Fast Cooking with Gas! B.G. Devoe's Inventions ~ Collecting Lima Ohio

July 4, 2014, 10:12 am

≫ Next: A Shot Heard Round the Corner, or 'Cafe Talk' ~ The Corner Cafe Lima, Ohio

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http://www.google.com/patents/US445692

1890 -- BENJAMIN G. DEVOE, OF LIMA, OHIO

http://www.google.com/patents/US684799

1901 -- BENJAMIN GREEN DEVOE, OF LIMA, OHIO

https://www.google.as/patents/US263324

1882 -- BENJAMIN G. DEVOE, OF KENTON, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIMA IRON FENCE COMPANY, OF LIMA, OHIO.

Lima Iron Fence Company, was organized in June, 1882, with H. Kibby, president; T. T. Mitchell, vice-president; F. W. Holmes, secretary; Kibby, Mitchell and Dr. Ashton, executive committee; and B. G. DeVoe, superintendent. The fence manufactured is the DeVoe and Ramsay patent, at once neat and durable.

The original building is 50x200, to which other buildings were added in 1882-83. The leading products are iron fence, cresting, verandas, cellar and window guards, stair and counter railings, and hitching posts. The iron used is all malleable iron. The directors elected in January, are H. Kibby, J. R. Ashton, Robert Mehaffey, E. Ashton, T. T. Mitchell and James Irvine.

In January, 1885, John Carnes and C. S. Garretson retired from the Lima Iron Fence Company. The business of the company will be conducted under the same firm name by W. L. Porter [Read about Lima's Pain King], D. E. Fritz, F. X. White and Frank W. Holmes.

B. G. DeVoe, general manager of the Hydro Carbon Fuel and Gas Co of

Cincinnati, returned to that city yesterday, after spending Sunday

with his family bere.

1911 -- B.G. DeVoe, a well known and venerable citizen, was removed by ambulance from his home to the city hospital. He is about 80 years of age and is in serious condition, suffering from an attack of pneumonia.

He is the father of Capt. Frank DeVoe, of the south fire department, and has a number of other well known sons.

___________________

This has been a quick look at:
Benjamin Green Devoe
[approx. dates: 1831-1911]
Kenton, Ohio and Lima, Ohio resident, businessman, inventor and patentor of several inventions, including the B.G. DEVOE HYDRO-CARBON GAS GENERATOR.
_____________________

Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.

If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.

Read the Introduction to my ''Collecting Lima'' Virtual Museum Project, all about my Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques collection.
________________________

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com
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A Shot Heard Round the Corner, or 'Cafe Talk' ~ The Corner Cafe Lima, Ohio

July 5, 2014, 5:11 pm

≫ Next: Gladwell, Crossley, Marshall Bicycle Stores and Thor Motorcycles ~ Turning Bicycles into Moto Cycles ~ Lima Ohio

≪ Previous: Fast Cooking with Gas! B.G. Devoe's Inventions ~ Collecting Lima Ohio

A Shot of Appreciation

CORNER CAFE

135 E. Market LIMA, O.

The Corner Cafe was on Market at Union since at least 1947, when they fell victim to a rubber check:

thst a check of this description was cashed at the Corner Cafe, 135 E. Market St., Friday and was returned from Drossett Bank marked

"no funds." -- Lima News March 13, 1947

In 1957 there was a police report about a ''woman getting stewed at the Corner Cafe''.

The Corner Cafe apparently had to find a new corner when the City of Lima appropriated the Market Street building so they could build the current Municipal Court Building. They started the ''legal'' proceedings in 1965, also as per The Lima News:

Lima Starts Court Action To Obtain Downtown Sites

Lima started legal proceedings in Common Pleas Court today to obtain a cluster of buildings at the northwest corner of East Market and North Union.

Applications for appropriation proceedings were filed in the Clerk of Courts office today. The actions are against the owners and occupants of four properties on Market. Owner of the adjoining building of 133 EMarket on the corner are Richard L. Jones and Gertrude Jones, Thomas J. Odenweller with Bernard Shore, wno operates Laflin, Frederick's Beauty School

Also named in the action as the occupant, is Joseph Venturella who operates the Corner Cafe.

_________________

In the Lima News, 2007:

Nick Venturella, owner of the Corner Cafe in Lima, which has been at

the corner of Bellefontaine and Grove avenues in Lima for more than

40 years. Venturella boasts his customers "don't go away hungry."

Nick and Joseph Venturella were brothers. Joseph passed in 1960, Nick in 1984. [Source]

Nick operated at the "new" location starting July 15,1966.

The restaurant closed about 2007/2008. Here's a Google Street View from 2008. The building has since been demolished.

It wasn't attractive, but was a local institution for at least 70 years. Points for that, right?!

_____________________

Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.

If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.

Read the Introduction to my ''Collecting Lima'' Virtual Museum Project, all about my Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques collection.
________________________

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com
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Gladwell, Crossley, Marshall Bicycle Stores and Thor Motorcycles ~ Turning Bicycles into Moto Cycles ~ Lima Ohio

August 4, 2014, 7:00 am

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Here's a Pandora's Puzzle Box of a photograph. Researching it turned up all kinds of information, but never completed the puzzle I set out to solve.

I saw the original sepia toned photograph (below), and did a B&W digital edit to get more details. What we see is the A.J. Gladwell Bicycle shop, with 665 above the door, and 665 R. Beechman on the awning.

So I set out to find more about Mr. Gladwell, and why the name Beechman was on his awning but not his painted window sign.

Here's an ad in the 1898 Lima Daily News that says R. Beechman had a meat slaughter house at 665 South Main Street (Lima Ohio).

That's it for Mr. Beechman. I couldn't find anything else on him online.

I found Andrew J. Gladwell's obituary in the Lima News, 1955. They wrote: Born July 27 1873, in Virginia, Mr. Gladwell came to Lima in 1900. He engaged in the bicycle business here for a number of years and later entered an automobile repair and paint business.

So now we may surmise that Beecham must have quit the meat business, probably right around 1900, and still owned the building since his name was still on the awning when the shop space became Gladwell's.

A J Gladwell's obituary mentions he retired about 1945, but I didn't find any other mentions of him online in later years. Perhaps I will find him and his auto repair & paint business listed in city directories at the public library.

One other tidbit I did find was in the Dec. 26, 1912 issue of Motor World magazine, noting that: Gladwell & Crossley Motor Co., under Ohio laws, authorized capital, $10,000; to deal in motor cars. Corporators - AJ Gladwell, CC Crossley. FA Holland, HI Bland, JW Roby. (In today's dollars, that's over $200,000.)

Next I found Lima News archive link mentions of:

Gladwell & Crossley, repairers of bicycles and motorcycles
GLADWELL AND CROSSLEY AGENCY FOR THOR MOTORCYCLE

The Thor Motorcycle was built by the Aurora Independent Machine and Tool Company in Aurora Illinois from 1903-1920. At first, Aurora built motors for Indian motorcycles, then they started their own competitor, Thor, in 1903.

If our boys Gladwell & Crossley didn't get their Thor shop up till 1912, then they came to the ''moto cycles'' party late, and also backed the wrong machine.

"1915 was a banner year for Indian, Harley, and Excelsior. They each offered a three-speed transmission of conventional design. The best Thor could do was a new designed cast iron two speed that mounted aside the rear hub. By 1918 the Thor Motorcycle Company was fading into obscurity. In 1920 the board of directors announced a halt to motorcycle production."

Read more Thor history on Gregory Walter's THOR Motorcycles website.

Of course they could have still been successful, but I just didn't find any other info online -- yet. And the fellows below, the Kulp Bros. of Reading PA look like their Thor business was booming in 1917.

Motorcycle Race at the 1920 Allen County Fair in Lima Ohio.

