Show us your vintage home!

[jamespowers]

Thank you!

Does the ship's wheel clock ring the hours with a bell? Those were popular back then.

 

[sheeplady]

I thought everybody over forty did. Old teeth are like an old car or an old house -- it never hurts to take a quick look around every day to make sure nothing's fallen off or out.

My dental assistant mother used to take an explorer to her mouth once a week. If I caught her with the explorer out, she'd give my teeth a once over.

This was unpleasant and did not add to my comfort level with dentistry.

 

[Fading Fast]

My dental assistant mother used to take an explorer to her mouth once a week. If I caught her with the explorer out, she'd give my teeth a once over.

This was unpleasant and did not add to my comfort level with dentistry.

A surprise dental exam hanging over one's head is no way to go through life.

 

[jamespowers]

A surprise dental exam hanging over one's head is no way to go through life.

Especially with this dentist:
https://youtu.be/bOtMizMQ6oM

 

[AmateisGal]

We have a winner



Thank you! Works, too! The sofa was my Great-Grandfather's. My Great-Grandparents lived in the lower level of my Grandparents' house, while my dad was growing up. He tells stories of playing on it as a kid. It came from the old house on 3rd st. before that. It was in the basement of their house when I was growing up, as well. Been in the family since it was new.



I'm with you, there. That's why I won't swap to modern TV's, either. I just don't like how cold and sterile they look.
That lamp is my favorite one I own. That one, and the one next to the upstairs sofa were both in my Grandparents' living room when I was growing up. I always called it "grandpa's lamp" because he would always lay on the couch and the lamp would be right at his head so he could read, etc. The last time I saw him, he was in a hospital bed, where the couch always sat, with the lamp right where it always was, in his arm's reach. He passed away in that spot, his favorite spot.

When he passed away, Grandma gave me so much of the furniture out of that house. Every lamp, and all the GWTW light fixtures were given to me. My Uncle and Aunt have moved in with Grandma and are remodeling the house (which is unnecessary.) At least a lot of what made that house what it was will stay with me forever.

Sorry to get sappy, but I love my Grandparents very much.

Here's a picture of the lamp in the spot it was all my life (Christmas circa 2000) That ship's wheel clock is in my house, too. My grandparents first clock (of many) they got the year they got married, 1951.

Awww, Tom, what a terrific story about your love for your grandparents. So awesome.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Yes, it doesn't chime like a regular clock. I read what all the chimes meant, but I forget. It's a beautiful old Howard Miller, but I would like to replace the movement.

Does the ship's wheel clock ring the hours with a bell? Those were popular back then.

Thank you. I love them very much, and miss my Grandpa every day. Grandma coming to see my house for the first time this weekend was quite a treat, though.
All my dad's brothers came to see it, as well. They all shared lots of stories about its contents. Half of what I have in the house came from my grandparents and was in their house when my dad and his siblings were growing up.

Awww, Tom, what a terrific story about your love for your grandparents. So awesome.

 

[Stearmen]

Yes, it doesn't chime like a regular clock. I read what all the chimes meant, but I forget. It's a beautiful old Howard Miller, but I would like to replace the movement.

They chime every half our up to eight rings of the bell, starting at 12:30 AM and PM. Four hours was a slandered time a sailor would be on duty, eight bells, the whole thing would start again at 4:30 and then again at 8:30. Eight bells is also slang fore when an old sailor passes way. At midnight New Years, it is tradition to ring 16 bells, out with the old, in with the new!

 

[jamespowers]

Yes, it doesn't chime like a regular clock. I read what all the chimes meant, but I forget. It's a beautiful old Howard Miller, but I would like to replace the movement.

Why? Is the movement worn out?

 

[AtomicEraTom]

As my grandfather was getting up in years (he passed at 84) he was replacing many of the movements with quartz movements. I think the repairs were getting to be too much work and too costly on the old movements for him. Only guessing, though. The last time I was at Grandma and Grandpa's house, I went down in the basement. When I was down there, I saw a clock in pieces, laying on his workbench. A project that will sadly never be finished.

All of the clocks that I got from him that the movements were taken out of, I'm slowly working on repairing. Grandma gave all the clock parts to the local clock repairman in exchange for repairing a couple of the ones she kept.

I'm currently working on the old Zaandam clock from their kitchen. Looks much like this one:

Why? Is the movement worn out?

I'll have to try to remember that lol

They chime every half our up to eight rings of the bell, starting at 12:30 AM and PM. Four hours was a slandered time a sailor would be on duty, eight bells, the whole thing would start again at 4:30 and then again at 8:30. Eight bells is also slang fore when an old sailor passes way. At midnight New Years, it is tradition to ring 16 bells, out with the old, in with the new!

