Junk and Howe Finds - Welcoming Summer

The heat has hit here in Chicago - record highs. The sales are fruitful, and the finds are producing smiles. We are keeping some of the trove, but there is some great stuff coming to the Junk and Howe store soon. Take a gander at the vintage treasures - preview the classic junk. More pictures coming soon as well...

Griffith Laboratories 3.5" Milk Glass Spice Jar Set of 10 - Red Tops, Paper Labels, Red Rack
Speidel Gold Art Deco Tie Clip and Cuff Links Set
Griffith Laboratories 4" Milk Glass Spice Jar Set of 12 - Turquoise Tops, Paper Labels, White Rack
Fire King Painted Fruit Nesting Mixing Bowl Set of 3
Universal Food & Meat Chopper No. 2 - New in original box
Maynard Stainless Steel Egg Beater/Hand Mixer with Turquoise Handle
Vintage General Electric School Clock with Continuous Second Hand
Wear Best Velva-Hide Black Leather Doctor's Bag
Pyrex Primary Color Nesting Mixing Bowl Set of 4 - 1940s set
1923 Stanley Super Vac Thermos with Cork Top
Kenro Holiday Melamine Large Bowl, Divided Bowl, Dessert Plates, and Snack Plates/Trays
Bolero Therm-o-Ware Atomic Insulated Bowls
Reinecke Atomic Insulated Thermo-Bowl - Black and Avocado
Mallo-Ware Melamine Bowls with Handles - Large and Cereal
Pyrex Constellation 1-Quart Divided Dish
Metal Serving Tray
Northwest Orient Carry-on Travel Bag
TWA Carry-on Travel Tote
The Best of Sam & Dave LP (Atlantic Records)
Aretha Franklin - Aretha: Lady Soul LP (Atlantic Records)

Exploding Pyrex?

Just about everything in this country has been processed to the point of degradation – our food, our public services, and our everyday tools – everything has been cheapened. It’s the Industrial Revolution’s worst nightmare, and a businessman’s dream. In the kitchen, Pyrex is still king – except it’s the old Pyrex that is worth the money, while the new stuff turns out not to be, and it’s even shown to be potentially dangerous.

Consumer Reports did a fantastic report on exploding glassware in their January issue. They point out the differences between soda lemon glass, which is used today, and borosilicate glass, which was used a generation or two ago. They tested both in various ways, using Pyrex and Anchor Hocking (owned by the same company today), along with European contenders and even a vintage Pyrex dish, like the ones we sell at Junk and Howe.

They also bring to attention a good reminder for anyone who cooks with glass ovenware, which is to read the warning labels and be informed as to how to use your glassware safely. At Thanksgiving last year, while waiting for the oven to warm up, my dad put a Pyrex baking dish on the electric range top. He didn’t know it was on, and within a few seconds, the dish exploded. When you watch the Consumer Reports video, you’ll see it happen in their test lab.

It’s not to say that the vintage dishes will never break – they’re simply less likely to bust because of what they were made out of in the past. It’s also just another addition to the long list of things that have diminished in quality over the last few decades. When it comes to glassware, whether it’s Pyrex, Fire King, Mckee (Glasbake), Hazel Atlas, etc., the quality of the vintage dishes have stood the test of time. They really don’t make them like they used to. ***

2/5/11 Finds - Holy Junk!

We visited Fat Nye, Slick, and Mudville this weekend. We had presents waiting for us when we arrived. One was a Spaulding melamine dinnerware set - still in the original box, with only six out of 55 pieces missing. Amazing. Pictures will be coming very soon, but we haven't decided whether we're going to keep it or not for ourselves. This is a constant challenge for us at Junk and Howe.

We do have pictures of some other items we picked up on our snowy weekend of junking in central Illinois. A lot of kitchenware, ranging in style, era, and use. We even picked up an old Wilson T2000 Tennis Racket - the kind Jimmy Connors used to use. If you don't know who that is, well, you probably won't care about the racket. If you do, you may know just how cool this is.

My favorite piece is the Yorkraft, Inc. (York, PA) "Please Don't Shoot the Piano Player" wooden sign, stamped 1957 on the back. This is an item that was produced to look like it was from the late 1800s. 54 years later, it's now an antique itself. The badge of wood that seems to have been shot out of the face of the sign was not factory made. To add even more character to it, someone long ago lightly painted esses to make the sign read "She's doing the best she can" - instead of "he," as originally intended. I can only imagine the story behind it.

These items will be in the Junk and Howe store in the coming weeks...

SOLD for $45.00


Only $21.00 (BUY IT)


Only $10.00! (BUY IT)


Only $11.00! (BUT IT)




Only $18.00! (BUY IT)

Junk and Howe's Housewares

Junk and Howe’s Housewares

When I think about being in a kitchen, I think about my grandmothers or my mom. Just as I marveled at my dad’s indestructible Craftsman tools in the garage, I remember the women in my family using quality tools in the kitchen. Unfortunately, Pyrex isn’t made like it used to be. Fire King has been cheapened as well (along with just everything else, right?). Federal Glass or Glasbake (by McKee) – these were affordable products in their day, and they lasted. They’re still lasting.

