disperser Colorado, Photography, Travel, Writing

Ancient Artifacts from Florence

This is going to be a quick update on a fun day . . . 

Yesterday, February 2, 2013, the weather was nice, we had snacks, and we felt like taking a drive.  We loaded the Tahoe with said snacks, copious amounts of coffee, my camera gear, and a Google Map . . . to Florence, Colorado.  It’s a small place, but a couple of blocks of Main Street are occupied by Antique Shops.  Housed in old buildings, and crammed full of old stuff, these shops hold treasures from days gone by.

This will be a quick tour, and there is no associated SmugMug Gallery . . . but I do plan a full post, and that one will have all the pertinent information.  For now . . .

This is the first shop we went to, and this was the first photo I took.
This is the first shop we went to, and this was the first photo I took.

By the way, in each shop I asked the persons working there if it would be OK to shoot some photos.  All agreed.

The lady who ran it had a large number of old clothes (1800's), and original hats from the era. But she also made her own hats.
The lady who ran it had a large number of old clothes (1800’s), and original hats from the era. But she also made her own hats.
This dress is an original from the era, and the first thing that struck me was . . . damn, they were small back then.
This dress is an original from the era, and the first thing that struck me was . . . damn, they were small back then.

You can read about the fashion from those times HERE.

A number of shops have oldsewing machines, typewriters, and other stuff.
A number of shops have old sewing machines, typewriters, and other stuff.

What strikes me about these is they are (were) not only functional, but ornate.  It spoke to pride in the product; it spoke to artisanship, of caring about what one produced and sold.  Look at those designs adorning the sewing machine.  They serve no function other than to provide art with the utility of the tool.

Even this relatively unadorned telephone speaks of substance. My Droid X offers me a window into the world, but if I had a soul, this phone would touch it.
Even this relatively unadorned telephone speaks of substance. My Droid X offers me a window into the world, but if I had a soul, this phone would touch it.

There is a tactile quality to it, a fit to the hand, a utility which modern electronics and appliances cannot hope to match.

You can find pretty much everything you can imagine in these shops, but primarily they do reflect the area they sit in . . . this is, after all, The West.
You can find pretty much everything you can imagine in these shops, but primarily they do reflect the area they sit in . . . this is, after all, The West.
I really wanted to buy this chart . . . but could not think of where I would display it.
I really wanted to buy this chart . . . but could not think of where I would display it.
I have a much newer version of this very contraption, and use it still. I should have asked how old this is.
I have a much newer version of this very contraption, and use it still. I should have asked how old this is.
Scales are expensive . . . the older, the more expensive. This postal scale was a good pairing with the world. Get it? Mail goes all over the world . . . never mind.
Scales are expensive . . . the older, the more expensive. This postal scale was a good pairing with the world. Get it? Mail goes all over the world . . . never mind.
They had a tub of buttons . . . go figure.
They had a tub of buttons . . . go figure.

This next thing, for me, was the most impressive piece of all the things I saw.  It was incorrectly described as a Netsuke, but it is instead a Chinese Puzzle Ball.

I would have bought it, but it was $450 . . . read about how they are made . . . amazing.
I would have bought it, but it was $450 . . . read about how they are made . . . amazing.
Just to give a sense of scale.
Just to give a sense of scale.

The last shop we visited was the first one we had visited.  I bought a camera that was there, and will show it when I do the full post of our visit to Florence’s antique shops.  But meantime . . . a blast from my youth (in Italy, not here).

Cap Guns . . . it reminded me of the strong Italian Gun Culture.
Cap Guns . . . it reminded me of the strong Italian Gun Culture.

We left Florence, and headed West, and then North to Guffy.  A very small town with some interesting stuff.

Guffy, Colorado

Guffy, Colorado

Guffy, Colorado

Guffy, Colorado

Guffy, Colorado

Guffy is a town I spent some time in during one of our previous drives . . . back in September.  I still have to document it, but this serves as a preview of what’s there.

As usual, thanks for stopping by, and I hope it was worth your while.  If it was, tell everyone.  If it wasn’t . . . man, you guys are picky!

Mad Duck
Mad Duck

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