Ok, went shopping this week at the ReStore so I am calling today’s blog ReStore Vintage, but it could also easily be called ReStore Retro. I still have unanswered questions about some of the vintage merchandise in the ReStore Shop. But, of course, here at Farmhouse Magic Blog, we love a good mystery item.
Retro looking chrome toaster with small wooden pegs on each side to open the hot doors.
Vintage Chrome Toaster
The first item I’m blogging about is this vintage chrome toaster. It is missing the electrical cord. I, believe, this is a two-door flip side toaster. It gets its name because it can only toast one side of the bread at a time. When one side is toasted, then you flip the bread and toast the other side. I’m going to estimate its age is from the 1930’s. We have a Quick Way toaster at the farmhouse I volunteer at. However, I’m thinking, there is nothing quick about making toast one side at a time, but I guess it beats making toast in the oven.
Vintage Iron
Now, the next vintage item I am blogging about is located at the front of the store. I’m guessing here that it is an iron that uses hot coal to press out wrinkles.
To open the iron to add the coals you twisted that lever on the front of the iron. The iron is made out of heavy cast iron and has a wooden handle. I believe the iron is marked as “Magic,” but I wasn’t able to find much online on this particular brand.
This vintage iron is priced $115, so I’m thinking coal irons are probably rare.
Nesting Dolls
The below photograph shows three nesting dolls or Matryoshka dolls probably made in Russia.
The two larger figures, I believe, are political figures. If you open one up, there is a smaller doll and then smaller doll inside the figure. I have a Santa nesting doll which holds two more Santa dolls.
Shuttle for Loom
So, it is unusual to find a shuttle for a weaving loom, see below photograph. A shuttle is a device that holds thread in a bobbin and is used to make fabric on a loom.
Not sure why we have the shuttle, as I didn’t see the loom at the ReStore. Perhaps it was not donated because it is too large for the shop or there isn’t much calling for secondhand looms.
Next to the shuttle is a level. Vintage tools are always interesting to look at and people love to collect them.
Vintage Chamber Pot
I actually returned to the store the next day to purchase this vintage item. The chamber pot is very intriguing, and I wanted to do a little more research on it.
This vintage-looking chamber pot is perhaps Victorian in design? Chamber pots were used before indoor plumbing. People had outhouses back then which are like portable potties. If you needed to go to the bathroom at night, then you could pull out the chamber pot, so you didn’t have to go outside. In the morning, it would be emptied and washed out. A lot of the chamber pots had lids to keep the smells down. They were also made flat and squat, so they could be stored under each bed.
Strange but True
The strange thing about this piece is that it should have a marking on the bottom as to who produced it. However, it does not. Truely, this is a lovely piece with pink and purple flowers on the lid and around the base. It has a thin gold line around the edge of the lid. The lid’s handle and base handle have some gold paint on them at one time which has worn off. Also, interesting is there appears to be a lily of the valley raised element to the piece. However, that is a little hard to see on this photograph. The chamber pot does show signs of wear on the bottom where it was pulled out from under the bed. Perhaps this is where the company’s marking wore off?
Guessing Game with Vintage Chamber Pot
OK, so we don’t have any markings to go on. Online I looked for similar looking pieces and found that Maddock Pottery (Lamberton Works) produced Royal Porcelain pieces. The company was out of Trenton, NJ and was in business from 1892 to 1923. So, the handles and lid tops also look similar to the piece I purchased, and the timing seems to be about right.
Sorry, I’m taking to what I can find online and trying to fit the pieces together; I’m truly guessing here.
But I’m thinking this is a good mystery piece to donate to one of my favorite historic sites. I’m not sure if they will take it or not. But it definitely looks old and probably has a lot of history to it.
Ending Notes on ReStore Vintage
Because I’m a little tired, I think I’ll bring this blog on ReStore Vintage to a close.
I hope you enjoyed my ramblings on ReStore Vintage where you never know what you will find.
Have a wonderful day.
A Big Thank You goes out the Northern Virginia ReStore shop in the Reston-Herndon area for allowing me to blog and take photographs in their store. ReStore shops are nonprofit associated with Habitat for Humanity.
All items featured on today’s blog are available for purchase, except for the chamber pot. (I ready bought that one.)
But keep in mind, things go in and out quickly so be sure to check out your local ReStore shop.
Resource Sites: Google and Wikipedia.