A Memento of Antarctic Exploration

 

QUESTION: I’m a watch repair person. Recently, a rather unique 24-hour watch came across my counter for a new band. I’ve never seen one like it before and wandered if you could tell me more about it. The dial has what looks like a map of Antarctica on it and all the lettering seems to be in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. Also, the dial has some writing in red on it.

ANSWER: What you have is what’s known as Russian Raketa Polar Watch.  They’re often described as Raketa watches.

The Petrodvorets Watch Factory, the one that produces Raketa watches, is the oldest in Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1721. The Nazis destroyed it during the Siege of Leningrad, but the Soviets rebuilt it in 1944. Since 1961, the factory has been producing watches under the brand “Raketa,” meaning “rocket,” in honor of Yuri Gagarin, Russia’s first astronaut and the first person in Space. 

Today, the Petrodvorets Watch Factory, still located in its historic building, is one of the rare watch factories in the world that makes its own movements, including the hair spring, balance wheel, and escapement. In 2009, the company modernized its production with equipment purchased from the Swatch Group in Switzerland.

Often these watches don’t look like Petrodvorets produced them. However, they were often assembled from Raketa parts—probably everything except the dial. Most of the online auction listings say they were "handmade" in Russia. And, for the most part, that’s true. But being part of "Old stock" refers more to the parts than to the complete watch. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, it was common for smaller workshops to produce these watches using Raketa parts. Different Polar, Arctic, and Antarctic models originated from this time. These “fakes” were essentially assembled from whatever parts the makers could find. Supposedly Petrodvorets’ workers during the Soviet Era would produce Raketa watches with modified dials on their own after hours. This continued until 2009, when new owners took over the company.

The majority of Raketa watches were actually produced in the original Petrodvorets factory by original Raketa masters using original Raketa parts. What they modified, if needed, was the dial. These Raketa masters had the tools and knowledge to produce special dial watches.

This watch is one of those special dial watches. It commemorates the first Soviet research  expedition to Antarctica in 1956. But must have been produced after the fact since Yuri Gagarin didn’t go into space until April 12, 1961, if in fact it is a Raketa watch. 

Russian explorers Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev, sailing on the ships Vostok and Mirny, first sighted a continental ice shelf in Antarctica in 1820. The continent, however, remained largely neglected for the rest of the 19th century because of its hostile environment, lack of resources, and isolation.

The first Soviet contact with Antarctica came in January 1947 when the Slava whaling flotilla began whaling in Antarctic waters. But it wasn’t until The Soviet Antarctic Expedition, or Sovyetskaya Antarkticheskaya Ekspeditziya, part of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute of the Soviet Committee on Antarctic Research of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, that the Russians explored the interior of the continent to the South Pole. 

The Soviets established their first Antarctic research station, Mirny, near the coast on February 13, 1956. In December 1957, they built another station, Vostok, inland near the south geomagnetic pole. The Fourth Soviet Antarctic Expedition used three large tractors and four sledges on the journey from Vostok to the South Pole, and it’s this expedition that this watch commemorates. The words in red on the dial state “The Soviet Antarctic Expedition,” or “Sovyetskaya Antarkticheskaya Ekspeditziya” in Russian.

In 1959, twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, prohibiting military activities and mineral mining, prohibits nuclear explosions and nuclear waste disposal, supports scientific research, and protects the continent's ecozone. As of today, forty-nine nations have signed the treaty. More than 4,000 scientists from many nations now conduct ongoing experiments in Antarctic life and climate change.

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about "The Sparkling World of Glass" in the 2021 Winter Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.

Happy Birthday, President Lincoln

 

QUESTION: I’ve been collecting postcards for years. Recently, while searching eBay for cards to add to my collection, I came across a unique card depicting Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. I’ve never really pursued cards from particular presidents and would love to know more about this card and perhaps others. What can you tell me about it?

