Free fun this month: April

I did not get to go as many of last month's activities as I would've liked, for whatever reasons. New month, new events. There are tons of free children's Easter activities--none of which I am attending. You are welcome to come sport whatever Easter finery you wish at the 6 am sunrise service at West End Community Church with me.

Later in the month is a good time for street fairs and such, and, since some of those events go into the evening and night, I hope you and I can go. (Probably not together--you and I, but you never know.)


Saturday, April 7 Scottish Heritage Festival at the Main Library
Music and dancing, crafts, displays, Q & As sponsored by the Scottish Societies of Middle Tennessee.

Sunday, April 8 Pick up a free disposable camera for What Have You Noticed? for possible inclusion in a future exhibition at the Frist. The activity goes threough June 1, but I think the 1000 cameras will go fast.

Saturday, April 15 Free Family Day at the Frist.
If you are not a member, please come check it out. Scroll down on the page link to see all the performances and activities. It can be crowded on free days, but hey, it's free. I've been a member for several years, but I really appreciate that the Frist has other free events all the time like movies, artist talks, lectures, children's activities and workshops for teachers.

Saturday, April 21 Earth Day Festival at Centennial Park
Various vendors, recycling-related activities and bands that play from 3 to 6ish. Plus, it's Centennial Park--I've never--no, never had a bad time there.

Monday-Saturday, April 23-28 World's Biggest Fish Fry in Paris, TN (2 hour road trip from Nashville)
The arts and crafts show, parades, at least some of the concerts and street parties are free. The carnival rides, rodeo and monster truck show and some other related events have admission fees. The "fish tent" is open from Wednesday to Saturday and costs $12.

Saturday, April 28--Country Music Marathon
Cheer on runners and walkers and stragglers near one of the 28! music stages along the route. There is also a free Health Expo at the Convention Center on the Thursday and Friday prior to the race.

Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29--Franklin Main Street Festival 
I haven't been in a few years, but I've heard they've increased the amount of vendor booths, food and entertainment. Street dancing and street food sounds like a pleasant spring outing.

Let's get out and do something!

Two weirds don't make a right

Sometimes I like things that I really don't like, but I like them for other reasons.

A few weeks ago I was shopping the Berry Hill Goodwill and came across one of the ugliest blouses ever. I was repulsed by it actually, and like a train wreck, I couldn't look away. It did have the color-of-the week tag which is 99 cents on Wednesday and Sunday, half-price the rest of the week. The other thing going for it was the original price tag. Having never heard of Wayne Rogers (not the M*A*S*H guy), I was pretty sure the tag read in cents, not dollars. But still, vauge, don't you think?

I passed it up on Wednesday. Chalk it up to an art project gone awry, akin to the puff paint trend. I Googled Wayne Rogers later that day and came up with two tidbits on him--he has been designing stylish clothing since the 70s...and his wife claimed to be involved with Tiger Woods. No where did I find any mention of hideously painted cotton blouses. (I feel bad about posting this, because hereafter this will show up in a search for "hideously painted blouses."

It was still there on the 99 cents rack on the following Sunday. That no one wanted it all week confirmed my notion that it had no nifty vintage merit to speak of. I bought it that day anyway, mainly to jokingly convince other people the tag said $33.

The plot thickens when we started prepping the sale this week in Forest Hills. Oh how I relished going through the closets of clothes and shoes from the 70s and 80s! This owner was a Grace's customer through and through. I shrieked, though, when I found this. Same label and style, just with even worse painting. This one makes mine look good.

Please vote in the comments section for your choice for the likeliest scenario. You may choose up to six.
A:   They were sold with hand-painting.
B:   They were painted after sale.
C:   You don't think they are as terrible as I do.
D:   You think the tag does read in dollars not cents.
E:   This is a freak accident and we should never speak of it again.
F:   Another idea, hopefully better than any of mine.

For the record, I like almost every other example of Wayne Roger's design.

The Art and Mystery of Tennessee Furniture to 1850 (1988)

1830s Butler's desk.
Tennessee?

