Hogs and Roses

Waconia Baseball Pennant 1889

2023-03-06T19:01:00.003-06:00

The sorting of my 50 years of collected stuff is still running well. In the past few days I have been working on the boxes that piled up in the closet of my at home office. I've found some really interesting things. I have piles of trash bags ready for the dump. I am reasonably certain that I will have no further need for electric bills from 1999 or auction receipts from 2004. I also have a growing pile of boxes of things that I have priced and packed for Spring sales at the Wright Co. Swappers Meet. I have found many books, atlases and thousands of photos and postcards.

The pile of boxes ready for the Meet on April 1st.

The view into a box.

I have found a number of interesting thing to sell and I have cleared office and closet space. I still have many more days to process the inventory in my house.

One of 12-13 display cases with WWII military patches.

Framed Sleepy Eye Flour sign.

Travel agency advertisement for

Swedish-American Lines.

Judd cast iron mechanical bank.

My favorite find is this 1889 pennant for the Waconia Blues town baseball team. I knew that I had it, but I have been looking for it for more than 5 years. Today it appeared in a box of obsolete Soviet naval flags that I bought at the Moscow flea market in 2001.

The search continues and I hope to find more interesting items (and some more empty floor space).

Mr. Flannery

Wright County Swappers Meet Opens in One Month

2023-02-28T14:06:00.008-06:00

I am sitting in my at home office looking out at 15-20 inches of new snow covering the yard and the frozen lake. I am suffering cabin fever and am ready to be outside wearing something lighter than my hooded parka and mukluks. It is bright and mostly sunny and the higher angle of the sun is radiating much more heat. The Twins have a Spring training baseball game on the TV. There are signs of the Winter breaking here on the tundra. Then I remembered that the Wright County Swappers Meet is scheduled to begin in one month.

I retired from selling at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo in December about 5 years ago. By Springtime after my retirement, I decided that I missed selling my large selection of antiques emphasizing the strange and unusual. The Wright County Swappers Meet is one of the largest outdoor markets in Minnesota and is located only three miles from my house. I decided to give the Meet a try.

I hauled my truck filled with antiques over to the Meet on a Saturday morning to give it a try. I met a lot of people and sold a few antiques. Since then I have become a regular, selling almost every Saturday from April through October. I have learned that I am a bit unique amongst the Meet sellers. I am not the typical seller, with tube socks, cassette tapes and Chinese tools. I sell real antiques and unique and strange items, but no tube socks. I usually know what my item is and often have a history for it. I have treated my space at the Meet as an antique shop rather than a flea market booth. I have also indulged my penchant for often selling the heaviest item that isn't a tractor.

I have attended many auctions in the past 50 years and buying heavy has always been my practice. Last year at the Meet I had a huge cast iron cauldron which had been converted into a yard planter by placing it is an iron framework that sported an iron school bell above the cauldron. I estimated its weight in the quarter ton area. It was part of my "windproof patio furniture" line. In addition, I had two cast iron wheeled foundry carts that had been converted into yard planters.

I always have a couple of tables full tools, tiles, crocks and bowls, all from the 1930's or earlier. I have collected Red Wing crocks and bowls since the beginning and pieces and parts of this collection are regularly appearing on my tables. There are always clocks, plumbing fixtures, pieces of architectural salvage, fancy windows, barn doors and porch posts. Some of of my favorites are old paintings, frames and photos.

Remembering the re-opening of the Wright County Swappers Meet in a month has got me contemplating what kinds of items I will be setting up this Spring. I have made lists of this and that to have available at the Meet.

Wool striped full bed blanket, 1930's

Foundry cart loaded with cast iron.

Tin game board, 1920's.

Copper plated heater (converted to a lamp)

1920's.

Hand carved and painted Mexican bar, 1950's.

I am anxiously awaiting the opening of the Meet on Saturday April 1. I have spent parts of the past few weeks sorting through some of the totes and boxes in my house. I have dumped the trash and priced the goods. I will have piles of "new" items to sell at the Meet.

Mr. Flannery

Victorian Clock Shelf with Beaded Skirt

2020-03-04T20:02:00.000-06:00

This is a very interesting Victorian clock shelf that I picked up today. I have never seen one decorated with a beaded skirt. I think that it will make a great display shelf.

