| Everyone has objects in their attics and cellars that | | | | plate glass window provided access to a blued steel |
| are wonderful reminders of the past. True antiques | | | | floating compass. A rear glass window offered |
| are at least one hundred years old, but often these | | | | additional viewing, lit by a built-in oil lamp on the side. |
| treasures are valuable in their very existence if not | | | | Someone had painted the whole thing with dark |
| quite making the century mark. Dusty, broken, | | | | green shutter paint which by this time had half peeled |
| missing parts, we still have not the heart to relegate | | | | off. The cracked and peeling white paint inside did |
| them to the dump. So we hang on to them, tenderly | | | | not deter the family of spiders living there. One week |
| wrapping them in newspaper and marking the box in | | | | later, my hard earned scuffed knuckles produced a |
| large crooked letters.Then one day, someone comes | | | | shining new boat compass. The widow almost cried |
| along who offers to make your precious object like | | | | when she saw it and immediately found a place of |
| new, raising its stature to a beautiful objet d' art and | | | | honor in the living room.Buoyed by this success, the |
| creating a vision of hidden spot lights and alabaster | | | | lady supplied me with a new and exciting project in |
| pedestals in your living room. I am such a person. I | | | | the shape of an nineteen twenty two original wall |
| have rescued neglected mandolins, violins, | | | | telephone. Complete with speaker microphone and |
| near-Tiffany lamps from the teens, rare wind-up toys | | | | ear piece, this Western Electric gem even retained |
| from Japan, delicate three-tiered bird houses from | | | | it's original matching telephone book shelf. The metal |
| China, and a nineteen thirty nine rich child's tricycle. | | | | parts are made of nickel plated brass, the speaker |
| Some things have been found in a garage sale, | | | | and ear piece of Bakelite and the case and shelf |
| others entrusted to me by friends or neighbors.My | | | | carved from durable oak. Pictured in my mind were |
| most recent project involved the dismantling and | | | | the pre-electricity folks chatting on this Early |
| restoring a nineteen thirties Japanese boat compass. | | | | American Party Line invention. I plan to spend three |
| This sixteen pound relic was personally carried home | | | | weeks enjoying the restoration of this beauty and |
| by a neighbor's husband who was killed in World War | | | | collecting the reward for my hard labor -- the huge |
| II in a plane crash. Made of solid brass so as not to | | | | smile on the face of the owner.The satisfaction may |
| rust on the high seas, no expense was spared in the | | | | not be instant, but it's real. |
| hand-made manufacture of this compass. A beveled | | | | |