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Hey everybody. Welcome to Retell Seller, an ephemera podcast where I uncover forgotten stories and the ephemera people leave behind. I’m Angie a reseller of 10 years, and I’ll share one of those snippets with you. Let’s see what today’s find has to say
Today’s snippet is from the Journal Star in Peoria, Illinois dated December 28th, 1980.
This is from a section of the paper called “Bright Spot”. Seems they’re putting a spotlight on unique things going on in the town and It says:
“Showing off their whiskey barrel cradle are Alan and Norma and their five month old daughter, Jessica.
Alan said it took about three months of spare time work, rinsing out the charcoal and airing the barrel of its whiskey smell. He made up the design having never seen one to use as a pattern. Norma provided the upholstery.”
I found it strange that the article listed their home address, which I did end up crossing out. I definitely know people who are still in their homes after 40 years. Um, and I mean, it was published in the paper, so I get it, but I decided to pull that information out.
It’s a really cute picture of the couple and since it’s not in color and it’s on old yellowing somewhat brittle newspaper, the details within the image are not that great but, it is of Alan and Norma standing next to each other with Alan’s hands on their little baby’s shoulders. I’m guessing he’s holding her up a little bit within the cradle for the photo shoot. The baby’s back is resting up on the side of the whiskey barrel and Norma is standing to his left, with her left hand on the end of the barrel.
I see a unique patterned fabric, which I’m assuming is cushioned. The top and bottom of the barrel seem to be untouched or at least not altered and the center of the barrel of course, is cut out and that’s where the bedding is.
It’s on a wooden stand and there she is sitting smack dab in the middle of it with a smile on her face.
In the corner of the room you can see a macrame hanging plant holder which I find often when I’m sourcing. There’s a painting or some sort of imagery behind them on the wall and I can’t really tell what it shows but, it’s really just a neat little photo of this happy couple with a happy little baby and the fact that he made the whiskey barrel into a cradle.
I imagine it took every bit of those 3 months to get the smell out. I’ve run into so many things I’ve purchased for resell thinking I could get a smell out and I’ll be honest…it usually doesn’t work. I also know I pick up on smells other’s don’t seem to notice soooo…
I did an image search and it didn’t pull up anything about this particular article, but it did pull up an eBay listing showing a man kneeling next to a cradle, which did look like a whiskey barrel but, once I clicked on it, it was a photograph and the title of it said “1939 Press Photo, DIY, cradle at St. Louis County Hospital Clinic for New Fathers.” I ended up purchasing this one, and so it will be a snippet of its own down the road.
When I read this article for the first time, I was immediately taken back to when I was around nine or so, and my dad had made a puppet theater. It was made of wood, uh, with batting and then covered in this light blue fabric. And it was just so fun. My brother and I, I just remember it, it was in his bedroom and we would just do shows, stupid little puppet shows that had us cracking up and we loved it and we thought we were so talented and it was fun.
And I wonder what that is for you. Do you remember something from when you were a kid that a loved one made for you? That kind of put you in that fairytale world or a dream world? What was that for you?
Thank you for joining me. As I shared a snippet of the past, I’d love to know if it connected with you in some way. Did it spark a memory or make you see something differently? If so, consider sharing it. Be sure to check out the show notes for additional info, links and ways to connect. It’s not nostalgia, it’s human.
Until next time, may you find something worth holding onto.
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DISCLAIMER: The content on this site is for informational & storytelling purposes.
ADDITIONAL LINKS & INFO:
The title I came up with made we wonder, whatever happened to Billy Idol?
Here’s the listing for the photo I purchased on eBay (affiliate): eBay photo
The photograph of the family was taken by Art Land. This page shows a few other photos under his name in the 1980s.
PINNY PLEASE
