A Treasure Hunt

 (Thanks to E for the image)

Welcome 2012 !!   Out with the old and in with the new … well at least that’s what I have been saying for years and years, but some how the “old” never makes it “out” of my house!!  I was left with quite a collection when my mother died in 1982; then my dad in 1998.  Their treasures sit packed away in my basement wrapped in the same newspaper I packed them in.  Cleaning out this collection is complicated because I live, and work, in one state and my “real” home and collection in another.  The story behind all this is what country songs are made of … anyway … rare is the time I spend in my “real” home and I prefer not to sort when I’m there,  but over Christmas I did some sorting.  I thought I’d share one of the things I found.  It kept me entertained for hours. Here we go:

Buried in the bottom of a box, I found this fun paper bag.

Inside the 60s era paper bag was this 1910 Montgomery Ward catalog.

I vaguely recall this thing from childhood, and think it “lived” on the top shelf of the coat closet (of all places). It’s terribly fragile and low on my list of priorities is scanning it onto Flickr.

Seems you could buy everything from houses to tombstones.  Unfortunately I had it packed away before I realized that I failed to take a photo of the houses (I will).   

 How about a buggy ?

 A Tombstone? 

  A cream separator maybe ?  How about a nice saddle?

Here's what I would have ordered :)

I do believe my folks liked the MW catalog because I found several things I recognized; some I have.  

My Grandmother had this carpet, I used it for a while in the 70s and traded it for "services" to a local florist and I think she still has it in her show room.   

Oh yes indeed I have one of these in the basement.  It belonged to my  paternal Grandmother who died shortly after my Dad was born in 1924.  It was a favorite toy when I visited my Aunt Ethel, then in the mid 60s she chopped the ornate top off and sold it ... not to worry it found its way back to me.

Mother decorated the dining room wall with one of these (my brother has it).

... and she used one of these as a flower planter in the front yard ... (it finally rotted :) my Dad was so sad)

I also have several things (or similar things) out of the catalog. Like this trunk.  I probably ruined its value by painting it and ripping the lining out, but it's held my treasures since the mid 70's (of course its in the basement).

I had a similar dining set in the 70s and sold most of it years ago.  I sold the china cabinet about 6 yrs ago to a friend.  I think I paid $100 for the set in about 1972, my dad went with me to pick it up and could not believe I spent that much ... "you just got robbed" !!

This chair (a rocker version) is in my basement; I painted it white and used it when my daughter was little.  It came from Mr. Main's house, he was the rich guy in town ... a banker.  

Finally I had no idea where this vase came from but its been in my china cupboard for years !!

Hope you enjoyed shopping with me ...  if you have something you would like for me to look up, just let me know, be happy to !