Sue: "There's a book that's $700.00 that I think Family Tree should have."
Me: "Okay."

Yes, indeed, it's the authoritative text for the earliest Tennessee furniture: The Art and Mystery of Tennessee Furniture to 1850, and the cheapest one available online is actually just $499.00. Not exactly in my budget--though my birthday is in April if you are looking for something to get me. The authors investigated scant written records and signed furniture to come up with Tennessee characteristics; in many cases, however, it remains a mystery. The book itself is also a mystery--apparently a small printing in 1988 by the Tennessee Historical Commission that originally sold to mainly just members for $35.00.

Demand, meet Supply. Supply, Demand.

Within full view of the
Special Collections desk. 

The public library does have several copies in the downtown branch, so we headed there to see what all the fuss was about. One viewing copy resides in a locked shelf in the Nashville Room. The others are listed as in "Main Stacks," but the librarian told me they were secret. It is a public library, right?

It looks like a standard coffee-table book to me. There are a good number of photos and detailed information from 1820 and 1850 manufacturing census records. It tries to explain what a "Jackson Press" is--made difficult because furniture makers used his name to advertise many types of cabinets! (Press is confusing furniture term too, I think. It basically means a cabinet, so you can have a china press, clothes press, etc.)

"What are you in for?"

While researching a couple of antique furniture pieces for this week's sale, I went back to the libary to check some other details. At least fifty-two makers are thought to have built furniture in Tennessee before 1850--most of these in the eastern part of the state, especially early on. These early makers were necessarily influenced by North Carolina furniture traditions as migration spread from that direction. A little later, by the 1830s, increased Mississippi River traffic led to population and manufacturing growth in the west. Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee grew steadily along the Cumberland and the Harpeth Rivers.

They say you can identify a maker
by the arrangement of compartments.

I learned there is a form of sugar chest only found in Tennessee, that walnut and cherry were the main woods used (mahogany veneer was imported in special cases), and that a desk like the ones I'm researching could be had for about $15. Alas, no identification on the desk just yet. I'll be looking for marks again later today--this time CSI-style with black lights.

Field Trip: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Turns out Earl has his own
connection to the Hall of Fame.

Family Tree took a field trip a while back to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on a free day. It was initiated by Earl, our gracious unpaid staff member and accountant (also husband to Sue and father to me).

There was quite a line, but it moved quickly, and an abundance of staff and volunteers worked the crowd. It was raining out, so it was the perfect day to soak up some Nashville history.

I was mesmerized with this old video of Wanda Jackson. Wow, that girl was more wild than many of the male music revolutionaries of whom I've seen recordings! I kind of want to BE her, or I would have then, I think. Jack White produced her most recent album and she's still performing in her 70s. Did anyone see her on Conan last year?

And to think, I only have brown and
black boots...and purple and turquoise.

The clothing and boots held my imagination throughout the exhibits--from Minnie Pearl's $1.98 hat to Johnny Cash's "Man in Black" suit, a fur stole from (my neighbor) Brenda Lee, and a gorgeous red leather Naomi Judd CMA dress. Nudie Clothier's gloriously bedazzled suits sparkled in several cases--as well as its own display with an amazing collection of boots.

When we lost Sue for a time near the gold and platinum record walls, my dad ruminated that in  college, he had a cleaning job at the old Country Music Hall of Fame on Music Row. He told me the records were then set on a cycle of light and sound to play several of the songs, even at night so he enjoyed them while he was there cleaning. He also cleaned several nearby studios, so we chided him for not saving some famous scribble from the trash!

A big highlight of the day for me was a special Hatch Show Print demonstration in the rotunda (which houses the actual Hall of Fame). I remember when these plaques graced a dark hallway in Opryland Hotel; Dad remembers when they graced the old museum.
Anyway, the Hatch team brought a miniature rolling machine to make quarter-sheet size prints for the day. They let anyone who wanted pull the level to press the final color, so I made one! The photo isn't great because a Tennessean photographer jumped in front of Sue to snap a dozen pictures. I didn't make the paper, but I got my print at the top of this post.