Even melamine products, like the Texas Ware mixing bowls my grandma used to mix concoctions in. Or watching her using her turn of the century Universal Food Chopper No. 1 to grind up ham for ham salad – we called it a “grinder.”

My dad had his Stanley Aladdin green thermos with him every day, working as a mason. That stainless steel thermos got beat up pretty good over the years, but it always kept the coffee hot the entire day in its vacuumed-sealed canister.

As I grew older, I was lucky enough to get some durable housewares passed down to me. I know they’ll last, and on top of it, the design of a lot of products from the last 50-plus years have become classic. They might have been trendy in their day, but now they’re timeless. I use Pyrex when I’m cooking. I bust out the antique grinder every so often to make my grandma’s specialty, “Hillbilly Tacos,” and I plan on utilizing a resurgence of the back to basics butcher shop here in Chicago to get myself some meat to grind up for hamburger patties to grill come springtime.

With times being tight on everyone, it’s nice to cook something at home – for the health benefits as well as the monetary aspect. And I get to use the coolest, most resilient stuff to make it all happen. Luckily, we have extras, so take a look and grab what you need.

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Same story - the grand opening is coming soon!

Here's a little Waylon Jennings. He was a staple down at my grandma's...

LISTEN: Waylon Jennings - Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way

End of December Finds 12/21-12/27/10

We had a good end to the month of December. The holidays were fun and all, but junking was where all the excitement was - probably because it's like the holidays every time we're out.

The Junk and Howe store is opening in January, so stay tuned for the grand opening announcement!

Here's what we found this past week:

American Tourister Escort Red Suitcases
American Tourister Blue Hardshell Attache Suitcase (50s)
King Seeley Thermos - small yellow
Aladdin Insulated Thermo Jar - 6 oz. Blue and White
Orange Marbled Sectional Trays - 3
E.O. Brody M6000 White Milk Glass Pedestal Bowl
Fire King Anchor Hocking Mini Casserole 12 oz. Dish
Fire King Soup Bowls - Peach Luster Ware with handles - 3 bowls
Fire King Peach Luster Pie Plate (2 plates)
Fire King 8 oz. Pie Dish with handles (2 dishes)
Pyrex Primary Color Bowl (Yellow - largest) - 50s
Pyrex Bowl w/ Spouts - sunburst
Pyrex Mixing Bowl – White
Pyrex White Bowl - 2 quart #024 - White with gold stripe and clear lid 624C
Pyrex Large Yellow Primary Color Nesting Bowl - 40s
Pyrex Avocado Green Double Spout Casserole Bowl 2 quart
Pyrex 444 Light Blue Spout Bowl 4 quart - butterprint cinderella bowl
Pyrex Corning Harvest Bowls (orange and rust - small and medium)
Pyrex 19 White Ribbed Mixer Bowl
Anchor Hocking Dessert Bowls with lids
Anchor Hocking Soup Bowls
Meldale Melamine Turquoise Bowls with handles (5 bowls)
Federal Housewares Sun Frost Thermoware Green Mug
Universal Food Chopper No. 1 (Grinder) - turn of the century
Adams-Winterfield & Sullivan Funeral Home Metal Cash Box
Sears Roebuck & Co. Simpsons-Sears 1 quart - "unbreakable"
Tupperware Lazy Susan - 3-cup plastic
The Hamilton Metal Products Co., Hamilton OH - Climax (Blue)
Dinex #1187 (Classic) Bowls - Mustard - Set of 4 - stackable
Metal Mini Trays - flowers (set of 8)
Green Plastic Sectioned Plates - no brand
Sewing Kit box - made for Singer (made in Japan)
Suede Fringe Hippie Purse (with arrows and arrow holder)
RRP30 Roseville Crock
7-UP Recipe Book - 1961
Fotron III Camera - Traid Corp. - CA - with Leather/Felt/Zip Bag - Color Film - 10 exposures
Sunbeam Electric Clock - MS - Plastic - 428A Series B
Norfolk Southern Transportation First Aid Kit Metal Box - empty
Wooden Hanger
Curtiss Glass Candy Jar with Yellow Lid - Chicago
Robinson Ransbottom Roseville Mini Crock #303 (2 crocks)
Canonsburg Pottery Co. Temporama Atomic Small Plates (5)
Chinese Die Cast Figures
Kassner's California Shops Tie (brown, gold, cream & green)
Brown & Gold no brand Polyester/Acetate Tie
Wemlon by Wembly Brown and Orange Tie
Countess Helena Gold & Olive Green tie c. 1970s
Givenchy Gentlemen Paris (Weinberg's Chicago) Striped Tie imported
Richman Brothers Green and Cream Tie
Carson Pirie Scott/Michelsons Shetland Wool Black Tie (England
Montgomery Ward Brown Tie
Countess Mara - Capper & Capper Chicago Orange, Gray, White Tie
Countess Mara - Allen's Des Plaines, Red, White Blue tie
Countess Mara - Capper & Capper Chicago Orange Tie
Countess Mara - Capper & Capper Chicago Red Tie
Countess Mara - Goldwaters Arizona - Brown with White stripes Tie


Now the pictures!: