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Auction Week of 3/23 - 3/30
Here at House In Progress, we are partially financing the fixing of holes in the walls and ceilings which are falling down through the sale of items we found in the house.
But what goes first? And how?
For our auctions, we will be celebrating INTERNATIONAL and WACKY HOLIDAYS as recognized by some random compilation of HOLIDAY CALENDARS that we found when browsing the Internet. (There are a lot of them out there.)
Purchasers of items from the house will be added to the list of names (if they so desire) which is being compiled for hiding WITHIN the walls of the house during restoration. Decades from now, some pitiful couple like us will find this hidden list (in a ceramic capped green glass Grolsch beer bottle from the basement) and think...
"Huh?"
But YOU'LL know and WE'LL know that you contributed to the rebuilding of House in Progress. And that alone will make you remembered fondly if not internationally famous :)
Here's a sneak peek at items that will be going up for auction for the week of March 23rd:
March 23rd
World Meteorological Day
This telescope cracks me up. Perhaps that it magnifies things 16X!!! (You MIGHT be able to see down the street.) Or maybe it is the illustration of the U.S.A.F. Space Fortress drawn on the box. (After all, it was made for the spotting Explorer I in 1958 and the Russians HAD launched Sputnik in 1957...drat them! THAT'S why we NEED the Space Fortress. Do you think Cheney had one of these as a kid?)
March 26th
Global Understanding Day
A set of "National Costume Studies" from the Chicago-hosted World's Columbian Exposition of 1893...costumes from around the world also show global citizens using Singer Sewing Machines. Of course. I love the quote, "....these are lithographed reproductions of photographs taken on the spot..." You can just envision the photographer in Tunisia..."FREEZE! FREEZE! Don't stop what you're doing!! Just keep using that brand new Singer Machine...but DON'T MOVE for the photo!!!"
March 27th
Photography Day
A variety of Nikon instruction booklets and ephemera. We didn't find a Nikon Camera in the house (although we found practically every other kind). Just these booklets. Don't laugh! Someone out there needs directions.
March 28th
Something On a Stick Day
This was a TOUGH holiday to find something for. I mean, how many things ARE on a stick? A corndog, sure. But that would have been outta here Day One had I found one. (And I probably did, though did not know it.) These tiny vintage gardening tools for children are technically on "sticks". And perfect for the little captive work detail you want to be hoeing around your daffodils in the backyard. ("No weeding? No cartoons!")
March 29th
Pitcher's Day
Another tough call. We don't own a BASEBALL pitcher. But we did find this cool Depression Glass Pitcher. We think the design is Cubist? But clear Cubist doesn't make sense...we read in a book that it might exist. For sure it is Depression Glass--1920's through 1930's--though we are researching the make still. Can't find it in any of the books...
YIKES! I just a few notes on the pitcher from our good pals in the glass collecting community:
MilliesCollectibles from eBay: Fostoria made two pitchers with handles like yours in the American pattern. Yours looks like the 1/2 gallon ice jug without ice lip. If so, it will hold 69 ounces (measure)--and it's a rarity. Book Value (BV) $300-400. Leslie Pina calls it by name above and that's her BV. Seligson calls it a straight sidedpitcher w/no ice lip and shows it also w/a cover. His BV is $300 plus another $200 if you have the lid (which is also the cookie jar lid). Neither gives measurements, other than 2 gal./69 oz. capacity. Production dates 1915-28, and 1941, with the cookie lid also used with it dating 1916. Great piece!!!
and, abzoid from Auction Bytes: You have a Fostoria American straight sided ice jug w/o ice lip. It was produced from 1915 to 1928, and again for one year only in 1941. In 1916 it was offered with a lid (same as cracker jar lid) along with six handled tumblers, as a lemonade set. This is a fairly scarce piece of Fostoria American, nice find!
Okay, kids, that is pretty unusual to find something like this. And we'll see how it fares in the auctions...it is a rare piece but anything goes on eBay. It might close at a lot less. And shipping it will so that it doesn't chip or break will eat right into that profit margin. Argh. Ah well.
Look for more information about these items here starting March 23rd!!!
(Postscript: See Alice the Librarian at Gaper's Block for a description of "City of Chicago Ned Rorem Days." Obviously, we aren't the only holiday obsessed folks in Chicago! And Alice knows all.)