What's in Dave's trunk this week?

[aeoliandave]

The weather being highly co-operative, I drove to Syracuse last Friday for the weekend Annual Christmas Dinner at buddy Rich's. I've written of these gastronomical feasts before.


I decided, well, since I'm here in NY state I might as well continue the Grand Tour.


Sunday afternoon I headed over to Oneida to visit with Chris Szwejk and a couple of other vacuum fellers who heard I was coming.


Monday I headed down to Greene NY to spend the day with Mike Gravlin.


Today I am in Pittston PA. going up to Dunmore to see John Gregory - he doesn't know this yet.


This afternoon I'll spend a little quality time with John Long and then I'm heading west toward Lock Haven PA and attempt to find Chuck Chatham.


From there on to Youngstown OH to Don O-Conner's shop and see about getting the Premier brushroll re-bristled.


And of course that will take me to North Canton OH.


 


For now, though, here's what's hopped in the car so far:


Two Singer S4 bases, a cool GE hairdryer in Deluxe case (from Mike G)...and in that box is a Toast-a-lator toaster I snagged for $70 in primo shiny un-marred condition except for one chip out of the bakelite base. A Grail Toaster! Found by happenstance when Mike & I took the wrong exit thrifting in Binghamton and came upon a row of Junk & 'Antique' stores.


There's some other stuff in there but I can't remember what just now. LOL

 

[aeoliandave]

In the trunk - two Singer S4s in differing states of dis-repair that will make one perfect pink S4.


A cute green/blue Eureka with tool clips around the base


another Grail Vac - the Singer tub.


Some gray early GE Reach-Easy tools


a perfect GE Moth Cloth


and a model XXX shell in LX leatherette livery.


Lots of bags


Oh, and a cute Hoover Floor Sweeper over on the left side.


 


It's a start and there's lots of room yet...


 


Dave

 

[kenmore81]

Whooo Hoooo....

Davy's off and running, Looks like a nice start. The Singer base closest to the door looks to be in nice shape. The blue/green Eureka is the one I had as a kid, it was left in the basement of my parents first house they bought. The floor tool was a grey metal, the suction wasnt as strong as our Kenmore, but the airflo seemed to be better. It picked up nicely. I remember hurting my wee hands trying to unscrew those knobs sometimes


Have a safe trip.


Kenny

 

[aeoliandave]

My prayers have been answered and I have located daytime whereabouts of Chuck Chatham's Vacuum Shop. Hooray for the WWW.


 


So, starting with Syracuse, my Organ Buddy Rich completed another project in restoring his federal mansionhouse. Except it was not finished until 3 days before the Dinner, so when I arrived he was at least 5 days behind in preparations.


 


PS, the darker red extension at the back is the pipe chambers and back passageway for his 3/33 Aeolian Duo-Art organ.


He had Chris Szwejk rebuild the motor for the Orgoblo. Cool, eh?

 

[aeoliandave]

Rich had the two front rooms on the left of the house painted and wallpapered by thos west coast custom wallpaper folks that do all that work for san Francisco homes, etc. an old lady spent a week on her back om scaffolding to do it.


Of course the living room and then the dining room had to be utterly cleared out of furniture  first. Then the plaster & lathe walls had to be pinned and stabilized. But the results are muted-ly spectacular.

 

[aeoliandave]

How the extended table looked after we set out service for 40 persons. The larger man in light blue shirt does ALL of Rich's custom woodwork and cabinetry and refinishing for years now. You've seen that bathroom...

 

[aeoliandave]

I had quickly visted Chris in Oneida on Friday when I got into town and he suggested and arranged that we all get together on Sunday afternoon to see his vast collections at home.

 

[aeoliandave]

I can not possibly show all the pictures of Chris's place but here's a few teasers.


Some of Chris's cars. he ain't called Ramblerman for nuthin'.

 

[aeoliandave]

At another farm up the road is more more more. again, all I'll show ya is the Lux Bus.


 


There must be around 7000 Electrolux carcasses piled to the ceiling on  either side of the aisle. This is where I spotted the LX/XXX and had to rescue it.

 

[aeoliandave]

More Chris pics when I get a chance but now back to Syracuse.


I've talked about the house on the factory before.


Penfeilds was a mattress and bedding firm at the turn of the century. Mr Penfeild had a two story house constructed on the roof where it is a famous landmark today. It is only a shell - there are no walls or interiors.


Across the street form this building is an amazing 4 story Antique Emporium that has to be seen to be believed.

 

[aeoliandave]

The house is much easier to see from a distance and unfortunately there is a billboard on the best view side that blocks the view - you can see it behind the house in this view I shot with telephoto setting from the Carousel Mall across hiway 81.