Mr. Flannery

X-ray to TV Stand

2020-02-19T14:46:00.002-06:00

I have been contemplating a number of projects for the upcoming show season. The snow on the tundra is still more than a foot deep, but cabin fever is starting to grip my psyche. I was thumbing through the internet and found this photo of an old platform grain scale turned into a TV stand.

This hatched an idea. I have a 1920's dental X-ray machine with the tube mounted on a cast iron articulating arm. The arm extends, spins and at the tube mount tilts.

The arm is mounted on the right bottom corner of this photo and then folded and bungeed around itself. The X-ray head, on the left side of the photo, will be dismounted at the pivot. I think that I can modify a TV wall mount to fit the pivot. I will then mount the arm on a heavy cart, table or fixed spot. I think it will give a very industrial look.

Another idea is to gut the tube area and convert the arm to a desk lamp. I have a cast metal lamp fixture with a 6" x 4" rectangular lens. I can fit that on the arm and create a desk lamp that would operate kinda like a doctor's exam light.

Either way it will be a contest to see if I can bring my thoughts to fruition. Its only the middle of February and I already have Spring fever.

Mr. Flannery

Two of the Coolest Items I Have

2020-01-28T18:09:00.000-06:00

I bought 2 of these hammered copper building decoration at a local on-line auction. They are 120-130 years old, 51" wide, 4 inches deep and 27" tall. They were originally from the St. Benedict's Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota. I am trying to decide whether to keep them or sell.

Mr. Flannery

The Heavier the Better

2020-01-28T17:49:00.000-06:00

I thought that I'd give the old blog another spin around the net. Mr. Flannery, your correspondent, has sorta migrated to Facebook, but I think I like the old blog format better.

I have retired selling at any of the shops. After more than 30 years, I decided that I didn't need that concentrated work anymore. I have retreated to selling at a show or two and at the Wright County Swappers Meet (aka the Annandale Flea). The flea is seasonal, only on Saturdays (except for the 3 summer holiday weekends), well trafficked and only 3-4 miles from my house. I figure that once I make the minimal rent I am already up a couple hundred bucks because I didn't go to an auction on that Saturday.

I participated in a local online auction this week. They were selling some of the fixtures from the old butcher shop. I spent a little money and ended up buying some very heavy items.

With winter in full rage here on the tundra, I am suffering from serious cabin fever. I cannot wait for the April opening of the Flea Market. I have been making lists, drawing maps and contemplating sales. I miss the social interaction, I miss the cool junk that I can discuss with the customers. I'm ready for Spring.

This Time They are Auctioning My Stuff

2016-09-26T13:36:00.000-05:00

It is happening. Instead of buying at auction, an activity that I have enjoyed for more than 40 years, I am going to SELL at auction. The auction is next Sunday, October 2nd at Noon in Fairhaven, Minnesota.

I have rented a 40' by 25' large garage for storage for many years. My landlord has now sold the home site and garage and the new owners want to use the garage rather than receive my rent payments. I have until October 12th to empty the building.

My first instinct was to move my stuff elsewhere. I have now accepted that that is an unachievable task. The panic was setting in. How am I going to move this mountain of junk in 2 weeks. Luckily I was able to persuade a local auctioneer, Derek Lundeen, to take this auction on very short notice.

I have been unpacking, sorting and throwing for the past week. I have suffered a junkalanche or two. My feet and back are stiff and tired. I am too old to deal with this hoard. Now it will be auctioned, after the crew sets it up, and hopefully all of the junk will depart.

This photo gives you a glimpse of what I faced when I peared into the big building.

There is a lot of "in the rough" and antique furniture.

A couple of horizontal file cabinets.

Lots of drawers.

I hope everything sells. I especially hope that it doesn't rain next Sunday. I haven't attended an auction this month and it looks like my selling auction will be the next one that I make it to.

Mr. Flannery

I am ready SO early.

2016-09-24T22:11:00.000-05:00

We had a special sale for a bus load of women on a ladies' weekend adventure. This meant that we had to have our spaces ready more than a week early from the normal monthly market at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo, Minnesota. I am almost never ready early and often am the last one setting up on the Sunday evening before the normal event. I have been bringing items in since the last sale. I brought a load from my soon to be abandoned storage building on Friday and finshed my set up by 10 PM. And I wasn't the last dealer to complete my set up.

I will probably bring in a few more items and maybe do a little bit of rearranging, but I am now ready for the October market.

The north wall of my space.

A piece of church fretwork, lantern, arts and crafts umbrella stand, silverplate tray and knick-knack shelf, just sort of stacked together.