Free fun this month: March

Is there big crossover of old stuff and free events around town? I'm not sure, you can tell me when we meet up at some of these events.

March 6 2:30 pm
First Tuesday at the Archives, Archives Building Green Hills
Not sure what it is, but I want to find out. This month, someone discussing "Three Terraces," a historic home on Hillsboro Pike.

A club member's prize piece
that he showed me when I visited,
an 1861 stamp valued at $10,000.

March 10-11 10:00 am-6:00 pm; 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Stamp and Postcard Show, Music Valley Drive
I'm not an afficionado of either one, but I am strangely drawn to large (obsessive?) collections of any sort. I went to the twice-monthly meeting of the Nashville Philatelic Society a few weeks ago and found out there are also judged displays. I'm going to try to take my dad who does actually have an interest in stamp collecting and postcards.

March 16 7:00 pm
Pan's Labyrinth at the Frist
I love this movie of fantasy and horror and hope.

March 20-24
Nashville Fashion Week
My cousin Hannah from South Carolina says people in Nashville wear what they want--what does that even mean? I'm so curious how Nashville handles high fashion. The schedule isn't up yet, but I'm assured there are some free events.

With skinny jeans, I think.

March 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Cherry Blosson Festival, Public Square
Cosplay contest, Japanese market, musical acts, martial arts performance, more. I'm wearing my favorite haori (short kimono jacket) since I don't have a cosplay outfit. Yet.



TBA this month
Opening of Woodbine Coffee Co., Nolensville Pike
My good friend and sometimes business associate, Eddie Christy is opening a coffee shop with another friend Todd Rossbach about four blocks from my house! Straightforward coffee and good neighbors--love it.

Mickey Mouse Club

Toys are meant to be played with. When I see an old toy in mint condition, it makes me a little sad to know the child-owner probably didn't have much fun with it. The play-with factor does make condition the key in valuing antique and vintage toys, but distressed toys tell better stories.

Just-above-rock-bottom is how I would describe this Mickey Mouse's condition. He's in rough shape, but not actually fallen apart yet--loose seams, missing ears and clothes, faded, scuffed. In fact, I wasn't even convinced it was Mickey. No tag, an unfamilar face, no gloves, a yellow top and no pants. Maybe Mighty Mouse or an early friend of Mickey?

Proud member

When I was a child, I was in the Mickey Mouse Club. No, not the one with Christina Aguilara and Ryan Gosling, but thank you for thinking so. (You weren't thinking that? Oh well. That reminds me of a story about the '94 Olympics--for another time.) It was something my parents sent in for when I was a toddler, and I have the footstool in my living room to prove it. A stuffed Pluto became my favorite toy, and he slept in the crook of my arm for many years. He's not quite as worn out as Mickey, but nearly.

 I found him like this in a box
at the estate sale.

Back to Mickey. I used Google Image search to match him to another one online, a MIB one with Gund box identification "WDE920." I presume this stands for Walt Disney Enterprises and a model number. Gund has made official Disney-licensed plush toys since the 1940s. I've not been able to determine this doll's birthdate, but the face shape matches many other Mickeys and Disney character plastic faces from the mid 1950s.


I learned the Mickey Mouse salutation of the "M-I-C, see you real soon . . ." variety from my dad. Then I learned the Hot Dog song and dance a few months ago from my best friend Teresa's little boys. It plays at the end of each Disney Playhouse show as goodbye. It's catchy and makes them (at 1 and 2 and 1/2 years) and everyone, really, want to move! Try it.

They are also enthralled with some classic Looney Tunes from before my time, so I have no doubt Disney and other classic cartoons are here for a while more. I hope my friend's sweet boys will play with their toys til they are as worn out as the Mickey Mouse. ". . . K-E-Y, why? because we like you. M-O-U-S-E."

Bess Bruce Cleaveland, Illustrator for Cut and Paste

A good friend of mine lists among her many skills, "Tenacious Googler." I will be getting some advanced tips from her in the near future, but I suspect there are still some things one just can't find on the internet.

