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Antique Victorian GAS JET ALLIGATOR CURLING IRON Rare! - eBay (item 310076956934 end time Aug-25-08 19:01:35 PDT)This antique curling iron is an alligator or crocodile powered by gas. The alligator is quite something with eyes and a textured tail. Very Victorian. The curling tongs are primitive. The control valve turns 180 degrees. I see no maker's mark.
In the photos, I show the closed tongs laid straight up the back of the alligator, but those side spindles could help hold the tongs in place while opened for less heat.
The alligator and the shell around the heating element are rust-colored and feel rough like dusty rusty metal. The gas connection is greenish, maybe copper with patina? The tongs and brackets are another metal, maybe steel?
Oh, the scary things women have used and done for the sake of beauty! Can you imagine this alligator red hot? The smell of singed hair? Burned fingers? Yikes.
Antique Victorian CAST IRON GAS LIGHT BRACKET Electric? - eBay (item 310074896415 end time Aug-17-08 19:28:06 PDT)This antique swing-arm cast iron gas light bracket is very ornate and eye-catching. It would swing in a half circle. I see no maker's mark.
There's a hole in the bottom of the round globe holder where I supposed gas could enter the light, but I don't understand how it works.
I live in an old house and have vestiges of the original gas lights in the form of gas pipes here and there, cut off and capped. How one would connect to this is beyond me.
Maybe this is an electric light? Missing the part that holds the bulb and has the on/off switch? In any case, it's very pretty.
1 LB of Antique SKELETON KEYS and Assorted Regular Keys - eBay (item 310074108907 end time Aug-14-08 18:24:47 PDT)This lot of antique and vintage keys includes 15 skeleton keys and 26 assorted keys. Eight of the skeleton keys are on a huge safety-pin looking thing marked "Key Tag x Patent 1991827, X4-VAB" on one side and "VG" on the other.
15 SKELETON KEYS:- Biggest one is 4 1/4" long and weighs 1.4 oz.
- Next largest is 3 3/4" and .9 oz.
- Slightly bent one is 3 1/2" and .5 oz.
- Two silver ones on a ring are 3" and .5 oz.
- Lone one marked with name I can't read and "24" is 2 3/4" and .4 oz.
- One on fat key ring is 2 3/4" and .9 oz. with ring
- Three on Key Tag are marked "Russwin, 1" and is 3 5/8" (Key Tag and all keys on it weigh 6 oz.)
- One on Key Tag is marked "Russwin, 4", 3 5/8"
- Next biggest is unmarked and 3 1/2"
- First of 3 unmarked smalls is 2 3/4"
- Second unmarked small one is scant 2 3/4"
- Third unmarked small one is over 2 3/4"
26 ASSORTED KEYS- 16 regular keys on wire loop weigh 2.8 oz.
- bronze Cole National, U.S.A., Y12 is 1 7/8"
- gold Cole National, Cleveland, O. Y12 is scant 2"
- tarnished Cole National, maybe WR2 us 2"
- very worn gold Cole National, can't read number, is scant 2"
- tarnished bronze Cole National WR2 is 2"
- another bronze Cole National WR2 is 2"
- a fourth bronze Cole National WR2 is 2"
- a fifth bronze Cole National WR2 is 2"
- a sixth bronze Cole National is 1 7/8"
- tarnished Y101, Curtis, ND and Eastlake, O. is 2 1/4"
- silver Yale GX116, Eaton Yale & Towne, Inc is 2 1/4"
- another silver Yale GX116, Eaton Yale & Towne, Inc is 2 1/4"
- silver Weiser is 2 1/8"
- a tarnished gold Weiser is 2 1/8"
- silver Weiser E41450 is 2 1/8"
- another silver Weiser E41450 is 2 1/8"
- 10 double-tooth keys on chain weigh 1.4 oz.
- smallest, tarnished, no name, 1 1/8"
- silver Long Lock, P'Burg, 1 3/8"
- silver square head is 1 7/8"
- silver oval head is 1 5/8"
- tarnished Master Lock Co., Milwaukee, Wis. is scant 2"
- silver Slaymaker is 1 5/8"
- big silver oval head is scant 2"
- tarnished skinny shaft key is 1 5/8"
- dirty silver Master Lock Co. Milwaukee, Wis. is 1 3/4"
- tarnished General Lock, Ore., Lancaster, PA, 73 is 2"
Interesting variety of shapes and sizes for your child to jingle, to add to your key collection, or maybe you'll find just the one you need for this or that lock.