ANSWER: The New York City postcard publishing firm of E. Nash published a series of cards issued for Lincoln's Centennial celebration in 1909, of which this one was a part. The six-postcard “Lincoln Birthday Series” was specifically intended as a “Lincoln Centennial Souvenir.” A pattern of stars and stripes form the background of each card, the American flag and eagle figure prominently, and each includes a portrait of President Lincoln and a quotation from or text about him. Four of the postcards depict Lincoln the rail splitter, Lincoln the Great Emancipator, Lincoln at Gettysburg, and Lincoln delivering his Second Inaugural Address. The final two postcards in the series focus on Lincoln’s character.  He was “a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief,” as illustrated by his letter to Mrs. Bixby. And he was a man whose “zeal and personal worth” allowed him to rise from his “humble origins” to the “highest pinnacle of fame…as the Champion of Liberty.”

E. Nash Postcard Set (above and below)

Avid postcard collectors seek anything concerning Lincoln and bearing his name, even local view cards. Topics range from Lincoln Park in Chicago to a view of Lincoln Drive in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, and even include hotels bearing the famous Lincoln name.

Lincoln Portrait

Less than two generations after his death, Abraham Lincoln emerged as one of America's most heroic legends. As the turn of the 20th century dawned, Americans were caught up in the fad of picture postcard ex-changing and saving. So, it is not surprising to discover how fond the public was of cards honoring the 16th president. Indeed, Lincoln's Birthday became a national holiday, and sending patriotic greeting postcards on the day was an enduring custom for many years.

Along with Uncle Sam, Santa Claus and George Washington, Abraham Lincoln's image and life soon dominated American postcard publishing. Old cards of Lincoln help us to understand just a little bit about the optimism and joy people felt back then. It was a time when Americans, under President Teddy Roosevelt and William H. Taft, felt a surging patriotism and veneration for our country and its past. There was a feeling of security in the present and an anticipation of the future.

Typical Lincoln Birthday Card

People avidly saved and exchanged Lincoln postcards. Parents and teachers also used them  as educational tools to inspire and motivate young people. To meet this demand dozens of publishers produced numerous designs of Lincoln's Birthday greetings and memorial souvenirs. During the first two decades of the 20th century many embossed and imaginatively conceived postcards were published. Most were artist illustrations, but a few displayed old photographs of Lincoln. Lincoln's Birthday cards offered a perfect blend of patriotism with the historical and holiday greeting style.

The best effort may well be International Art Company's series number 51651 of six cards, which was illustrated by artist C. Chapman. Considered by many collectors as among the finest Lincoln cards, these went through several distinguishable printings.

The London-based company of Raphael Tuck Si Sons printed and exported into this country, a six card set. While attractive, it does not fully measure up to Tuck's usual standard. The series showed vignettes from Lincoln's life, as well as his birthplace and statue. For the serious collector one version of this set came glazed. 

MW Taggart of New York City sold a 11-card set featuring scenes not commonly available elsewhere. These included The Lincoln Family Group," "Lincoln and Douglas Debate in 1858," and "Abraham Lincoln Entering Richmond:" A unique touch was added by the inclusion of the assassination scene at Ford's Theater.

Lincoln Postcard Set by Paul Finkenrath

Other publishers of cards for Lincoln's birthday were Paul Finkenrath of Berlin, easily identified by their "PFB" logo found on the address side; M.T. Sheahan, which printed 20 different designs on thick stock; P. Sanders, whose two sets, number 415 and number 416, are excellent and engrossing; and Julius Bien, producer of three singles.

Lincoln Postcard for Minnesota Prairie

In 1909, the centennial year of Lincoln's birth, proved beneficial to postcard publishers, who cashed in on the public's devotion to the slain president. It was also celebrated by a pair of special postcards sets, both of which undoubtedly were sold as packaged, complete sets throughout America in the hundreds of postcard shops that dotted the landscape.

E. Nash Company published one of the centennial sets, as stated above. The other set, by Fred C. Lounsbury, had four cards, all of which featured an imitation silver and bronze medallion of Lincoln. Scenes pictured included Lincoln's Kentucky birthplace, young Lincoln splitting rails, and the president delivering the Gettysburg Address. Lounsbury also issued these as plain-back souvenirs.