 

[1mach1]

l

That is nice!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I remember it being in the same spot all my life, next to the kitchen door, under the rocking chair. They're not far from each other today, just a wall apart. The clock is in my kitchen and the rocker in my dining room.

That is nice!

 

[Warden]

Sadly this is not my home, but the owner came into the Harry & Edna on the Wireless studio to talk about her home and lifestyle.

You can hear the show on this link https://www.mixcloud.com/harryandedna/planet-sputnik/

Or visit her website http://www.planet-sputnik.com/

 

[Fading Fast]

(I originally posted this in the wrong place - my apologies)

As some of you might remember from my earlier posts, we are restoring a 1927 coop apartment we recently bought. After obtaining the 700 permits (and paying the 700 fees) necessary to do renovation on a coop apartment in Manhattan, the contractor started last week and I snapped a few pictures to share.

This is the kitchen floor being taken up (the previous owners had put in a very modern tile floor) and we will be putting in a wood floor (trying to find reclaimed red oak to match he foyer, but might have to go with new and match as best we can).



This is the living room ceiling with the 1980s crown molding removed from original beams (we are just going to patch the beams and paint them as they would have been in 1927)


And this is the original fireplace surround with the Greek columns (you can see the outlines to the left and right of the fireplace) that had been added at some point removed.


It will be more fun when I can show stuff starting to be restored, but this demo step has to happen first.

 

[Big Man]

(I originally posted this in the wrong place - my apologies)

As some of you might remember from my earlier posts, we are restoring a 1927 coop apartment we recently bought. After obtaining the 700 permits (and paying the 700 fees) necessary to do renovation on a coop apartment in Manhattan, the contractor started last week and I snapped a few pictures to share.

This is the kitchen floor being taken up (the previous owners had put in a very modern tile floor) and we will be putting in a wood floor (trying to find reclaimed red oak to match he foyer, but might have to go with new and match as best we can).



This is the living room ceiling with the 1980s crown molding removed from original beams (we are just going to patch the beams and paint them as they would have been in 1927)


And this is the original fireplace surround with the Greek columns (you can see the outlines to the left and right of the fireplace) that had been added at some point removed.


It will be more fun when I can show stuff starting to be restored, but this demo step has to happen first.

Looks like it will be an "interesting" project. Good luck with it all. I'll be looking forward to seeing more photos as the work progresses.

 

[Fading Fast]

Looks like it will be an "interesting" project. Good luck with it all. I'll be looking forward to seeing more photos as the work progresses.

Thank you. You have to have a problems-and-obstacles-will-come-up attitude or you'll be defeated before you start. On demoing the kitchen, we discovered pipes and beams in unexpected places that effect the cabinets and refrigerator locations - so there will be some on-the-fly design issues. And the '80s crown molding in the living room and foyer was installed with concrete nails that have been a bear to get out (and beat up the beams some) - but again, we assumed there'd be issues.

Hopefully, the next round of pictures will be more about progress and less about demo.

 

[kampkatz]

Fading Fast, may your renovation project go smoothly with no more surprise interruptions. And may you enjoy many years in your new "digs."

 

[Fading Fast]

Fading Fast, may your renovation project go smoothly with no more surprise interruptions. And may you enjoy many years in your new "digs."

Thank you very much for your kind wishes.

 

[EmergencyIan]

^ All of the very best with the reno! I'm looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

- Ian

 

[Fading Fast]

Here's a silly fun one for the 1927 coop apt. The original doorbell mechanism was replaced a long time ago and we couldn't find one original to the building, so we picked these two up from Ebay to see which one we thought worked better as neither was very expensive. The bell will go over the kitchen door entrance on a wall with subway tile. Both the front door and the kitchen door use the same bell.

Ebay descriptions:

CAST IRON TANGENT ELECTRIC BELL - OLD ANTIQUE VINTAGE FACTORY INDUSTRIAL ELECTRIC TANGENT DOOR ALARM FIRE BELL (we'll tamp the alarm volume down if we use this one). He is so heavy and solid it is ridiculous - just holding him feels good.



GROTHE COLONIA Germany 1930s antique rare bakelite electric door bell 2-5 Volt

 

[dh66]

Aaaaahhh......the fun stuff. Congrats on finally getting the ball rolling, FF. Best of luck on your project. As someone who's made a career in the building trade, I know what challenges lie ahead. Here's hoping it goes as smooth as possible. You seem like you are going in with the right attitude - expect the unexpected and be flexible. Things find a way of working themselves out.