Silverplate tray sits on the umbrella stand making a small table.

1907 3-D (high relief) Atlas School Map of Africa. Decorative wood fragments sit on a table in front.

1907 map of South America.

The pile on the east wall. The table is a narrow drop leaf with only one leaf and a small drawer in the end.

Appears to be a heavy antique vest from India.

Tamborines, 3 vintage Franch berets, a marjong set.

Rolled up antique runner, Doctor's bag and big bucket.

Fancy wood finial

Mid-Century Modern double desk lamp.

Ten Girls by Dickens

Early Minnesota Stories

The west wall. The table is a vintage small harvest table that will make a great sofa table or TV stand.

And it's orange.

Vintage stained glass window

1920's woman's coat. Seal with minl collar and wonderful blue and gold liner.

Hardware carrier

Tall Mid Century Modern Italian art glass lamp.

I like the variety of items that I have this month. Let's hope that the buyers feel the same way.

Mr. Flannery

The Weathered Fence Post is My Favorite Piece

2016-08-30T12:08:00.001-05:00

Well I did get everything, almost, into Second Hand Rose, for the September market that begins on September 1st. It was hot, it rained a lot and as usual the furniture that I was dancing with was heavy. My camera was uncharged so I "borrowed" these photos from Amy Johnson.

The west wall. The small arts & crafts bookcase on the left is nice. The copper, horse decorated lamp atop the bookcase has a vintage milk can strainer shade. The blue background print on the wall is a coat of arms and very attractive.

The north wall. The pillars are great, but the old weathered rail fence post in the center is my favoritest piece. There are some really cool items in this photo. On the very outside edges are chestnut bed rails from a rope bed. They have threaded ends and knobs for looping the rope. Next to the rails and across the top are three pieces of 1950's decorative gingerbread from a 1952 house in Willmar, MN.

Mid-century modern chair with a great wrought iron lamp with strainer shade on the table next to the chair.

Black (ebonized) Victorian chairs circa 1875.

The little hat boxes in front of the horse lamp each contain a miniture cowboy hat.

I have two ash slab tables with poly drying ready to add to the mix.

Mr. Flannery

A coffee table that I repurposed at Second Hand Rose this month.

2016-07-31T23:18:00.000-05:00

Its time for the monthly four day market at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo, Minnesota again next weekend. It was hot and humid today getting my pieces into place on Sunday. There's a new wrinkle for this market too. I actually assembled a repurposed piece of furniture from items that I have gathered over the past few months.

This is my new old piece. A great coffee table assembled from a milled ash slab and an old cast iron sewing machine base.

The base is shorter that most old sewing machines and when attached to the ash slab it stands at a perfect coffee table height.

The base is very attractive.

The rest of my set up involves 4 very large white chippy paint porch posts. I measured one while it was laying in the truck. It was going to fit by about one inch. I hoisted the 100 pound monster into the shop and gingerly slid it into place with about an inch to spare. I hauled the other three posts into the shop and then tried to set them up. It seems that the other three posts are about 4 inches taller than the post that I measured and barely fit. I think that Mr. Murphy was overseeing this entire transaction. The posts would not fit. So instead of standing stately on each side of my center vignette, I had to stack them at an angle forming a V on the back wall of my space.

A very nice small walnut desk just in time for back to school.

The blue pieces are livestock feeders that have a bracket to hang on a fence. They will make great flower pot holders on a porch or a deck.

The 1950's wire rescue basket has been hung upside down from the ceiling showing how it would work as a light fixture and pot holder over a center island.

Great oak North wind face pressed chair hanging above the desk.

It's going to be a great market in Buffalo this month.

Mr. Flannery

A Brush with Alien Technology

2016-07-24T18:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the monsoon auction. The temperatures here on the tundra have been death defyingly hot and humid. High 90*s with at least 120% humidity. The cold front, if you can call it that, roared through here with huge rains, hail, high winds and a couple of tornadoes. So instead of setting up at the flea market I decided to go to an auction.

The auctioneer suspended selling twice for more than 45 minutes each time. When the civil defense sirens in the nearby town sounded, the auctioneer decided that everyone was on their own and seeking shelter might be a good idea. We had over 5 inches of rain in about 3 hours. The field for parking vehicles was swamped and churned to mud by cars trying to escape. My umbrella inverted in the wind and was then abandoned. On the first break I went to the local thrift and bought a $3 replacement. It didn't really help. By the time the auction was over I was soaked and caked with mud.

