Your Weekly Reason not to Park in Our Spot

If you continue to park here you may be placed on Super Secret Probation.

Lecture Next Week

Posting the world for our lecture next week- "The Material of Material Culture"- a lecture on what we can learn from antiques regarding the construction and use of objects from the past as well as what they can tell us about life in earlier times. This talk will be illustrated by pieces currently on sale in the store ranging from the magnificent to the mundane.

The lecture will be held this Tuesday (1/26) at 7:30 p.m. at our shoppe in Redwood City. The price is $10.00 per person, $5.00 for students with I.D. For more information and the rest of our schedule check out the special events page on our website.

Craving Craig

Rainy day. Getting back to posting stuff to Craigslist. Two great things about it. 1) its free and 2) Google indexes Craigslist postings immediately and gives them a high search ranking. Don't believe me? Just search "boxed demijohn" on google and see what turns up. Oh, and the other good thing about Craigslist is that people actually look at the stuff posted on there. If a miracle happens they might even buy. Who knows?

-Arts and Crafts bookcases

-Pacific Coast Glass Works Boxed Demijohn

-Eastlake highchair/stroller/walker

My favorite (if you haven't guessed) is the box demijohn. There is something really cool about the fact it is a relic of bygone days when there was all sorts of industry in San Francisco. Plus the fact I found an add from 1881 that shows the spitting image of the demijohn we have for sale.

Old Truck Supporting Winter Quarters

We are supporting the National War Association / Benicia Historical Museum's Winter Quarters Civil War conference to be held on Feb. 26-28 at the historic "camel barns" (actually the 1850's U.S. Army ordnance storehouses) at Benicia, California.

This is a phenomenal series of talks that the NCWA and BHM have been holding for the last few years. Presentors will include, but not limited to Mark Stevens, historian and professor: Juanita Leisch, author of many books, including "Who Wore What;" Les Jensen, historian, author and president and charter member of The Company of Military Historians; Nick Sekela, clothing designer/pattern maker and proprietor of Historic Clothiers; Scott Thomas, blacksmith at Ardenwood Farm; Gordon Frye, historical, military consultant and guest speaker; Greg Jennings historian and member of the Coast Defense Studies Group & Elizabeth Pigeon-Ontis, historical architect.

There will be several "tracks" and attendees are welcome to pick whatever talks and programs (including several walking/house tours) to suit their own areas of interest. We are hoping that the collection of Confederate swords currently available in the shop will be used by one of the distinguished speakers for a talk.

But wait - there is more! For only $15.00 a person there will be a dinner on the evening of Fri. 26 and a key note address by Mark Stevens on “When the World was Lit by Fire,” a lecture on life in the age before electric light.

Check out the Winter Quarters page for more information and the registration form:

http://oldtruckantiques.com/winterquarters/

Another Reason Not To Park in Our Spot

Ever seen an 1850’s sheer dress? Do you even know or care what an 1850’s sheer dress is? If the answer to any or all of these questions is “no” then you really should not park here.

W. G McElroy and the Nashville Plow Works Swords

Right now we have several Civil War swords in the shoppe. I thought you all might be interested, especially in the rare ones. I know there are museums that wish they had a collection like this. Enjoy.

This is an outstanding example of one of the best-made of Confederate swords in excellent condition. This is an excetionally rare specimen of a cavalry officer's saber made by W.J. McElroy of Macon, Georgia. This sword has a 33.5" long blade (39" long overall) with stopped fullers. Only a very few Confederate sword manufactures, (William J.) McElroy being one, could or would make a sword with stopped fullers. The blade is deeply engraved with a crossed stand of the first Confederate flag, crossed cannons, floral motifs and "C.S." in Old English script. Engraved in relief on the blade near the hilt is "W.J. McElroy Macon, GA." The brass three-bar guard has ornate cast floral decoration. The leather-covered grip is wrapped in simple copper wire. The steel scabbard is 35" long and one side of it is deeply engraved with crossed flags as well as stylized drapes. The scabbard has a brass drag, carrying rings/bands and throat. As is typical of Confederate swords the seam on the scabbard has been rather crudely soldered with brass.

The sword is in extremely fine condition with a high degree of luster on the blade and guard and only a few, small spots of rust on the blade and scabbard. The sword retains its leather wrist strap.

The second sword we have to share today is one produced by the Nashville Plow Works concern.

