Show us your vintage home!

[3fingers]

We have a few of those here that came with the house. The labels are in decent shape on a couple. Lizzie advised me to attach the loose parts of the label with mucilage which worked perfectly. I did find that mucilage is not as easily found as it once was, but I did find a bottle. As far as preserving the label, I haven't come up with a good idea for that, so I will be watching this thread.

 

[Big Man]

I remember being told that my granddad, Will Brown (1877-1932), had a job one time that required him to get up exceptionally early. In order not to wake the rest of the family, he slept for a while on a bed on the back porch.

Ever since hearing that story, I wanted a bed put back where he had a bed in the late 1910s or early 1920s. Well, today I finally got around to fixing a bed back in the same place my Granddad had his bed so many, many years ago. Sam has already laid claim to this bed, so I expect it will get some use. It will also make a nice place to take an afternoon nap after a day of working in the garden or in the yard.

The old quilt on this bed, along with the pillow, were made by my grandmother "Maw". The quilt is one she made for me when I was a young child, so I'm guessing it's well over 50 years old. The pillow is one she made from feathers she plucked from her chickens well before my time. It's old enough that it's possible my Granddad could have laid his head on this pillow.

I'm glad I paid attention to all the stories that were told, because now everyone who knew all that history are long gone. Those connections to the past are important to me, even something as seemingly insignificant as a bed that was once on the back porch about 100 years ago.

 

[dh66]

I remember being told that my granddad, Will Brown (1877-1932), had a job one time that required him to get up exceptionally early. In order not to wake the rest of the family, he slept for a while on a bed on the back porch.

Ever since hearing that story, I wanted a bed put back where he had a bed in the late 1910s or early 1920s. Well, today I finally got around to fixing a bed back in the same place my Granddad had his bed so many, many years ago. Sam has already laid claim to this bed, so I expect it will get some use. It will also make a nice place to take an afternoon nap after a day of working in the garden or in the yard.

The old quilt on this bed, along with the pillow, were made by my grandmother "Maw". The quilt is one she made for me when I was a young child, so I'm guessing it's well over 50 years old. The pillow is one she made from feathers she plucked from her chickens well before my time. It's old enough that it's possible my Granddad could have laid his head on this pillow.

I'm glad I paid attention to all the stories that were told, because now everyone who knew all that history are long gone. Those connections to the past are important to me, even something as seemingly insignificant as a bed that was once on the back porch about 100 years ago.

View attachment 124621

Everything about this post is great!! My hat's off to you for keeping the stories alive in a very real and meaningful way for the future generations. Plus the quilt and iron bed frame are enviable.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Big Man]

Everything about this post is great!! My hat's off to you for keeping the stories alive in a very real and meaningful way for the future generations. Plus the quilt and iron bed frame are enviable.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Thank you.

 

[Big Man]

This old kitchen stool has been here at the house since before my memory. I gave it a fresh coat of paint today. I tried to match as close as possible to what looked like the original color.

 

[dh66]

This old kitchen stool has been here at the house since before my memory. I gave it a fresh coat of paint today. I tried to match as close as possible to what looked like the original color.

View attachment 124647

Nice work!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[3fingers]

I'm glad I paid attention to all the stories that were told, because now everyone who knew all that history are long gone.

I am the keeper of those old stories in my family. I can tell many stories about people who were gone long before my time. It makes me sad sometimes that most of my kin has little interest in keeping them alive. There are a few exceptions, and I do what I can with what I have. Most of that history will die with me though.

 

[Touchofevil]

I am the keeper of those old stories in my family. I can tell many stories about people who were gone long before my time. It makes me sad sometimes that most of my kin has little interest in keeping them alive. There are a few exceptions, and I do what I can with what I have. Most of that history will die with me though.

I suggest that you write these stories down. Someone down the road might take an interest.

 

[Desert dog]

Is there a reference to where the oranges were grown? Many California oranges were grown in the Redlands, and Riverside areas. There were many producers with beautiful advertisement. My wife collects the early Orange juice reamers. The shipping of citrus back east was promoted in the 30s, with reliable refrigeration cars (reefers). Sunkist offered reamers as an incentive to buy oranges.

