Finnish Beauties These two kettles from different sales have different histories but both hail from a place Americans primarily associate with saunas: The Republic of Finland. A Nordic country which was, at times, either a part of Sweden or of Russia, Finland has the distinction of having fought against BOTH sides during World War II, […]
Entries by QueenB
Zulu Wire Baskets
Intricate baskets made from outdated technology This little work of art is from one of our Beehive sales. If you are unfamiliar with these unique Zulu baskets, you’d be surprised at how heavy they are. Their unusual weight and vivid colors come from the recycled copper and plastic they are made from, specifically, plastic-jacketed copper […]
Pinup Girls for Calendars
Pinup Girls for Calenders From a past Queen B sale comes this 1946 calendar, printed over 70 years ago as American servicemen (and women) returned home from World War II. Risqué art has been around forever, but the sexy yet wholesome “Pinup Girl” reached the height of popularity during the war when thousands of eager G.I.s […]
Blowtorch & Fire Grenade
This intriguing object (embossed “model no. 27”) was offered at our last Beehive sale. It is a BLOW TORCH, made on the cusp of the 19th and 20th centuries by Turner Brass Works in Sycamore Illinois, or possibly somewhat later in Chicago when their factory relocated. Turner Brass Works produced thousands of blow torches with […]
Incredible Drawings for Long-gone Authors
His Don Quixote is still influential today, and his collaboration with journalist Blanchard Jerrold documenting London, poverty and all, impressed Vincent van Gogh. Doré never married. He lived with his mother until his death in 1883 and was working on new illustrations for Shakespeare until the end. John Milton was born in England in 1608, […]
The Bane of Every Parents Existence– LEGOs
The bane of every parents existence — LEGOs Of all the toys Queen B sells, the brightly-colored, hard plastic blocks known as Legos are among the most popular. The name ‘LEGO’ is an abbreviation of two Danish words “leg godt”, meaning “play well”. LEGO was founded out of desperation by Danish woodworker Ole Kirk Kristiansen when […]
Knives Without Practicality
Knives Without Practicality If you found this curiosity in the kitchen area at a Queen B sale, you might think you’d come across something from an old fairytale; a 9″ knife made of pressed, sharpened glass. And it is from the past, just not the ancient past; it was made in the late 1930s or 40s. […]
Shop Like A Pro: Estate Sale Shopping Tips
Rae Jean Carter has been coming to Queen B Organizing estate sales since she moved to Corvallis in 2014. “I made friends with the owner and then I met these people,” Carter says, pointing to her two friends. “Now it’s a thing.” When she says it’s a thing, she’s referring to their regular meetups at […]
