Progress is fine, but it's gone on for too long.
with apologies to Ogden Nash...
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Goodell Tools glass cutter #1
Monday, June 22, 2026
Champion Anti-Rattler Co.
Interesting name for a company, but the Champion Anti-Rattler Company was an automotive aftermarket parts manufacturer founded in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1929. It produced window shims for the Model A Ford and is best remembered for manufacturing small, specialized hardware and service parts to fix noise, wear, and suspension issues in older cars. The name was changed to Champ-Items at some point and in 1972 the company was sold to Standard Motor Products. 1947 Washington Ave is no longer an address.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Ducati for sale...
For sale at the CVMG swap meet. A mere $4100. Lots of questions. For instance...What model is it? How did something so exotic and expensive end up in this condition? Why would someone buy it? How negotiable is the price? the list goes on...
It would certainly make a good subject for a creative writing class.
AJW Super Four
This unconventional bike was made to chase world speed records. It drew huge crowds when it was shown at the Olympia Motorcycle Show in 1928. Despite its straight line performance it was unstable enough that it was not used. More here.
Gray Bonney 3/8 ratchet
I picked this up today for 75¢. The reversing lever is broken off but it works ok in both directions. Checking Alloy Artifacts, they suggest the ratchet was introduced in 1936 and show a slightly different version with just the Bonney name. Another difference is that this version is assembled with screws opposed to the Bonney's rivets, might be innovation from Gray.
I might try to renovate the thing just for fun.
Friday, June 19, 2026
The G man meets C & B Rods
No relation to me, but Clawson & Bal's business practices led to a 1939 tax lawsuit regarding whether a connecting rod is a taxable item.
Bone chisel
I always get a bit queasy when I find these surgical tools, I would definitely need anesthetics for this one. Nasty. Text stamped in the handle looks like Teur a Paris, Google Translate says Author in Paris but we'll just leave it there. Futuristic (for twenty years ago) Ridgid hammer included for scale.
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Early farm innovation...
As Wilbur tested the new machine gun mount on his biplane, it occurred to him that it would make an excellent rowcropping agricultural tool, battling both potato bugs and groundhogs.
This picture was taken while I was flipping through a book at an antique market, so I don't know what's actually going on.
Google Lens tells me this is a Blériot XI- the first plane across the English Channel, it it is obviously not.











