Arrows Across America

I saw this article on CNN a few months ago, and I am just now getting around to posting it, but better late than never.  Air mail was a relatively new thing back in the 1920s and '30s, as was aviation itself.  To help the fledging air mail pilots find their way, huge concrete arrows were placed along the routes, illuminated at night by nearby beacons.  With the beacon towers long since vanished, the arrows still remain, continuing to point toward the destination of those early pilots.  A California couple has created a website of all the arrows they have discovered, Arrows Across America, including a few with the towers and sheds still intact.

Late 1940's View-Master Viewer With Discs

At a recent estate sale, I came across the above item.  Other than realizing it was an early View-Master viewer, and having seen one belonging to my niece just a few months ago, I did not have much information about it.  Since it came with about 25 slide discs, most of which had copyright dates around 1946, it was cool, and the price was right, I picked it up.

My research has now revealed that it is a (probably) late 1940's or early 1950's Sawyer View-Master Model C.  There is an article on Collector's Weekly relating the origin and history of the View-Master, including its contribution to the war effort during World War II. 

It appears the Bakelite Model C is relatively indestructible, so inexpensive examples can be found in perfect working order.  I have not been able to view all the discs yet, but most are scenic views of U.S. National Parks, along with an early clay-model version of Goldilocks, and a few Hopalong Cassidy discs.  I've already enjoyed having it in my collection.    

1940's Porto Baradio

When the ice and snow finally melted away this weekend, I was able to drop by an estate sale or two, and I saw this intriguing item.  Being accompanied by my apprentice (Benjamin, age 5), who required some supervision, I was unable to do any research on it at the sale.  Other than being a bar with a built-in radio, and having a definite 1940's look, I had no information.



Subsequent research revealed it to be a Stewart-Warner "Porto Baradio" from around 1942.  It is what it appears to be:  a portable bar with a built-in radio.  Further research found that this particular piece does not have any of the original glassware, and that the warped speaker grill/radio dial was common for these models.  Listed price at the estate sale was $90, but it was 20% off for the second day of the sale, or $72.  If it lasted to the next day, it may have been half off. 

National Recovery Admnistration Sign

Here is another find from the Nashville Flea Market in October.  Straight from the New Deal, this is a metal National Recovery Administration (NRA) sign.  The NRA (no, not the National Rifle Association) was a federal agency created during the New Deal to help the country recover from the Great Depression, and businesses would hang these signs to show that they were participating in NRA programs.  It appeared to be original, and I have not found any reproductions available.  The asking price was $75.  Interestingly, I found another such sign in similar condition at another booth for $80.  I had not seen even one, much less two, of these signs prior to this occasion. 

Finds: 1940s RCA VIctrola Wireless Record Player

I'm adding a new series to the blog:  Finds.  Occasionally, I get the chance to hit the odd antique store, estate sale or flea market.  Whether I buy anything or not, I often see some pretty interesting items from the Swing Era, and I often learn something new when I do.  Case in point:  this 1940 RCA Victrola Wireless Record Player I found last month at the Nashville Flea Market.  Yes, you read that correctly - "Wireless" record player.  This unit has no speakers, and other than a power cord, no cables or cords to connect it to any other device.  How do you hear the music?  This device sends the audio from the record, via its own internal radio transmitter, to any nearby AM radio tuned to that frequency.  Yes, well before Bluetooth and Mr. Microphone, folks could hear their music transmitted wirelessly from one device to another.  Prior to finding this item, I had no clue that such things existed.  Apparently they were manufactured by several companies from 1939 to 1942.  

 

P.S. - If you're wondering what happened to it, I bought it on behalf of a friend of mine who restores antique radios.  Of course, he knew exactly what it was, and it has found a good home.