The Little Things

[St. Louis]

Hi there. I'm still new to the FL, though I've been living in the past for most of my adult life (in one decade or another) and have been lurking on here for a while. Now I have a question for those of you more experienced in recreating an environment from the golden era. What small-scale improvements do you think are worth the time and effort to create a 1930s-1940s environment? (BTW, I think this question might extend as well to clothes and cars.)

I live in a tiny 1929 bungalow, which I'm retro-fitting to the late 1930s. My furniture mostly dates to about 1910-1940. Now, beyond that, I can't afford to make major changes such as replacing my kitchen appliances. I think that would be irresponsible anyway on my salary.

So I have been making very small changes wherever I can. For example, I've been "down-dating" (the opposite of updating, I guess) electric outlet and light switch cover plates. I've been replacing the modern ones with Sierra ribbed bakelite plates; I just have a few more to do. I wish I could replace the toggles with push buttons, but that's a bit beyond my capabilities.

There are many other little changes, but I'll just mention one more for now: I'm also replacing the electric cords and plugs of lamps, vintage fans, and the like, with rayon-covered cord and repro plugs. I have a pal here who will rewire one appliance or lamp for one Chinese dinner.

My question is -- do you have any other ideas? What is your point of view about these little changes, as opposed to the major ones? Would they be worth while to you? For me, it's kind of like fancy undies; you know they're there, even if no one else sees them.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Yard sales and Craigslist may be able to provide small appliances. I have bought electric fans, waffle irons, and toasters from the 30s for $2 to $5 although I admit they are not as common as they were a few years ago. I have seen an original Waring blender from the 40s (sorry I didn't buy it) and have an old Acme juicer, both were thrift store finds.

Estate sales are also a good place to shop. I live in a small town where old things seem to hang around in attics and garages forever but there must be a few things in St Louis.

Tube radios are a little more expensive but not out of reach. Typical yard sale or thrift store finds, $10 to $25 but they don't work. If you can't fix a radio, buy one from an enthusiast or collector that is in working order. You can get quite nice table radios for under $100. Of course the real collectors' items go for thousands of $$$$ but there are plenty of others around. See if there are any antique radio clubs in your area.

 

[1930artdeco]

Craigslist and antique stores will be your friends. I will find things and restore then myself, so that way I know how they work and they usually are not that expensive. Don't forget about the light fixtures, they will add a nice touch.

Mike

 

[LizzieMaine]

Every little thing you do is a step in the right direction. If there's an architectural salvage place in your town, get acquainted with it -- you'll be surprised the bits and pieces you'll find there you can use.

 

[Undertow]

I agree with the philosophy that it's easier to replace the little things, and wait for a good deal when the big things catch your eye. I've regretted a couple missed opportunities for things like a 1936 Stromberg-Carlson desk phone with crank, WORKING, for only $50 (I was a fool). But I've also passed up a load of stinkers that sounded good, but would have been too much money and very little payout.

In fact, I just found some of those push button light switches at a yard sale this past weekend, but the people were painfully trying to hide the fact that they knew exactly what they had, and wanted entirely too much for them.

It's a struggle anymore because many of the items you're looking for are nearing 100 years of service, not to mention they're just "old junk" to most eyes. Then you factor in the wanton destruction of items by so called "hipsters", the hoarding by greedy "antiquers" and the waste by idiots who want to accessorize their next "Mad Men/Gangster" party...and the blood boils...

 

[The Soph Gent]

You mention that replacing an electrical switch with a push button is out. I am assuming you mean that you may not possess the know how? If that is the case it is easier tan you think. It is no different than replacing it with a new switch. If you google it, you will come up with many how to's. It may seem intimidating, but it is extremely easy.

Other ideas may be to replace your doorknobs with the old ones. An easy find at flea markets. I like your ideas of changing the little things... It's the little details that are the most impressive.

