Two Railroad Lanterns & A Scooter

Most times when I find vintage treasures, they often make me think of an unspecified "happy time" from the past, or a time I completely missed out on, which, I guess, is why I collect. In the simplest sense, they're just objects, but I do think they enhance your life and somehow become part of who you are when you keep them long enough.

Recently my sister and I cleaned out our Dad's garage and discovered a few treasures that were always there, but perhaps went unnoticed because they blended in too well with their surroundings.

First, we found these two old railroad lanterns gathering dust on a shelf. I don't know the full story because I don't think my grandfather ever talked about it, but when his father? came over from the Old Country (Immigrant alert!), he apparently worked on the railroad at one point. I do wish my grandfather were still around because I would ask him about it.

After doing a bit of online research and looking at the markings on each lantern, I discovered the large one is commonly known as an "Adlake" lantern, made by The Adams & Westlake Co. There are quite a few of these available at online auction sites. They're priced at anywhere from $80 to $199, depending on condition.

 

Lantern top with clear markings in ALL CAPS

Patents on rim of lantern top from 1908, 1909 and 1911

The clear globe is still intact and the initials N.Y. N.H. & H. R.R. stand for New York New Haven & Hartford Railroad.

The smaller red lantern is charming and colorful, and from what I could tell, more commonly found at online auction sites, prices starting at around $20.

The glass is clearly marked FEUER HAND
MADE IN W. GERMANY

The top is marked ORIGINAL - NIER - FEUERHAND

As far as I can tell, the base says, 1175 W. GERMANY  SUPER BABY

I currently have these lanterns on my fireplace hearth, and they will add even more vintage charm at Christmastime, especially the red one.

The other item rescued from my Dad's garage is this old scooter that once belonged to my Uncle Joe. It's heavy cast-iron with a wooden footboard and hard rubber tires and handlebar tips. I especially like the fender on the front wheel. I'm guessing it's from the 1940s, though it could be older. Everyone can use an extra set of wheels, right?

At one time when we were kids, one of us added the "Volkswagon" sticker on the side using a label maker.

"VolksWAGON"?

Because these have a personal connection, I will treasure them always, and do my best to not hide them in a closet or storage basement. I almost always display vintage finds anyway. They make excellent conversation starters.

September's Treasures: From Alpine Villages to Herman Miller Swivel Chairs

September's Brimfield Antiques Show capped off a successful season of treasure hunting. Ideal late-summer weather, zero traffic hassles, and quality time spent with good friends all contributed to a great outing.

As usual, I came home with a few treasures that were not on my shopping "list," plus one item that was. Here's the item that was on my list...

I felt lucky to find this "Electrified" Alpine Village, complete with all nine buildings and light set, in its original box. The dealer said the light set didn't work, so I got it for just $15. When I got it home, I was able to get the set to work by using bulbs from another set I already had. I'm planning to create a display with these on my fireplace mantel this Christmas (I'll probably post photos here in December).

Note the BARKERS sticker. It's dated 10/78.
Barkers was a (now defunct) discount store founded in Orange, CT by Irving Barker in 1957.

Back of the box with important instructions.

Definitely a vintage piece, with U.S. manufacturer info on the box side.

Probably my favorite find this outing is my Herman Miller (Eames design) swivel chair – an excellent deal at $40. I've seen similar pieces at on-line auction websites for $200 to $350 depending on condition. This one isn't in perfect condition, as it has a couple of small rips on the upholstery and a raised squiggle flaw on the seat, but the swivel mechanism works perfectly, and it's super-comfortable to sit in.

Its original label is intact on the underside – Herman Miller, Inc. Zeeland, Michigan. I'm guessing this dates from the 1960s, though it could be a bit newer. I placed it at the end of my hallway for now, but I'm planning to move it to my bedroom at some point.

Continuing with the furniture theme, I also found this cool mirrored side table. I asked the dealer how old it was, and he estimated 1970s. I especially like its column shape on three little feet. It only measures 23 inches tall and 27 inches in diameter, so it will fit virtually anywhere. I currently have it in my living room next to a rocking chair. This was also a good deal for $40.

Lastly, I found a large skeleton key (for $7) to add to this year's Halloween display. This one measures 6 inches long.

Naturally, I was drawn to this charming table and bench set, painted with Christmas scenes. It's the same size and style as the set I currently have in my kitchen. If I had the room, this might have come home with me for the holidays.

So cute! No tablecloth required.

Until the May 2018 Brimfield show, wave goodbye to Santa!