Heading towards the end of the semester, I have learned a lot, the fact I was able to work hands-on with creating this site has been eye opening. It has made me realize how many little details go in to creating a page. I liked the idea of adding social media links to my website, it gave it a more personal touch. One issue I did run into, however, was finding my “About Me” page from my blog home page. I was able to click the link it provided on the editing site and it would take me then, but the connection to the home page was fuzzy.

I would like to improve the site more by adding a few more personal touches, such as my facebook and writing a few posts about people, as opposed to the usual item. Overall, the experience taught me the importance of putting content out there and giving myself a voice, even if its just educating people about antiques. It taught me to not overlook the details, as that is what can make the difference in a site worth visiting, and one that is not. I recently interned at a company this past summer and they were in the process of updating their company site, it was so important to get everything right, down to the color and placement of the widgets. This blog gave me a chance to work hands-on with my own site and get a glimpse of what I may have to work with in the future.

The blog actually got more views, starting out, than I had anticipated, which is exciting. My most popular week was the week of November 27th, with a total of 16 viewers. My most popular post was the one on Fellow’s blog, which was the first one. I’m thinking it was popular because it was the first one, later viewers to the site could have gone back to see what else I had written. Overall, I was surprised with the views I had, my Twitter account is just starting out and I don’t have too many followers on there to promote to, but I think as time goes on I’ll be able to expand my audience.

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Of course, working around antiques, I’m sure to pick a couple objects in the store that I find to stand out. As things pass in and out of the store through time, I get to witness a variety of interesting items. And right now we have a few, Here are 5 interesting objects that have caught my eye in the past few weeks.

• An antique cash register with typewriter like keys:

This beautiful gold colored register actually still functions. You just type in the the corresponding price, chose a department and hit any other corresponding button (cash, charge, etc.), then hit the operating and out pops the drawer.

• A large antique coffee grinder:

This coffee grinder is beautifully colored red with details painted all the way down to the base. It is used by putting coffee beans in the top and then turning the wheels with the handle on the side. The coffee beans are then ground up in the grinding wheels inside and dispensed at the bottom.

• A rewired traffic light:

This traffic light was originally made for commercial use. However, it was rewired by one of our antique dealers in the store. Now it is safe to use in a regular outlet in your home, making it a great addition to any room.

• “The Wind Walker”:

“The Wind Walker” is a beautiful wooden relief sculpture that was recently brought in to the store. This work of art was carved into a beautiful piece of wood and finished to make it look glossy under the light. Artificial glass eyes were added to give it a realistic look.

• Delf Canal Houses:

Delft Canal Houses are little house figurines with an interesting purpose. These houses were filled with Dutch Genever and used to serve cocktails to first class passengers on KLM airlines. They were used as gifts, and when traveling to places with alcohol restrictions, they were often still gifted, however, they were empty. In many cases you can find some containing the liquid and still sealed.

Of course there are many other objects sure to catch your eye throughout the store. One could spend hours looking around and still wouldn’t see everything on the shelves. However, those are some of the ones I have found to be most intriguing. If you want to look for your favorites, check out your local store or Gruene Antique Co.  Which items would you Pick?

Happy Holidays, Ladies and Gentlemen! Around this time of year my friends and I always love to drive around and look at everyones house decorations. The lights, the candy canes, the yard art, the whole shebang! Nothing brightens spirits like lights and decorations, that’s why many people put up blow molds. Blow molds, are illuminated plastic figures for many different occasions that are sure to light up the night.

Blow molds are mostly popular around Christmas and Halloween, but they are available for other holidays such as Easter, Fourth of July and Valentines day. In fact, the first piece to spark the popularity in blow molds was a pink flamingo in 1957. Blow molds have been popular for years, regardless of their age. One of the biggest companies was Union Products, manufacturing blow molds all the way until 2006. There are still a few blow mold companies open today, but if you want a vintage blow mold you can always check antique shops.

