6 MAIL TRIBUNE, Medford, Oregon, Sunday, May 25, 1958
Buried Treasure
7
7
Sword Canes Still Illegal,
Bat Many Have Them Vet
Sword canes have long been
illegal, but some people still
use them and quite unwit
tingly, at that.
The reason is that the bet
ter made the weapon, the
more difficult it is to distin
guish it from an ordinary
' cane.
Some of them, like one an
. elderly lady of my acquaint
ance had been hobbling
around on for years, are so
; skillfully fashioned that their
:' nature can be determined
only by accident.
Hers was a stout stick , of
what seemed to be blackthorn
with the thorns trimmed down
so that they formed only tiny
knobs. The handle, formed of
part of the root, was roughly
shaped like a pistol butt so
that it gave one an excellent
grip on the cane, either for
ordinary use or for swordplay.
About three inches down
from the curve was a broad
band of silver, nearly an inch
wide. Actually it was two
bands superimposed. When
the upper was turned, it spir
aled down nearly a quarter
of an inch, thus releasing a
catch that permitted the han
dle to be turned slightly and
the sword withdrawn.
The length oi the blade was
28 inches, tapering to a needle
point from its half inch width
and three-eighths inch thick
ness at the hilt.
The blade was dated 1841
but neither the name of the
maker nor place of manufac
ture was given. While it was
not illegal in most parts of the
country at that time to carry
concealed weapons, the mak
er evidently felt that his prod
uce had not been ordered
merely for personal defense
purposes.
Had he felt so, he would un
doubtedly have put his name
and address on the piece. The
quality of workmanship indi
cated a manufacturer with
plenty of experience in such
products, and as many a
sword cane of that time
shows, the maker was gener
ally anxious to drum up fu
ture business by identifying
his product.
The value of a good sword
cane runs from $50 up, de
pending on the quality of
workmanship, metals used
and ornamentation. One that
I saw sold a few years ago
was cheap at its $625 price
There were better than three
full ounces of gold in the
handle. The carving was su
perb. '
General Motors Had Small Car In Plans
POLITICS. WAR AFFECT EVERYTHING EVEN STAMPS
Politics and war affect
stamp collecting as well as ev
erything else, but I didn't ex
pect that the current difficul
ties in Cuba would affect the
present market.
They do, however. One
dealer that I know made a
$1,000 purchase recently that
he didn't want to make but
had to because he couldn't af
ford to turn it down.
"I told the seller if he'd
take $500 down, I could give
him $1,000 dollars more in
three months' time, but he
said he had to have $1,000
now," the dealer said.
"He wanted it in a hurry
to help the Castro rebellion.
I know it from what he and
his friend said in Spanish," he
continued. "They didn't know
I understood."
The nearly 400 stamps that
made up the sale included
many of the earliest used in
Cuba, but those were not the
valuable, ones. Strange as it
may seem, the majority of
the stamps used in the island .
while it was under Spanish
rule have comparatively lit
tle value. The average top
retail listing wouldn't be
much over $10.
Where the big values lie in
those stamps that were used
during the American occupa
tion of the island, during and
shortly after our war with
Spain.
Those stamps may be read
ily recognized by the sur
charge, usually in black ink,
that makes them immediately
obvious.
The best item the dealer got
in the anti-Batista sale was a
blue-green item of a four
milesimas denomination. The
stamp is one put out by the
Spaniards. In its center is a
profile . protrait of . the boy
who later became Alfonso
XIII, whose rule ended with
the advent of the Spanish Re
public that Franco overthrew.
Surcharged on the stamp in
black ink was the phrase "5
CENTS." ' ;
The stamp has a value, ac
cording to Scott's catalogue,
of $750.
18TH CENTURY ANOMALY FINE VALUED BENCH
One should always be sus
picious of freakish-looking
furniture, machine-turned or
otherwise, especially if it
looks old and rather decrepit,
and even if it has a rush seat.