Was it worth it? Probably not. But then again I don't have a real life, so the excitement and challenge was invigorating. I bought a few pieces, a great flood light, a couple of 1950's hood ornaments and some chairs. However the most interesting piece was this Allen automobile testing machine that I hauled home on the small trailer that I bought.

When I first saw the machine through my rain splattered glasses I thought it was marked "Alien" rather than "Allen". Here was my chance to grab my own piece of alien technology and perhaps an appearance on the History Channel. It was somewhat deflating to read Allen when I got closer.

The plexiglass "Priebe Truck Sales" banner is the frosting on the cake.

The wires and probes were still in the drawers, but so alligatored and cracked that they probably will only be used as templates for modern wires,

My initial idea was to detach the top, replace the top of the cart and turn it into a nice art deco kitchen cart. However I was told that these kind of machines are being restored by the vintage car guys who are then adding them to their vintage garage. I have some research to do, but I may try to sell it as is.

Another adventure in life on the tundra brought to you by,

Mr. Flannery

Stacking it Higher and Deeper

2016-07-11T10:20:00.002-05:00

I had a very busy end of the week. Real work in St. Paul on Thursday and Friday. Then a power trip during Friday rush hour from St. Paul to St. Cloud to pick up two leather chairs at Dave Miller's auction house. Loaded the truck and then headed for Second Hand Rose in Buffalo. Reset my space at SHR. Saturday it was on to a farm estate auction and another full pick-up. Sunday was work day at SHR and another shuffling of goods into the shop.

The Saturday auction was the most interesting. They had hay rack after hay rack of smalls ready to sell, 7 racks total. It seemed that everything that I wanted to bid on was the 6th box added to the 5 boxes that hadn't sold. I would get 5-6 boxes along with the one item that I sought. I bought everything from metal shooting targets to vintage x-ray machines. The auction took 6 hours and then I started sorting.

I refused to haul home all the trash in the first 5 boxes, but I couldn't just ditch them without looking. I sorted through the mound of stuff that had accumulated next to my bidding position. I left much more than I loaded into the truck. I strapped and strapped again. I bungeed and bungeed some more.

Sawhorses for $1 sit on top of the load. A mid-century modern bed straddled the wheel well. Wire racks of many different styles topped the load.

I even filled the cavity behind the bed and over the wheel well with junk. Wire wheel covers that may end up as the shades on a chandelier, a lantern and a well used mailbox.

I got the red chairs for $1 but will only be using the hairpin legs. There is a Wagner brake fluid machine looking like an old vacuum in the lower right and next to it is the head of the x-ray machine.

I bought the little decrepit Victorian stand at the top to salvage the fretwork.

Today I have to unload the truck, process the red chairs and then head for an auction.

More adventures,

Mr. Flannery

Lights Out on the Tundra

2016-07-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

Its been an interesting 24 hours here on the tundra. Big winds, hail, heavy rain and a couple of scattered tornadoes visited our section of the USA. Our power went out at 4:45 PM Tuesday. Eventually I called customer service, with a 2 pressed here and a 10 digit number clearly enunciated there I finally got to a recording that stated power should be restored by 11:00 PM. A call at 11:30 PM pushed the recorded restoration time to 6:00 AM.

Now I live out in the country with a well and a septic system. I also have a sump in the basement needed to remove some of the 2.5" of rain that will be gradually filtering into the sump pit. No power means no water, no sewer (because the waste has to be pumped to the drain field at the top of the 75' bank) and no sump.

We made it through the night without flushing or watering but the kitties' water bowl was close to dry. (Babe just sauntered to the lake and drank his fill). So at 8:30 AM I called again and it was now 10:00 AM to restoration. I called at 11:00 and the new time was 11:00 PM. I called again at 4:00 PM and a actual person answered the phone. Of course she was of no more help than the useless recorded message. After explaining that there had been big winds and lots of trees down she said they hoped to have all power returned by 6:00 PM TOMORROW.

I got home at about 5:00 PM and the power was restored. The sump was sumping, the refrigerators were refrigerating and the waters were flowing. Just more proof that Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Co. has no idea what or when it is doing.

Adventures in electricity for,

Mr. Flannery

July 2016 Market at Second Hand Rose

2016-07-05T12:18:00.000-05:00

Its time for the monthly 4 day market at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo, Minnesota. I finished up my space on Sunday morning. It was the first set up in a long time that was ready to go easily.

