Or, don’t.
Because you really don’t have to (… settle for knock-offs, we mean).
We know that plenty of folks think of us as the source to find cars, machinery and lots of other humdrum stuff, but what lots of people don’t realize is that we’ve got a pretty thriving Clothing category. Even better? We’ve got handbags and accessories in that category, some of them rather high-end. In this week’s issue alone, you can find items ranging from Vera Bradley to Dolce & Gabbana to vintage Pierre Cardin.
We woke up this morning feeling pretty good. Despite the cloudy weather and slightly chilly temperatures, we felt upbeat. It occurred to us that we were the direct recipients of some good vibrations. And when we checked the calendar, we knew exactly why: today’s the anniversary of the release of one of the most groundbreaking tunes in music history.
When the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” dropped on October 10, 1966 it was the most expensive pop song ever recorded. The extensive instrumentation (including a theremin) and the fact that it was assembled from parts of various recording sessions generated a price tag of over $40,000 – a music industry record for the time.
And here’s something else you might not know: although “Good Vibrations” was a Beach Boys single, the song was recorded using studio musicians. In fact, country superstar Glenn Campbell was the guitarist on this track.
Every song has a story. And so does every collectible. We not only enjoy helping you find, sell and trade those collectibles, we also love learning more about them. Got an interesting fact, story or item? Tell us. Gotta keep those lovin’ good vibrations happening, right? Right.
… creates quite a stir on The Milton Berle Show!
On this day in 1956, Elvis Presley shook things up when he appeared on TV to perform “Hound Dog”. It was the first time The King performed the song for a television audience, and his now-famous gyrations – very shocking at the time – created a controversy. “Hound Dog” went on to be Elvis’ best-selling single, remaining at #1 on the charts for 11 weeks (until it was replaced by “Love Me Tender”).
But “Hound Dog” had been around for some time before Elvis made it his own: the song was originally recorded in 1952 by blues singer Big Mama Thornton. By the end of 1953, versions had been recorded by no less than six other musicians (mainly Country groups). Elvis himself stumbled upon the song when he heard Freddie Bell and the Bellboys perform it in Las Vegas in April, 1956 (supposedly he also lifted the infamous moves from the band’s performance, too).
Aside from being a beloved artist who changed the landscape of both rock & roll and popular culture, Elvis may also be The King of our Collectibles category. We’ve featured dolls, lamps, busts and lots of other Presley memorabilia.
Because we sell anything and everything, we often get ads for the interesting, the unusual and the extremely specialized. One of the best parts of working here is that we learn so much about so many different things. Here’s where we feature an ad that made us sit up and take notice.
Not to get picky, but …
JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS GUITAR PICK original, from 1980s, played in concert, exc. cond., $200. OBO +(SCRANTON) 570-343-1374
Do we wanna touch? Yeah! Even *ahem* those of us who are only able to strum out a G chord. Occasionally. On a good day.
We like Joan Jett for a number of reasons, but we especially love that her iconic 1968 Gibson Melody Maker is a reused guitar – she purchased it from Eric Carmen of The Raspberries. That beloved guitar is retired from touring, but still makes an appearance for recording sessions and photo shoots.
So if you love rock ‘n roll memorabilia, here’s your chance to, well, pick up a great addition to your collection.
Because we sell anything and everything, we often get ads for the interesting, the unusual and the extremely specialized. One of the best parts of working here is that we learn so much about so many different things. Here’s where we feature an ad that made us sit up and take notice.
He looks a little disgruntled. Or maybe even a little bored. We suppose it’s because he hasn’t yet realized that he’s this week’s star ad:
Here are his vitals:
CIGAR STORE INDIAN 6’H., wooden, sell $450. (VG) +(MT.TOP) 570-606-5613 (See Picture Online)
Since we’re all about advertising, this fine fellow fascinated us. Traditionally, cigar store indians stood outside tobacco shops to inform the largely illiterate public that tobacco was for sale within. Very much like the striped barber shop pole or the three brass balls that could be found at pawn shops, this wooden figurine let everyone know that this establishment was a purveyor of tobacco. Why an indian in particular? Because tobacco was introduced to early settlers by the Native American population (who subsequently became strongly associated with tobacco in the public consciousness).