Here's something I think is interesting. This old crate has been at the house for a long time. My aunt used to have it covered with some cloth, but the covering finally wore out. She used the crate (like I still do) as a storage unit.

Anyone have a general idea of the age of this crate? Also, I want to protect the advertisement on the top. Any suggestions as the best way to do that?

View attachment 124450 View attachment 124452

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[Hurricane Jack]

I'm glad I paid attention to all the stories that were told, because now everyone who knew all that history are long gone. Those connections to the past are important to me...

Me as well. I grew up hearing the stories from my grandpa about my ancestors who were in the Civil War & what was to follow during Reconstruction. He heard those stories firsthand from his grandpa who was the generation in our family who lived it. He, along with an elderly 5th grade teacher I had who was very proud of her families Civil War history & our county's history, spurred a lifelong interest in me to know more.

I am the keeper of those old stories in my family. I can tell many stories about people who were gone long before my time. It makes me sad sometimes that most of my kin has little interest in keeping them alive.

Me too. I have 17 cousins on my paternal side of the family. Until the current generation (kids) none of us had ever lived north of the Mason Dixon line. At one time it looked like two of my own kids might end up living in one of those states. Looking ahead to retirement my wife asked me once if I would want to live near them. I told her that I couldn't, that it would be like spitting on the graves of my ancestors. She could go & live there if she wanted, but I couldn't.

 

[Woodtroll]

I really enjoy reading the stories of the family homes and history; thanks to each of you who have posted glimpses of yours.

Family history has always been important to me, and I feel fortunate that my wife and I were able to raise our children from birth to adulthood in a farmhouse built by my great-grandfather and that my grandfather grew up in. The house passed out of the family for a number of years after my grandfather left home and eventually sat vacant for a long period of time, and it luckily became available when my wife and I were planning marriage and a home of our own. I enjoy traveling around the country and seeing other places, but I have a strong sense of family history and roots, and always want my kids (and now my grandkids) to have a "homeplace". We had my grandfather's 80th birthday party at our home only a couple years before he passed away, and he told me then how much he appreciated all the effort we put into making his old homeplace our home.

It's that kind of attachment that makes it worthwhile to live in an older home.

Thank you all again, take care,
Regan

 

[Big Man]

In the front room there's always been (well, as long as I can remember) a "missing" light fixture. I always wondered why this one room didn't have a light like all the rest. I never thought to ask, and now there's no one left who would have any idea why the light on the ceiling in the front room was missing.

I remember my Dad telling me about the lights that were just a bare bulb that hung from the ceiling. That's the way the lights are in all the other rooms, with the exception of two rooms that were "modernized" in the 1940s with fixtures as opposed to just a bulb. But the missing light in the front room was always a mystery to me.

Finially today I decided to put a light back there like it was when my Granddad put electricity in the house in 1930. The first thing was to locate some new "old" cloth-covered braided wire like what was used in 1930. Having found a source for the wire and also a 1930s style bulb (an LED bulb that uses a lot less power that a regular incandescent bulb), I used some of the same tools that my Granddad used to put in the new "old" light.

First let me say, I really DO NOT like to do anything with electricity. I don't even like to change the batteries in a flashlight. So, after turning off the main breaker at the panel box, I spliced together the new old cloth-covered wire with the original 1930 cloth-covered wire that had been taped off who knows how many years ago. I carefully put everything back together and, crossing my fingers, I turned the power back on.

Nothing went pop, so the first test passed. Then, with a little hesitation, I flipped the switch on the wall and ... the light came on just like it should. What a relief!

The warm glow of that light hanging from the ceiling adds a lot to the old front room. Just about everything in that room is original to the room. The front room is, and always has been, left basically unchanged over the years. I just recently finished painting the front room the same color it was in 1930, and the addition of the light bulb hanging from the ceiling added to keeping it "the way it was."

