Roadside Finds

[Dr Doran]

To me, things found on the street kind of deserve a separate category from thrift store and yard sale finds. They are free. And public. They don't pass from owner to shop to owner, but from owner to public space (where they may get run over) to owner.

I found this while driving home TODAY from a trip to the tailor's shop to pick up my recently acquired 3 piece 1930s heavy heavy donegal tweed suit, which she had lengthened a bit.

It's a little desk with little legs. It has a hole for an inkwell suggesting it is old. And a ledge to prevent pens from rolling off the slant. Dirty, but condition is definitely acceptable for the Doran House Of Busted Antiques. It measures 23" wide.

The legs can be easily unscrewed and stored inside if you want to put it on your lap and use it as a lap desk on e.g. a long trainride. Or if you want to carry it by the thoughtfully-provided handle.

Inside are handy compartments.

Quite a find for free on the roadside. On my very own street in the Berkeley Hills.

 

[Shangas]

Oooh, a travelling desk! Very handy.

The only things of interest i ever found on the sides of roads was firewood...which I promptly stole!

Okay it wasn't firewood...but neighbours on our street were doing a whole heap of renovating and they chopped down a million trees, so my father and I pinched all their lumber, drove it home and split it into firewood with our axe and mallet.

 

[Brooksie]

I love to pick through free boxes that people set out along side the road and snag up the vintage clothes or other interesting clothing items to be found in them...I have several articles of clothing and accessories gathered this way.

B

 

[Dr Doran]

Is there a custom of people setting up free boxes in Oregon?

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I am not quite sure how it works in Foreign places, but here in the Swan River Colony we have a "Bring out your Dead" day when the local council will pick up your "Pre Loved" items, and trash them for you , you can only put it out on the street weekend before the Monday, when they collect, so of course everyone is cruising the streets looking for a "freebie' I found this chrome up-lighter a few years ago, which matches the three others in my house!!!"

 

[vitanola]

As I prefer older stuff I seldom find things that I like on the roadside, but there was one memorable day, about twenty years ago, when I was driving down a main suburban street in a 1950's suburb of Cleveland Ohio. I spotted the tell-tale top of a General Electric "Ball-top" refrigerator sticking above a pile fo rubbish. I pulled over to pick up the refrigerator and noticed other items of interest, including an Atwater Kent model 82 cathedral radio, a pair of boudoir lamps, a pile of tatted anti-macassars, arm covers and table scarves, a good deal of (germanic) embriodered work, a small Rookwood vase, many framed family photographs dating to the 1910's, and a 1924 diploma from Central High School. The name on the diploma, Stephen Edward Bartko, seemed familiar.

Imagine my suprise when I received my college alumni bulletin, which noted the passing of Stephen Bartko, '28, a member of my fraternity.

 

[Dr Doran]

As I prefer older stuff I seldom find things that I like on the roadside, but there was one memorable day, about twenty years ago, when I was driving down a main suburban street in a 1950's suburb of Cleveland Ohio. I spotted the tell-tale top of a General Electric "Ball-top" refrigerator sticking above a pile fo rubbish. I pulled over to pick up the refrigerator and noticed other items of interest, including an Atwater Kent model 82 cathedral radio, a pair of boudoir lamps, a pile of tatted anti-macassars, arm covers and table scarves, a good deal of (germanic) embriodered work, a small Rookwood vase, many framed family photographs dating to the 1910's, and a 1924 diploma from Central High School. The name on the diploma, Stephen Edward Bartko, seemed familiar.

Imagine my suprise when I received my college alumni bulletin, which noted the passing of Stephen Bartko, '28, a member of my fraternity.

Wow! And he had good taste. Did you take all of it?

 

[Dr Doran]

"I am not quite sure how it works in Foreign places, but here in the Swan River Colony we have a "Bring out your Dead" day when the local council will pick up your "Pre Loved" items, and trash them for you , you can only put it out on the street weekend before the Monday, when they collect, so of course everyone is cruising the streets looking for a "freebie' I found this chrome up-lighter a few years ago, which matches the three others in my house!!!"

Which item in this photo is an "up-lighter"? I am unfamiliar with that term.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Which item in this photo is an "up-lighter"? I am unfamiliar with that term.

Its the lamp in the left corner....sometimes known as a Torchiere here...

 

[Vornholt]

In the alley one block down from my parents house, several years ago, I came across a 1947 vintage Williams pinball named "Barnacle Bill". The playfield glass is missing, and I replaced the broken backglass, but it was just sitting out there. Fortunately I found it before it rained...

 

[Dr Doran]

I should photograph the rest of my house, because it's almost all street finds. The 1940s desk I'm typing on, for example. Our adjustable mid-century fainting couch (the only concession to mid-century style we have). The list goes on.

 

[Mountain Man]

I was stationed in Germany in the early 1980's, and one of their New Year's traditions was to put all of your unused belongings in the street in front of your house - they were then free game for everyone. I found some pretty neat things in this way, including a pristine pair of antique wooden skis with bamboo poles!

 

[vitanola]

Wow! And he had good taste. Did you take all of it?

