What Is It?

What Is It? March 2016

What Is It? March 2016

It is so interesting to know that so many readers know what these items are.      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 been cited —small whistles shaped […]

by · March 2, 2016 · 0 comments · What Is It?
What Is It? February 2016

What Is It? February 2016

February’s What Is It is a Russel Wright ceramic swan nut dish. Several readers guessed that it might be an ashtray. Mary and Russel Wright introduced new designs to everything from furniture to dinnerware. Their whole approach encouraged casual entertaining since the late 1930s. In the 70’s and ‘80s people searched everywhere for Russel Wright’s work as they loved the […]

by · February 4, 2016 · 0 comments · What Is It?
What Is It? January 2016

What Is It? January 2016

We had two correct answers for our January’s What Is It. Jean Roller of Boulder, Colorado suggests 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 carried by […]

by · January 5, 2016 · 0 comments · Feature Article, What Is It?
What Is It? December 2015

What Is It? December 2015

We had several correct guesses for our December’s What Is It.  Carolyn Kundel, Roland, Iowa; Fred Clark, Jr., Colorado Springs, Colorado; Nancy Richards, Littleton, Colorado; Jeannie Reynolds, Nederland, Colorado and Suzanne Capra, Wheat Ridge, Colorado all correctly identified the object pictured as a fluting machine. Congratulations! You have all won a year’s subscription to the Mountain States Collector. The American Machine […]

by · November 25, 2015 · 0 comments · What Is It?
What Is It? November 2015

What Is It? November 2015

We had two correct answers to last month’s What Is It contest. Congratulations to Carolyn Kundel of Roland, Iowa and Vicky Kellen of Castle Pines, Colorado. You have won a year’s subscription to the Mountain States Collector. Vicky Kellen writes, “I have not entered your contest for quite a while, and the times that I did enter, I felt certain […]

by · November 4, 2015 · 0 comments · What Is It?