Send your answers to the What Is It contest, postmarked by April 20, to the Mountain States Collector, P.O. Box 1003, Bailey, CO 80421. At least three winners will be drawn. Winners will receive a year’s subscription to the Mountain States Collector.

 No one guessed our March What Is It. This is a 16” Hand Tuneable Bodhran. The Deep Pro Frame is in Mahogany. It is a handheld, shallow Irish drum with a single goatskin head, played with a stick. 1965-70 Irish Gaelic bodhran, from Middle Irish bodran, from bodar “deafening, deaf.” The Bodhrán is known as the core and heartbeat of […]

     We had a correct answer for a this February’s What Is It. Jean Roller of Boulder,   Colorado suggested that it is probably a flag standard for a fraternal group called the “Owls.” This group was formed about 1904 and only Master Masons could join. Jean is right that it belongs to a fraternal organization. This item is a staff […]

Marjorie McLaren of Anchorage Alaska tells us January’s What Is It appears to be a vintage woven rattan and bamboo Chinese pillow basket, probably made in the mid 20th century. The basket has a woven rattan top and bottom surrounded by a red lacquered bamboo structure. The hardware is likely brass and appears to be missing a locking mechanism, which might have been a strip […]

 Tricia Myers of Berwyn Heights, Maryland and Carolyn Kundel of Roland, Iowa both identified the What Is it as a letter opener. William McLaren of Anchorage, Alaska also tells us the object it a letter opener. He added, “The What Is It for December 2023 is a vintage bronze letter opener. The Buddha design on the handle suggests that it […]