hiramk, Author at Filling the House and the Internet with Junk

Dual Purpose Engineering Document Card, NATSF COPY, 1966

Posted on July 19, 2015July 20, 2015 by hiramk

Dual Purpose Engineering Document Card (Aperture Punch Card), (Naval Air Technical Services Facility) NATSF COPY, 1966 I love business problems. Imagine you are working for the Department of Defense in 1966 and you have to keep detailed records of paperwork, equipment schematics and a host of other paper based material. How are you going to house all this material? How are you going to duplicate it and get it to maintenance facilities? How can people at…

U.S.S. Zeppelin Postcard, 1919

Posted on July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 by hiramk

U.S.S. ZEPPELIN Postcard, 1919 (SS Zeppelin, RMS Ormuz, SS Dresden) While flipping through some old postcards in Llano Texas, I ran into a fairly mundane picture of what appeared to be a military transport, the U.S.S. Zeppelin. Pictures of military sailing ships are literally a dime a dozen and I started to pass it by when I noticed the post mark date, June 3, 1919. Knowing that Germany formally surrendered in 1918, this set off…

Hill letter from Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Camp F-22 A Los Burros, AZ, 1933

Posted on March 5, 2015March 12, 2015 by hiramk

The following letter was written by Jack Hill to his mother Bertha “Bert” Hill (my great grandmother) during his tour with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Thanks to the letter and firsthand accounts by others, we really get a sense of the hardships of the Great Depression and life at the work camps. What follows is a transcript and scanned images of the letter along with information I was able to piece together. I was…

Sam Hill Rolling Pin

Posted on February 24, 2015March 12, 2015 by hiramk

It is interesting what items get passed down from generation to generation. One would think that it would be the things of greatest financial value. I have come to realize that most often a person holds onto things of the greatest personal significance which is in no way related to monetary value. Case in point, this handmade rolling ping was one of the few possessions passed down by my grandmother Edna May Hill Abbott to…

Is Antique Silver a Good Investment?

Posted on February 7, 2015March 12, 2015 by hiramk

When talking to folks about my beloved piles of junk, I will inevitably mention some piece of silver I have collected that I am particularly fond of. Usually after mentioning the word silver, the friend (or foe) will say “Wow. That must be worth a lot.” I like to play a little game at this point and ask why they think it is so valuable. “Because it is silver!” I would caution those who think…

Storybook Dolls

Posted on February 7, 2015February 19, 2015 by hiramk

OMG. So many dolls…. This is going to take me a while to get the information organized. My wife has been collecting Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls from the 1930s and 1940s for 15 years. It’s a lot. Seriously. A LOT!

Home and Family

Posted on February 7, 2015July 25, 2015 by hiramk

My wife and I have a particular affinity for the 1920s. In part, the art deco style of the period is particularly appealing and pieces from this time period are still plentiful. Over the years we have collected quite a few interesting items that were used in a person’s personal life and have expanded to collect items from the mid 1800’s to present day. Eventually I will divide this area into better defined categories. Until…

Vintage Business Equipment

Posted on February 7, 2015July 25, 2015 by hiramk

There is something fascinating about old business equipment. Many of my favorite pieces show an industry’s attempt to solve a problem by taking what they currently know and building on it. If this is your first visit, I recommend starting with the Yost typewriter post. I find the process of going from the printing press to the first manual typewriter particularly interesting. View Yost typewriter post View all business equipment posts

Folk Art and Historical Interest

Posted on February 7, 2015July 25, 2015 by hiramk

I have been fortunate enough to acquire many family pieces that were never intended to be art. These pieces are either handmade utilitarian pieces or whimsical pieces intended to entertain. While rich in family, the “artists” were by all accounts meager in means. Antique Folk Art

Rocking / Moving Eye Mammy Clock (1970?)

Posted on February 5, 2015March 12, 2015 by hiramk

I have come to realize that my favorite pieces are the ones I have repaired. The act of restoring something to a working condition creates a bond that goes beyond the simple act of purchasing it. This rocking (moving) eye clock is a prime example of how investing time and care makes an object dearer. I found this rocking eye “Mammy” clock in a junk shop in San Antonio, Texas. The clock hands were broken…

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