Tag Archives: vintage

Most Uncommon

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most uncommon

Coins, buttons, and yo-yos? There IS a connection between these three things. Granted, it’s a very uncommon connection…

We read The Uncommoners: The Crooked Sixpence, written by Jennifer Bell, and illustrated by Karl James Mountford (Crown Books, 2017). When Ivy and Seb Sparrow’s grandmother breaks her wrist, it sets off a very unexpected chain of discoveries. The siblings quickly learn that a subterranean world exists underneath their feet. It teems with common objects that do uncommon things (flying vacuum cleaners, healing buttons, lemon squeezers the shed light, for example). Ivy and Seb also learn that they are part of a family with a dark, secret past…a past that is coming back to haunt them and threaten the lives of all the citizens of Lundinor.

This book was perfect for To Be Continued, our chapter book story time for kids ages 6-9. Time was tight towards the end of the book and our summer break, so I devised these quick activities for the hands-on portion of the program.

In the book, Ivy comes to possess a coin – a slightly bent one-pence piece made of silver that warms in her hand. The coin is very significant, as are other objects in the story. Happily, I had a large bag of old coins that were donated to the library by my lovely neighbor, Leonore. I spread them out on tables, and kids got to examine them and take home a pile for their personal collections. As you can see, they were VERY intent on this task!

kids examine coinsNext came a mysterious package tied with an old brass button (buttons have healing powers in Lundinor):

mysterious wrapped packageInside the package was a yo-yo. That’s right. A yo-yo.

In Lundinor, yo-yos are uncommon. Meaning, they are weapons that create whirlwinds to fend off murderous selkies and giant grim-wolves. I loved this concept and wanted to share it with the kids. But I didn’t want it to be just ANY yo-yo. So I bought Duncan “Lime Light” yo-yos that change color as you spin them!

duncan limelight yo yoI bought these directly from Duncan’s website for $5 a pop. And because it’s currently Duncan’s 90th anniversary (wow!) they were 15% off and free shipping. The kids loved them, of course!

yo yo lights

Stargazing

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stargazingThought these might come in handy for your summer reading “Universe of Stories” theme…with a historical twist!

Below are 3 cards from Urania’s mirror, or a view of the heavens, a deck published in London in 1825. The full set consists of 80 constellation illustrations based on Alexander Jamieson’s Celestial Atlas. The cool thing about these cards is that when you poke pinholes into the stars, then hold the card up to the light, the constellations twinkle through. You’ll find these cards, and many more, in our library’s special collections.

Urania’s Mirror, or A View of the Heavens. Published in London,1825. Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University LibraryDid you catch that the 3 cards I pulled from the deck are Harry Potter references? Sirius, Draco, and Scorpius, respectfully. So a little stargazing, a little history, a little literacy, and an awesome bookmark for your summer reading books to boot.

Here’s the printable template for the three cards. Enjoy!

Urania’s Mirror, or A View of the Heavens. Published in London,1825. Cotsen Children’s Library, Princeton University Library

Food, Glorious Food

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greater jello recipe book

The Greater Jell-O Recipe Book (G.F. Corporation, 1931)

I’m currently working on a big special collections project (it’ll be ready to roll in a few months, and you’re going to love it – stay tuned!). Today’s post, however, is about another set of items that are inadvertently crossing my path during my adventures in collections acquisitions. Specifically, hilarious historic cooking pamphlets. Like The Greater Jell-O Recipe Book. Because who doesn’t want to whip up a gelatinous Ham and Celery Loaf? Mmmmmmm.

green loaf in greater jello recipe book

I bought this for my personal collection. It’s a little 7up recipe pamphlet.

9 ways to spark family favorites

9 Ways to Spark Family Favorites (The Seven Up Company, 1948)

With a recipe for ham basted with 7up.

ham basted with 7up

Or hey! 7up with milk for the kiddies???

7up and milk

As it turns out, Katie also had a small horde of these pamphlets, and we started rifling through them with gusto. Check out the During Scalomatic instructions. Honestly, I’m not sure if the woman’s expression on this is excitement or horror.

during scaleomatic pressure cooker

During Scalomatic Pressure Cooker (During Developments Inc., 1946)

Or how about New Cake Secrets? Because everyone already knows the old cake secrets.

new cake secrets

New Cake Secrets (G.F. Corporation, 1931)

Here’s one of Katie’s favorites. Both for the title and the illustration. Those are some FIERCE skirt pleats. Apparently part of the standard uniform in Health Defense.

meat in the meal

Meat in the Meal for Health Defense (National Live Stock and Meat Board, 1942)

And just in case you are needing 99 tempting pineapple treats…I wonder…did the 100th recipe not quite meet the “tempting” threshold…?

99 pineapple treats

Ninety-Nine Tempting Pineapple Treats (Association of Hawaiian Pineapple Canners, 1924)

Here’s Some of My Favorite Good Things to Eat, a vision in plaid:

some of my favorite good things to eat

Some of My Favorite Things to Eat (Church & Dwight Inc., 1940)

Funny. In one of the illustrations, the mother’s waistline appears to be smaller than that of her her 6-year-old daughter. Also, call my picky, but last time I checked, sour milk was not listed under my top 5 “Good Things to Eat.”

some of my favorite good things to eat interior

There were quite a number of Jell-O pamphlets. Here’s the “Mordor” of Jell-O towers.

jello recipes cover

Jell-O Recipes Pamphlet (G.F. Corporation, 1934)

One the back cover, instructions to delicately inhale the bouquet of your freshly opened box of Jell-O. Which I never thought to do, honestly. But now I’m totally going to try it.

jello recipes back cover

Another Jell-O pamphlet, this one from 1920.

many reasons for jello

Many Reasons for Jell-O (Genesee Pure Food Company, 1920)

I want to frame this center spread. The “Strawberry Brick” is giving me pause, however.

many reasons for jello ice cream interior

I save the best for last. This is a pamphlet for Spry, a product that is still going strong!

124 spry recipes

What Shall I Cook Today? (Lever Brothers Company, circa 1950)

The hilarity continues on the back. This is my favorite panel. Because I don’t know about you, but I do all my grocery shopping in a hat, lipstick, and white gloves.

can of spry