The west wall of my space with tambor door siding.

A c. 1900 Wicker and leather streetcar or bus bench.

4 green wicker garden chairs atop and near a Rock Spring store display rack.

Granite ware old cook stove top, tools, stools and animal parts.

1950's rescue basket, fancy ladies and drafting stool.

1960's pendant light.

custom made back walnut danish modern style desk.

Cloth hanging map of Scandinavia.

Designer Italian leather somewhat shabby recliner.

Entrance into my space.

Here's hoping for a good market at SHR.

Mr. Flannery

Jung Brewery Tied House Saloon Table and Chairs

2016-07-05T11:36:00.000-05:00

It was a less than average Thursday auction at one of my favorite auction houses, Dave Miller's in St. Cloud. I went to the auction to look at a pair of leather chairs that were online in the auction bill. I looked at the chairs, they were right and just what I expected. There were a couple of other pieces of furniture that were interesting and a couple of smalls that would work if they sold for the right price.

I sat around waiting for the leather chairs and even bought a couple of small pieces to make sure that my bidding arm was working properly. Dave got to the furniture at about 7:30 PM and started down the line getting better prices than I would pay for most items. At the end of the first line he came to a game table with 4 pressedback chairs. I had looked at the set but didn't do a hard examination because I wasn't too interested. The chairs were solid and the table didn't rock. Bidding started low and moved very slowly, stalling at $65. I thought that was a very cheap price for 4 chairs and a game table so I threw in a $70 bid. No further bids so the set was mine.

The bidding moved on to other items and eventually to the leather chairs. My friend Sam had come to the auction to look at the chairs too, but deferred to me on the purchase. I got the chairs and then had them put one on Sam's bidding number. I next bought a custom made black walnut Danish modern style desk. The desk is beautiful and I'm pretty sure that I didn't pay enough to reproduce even one drawer.

We loaded the truck in the dark and I didn't examine anything other than getting the straps in the right places to keep the entire load on the truck all the way home. The next morning I decided to bring the load to Second Hand Rose for the July market. I unstrapped the load and started hauling things into my space. I then took my first good look at the pressed design on the back of the chair. There looking me right in the eye because of the angle that the chair being carried was a clear pressed "JUNG"

I got very interested. I knew that Jung was an old time brewery in Milwaukee and I had seen saloon chairs marked with the logo of other breweries. I also knew that game tables with pockets under the tabletop where often used in bars. (I have a game table from a bar in Alma Wisconsin in my house).

I reloaded the table and chairs into my truck, leaving the leather chair and the walnut desk at Second Hand Rose. It was time for some research concerning brewery furniture.

Jung Brewery Tied House

Tavern Table and Four Chairs

Jung Brewery was in Milwaukee between 1896 and the start of Prohibition in 1920.

“Many breweries went out and purchased as many ‘corner saloons’ as they could; then they rented the saloon to a saloon keeper who sold only the owners-brewer’s beer.

They also supplied them with large lithographs of their brewery, tavern tables (they had pockets by each leg where the customer could place his beer while he played cards), tavern chairs with brewery logo pressed in the back, foam scrapers, etc.”

Beer Advertising Memorabilia, by Heydock at p. 37 (2003)

I was so proud of the saloon table and chairs that I decided to bring them to my space at the Annandale Flea Market (actually known as the Wright County Swappers Meet) for the July 4th market. I knew the set would look great and bring shoppers into my area. I didn't think that it would sell. Well I was wrong. Adam and Tiffany, the same somewhat off beat couple who bought my Dairy Queen drive-up order sign, bought the brewery set too. Bought, hauled around Wright County and sold in 8 days.

It was a very fine adventure,

Mr. Flannery

The Wilds of the Mall of America

2015-02-13T21:15:00.000-06:00

I had meetings in St. Paul today, so after I decided to attempt the near unthinkable. I went to IKEA at Mall of America to find some wired sockets for lamps that I may make. I have only been to the MoA a couple three times in the 20 years that it has been open, then usually to step in and out of Nordstrom's without hitting the main mall. I have never been in IKEA, which is in a separate free standing building adjacent to the Mall.