It might be fairly valuable.
An example is an eight
legged bench on which I sat
recently. It had no back,
though that didn't matter so
much since it stood on the
porch against the wall. And
its rush bottom was far from
comfortable until I managed
to sneak a cushion for my
end.
But it performed beautiful
ly as the afternoon got into
high gear, not only providing
seats for five people but do
ing well as a conversation
piece.
The owner had bought it at
a salvage shop for $10 part
ly because of the use it might
give, but more particularly
because the dilapidated con
dition of the rush work would
present a challenge to his.
wife, who had gone in for
basket weaving.
By the time his wife had
got. through repairing the
seat about half of it had to
be replaced the two had be
come curious about the
bench's origin. The eight legs
and stringers were manifestly
machin e-turned, but the
weave of the rush work and
the type of rush used were
not like anything they had
seen in 20th century pieces.
And since eight-leg benches
are scarcely a common house
hold article today, they de
cided to look up the piece in
reference works on early
American furniture.
It didn't take long for them
to find what they were look
ing for. Benches of that gen
eral size and type were fairly
common in the 1700's and
well on to at least the middle
1800's.
They also learned that such
pieces are rare enough to be
featured ' in several, museum
displays as well as in various
reference works.
As for the value of their
piece, which gives all the ap
pearance of having been made
in the 1850's, that is difficult
to determine. But since they
have authorized an antique
dealer to pay up to $125 for
a reasonable close companion
to go on the other side of the
porch, they consider it worth
that much at least.
(Released by McClure
Newspaper Syndicate)
Memphis, Tenn. (I?)
It's unlikely that truckdriver
Charlie Anderson will forget
to fasten his truck tailgate in
the future. He did Friday,
spreading a load of asphalt
over a two-block area. His
boss and the police made
him sweep it up.
REGISTRATIONS
Mexico City OP) More
than 10 million persons have
registered to vote in the July
6 presidential elections, it
was announced Friday.
About 75,000 persons die of
malaria each year in India.
5 Days Left
To SAVE at the Big "Change of Ownership" Sale at
Lucas & Howard
With National Brands YOU Know
Hiway 99 Sooth of Central Point
North of Medford-Phone NO 4-2243
Furniture
Barn
Wilmington Del. (UPI)
General Motors President Har
low H. Curtice said Friday
" a smaller car is currently
under study" at General Mo
tors. It was the first and most
explicit admission by GM of
months old industry know
ledge that Chverolet has com
pleted plans for a small or
"light" car right up to the
tooling stage. While not com
mitting larger sums needed
for tooling, GM is watching
the market to see if it should
put the car on the market in
late 1959.
Ford has plans which have
progressed almost as far, and
Chrysler Corp. acknowledged
this week it has plans "to be
ready" if small car produc
tion is justified.
Mount Shasta Parlor
Destroyed by Fire
Mount Shasta, Calif. (UPI)
Noble's Chapel, a funeral
parlor here, was destroyed by
fire Saturday. It took firemen
more than an hour to put out
the flames and fire fighters
were equipped with gas
masks.
Two bodies in the establish
ment were recovered undamaged.
Syrian Soldier Admits
Throwing Two Bombs
Beirut, Lebanon (UPI)
Beirut Radio said Saturday a
Syrian soldier had confessed
throwing two bombs which
killed three persons and in
jured many more here last
Monday and Thursday.
The government-owned sta
tion said the Syrian, Moham
mad Bakri Rabeeh Ammou
neh, was arrested Saturday
and re-enacted the crimes for
police authorities. The radio
said the Syrian comes from
Allepo and that he confessed
he is on active service with
the Syrian Army.
Lie Mail Tribune Classified Adl
Rogue River to Voie On School Budget
Rogue River Rogue Riv
er school district will hold
its annual budget election
Tuesday, May 27, in the
Rogue River High school
gymnasium. Polls will be op
en from 2 to 8 p.m.