Look at the rider, 2nd from the left. He's wearing a THOR logo on his shirt. Wonder if it's Gladwell?

Here's a photo of the interior of the RS Marshall & Co. bicycle shop. Ralph Marshall worked for Gladwell and Crossley before going into the bicycle and sporting goods business. He also put on motorcycle races. Maybe he's in that race photo too! [Source link]

_______________
Update 8/2014:

Saw this C.C. Crossley token on ebay, and the name rang a bell, of course. A little more research finds that Gladwell sold out his share of the biz to Crossley in 1919:

VETERAN BICYCLE MAN HAS SOLD HIS BUSINESS - A. J. Gladwell, for 20 years in the bicycle trade in Lima, and for the past 5 years president of the Gladwell and Crossley Motor company, 207 South Main Street, has sold out his interest to C. C. Crossley, Secretary- treasurer of the above company. The business will be continued and operated by Crossley.[Source]

As of 1944, CC Crossley was on the Board of Directors for a Lima bank, the Citizens Loan and Building Company.

Clifford C. Crossley died in 1949. After the bicycle business, Crossley became one of Lima's first radio dealers.

Crossley's radio biz ad in the Lima News, 1929, read:

C C CROSSLEY "CROSLEY" AND "AMHAD" RADIOS Special Attention Given to "Crosley" Radios Repair Department

Our Mr. Crossley sold Crosley radios and appliances:

_______________

Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.

If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.

Read the Introduction to Collecting Lima Virtual Museum Project ~ My Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

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SQUARE ~ How To Accept Credit Cards with Your Phone / Smartphone at Antique Shows

August 4, 2014, 11:00 am

≫ Next: Halloween Lovers Dream Auction of Rare Funeral Collection: Real Skeletons, Antique Caskets, Post Mortem Photos

≪ Previous: Gladwell, Crossley, Marshall Bicycle Stores and Thor Motorcycles ~ Turning Bicycles into Moto Cycles ~ Lima Ohio

Update 8/2014 -- new chip technology in credit cards is coming to U.S. -- Square will provide new EMV card readers for their app.

Also, you can now send Square invoices online for the same bargain fee of 2.75%.

But wait, there's more:

Square offers free online stores and
an entire virtual cash-register system. Wowza! -- https://squareup.com/register/sell-online

The money shows up in your checking account within 24 hours. Sweet!

You can use any smartphone, iphone or android, to take credit cards and to have a free online store.

You need an ipad to use the cash register system. It's very cool, though!

EXCITING UPDATE [2/22/11] -- Square has eliminated the 15c transaction fee -- Woo-hoo! -- https://squareup.com/pricing

Square for the small business!

Now we all can take credit cards! Without a bank/merchant account, and for less than Paypal.

Got my new SQUARE widget -- free -- in the mail, and now I can't wait until the next time I set up at an antique show. What fun!

Another reason to have a smart phone. Mine's a DroidX and I love it. Being able to use it to research prices, email pix to buyers, blog from the phone, bid on ebay items, and so much more has made it pay for itself, and now even more so with this credit card swiper gadget.

What a boon for small business owners, especially those who sell on the road. Certainly less risky than taking out-of-state checks when you travel around the antique show circuit.

From their website:

" SQUARE is a cool service that enables anyone to accept credit cards anywhere. Square offers an easy to use, free credit card reader that plugs into a phone or iPad. It's simple to sign up. There is no extra equipment, complicated contracts, NO monthly fees or merchant account required.

Square's card processing fees are simply:
2.75% + ~~15¢ for swiped transactions~~
3.5% + 15¢ for keyed-in transactions

https://squareup.com/pricing

That's it! There are no activation, gateway, monthly, early termination, hidden fees or any additional costs to use Square. Every credit or debit card we accept (Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover) have the same flat rate. These fees are static and do not change depending on how much the transaction was for. As our fees are taken out of each transaction as they occur, there is no fee schedule.

Square also does not require a contract upon signup and since we only charge per transaction, it doesn't cost you anything if you don't use it! "

You can even email a receipt to your customer, and include a photo of the item they bought too. Here's what it looks like.

The top small pic is my logo/icon, so that helps you to look professional. Then it will show a map of where the purchase was made. Brimfield, Round Top, the Rose Bowl, etc.

Then the 2nd pic of me is where the pic of the item will be (which you take with your phone's camera and attach from your phone's pic gallery). The word testing would be replaced with the item description you enter.

You even have the customer sign on your phone's touch screen (which you shake like an Etch-A-Sketch to erase if they goof up).

The whole process is relatively simple. First, download the app to your phone -- squareup.com/app -- then go to the website and finish setting up your account with your bank info, etc. Then they mail you your widget. And voila, you're in bizness!

The physical card sliding does take practice, and the little widget will buzz at you till you get it right, but once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze. If you have anyone who owes you money, practice on them!

You will be happy that you got this little do-hickey/widget. And it's FREE -- you know I love free stuff that helps my business!

Yes, I know there are fees on the actual payment, but you can factor that in to the selling price. Even if you only take one credit card payment, that's a sale you might have lost.

Read what Fortune mag has to say: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/01/31/a-twitter-guy-takes-on-big-banks/

PS -- Advice from the Square Blog:
When you first receive your reader, you may feel the irresistible urge to swipe every card you come across in order to display your new power to your friends and family.

When utilizing Square's awesome potential of making you money (ie. swiping a card), keep in mind that money really does move. Even if you cancel a transaction, that charge will still be seen as pending on the cardholder’s bank statement. These pending charges are a result of the bank guaranteeing that sufficient funds are available to cover the cost of the transaction. Depending on the speed of the bank, these pending charges will remain on their statement and hold funds anywhere from 1-5 business days.

_________________________

Added on March 3, 2011 -- video showing Square in use:

Video: Credit card transactions for everyone -- www.cnn.com --

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Halloween Lovers Dream Auction of Rare Funeral Collection: Real Skeletons, Antique Caskets, Post Mortem Photos

August 10, 2014, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Ernest L. Kraft Shoe Company Shoe Store Lima Ohio 1910 Photo

≪ Previous: SQUARE ~ How To Accept Credit Cards with Your Phone / Smartphone at Antique Shows

Halloween Lovers may have thought they had died and gone to Haunted Heaven when they attended a truly unusual auction that was held in 2008 in Lima, Ohio, when a Collection-Macabre was sold off to the highest bidders!

We're talking real skeletonsin real caskets, and other Funeral Home and Mortician memorabilia. Plus there were catalogs of caskets, and even garments that the funeral home could order to bury the deceased in, like the two pairs of Slumber Slippers, with lace-up backs to fit multiple sizes.

There were some small child's caskets, and several adult size caskets with real skeletons inside. The skeletons sold from $250.00 - $800.00 -- each!

A Victorian “toe-pincher”, also called “heel squeezers” or Dracula coffins because of their narrow tapering foot, sold $675.

Lots of casket handles and hardware, too.
I really liked the little folk-arty diorama of a cemetery. Perfect if you are really into decorating for Halloween!

Antique dealer Don Orwig recognized several of the faux-skeletons sold at the auction and lighted coffins as items from ceremonies hosted years ago by the Odd Fellows fraternity.

“Two of the coffins I bought were rigged with lights and the skeletons lighted up,” he said. “We’re seeing more of those, now that several of the old lodges are losing their membership and selling out. There’s quite a few collectors for these things, particularly among the Odd Fellows.” [Source]

The auction generated lots of excitement, and reporters came from all around -- here's the Toledo Blade article, and the Lima News article. Just check this google search to read some of the other newspaper articles.

I had hoped that there would have been some death-related and post-mortem postcards and photos like the examples below, but there weren't.

Here's an interesting book on Post Mortem Collectibles - link.

Here's the link to some post mortem items on ebay now.

Google's image search for Post Mortem items has some great photos.

