What's the coolest thing you own?

[bestmickey]

Taking a lead from RichieLion's post re: "COOLEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!", I'm wondering what is the coolest thing you OWN (your pet(s) and/or your home in The Villages to be excluded)?

For me, it's my collection of letters from Civil War soldiers, and other original effects from that same time period.

What about you?

[jblum8156]

The coolest thing I own is a 4-ft. nude statue of a young boy, carved from some very hard wood, probably Micronesian and probably used as a grave ornament. I have seen a very similar piece in the Rockefeller collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My husband and I collected American primitive art and this is the only thing I have that is not American.

[graciegirl]

I have a collection of 35 sterling silver baby christening cups.

[Talk Host]

I have a two page letter written by General Ulysses S. Grant discussing civil war strategy. It is written to a friend of his named John. In it, he says, "Lincoln is skeptical of my plan, but what the hell does Lincoln know of war?"

There is also a tintype picture of Grant along with the letter. The letter is very old and very fragile. I use to display it in a frame, but have since sealed it in protective coating and store it in a secure location.

It was sent to me anonymously by one of my radio listeners about 20 years ago. It has been examined by numerous authorities including the Smithsonian, who would like to have it.

So far, I have had one offer from an individual to purchase it from me. The offer was $49.

JLK

[Tom Hannon]

I'll give you $50, sight unseen

[dillywho]

The letters Jerry Allison, The Crickets drummer, wrote to me when they were first getting started and the pictures of us then and now.

[Mudder]

The coolest thing in our house is a 7 foot tall suit of armour, we call him Reggie. Right now he is guarding the dinning room but he likes to move to different places occasionally. He's going to be Sir Lancelot for Halloween !

[barb1191]

One of my "treasures" are letters written by my Dad to his Mother, and Mother's replies, when he was in the military in France during WWI. So precious.

[eweissenbach]

A mint condition program from the 1967 NFL/AFL World Championship game between the KC Cheifs, and the Green Bay Packers in LAs Collesium, later to be known as Super Bowl I.

[ijusluvit]

A baseball hit into the right field bleachers at Yankee Stadium in the 1930's. It was not commonplace for players to sign balls in those days, but the home run was important enough that when a fan appeared after the game with his young son and showed the ball to departing players, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez and Babe Ruth signed it.

I knew the young son, who became a Catholic priest. I was his early morning altar server for a couple of years. When he was dying of cancer he gave me the ball and the sketchy information about it's history.

[Mikeod]

I have an original flight jacket worn by my father with the Flying Tigers. It has an American Flag on the back and Chinese writing.

[ConeyIsBabe]

Four park-like acres in the country of beautiful southern Oregon ~~ very kewl for this lifelong city girl :MOJE_whot: I won't have it forever so am trying to enjoy while I can :p

[ducati1974]

I've got two beautiful grandfather clocks my father made from scratch- one made of mahogany & one of southern pine.

[ducati1974]

Oh wait a minute- what was I thinking?- the coolest thing I own is my home in Virginia Trace! Duh!

[redwitch]

My father's Army patch from WWII is number two. Number one is a diamond ring. My mother and her family were in a German concentration camp during WWII. Like many, gems were sewn into their clothing. Being Aryan (Goebbels wanted my grandfather's estate outside of Berlin), they were not as thoroughly searched as were others, so managed to keep their gems. When there was a chance to escape, my mother was given the diamonds from a family tiara for bribes, etc. The one diamond she managed to save was put into a ring. So, this is the last piece of her family -- the rest never survived the camps (so far as we know).

[JimJoe]

My beagle.
JJ

[K9-Lovers]

I thought pets and our home in TV was excepted?

[ssmith]

Now that is some story you have and I can see that you have some strength of character that was passed down with that diamond!!!

[Pturner]

Last year I interviewed my Dad to get his life story. I have it on video.

[nONIE]

Last year I interviewed my Dad to get his life story. I have it on video.

Beautiful Phyllis,

I bet your so grateful you did that!