I find the right freeway exit and entrance to get into the IKEA parking. In fact, I get to park in a space right across from the lower level entrance. Across the drive and into the building, up one floor and into the MAZE. I'm thinking that this is going to be terrible. Where the hell will the power cords be? I turn the first corner, and there in the bin, just past the Swedish meatball food stand (which inexplicably had a line waiting for service), were the cords. I piled 6 cords into the wierd yellow shopping bag and exalted in how easy this is going to be. I then spend the next 20 minutes trying to find the checkout.

There are signs impaled in the ceiling the have arrows pointing to the exit. Around and around on the curving pathways with no straight lines and no lines of site. I asked for help, it didn't. I was feeling that the seasoned shoppers were buying the meatballs so they could leave a crumb path to the exit. I walked and sashayed pasted bins for $5 enviromentally friendly lifebulbs (where a $1 of each purchase was given to help African children who will never see a $5 bulb (or even electricity) in their life. I went sort of north, sort of east and past the same kiosk from three different dirrections. I heard a 20's something couple discuss the pros and cons of a coffee grinder. I saw many strange and a few wonderful things, but no meatball shards and no exit. Around and around I go and then there in the ceiling a convergence of arrows pointing to the EXIT. It takes 15 minutes to check out , because while there are hundreds of lanes only a couple were open. I buy my cords and find out that IKEA makes you buy a special shopping bag (made from recycled fibers I am sure). No plastic bag to carry my cords. I grab an empty cart, get my bearings through the first window that I've seen and head to my truck.

I dump the cart in an unapproved area, because I wasn't going to walk to the cart corral without meatball fragments to mark the return pathway. I was not impressed with IKEA and will not be looking forward to my next excursion to the MoA.

Mr. Flannery

Sugar and Spice and the Obligatory Animal Part

2015-02-01T23:48:00.002-06:00

Well its that time again. The monthly market at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo Minnesota starts on Thursday and runs through Sunday. I have my normal mixture of sweets and saucy and of course for the 13th month in a row I do have animal parts for sale.

An overview of my spot, propellers to the left and paddles to the right.

The tall cabinets under the globe and in the back corner were constructed from orange crates and the paper label is still in place on the tops.

A pair of props.

A store display cabinet from the Pennsylvania Dutch Candy Co. festooned with cast iron stove doors, books and pottery.

A nice cast iron stove door behind a shabby frame.

Fancy cast iron stove door, complete with dragons.

A pair of hand painted tables.

The smallest mounted Northern Pike ever done.

A great industrial hanging light.

Rusty cast iron stove door with an embossed elk in the center.

Great steel legged stool.

A timeless clock (no hands).

Trolls on the door of the chimney cupboard.

It says Studebaker.

I will be working on Sunday. Here's hoping for a good four day run.

Mr. Flannery

The Coolest Thing That I Have Picked

2014-12-20T22:47:00.000-06:00

We went picking yesterday. This is a tough time to pick here on the tundra because it is cold and snowy. But we had a lead so we headed north. A couple of weeks ago we had left a brochure with a guy. He didn't have anything but that he would give it to his dad who had stuff. Well, dad called and we were off to see his stuff.

Dad was about 8o years old, He had worked for the railroad and his dad had been a superintendent for the railroad. We strolled through the house negotiated and bought a number of items. Searched the basement and bought some more. Some railroad books, 2 caboose lanterns, a couple of signal lights, a huge 1880's blue transferware platter, an Oriental rug were put on the list. We went outside to the shed and bought a few other items. Then dad said there is something in the garage that you may want to see.

In the middle of the garage on the floor sat an intact locomotive headlight complete with the three glass engine number plaques. Apparently he wasn't going to show us the headlight unless we passed the earlier tests in the house and shed. Well we passed.

The headlight was from a steam locomotive. It was a Mallet Yellowstone Locomotive built by Baldwin for the Duluth, Missabi & Iron Range Railway in 1943. It was one of 8 Yellowstones that were the largest steam locomotives at that time and used to haul war essential iron ore from the iron ranges to Duluth and shipment to Pittsburgh.

We have never seen a fully dressed locomotive headlamp that was for sale. We negotiated, we bargained, we feinted and we joked. We bought the headlamp. It is the coolest thing that we've found in the 2 years that I've been picking.

After the sale dad called one of his friends. We visited Don and filled the truck with the picks from his garage. We also made a date to visit again after New Years to scour more stuff from Don's stash.

All in all it was an excellent day for picking here on the tundra.

