Yes, they are ocarinas. These pictured include a bass (top), a tenor (right), a red alto and a soprano. The rare bass, probably Russian-made, is valuable.    Ceramic ocarinas have been around more than 12,000 years. Ancient examples have ben cited – small whistles shaped like birds or other animals and made of terracotta were in India for 6,000 years. China […]

   We had several guesses for April’s What Is It but only one person correctly identified the objects pictured to the right. Kate Loyle of Wichita, Kansas tells us these are antique tape measures. Congratulations, you have won a year’s subscription to the Mountain States Collector.    All three of these items are miniature sculpture cases for measuring tapes which are rewound […]

   Mona of Loveland, Colorado, writes, “These are tools for making fake grain on wood. I lived in an 1880’s mansion and all the original doors and baseboards (10”) had been “grained” with stains. It was real wood, so I never understood why the grain was added. Style and design?” Mona is correct. One of 19th Century guides for decorating furniture […]

   We had several winners for our February What Is It? Michele Pontious of Belleair, Illinois guessed the item is a vintage antique apothecary cork press. She is correct! So are Jerome McLaren of Conifer, Colorado and Charles Kirkpatrick of Denver, Colorado! Vicky Kellan of Castle Pines, Colorado thought it might be a nut cracker. That is a possibility so we […]

Wow! Seems like everyone knew what our what is it was in January! All of these people correctly identified the object as a nutmeg grater:    Dottie Unruh, Lakewood, Colorado; Marilyn Fay, Greeenwood Village, Colorado; Carolyn Kundel, Roland, Iowa; William McLaren, Anchorage, Alaska; Suzanne Capra, Wheat Ridge, Colorado; Merrill Yale, Denver, Colorado; Denise Olmsted, Green River, Wyoming; Vicky Kellen, Castle Pines, […]