[nONIE]

I have the beautiful rosewood wind up antique clock that my father used to lift me up to wind when I was three years old. and..........

my wonderful pups that give me undivided and unconditional love and devotion.

[hedoman]

Next to my picture of my father shaking hands with President Ronald Reagan it's my IPhone with which I couldn't exist.

Then too there is TOTV..........

Look out TV we are moving in next fall!

:crap2:

[jebartle]

While scuba diving in the Fla. inter-coastal, I found a torpedo bottle that was made in 1860....They used these bottles for "soda"...They put a rounded bottom on bottle so they would "finish the drink", so they say! Also found
a sloth bone while cave diving in Ocala.

[salpal]

My great-great grandfather's civil war diary, he was wounded at Gettysburg (he was a yankee). After he recovered, he went back to become a carpenter for the military and made coffins for fallen soldiers. One of the cutest stories was when he and a buddy left camp for a few hours and stole a fresh baked pie from a farmer's wife's kitchen window!

[paulandjean]

A letter from Jim Valvano,North Carolina State basketball coach.signed and team photo. Dean Smith signed photo. Bobby Knight signed photo and letter. All for sale for the right price.

[BritParrothead]

My 2 juke boxes that live in my kitchen, many & varied c.d's on both of them. My 45 juke box sadly died a couple of years ago!

[Tom Hannon]

My 45 juke box is still sounding good. A shame there will be no place for it when I become a Villager frog.

[greg802]

We own a 60's coke machine.....thought maybe we'd do a game room someday.....hasn't happened yet but there's always a possibility!!

[scarecrow1]

A piece of silver that is eight ounces. (pieces of eight) from the ship wreck of the Atocha. The authentic piece of paper signed by the daughter of Mel Fisher the man who found the wreck.

[Boudicca]

My husband :( Seriously though, I have, and use, my great grandmother's wooden rolling pin... We are probably the last generation to actually cook food and make dishes from "scratch"

[batman911]

I have a styrofoam coffee cup that had something written on it when it was normal size. The cup was taken to 10,000 feet below the ocean surface (outside the pressure hull) and is now the size of a thimble (gas bubbles in the styrofoam were all compressed by the water pressure). The wall of the cup is paper thin now.

[bestmickey]

For some reason I can't "quote" your entry. Just want to say that is VERY special! That was some fan you had. Is that when you were in Albany?

[rhsgypsylady]

My Blue Willow China collection. I've been collecting since 1970 when my mother (who is deceased now) bought me my first set of BW dishes with S&H Green Stamps. Anyone remember those?

[Shimpy]

It's got to be my motorcycle. Honda Goldwing, 2003 , 100,000+ miles and still as quiet, smooth and powerful as the day I got it. You don't know the meaning of relaxing until you get on a motorcycle and just enjoy your ride.

[Bosoxfan]

My father was interviewed on TV because he was in the middle of a severe storm (a microburst) in a campground in New Hampshire.I called the station and asked if I could get a copy and they sent me a video.My dad is still around but it's nice to know that I'll always be able to watch him even after he's gone.

[K9-Lovers]

My mother had four sisters. I have a collection of letters and cards from three of them, dating back to when they were in elementary school. My mother never kept her correspondence because she traveled so much, but her sisters kept every scrap of paper! It is so interesting to read letters from my mother to them, and vice versa.

[swrinfla]

There are several things which I consider "cool," but one that may be coolest is a small leather-bound book containing nearly two dozen pictures of furniture owned by my late wife's grandmother. The book dates from the late 1920s.

Coolest is that there are pictures of at least six chairs which are still in my living/dining room. They are identified as "belonged to my grandmother." That dates them as at least 175 years old, I think!

SWR
:beer3:

[BogeyBoy]

I bought a silver dollar with one of the first dollars I earned. For some reason I have held on to it all these years. Came close to loosing it once: was at a movie and heard the guy behind me say, "I found it in the lobby and it's a 1921". I had just sat in the lobby a few minutes before. Reached in my pocket and realized my silver dollar was gone. Turned and asked him if he had found a 1921 silver dollar, he said yes and handed it to me. Never carried it with me since then.

