"Cause I'm a picker, I'm a grinner...."

"...I'm a lover. And I'm a sinner. Playin' my music in the sun."
- excerpt from "The Joker", by The Steve Miller Band (Steve's from Milwaukee, by the way)

My latest foray into antiquing, primitives and the like yielded some cool finds. This handle fastening device (above) was a three-in-one tool manufactured by Bridgeport Hardware Manufacturing. The patent was issued to Willis F. Hobbs on October 6, 1914. "Iroquois" is marked on one side of the handle - may be the style of tool, not sure. Apparently it was pretty common in the grocery business as a crate-hammer-box-hatchet-pry bar. Picked it up for $20. Ebay prices ranged from $30 - $150 (never used) and it comes in a variety of styles.

Titled "Spring" and reminiscent of a Currier & Ives print. I also like the frame.

Ten bucks. Never know what to do with all those votive candles I have.

Box with leather strap. I'll figure out some use for it.

Two bucks at the Prairie Chicken Festival in Wisconsin Rapids. Reader's Digest knows everything.

Beeswax taper candle. If they had known it was beeswax, it would've been higher than $3.50.

Funnel. Jas & I can use this when we go sugaring. No chance of maple syrup dripping over the bottles.

Unique pulley system doo-dad. I've never seen one like this before. Gonna leave it just like that and hang it on the wall.

Kodak negative contact print frames. Probably late 1800's. Picture frames.

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Estate sales will put me in the poor house.

Motherlode. Well, it's subjective. Or relative. One man's junk (as they say). Couple was in an assisted living home and they were selling everything. Golden years, right? Click READ MORE! for the rest of my bounty. I think the ladder is my crown jewel.

small wooden ladder

set of 6 blue old fashioned glasses

2 brass candle holders w/red insert

cobbler's tool w/4 shoes

ironing board

soft rake

hard rake

antique handled shovel

antique bamboo fishing pole

brass chachki holder (like the brass holder isn't a chachki?)

Currier & Ives Four Seasons of Life/wood frame, set of 4

The whole lot = $39.50

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I'm pickin' the pickin's! A pair of brass spittoons.

I suppose you could call that "re-picking".

My Uncle Butch (mom's younger brother) is retired and, for lack of a better word, is a "picker" (and a gentleman farmer). He attends auctions and bids on anything that's either metal or contains metal - aluminum, brass, steel, iron, copper - then resells the stuff to the recycling plant. Stoves, washing machines, tools, hosing, fencing, bed frames - he strips whatever he purchases down to the metal and sells it by the pound. He's been doing this now for 2 or 3 years.

I spent some time at his home yesterday after work. We watched an episode of Bonanza (the one when the Cartwright's...forget it) and he showed me his wares. He's got a lot of stuff. I stumbled on these two spittoons. - 4 pounds total weight at around $1.20 per pound (give or take)...$5.00 for the lot. Nice decorative pieces.

Uncle Butch's retirement profession seems to be a popular one. My brother and I frequently tune in to American Pickers on The History Channel. We both have an interest in antiquing and flea markets, old stuff - other people's junk. I'm a pack rat. So is Jas. Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz (above) scour the countryside looking for anything they feel they can resell at a profit. Some stuff they keep for themselves but most they sell or pick for clients with a particular need in mind. Stores, museums, people's yards, barns...you name it, they pick it.

I'm looking forward to the snow melting and a warm Spring day. I'm gonna head back to Uncle Butch's and see what other treasures I can find.

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