Editorial Editorial
Observant readers will remember that the Sneak Peek ad in our last issue featured a beautiful old fire engine to highlight the On the Job theme. The idea for this theme was sparked by a conversation with TC about their fire department collection, and when I was finally able to sit down with them and learn more about the focus and vast scope of their collection, I came to share their enthusiasm for the beauty and quality of this perhaps lesser-known segment of the antique industry. As a bonus, TC is a photographer, so the images are stunning.
Our contributors floated many ideas but struggled initially to make them fit the theme, but I trust you will agree with me that they succeeded admirably. Asked to choose a favourite article in this issue I would have to decline – I love them all! I share Catharina VanTooren’s love of writing and interest in prehistory, was fascinated to learn more about Chinese currency from Gordon Gu, am always intrigued by the evolution of communication technology which Maria Haubrich explores in the Research Rescue feature, and as a shepherd
and wool lover have first-hand knowledge of many of the tools Susan Manyluk describes. Full disclosure – I am that local shepherd referenced in her article, and I hand sheared the sheep and washed the wool to provide the wonderful raw material that went into that now completed peg loom rug. And she’s right, it feels wonderfully soft and rich underfoot!
Winter is the perfect time to dig into a good read, tackle an inside project – like using the rest of that wool! – and enjoy the long quiet evenings. Our winter show list is skimpy so you will have to get your antique “fix” from shop visits. Holidays can provide the perfect excuse to hit the stores to find that special treasure for those on your gift list, and I am a firm believer in treating oneself while shopping, within limits of course. Your local businesses need and appreciate your support. Wishing you all a warm, cozy and restful winter,
Kathleen Raines, Discovering ANTIQUES
Discovering ANTIQUES
VOLUME 27 | NO. 4 | 2024
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Kathleen Raines
LAYOUT & AD DESIGN
Crystal Ink • crystalink.ca
Front Cover: Contributed by TC. Read the full article on page 23.
Discovering ANTIQUES is published four times a year. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written consent of Discovering ANTIQUES. Discovering ANTIQUES assumes no responsibility for lost material.
All Magazine Inquires: (403)728-3145 discoveringantiques18@gmail.com
Discovering ANTIQUES
270148 Range Road 22
Rocky View County, AB CANADA · T4B 4Y2
Discovering
our Contributors
Gordon Gu is an occasional contributor to Discovering ANTIQUES who brings a fresh perspective and an insider’s knowledge on Chinese antiques to his stories. Gordon lives in Vancouver, British Columbia and fits his writing and collecting between trips to China.
Maria Haubrich’s wide-ranging interests, contacts and expertise benefit DA readers who often turn to the back pages for her Research Rescue column as soon as they pick up the magazine. She shares a garage sale find
with us for this issue. Maria is an AIA-certified appraiser, a collector and an online entrepreneur who lives west of Red Deer, Alberta.
Susan Holme Manyluk ’s extensive shop inventory and multi-generational personal collection almost always yield unique and fascinating objects to enhance a story to fit every issue, and our On the Job theme is no exception. Susan can almost always be found at either HolmeHus Antiques or the newly stocked Red Barn at The Farm
with The Good Food near Red Deer, Alberta.
Anonymous collector TC contributed photos for Fire Department Collectables.
Catharina VanTooren loves to write, and she shares an abbreviated history of the development of story telling through pictures and the evolution of writing and writing tools. One of our longest-standing contributors, Catharina operates Roseberry Antiques in Calgary.
Do you have a story about antiques that you'd like to submit for the next issue? Reach out to the Editor today! DISCOVERINGANTIQUES18@GMAIL.COM
Copper treasure note printing plates with a lion seal.
the value of trust
BY GORDON GU
Driving around West Vancouver in late autumn is always a pleasant experience. You can enjoy the golden leaves twirling in the brisk wind and the faint sounds of Christmas songs as you gently push the pedal. However, your enjoyment can quickly turn to doubt when you glance at the gas station, wondering which is higher: your blood pressure or the hourly flipping gas price.
It is obvious that we are living in an era of higher inflation, regardless how economists try to explain it. As we all know the individuals responsible for this situation often lead many people to question the logic behind it. The simple answer is that the government has printed more money than we produce, making our hard-earned cash less valuable. Looking into history, inflation has always been a problem faced by every dynasty or country during its rule, especially for those who insist that printing banknotes is much easier than improving productivity. In this article, we will briefly examine where and when the first banknotes emerged, what they looked like, what tools were used to create them, and how it affected the society.
The first banknotes, known in Chinese as ‘jiaozi’, were adopted in Sichuan province, China, at the beginning of the Song dynasty, which lasted from 960 to 1279. During this time, the economy was booming, and people needed an alternative to carrying metal coins wherever they went. Copper cash coins were the primary currency, each weighing 3 to 4 grams, which meant that people often had to bundle coins onto strings for easier transport. With 1,000 coins per string, the weight could reach 3 to 4 kilograms and the need for a more convenient monetary measure became urgent.
One day, a wealthy merchant decided to create a paper note by carving symbols, images, and terms representing his house on a wooden board and then printing them on crude bark paper to denote the value in coins. He initially used these notes among his friends and business partners, and as their use spread, more merchants joined in, leading to the establishment of specific rules to guide their usage. Eventually these notes were named “jiaozi”, which translates to “exchange artifact” or “transaction gadget” in Chinese. As the demand grew, more jiaozi notes were issued by private merchant enterprises. Ultimately,
Continued on Page 8
sixteen of the largest merchants established the first Paper Note Bank in history, and the notes themselves eventually gained recognition from the local government.
Like many misfortunes suffered by private banks, the jiaozi system crashed after a series of merchants went bankrupt. However, the central government quickly intervened and nationalized its usage. Soon after, a special department was established specifically to manage jiaozi affairs, including issuing notes and combating counterfeiting. Meanwhile, different regional governments placed special red stamps on the notes to control their circulation. Although jiaozi were recognized as legal currency and commonly used in official transactions, their high face value limited circulation among common folks, thereby reducing their effectiveness. Furthermore, due to the fragile nature of the materials, these paper notes and wooden printing plates were quite difficult to preserve.
The craftsmanship of the paper notes reached its peak in the late Ch’ing dynasty, when a series of inventions were applied to modify their production. The Chinese made their security ink by combining shredded plants and coloured earth, ensuring that the colour remained vibrant even after hundreds of years. Although I have not had the luck to come across a paper note from the period, I was fortune to examine some of the later banknote printing plates, thanks to the descendants of the Sudõ family in Victoria, British Columbia. Mr. Masahisa Sudõ (18791934) served as an inspector for the Eastern Three Provinces Government Bank and Henyo Bank in the early 20th century.
Among the many Sudõ collections, the Ch’ing Dynasty treasure note printing plates are undoubtedly the most unique. There are a total of six plates currently in the family’s collection, each belonging to a different reign:
Continued on Page 10
A sample Chinese ‘Great Qing Treasure Note’ displayed among various Chinese coins, ingots and sycee.
A K’ang-hsi (1662-1722) marked copper treasure note printing plate from the Masahisa Sudō (1897-1934) collection.
Complete this form and mail with cheque or money order for $25 (includes GST) payable to Discovering ANTIQUES to: 270148 Range Road 22, Rocky View County, AB T4B 4Y2 403-728-3145 • discoveringantiques18@gmail.com Can’t
A collection of four sample pieces of the ‘Great Qing Treasure Note’. Each note has a unique serial number and issuing year.
‘Great Qing Treasure Note’ with Ch’ieng-lung (1736-1795) mark beside a treasure note printing plate marked K’ang-hsi’(1662-1722).
Detailed engraving of lively dragons on the treasure note printing plate.
Three copper printing plates for treasure notes from the Sudō collection, marked from left to right: Chia-ch’ing (1796-1820), T’ungch’I (1862-1874) and K’ang-hsi’(1662-1722).
Shun-chih (1644-1661), K’ang-his’ (16621722), Yung-Cheng (1723-1735), Ch’ieng-lung (1736-1795), Chia-ch’ing (1796-1820) and T’ung-ch’I (1862-1874). Each plate is forged from copper alloy and carefully carved with symbols and scripts. With a standard length of 19.2 cm (7.56 inches), and a width of 10.5 cm (4.13 inches), each weighs an average of 1,274.6 grams (2.81 pounds). On the surface, a series of clouds, imperial dragons and clashing waves were designed for security to prevent counterfeiting. To further distinguish the value and era of issuance, cursive scripts were added according to the issuing reign. For example, a printing plate from Shun-chih Year bears the following content: at the top, it reads in English “Great Qing Treasure Note”. In the middle, from left to right, it reads “Shun-chih reign title and year”, “Payable in coinage (wen)” and “Lot number”. On each side, it states, “Payable at face value” and “Circulates under the heavens”. Finally, at the bottom, the usage and rates are explained: “This note is a substitute for money and can be used for paying taxes, fees, salaries, and any other monetary transactions. It is acceptable both inside and outside the capital. One thousand wen can be exchanged for one tael”.
The high quality of the treasure notes reflected the Ch’ing court’s desperate hope to strengthen its gradually weakening economy as the country entered the turmoil of early 20thcentury globalization. At the time, the Boxer Rebellion shocked the very foundation of the late Ch’ing court’s authority, severely damaging the credibility of every beautifully designed note it issued. Nationwide issuance was met with distrust; merchants refused to accept them due to inflation, while peasants declined to receive them because there were no places to spend them. Ultimately, the failure of treasury notes was accompanied by the fall of the Ch’ing dynasty, demonstrating that the value of money is not based on numbers or materials, but on trust itself.
Writings on the wall
BY CATHARINA VANTOOREN
Through the ages writing, in many shapes and forms, has been a way to communicate. Thousands of years ago in the Neanderthal era, humans expressed themselves with simple drawings “written” on cave walls. It was in the 1960s that I had a chance to visit the caves of Lascaux, in the Dordogne area of France, to see with my own eyes the famous Paleolithic drawings of large animals. These early signs of communication are considered to be the oldest artwork in the world, dating to about 20,000 years ago. The caves were discovered by a French boy and his dog in 1940 and opened eight years later to the public. Lascaux quickly became a tourist attraction, but light, humidity and carbon dioxide generated by 1200-plus visitors a day caused permanent damage and led to the closure of the caves in 1963 to protect the delicate paintings.
Other examples of early writing have been discovered in the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs in the pyramids along the Nile. While the Lascaux paintings were strictly of animals, the Egyptian paintings depict human figures in a partly two-dimensional profile. The pictographic hieroglyphics are among the oldest forms of expression. Dating to 3000 BCE, the symbols give us a glimpse into how life was lived at that time, from hunting to clothing and staying warm during the cold winters.
Alphabets originated in the Middle East around 2000 BCE. Each character in an alphabet is meant to represent a sound in a spoken language. Once, according to the Bible, there was only one language, until God punished the people for their pride in building the Tower of Babel, confusing them and resulting in the many languages (and
alphabets) that we know today. So, if you are struggling with your Spanish lessons, or want to brush up on Mandarin, think about the confusion at Babylon!
In the old days not everyone could read or write. Those who did, the scribes, were employed by aristocratic and influential people, such as royalty, to convey their messages. Starting with papyrus scrolls and a feather tip or reed dipped in a liquid – the forerunners of paper and ink – a message could be created. Over the ensuing years various implements and methods have evolved, such as writing on wood, stone, rice paper, clay tables, cloth, parchment and paper. Writing implements included bruised reeds, pointed sticks, feather tips, quills and brushes made from animal hair or dried grasses. Inks and paints were made from dyes, juices, animal oils and soot. Colour was created by adding, for instance, red ground up clay to soot. Early inks had a short “shelf life” and not all of them were waterproof.
sand years old, the manuscripts, mainly in Hebrew and numbering over 15,000 scrolls and scroll fragments, are written on parchment and papyrus.
In order to keep the writing substance liquid and available, stones with depressions were used. As demand for ink increased, it became necessary to create larger containers with stoppers to limit evaporation. Clay and
Continued on Page 14
stone containers with beeswax stoppers were followed by glass. Over time ink containers became more user friendly, elaborate and even more whimsical. During the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance we see highly ornamental inkwells in gold, silver and other precious metals, decorated with precious gems and stones. Large, highly embellished ink sets became a symbol of rank and status and combined well with large Louis XIV desks. Some sets were made with a porcelain insert. It was important that ink would not smear or bleed on the paper, leading to the invention of blotting paper in the 1800s. Queen Victoria’s reign saw the creation of ornamental desk sets containing two inkwells – one each for red and black ink - blotter, tray and pen. It is believed that the phrases “in the black” and “in the red”, referring to enough funds or the opposite, a lack of money, date to the Victorian era.
The Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods brought wonderful styles of inkwells, largely in reaction to the mass production of inkwells in factories. The Arts and Crafts movement produced simple, handmade inkwells from wood, ceramics and metals similar to Shaker or Amish designs – primitive and very sought after by collectors. For a short period of time in the early 20th century animal wells were popular. At the same time Art Nouveau brought an array of stylized, figural wells, including those of the great Louis Tiffany. He worked primarily with glass but is also admired for his
excellent styling in gold, bronze and other metals. Tiffany loved to incorporate irises and dragonflies in his designs. By the 1920s Art Deco made its entrée with simple lines, in contrast to the highly ornate styles of earlier periods.
Primitive pens were replaced with long, mostly wooden shafts with a replaceable steel nib to hold a drop of ink. I remember using the steel nib pen during my first year at elementary school in the early 1950s. We had little wooden desks with an insert at the top to hold the ink, and a place for the ruler, pencil and pen. I also remember that often the ink spilled all over my dress. It sure was messy, or was it just me? I also think we were too young to write with a more expensive fountain pen which was already widely available.
The need for inkwells came to an end with the introduction of the aforementioned fountain pen in the late 1800s. This contraption contained a plunger or syringe type filling or a pneumatic mechanism that sucked the ink up from a bottle – no need anymore for constantly dipping the nib in the ink. The biggest names were Waterman, Parker and Schaeffer. Space does not permit the sharing of fountain pen history – that will have to wait for another story.
From painting and writing on cave walls to typing on a computer, visual communication has come a long way. However, nothing stops us from admiring and collecting beautiful inkwells and fountain pens!
Discovering shows shows WINTER
February 1, 2
Piapot Lions 24th
Annual Antique and Collectibles Show and Sale Maple Creek Armouries, Maple Creek, SK
February 22
First Canadian Collectors Club Fall Show and Sale
Thorncliffe Greenview Community Association, Calgary, AB
March 1
Cloverdale Antique and Collectible Show
Cloverdale Fairgrounds, Surrey, BC
March 1, 2
Calgary Numismatic Society Spring Coin Show Calgary, AB
March 7, 8
Border City Collectors Club Show Lloydminster, SK
March 14, 15
Saskatoon Gun Club Collector’s Show Prairieland Park, SK
April 11, 12
Queen City Antique and Vintage Market Caledonia Curling Club, Regina, SK
April 12, 13
Edmonton Numismatic Society Spring Coin Show Central Lions Centre, Edmonton, AB
April 25, 26 30th Annual
Fraser Valley Antiques and Collectibles Show Queens Park Arena, New Westminster, BC
All events are subject to change/cancellation. Confirm details with event organizers. Discovering Shows is a complimentary listing.
27th Annual Gun & Hobby Show
November 23 & 24, 2024
24th Annual Antiques and Collectables Show & Sale
February 1 & 2, 2025
Armouries, Maple Creek, SK
Admission
Christmas is Coming
BY SUSAN HOLME MANYLUK
DoYouHearWhatIHear?
Saidthelittlelambtotheshepherdboy, “DoyouhearwhatIhear?”
Ringingthroughthesky,shepherdboy, “DoyouhearwhatIhear?”
That musical story of the shepherd boy, his little lamb and a mighty king hoping for peace is especially poignant in a year with war and conflicts raging around the globe. I have always had a soft spot for shepherds, those caregivers and herders who looked after their flocks and traditionally were “on the job” both day and night.
I believe I was in grade four the year I landed a part as a shepherd boy in the school Christmas pageant. As the only girl in a group of a half dozen rowdy boys, I wasn’t quite sure if that was a compliment or because I was burdened with a recent very
short haircut. Resigned, I managed to organize a costume, involving an old bathrobe of my father’s and a pair of sandals of my mother’s that almost fit me.
But the pièce de résistance was being allowed to bring to school the genuine vintage shepherd’s crook from Scotland that had been given to my father by the renowned herder of sheep, Ronald C. Gordon Esquire. It was made from five feet of iron-hard yew wood and mounted with a hand-formed and beautifully curled ram’s horn filial at the top. It was so much more authentic than the broomsticks, walking sticks and yardsticks carried by my fellow shepherds. Suddenly, at the last minute, I was brought forward from the back of the gaggle of giggling boys and given a line or two to say, while prominently displaying my shepherd’s crook at the front of the stage. By hook or by crook, that was
Continued on Page 20
a lot more fun than lingering at the back of the stableful of gawkers giving poor Mary no rest after a long ride and a hard night’s work.
I am now the proud owner of that crook and was told recently by that grand old gentleman RC Gordon that antique models in good condition can sell for hundreds of pounds in Scotland. Since yew wood was difficult to acquire, good yew crooks were rare even originally. The few professional makers still working who knew how to heat and bend horns were also having a hard time finding ram’s horns with sufficient curl, since horned sheep have been largely replaced by polled versions over the last hundred years or more.
For October Wool Month in our Red Barn, during our Harvest Gold, Textiles Bold celebration, I displayed the crook prominently with other old tools of the shepherd’s trade, including hand clippers for shearing, a large jute bag for shipping raw fleeces, pairs of carders and combs for working the washed fleece, and a drop spindle for spinning wool into yarn, originally used while walking and herding the flocks over the heath as they grazed. Usually, the shepherd’s wife carried a canvas bag into which she collected the tufts and clumps of wool left on briars and bramble as the sheep passed. That “gathering” was theirs to keep, since the flocks usually belonged to the lord of the manor and wool from the spring shearing was sold to the many mills operating at that time in Scotland. The profit from the wool trade was substantial, since most clothing, rugs, blankets and upholstery were
made in wool. Vast quantities were shipped to Canada and sold through the Eatons and Hudsons Bay stores.
Meanwhile, the shepherds and their families eked out a scant livelihood indeed. The young boy and his collie in the picture, carrying a rabbit for the family stew pot on his crook, exemplify the gap between classes in the 18- and nineteen 1900s. And yet, shepherds and crofters took pride in their skills at guarding, feeding, doctoring and lambing out their charges, using the few simple tools at their disposal. They were especially grateful for the help of one or two well-trained Border Collies, another essential tool that made controlling hundreds of scatterbrained sheep much easier while they were on the job.
In Iceland, where sheep are also an essential element of agrarian life, flock management is much more relaxed. With few predators, sheep are left to wander and graze as they choose, returning in autumn to their
Continued on Page 22
folds led by older ewes and “boss” rams who move the flocks to better feed when the snows come. The wool from those traditional Icelandic sheep consists of a long shiny outer hair layer which, when spun with the inner fleece, results in a very strong hardworking yarn which is ideal for outerwear, rugs and upholstery. The super-soft inner fleece can be used alone to make comfortable undergarments, delicate knit-lace shawls and almost transparent sleepwear. Fleece was washed in geothermal hot springs, then sorted, carded and spun on traditional upright Scandinavian wheels which could give a very fine uniform thread by mixing the tog and þel fibres together. This was then transferred to bobbins made from sheep legbones, sometimes dyed or bleached, but always silky smooth from the years of lanolin left on the equipment.
Interestingly, the typical Icelandic yoked sweaters, ponchos and capes that were wildly popular in the 1960s and 70s – and are again! – were a new concept. They were knit in unspun wool and in the wide array of natural colours which Icelandic sheep exhibit, including black, shades of brown, beige, charcoal, grey and white. They were exported to the colder parts of the world by the thousands. If they have been taken care of and stored properly, most are still as beautiful, thick and soft as when they were first made.
Animal fibre has a durability that modern man-made fibres cannot copy for very long, because of matting, pilling and sagging into that disastrous “ewe neck”, much bemoaned by the actual ewes who have no such issue with their necklines! Wool and silk (the other animal protein fibre) are therefore considered the most elite of fibres with which to design the very best clothing and household goods. Woven or felted into stunning yardage of wildly differing characteristics, these are used by the top international designers and studio craftspeople to create amazing collections of unique wearable art or quality décor goods.
At our opening weekend October 5th and 6th for Textiles Bold in the Red Barn, a local shepherd demonstrated rug weaving on a peg loom using washed, unspun fleece from her own flock. The progress made was amazing and resulted in a wonderfully soft and springy rug that would make bare toes curl in delight. I was motivated to buy my own peg loom for a rug project of another version that I am planning to start in January in our Red Barn workshops, when Hygge Scandinavian Christmas Experience is over for this year. Please check our event ad for details and do come visit when you have time; both the shop and Red Barn will be open for the holiday season.
To you and yours, Glædelig Jul and may 2025 bring world peace once again.
Celebrating the Artistry of
Fire CollectablesDepartment Fire Department CollectablesDepartment
BY KATHLEEN RAINES
Awide-ranging discussion many months ago with TC (not their real name – we are using a pseudonym by request) about their fire department- related collection prompted the selection of the “On the Job” theme for this issue. When I was finally able to sit down with them to explore this new-to-me area of collecting, I quickly came to share their enthusiasm for the scope and beauty of the items.
While TC describes themself as an “eclectic collector”, it was only after taking a job at a fire department that they came to appreciate and began to acquire items related to fire fighting. Early fire engine manufacturers managed to make functional items beautiful by adding decorative artwork, silver, brass and nickel plating, bright paint colours and gold leaf lettering, in a deliberate attempt to inspire civic pride and boost the image of fire fighting.
TC has a particular interest in the AhrensFox Fire Engine Company, whose trucks are rated by many to be the Rolls Royce of the industry. The Ahrens Fox Company started in Ohio in the 1860s and built steam fire engines. It became the Ahrens-Fox Company (AF) in 1908 and continued to produce steamers until the 1910s. The first motorized pumper came out about 1915 with the company producing practically every component on the truck.
Continued on Page 24
The 1920s are considered the golden era of fire engines, when motorized engines were being perfected and before the austerity of the Depression. Ahrens-Fox, like other makers, developed their own distinctive decorative elements, and TC recalls being “awestruck” by the artistic embellishment of the first AF “rig” they saw. Made to stand out, almost every element – lanterns, gauges, wheels and panelling – was beautifully and lavishly decorated
with 23K gold scrollwork to make the engines not only utilitarian, but also a source of civic pride. The highly decorated engines “gleamed in the sunshine”.
While acquiring fire engines is not realistic for most collectors, especially those limited to small city garages, TC has been fortunate to see and collect many outstanding examples of this decorative bounty. Asked to list the “coolest item” in their collection, they described
1870 Steamer Photograph
an engine lamp which contains a burner and features four glass lenses, each lens featuring a different colour of etched flash glass – a thin coating of coloured glass artistically etched and engraved with patriotic and job-related images. TC envisions the lamp being modified to incorporate an electric bulb and hanging in the foyer of their home.
Collecting fire department items has connected TC to a wider community across North America. They describe attending a “muster” in the United States where hundreds of trucks were on display, owners wore era-appropriate uniforms and a flea market offered an ideal opportunity to scoop up treasures. In fact, TC met a collector at a muster who claimed to own over one hundred rigs, a boast TC didn’t believe until they visited the Wisconsin farmer on their trip home and saw the outstanding collection for themselves! That collector is now deceased but the collection remains intact under the management of his wife. Visit VenerableFireCollection.org to learn more.
As TC points out, New York had more fire engines and fire stations at the turn of the twentieth century than most Canadian cities do even today, so it’s small wonder that many of the items in TC’s collection have US provenance. Within the community many collectors focus on specific areas, such as horse-drawn equipment, fire insurance items and signage, toys, badges, uniforms and insignia.
Presentation items, given to mark significant achievements and retirements and often inscribed, are highly collectable. Speaking trumpets, like the one shown to the right, and axes were common presentation items and TC has several in their collection but notes that axes are replacing trumpets for presentation purposes and are also becoming more collectable. (A side note on trumpets: even today firefighters are familiar with trumpets as a symbol of rank. One trumpet on your collar signifies a rank of lieutenant,
Continued on Page 25
two crossed trumpets signifies a captain all the way up to the Chief who has five crossed trumpets.) Viking-style axes went out of use in the late 19th century but are coveted collector items. Printed items abound, including certificates, special event posters and “build books” – unique manuals created for every engine by the manufacturer that included factory specs and photos, initially valuable for insurance purposes and now prized for their detail.
TC values the collectors, friends and fellow fire department enthusiasts they have met through their collecting, with many trades made across North America bringing new and valued items to the collection. It is still the artistry and the beauty that most interest them and that make this fascinating segment of the antique business interesting and engaging.
1865 Philadelphia Great Parade Poster
World's Work Cover
with Maria Haubrich
IT’S A BOX WITH KNOBS
BUT WHAT DOES IT DO?
Spoiler Alert! it’s an Atwater Kent Broadcast Receiving Set Model 20 Big Box tabletop radio.
bSeveral years ago, I purchased a box with knobs at a yard sale thinking AH would like to have it for his shop. I looked inside and saw these tube things, and, for some reason, I thought it must have something to do with WWII and army equipment. Not true, and it wasn’t until the theme of this issue triggered my memory that I set out to learn more about this wooden box with knobs – what was it used for? What job did it do?
The Didsbury Museum has a very similar broadcast receiving set in a display case with WWII items, so a friend and I set out to find more info. The archivist at the museum kindly provided me with the following, indicating it was all the information they had on the item – not helpful for my purposes, but interesting nonetheless:
Howard Radio Co. of Chicago broadcasting receiver donated by Teejay Johnston. The certificate of gift indicates it was purchased at Feeg Auction specifically for donation and gifted to the museum on November 3, 1993.
Continued on Page 28
Example of a restored Atwater Kent Broadcast Receiving Set, Model 20 (from West Port Museum website)
RESEARCH
Websites: Atwater Kent Company History (westporttechmuseum.com); Collectors Weekly; antiqueradios.com/forums; Connecting America: The Radio at Home (dp.la/exhibitions)
Videos: Radio from 1925: Atwater Kent Model 20 (4640); History Brief: Radio In the 1920s
Print: Antique Radios: The Sound of the Past in Antiques & Collecting Magazine (2002); Collectors Guide to Antique Radios 6th ed.
Research trip to the museum in Didsbury, Alberta.
Control Diagram for the Model 20C from page 28 of the Install Manual (West Post Museum)
HISTORY
Radio broadcasting in Canada had its roots in maritime communications with the initial transmission of point-to-point services using Morse code dots-and-dashes. By the early 1920s, the worldwide development of radio stations sending information and entertainment programming to the public transformed broadcasting globally. Canada, however, lagged other countries in the development of broadcasting services and equipment, despite being the birthplace of scheduled broadcast programming at the Marconi station in Nova Scotia.
Early broadcast experiments with audio transmissions in Calgary and Montreal led to the establishment of commercial broadcasting stations, with CFCN in Calgary providing experimental entertainment broadcasting and CFCF in Montreal playing phonograph records on air, drawing the attention of local amateur radio operators. However, with so few commercial radio
Five ampere tubes inside the radio set
stations broadcasting Canadian content, American stations dominated, especially in the more populated parts of Canada where broadcasts were easily received on private broadcast receiving sets, like the Atwater Kent Model 20 Receiving Set.
By the late 1920s, radios became more affordable and connected people in ways never previously thought of in Canada. Radio sets using loudspeakers largely replaced broadcasting sets requiring the use of earphones where only one person could listen, making for a shared listening experience open to a broader audience. It was particularly useful in rural areas where, in the past, isolated towns and families were slow to get the latest news or entertainment – sports coverage, especially ice hockey, dominated Canada’s rural landscape.
In Canada, owners of radio broadcast receivers were required by law to have a private radio license, one for each broadcast receiving set. These Private Receiving Station Licenses were issued by the Canadian government and were required from 19261953. The Department of Transport Radio Inspectors spread across the country to catch and prosecute those persons who did not have licenses to operate their broadcast receiving sets, like the Atwater Kent Broadcast Receiving Set I found at a garage sale in Spruce View, Alberta. Radio Inspectors were reviled, especially in small towns and rural areas, and sometimes needed the services of the local police for protection. What a job!
VALUES
» ATWATER KENT RECEIVING SET
Model 20, Serial #: 82131
» 5 AMPERE TUBES, TRF (Tuned Radio Frequency)
» MADE IN Philadelphia, PA, released in 1924
» BIG BOX TABLETOP RADIO
Wooden cabinet with speaker and battery hookups in the rear
» RADIO SPEAKERS were sold separately
» MISSING: Atwater Kent Radio Log cards and Instruction booklet in an envelope
Like any collectible, condition is everything. Radio collectors look at whether the set is electronically complete, and if not, how much repair is needed – are the tubes present or do they need replacing? Collectors also look at the condition of the cabinet for cracks, chips, scratches, peeling, and if all the knobs are present. Older models made before the 1940s, especially the earliest and rarest are worth the most to collectors today.
I value AH’s Atwater Kent Receiving Set Model 20 at $110-$180 based on condition and rarity.
» I have no idea if the electronics work, but all five tubes are present
» there are no connectors for speakers or battery
» the wooden cabinet is in decent condition with no damage, but it could use a good clean
» not at all rare in the US - thousands of these AK radio sets were made and can be found in most antique radio collections
» less common in Canada; however, they can be found in museums (and at local yard sales!).
‘Senior citizens can recall the era before the television, when the family gathered around the radio for the latest news, music, comedies, and dramas. Some of these shows were on the radio before they were on the “tube”.’
I guess that makes me a ‘senior citizen’ because I remember as a young child sitting with my family and listening to radio westerns, mysteries and dramas. Let’s not forget the effect of the 1949 radio drama, ‘1984’ by George Orwell, on the listening world – shock and controversy. The original broadcast was before my time, but Mom told of being horrified by it.
Discovering our Advertisers
All Through the House
7 Okotoks, AB (780) 995-2399
Allan Pitchko Galleries
15 Edmonton, AB
And Everything Nice
7 Lacombe, AB (403) 782-3191
Anything and Everything
Vintage Boutique
7 St. Albert, AB (780) 569-2933
Asheford Institute of Antiques
7 asheford.com; 1-877-444-4508
Beck Antiques & Jewellery
2,3 Edmonton, AB (780) 474-7447
Bleu Moon Antiques
21 Sherwood Park, AB (780) 245-4883
Classic European Antiques
Edmonton, AB
15 (877) 482-4414, (780) 699-7839
Coulee Trading Post
32 Donalda, AB (403) 883-2760
Ella Grace Marketplace
Calgary, AB (587) 893-6069;
9 ellagraceestates.com
Forgotten in Time Antique Mall
11 Wetaskiwin, AB (780) 603-3099
HolmeHus Antiques and The Farm with The Good Food
19 Red Deer, AB (403) 347-0516
Ibon Antiques
21 Edmonton, AB (780) 757-6777
Maven & Grace
21 Edmonton, AB (780) 760-0139
Molly's Cobwebs & Curiosities
9 Ponoka, AB (403) 704-9745
Old Creamery Antiques
7 Innisfail, AB (403) 865-1002
Old Strathcona Antique Mall
31 Edmonton, AB (780) 433-0398
One Man’s Treasure
32 Stony Plain, AB (780) 963-7776
Piapot Lions Gun & Hobby and Antiques & Collectables
Show and Sale
17 Maple Creek, SK (306) 558-4802
Queen City Vintage Market
17 Regina, SK (306) 552-9528
The Quonset Collection
11 Prince Albert, SK (306) 981-2153
Rocky Mountain Antique Mall
17 Edmonton, AB (780) 485-0020
Rustic Rooster Mercantile
11 Olds, AB (403) 507-8870
Strathmore Pawn and Collectables
11 Strathmore, AB (403) 901-1100
Sugar Belle Antiques
32 Bonnyville, AB (780) 826-4111
T Q Antiques
32 Crossfield, AB (587) 777-6948
Where On Earth ...did you get that? Antique Mall
31 Airdrie, AB (403) 948-3669
Yesterday’s Treasure Market
15 Calmar, AB (780) 985-2522
Do you know of or own a local business that would be a good fit for Discovering ANTIQUES? We would love to hear from you. discoveringantiques18@gmail.com
