For those of you that know me, you know that I like antiques, old things, historical things. I like to go to auctions and antique shops. On Sunday mornings, you can usually find me at the local auction.
I generally like to preview an upcoming auction the day before... if I can. It gives me a head start on what might be good and what to avoid. It would be nice to be able to do that with life also, get a preview of the upcoming day, that is, and what might be good and what to avoid for that day.
Now allow me to explain. I have plenty of antiques and old furniture because I like to collect and I also like to buy and sell. It's kind of a history lesson for me, the items representing a time with simpler, yet stronger values and life purpose. Today is just too fast paced.
As I walked the aisles for today's preview, I noticed several early radios, the kind with tubes inside. Very popular right now. I can only imagine a family sitting around the table after dinner listening to the news reports about the battles in Europe during WW II. Next to the radios are several small boxes containing military metals, pins and buttons. Had the original owners of the radios once had family members in the war?
There was a nice, early baker's table that caught my attention, probably mid to late 1800's. The finish on the top was well scarred from use, and soaked with sugar, butter, and flour I am sure. Cooking was a big part of early family life. Under the tutelage of a mother or grandmother, girls would learn to cook and the boys would learn to farm or run the family business from their fathers. Yes, it was a time when values and life's lessons were passed down from one generation to another.
Under the table were two cardboard boxes. One contained old letters and the other, picture post cards. I found a chair, sat down and began to look through the letters and cards. Some of the earliest letters dated back to the Civil War. Although difficult to read, it appeared that the sender was telling family members that he hoped to be home soon. Had he been a member of the 20th Maine? Did he actually survive to return to see his family? The letters were truly a window to the past.
Under the table were two cardboard boxes. One contained old letters and the other, picture post cards. I found a chair, sat down and began to look through the letters and cards. Some of the earliest letters dated back to the Civil War. Although difficult to read, it appeared that the sender was telling family members that he hoped to be home soon. Had he been a member of the 20th Maine? Did he actually survive to return to see his family? The letters were truly a window to the past.
The box of picture post cards was filled with cards from the 1920's and 30”s. All had briefly scribbled messages about vacation days spent along the coast of Maine. Many of the pictures were of buildings and hotels that no longer existed. There were scenes from beaches along southern Maine with bathers clad in those crazy looking bathing suits and swim caps.
A bit farther down the aisle were two dolls, wrapped in tissue paper. Antique dolls have always been very popular collectibles. Long before the plastic of Barbie, dolls were generally made of bisque, wax, or porcelain. and today they can bring a pretty fair price if in good condition More often, early dolls were homemade, made of homespun cloth and stuffed with straw or fabric with hand painted faces. These dirty faces and clothing indicated that they had been well used and well loved. The little girls who had played with them...... what became of their lives.
I had seen enough to know that I would be back tomorrow. and as I drove home I wondered about the future, a hundred years from now. What would the auction-goers be buying from our generation, perhaps antique IPADS and old cell phones?
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