Antique Silver SHOE BUTTON HOOK Store Giveaway Old Tool - eBay (item 310070697281 end time Aug-01-08 17:51:30 PDT)This vintage button hook is possibly sterling silver, has the hook on one end and a hole for hanging it up on the other end. It's marked, "Elsworth & Son, Sole Agency, Holland, N.Y." on one side of the handle and "'Queen Quality' Shoes" on the other side of the handle.
Miles didn't come up with this item. Joe's aunt fished it up out of her long-held possessions. She's 87 years old, didn't say whether she used it personally and I didn't ask. I looks like a free giveaway from the shoe store way back when.
Antique BF Goodrich TIRE INFLATION GAUGE Caliper Scale! - eBay (item 310061358966 end time Jun-27-08 18:20:14 PDT)This antique tool was used to measure tire inflation before there was a way to measure pounds per square inch air pressure. It's marked, "Goodrich Inflation Gauge, B.F. Goodrich, Akron Ohio."
The instructions include two diagrams showing the gauge measuring a tire's narrow width at the top where it's off the ground, and fatter width on the ground. There's patina obscuring some words but I think it says: To determine proper inflation under present load, fit caliper to tire. Refer to "Size Scale." Transfer slide to correct loading letter on "Load Scale." Place caliper at width of deflection on ground and inflate or deflate as case demands.
The Size Scale of Tire scale runs from A to N. The Scale on Ground scale runs from A to L. I can't get the sliding part to slide, either because there's a trick I don't know or because there's patina holding it fast. There's a shinier place to the right which indicates it was covered and protected from patina, proof the slider did slide before. The legs unfold easily enough.
Antique F.E. MYERS & BRO HAND PUMP 648, Pat. 1895, Air! - eBay (item 310060116478 end time Jun-22-08 20:02:03 PDT)This antique hand pump is marked, "F.E. Myers & Bro, Ashland, O." There's a "648" and "1850" on it, and "Patent Mar. 19, '95, something illegible, Nov. 9, '95." We're guessing it's an old air pump. If you know better, please let us know.
It has a metal foot rest and cut-out fancy work on the metal brace and handle. I've shown photos of the pump handle raised and down. The old rubber hose is so brittle pieces of rubber are falling off the inner fabric.
Do you think there was a needle valve in the end of the hose for pumping up old-time footballs? It's a fabulous piece of history and might look just great cleaned up a bit or restored to service. I forgot to photograph the patent numbers at the base.
Antique 1880 Cast Iron HOME MINE HOIST Hand Crank Works - eBay (item 310012918391 end time Jan-12-08 19:57:16 PST) This antique cast iron hoist was used in small or home mines to hoist loads up by hand. There's no maker's name on it, only old patent dates galore.
The inside handle arm is marked, "June 29, 1875" except the J is covered with an obscuring bit of metal. Above the brake handle it says, "July 13-80." Above the roller it says, "July 5, 81." And beside the clamp lever it says, "July 11-82."
This old tool still works! I forgot to photograph it with the crank handle up to show that it cranks all the way around. The wooden grip on the crank has a small crack near the outer end and is a bit bent so it looks wonky as it turns. Some miner must have cranked up some darn heavy loads of coal or shale to bend that handle.
The brake still locks and the clamp lever turns. The hoist kind of jingles when you turn the crank.
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Antique NO. 2A TARGET HAWK-EYE Box Camera Eastman Kodak - (eBay item 310009446632 end time Dec-26-07 21:03:27 PST)
Do you like old cameras?
This camera is marked on the film cartridge, "No. 2A Target Hawk-Eye, Made in U.S.A. by Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., Patented in U.S.A. 1,169,882, 1,176,329, 1,494,719, Pat. Pending. Printed in U.S.A. No. 45547."
It also says, "Use Kodak Film V116 or 116. Use Kodak Film in the Yellow Box. It gets the picture." Another label suggest you give your film to a master photo dealer for expert photo finishing.
The camera is covered in black paper textured like leather and has two view finders for portrait and landscape photos. The film advance crank is marked, "Use Kodak Film 116."
To disassemble, pull out the film advance crank, lift the screw at the front end of the leather strap, grasp the camera front at each side and pull forward. The shutter lever still works and two sliding tabs control other settings. The spool in the film cartridge is wooden.
I can't see through the landscape viewer at all. There's dirt in the portrait viewer, but light gets through. One film reel guide is bent.
Does this vintage box camera make you smile?
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