Lincoln Postcard Set by Fred Lounsbury

However, many companies produced Lincoln patriotic postcards. Among them were Majestic, Oldroyd and Century. Those by Century are particularly interesting because they used some of Matthew Brady's photos.

Postcard Showing Lincoln's Funeral Train

In 1909 a photograph of Lincoln's funeral train, long lost and forgotten in the home of the Lamson family of Toledo, Ohio, was discovered and used for a postcard design. As a promotional for the Lamson Brothers Department Store, it was handed out to Union veterans attending the 42nd National Encampment of the G.A.R. in Toledo that year.

There are so many Lincoln postcards on the market—over 7,000 have been identified from 1,000 publishers— that its impossible to collect them all.  Currently, prices range from a couple of dollars each to about $10, making the postcards one of the best Lincoln memorabilia bargains around.

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about "Celebrating an Olde Fashioned Holiday" in the 2020 Holiday Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.

From Old Trunk to Prized Possession

 

QUESTION: About five years ago, I bought an old trunk at a yard sale. It’s been sitting in my den all this time waiting for me to do something with it. I’d like to restore it but I’m not sure where to start. Can you give me some advice?

ANSWER: I’ll go one step better and take you through the process with an old trunk I purchased at a porch sale in Binghamton, New York. It’s probably similar to the one you have.

Although trunks date back to medieval times, it’s only the ones made in the 19th and early 20th centuries that people buy to restore and reuse. Trunks gained popularity with the coming of the railroads. And while people used them when traveling by stagecoach, they were more likely to use a “carpet” bag, one made of durable carpet material that could be carried by the owner. 

People along the coasts of the United States traveled from one point on the coast to another by coastal steamer or, within the interior of the country, by steamboat. Larger trunks could be taken along because these vessels had porters to carry the heavy trunks onboard and off, thus the name “steamer” trunk.

From the later half of the 19th century to the first couple of decades of the 20th, most  trunks had flat tops. These usually had a smooth metal or canvas covering, and later an embossed metal cover. They also had wooden slats or metal banding to strengthen them, as well as to add a decorative touch. More elaborate trunks, especially those made by Frenchman Louis Vuitton, had rounded tops. 

A typical 100 to 130-year-old antique trunk has a stale and musty odor from more than a century of collecting dust, mold, and mildew. Along with the deterioration of the outside canvas, leather and the inside paper lining, the glue, itself, will have decomposed over time. The original tray insert, made from a thin wood fiber or a compressed sawdust type of material, may have a deteriorated paper covering. Dry rot and mold can also be present. The purpose of the restoration process is to stop further deterioration and to remove the collection of dust, mildew, and mold which is causing the musty odor.

A basic restoration consists of first removing all canvas and paper coverings and leather straps and handles. Next the exposed wood must be washed in a special non-toxic solution to kill and remove dust, mold and mildew, then lightly sanded. Any broken hardware must be removed and replaced, as well as all of the leather. It’s important to make all repairs using the same types of tools, nails, tacks, and craftsmanship used when the trunk was first made. The next step is to restore and seal the wood using special non-toxic restorative oils and varnishes in a slow, repetitive manner to bring out the patina that only 100-year-old wood can achieve. The last step is to bring the hardware, fixtures, and any sheathing back to its original color. This includes removing any paint that may have been applied. The hardware, itself, can be painted a flat black if the original finish cannot be restored. 

It’s important to use plastic gloves, eye protection, and a construction-grade face mask when removing the dust and old finishes. While there are lots of good non-toxic cleaners on the market today, some toxic ones may have to be used if the finish on the trunk is in bad condition.

After preparing the exterior of the trunk, it’s time to focus on the interior. Never use an old trunk without properly cleaning it both inside and outside. It’s especially important to scrub the inside and remove and old paper lining that can’t be saved. In fact, unless the paper lining in historically important to the trunk, it should be removed entirely, as should the glue holding it in place. Back in the 19th century, trunk makers used horse glue to attach the paper to the inside and canvas to the outside.. 