 

[2jakes]

Big Man,
I have a similar issue with a 1930s light fixture.
To splice with new and similar material from the 30s as you have done
is wonderful, I like it.
My concern is that the rest of the wiring above the ceiling is old and frayed
which may cause a fire if the light is used for a long period.
I'm not an electrician, perhaps I'm not correct about this.
I always enjoy your posts very much.
jake

 

[Big Man]

Big Man,
I have a similar issue with a 1930s light fixture.
To splice with new and similar material from the 30s as you have done
is wonderful, I like it.
My concern is that the rest of the wiring above the ceiling is old and frayed
which may cause a fire if the light is used for a long period.
I'm not an electrician, perhaps I'm not correct about this.
I always enjoy your posts very much.
jake

View attachment 142947

The original 1930 wiring is cloth covered in flex conduit. I believe that is relatively safe, as long as it's not disturbed (moved around a lot). The addition of a single light on this line would be negligabne. All the overhead lights on the first floor (7 of them) are on the same circut by themselves. As a rule, I don't use anything over a 60 watt bulb in any of the overhead lights. I was impressed with the LED bulb I used today, and will probably change out the rest shortly (theteby considerably reducing the load).

 

[2jakes]

The original 1930 wiring is cloth covered in flex conduit. I believe that is relatively safe, as long as it's not disturbed (moved around a lot). The addition of a single light on this line would be negligabne. All the overhead lights on the first floor (7 of them) are on the same circut by themselves. As a rule, I don't use anything over a 60 watt bulb in any of the overhead lights. I was impressed with the LED bulb I used today, and will probably change out the rest shortly (theteby considerably reducing the load).

I also don't go above 60 watts at home.
Brightest thing is Mac screen.
But I only sit for short spells at a
time.

 

[Big Man]

I would like to return one more light in another room to the way it was in 1930. I was fortunate that the fixture was still on the ceiling in the front room, but in the dining room the light in the ceiling has been replaced years ago.

My question to the group is what is the correct name for the fixture in the photo? I know it's not a "fixture" or a "socket". I need to know the correct term so I can do a good search for one of these things.

 

[vitanola]

I would like to return one more light in another room to the way it was in 1930. I was fortunate that the fixture was still on the ceiling in the front room, but in the dining room the light in the ceiling has been replaced years ago.

My question to the group is what is the correct name for the fixture in the photo? I know it's not a "fixture" or a "socket". I need to know the correct term so I can do a good search for one of these things

That is a "Rosette".

Early units were fused, generally with a bit of lead wire rated for either three or six amps.

The sockets would generally be key type:

A cord bushing would be screwed into the female 1/8" NPT fitting on the socket:

If an underwriters knot was tied in the drop cord and up in the Rosette:

The socket, with its "UNO" thread could support an "UNO" shade holder to hold a tin or glass shade:

Or to use a bridge lamp shade with its "UNO" thread.

 

[3fingers]

I have heard those ceramic cover plates called a ceiling rose. I'm not sure if that is their "official" name or not though. Good luck with the search.

 

[Big Man]

Five rooms and the back porch still have the type of "fixture" (or whatever it's called). Two rooms (kitchen and bathroom) have a porcelain socket with a pull chain, and the front porch has a porcelain socket that works off a switch in the front room.

There's a 1930s/1940s era two-bulb fixture with a really nice heavy glass shade in one of the downstairs rooms, and the dining room has an early 1950s era fixture with a glass shade. I want to replace the dining room fixture with what was there in 1930 (same type that is in the front room that I just finished "restoring").

I remember my Dad, aunts, and grandmother talking about the bare-bulb lightin the dining room that hung down and how they ran a dropcoard from that light over to a table when they got a radio in 1936 (there were no baseboard receptacliles in that room until the 1950s).

 

[Big Man]

In one of the upstairs bedrooms in my old house is this door with the lockset upside down. This lockset has been this way for as long as I can remember. One day not too long ago I thought I'd "fix it" by taking it out and turn it over the way it should be. However, I quickly discovered the mortise had been cut in wrong, and the only way the lockset would fit is upside down.

I suppose what happened way back in 1907 when the house was built or in 1917 when my Granddad did some renovations, was whoever had been tasked with cutting the mortise inadvertently cut it wrong. So other than getting a new door or hanging it on the opposite side (and cutting a new mortise on the other side of the door), the only solution was to go ahead and install the lockset upside down.

I wish I'd have thought about asking my Maw or aunt Hazel about that door and lockset, because most likely they would have known the story about what happened. But I never did, and now there's not a living person who would know.

Every time I look at that door with the upside down lockset I can almost hear whoever cut that mortise wrong saying "oh crap!" (or something a little more colorful).