More Antique Finds - Spec's 1800's

I never thought I would collect antique glasses but when I ran across these pairs I was intrigued. I picked the following two pairs up at a WWII Reenactment & Antique sale in July.

These eyeglasses are from the Civil War (no later than 1850) with the original "case". I say "case" because it's just a metal tube with one open end that the glasses slide into. However it seems very sturdy and would protect (and have protected) these glasses well. Thanks to the Arkansas Toothpick, I found tons of information about these glasses. Made from nickle, this pair has rectangle frames, a "yoke" type nose piece and telescoping ear pieces so one could adjust the length. 

At the end of the Revolution the circle style frames where replaced with above "square" frames. Then in the 1860's the square was replaced with the oval and later the coffin shaped frame came about. It is amazing how small and heavy they are and glass is so thick compared to today's ultra thin glass.

This is a "Astig" or spring bridge made by Pince-nez. Used in Europe in the 15th , 16th and 17th century and made popular by the 19th century. These glasses are supported with out earpieces but rather they pinched the bridge of the nose hence the name. Pince = pinch and nez = nose...makes sense right? The type shown above has a sliding bar that connects the lenses and can expand with a gentle pull. The nose pads are hinged and made with cork! This style was popular in the late 1800's- early 1900's.

Until I poked around Google about these glasses I wondered how they were worn. Obviously I knew nothing about the telescoping bridge. Once I found out you know I had to try them on...lol Please excuse the mess that is me, not very photogenic today...just plain 'ol me :)

These things are so cool. No, there is no glass and they feel funny to wear, but they really do stay on! I found several people wore Pince-nez glasses from President Roosevelt to Laurence Fishburne's character Morpheus in the Matrix...cool!

The Pince-nez glasses came in this case (below). Obviously the French eyeglasses are not issued by the German Army. Dienst-Brille was a service issued eyeglasses for the German Wehrmacht from 1935-1945. I could not find much actual information about Dienst-Brille...or even what the name means. I did find some original cases, but mostly a lot of reproductions. What I found very interesting is that all the cases I found had a blue insert. Where, if you look at the above picture of the Pince-nez, the insert in my Dienst-Brille case is maroon. I couldn't find even one case on Google that has a maroon insert. Weird.

On the underside of insert is this stamp. I have no idea what it means. From what I could gather "Reutlingen" is a city in Germany. "Optiker" means Optician and Ackermann, well there are several Akermann eyeglass stores in Reutlingen. So from what I could piece together...maybe they were made by this Akermann store? I don't know. If anyone out there in cyberspace has any information about this stamp or why the insert is maroon, please let me know!

I also have a thought about why maybe the French glasses were in a German case. Apparently a small number of frontline German fighter pilots serving with the Luftstreitkräfte in WWI wore a style of Pince-nez frames. So who knows, it's a thought.

Cabinet Full Of Vintage

I found a set of 3 Pyrex Amish Butterprint bowls at the local antique store and knew right away this was going to be yet another obsession. Isn't it a fabulous print, and my perfect kitchen colours! The two smaller square bowls I found on Etsy last month.

Then last week I found a set of beautiful glasses. Come to find out they are 1/2 pint sour cream glasses (most likely) made by Hazel Atlas circa 1930-40's. The bowl to the left of the glass is a  Fire King cottage cheese tulip bowl. Sour cream glasses and cottage cheese bowls...how cool!

 In the background is a Fire King Blue Heaven loaf pan circa 1970.

This is a mixing bowl made by Federal Glass circa 1950. I loved the fruit design.

So that is a few things I have displayed in my china cabinet right now. I actually found the cabinet in the same antique store as most of these finds. It's is mahogany circa 1940 and still has the original skeleton key for the hutch doors. It fits in perfectly with the rest of the dinning furniture. 

Collecting Vintage Camera's

Kodak Brownie Six-20 & Ansco Shur-Flash

Along with some of my other "obsessions", I have started collecting vintage cameras. I found my first the Eastman Kodak Six-20 Brownie circa 1933-1941 at a welcoming center in Indiana while we were moving cross country. I saw it for sale on the counter and just had to have it. From that point on I have been keeping my eyes wide open for more. Can you believe it originally sold for about $2.50?

The next two were found in local antique stores around town. The Ansco Shur-Flash circa 1930's caught my eye with it's art deco, stainless steel face plate. Next to it is the Herco Imperial 620 Snap Shot circa 1955. 

This was also found in a local antique store actually the same time I bought the above Herco Imperial. This is the Rolls Bakelite Camera circa 1939. I was drawn to this one because it came in it's original case...however the case is very old and worn and really not pretty, but it's cool to have.

Now this one so far is my favorite, I just got her. Hubby and I have made friends with a WWII antiques dealer, so we went out for hubby's b-day last weekend to meet up with him at a WWII reenactment. This is a German Voigtländer Bessa 66 also known as the "baby bessa". Circa 1938 there is two models, the standard and the deluxe. The above pictured is the deluxe model as it features a yellow "moment" filter that is hinged to the front lens so it can be moved out of the way if preferred. Besides the moment filter being cracked it is in really good condition and am so glad to have found it. 

So that so far is my collection. I have found so many wonderful vintage camera's for sale online that I would love to own, but I think finding them in antique stores, bizarre's and while just out and about makes the find more fun!

Vintage Pinkers - Antiquing Fun!

Since moving to PA I have been having so much fun visiting the local antique shops. We have bought so much furniture and vintage kitchen ware but I can not help but look for smaller, interesting little pieces too. On Father's Day we went to an outdoor museum. They had people dressed in different time period military dress and even cowboy performers that reenacted the OK Corral shootout. Also there was a military antique dealer named Paul Buckley from Round Pond Redoubt. Such a sweetheart, oh my goodness...love him! He had his tables set up and wares displayed and we went to town picking through his stuff.

While hubby and I chatted him up I came across these pinking shears. They were like nothing I had seen before and a name I do not recognize. I paid Paul only a few bucks for them and couldn't wait to get online to do some research. 

Interesting thing is I can not find anything on Google about them, or even a picture. Looks like the B.M.C MFG Corp is no longer in NY and the only thing "antique" listed I found is pliers. 

They are called "Change A Blade" Pinkers. Interesting concept and very cool looking.

I then looked up the pat # and found that the patient was issued Aug 14,1945, but again no picture and no additional info. Could they be so rare that I can't find one piece of info about them even with all this technology? Very interesting. Regardless, I love them and they actually still work beautifully!

If anyone has ever seen these or knows some history about them please hit me up :)