I love to find something I've never seen before--especially something with an obvious human touch. This set of illustrations by Bess Bruce Cleaveland grew on me--the sweet children in charming holiday, nursery rhyme and other idyllic settings. There are nine pictures framed identically at a framer in Slidell, La, former home of the late owner. They seem to be printed drawings with cut and applied color paper pieces. On a couple of them, some of the glue shows through. They are each signed "Bess Bruce Cleaveland."

Here are some questions I have: Who was Cleaveland? Did she make these, design them for other people to make, or did someone else make it up as an art project? Are the color pieces printed in color or painted? Are these pictures part of a book or series or random? When were they made? Are others like them available? Is there any record of sales for them?


Then, these pictures reminded me of other children's illustration art of the early 20th century--Jesse Willcox Smith, Maginel Wright Enright, Mary Louise Spoor and Margaret Ely Webb. I wonder if they ever crossed paths or knew of each other's work.

I found from the Ohio Historical Society that Bess Bruce Cleaveland was from Washington Court House, Ohio and attended art school in New York. She taught art and illustrated children's books, postcards and teaching materials for health and safety and Sunday School in the 1910s-1930s. I believe these prints were part of a kit to assemble, but I've not found this set available anywhere else. This kits may have included transparencies, colored paper and blank prints. Other completed framed pictures like these sold in 2008 and 2009. I also found simlar cut and paste posters and prints of Cleaveland's of Eskimos and still life.

The late owner made this piece of
Scherenschnitte.

The late owner of these framed pieces did Scherenschnitte, a German paper-cutting art. So her interest in these collage prints is not surprising. The internet is not been helpful at all in telling me who cut and pasted the Cleaveland pictures! Come see them in Mt. Juliet starting Thursday, February 23, 2012.

A Toupee for a Pre-Painting

I bought an unfinished painting on canvas at an estate sale a few weeks ago. (I do occasionally shop other estate sales!) Anyway, this handsome guy was bald--which was fine--but, the longer I looked at him, the more he reminded me of Captain Picard from Star Trek: Next Generation/Charles Xavier from X-Men. No one else saw it.





I made the lines stronger with a charcoal pencil and decided to give him some hair. Now it looks like Captain Picard wearing a toupee. I guess I will let him stay.

Antiques and Garden Show outing

My previous plan for this past chilly Saturday was to nurse my slight cold on the couch with hot tea and a good book. Instead, I drove downtown to the Antiques and Garden Show where I sipped hot tea and walked very slowly among beautiful displays. A seller actually commented on how slowly I was walking.

Hand-notched "tramp art" chest.

Doors from the Fairvue
Plantation.

It wasn't entirely what I expected (frou-frou European antiques and art). What I found instead was a delightful mix of nice old-world antiques, one-of-a-kind folk art pieces, repurposed and raw industrial items, and art. I confess I didn't go to all the garden booths, but other people sure did--every other person was walking around with pussy willow branches!



I touched a statue with a $22,000 price tag and saw a silver service for $59,000, but most items were much less than that (some were more, I'm sure). I asked if I could take some photos in booths that interested me and only one guy said no.

The trending styles were very un-stuffy: quirky combinations of early 20th century metal pieces with wood and stone and some with (retrospectively) ironic advertising. "Scuffed-up" is the new "pristine" as far as decorating goes. I appreciated this worn-in, handled quality. Another trend was for usable pieces like rewired light fixtures.

I didn't buy anything, though I was tempted in a booth with dozens of bakelite bangles and by another booth with Medieval illuminated manuscript pages. I saw people buying things--particularly jewelry, art, and furniture. Being more familiar with flea markets than fine antique shows, I challenged myself to a game where I guessed the period and price of certain pieces. I was pretty good at it actually, but then again, I was choosing which items to guess for! (I'd be very curious if they got those prices, though, even among this crowd.)

The event is hosted by Cheekwood and proceeds benefit Exchange Club Charities. Want to play my guessing game with me next year? Did you go this year? What did you buy or just drool over?

Do you think my laptop would fit?

Some booths mixed antiques & garden.

