By april | Published: March 7, 2010
I loved comic books when I was a kid!
I still have a few from my childhood The Archies, Scooby Doo, and Pink Panther.
These issues haven’t increased in value, but I don’t care. They were fun when I bought them and they’re still fun to look through.
1970s comic books
Now I’m not a comic book collector, but occasionally I will pick one up at a flea market.
But if you are a serious collector then I would highly recommend the blog: The Comic Speculator.
It’s written by Matt Baum. He’s a comic book “Worthologist” for the online collectible site WorthPoint.
By april | Published: March 2, 2010
Sheldon W. Peavey
My dad passed away on February 23rd at the age of 71.
He battled pulmonary fibrosis and fought the disease with courage and faith.
He never smoked and never touched a drop of alcohol.
These are two things on a short list of things he didn’t like.
Here are a few things he did like:
Johnny Cash and Hank Snow
1970s TV shows Taxi and Barney Miller
Anything related to Halloween
Collecting rocks and minerals
Toys that talked and lit up
Books about science and religion
Woodworking and gardening
Will miss you dad
By april | Published: February 27, 2010
PARACHUTE JUMP FUN FACTS
BUILT: In 1939 for the New York World’s Fair
HEIGHT: 262 feet high
SPONSOR: The Life Saver’s Company
COST of RIDE: 40 cents for an adult; 25 cents for children
TIME of RIDE: Trip up took about a minute; drop down 10 or 20 seconds
WORST MOMENT: Entangled cables held a couple aloft for five hours
BEST MOMENT: Arno Rudolphi and Ann Hayward were married on the ride
By april | Published: February 21, 2010
Can electric currents cure disease and relieve pain?
That’s a question some scientists have been asking since Ben Franklin’s kite experiment in 1752.
In the late 1800s a medical fad began — the selling of electric belts.
Each belt sold promised to cure a specific ailment.
There were belts to cure rheumatism, sexual dysfunction, liver, stomach, nervous diseases, and more. The patient would purchase and wear one of these belts.
This brochure is from the late 1800s or early 1900s.
It was printed by The German Electric Company and features a wide variety of their electric belts.
Many dismissed these electric belts as quack medical devices.
But during the twenty-odd years this medical fad existed electric belts sold like hot cakes.
By april | Published: February 19, 2010
The Yardbirds: The BBC Sessions CD
British bands in the 1960s knew they made it when they were asked to perform on the
BBC. One band consistently asked back were
The Yardbirds. They appeared on numerous
BBC programs including
Saturday Club and
Easy Beat.
Their performances on the Beeb occurred between March 1965 and March 1968, so this was the post-Eric Clapton era. Jeff Beck was with group until October 1966.
Jimmy Page stayed on until 1968.
Here’s a song performed on the BBC in February 1966.
The Yardbirds - Shapes of Things (sample)
The Yardbirds are no more. BUT two former members have recently been sharing the stage — Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck.
By april | Published: February 16, 2010
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games are underway in Vancouver.
There are thousands of Olympic items (past and present) in the collectible market. Postage stamps with Olympic themes is just one genre.
Another popular area for collectors of Olympic memorabilia are pins.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any, but if you do, please share them with us.
In the meantime, click here to learn about the Olympin Collectors Club.
By april | Published: February 14, 2010
This undated postcard was printed by the Whitney Company (1869-1942) in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Whitney started as a stationary store.
By 1888 they were printing holiday cards and began printing postcards several years later.
Holiday postcards included: Valentines Day, Halloween, Easter, Christmas, and yes even Washington’s Birthday.
By april | Published: February 11, 2010
I’m having a hard time finding anything about the NASCO company. If you know please send a comment and I’ll post it.
In the meantime, here’s how this set ended up in the family.
It was most likely the 1940s and Bendikte Olsen and her daughter Helen went to a neighborhood social in Brooklyn, New York.
Bendikte was known to arrive late to any and every event! This night was no exception.
Despite being the last to arrive they won the door prize!
It was a complete set of NASCO china like the pictures posted here and here.
Apparently, the early birds at the function were not pleased the latecomers got the worm.
By april | Published: February 8, 2010
Patch or badge collecting is called scutelliphily.
In Latin ’scutellus’ means ‘little shield.’
‘Phileein’ in Greek means ‘to love.’
Scutelliphily is a hobby world-wide and goes back hundreds of years. In fact, Geoffrey Chaucer mentions pilgrims and the various badges they acquired in his classic work Canterbury Tales.
The patches in this posting were aquired almost 600 years after Chaucer.
The piligrim in this case was a 12-year-old girl from Rhode Island. Her name was Dianne.
Medieval Christian badges weren’t available when she went on a pilgrimage to Florida with her family in 1975, so she had to settle for these instead.
Space mission patches are collectible.
Other sought after subjects include: scout patches, police or fire department badges, and souvenir patches.
Here’s a photo from 1979 of Dianne wearing her patches sewn on her vest.
By april | Published: February 5, 2010
Back in June 1967, a certain Mr. Jagger & Mr. Richards of The Rolling Stones found themselves in trouble with the law. They were busted and jailed on drug charges.
To show a bit of solidarity to their fellow British mates, The Who recorded two Jagger & Richards songs: The Last Time and Under My Thumb.
The Who’s plan was to record more Stones’ songs, but before they had a chance Jagger and Richards were released.
The sheet music above was printed in Sweden.