Once the interior has been stripped and cleaned thoroughly, let the trunk air out for several days. The trunk can then be lined with fabric or wallpaper. The interior can be either luxurious or plain. Fabric, especially velvets, will give a more luxurious feel to the interior. But a chintz can also work for a more country look. Wallpaper is easier to apply than fabric, but it’s important to use wallpaper paste to apply it, even if it is pre-pasted. For a washable interior, then vinyl wallpaper is the best solution. 

If the trunk straps and hardware are in poor shape, there are sites on the Internet that sell replacements at reasonable prices. 

Believe it or not, restoring a trunk actually improves its value because it’s a usable antique. Many people use restored trunks for extra storage and not just for show.  

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about "Celebrating an Olde Fashioned Holiday" in the 2020 Holiday Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.

The Art of Knokhloma

 

QUESTION: For years I’ve been collecting decorative wooden bowls and utensils that someone told me were Ukranian. They look to be some type folk art but I’m not sure how old the pieces I have actually are.  I’ve never seen or read anything about them, but their bright colors and attractive designs  really attracted me. I found most of the pieces in my collection at garage sales and fleamarkets. What can you tell me about the pieces in my collection?

ANSWER: The pieces in your collection aren’t Ukrainian but Russian—there’s a difference. In fact, they originated in the Kovernino District of the Nizhni Novgorod province north of Moscow. The painting style became to be known as Khokhloma. 

, which first appeared in the second half of the 17th century, is known for its curved and vivid mostly flower, berry and leaf patterns. The Firebird, a figure from the Russian fairytale, can also be used.

A combination of red, black, and gold are typical colors for Khokhloma. When artisans paint on wood, they use mostly red, black, green, yellow and orange  over a gold background. This makes the wooden tableware look heavier and metallic.

The production of painted dishes in Khokhloma is first mentioned in 1659 in the letter of a boyar called Morozov to his bailiff, containing an order for 100 painted dishes and 40 painted wine bowls.

The handicraft owes its origin to the Old Believers, who, fleeing from persecutions of officials, took refuge in the local woods. Even earlier, however, local craftsmen had experience in making tableware from soft woods. But it was icon-painters who taught them the special technique of painting wood in a golden color without the use of real gold.

The craftsmen carved utensils and dishes out of wood, then primed them with clay mortar, raw linseed oil, and tin powder. They then painted a floral pattern on top of this coating. After that, they coated the pieces with linseed oil and hardened them in a kiln at high temperatures. 

Artisans used two principal wood painting techniques on the Khokhloma—the  "superficial technique," red and black colors over a goldish one, and the "background technique," a goldish silhouette-like design over a colored background.

One of the villages where the art of Khokhloma painting had originally been practiced in ancient times grew to become a trading post to which the local craftsmen brought their wares for sale starting from the 18th century.

But it wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that Westerners first learned of the Khokhloma painting style through an exhibition in Paris. But by the early 20th century, the style seemed to be fading away, only to be revitalized during the Soviet times. 

The Khokhloma craftsmen united into artels in the 1920s to early 1930s. In the 1960s, the Soviets built a factory called the Khokhloma Painter near the Khokhloma village and another one in the town of Semyonov. These two factories have become the Khokhloma centers of Russia and still produce tableware, utensils,, furniture, and souvenirs.

The three colors—red, black, and gold—used in Khokhloma painting had a profound symbolism for decorating the sacred church vessels and the dishes and cups used in the monasteries and nunneries, as well as in icon ornaments. The red color represented beauty, the gold color symbolized the spiritual heavenly light, while the black color signified the cleansing of the human soul. The religious symbolism of colors has long been lost in the Khokhloma art but the precise and solemn scheme of colors inherent in the festive design of the "gilded" dishes grew to be traditionally used for decorating all wooden Khokhloma articles and made them especially favored by collectors.

There are families in the region famous for Khokhloma art who have been keeping secret formulas of painting materials and techniques, transferring them from one generation to the next for more than three centuries. 

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about "Celebrating an Olde Fashioned Holiday" in the 2020 Holiday Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.