Here is a fantastic example of one of the rarest and most desireable of Civil War edged weapons: a Nashville Plow Works Confederate Officer's Cavalry saber. As its name suggests, the Nashville Plow Works produced agricultural equipment prior to the Civil War, but early in the conflict the concern's operators, Sharp and Hamilton, reveresed the Biblical addage to "beat your plowshares into swords" and began producing edged weapons. It is not known how many swords the Nashville Plow Works produced, but manufacturing was terminated when Union forces occupied Nashville on April 1st of 1862.
This is an exceptionally fine example of a Sharp and Hamilton/Nashville Plow Works sword and presents all the looked-for characteristics. It features a 36" long blade (sword is 41" overall) with its orignal scabbard measuring 36.5" in length. The crudely-forged blade features the unstopped fullers typical of Southern manufacture. The guard is of cast brass (appears to have a very high copper content) with a three-bar knuckle-bow and an acorn-shaped opening in the center. On the guard the name "Nashville Plow Works" and letters "CSA" are cast in relief against a stippled background. The underside of the guard is also stippled. The wooden grip is wrapped in leather with an iron band nearest the guard and brass wire wrapping and a brass backstrap leading to a bird's head pommel. There are very faint traces of an engraved name and/or unit designation on the backstrap. The iron scabbard is 36.5" long and has a brass drag and carrying rings/bands and a simple hammered throat. The scabbard's front seam is soldered with brass as is typical of Confederate manufacture.
The sword and scabbard a entirely intact. The blade exhibits a pleasant plum-colored patina over most of the blade with areas of luster remaining and minor to moderate pitting. The grip has wear consonant with age and use. The scabbard has moderate pitting but no dents or bends.

For more information of more pictures of thses wonderful items please visit http://www.oldtruckantiques.com/catalog/militaria_weapons.html

One Reason Not to Park in Our Spot

After two months of having our assigned parking spaces in our building's lot used by who-knows-who, it was time to create some notes we could put on cars. Here is a sample:


There is an estimated 1:100,000,000 chance of an asteroid hitting this spot. Do you really want to risk it?

The Jones Organ Co. and the begining of my Gothic phase

By far one of my personal favorite pieces in the shoppe right now is our 1877/1878 Jones Organ. Never heard of it, well neither had we until it followed us home from a garage sale a few months ago. This beautiful Gothic revival reed organ was produced in Oakland CA. It utilizes workings from the Tabor Organ Co. of Worcester Mass. which was started in 1876 by one A. C. Emmons. The workings were evidently purchased from the company by Jones shortly thereafter. The only two date markings on the Organ are for the Patent application date, June 23 1877 for the Organ - Stop Action by H. R. Moore. The patent wasn't awarded until January 8, 1878 and the patent for the tremolo which was patented by William D. Parker awarded June 22, 1875. The respective patents are as follows: Moore's application and subsequent patent, No. 199,090 and for Parker No. 164,871. Both patents and corresponding renderings are available online.

Beyond that little is know about this exact piece, we have yet to turn up even a reference to the Jones Organ Co. in Oakland in a city directory. Such a lack of information leads one to wonder as to the production numbers for the concern. I'm begining to think that Jones may have been something of a glorified cabinet maker, but since there's no definitive evidence either way, who's to say at this point. Research still awaits.

What I can tell you is that this piece has somehow survived, especially considering one near miss that we know about. This piece was slated for demolition right along with the house it sat in. The organ itself was refurbished in the 1940's as attested to a handwritten tag attached to the inner workings of the organ only accessible through the back panel. The organ is functional and designed perfectly in the Gothic revival style of the 1870's. The carving is consistent in all its features and accented by gilt work.

2010 Lectures are set

Hello all:

Please note that our 2010 lecture series has been finalized and looks like the following:

1-26-10 "Materials of Material Culture" Items of interest and intrigue from Rogers Smith and Co to the Nashville Plow Works

2-23-10 "Captured By The Lens -Images for study" The use of Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Ferrotypes, CDV's and Cabinet Photos in study

3-30-10 "As long as you have two inches of hair you can wear a comb"

4-20-10 "In The Time Before Television" Victorian parlor amusements

5-25-10 "A County Apart" The creation of San Mateo County and the 1856 Committee of Vigilance

6-22-10 "I Do" Victorian wedding customs

7-27-10 ""Mezesville and Beyond" A walking tour of Redwood City

8-24-10 "The World According to Charles Eastlake" Charles Lock Eastlake and the style that bears his name

9-28-10 "A Good Death" Victorian Mourning Customs

10-26-10 "San Mateo County Cemeteries" Funerary Art and Architecture

11-30-10 "What's In Your Pocket" Common Victorian accessories

All classes start at 7:30 on the Tuesday evenings listed above and are $10 per person $5 for students with proper ID. RSVP is requested but not required. All classes are held at or meet at Old Truck Antiques located at 2400 Broadway Ave. Redwood City, CA 94063. For further information check the events section on our website www.oldtruckantiques.com or call (650) 367-9625

A Freudian Slip from Manland

Chris here:

Just taking down the Christmas decorations on the ole' website (the little holly & ivy border I'd put around each page) & generally trying to tidy it up generally. One error that has caused me some embarrasement is the fact that I labelled a lorgnette (see Wikipedia) as a lunette (also see Wikipedia). It's all French to me. Can I help it that I find macho, military terms describing elements of fortification more retainable in my memory than eye wear especially popular with stylish ladies?