Mr. Flannery

Its 4 Days in November at Second Hand Rose

2014-11-03T22:43:00.000-06:00

Our monthly 4 day event at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo, Minnesota will start next Thursday. As is my wont I finished getting my space filled and all the exceptional junk priced today at the last possible minute. I have my usual eclectic mish-mash of real antiques, homemade lamps and quirky "where and why" pieces. A few photos of my space panning from east to west follow.

On the eastern edge is the curved galvanized metal cover from a large hog feeder, with skis, oak buffet parts and a rusty barbwire wreath. Two big hanks of rope are at its feet.

The back wall include a homemade, folk art style, cupboard, and Al Mohler painting, 1940's duck prints and my homemade industrial style lamp on a small table.

A super 1914 plat map for an area on North Minneapolis sits next to an orange metal parts bin.

1930's Santa sits on a handpainted abstract table. The metal tower is encircled with twinkle lights (and creating the white spots reflected on George.

Lots of tables on tables and stools next to stools. The rug is a 1930's Persian with wonderful rich colors.

This should be another great sale. The rest of the shop looks fabulous and in Roses tradition, very color coordinated and Christmasy.

Mr. Flannery

More Treats than Tricks at Second Hand Rose

2014-09-29T18:52:00.001-05:00

Well its occasional sale time in Buffalo, Minnesota. I completed my monthly task of getting my ten pounds of hogs into my five pound space. I took a different tack this time and I have upholstered pieces and lots of color.

Starting on the East side of my space with an antique washbowl stand on top of a small size buffet.

A small yellow settee sits on a big orange coffee table and next to antique oak center table that was painted a fashionable green 75 years ago. The oil painting over the table adds chunks of color.

George sits above a pair of Victorian Eastlake upholstered chair that are on a giant library table with two huge drawers.

Under the library table is an antique oak console table that has been reduced to coffee table height and a colorfully striped stool.

Another green painted antique table, coffee table and airplane prop.

A great big nut is in the center of the stretcher, with tons of framed items to sort through.

The chart is a colorful periodic table of elements printed on metal.

The panoramic view of my space.

Here hoping for a good sale. With our four days per month sales format we have only a small window to make our sales work.

Mr. Flannery

The Heaviest Thing That Isn't a Tractor

2014-09-15T23:28:00.000-05:00

My penchant for attending an auction and buying the heaviest thing that isn't a tractor has been transferred to the online auction world. I bought this fabulous 3 drawer library table online tonight. It is massive, approximately 7 feet long by 3 1/2 feet wide with five massive fluted legs. I have to pick it up and haul it home in the next couple of days.

Mr. Flannery

Update: I picked it up at the online auction site yesterday. It is BIGGER than I thought. It is 8 feet long and 3.5 feet wide. It is solid mahogany and each of the 5 legs must weigh 30 pounds. It would not fit through the doorways assembled, so I had to take it apart. That's OK because the auction people will not help you load and I was by myself. After a great deal of huffing and puffing and restings and sitting I got the pieces into my truck. This process finalize my plans for the piece.

It was going to rain and I could not unload this beast into my house by myself. I called Jami at Gypsy Lea's and asked her if she could take it at her shop. That worked, so I headed to Sauk Rapids. Luckily it was a one doorway path to installation and Jami really helped a lot with the lifting and tugging. It looks great but I have some cleaning and polishing to do before it will be ready for sale.

Now that the truck was empty - I headed for an auction. Oh my!

September 2014 at Second Hand Rose

2014-09-02T15:50:00.002-05:00

Well its that time again. The monthly sale at Second Hand Rose starts on Thursday, September 4th. I have my space finished and ready for the hordes of customers that we hope will decend on the shop.

This is a shot of my entire space from across the aisle.

I like the classroom print of George and the school band gong stand. They are sitting atop and next to 3 different coffee tables.

Two 1880's Victorian chairs are levitated above the tables.

A great Victorian gable end piece of fretwork seems to have the profile of a stealth bomber.

A handpainted Federalist America fireplace screen.

The screen sits on an elegant 1948 Zenith radio/phonograph.

A copper plated pot rack hangs infront of a nice kitchen cupboard with its original shelf paper.

The big primitive orange painted table is on the bottom.

A metal rolling medical/dental cabinet with a stainless steel top has a chrome plated snare drum used as a centerplace bowl on it.

A green chippy painted scaffold stand (looks like a ladder) is behind a small oak lecturn.

