable to sell off the drawers one at a time. Here is one we rescued out of Chillicothe a few years back.
Now that we are into sailing, we of course had to have a Map Cabinet to hold all of the nautical charts of places we have and plan to sail to. This one only had about 1/2 the drawers and we are still on the look to fill it with the rest. This one was picked up in Washington from Cordes County Farm. It had many layers of green paint and as you can see, Mary has done a nice job of bringing it back to life again. Topped off with a ships wheel I picked up just last week at Gramma’s Attic in Ottawa.
Here is Mary’s favorite piece. It is an old steamers trunk that her mom and dad gave to her on her 16th birthday. It has the inside shelf and drawer and is dated Sept 28th 1898 as the date it was shipped from overseas.
Next time you are looking for a wedding or birthday gift, think about a good piece of antique furniture.
It’s something that they will tell their kids about. And it beats a toaster any day. Let the stores know that The Treasure Map sent you and happy hunting.
- Joe Bartman
editor
February 2011 - Old Paper Valentines
Here are some examples of old paper valentines that I have collected. The first ones are glued on one side, and fold back to reveal a name printed underneath. I couldn’t figure out how to scan them without breaking the colorful birds and flowers if I folded them back too hard. In with these was the “Kis-Me” gum wrapper, which reminds me of my mom’s story about Clove gum wrappers.
She said that if you liked a boy, you folded the C in CLOVE over, so it said “LOVE,” and tried to pass it to him in class. You can still get Clove gum, if you’ve got your eye on someone and want to send him a message.
Have a great Valentine’s Day!
- Dayna
January 2011 - Kitchen Collectibles
To the right is Mary Bartman's Tony the Tiger cookie jar. Joe says it belonged to Mary's grandmother, and Mary remembers stealing cookies out of it when she was little.
My mom and I have enough stuff to outfit about five kitchens. A few months ago, she sorted through all of her tea strainers, and decided maybe she could live with just three or four of them. I can’t even remember the last time I saw her drinking loose tea. She’s really, really fond of choppers with attached glass jars, glass measuring cups with raised letters, and cookie cutters. We went through a phase a few years ago where she bought every covered cake carrier she could find, but we will hopefully have a new home for that collection in our friend’s newly re-opened family bakery, Cristaudo’s in Carbondale. Mom really loves it when the cake carriers have a pie carrier underneath, so that you can arrive to your celebration in style.
I happen to have too many dishes. I have a weakness for cups and saucers, even though I never use them. They’re just too pretty, and I’m afraid they’ll get broken. My grandma taught me how to drink coffee when I was five, in special, pretty cups and saucers, with lots of milk and sugar. (Yeah, I know - that’s terrible! I quit using sugar in college.) My daily coffee cups are the big Taylor & Ng stoneware mugs from the late 70s, with blue underglazed animals with their names in French. If anyone has any of those, let me know! The re-issue they did a few years ago wasn’t very good - they were smaller, on white china, and the insides are already crazed and ugly! I met a lady at an athletic banquet many years ago, and I didn’t think we had anything in common, until they served the coffee. She said, “I thought I was cutting back on coffee, but then I realized I was just buying bigger mugs.” So true!
My mom’s latest purchase is the gorgeous Sunbeam electric mixer, at the top. I think it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. We used to have an old white one, which was replaced by a silver chrome model with black and teal accents, which we still use. The pink one works, but it just mostly sits around being pretty. - Dayna
Photo caption: Top: Pink Sunbeam mixer; Middle: jar chopper, painted metal recipe box, glass measuring cup and cookie cutters; Bottom: cowboy cup and saucer, other old kitchen implements & flatware.
December 2010 - A Victorian Christmas
If you love Christmas trees, you have Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to thank! Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was German, and he brought the traditions of his homeland to England, when he married Victoria in 1840. She had become queen three years earlier, and went onto reign for 64 years, the longest (so far!) in British history, until her death in 1901. Albert had passed away in 1861 of typhoid fever, after having nine children with her. It is also said that the tradition of the white wedding gown began with Victoria, which we now think of as standard.
When we think of a Victorian Christmas, we also think of the jolly fat Santa in a red outfit. This has become popularized by newspaper illustrations and Coca-Cola advertisements. Before that, he would be depicted in all sorts of colors.
Many of our current Christmas traditions are ones we have inherited from German immigrants to the United States. German blown-glass Christmas ornaments, which you could buy at Woolworth’s, are always popular antique Christmas items. Before that, people decorated their Christmas trees with hand-made ornaments, fruit or nuts.
I have lots of the old Woolworth’s glass ornaments, which I bring out every year, hoping the cats don’t notice. I mix traditions, though, because I put them on my silver 1960s tree, with the motorized rotating stand and the rotating color wheel. When I get everything out this year, I’ll take a picture and post it to the website - www.thetreasuremap.net - look for it under the Feature Story tab!
In the meantime, if you get a chance to see “The Young Victoria,” the movie about Queen Victoria that came out last year, you should! And here’s hoping you have a wonderful, happy Christmas - best wishes from all of us at the Treasure Map! - Dayna
November 2010 - Fall Crafts
What’s big in crafts this year? Fabric and needle crafts, like quilting and cross-stitching, are always popular, according to Dick at the Henry Craft Mall. He also mentions painted wooden items, including bird houses, benches, signs and planters. Jewelry also does well in Henry, “especially the beaded stuff, or rhinestones.”
Nancy at the Hawthorne Centre Craft Mall in Galesburg also reports that wooden items are popular this year, especially wooden pumpkins and get well signs, in addition to bear clothes and scarecrows, too. “For fall, sweatshirts always sell well around here,” she said.