 

[aeoliandave]

One of the table centerpiecs of the Dinner was this amazingly alien looking broccoli Flower. Geez.


Other centerpieces were the traditional epergnes festooned with fruit and erect bananas in provocative arrangements.

 

[aeoliandave]

The desert cakes. wickedly chocolate

 

[aeoliandave]

I took my leave os Syracuse on Monday and traveled down to Greene NY to spend the day with Mike Gravlin.


 


The drive is a rollercoaster ride up down over and around the geography. Stunning views even in brown winter.

 

[aeoliandave]

Greene NY is a charming American town with ancient roots.

 

[aeoliandave]

The Main Street bifurcates as you enter the downtown with gorgeous business building fronting onto a central parkland strip.

 

[aeoliandave]

More downtown businesses. I will have to merge some panoramic shots to get the full effect.

 

[aeoliandave]

After some coffee and cake and meeting Mike's GF gal we went thrifting all the way down to Binghampton.


First stop was the Thrifty Shopper and found nothing of interest but I love the wooded hill behind the mall. Typical vista in these parts.

 

[aeoliandave]

Next we headed into Binghampton to the local Salvation Army but again, nothing of interest.


 


But! I took a wrong exit and we ended up, after taking an impressive drive through the downtown core, at a humble strip of junk & antique shops. Most places were optimistically pricey.


 


Had I the room this stuffed half o' bear might be sitting in the passenger seat but alas it was not to be...

 

[aeoliandave]

Unusual assortment of things and this Magnus reed organ caught my eye and wallet. Perfect original condition, it's one of the must-haves for a mechanical  usic guy..


 


I was also quite taken with the smoothly sculpted heavy brass shark paperweight and the pewter eagle was one of the better models I've seen.

 

[aeoliandave]

Then, on top of a shelf in back I spotted a Toast-O-Lator! In superb working & undamaged condition except for a chip in a back foot of the bakelite base.


 


had to have it - kinda haggled, got the price down and got a discount along with the other items I relieved the gentleman of. I could barely contain my excitement, as Mike can attest.


 


The aluminum Mirro-Matic 4 cup percolator was given to me by John Long today (as it is not a Hoover anything, LOL)


The Mirro Company manufactured "The Finest Aluminum Appliances" in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.


 


Thanks John - it's a humble beauty, no dents or scratches, complete with braided cord and all the innards and will polish up very nicely..

 

[aeoliandave]

I have a few pictures of Mike I forgot to process but this is the interior of the shop.

 

[aeoliandave]

The magnus organ, as you may know was a well made toy for children. It uses a squirrel cage fan to blow the reeds. What is desireable about it is the wonderful Bakelite cases and the sturdiness of the construction, as well as the chromatic keyboard.

 

[aeoliandave]

Also very simple construction and a hefty motor that gradually spins up to speed and is remarkably quiet.

 

[aeoliandave]

Also very simple construction and a hefty motor that gradually spins up to speed and is remarkably quiet.

 

[aeoliandave]

The Toast-O-Lator walks the bread through the cabinet on those barbed rails, where it emerges perfectly toasted according to your done-ness setting. The porthole windows glow red from the elements.


Good examples are highly sought after and usually command a King's Ransom to purchase. just google it.


This a an all original corded Model G and I've never seen finer other than in other toaster collections. I am very pleased to add it to the collection at such a bargain price. it will be a labour of luv to clean it up.

 

[aeoliandave]

That's enough for tonight.


 


This is a vacuum shop in Syracuse called Vacuums Galore owned and run by a very handsome Biker Guy. He adorns his front window and shelves with vintage vacuums folks give him. he is not a collector but is handsome as the day is long.


 


Sadly, he closes at 2PM on Sundays...

 

[aeoliandave]

Here's Mike routing around looking for treasure.

 

[aeoliandave]

About those Singer S4s:


 


One is serial # 7957918 and the other is 8061806.


They are slightly different paint shades which is too overall to be fading.


 


The darker one has the broken handle, beyond repair and no bag.


But it has a perfect cord and few scratches on the hood.


alas, it also has a broken glass lense and it must have sat in a wet shed as the cord strain relief spring is rusted to collapse and the brushroll is horrendous. The cordwinder medallion has seen better days, too.


 


The lighter one, on the other hand, has a perfect handle, brushroll with good bristles, a clean strain spring, and a perfect glass lens. The medallion looks like new as does the bag.


But it's shell is badly scraped, the cord rubber is dry-rotted.


 


The darker one matches the Singer tub so it's a no-brainer which machine will receive the donor parts transplants for one near perfect S4.