 

[St. Louis]

Thanks! These are all wonderful ideas and suggestions, and exactly what I was looking for. I'm lucky in that the previous owners stopped after they had vandalized the kitchen. They ripped out the vintage one (I saw it in the junk heap just before I moved in) but fortunately left all the old door knobs, coat hooks and the like.

I love the idea of the push button switches. Those have such a satisfying click ... they had those in my old University library and I've wanted some ever since. I'll certainly explore that idea (now that I've finished replacing all the plates with bakelite ones!

I acquired a lovely toaster (the kind with the sides that open) but I'm terrified of plugging it in. The other day I asked about a vintage fan, and the owner of the shop plugged it in -- & promptly killed off the electricity to the entire store.

 

[Frisco the Beagle]

Look for vintage wood coat hangers. Easy to find once you get the eye. Many will have old hotel names plus I think beat the newer plastic ones. Old books and magazines are fun too. Kitchen hand tools like egg beaters and sitters. Old linens like pillow cases quilts and wool blankets are fun and you can use them every night. Find an old calendar with days and dates that correspond to the current t year (you can Google that subject and start looking for the coming years. We find most of our stuff like this at yard sales and flea markets - stay away from trendy shops as they will charge a Lot. Good luck!

 

[Frisco the Beagle]

One other thing - watch for a Victrola! We plucked out and picked a working one for a hundred bucks. It took some cleaning up but looks great. 78 rpm records are plentiful. Sometimes you can get a box full for 10 bucks. You can get new needles and tons of info on them on line. We will spend hours listening to ours.

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

Just a word of advice. The antique furniture market is as low as I can remember in the last 15 years. My buddy said the prices of furniture equals the 1980's.
Problem is, not much is moving (selling). People/enheritants are choosing to store or hold onto antique furniture that they would really like to sell.
If you are thinking vintage furniture from turn of the century to Heywood-Wakefield. Now is the time.

 

[St. Louis]

Thanks for the great advice! I really love the wooden hangers suggestion.

I already own a few of the smaller appliances, but my problem is that I don't know how to repair them & can't afford to buy ones in working condition. Dilemma. Yes, I know it makes no sense to buy appliances that are either broken or so scary that I'm afraid to plug them in, but I love the way they look. And hope springs eternal.

Does anyone know a reasonable vintage toaster repair person? or vintage fan? I found a fantastic telephone repair person in Arizona, but he's not interested in working with the other things.

What do you all do about your little appliances? I suppose you know how to fix them, judging from the level of expertise I've already seen on this forum.

So, long story a little longer, this is all coming together quickly now because I want to have a 1935-1945 party here in late September. I thought of a few more little things (or as I call them, L T's): today I transferred my Pond's cold cream into a milk glass container which I had carefully cleaned & disinfected. That will live on my dressing table. Now I'm thinking I need some 1930s postage stamps for my desk; maybe some pennies in a jar? A bus or train ticket would be a great thing to have on my desk as well, if I can find one to St. Louis from ... anywhere. I imagine the hipsters don't care about things like that, so I should be able to afford them.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I repair all my own appliances -- they're really very simple compared to the printed-circuit doodads you'll find on modern stuff. A flip-over toaster is nothing but a coil of resistance wire wound on a mica sheet and suspended in a metal framework. There's a high-current power cord that plugs into the wall, and that's it -- there's no thermostat, no mechanism of any kind to burn out. The only thing that could go wrong with it is that the resistance wire has a break in it somewhere, but that rarely happens. Or the power cord itself is bad, in which case you can easily find a replacement. I paid a dollar for my toaster thirty years ago, and it was already forty years old at the time. And it's still working just fine.

Anything with a motor on it can usually be brought back to life thru careful cleaning and lubrication. It's not hard to do if you understand the theory of how motors work -- basically they're just magnets spinning between coils of wire. As long as the wire is intact and the bearings on which the motor shaft spins are clean, there's not much that can go wrong with them. A screwdriver, some alcohol or lighter fluid for cleaning, and a can of 3 in 1 or sewing-machine oil and you're all set.