The blue painted cubby with drawers sits on a rolling restaurant stainless steel cart. There is a green painted metal tool box with a wood fitted interior on the lower shelf of the cart.

Its going to be another good sale at SHR and I will be working on Sunday.

Mr. Flannery

Dirt, Dust and a Little Mouse Poop Too

2014-08-13T22:18:00.000-05:00

We went picking today. It was interesting because we had the truck filled before noon. First we stopped at a recycler. I bought the stand for a yard windmill. Kris wraps these in small X-mas lights and sells them in November and December. Chris, my fellow picker, brought a metal shipping casket. We figure that will do well in October. We dropped the windmill off at my parked truck and proceeded to freelance. Ultimately we found an old farm. The owner didn't have anything, then he was going to send me the neighbor to look at a plane collection. As we were driving off we spotted an old work bench and a metal sign in the garage. I went back to the house and the dealing was on.

The bench was a wonderful old carpenters bench from the turn of the 20th century. And it was gigantic. Over 8 1/2 feet long and two different screw vices. It was piled with 30-40 years of stuff. I dug it out and Chris and I finally separated the top from the base and grunted it into the truck. It hung out of the truck by a couple of feet. We then attacked the base. Along with the casket, it completely filled the truck. We strapped an old Schwin on top and we were done. I was completely exhausted and covered with sweat, dust and crap. It was a good day.

Mr. Flannery

Its June at Second Hand Rose

2014-06-01T23:39:00.001-05:00

Its the first Thursday in June and the monthly sale at Second Hand Rose is just about ready. I finished setting and pricing in my space today. In typical Hogs and Roses fashion I have 20 pounds of pieces stuffed into my 10 pound space. I'm very pleased with the stuff that I have. My biggest concern is the weight limit for the 130 year old floor in our portion of the shop.

I assembled this table from the base for an industrial meat grinder with a massive cast iron floor grate as a top. I especially like the casting "THE BUFFALO" in the base.

There's a large pine bar with an attached wooden prop and a cast iron fireplace surround leaning to the front. The red linoleum topped table includes 2 matching chairs.

A great grate is cast and wrought iron.

Wonderful cast iron Railroad Crossing sign from the Miniature Train Co.

A second stained and etched glass window.

These two Art Deco metal grills are from the Sears Building before the Towers.

The mailbox was made in Duluth. We have forensicly examined it and determined that there are entrance and exit wounds through the box.

Lots of industrial lights.

I like the way the windmill fragment works as a crown over the sign.

This is a great step back kitchen cupboard.

A cast iron skate sharpening clamp turned into a bottle rack.

And of course, a folk art painting over the doorway.

Mr. Flannery

Memorial Day Weekend at the Olde Depot Junktion

2014-05-27T16:49:00.000-05:00

I spent the Memorial Day weekend in Brainerd, Minnesota set up at the Northern Pacific Shops as part of the Olde Depot Junktion show. (My space was rented to Hogs and Roses). The weather was beautiful, which may have adversely impacted sales. I stayed at my house and made the 90 mile trip each day.

I started early last week filling the trailers and truck with junk for the show. I filled my open trailer, my enclosed trailer and the trailer that I borrowed from my neighbor. I made two round trips on Thursday with the open trailers and decided that there was no room for the better stuff in my enclosed trailer.

The truck bed is almost loaded for the first trip north.

My space was moved this year and was now immediately inside the entrance.

The Nutting Truck Co. warehouse cart sold on Saturday. The turtle shells in the buckets did not.

The 1950's TAXI light is one of my favorite pieces.

I had the highest space in the place with chairs in the windows.

The cast iron book press and the cast iron meat grinder are some of my "heavies".

I especially like the moose antlers above the bar.

Two jack stand lamps that I put together just before the show.

The prop on the ladder bridge above the signs was pretty special.

Another industrial light that I assembled.

Lions and gears and grills - oh my!

Everything was packed high and tight for the trip home

The show had three times as many dealers this year over last so the competition was stiff. There are a lot of talented people out there. And the weather was fabulous. It was the first summer like weekend of the season. I am sure that many denizens of the Brainerd area decided to take their first boat outting over going to a show inside in the city. My sales were good on Saturday but slow on Sunday. Two of the boys that worked for the show stayed to help me load a trailer and one half's worth of stuff unto my trailer, they were greatly appreciated. I had a good time and I will do the show again next year.

Mr. Flannery