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Ernest L. Kraft Shoe Company Shoe Store Lima Ohio 1910 Photo

August 11, 2014, 12:29 pm

≫ Next: An Eagle Eyed Look at Americana Patriotic Milk Glass Covered Dishes

≪ Previous: Halloween Lovers Dream Auction of Rare Funeral Collection: Real Skeletons, Antique Caskets, Post Mortem Photos

Ernest L. Kraft, Jr. -- Kraft Shoe Company -- Lima, Ohio

Real photo postcard, circa 1910, of the Kraft Shoe Company shoe store, Lima, Ohio.

My research finds that Mr. Kraft, Sr. was a shoe salesman for a company in Toledo in the 1890's [source], then opened a shoe store in Lima on Kibby. They relocated to the pictured location at 713 S. Main St. in 1903. In 1914 they moved to 707 S. Main St. [source].

In 1913 Kraft Sr. celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary. So this young man pictured is Ernest L. Kraft Jr., who was listed as Manager by 1909.

There were many ads in the Lima News over the years for the Kraft's Shoe Store, none found in the 1920s though.

E. L. Kraft Jr.and his wife Lulu were mentioned often in the society news. They had a son named Ernest, as well. In 1904, little 3-yr-old Ernest was very ill. Lulu Kraft's obituary in 1949 calls her a widow, and tells us Ernest the 3rd survived [source].

_____________________

Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.

If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.

Read the Introduction to my ''Collecting Lima'' Virtual Museum Project, all about my Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques collection.
________________________

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com
Sign up for my free newsletter!

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An Eagle Eyed Look at Americana Patriotic Milk Glass Covered Dishes

August 16, 2014, 2:00 am

≫ Next: King Burger Drive In Restaurant ~1956-1976 Lima Ohio ~ Vintage Drinking Glass

≪ Previous: Ernest L. Kraft Shoe Company Shoe Store Lima Ohio 1910 Photo

Keep an Eagle Eye out for these vintage pieces of Patriotic Americana that commemorate the Spanish American War.

Learning about our country by a quick look at some vintage (circa early 1900's) patriotic/ historical/ American-history-themed milk glass figural covered dishes /product jars / candy container / mustard jars.

AMERICAN EAGLE

The top Eagle dish has red glass eyes
It was made by Westmoreland Glass.
They made it in other colors too, and you can see in the photo of the blue dish, below, that there are eaglets on the other side.

The American Hen

An American Eagle with 3 eggs
the base/bowl is embossed THE AMERICAN HEN (so it is also a ''hen on a nest'')
the eggs are embossed Porto Rico, Cuba, Phillipines (referencing the Spanish-American War)
Attributed to the Flaccus Co., with a patent date of 1898.

Top: Remember the Maine

A history lesson about the Prelude to the Spanish American War.
Also by Flaccus.

Bottom left: Admiral Dewey

Read about Admiral Dewey's part in the Spanish American War

Bottom right: Simply a cannon on a drum which commemorates the Civil War, as does this piece:

UNCLE SAM ON THE MERRIMACK

There was a famous Civil War battle between the Merrimack and the Monitor
this piece is also attributed to the FLACCUS Co., as a mustard product jar.

To Learn More about milk glass:

To Read: an interesting article about milk glass covered dishes/jars.
To See: pix of an an amazing collection of Flaccus items.
To Visit: the National Milk Glass Collectors Society website.
More Info: on the COLLECTORS WEEKLY website's great page about MILK GLASS -- and tracks current and completed ebay listings -- if you collect milk glass, this site is a must for you.

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King Burger Drive In Restaurant ~1956-1976 Lima Ohio ~ Vintage Drinking Glass

August 19, 2014, 5:00 am

≫ Next: 1940s GMC Truck / Myers Dry Cleaners / AAA Lima Ohio Photo

≪ Previous: An Eagle Eyed Look at Americana Patriotic Milk Glass Covered Dishes

King Burger Drive In Restaurant

~1956-1976 Lima Ohio ~

Vintage Drinking Glass

I added this vintage drinking glass to my collection recently.

It was made by Federal Glass, a well known Columbus, Ohio glass company, for "King Burger".

King Burger Drive In was built in the winter of 1956.

This vintage Pepsi Cola soda pop sign is on display at Lima's Happy Daz restaurant.

...not tryinc to keep their work a secret by concealing it under heavy wraps. They were just keeping out the weather. The special plastic cover, which lets in the light but keeps the dampness out, permit- ted stucco plastering of the building's exterior and the laying of sidewalks during the heavy snow two weeks ago. The building will house a drive-in restaurant The builders are Paul Fields and Charles Rockwell.

King Burger Carhops

Lima News Monday, Oct. 24, 1960 Luscious Eating At King Burger Drive-In Are you hungary for delicious food to satisfy your taste, at low prices? Try the King Burger Drive-In at 606 W. North Street. A canopy for all-weather outdoor service, enlargement of the indoor seating capacity, an order by phone system and expansion and a wider variety on the food menu add to the interior and exterior convenience and beauty of the King Burger. Delicious chicken plates, which consist of four crispy pieces with a generous portion of French fries, cole slaw and roll, all for one dollar, are an attraction on the menu. For those with a limited lunch hour, quick noon lunches are also served. According to the owners, Charles Rockwell and Paul Fields, 95 per cent of all the food served by the King Burger is purchased from Lima wholesalers. "Our hamburger is ground daily and our pies are freshly baked every day." stated Fields. Forty-eight customers can be served at once in the dining room, and 50 outdoor phones are at the service of drive-in customers. A total of 34 persons are on the siaff of employes, more than half of their employees have worked there for at least 2 years, which is a fact that the partners are very proud of. As Fields explained, "The King Burger is willing to pay better than average wages to retain qualified employes and eliminate a constant turnover of personnel. A friendly greeting; warm and COURTEOUS SERVICE [Photo: Three of the many courteous car-hops who serve drive-in customers at the King Burger.] The owners of the restaurant are proud that their employes are known for fast efficient service. Atmosphere, and good food are marks of superb quality around the restaurant. The Record Hop that the King Burger and Sill's Shoes co-sponsored a short time ago proved to be a big success. The attendance was 350 teenagers; each of them received a FREE King Burger. A drawing was held at the hop and a Savings Bond was awarded to the one holding the lucky ticket. "It was good for the kids and we enjoyed Rockwell remark- ed. Also they sponsored a Midget Football team, called the "Jets." A tour through the back scenes of the King Burger-Drive In revealed the cleanliness that is kept throughout the entire restaurant. They have been in business in Lima for about 4 and a half years now and their main concern is to satisfy their customers in every way. "Business has been good; we are remarkably above last years said Rockwell. "Thank you for your continual patronage."

Articles from the Lima News, circa1960, should more accurately be called ''advertorials''.

These are the only articles or online mentions I found about King Burger, besides people mentioning the place nostalgically in web-comments, and the many help wanted ads in the Lima News archives. They ran ads from 1956 until 1976.

I didn't find any other mentions of the owners, Charles Rockwell and Paul Fields.

The restaurant was located at 606 W. North St., Lima, Ohio.

Here's a photo of the King Burger building, but as there aren't any signs, I don't know when it was taken. Definitely before the google maps satellite image of the building which today houses Sullivan Insurance.

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1940s GMC Truck / Myers Dry Cleaners / AAA Lima Ohio Photo

August 25, 2014, 12:10 pm

≫ Next: Things We Take For Granted: 8hr Workdays & 3-Day Weekends ~ #Vintage Labor Day Art

≪ Previous: King Burger Drive In Restaurant ~1956-1976 Lima Ohio ~ Vintage Drinking Glass

While technically a Delphos Ohio company, Myers Cleaners had 5 locations in Lima, Ohio. Hence this wonderful photo picturing one of the Myers dry cleaning stores, with 1940-ish GMC delivery truck. Note the Lima AAA is next door.