 

[Fletch]

78 rpm records are plentiful.

Yeah, but not good ones.

 

[pompier]

I repair all my own appliances -- they're really very simple compared to the printed-circuit doodads you'll find on modern stuff. A flip-over toaster is nothing but a coil of resistance wire wound on a mica sheet and suspended in a metal framework. There's a high-current power cord that plugs into the wall, and that's it -- there's no thermostat, no mechanism of any kind to burn out. The only thing that could go wrong with it is that the resistance wire has a break in it somewhere, but that rarely happens. Or the power cord itself is bad, in which case you can easily find a replacement. I paid a dollar for my toaster thirty years ago, and it was already forty years old at the time. And it's still working just fine.

Anything with a motor on it can usually be brought back to life thru careful cleaning and lubrication. It's not hard to do if you understand the theory of how motors work -- basically they're just magnets spinning between coils of wire. As long as the wire is intact and the bearings on which the motor shaft spins are clean, there's not much that can go wrong with them. A screwdriver, some alcohol or lighter fluid for cleaning, and a can of 3 in 1 or sewing-machine oil and you're all set.

Yep, there's a reason why every home had a can of 3 in 1 oil laying around somewhere. In many ( but not all) cases replacing the power cord was all that was necessary to get a small appliance going again.

 

[vitanola]

Yeah, but not good ones.

Well, I see where you are coming from, but for sheer entertainment value some of the common, nearly worthless big sellers are just fine.O
The Selvin's Novelty Orchestra's 1919 recording of "Dardanella" on Victor, Paul Whiteman's "Whispering", Isham Jones' "Wabash Blues", Whiteman's "Valencia/No More Worryin'", Any of the late 1920's George Olsen sides, including "Hi-Diddle-Diddle", "Who", "Doin' the Racoon" and "I'm in the Market for You", any of the common Happiness Boys records, all of those common Reveler's discs, the various iterations of the Cal Ramblers, the Five Pennies and Selvin's orchestra on all of those dime-store labels, and even Benny Moten's excellent "South" all may yet be found in the piles of junk 78's which still litter antique shops. You won't find the Wolverines or King Oliver on Gennett, Charlie Johnson's Paradise Orchestra, or Bubber Miley's Mileage Makers, I suppose, but best selling records sold well for a reason. They are generally entertining, and certainly evocative of their period.

The classical music lover may find a trove of riches these days, with Red Seal Victor operatic discs generally a drug on the market. Those Galli-Curci records may be nearly worthless, but they contain some mighty fine singing.

If you move up to the 1930's and 1940's there is a more than ample supply of wonderful music which is avalable cheaply.

Of course after one acquires a couple hundred discs one begins to figure out just what one likes, and THEN the hobby can get expensive...

 

[LizzieMaine]

I can never have enough Kay Kyser records. So there.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Open my junk drawer, and you will find a bottle of 3 in 1 oil and many replacement cords for small appliances, radios, etc.

Yep, there's a reason why every home had a can of 3 in 1 oil laying around somewhere. In many ( but not all) cases replacing the power cord was all that was necessary to get a small appliance going again.

 

[vitanola]

I can never have enough Kay Kyser records. So there.

Ah, the Ol' Perfessor!

No love for George Hall?

 

[LizzieMaine]

If Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve conducted a dance band, it'd sound like George Hall's. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I'm also quite fond of Shep Fields and Ozzie Nelson, even though they both played the exact same arrangement for every song.

 

[vitanola]

If Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve conducted a dance band, it'd sound like George Hall's. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

You can certainly turn a phrase, Miss Maine!

As for Shep Fields, I agree with you about the "Rippling Rhythm" sound, but what do you think of his "New Music"?

Lately I've been developing a great appreciation for Lennie Hayton...