Although the proposed
budget exceeds last year's by
only $3474.53, an election
must be held because the en
tire operating budget of the
district is considered as being
outside the six per cent limi
tation. This is because the district
is now financially independ
ent of the rural school board,
and has no established tax
base it was explained by John
B. Harr, school superintendent.
Young Deer Makes
Surprise Store Visit
Dallas, Ore. (UPI) A
young deer made a surprise
entrance through the back
door of the Dallas book store
here Friday afternoon start
ling customers and clerks.
Proprietor John Greenwood
said the animal didn't come
to buy, but only to "browse."
After investigating behind
counters and leaping on
Greenwood's desk the animal
headed out of town.
Largest Great Lakes ore The violet Is the stati
carriers are 714 feet long. flower of Illinois.
Open 24 Hours
Every Day
SELF SERVICE
20e per 8 lb.
Washer Load
Drying 1c
Per Minute
COIN OPERATED
ran
BH6
516 W.
Sixth St.
Large 50-U.
Dryers
LAUNDRY
Agitator
Type Washers
Supplies
Available
516 W.
Sixth J.
Really rV
Water
NEW! EXPANDED
DEPARTMENTS
MORE MERCHANDISE
AND
BETTER SELECTIONS
(
1
a
- t , ; r , 1
mmm jama mmmm mm mm bmbm mm stw. $
EVERYTHING FOR SUMMER FUN AND VACATION NEEDS
)
r i
Reg. 234.50
12' Sea King deluxe aluminum boat
Lightweight easy to transport
Weighs only 125 lbs. Needs
practically no upkeep. 16-gauge
alum, bottom, -18-gauge sides.
24" bow deck. Oak gunwales.
t 1
vX
PLUS FREIGHT
Keep them safe
with Wards reg.
4.49 motor boating
vest -Special!
"Stay afloat" security for
your child in Coast Guard
approved vest. For 2 to 12
year-olds. Savel
mi
Ji 7 'II I XV '
SALE! Kapok filled
plastic boat cushion
Solid red cushion. Can
be used as life pre
server . . . Coast Guard
eppr. 15x1 3x2 -in. size.
Single-speed port
able spot cooler
Can be used on desk,
table or portable stand
for cooling small areas.
Retractable handle.
WATERS
k95
MS-
ROPE
10
OS"- 1., toV, rope -
ong- "
26 lightweight "Tourist" bike
ller-cu-matic 3-speed hub
Reg. 44.95
Imported from England. 3-speed 4Rf
huh late vm I chill nanrc lilsa ft U
' " ' j v u jt.ui j line u
car. 2-whe,el hand brakes. Boys',
girls'.
Sr5rW($8 f mTmmmSmSA
W..yiif.iftirwiiiriiir
Sale! Wards sleeping bags filled
with 3 lbs. Gelacloud. Reg. 15.95
Save 5.07! Durable poplin cov
er, plaid flannel lining. 100"
zipper, 2 air mattress pockets,
detach, canopy.
10.88
mourner Hu.,l
Li mum
;iHAWHOKNjpropane
; gas lantern
10.95
lights instantly. Burns 4
hours on 1 cylinder.
Adiustable valve. Pyrex
globe. E-Z-carry handle.
w Fins
188
.""'' for 1 ?esiSed,
- 1-1
price
''bl9toedonJ
15.95
HOW! "OVAL-TAPER" LUGGAGE
IN BLUE,-TAII, OR 1I0NEY-VIIITE
SrcCAl PURCHASE! ft TSSBe
Smart Train Case
Weekender 21 in. Case
Pullman 26 in. Case
12.95
15.95
: 1 7.95
Wards exclusive! Finest quality. Strong, yet light
weight. Choice of fashion-tone colors. Washable
vinyl covers have luxurious look.
1000 (500 double)
sheets to the roll. Facial
tissue quality.
for
Si