The address was 126 W. North Street. The building is gone, and the location is now part of Lima's Courthouse, about where the tree is in this photo:

First, let's look at Myers Cleaners, then I'll add some info about Lima's AAA.

DELPHOS INDUSTRY ON PARADE 38 Years Experience Stand Behind Myers Cleaners And Furriers, Inc.
Today Myers Cleaners and Furriers Inc. is an independent organization headed by Mr. Jack Myers, son of the company's founder. It is controlled by Jack Myers, Mrs. Charles H. Myers and Betty Myers.

Charles H, Myers, founder of Myers cleaners in 1922, established the organization in a business room of an old building situated at the site of the present post office. At that time Mr. Myers operated a tailor and press shop. From there he moved into the spot Vogt and Vogt Restaurant occupies today and specialized in cleaning and pressing and ladies ready-to-wear items. His next move was into the location of Credo's Furniture store. In 1933, Myers Cleaners was moved into its present site on North Main St. At that time the company occupied the building where only pressing is done today. In 1938, Mr. Myers rented the Mox building which bordered the other. There he went into the fur storage business and opened the first portion of his storage vault. Three years later in 1941 a large vacant lot on that same block was purchased from Standard Oil Co. and built up as part of Myers. Already in 1932. Myers had eight delivery trucks which went from house to house soliciting business in this area. By December, 1941 approximately 20 routes represented the local Cleaners. After that time operations were changed from house to house solicitation over to cash and carry branch store operations. With the war in 1945 Myers boasted of 15 branch stores and still had 4 routes left out of 20. The organization picked up its volume business however with the cash and carry idea. Today, 1950, Myers has 20 stores, 2 routes (which still solicit from house to house in this area) and a self-serve laundry in Lima. All processing work is done here at Delphos for Myers' 20 branch stores. Garments are received at the stores and taken back there for delivery. Myers' stores are located in Indiana (3) Auburn, Decatur, New Haven; in Ohio at Bucyrus, Celina, Defiance, Fostoria, St. Mary's, Tiffin, Van Wert, two at Findlay, five at Lima and three at Marion. All garments received at Myers are given full attention and are put through the complete cleaning cycle. First they are put into large dry cleaning washers filled with a cleaning solvent. From there they are placed in a large extractor where all excess solvent is removed. Lastly, the clothes are moved to the tumblers or dryers for the final step of the cleaning process. A recent addition to the dry cleaning machines at Myers was made in 1958. This machine is completely automatic and is a combination washer-extractor. (Their other machines are manually timed.) At capacity the washer-extractor holds 450 lbs. of garments per load. Myers boasts of having the only automatic machine of this size in Ohio. It is also one of three machines like it in the state.
[Photo in the newspaper article shows: The 8 original trucks of Myers Cleaners are viewed in front of their garage in the Edwards Bldg. located where Hanshumaker Motor Sales is today. The date is 1932.]
Source: July 6, 1950 Delphos Daily Herald from Delphos, Ohio · Page 5

Charles Myers passed in 1952 (obit).

AAA porcelain badges are very collectible. See some collections here and here and here.

________________

[Read this pamphlet here.]

The Lima Automobile Club

The Lima Automobile Club was organized in 1907. In 1918 the address 126 W. North St. belonged to a storage company, but AAA was in there by 1930. They moved out of the location in 1965, into their new 635 W. Spring St. address. [Source] They then moved to their current location [on date: ?] at 2115 Allentown Road.

The Lima Auto Club is, of course, part of the national American Automobile Association. Read about the History of the AAA.

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Things We Take For Granted: 8hr Workdays & 3-Day Weekends ~ #Vintage Labor Day Art

August 30, 2014, 3:00 pm

≫ Next: Morrison's & McCune's Cigar Store 1904 Lima Ohio RPPC

≪ Previous: 1940s GMC Truck / Myers Dry Cleaners / AAA Lima Ohio Photo

"Without labor nothing prospers." --Sophocles

Read up on the History of Labor Day.

Once upon a time we didn't even have 8-hour workdays, or weekends, let alone 3-day weekends: "The eight-hour day movement forms part of the early history for the celebration of Labour Day, and May Day in many nations and cultures."

More about the Eight Hour Movement here. And tons more here.

Enjoy your holiday weekend -- then back to work we go!

The National Eight Hour Law even has it's own theme song - listen here. The tune is where the phrase " Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, eight hours for what we will! " came from.

"Hurrah, hurrah, for Labor! for it shall arise in might;
It has filled the world with plenty, it shall fill the world with light;
Hurrah, hurrah, for Labor! it is mustering all its powers,
And shall march along to victory with the banner of Eight Hours!
Shout, shout the echoing rally till all the welkin thrill,

Chorus:
Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, eight hours for what we will!
Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, eight hours for what we will!"

Like many causes, the movement had a culture of its own, including numerous songs. Of these the most popular was one that appeared in the Labor Standard in July 1878. Based on an 1866 poem written by I. G. Blanchard in the Workingman's Advocate, it was set to music by the Reverend Jesse H. Jones. The lyrics deem current working conditions a violation of God's will and the laws of the creation, which require that humans have time to devote to reflection, communion with nature, and, more generally, the exercise of freedom. The refrain, "Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, eight hours for what we will," sees the division of the day into this triad as inherently and transcendently appropriate.

[Source: ChicagoHistory.org]

“It's a shame that the only thing a man can do for eight hours a day is work. He can't eat for eight hours; he can't drink for eight hours; he can't make love for eight hours. The only thing a man can do for eight hours is work.” -- William Faulkner

"Eight hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, that's the only way I know how to do it." -- Phil Roth

The U.S. Postal Service has issued the Made in America: Building a Nation stamps to honor the men and women of the past who set our country’s future in motion. (link)

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

↧

Morrison's & McCune's Cigar Store 1904 Lima Ohio RPPC

October 15, 2014, 11:40 am

≫ Next: Happy Halloween -- Here's A Few Vintage Postcards

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Let's look at this real photo postcard (RPPC) of a cigar shop called MORRISON'S.

The signs advertising San Felice and El Verso cigars, two brands that we know were made in Lima by the Deisel Wemmer Company, certainly caught my eye.

A little research confirms that this is Morrison's Cigar Co., and was located on the town square in Lima, Ohio, circa 1904.

In 1904 Morrison added a 2nd location, inside the Hotel Norval. Then he sold this, his original town square shop, to Mr. McCune. You can see the name McCune's Cigar Store at the top of the San Felice sign.

V.R. Morrison then became the manager of the Hotel Norval:

[1904] "The old but true expression that "You cannot keep good people down" was never more fully and strikingly demonstrated in Lima than in the career of the Morrison Cigar Co. A comparatively short time has seen that firm rise to the foremost ranks of the cigar trade of Northwestern Ohio. And now another step forward has been taken. Appreciating the demand for good clean goods at the Hotel Norval, the Morrison Cigar Co has opened a first class branch in the Hotel Norval lobby, with Oscar Long behind the case. Nothing but the choicest brands of cigars and the most select brands of cigarettes will be handled at this new stand. The Morrison Cigar Co. is to be congratulated on the elegant business opportunities afforded in this new venture." [Source ]

1905 Lima News announcement: McCUNE'S Formerly Morrison Cigar Co,, N. W. Cor. Public Square. [Source]

From this point, until 1920, we see ads for Hotel Norval with V.R. Morrison as the manager, but no further mention of Morrison's Cigar Co., or Oscar Long.

C.J. McCune sold out to N. J. Whitney and Ritner Hale in 1911.[Source]

Christopher James McCune went on to be a printer/publisher of postcards, as well as having a successful insurance company, and other endeavors. [Source] [Obit]

I will cover Lima's legendary cigar companies, as well as Hotel Norval in future posts.