Yes. After some years I found a grand-niece of the gentleman's who was thrilled to get portraits of her great-grandparents. The refrigerator I eventually sold, the needlework (which appears to have been by the gentleman's mother, as it seems to date to the 'teens) was given to the grand-niece, and the diploma hangs in my record room. I don't remember what happened to the rest.

 

[Brooksie]

Is there a custom of people setting up free boxes in Oregon?

When I lived between stark and belmont street in portland and all around the close in and lower east side yes people do leave out boxes of stuff quite frequently but only when it is dry, unfortunately they do not do that practice where i currently live which is several miles from portland.

B

 

[MikeBravo]

Well, God bless you

As I prefer older stuff I seldom find things that I like on the roadside, but there was one memorable day, about twenty years ago, when I was driving down a main suburban street in a 1950's suburb of Cleveland Ohio. I spotted the tell-tale top of a General Electric "Ball-top" refrigerator sticking above a pile fo rubbish. I pulled over to pick up the refrigerator and noticed other items of interest, including an Atwater Kent model 82 cathedral radio, a pair of boudoir lamps, a pile of tatted anti-macassars, arm covers and table scarves, a good deal of (germanic) embriodered work, a small Rookwood vase, many framed family photographs dating to the 1910's, and a 1924 diploma from Central High School. The name on the diploma, Stephen Edward Bartko, seemed familiar.

Imagine my suprise when I received my college alumni bulletin, which noted the passing of Stephen Bartko, '28, a member of my fraternity.

I can't believe people could just throw out all those things! At least sell them to a 2nd hand dealer, not ust throw out in the weather

 

[Talbot]

"I am not quite sure how it works in Foreign places, but here in the Swan River Colony we have a "Bring out your Dead" day when the local council will pick up your "Pre Loved" items, and trash them for you , you can only put it out on the street weekend before the Monday, when they collect, so of course everyone is cruising the streets looking for a "freebie' I found this chrome up-lighter a few years ago, which matches the three others in my house!!!"

Not sure about out West, but when we have hard rubbish drives here in Melb, the council states that once it is on the nature strip/street/sidewalk it becomes their property and taking the stuff is stealing.

I think this is because some of the councils have started selling the stuff at recycling depots.

Still happens tho'. Its just a bit more furtive.

 

[Miss 1929]

They had to stop doing "Big Trash Day" here in Oakland as there were too mnay sloppy scavengers, tearing through bags and leaving things strewn. So now you can call once a year and they send a truck. Not nearly as much fun.
But on my busy urban street, people are always putting stuff out, including me. I have found wicker lawn furniture, a plant stand (like a tall carved wood one), a coffee table (kind of Empire style, too rickety though), a lovely pair of overstuffed armchairs (one is still in the basement), mirrors, picture frames, dishes, houseplants... it's a constant recycling of stuff.
I think it happens more here in California as there isn't usually that much weather (lately not true).

And Tim, the desk rocks. I think it is actually for a painter? But so cool for Dominika!

 

[Talbot]

As I prefer older stuff I seldom find things that I like on the roadside, but there was one memorable day, about twenty years ago, when I was driving down a main suburban street in a 1950's suburb of Cleveland Ohio. I spotted the tell-tale top of a General Electric "Ball-top" refrigerator sticking above a pile fo rubbish. I pulled over to pick up the refrigerator and noticed other items of interest, including an Atwater Kent model 82 cathedral radio, a pair of boudoir lamps, a pile of tatted anti-macassars, arm covers and table scarves, a good deal of (germanic) embriodered work, a small Rookwood vase, many framed family photographs dating to the 1910's, and a 1924 diploma from Central High School. The name on the diploma, Stephen Edward Bartko, seemed familiar.

Imagine my suprise when I received my college alumni bulletin, which noted the passing of Stephen Bartko, '28, a member of my fraternity.

I had a mate score a Philco Predicta like that. Lucky devil!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

You guys have so many great finds this way!!!

I had my FFA adviser from high school call me recently and ask if I had pulled a prank on him, someone had put two orange recliners, a console TV, and a sign that said "Hillbilly Heaven" in his front yard, and asked if I was behind it, I told him "No, but I will take the chairs and TV if they're any good" and they were and are now proudly used in my home.

I also have people call me on a regular basis when they see stuff on the side of the road and say "This looks like it may be of interest of you" or they do the same thing right before they are going to throw their stuff out to the curb.

I missed out on one just recently. There was a console stereo in an alley but by the time I got to it, it was sitting half way in water. What a waste.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

I'm not sure this qualifies as 'roadside' but after a big antiques show when the weather was torrential, a lot of traders packed up and went home.

I discovered, totally abandoned: 4 Art Deco home made rugs, a cocktail cabinet, a plaster wall pocket. I also got a red and white Dansette record player (from the 50s?) which is of no interest to me, but luckily it was in a thick plastic bag. If anyone in the UK wants it they can have it! It's just a bit too 'late' for me!

Oh, I also got a vintage wheelchair the next time I went, the chap had packed up and gone home-didn't want to take it home. It's perfect for our wartime medical display! (but the brakes don't work too well as we discovered at a show....oops!)