Among my friends, knitting has been popular for several years now - and with fall here already, who doesn’t love a warm, colorful new scarf or hat? As the grandchild of thrifty Germans, I’ve inherited quite the vintage button collection. I’ve made some bracelets out of them, sewing them on to one ribbon, then backing it with another so it isn’t itchy. I also inherited more rick-rack than anyone could ever use. I think it was enough to circle the earth about six or eight times, but why you’d want to, I don’t know!
Luckily, my friend’s sister LOVES old sewing supplies - she makes doll dresses and clever little critters out of vintage fabric. I sent her a
huge box of stuff, and it’s fun to check on her Etsy site and see what she’s donewith it! Other friends make sock monsters, out of old, mismatched socks, with funny button eyes and loads of personality, and reusable eco-friendly grocery bags from old fabric pieces. Hope that gives you some ideas! Happy crafting! - Dayna
Photo caption: Bracelets I made from vintage buttons and ribbons;
Cute girl bunny by pungsnotded at etsy.com (www.etsy.com/shop/pungsnotded)
October 2010 - Welcome to the World of Vintage Clothing
Some of you who have picked up this magazine may be brand-new to the fun and excitement of buying and collecting vintage clothes. Maybe you’re just out looking for a Halloween outfit, or maybe you’re shopping for back-to-school clothes, something that no one else will have! Congratulations! You’re going to have lots of fun with this, and welcome to the club!
And some of you (like me!) have been digging for the best finds for years now. Maybe you were a little “New Wave” in the 80s, and that has stuck with you, as you’ve grown up and created your own personal style around your favorite old stand-bys. Good for you! I’ve probably tried to beat you to a five-dollar dress rack at some point in time.
For you newcomers, here are some tips:
1. Sizes have CHANGED drastically over the years! You can’t go by the sizes, especially ladies dress sizes. A size 14 in the 1940s meant you had a 28 inch waist or smaller! Carry a tape measure with you at all times, and know your measurements.
2. Lots of these old items are DRY CLEAN ONLY. If they smell a little funky, you’ll want to get them dry cleaned before you wear them, so figure that in on the cost. Also, find and support a good, professional dry cleaner. One that knows to take the rhinestone buttons off before they put them in the chemicals and destroy the value of your dress forever. One who will tell you what they can and can’t do for you. Voice of experience here, I’m sorry to say.
3. If you’re buying wool, HOLD IT UP TO THE LIGHT to check for moth holes. Don’t be afraid to stick your head right in those pants. And while we’re mentioning pants, check for wear or shine to the seat of the pants. Check to see how sturdy the seams are - if you don’t sew, you may want to find a good seamstress to help, or take a class and learn how. Lots of times, vintage clothes will need some maintenance.
And have fun with your new treasures! - Dayna
Photo caption: Sometimes you can get lucky enough to score a vintage Halloween costume! (Modeled by my friend Andrea)
September 2010 - Ugly or Beautiful? You Decide!
1940s -1960s Lamps: Ugly or Beautiful? I guess it’s in the eye of the beholder. I just love them!
The first one I fell in love with is the one on the left, with the two Oriental chalk figures on the tree. It always sat in my grandmother’s bedroom, until it was discarded and left in the barn. My uncle rescued it for me, and I carefully repainted it, rewired it, and matched the beautiful celadon green color of the Venetian blind style lamp shade. My grandmother couldn’t figure out why I went to all that trouble - she HATED that lamp, because it was one of her mother-in-law’s cast-offs!
Over the years, I’ve collected a lot more of them. These are only a few. I don’t hesitate to rewire them - I’d rather not burn the house down! I also try to put in the lowest watt light bulb I can, especially for the one at the top, so I don’t melt the lamp shades. The bottom right picture features two of my latest acquisitions. The Marie Antoinette with the light-up skirt (SO cool!!!) is going to take a lot of work, but I think she’ll be fantastic when I get her done.
- Dayna
November 2009 - Collecting Costume Jewelry
Collecting costume jewelry is a great hobby - it doesn’t take up much room in your house, for one thing, and if it’s not too fragile, it’s a fun way to dress up an outfit. A funky old pin is great on a work blazer or to cheer up a winter coat.
Some of the most collectible pins are from the 30s and 40s - Bakelite was just becoming popular for ladies on a budget, and it came in a wonderful array of colors. Over the years, it has mellowed into a buttery, warmer hue and has a lovely weight, lustre and depth that other plastics just don’t have.
Other pins of that era were the Sweetheart pins and Son in the Service pins and medals. As a young collector in the mid-80s, I got most of my collection from estate auctions, hand-me-downs and thrift stores. One day, in Champaign, as a student at the U of I, I wore my latest WWII era pin into Rosie Cheeks, my favorite vintage store. The shop owner noticed it, and told me, “He’s dead, you know.”
With the innocence of youth, I said, “Yeah, that was a while ago. He probably is dead by now.” She said, “No, honey. He died in the war.” She went on to explain that I had a Son in the Service pin, and the gold star meant that my soldier had died in the war. I was heartbroken! He’s so precious now, I hate to wear him out, for fear of losing him.
The rest of my pins are all blue stars, thankfully, and one piece is an unusual ribbon or bracelet locket from a dear friend, with photos of his great uncles. I have a plastic Sweetheart in the Service pin, and a sailor boy with moving arms and legs that is probably also a variety of sweetheart pin. His head and legs are wood - if they were Bakelite, he’d be more valuable, but he’s just fine with me!
The dog-in-the-boat pin is a family heirloom that my grandmother wore when she was married. I wore it when I was married, too, just across the street here in Carlyle, at the old courthouse.
- Dayna
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