Interestingly, the very first statues of this sort appeared in Europe in the 17th century. And since the European craftsmen who carved them had never been to the New World, much less seen a Native American, the earliest ones were incredibly fanciful and bore little resemblance to the dress of actual Native Americans. In addition, female figures originally outnumbered male ones.
Find him (and countless other interesting items) in our Antiques & Rare Items category, starting on page 36 of this week’s issue.
It’s funny how you get when you’re missing something, especially when it’s something very specific. If you’re a collector, you know the feeling well; in fact, hunting down those hard-to-find parts of the collection is a huge part of the fun. If nothing else, the internet has taught us that whatever strange or unusual collection you might be working on, there are others with the same yen.
Did you ever consider using the airwaves to find that item? You could reach a rather wide audience on Paper Shop Live!, and – best of all – it costs nothing. We welcome you to give us a call on Saturday, tell us a little about what you’re working on and let us help you hunt down what, exactly, you’d like to find.
We don’t care if it’s a part for an antique car, a serving piece to complete that antique china collection or even something you’d just like to have for sentimentality’s sake, such as an old toy. Call us. Tell our audience. Get collecting! 9-10 am Saturday, 1-888-303-0630
On April 25, 1903, New York became the first state to issue automobile license plates. Don’t let that little bit of trivia mislead you, though: while the first plates were issued 110 years ago today, they weren’t the first required ones. Starting in 1901, Massachusetts required that all vehicles carry identification plates; the difference, however, is that Massachusetts car owners created their own plates, generally with their initials.
The first license plates weren’t the metal ones we’re all familiar with: they were originally porcelain, and weren’t a standard width – the plates grew larger as the numbers on them increased from single digits to triple digits and beyond. In an effort to conserve metal during World War II, Illinois issued plates made of a paper composite. Unfortunately, plates that weren’t eaten by the elements were chewed up by goats (seriously!).
Whether it’s antique license plates or vintage dinner plates, check out Collectibles and Antiques & Rare Items. We’ve got a full plate of Antique Autos & Parts, too, if you’re in the market for a home for that old plate.
Saturday was Record Store Day, and we’d like to take a moment to salute the lovers of vinyl, the collectors of unusual albums (and album art) and all the folks who appreciate the rich tones of a classic LP.
Ever wonder why records are black? Records are pressed from PVC, which is naturally a rather gray-ish and translucent material. During production, a pigmenting agent called carbon black is added to the PVC in order to reduce surface noise and minimize wear when the record is played. Interestingly, records were occasionally produced in colors other than black, but since the sound quality left much to be desired, those colorful records are generally better suited as collector’s items than as usable albums.
For the record (or for full collections of ’em), check out Musical Merchandise.
Because we sell anything and everything, we often get ads for the interesting, the unusual and the extremely specialized. One of the best parts of working here is that we learn so much about so many different things. Here’s where we feature an ad that made us sit up and take notice.
We’ll let this ad stand on its own:
LUFTHANSA JUMBO JET tan, 56″L.x 60″W., travel agent display, removable wings, some small chips, $150. +(LAKE HARMONY) 570-401-7569 Jimmy (See Picture Online)
If you’re like us, your first thought is to consider whether or not Aircraft might be a more suitable category for this (it’s in Collectibles). And your second thought would be something like: what a steal! $150! Wow! … oh, wait.
Here’s the jet in question:
We’ll be frank here: we kind of want to own this. It’s just so very unusual and would look really cool if we suspended it from the ceiling of our office; we do, after all, have a Travel & Vacation category, right? Right.
48 years ago today, the world’s largest air conditioned room (as it was called by The New York Times) was put into use for the first time. Players experimented with the use of orange balls for the sake of visibility. And there was a President among the spectators.
On April 9, 1965, the Astrodome opened, bringing baseball indoors. Mickey Mantle was not only the first at bat in the brand new stadium, he was also the first to hit a home run.
Whether you’re a fan of the boys of summer or one of them yourself, we’ve not only got the equipment, we’ve got the collectibles.
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