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Happy Halloween -- Here's A Few Vintage Postcards

October 30, 2014, 9:32 pm

≫ Next: Do the Bogie Book BOOgie! - Collecting Dennison's Bogie Books ~ TOP 10 Ebay Listings of Vintage Halloween Collectibles

≪ Previous: Morrison's & McCune's Cigar Store 1904 Lima Ohio RPPC

Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com

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Do the Bogie Book BOOgie! - Collecting Dennison's Bogie Books ~ TOP 10 Ebay Listings of Vintage Halloween Collectibles

October 30, 2014, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Chop Suey Joints and Vandersall's Grand Cafe ~ Lima Ohio Trade Token

≪ Previous: Happy Halloween -- Here's A Few Vintage Postcards

This Halloween, Do the Bogie Book BOOgie!

1925 Dennison's Bogie Book

Inside are the cutest orange & black illustrations of party ideas, using the wonderful Dennison's line of party favors and decorations. Try to find those items now-- very pricy!

Here's a really good article on Bogie Books on BOOKTHINK
See and read in full a 1920 Bogie Book here: http://publicdomainreview.org/collections/dennisons-bogie-book-for-halloween-1920/
See images from tons of Bogie Books here via google image search.

TOP 10 List of the Most Watched Vintage Halloween Auctions on Ebay Now:

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Chop Suey Joints and Vandersall's Grand Cafe ~ Lima Ohio Trade Token

December 13, 2014, 6:48 pm

≫ Next: Santa Is SO Money! Rare ca 1800s Santa Claus Obsolete Currency

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Trade tokens for the GRAND CAFE / Lima Ohio / S.B. Vandersall

Ad in the Lima News for the Grand Cafe, 1909, reads:

The Grand Cafe - Attending the Fair is one thing, but knowing where you can eat a nice clean meal and refresh yourself with a cool glass of pure beer is quite another. The Grand Cafe Invites your patronage and will serve you with a promptness, courtesy and cleanliness that will surprise you. Make the Grand Cafe your place to eat and drink while attending the Fair. The Grand Cafe keeps a fine assortment of pure liquors for private and medicinal use, and you should ask our advice in the matter of fine liquors for your household.

The Grand Cafe (Saloon) was located on the Town Square in Lima, which is at Market and Main. The earliest Lima News mention of the Grand Cafe is 1905, the latest is 1917.

Other than this token, I cannot connect Vandersall to the Grand Cafe. Two other names show up in the Lima News as the proprietor:

Robert Scott -- 1905 -- had money/legal troubles, (arrested for assault and battery) and closed the Grand Cafe. [Source]
John Hilly (Jack) (Hilley) -- purchased and reopened in 1905 [source], and in 1908 was arrested for illegal gambling (running a craps game) at the Grand Cafe. [Source]

While I did not find Vandersall's name mentioned along with the Grand Cafe, I'm guessing he took over after Hilly.

A 1906 Lima News ad says that "CHOP SUEY is now open at the Grand Cafe". In 1909 there was a new Chop Suey joint* on Wayne Street [Source]. There is no further mention of Chop Suey connected to the Grand Cafe, so they probably split up when Vandersall took over from Hilly.

I did find that his full name was Sardis Birchard Vandersall. (Also spelled online as Sardis Burch Vandersall.)

Sardis Burch Vandersall - born in Sep 1867 in Jackson Twp, Sandusky, Ohio. He died in 1918 in LIma, Allen, Ohio. Buried - Kansas Cemetery, Liberty Twp., Seneca, Ohio.

He married Mary Viola Lewman, (born Jan 1865 in Liberty Twp, Seneca, Ohio; died in 1929) on 1 Nov 1893 in Seneca Co., Ohio. They had one child, Marie Vandersall, born in June 1897.

He was named after Sardis Birchard, who was President Rutherford Birchard Hayes' uncle, and a well known Ohio merchant. [Source]

No other info found on Scott or Hilly.

Note: Not to be confused with this S.B. Vandersall, whose first name was Stanley, of Columbus Ohio, who was State Secretary of Christian Endeavor, a religious society, in 1916:

* The concept of Chop Suey Joints, as they were called, came to be as thousands of Chinese laborers came to America for the Gold Rush, then to build the railroads. After that they created ''Chinatowns" within cities all over the country, and of course opened restaurants, which were soon ''discovered'' by the rest of the population, and by the turn of the century there were 100's of 'Chop Suey joints', becoming 1,000's. There are now more Chinese restaurants in the U.S. than any other ethnic cuisine. [Source: Eating History: Thirty Turning Points in the Making of American Cuisine By Andrew F. Smith, 2009]

_____________________

Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.

If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.

Read the Introduction to my ''Collecting Lima'' Virtual Museum Project, all about my Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques collection.
________________________

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Santa Is SO Money! Rare ca 1800s Santa Claus Obsolete Currency

December 19, 2014, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: My Lima, Ohio Milk Bottle Collection

≪ Previous: Chop Suey Joints and Vandersall's Grand Cafe ~ Lima Ohio Trade Token

Merry Christmas!

Remember my earlier post about obsolete currency with those neat Lazy Deuces on them? I just love this Lazy Deuce with the Santa Claus vignette.

A number of Northern states designated Christmas as a state holiday in the mid 1800s. Since banks often chose vignettes that would lead customers to have faith in the bank, it is not surprising that Santa Claus vignettes were chosen by some banks to help acquire confidence and goodwill. The banks may have also hoped that customers would set a lower denomination note aside as a keepsake due to the Santa vignette as well. The vignettes found in this collection portray both the thinner Dutch version of Sinterklaas as well as the more Americanized version.

Read more about Santa on banknotes here at Heritage Auctions.
And more info here.

And here's a Lazy Tres!

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My Lima, Ohio Milk Bottle Collection

December 28, 2014, 3:59 pm

≫ Next: Japanese Daruma: New Year Good Luck Dolls

≪ Previous: Santa Is SO Money! Rare ca 1800s Santa Claus Obsolete Currency

My Lima, Ohio Milk Bottle Collection

Photos of my Lima milks, (and a few nearby towns). This is just a photo album post. I will separate them out and write info/history posts in the future, but needed to document what I have, and figured I'd share the pix with the internet-world.

I'm not going to address rarity or values in this post. I have been collecting Lima Ohio bottles for almost 20 years, and have paid from 50cents to $250, and have sourced bottles from farm auctions, garage sales, bottle shows, antique malls, ebay, and helpful friends. So please don't ask me about values, or where you can buy Lima Ohio milk bottles.

These bottles are NOT for sale.

I am not looking to buy duplicate bottles.

If you have a Lima milk bottle that is not pictured, then yes, please, I am interested in seeing a photo at least, and possibly buying your bottle.

If you are a Lima-area bottle collector, I would love to compare notes, and discuss our collections. Please consider joining me in the Findlay Bottle Club -- finbotclub.blogspot.com -- visitors are welcome to our meetings -- info on the website.

Click the pics to enlarge.

Standard milk bottle size and embossing codes used:

TR = Tall Round (as in TREQ = Tall Round Embossed Quart)
SQ = Squatty
E = Embossed
P = Pyro (Pyro = painted label)
S = Square (as in TSPQ = Tall Square Pyro Quart)
CT = Cream Top
Q = Quart / P = Pint / HP = Half Pint / HG = Half Gallon

#1 & #2

ALLEN COUNTY RAW MILK PRODUCERS AND DISTRIBUTORS ASS'N REGISTERED LIMA OHIO

TREP / TREQ

#'s 3,4,5,6,7

BUCKEYE PASTEURIZED MILK BUTTER LIMA O. (FRONT)

GRAHAM'S ICE CREAM (BACK)

ALL w/ ORANGE PYRO

L-R: TRCTPQ / RPHP / TRPQ / SPP / SPHP

DECKER'S PASTEURIZED MILK CREAM LIMA, OHIO

(BACK: DEPOSIT STORE BOTTLE)

TSPHG RED / PLASTIC HANDLE

DECKER DAIRY LIMA OHIO / DIVISION OF ACRES INC.

