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)

What a Piece: Fans

Westinghouse Tesla Fan - 1897

With the warmer months coming up, it’s time to get a fan. Instead of getting a cheap plastic one at a local drug store, put out only a few extra bucks and get yourself not only a fan of obvious quality, but one that also serves as a piece of art - a classic piece. Some of the earliest vintage metal fans you come across are decorative pieces by design – made for the rich. Forty years after the invention of the electric fan, as technology got better, companies began making less expensive metal fans for use in the average home. By the ‘50s, so many manufacturers were making fans that some companies sold what is now referred to as “drug-store fans” – fans that were mass produced, and were lesser in quality.

Today, several names have stood the test of time – some very familiar. Westinghouse, General Electric (GE), Emerson, Robbins & Myers, Diehl, Dayton, and Vornado, among others. The early ones are heavy and louder, but they are beautiful pieces of machinery, engineering, and design. The Art Deco era fans are very collectible as well, not to mention quieter, and as defined by the period, they are fantastic to look at. Here’s a 1950 GE metal fan that I had my uncle Nye pick us up recently at an auction. It'll be on sale at the Junk and Howe store this week!



It’s not a rare fan by any means – it seems that I’ve seen similar models in a few antique stores and such – but I just can’t pass it up. It’s one of the essentials that made a real difference in the days before air conditioning. They were functional for so long, and with energy costs rising all the time, cutting back on the air conditioning may mean the fan retains its importance. And, it looks cool.

Here are a few pictures of fans that grabbed my eye, along with some vintage Emerson ads. Some of are from a fan enthusiast/collector website (earlyfans.com) and some are from Etsy stores. All are worth checking out, along with the Antique Fan Collectors Association.

1906 Diehl Fan (photo by Steve Stephens @ earlyfans.com)

1908 Westinghouse (photo by Steve Stephens @ earlyfans.com)

1950s Vornado (LuccaBales @ Etsy)

Wagner Metal Fan (arksendeavors @ Etsy)

Dominion Metal Fan (reneecourt @ Etsy)

Reference

Here are two articles we threw up on Twitter recently that everyone should have a chance to stumble upon.

One is from Apartment Therapy, and they give a guide to buying modern made in the USA products. It's a quick guide - nothing more - but worth a look.

The other is a great NY Times piece about Allen Edmonds shoe company, but also about the American shoe industry as a whole. Obviously, this relates to American made clothing and products as well. It stresses the point that if you make good, classic shoes and take care of them, they'll last 20 years and be worth the sometimes pricey investment you paid initially. This is true of everything. It was commonplace in my grandparent's generation, but it has disappeared in the last two.

Newman's Own Organic Fig Newmans

If there’s one snack Julie and I love to take with us while we’re on the road junkin’, it’s Newman’s Own Organic Fig Newmans. They’re so good that I figured I’d take a moment to mention them.

This is one of those things where I feel the pictures say more than I can actually describe, especially since it’s food. The difference between Fig Newtons and Fig Newmans is noticeable in every way, from appearance, to ingredients, to taste, and even where they are made.



If you don’t know anything about Newman’s Own, you may enjoy checking out their history and work. Founded by actor Paul Newman in 1982, it really is one of the more beautiful organizations out there, who have genuine intentions. They give thanks to giant Kraft on their Fig Newmans website for allowing them to use the name (an obvious wordplay on the Fig Newton name). Kraft may go back on that agreement if more people knew about how amazing Fig Newmans are.



A glance at the picture and it’s obvious which has the more fig inside the cookie, and the organic ingredients of the Fig Newmans make them taste…real. The texture feels like a real cookie as well, rather than the sponge-like Fig Newton, and there is richness in each bite that doesn’t come with the Fig Newtons. The Fig Newmans are simply better in every way.



Knowing that some money goes to charity every time I buy a package of Fig Newmans is a nice added bonus for my consumerism, and I feel just as good knowing that they are made in the United States – unlike Fig Newtons, which are made in Mexico. And, with a quick check on Peapod, it seems that Fig Newmans are actually cheaper than Fig Newtons. What else can you ask for? You just have try one.

Howlin' Wolf - White Station, MS

It's Friday - enjoy yourself this weekend.

Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightning

Made in the USA

Pyrex Percolator - Made in the USA

As you can see in our “Diane Sawyer Loves Junk and Howe” post from a few days ago, they (ABC News) had a hard time finding a coffeemaker that is made in the United States. They couldn’t find one at all, actually.

Many nights, Jules and I will make coffee, and we make it the “old fashioned” way. We use a Pyrex Percolator – made in the USA. It may take a few minutes more than an electric coffeemaker, but it tastes much better, no matter what kind of coffee you like, and you never have to flush clean a coffeemaker. I saw a commercial for CLR the other day, demonstrating how to clean your coffeemaker with this toxic product. And then you’re supposed to brew coffee through that? And drink it? Multiple cups? Ack.

I’m quite fond of this classic piece of flameware by Pyrex. It’s one of my favorites, and probably the one we most often use. We have a 6-cup – they also made 4 and 9-cup versions. Since we have the 6-cup, we use 6 tablespoons of coffee for 6 servings. Here are the instructions.

1. Fill water to the line at 6.



2. Place a filter in the glass and metal basket. You will have to poke a hole in the center/bottom of the filter in order to do this.



3. Fill the filter with 6 tablespoons of your favorite coffee. We recommend Chicago favorite, Intelligentsia.
4. Place the top on the glass basket, and place the stem and basket in the middle of the pot. Put the lid on.



5. Turn the flame on high. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT use glass percolators on electric range tops. They will shatter. Flame only!



6. It should take 8-12 minutes for it to begin percolating, causing the water to begin turning brown. After about 30 seconds or so, the entire pot of water should be brown.



7. Keep flame on high and let the coffee percolate for 4 more minutes.



8. Turn off the flame.
9. Using a kitchen towel, carefully remove the lid. Wait 2 minutes, and then carefully remove the stem and basket.



10. Replace lid and pour your coffee.




To clean, simply use a sponge with soap and water as you would with any other dish. The inner pieces – the glass stem and glass basket – are fragile, and should be handled with care. You can leave the handle and stainless steel band on for several uses, but it is ok to unscrew it and the handle to clean under the band once in a while. I would not put any pieces in a dishwasher.

We will have a few in the Junk and Howe store in the first couple weeks of May. There are a number on Ebay, but they’re often overpriced. If you can get your hands one, we’d recommend it. You’ll never want to use anything else.

Recent Junk and Howe Finds!

We're very happy to reveal some new stuff. We're keeping some of it - the Formica top metal kitchen counter for one - but we're also putting some of it in the store very soon. We always announce new items being put on the shelves via Facebook and Twitter, so please follow us. This is a good way to hear about 24-hour sales and other random things as well.

Update: The Pyrex Red Hostess Set sold in about an hour after it was put on the shelf! Some other items are now up - go grab 'em before they're gone!