First appearing in 1941, blow molds are named as such because of the process used to create them. Don’t be surprised, but they blow melted plastic into molds of different shapes and sizes such as animals and a variety of characters. Color is added either by painting, or having it added to the plastic itself. Throughout the years, there may be some discoloration, but don’t let that discourage you from getting one, it adds character! Sometimes when shopping for vintage blow molds, they won’t have the light with them, or the wiring may be damaged, but you can find replacements at your local hardware store. Overall, they are made durable and, with proper care and usage, they can provide years of joy in your collection of decorations.

If you’re going to have a beer why not have it in a Steinzeugkrug, short for stein. Which, translates from German to stoneware jug or tankard. However, to sum up a stein, it is a container for beer that has some form of hinged lid. However, some steins, though they are truly more of a mug, lack a lid. Although, the mug has become a trendy souvenir from places such as Wurstfest. The origin of the stein is more interesting than a cup for beer.

From about 1340 to about 1380, the Black Death plague killed nearly 25 million people across Europe. So it is no wonder why extra precautions were taken to ensure sanitation safety. The hinged lids added to mugs to create a stein was originally created solely as a sanitary measure. An abundance of flies came to Germany in the late 1400s, and out of fear of the return of the Bubonic Plague, this covered-container law was passed and was enforced aggressively. However, the covered covered container law was only one of many laws passed in order to enforce sanitation.

95% of those in the unsanitary areas died of the plague and only 10% of those died in clean areas. This information made it apparent that the plague was linked to unsanitary conditions. Thus a list of laws was created to improve these conditions. Some of which, involved the production of the beer itself. Which lead to the improvement of the quality and taste of the beer. Now you can find steins as souvenirs from places such as, Wurstfest, or you can find them in an antique store in many different shapes and sizes.

Some of the more interesting objects I find in the store are different pieces of trench art. Trench art is fascinating to me because it can tell a story about the person who made it. Whether you know who the artist is or not. You can get a sense of where the soldiers went and what was going through their mind. It can truly tell a story.

Although soldiers made a good deal of the art, you may be surprised to find out that trench art refers to more than what was just made by those in the trenches. Trench art can be anything made in response to conflict or made of recycled war materials. People such as prisoners of war, civilians, and soldiers are responsible for the creation of many pieces of art. Prisoners made art for two main reasons; to fill the sizable about of free time they had and in order to produce something they could trade in order to better their lives. They could trade their art for things such as cigarettes and food.

They can be made from many things ranging from spent bullets to shell casings. They can give us glimpses of the past about what the soldiers were thinking and possibly even their desires. Something as simple as an extra decorative design can refer to the artist wishing to create beauty. Civilians also made a living in their home lands during times of war, where an abundance of the area was destroyed, by making trench art. The destruction created debris that could be useful in the creation of the art.

 

 

One of my favorite things to shop for in the store is, of course, jewelry. However, there is a certain collection of pieces that have really caught my eye. Cameos can be worn as rings, pins, pendants and more. Each and every piece is an unique, miniature work of art. Which is what makes them so intriguing.

Most cameos are typically carved into some form of shell however they can be made from coral, stone, lava, or glass. You can typically tell an original from a reproduction by checking the back for the artist signature! Cameos have been appreciated since ancient times and they were really popular in the roman period and revived during the renaissance era. However, they did go “out of fashion” in the 19th and 20th centuries.

During the 19th century, the cameo moved from just the hands of the wealthy to a wider audience. Increased wealth among the middle class in Europe created a demand, especially when travel began to increase to Italy. In Italy, the cameo industry increased in size in order to meet demand. However, many people do still wear them, me included, and you can find them in antique stores such as Gruene Antique Company!

One of the many cool objects you can find in Gruene Antique Company is an antique Tyfon foghorn. Made of brass and mounted to a wood base, this unique find would be stunning for decor. However, not only would it look good, but it also works! Pulling the handle in a quick upwards motion, the horn will create a deep and classic foghorn sound. These particular horns served quite an interesting purpose.

A marine foghorn gives a signal to warn ships of hazards, dangers and the presence of other vessels in foggy conditions through the use of sound. These horns were used in WWII mostly to warn of sub or ship sightings. A series of long and short sounds with short or long pauses between them is a foghorn signal. These signals are code conforming to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. When a signal is made it may tell whether a ship is at anchor or aground, under sail or motor, small or large.

Kochums Mechanical Workshop manufactured the Tyfon foghorn in or around 1910 in Malmo, Sweden. Kockums Mechanical Werkstad, Ltd. was established in 1840, and established a shipyard at the Port of Malmo in Sweden in 1870. As well as building marine goods, such as the fog horns, the company built ships and large industrial and agricultural machinery. The ship production in Malmo came to a halt in 1987.

Of course, I’m not the only one to write about antiques. There are many blogs and newsletters to read that cover a variety of antique topics. However, one of my personal favorites is Fellows. From the content they post, to the look of their site, they know how to grab your attention.

Located in England, Fellows is an auctioneer firm for antiques, jewelry and collectables. However, they do specialize in Jewelry and watches. One of my favorite parts about the content they post is the uniqueness of the items they sell. For example, they auctioned off a watch containing the world’s oldest rum. The Speake-Marin limited edition gentleman’s titanium ‘Rum’ watch contains a small amount of 1780 Harewood Rum at the 11 hour mark.

As an antique site, I expected it to be out dated and slightly cluttered, however, that was not the case. The website is modern, organized and very easy to navigate. When I found the blog I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The font, the photos and the simplicity create a “social media” look that makes it very appealing to the eye. From the posts to the site, Fellows is an incredible resource for information and entertainment!

Check them out on Instagram and Twitter!

Gruene Antique company has a lot of unique items and hidden treasures within it’s walls. The merchandise inside the store is incredible, but we can’t forget about the building itself. The store was built 115 years ago, making it historical and one big antique! Located just across the street is the oldest dancehall in Texas, Gruene Hall. Since 1986, the building has been an antique store, but what about before?

Well, Henry Gruene began building and settling in Gruene in the 1850s. He built numerous building such as a first mercantile, a cotton gin, a cottage, a large brick home and a dace hall. As time went on, and the town prospered, Mr. Gruene built a second mercantile (now Gruene Antique Company). Constructed in 1904, the building had a few different pieces to it. On the right side, was Mr. Gruene’s office and the bank safe, the left was a post office. The large room in the center, taking up most of the building, was the mercantile.

The building served as a mercantile until, following the death of Henry Gruene, the Great Depression hit and the family was forced to go under. Oddly enough, when the family closed everything, Gruene Hall remained opened. Fortunately, Pat Molak purchased Gruene in 1975, and works to preserve all the authenticity of buildings and the town. The mercantile is now Gruene Antique Company and has been since 1986. 6,500 sq. feet full of antiques is a wonderful place to to come shop or even just browse.

Welcome and thanks for joining me! My name is Avery Capri Olson, and I’m here to tell you about a few of the antiques at the Gruene Antique Company! First, however, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I have lived in the New Braunfels and San Marcos area my entire life and I first started working at Gruene Antique Co. when I was 16 years old. In my time working there, I have become fascinated with the building history as well as the history of the treasures held inside. Therefore, I have chosen to write about the history and uses of the antiques and other merchandise sold in the store.

I’ll admit it, before I worked there, I was never one to go into antique stores. However, after getting to personally work with the antiques and the antique dealers, I have become quite fascinated with learning about the objects that pass through the store. It is incredible how many treasures lie on the shelves within. I hope by writing, I can further my own knowledge on the antiques as well as others.

Unfortunately, one thing I have noticed while working is that I don’t see many people my age interested in coming in to see what we have to offer. In fact, many of them walk in, realize it is an antique store, and walk out without even giving it a chance! However, when I do see them come in, a lot of times they find things that intrigue them, which is exciting to me. My hope is to reach an audience of young people who enjoy and appreciate the history of the antiques. Similarly, I would like to educate those who are not super interested, and possibly introduce them to the world of antique curiosity.