(BACK: TRY OUR DELICIOUS ...)

TSPQ / RED

#8 & 9

#10

DECKER'S PASTEURIZED MILK CREAM LIMA, OHIO

QT WAXED CARDBOARD ''KONE'' / GREEN INK

BACK: CAR AND BILLBOARD

STOP AT DECKER'S DAIRY BAR / ST RT #25 - SOUTH

#11 (ON RIGHT)

TSPHG / GREEN

DECKER'S PASTEURIZED MILK CREAM LIMA, OHIO

BACK: CAR AND BILLBOARD

STOP AT DECKER'S DAIRY BAR / ST RT #25 - SOUTH

BOTTLE ON LEFT, ABOVE, SHOWS THE FRONT THAT IS ON ALL FOUR BOTTLES, BELOW:

#12, 13, 14, 15

TRPQ's / GREEN

ALL 4 FRONTS:

DECKER'S PASTEURIZED MILK CREAM LIMA, OHIO

4 DIFFERENT BACK DESIGNS, L-R:

COTTAGE CHEESE; PLEASE RETURN/KID; HONEST QUALITY/BABY; and DAIRY BAR BILLBOARD/CAR

#16

DECKER DAIRY LIMA OHIO / DIVISION OF ACRES INC.

(BACK: TRY OUR DELICIOUS ...)

PHG / RED

#17 DECKER'S LIMA, OHIO / RPHP

#18 DECKER CRIDERSVILLE, O. / TREQ

#19 DECKER'S DAIRY / RIBBED TEHP / ACE OF DRINKS

#20 & 21

EL DORA FARMS LIMA OHIO

RED TPHP and TSPQ

#22 & 23

TRY HEFNER'S EL DORA

Delicious Ice Cream __ Cable Road Lima Ohio

ORANGE SPP and SPHP

#24,25,26

EQUITY SELECTED MILK LIMA OHIO

BLACK / TRPHP, TRPP, TRPQ

ALL w/ SAME BACKS:

FOR CHARM AND BEAUTY/GIRL'S FACE

#27,28,29

EQUITY SELECTED MILK LIMA OHIO

BLACK / TRPHP, TRPP, TRPQ

ALL w/ DIFFERENT BACKS:

COWS/PASTUERIZED DAILY; DELICIOUS ORANGE DRINK; SAFETY

#30,31,32

3 DIFFERENT EQUITY's THAT DO NOT SAY LIMA

(THE BLUE IS JUST SURFACE-PAINTED)

#33 - SLEN-DEE ICE CREAM CARTON - EQUITY DAIRIES INC, LIMA OHIO

#34 - EQUITY UNION CRY CO LIMA, O. - TREHP

#35 = FISHER'S MILK TREHP

#36,37,38 = PURE FRESH MILK PASTEURIZED BY THE FISHER DAIRY MODERN PLANTS LOCATED IN LIMA AND WAPAKONETA OHIO

TREHP, TREP, TREQ

#39,40

GRACELY DAIRY FARMS LIMA OHIO

TREHP / TRPQ ORANGE

#41-48

GROUPING OF HEFNER DAIRY BOTTLES

(SEE #22,23 ABOVE FOR HEFNER'S EL DORA BOTTLES)

#41,42,43

HEFNER'S DAIRY LIMA OHIO

PYRO QT and 2 HP's

#44 - HEFNER'S DAIRY - SQPG

#45 = EJ HEFNER AND SONS DAIRY LIMA OHIO / TSPQ

#46 HEFNER DAIRY LIMA OHIO / AMBER SQSPQ

#47 SHOULDER EMBOSSED HEFNER'S LIMA OHIO / SQSEQ

#48 = HEFNER DAIRY LIMA OHIO / PASTEURIZED & RAW

#49 = HEFNER DAIRY LIMA OHIO / PASTEURIZED

BOTH ORANGE TRPQ

#50 = HEFNER'S DAIRY CARTON

#51,52 - INDEPENDENT DAIRIES LIMA O. - TREP / TREQ

#53,54 - INDEPENDENT DAIRIES / LIMA OHIO

TRPHP / TRPQ / BLUE

#55 / TREQ

INDEPENDENT / LIMA, O. / SELECTED DAIRIES

GROUPING OF KOLTER BUCKEYE BOTTLES

#56,57,58

THE KOLTER BUCKEYE DAIRY CO. LIMA O.

TREHP / TREP / TREQ

#59 = SPQ KOLTER BUCKEYE CO.

#60 = SEQ / SHOULDER / KOLTER BUCKEYE CO. / LIMA OHIO

#61 BUCKEYE QT. CARTON

#62 LINNWOOD DAIRY LIMA O. / TREP

#63 SERVICE DAIRY LIMA OHIO / ACE OF DRINKS (BACK) / RIBBED PINT

#64 MEADOW GOLD TPCT / LIMA OHIO ON CAP ONLY

#65 SHADY SIDE DAIRY LIMA O. / TREQ / BASE EMBOSSED: T. M'FG. CO PAT 1882

#66 THE LIMA CR'Y.& C.S.CO. LIMA O. (LIMA CREAMERY AND COLD STORAGE CO.) / SQREQ

#67 SHAWNEE DAIRY / S / PASTEURIZED PRODUCTS / TREP

#68 NORDIC DAIRY INC. LIMA OHIO / SQSPHP

GROUPING OF SHELLEY BOTTLES

#69,70 - SHELLEY DAIRY LIMA OHIO

TRPHP, TRPQ / ORANGE

#71 SHELLEY DAIRY LIMA, O. -- SPQ/ORANGE

#72 SHELLEY DAIRY -- PHP/BLUE

#73 SHELLEY DAIRY REGISTERED LIMA, O. - EHP

#74 SHELLEY-TOWNSEND LIMA, O. - EHP

#75,76 SPRINGER'S / LIMA, O. / DAIRY

TREHP / TREQ

#77,78 SPRINGER'S DAIRY (THESE DO NOT SAY LIMA ON THE BOTTLES) (ONE HAS A SPRINGER'S LIMA & WAPAKONETA O. CAP)

TREQ / TRPQ

#79 SUNNY DALE [2 WORDS] FARMS / LIMA OHIO / ''KOOPS'' ON BACK / ORVILLE W. KOOP ON CAP - TRPQ/ORANGE

#80 O.W. KOOP / SUNNYDALE [1 WORD] FARMS / LIMA, OHIO - SPQ/ORANGE

CLOSE UP OF #79, AND CAP

#81 WHITE MOUNTAIN / LIMA OHIO / DAIRY CO - TRECTP

#82 WHITE MOUNTAIN / LIMA OHIO / DAIRY CO - TREP

#83 WHITE MOUNTAIN (ON SLANT, NO TOWN) - TREQ

NON-LIMA MILK BOTTLES (FROM SOME NEARBY TOWNS)

#84 PROPERTY OF JESSE SHILLING / ALGER, OHIO - TREQ

#85,86 HYGRADE DAIRY / BLUFFTON, O. -- TREP & TREHP

#87 HOFSTETTER DAIRY / BLUFFTON, OHIO - TREQ

#88 NATURAL MILK / NATURE'S BEST FOOD / HOFSTETTER DAIRY / BLUFFTON, OHIO - TRPQ/GREEN

#89 BRIDGES & SONS DAIRY / BEAVERDAM, OHIO - TREQ

#90 BRIDGES & SONS DAIRY / LIMA, OHIO - RPHP/RED

BRIDGES BOTTLES w/ POSTCARD FOR

E.M. BRIDGES TASTEE FREEZ / BEAVERDAM OHIO

#91,#92 - PLAIN VIEW DAIRY / COLUMBUS GROVE, OHIO

TREP / TRPQ/ORANGE

#93 RANSBOTTOM & SON / ROCKFORD OHIO - TREQ/BRICKNECK

↧

Japanese Daruma: New Year Good Luck Dolls

December 29, 2014, 7:00 am

≫ Next: HAPPY NEW YEAR! Vintage New Year's Eve Postcards & Party Photos

≪ Previous: My Lima, Ohio Milk Bottle Collection

Daruma: this red round doll represents Bodhidharma, a priest and founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. It is traditionally purchased at the beginning of the year for good luck and throughout the year for hope and courage. One eye is painted in when a wish is made, and the other when the wish is fulfilled. [Info source: Tokai Gifts]

________________________________

I picked up a pair of charming figurines today -- a small red head, and a little bit bigger gold head bank. They are roundish, made out of papier mache / composition, and are hand painted. But they don't have a maker's mark, so I had to spend some time trying different search terms to find out what I had. My first impression was that they might be Russian as they reminded me of nesting dolls. (And well they might. See the Bonus Fact link below.)

That search didn't work out. Finally I tried the simplistic "red painted head", and hit pay dirt. Turns out these are Japanese folk art toy dolls called DARUMA. Alas, they're not rare, but they are interesting. Mine appear to be vintage, so perhaps are worth a little more than the new ones available on Amazon. For now, they look great on my shelf.

Here's a little more info:

Daruma -- via Wikipedia -- a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism.

These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Dharma), vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist.

Though considered an omocha, meaning toy, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement.

Eyes

A daruma doll with one eye filled in for wishing.

The eyes of Daruma are often blank when sold. Monte A. Greer, author of Daruma Eyes, described the "oversized symmetrical round blank white eyes" as a means to keep track of goals or big tasks and motivate them to work to the finish. The recipient of the doll fills in one eye upon setting the goal, then the other upon fulfilling it. In this way, every time they see the one-eyed Daruma, they recall the goal. One explanation how this custom started says that in order to motivate Daruma-san to grant your wish, you promise to give him full sight once the goal is accomplished. This practice might also have something to do with the "enlightenment", the ideal attainment of Buddhism. This custom has led to a phrase in Japanese translated as "Both Eyes Open". Referring to "opening" the second eye, it expresses the realization of a goal. Traditionally, the Daruma was purchased as a household, and that only the head of the household would paint in the eyes.

History and commercialization

The current popular symbolism associated with Daruma as a good luck charm in part originated with the Daruma-dera(Temple of Daruma) in the city of Takasaki (Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo). Josef Kyburz, Author of "Omocha": Things to Play (Or Not to Play) with, explained that the founder of Daruma-Dera would draw New Year's charms depicting Bodhidharma. The parishioners would keep these charms to "bring happiness and prosperity and ward off accidents and misfortune".

It is believed that the Daruma figurine then originated from this region when the ninth priest, Togaku, found a solution to handle the constant requests of the parishioners for new charms. The charms were always given with an effectiveness of one year, so the people required new ones every year. He solved this by entrusting them with the making of their own Daruma charms near the beginning of the Meiwa Period (1764–72). The temple made wooden block molds for the people to use. The peasants then used these molds to make three-dimensional papier-mâché charms.

Kyburz notes that though it is unknown when the Daruma figurine combined with the tumbler doll, the two were well recognized as synonymous by the mid-19th century. The doll quickly grew in popularity, becoming a mascot of the region. This was due greatly in part to fact that the majority of the families were silk farmers, a crop which requires a great deal of luck for success.

There is an annual Daruma Doll Festival held by the city of Takasaki in celebration of being the proclaimed birthplace of the Daruma doll. The celebration is held at the Shorinzan, the name of Takasaki's "Daruma-Dera". According to the Takasaki City website, "Over 400,000 people from all over the Kanto Plain come to buy new good-luck dolls for the year. Takasaki produces 80% of Japan's Daruma dolls."

Now

Darumas are still usually made of papier-mâché, have a round shape, are hollow, and weighted at the bottom in a way that it will always return to an upright position when tilted over. In Japanese a roly-poly toy is called okiagari.meaning to get up (oki) and arise (agari). This characteristic has come to symbolize the ability to have success, overcome adversity, and recover from misfortune.

Daruma are also sold as a set of five colors - blue, yellow, red, white and black - called Goshiki Daruma. These days, daruma can also be found in colors other than red, including gold, which is meant to bring luck in financial matters.

Daruma Burning

Burning of the daruma

At the end of the year, all the Daruma are brought back to the temple they were purchased from for a traditional burning ceremony. This ceremony, called the Daruma Kuyo is held once a year usually right after New Years Day.

At these events, people bring the Daruma figures they had used that year to the temple. After expressing gratitude to them, they turn it over to the temple and buy new ones for the next year.

All of the old Daruma figures are burnt together in the temple. After a solemn display of the monks' entry, reading of the sutras, and blowing of horns, the tens of thousands of figurines are then set aflame.

__________________________

Dharma is the Law that "upholds, supports or maintains the regulatory order of the universe".

Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism all have the idea of dharma at their core, where it points to the purification and moral transformation of human beings. Though differing in some particulars, all concur that the goal of human life is moksha or nirvana, in which the ultimate nature of dharma (as cosmic law) is apprehended experientially.

In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for "phenomenon".

____________________

The Japanese daruma dolls are based on a supposed real man who had a beard -- modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. -- I imagine Bodhidaruma doll just became Daruma in translation from Chinese to Japanese.

Throughout Buddhist art, Bodhidharma is depicted as a rather ill-tempered, profusely bearded and wide-eyed barbarian.

Bodhidharma

Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch'an (Sanskrit: Dhyāna, Japanese: Zen) to China, and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. According to Chinese legend, he also began the physical training of the Shaolin monks that led to the creation of Shaolinquan.

__________________________

Bonus Facts:

Matryoshka, the Russian doll, is said to be inspired by the Daruma doll.
Jenna Elfman played Dharma on TV's Dharma and Greg. Her husband is named Bodhi -- http://bit.ly/ZA1IpM -- and he's composer Danny Elfman's nephew (Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Simpsons, etc. themes) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000384/

__________________________
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HAPPY NEW YEAR! Vintage New Year's Eve Postcards & Party Photos

December 30, 2014, 3:00 am

≫ Next: The Minstrel Mail Man: Lima's First Mail Carrier Thomas J. Gorman ~ Musician and Minstrel Performer

≪ Previous: Japanese Daruma: New Year Good Luck Dolls

The New Year is here, and Old Father Time is handing off his job to Baby New Year once again. It's our chance to start fresh too.

Enjoy the parties, but watch out -- don't have too much fun, or there'll be he11 to pay!

Make some New Year's Resolutions -- or Don't!

Cheers!

and

Happy New Year!

Here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. Hope you find lots of wonderful vintage treasures. Happy Collecting!

[Vintage postcard collages taken from a google image search for "vintage new years". Click images to enlarge because only the left half fits on the blog.]

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The Minstrel Mail Man: Lima's First Mail Carrier Thomas J. Gorman ~ Musician and Minstrel Performer

January 21, 2015, 1:33 pm

≫ Next: Latest Fruit Jar Collecting Price Guides ~ Red Book 11 ~ Fruit Jar Annual 2015

≪ Previous: HAPPY NEW YEAR! Vintage New Year's Eve Postcards & Party Photos

Breta K. Gorman

Reader and Teacher of Expression

Photo: As 'The Roman Girl' in The Confessional

"Collecting Lima" - Let's look at this Lima, Ohio postcard picturing Miss Breta K. Gorman.

Performing Runs In the Family

"Miss Breta Gorman, a former graduate of St. Rose High School has opened a class in elocution. She has already secured a large number of pupils and her many friends feel assured that she will be successful in her new undertaking. Miss Gorman is the bright and talented daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thes. J. Gorman, of North West Street, Lima Ohio." [Source] November 1906

Breta must have inherited her performing talents from her father, as:

"Gorman was more familiarly known to his legion of friends as "Honey." In the gay nineties, he could always be counted upon as end man* in any of the minstrels that were offered. He also played the cornet and flute in musical presentations of those days."

Thomas J. Gorman, Sr. passed in January 1938.

Read this obituary text here.

Thomas Gorman was one of Lima's first mail carriers (circa 1883 when the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act went into force).

I find several early Lima News society mentions of Miss Breta Gorman performing, giving recitals and singing.

Around 1914 Breta married, and became "Mrs. Patrick Henessy" (Hennessy?).

By Mr. Gorman's 1938 obituary, it appears that Breta was now "Mrs. Paul Davis".

No later info on Breta Henessy or Breta Davis.

Performing obviously ran in the family. Sister Anna sang at her church. Brother Tom (Thomas J. Gorman Jr.) performed in dramatic clubs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Minstrelsy: What's An End Man?

According to Minstrelsy historian Jim Comer:

George Christy invented the "line", a semicircle of performers in blackface in which 'end men' joked at the expense of a "middleman". This practice remained unchanged from 1850 to 1961... Christy called the white middleman "Mr. Interlocutor" and the blackfaced endmen, "Mr. Tambo" and "Mr. Bones", from their instruments.
The show began with the company processing onto the stage singing and dancing. Mr. Interlocutor then gave his famous command, "Gentlemen, Be Seated!". The "first part" of the show was jokes between Mr. Interlocutor and the endmen, mixed with songs, dances, skits and speeches imitating black oratory.

Also see the history of Christy's Minstrels.
(No relation to the 1960's folk group The New Christy Minstrels.)

On the END MAN, Minstrelsy historian Dominic Vautier writes:

The interlocutor, or middleman, is usually in whiteface, well dressed, acts as master of ceremonies, and controls the general pace of the show.  His demeanor is proud, haughty, and condescending, representing the upper class, businessmen, land owners, and politicians.

At the end of both sides of the semicircle of performers are his arch antagonists, Mr. Bones to his left and Mr. Tambo on his right, so named because they play bones (castanets) and tambourine, respectively.

These two people, known as end-men, are always in blackface and are dressed in colorful and often outlandish outfits.

They continue through the course of the program to ridicule, belittle, and torment the unfortunate interlocutor, making all manner of jokes at his expense.  The interlocutor is slow of mind and manner, and purposely acts as the butt of all these jokes.

Bones: Mr. Interlocutor, I’d like to ask you a question.
Inter:  Why certainly.  Go ahead Mr. Bones.
Bones: What has four legs and flies?
Inter: You’re not going to pull that old one on me again, are you?
Bones: Why you just don’t know the answer do you?
(laughter)
Inter:  Of course I do.  It’s a dead horse.
Bones: Wrong, all wrong.
(mild laughter)
Inter: I’m wrong?  Well suppose you tell me then what has four legs and flies.
Bones: Two pair of pants.
(great laughter)

The characters of minstrelsy remained much the same: the middleman (in whiteface, proud, haughty, well dressed, slow of mind) and the end-men (black-faced wise-guys, smart-alecks, outlandishly dressed).

The end-men symbolized the common man, that is to say, the audience, and when the smart-alecks directed their ridicule at class structure, they spoke for the masses.  Common folk felt that social position, power, and wealth did not reflect essential human worth, and that all people were equal, in life, in death, and on stage. Minstrelsy sang the praises of a society without class.

The character in blackface was a “wise-guy,” and he was never the butt of the audience’s laughter.  He was, instead, the audience’s accomplice in the assault on class distinctions.
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Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.

If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.

Read the Introduction to my ''Collecting Lima'' Virtual Museum Project, all about my Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques collection.
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Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com
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Latest Fruit Jar Collecting Price Guides ~ Red Book 11 ~ Fruit Jar Annual 2015

January 22, 2015, 2:24 pm

≫ Next: Will Punxsutawney Phil Punk Us Again? Groundhog Day ~ Now with More Vintage Collectibles

≪ Previous: The Minstrel Mail Man: Lima's First Mail Carrier Thomas J. Gorman ~ Musician and Minstrel Performer

Got Jars?
Want to Know What Your Fruit Jars Are Worth? Get The Latest and Greatest in Price Guides:

Redbook #11 and Fruit Jar Annual 2015

Get these important additions to your reference library. Whether you're a newbie, or a long-time collector of fruit jars, you'll want these latest updates to 2 classic fruit jar guides.

They'll help with more than just values. These guides will help you identify which jars you have, and which ones you want to look for. Each one gives you different information to help you in curating your collection. The authors will share their insight from decades as collectors. They share some history, like who the jar was made for and/or by, known sizes and colors, info on embossing and closure variations, and more.

Here's a little more about each book, taken from their websites. Hit those links to BUY the books.

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RED BOOK NO. 11 - The Collector’s Guide to Old Fruit Jars by Douglas M. Leybourne, Jr.

"The purpose of the book has never changed, “to list and describe, as accurately as possible, all the known varieties of fruit jars as well as provide guidance in the valuation of same”."

Red Book No. 11 offers many needed updates:

35 Additional Pages
Over 500 New Additions and Revisions
Canadian, Australian, and Other Foreign Jars Widely Updated
Expanded Section On Reproduction Jars
Revised Pricing Based on Many Sources of Reference
Purchase directly from the author - BUY LINK

~~~~~~~~~

That's Jerry McCann on the right (with Joe Coulson).

FRUIT JAR ANNUAL 2015 - The Guide to Collecting Fruit Jars - Published by Jerry McCann

All-new and expanded, the HUGE new 2015 edition contains 380 pages, featuring...

Comprehensive PRICE GUIDE of fruit jars and related packer jars.
The Annual is cross referenced with Dick Roller's STANDARD FRUIT JAR REFERENCE -- which is an invaluable info resource for all fruit jar collectors, well worth your investment. Knowledge is power! (Read more about the SFJR book here. )
Listing information on availability, closures and history in the glass houses that manufactured or jobbed the jars.
380 Pages Packed with Comprehensive Listings & Values
7 Feature Articles by Barry Bernas, Ton Caniff, Bill Lockhart, and Jerry McCann
Fruit Jar Collector Directory
Softbound, spiral bound with 380 easy-to-read pages, with photos, drawings and period ads.
Available for 55.00 plus shipping. BUY LINK

What's inside:

TABLE OF CONTENTS for 2015 Edition:
2.....From the Publisher
4.....Dr. Robert Arthur
14....C. Burnham & Co.
32....Label Space Extra - Dog Food & The War
38....Everett Glass Companies/Everett, Pennsylvania
52....What Fruit Jars did Everett Glass Co. Produce?
65....News Briefs – Useful Information
73....William Fenn’s Carrie Nation Water Bottle
77....The Fruit Jar Price Guide
330...Appendix A: Decorative Packers’ Jars
343...Appendix B: “Art Deco” Design Patented Jars
359...“Art Deco” Design Patented Jars Not Found
363...The Fruit Jar Collector Directory

This invaluable reference guide is offered direct from the publisher Jerry McCann to customers of North American Glass. Available for 55.00 plus shipping. BUY LINK

Bonus -- To show you a taste of what the articles are like, here are images of an article from last year's 2014 Fruit Jar Annual. (Click each page to enlarge.)

E.S. MORRIS & CO. by Jerome McCann, about the rareE.S. Morris & Co. Sweet Palm Oil half pint jar.

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