Mennonite coverlet. I was enthralled.

The prettiest Chia pet I've ever seen.

This little Roman oil-light of mine...

It is the oldest human-made artifact I have ever held in my hands (or a very close second). I gasped when our client nonchalantly pulled it out of a small box of trinkets--a clay oil lamp. Such a simple construction: the round bowl, the filling hole, a pinched lug handle, a nozzle. I'm not sure if I recognized it from the old Sunday School flannel graphs or from photos in history textbooks from which I taught over the years. Ancient, utilitarian, commonplace. It is intact and would burn oil if I weren't afraid of it.

This was a gift to our client several years ago. The gifter sent a note indicating it was from the 1st to 3rd century "Holy Land." I am ever skeptical of such claims, so I tried to find similar forms. My suspicions were that it wasn't extremely rare or valuable, especially since there were no decorations. I was however very excited to handle it.

First gander went to a quick ebay search--I was right that they are not extremely valuable. From the little iPhone screen, I did find similar ones that have sold and some that had not sold. Ebay is a good place to start, but I couldn't stop there, especially with a breakable item and one that may be difficult to authenticate over the internet.

I asked around about antiquities dealers in the area and got some leads, but since it's not valuable enough for a paid appraisal I tried to figure out something else. When I reached out to an archaeology contact I'd seen present at a research conference a few weeks ago, she was able to tell me about the surface condition. The rough surface of the clay has a calcium carbonate build-up. Apparently, this means it was buried and leached this chalky material from the surrounding soil.

There is quite a bit of information out there about some of the moulded and signed lamps from the early Roman Empire--but this one has no markings and I suspect it is from a crude mould, if any and maybe a potter's wheel. Because the surface is changed, I can't really tell. The simple form is consistant with other examples of early Roman Judean lamps. The rest of its history will be up to the new owner to search for!

On to the other tiny antiquities--two coins, a fibula and a whorl wheel. Can I just stop and say how amazed I am that any old Joe can own things like this? Lots of small artifacts are out there for well under $100 from reputable dealers. In fact, I perused illuminated manuscript pages and sifted though a tray of ancient coins at Charles Edwin Puckett's booth at the Antiques and Garden Show this past weekend.

I used Google image search with the information I had and identified both coins in a matter of minutes (well, double-digit minutes).

First, a bronze Constans coin (right) from AD 348-50; his dad was Constantine who left the precarious Roman Empire to his three sons who battled it out. The back (right) is the identifying part, as it features Constans in the galley of a boat steered by Victory (who wouldn't want that?). It was made in Thessalonica and commemmorates his trip to England a few years before. I studied up on imitations made from moulds or faked in England and I don't think this is one. Ask me about it.

Next, a silver Vespasian denarius (RIC 43), from AD 70-71. Vespasian is most remembered for the invasion of Britain, putting down the Judean uprising and getting the ball rolling on the Colloseum. The back of this one has some ceremonial religious items--simpulum, sprinkler, jug, and lituus. Yeah.

You can see the fibula and the whorl wheel on the ad for the Kingston Springs sale this weekend. These items are for sale beginning Friday, February 17 at 8:00am. Find the address there on Wednesday. We don't give out prices ahead of the sale (or after the sale, for that matter), but now you know my research and you can be sure we will price them fairly.

Family Tree: Season Three

It's official: Family Tree Estate Sales has been renewed for another season! We start five in a row this weekend and we can't wait to see you all again. With Season Two (2011) highlights like the jewelry and art in Green Hills and the finale of cars and clocks in Nashville, you can be sure that...well, you can never be sure what will come next.

We took some time off to relax, visit family, shop and reorganize--now we're ready to come back. We've made a few changes to serve our client families and customers better. One of the changes is this blog where I will share aspects of our research and other found pearls of creative learning and living. We're planning discussion groups, sponsored field trips, limited appraisal services and much more for this year.

Here's a look back at 2011 . . . . Thank you for making it great!

Don't miss a thing! Follow the blog and watch for our sales on Facebook, EstateSales.net, and our website FamilyTreeEstateSales.com.