All kinds of hints, some helpful, some not so much!

We have compiled a list of information that we trust will prove helpful or interesting to folks. (Mainly it's to help us remember!) If you have a specific question, would like to see some information on a given topic, or would like to share some knowledge to add to this page, e-mail us.

Can Howard products be used on veneer? Yes. Howard's Restor-a-Finish can be used on veneered wood. We use it in our shop almost daily on veneered surfaces and have been very pleased with the result.

How can wax buildup be removed? Howards wood soap can be used to remove wax buildup. We recommend following up with Feed-n-Wax, it doesn't leave a wax build up and restors a rich luster to the wood.

How can I date my singer sewing machine? The singer website has a fabulous user friendly tool to research the origin of your sewing machine if it still has the serial number plate. http://www.singerco.com/support/serial_numbers.html

What are some benefits of cooking with cast iron?

1. Weight - Cast iron cookware is very dense and heavy. These characteristics allow the cookware to slowly absorb heat, to retain and withstand high heat, to maintain even temperature during cooking, and to cool down slowly.

2. Non-stick cooking - Cast-iron is the original non-stick cookware. Properly seasoned, nothing sticks to cast-iron cookware, and the non-stick surface does not wear off, peel or scratch like the modern non-sticks can.

3. Health Benefits - Cooking in cast-iron according to the American Dietetic Association, significantly increases the iron content of food. This could be a simple means of adding iron to your diet.

Do you have a trunk with an Eagle lock? In 1854, Eli Terry, Jr. formed the Eagle Lock Company. It became a major enterprise and the main industry of Terryville, CT. In the late 1800's two dams were constructed to hold water from the Pequabuck River to help provide power for the lock factory. Eagle Locks eventually enjoyed a worldwide reputation and employed 1800 persons at its peak. The Eagle Lock Company was active until it closed in 1975. The Lock Museum of America now resides in Terryville, CT.

What is a Wall Trunk? Wall trunks were made with a lid that hinged such that it could be opened if the trunk were placed against a wall. The lids are actually hinged across the top rather than the back edge. If the top edges of the trunk are curved in a waterfall type pattern, this type of top is also called a Monitor top. Monitor top trunks serve well as occasional tables and offer significant storage.

Interested in a Larkin Desk? John Larkin, without a formal education, began work at the early age of 16 in 1861. By 1875 he'd opened his own laundry products company in Buffalo, New York. With the marketing efforts of his brother-in-law, Elbert Hubbard, the team became an immediate success. Their technique included the use of premiums enclosed with their products. The premiums started out small and were inside the soap packages. By 1893, Larkin was giving out premiums such as the Larkin desk. It was through Larkin's efforts that Buffalo became one of the major production sites of American furniture. The furniture company was set up in Buffalo to assemble pieces cut in Tennessee. It is difficult to believe that for a ten dollar order you would receive something like a desk as a premium! The preferred wood for the now famous desk was oak, quarter sawn and solid, no veneers allowed. There was a rather Art Nouveau flair to the desk with swirls and applied decorative motifs. John Larkin*s name was often attached to information in the sale, whether it was from his factory or not. Consequently, over the years, the particular style became known as the Larkin style desk. Information courtesy Antique Lynx

History of the Morris Chair Named after the British poet, William Morris, best remembered for his furniture designs and poetry. The Morris chair is an early type of reclining chair, first made by the firm Morris & Company circa 1866. It has a seat with a reclining back, removable cushions, and armrests that are moderately high, giving it an old-style appearance.

HL Lebus Furniture HL was the abbreviation for Harris Lebus. The Harris Lebus company, founded by Lewis Lebus, an immigrant to England in 1840. The company started building furniture and by 1899 Lebus employed 1000 operatives and 45 managers, and was the largest furniture company in England. The company reached its zenith just before World War II, when it employed about 8,000 workers. In 1940, the Harris Lebus company switched to armaments production, their specialty building Horsa Transport gliders for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Information courtesy: 315th Troop Carrier Group Association, WWII

The Eastlake style of furniture is named after English architect, furniture designer Charles Locke Eastlake (1836-1906). His book, Hints on Household Taste, was published in London in 1868 and in Boston four years later. It produced a revolution in design and a revival of hand craftsmanship that became known as the Arts and Crafts Movement. His book encouraged "honesty" in construction and finishing. He called for hand crafted, solid wood furniture with rectangular joinery. He condemned the practice of using stains and varnishes to disguise inexpensive woods, calling instead for oiled, naturally colored finishes. Eastlake wrote, "The present system of French-polishing, or literally varnishing furniture is destructive of all artistic effect in its appearance, because the surface of wood thus lacquered can never change its color, or acquire that rich hue which is one of the charms of old cabinet work." Eastlake also inspired the manufacturers of machine-made furniture to explore the decorative possibilities of their machines. Information courtesy: Behar's Furniture History

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Midgetoys In 1943 Alvin and Earl Herdklotz formed the A & E Tool and Gage Co. Their first products included precision tooling such as gauges that measured the contours and shapes of airplane propellers. With the end of World War II, there was no more defense work and they decided to manufacture die-cast toys at their factory in Rockford, Illinois. They decided to call this toy line Midgetoy (pronounced Midget-oy).

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Knowles Pottery In 1900 Edwin Knowles started making pottery in Chester, West Virginia known as Knowles China Company. The plant manufactured such semiporcelain items as: kitchenware, dinnerware, and some specialty items. They were on the market by 1901. In 1913, an additional plant was built in Newell, W. Virginia. In 1931, the Chester plant was sold to Harker and in 1963 the Newell plant was closed.

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Harker China The Harker China Company was established in 1840 by Benjamin Harker. Benjamin Harker moved from England and settled in Ohio on the banks of the Ohio River.

Harker first produced yellow ware and Rockingham which was produced from local clay. In 1847 Benjamin Harker died and the company was run by his sons Benjamin Jr., and George under several different names. In 1857 Benjamin and George separated and George operated the George S. Harker Pottery Company which became the Harker Pottery Company. This company became famous for its many dinnerware and kitchen ware patterns and shapes. This incredible company stayed in business until 1972.

References for the brief history of the Harker China Company was taken from "Lehner's Encyclopedia Of U.S. Marks on Pottery , Porcelain and Clay" by Lois Lehner, and "Schroeder's Antique Price Guide"