Fragonard Perfumes The beginnings of the historic ‘Fragonard Parfumeur’ began in Grasse, France shortly before the First World War. By the 17th century, Grasse was the capital of perfume production with its ideal climate for the cultivation of roses, jasmine and other essential flowers that were used to make attractive fragrances. More importantly to the development […]

Northern Electric Company Limited Wooden Telephone Box The Northern Electric Company, established in the late 1800s, was a revolutionary enterprise that pioneered Canada’s telecommunications production and innovation. Founded in Montreal, Quebec (later expanding to other locations, such as Bellville, Ontario), Northern Electric went through a historic evolution from a small Canadian telephone equipment supplier to the […]

Curling Irons /Curling Tongs Curling irons or curling tongs are far from being a modern invention. In fact, these hairstyling tools have been around for centuries and were used by early Babylonian, Assyrian, Persian, Greek and Egyptian civilizations. Often used to signify wealth and beauty, Persian and Greek nobles used iron or bronze rods, that were heated over a fire, […]

Washing Machines    Prior to the 1800’s, the idea of powered washing machine was just beginning to come to fruition. That being said, the “scrub board” or “washboard” has arguably been around for ages. The traditional washboard were made out of a rectangular piece of wood that had a series of ridges for the clothing to be rubbed upon. Whereas, […]

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Camera  The Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera was one of the many Kodak ‘Brownie’ cameras that Eastman Kodak (Rochester, NY) manufactured between the 1900’s and well into the 20th Century. These cameras shared the ‘Brownie’ name, but ranged from box cameras, to folding cameras, and later, movie cameras. Kodak Brownie box cameras were sold […]

Railroad Lanterns and Lamps Lanterns and lamps were used daily as a tool of the trade for railroad workers in the past. They were the best means of communication when operating and directing trains. These lanterns communicated signals  between trains, stations, and workers, since loud working environments and the distance involved in train operations negated […]

Sad Irons  The forebears to modern electric irons, flat irons or smoothing irons, later modified into what is more commonly known as ‘sad irons,’ were constructed by blacksmiths in the Middle Ages. ‘Sad’ is an Old English word for “solid,” and the term “sad iron” is used to distinguish heavy flat irons, usually weighing 5 to 9 […]

The Great Herbal Balm ‘Zam-Buk’ Tin Zam-Buk is a healing antiseptic ointment or embrocation that was advertised to help soothe and heal: cuts, bruises, burns, scalds, sprains, piles, pimples, eczema, leg, sores, ulcers, ringworm, chapped hands, sores, insect bites, chafing, chilblains, rheumatism, and cold sores. Zam-Buk had several formulas but was sold with antimicrobial and analgesic properties […]

Coleman’s Model 4A Gasoline Iron   Coleman, originally known for making lanterns, made over 30 different models of irons from 1929 to 1948. The myriad of fuel iron models manufactured by Coleman came in an assortment of enamel coloured finishes, such as turquoise, green, red, tan, and black. Perhaps the best known and most commonly […]