Also have an old dime my mother gave me a few years ago, she thought it was worth something. I checked - it's worth 10 cents. (Well, maybe a little more but not the thousands she may have imagined.) But I still keep it.

[Boomer]

My Blue Willow China collection. I've been collecting since 1970 when my mother (who is deceased now) bought me my first set of BW dishes with S&H Green Stamps. Anyone remember those?

Hi rhsgypsylady,

Yes, I do...

and I also remember the story.

And I bet you know it, too...

the story the Blue Willow pattern tells -- about the young couple who loved each other but were not allowed to be together because her father had promised her to a wealthy, old man. So the young lovers ran away and were turned into doves by the gods.

Those are such pretty dishes. I was told the story of the pattern many, many years ago by someone dear to me who used those dishes every day. I have a warm spot in my heart for Blue Willow dishes.

Boomer

[Kathie]

Sophia Loren's Directors chair from the movie Grumpier Old Men. Won it at a charity auction.

[skyguy79]

Letters written between my father and mother during WWII while he was stationed overseas. They ran from early 1943 until the war ended in 1945. I had hundreds of them and read them all shortly before moving to TV, and kept select ones and discarded the rest. They were in a wooden box larger than the size of the old milk boxes they used to used for home delivery... if you remember back then!

What was really interesting about them is that when my father was deployed overseas my parents barely knew each other. Only met a couple of times. By the time the war ended and before he returned home, they were practically planning on getting married even though no proposal took place until he was back. (He had no leave where he could return to the states like our military can more readily do now) And I'm sure having me was in the back of their minds too!

There were more letters in the box including some written by a brother, his parents and my namesake that was KIA on Iowa Jima! Lots and lots of reading!

[swimdawg]

My 45 juke box is still sounding good. A shame there will be no place for it when I become a Villager frog.

Would that be a Wurlitzer juke box?

As I look out my sunroom window right now, I can see the Wurlitzer sign lit up on the building that used to manufacture those Wurlitzer juke boxes.....in North Tonawanda, NY. They also made the famous Wurlitzer organs in that building.

Unfortunately, a sign of the times........juke boxes and Wurlitzer organs no longer manufactured here. I took my dawg to obedience training in that Wurlitzer building.

BTW, she did not graduate Magna Cum Laude.....the little pipsqueak! :doggie:

[faithfulfrank]

Wow.....I thought I had some cool stuff, but not like what I've read here from others.....an impressive read!

I have one of the very first ping putters from Scottsdale Az that was my Dad's. He was a par golfer 50 years ago. My collection of first day covers...sadly not worth much nowadays, but I find them interesting. I have some very unique old tools still. My Dad's WWII pictures. His immigration paperwork from Ellis Island dated 1930.

Most of my "cool" stuff was sold or given to my kids so I can make the Florida move.....hard to justify keeping much of this stuff when you downsize....

Some of our new modern stuff...my iphone, my Prius. My Kreg system.

Our washer and dryer "sings" to us when it is done. Kinda cool. My wife responds to it better then I do......

Might sound dumb, but I like my two Rapid Reels hose reels. If you ever use one you will never go back to having a cheapo plastic hosereel again. I think it is cool.

Frank

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Hmmmmm......lemme see......

The "coolest": This would probably be some of the cars we still own but also a whole bunch of cars we've owned over the course of time.....though maybe "the ones we used to own" isn't responsive to the thread. Mostly older cars but some have been new ones that we really enjoyed. Regardless, we - both Sandy and I - just enjoy the heck out of cars. Always have and always will. For us, it's a whole lot of fun to simply hop in one and go out for a bite to eat or take a drive in the countryside or go to a car show or whatever. The old ones remind us of simpler times - and the cars were simpler back then, too! Easy to work on and still (for the ones we've had) easy to find most any part you'd need. Fun, fun, fun!!

Bill :)

[graciegirl]

I have a collection of silver baby christening cups, starting with those in our family and adding to it by finding them here and there over the years and on ebay.

I love to look at them and clean them and see the dings. My husbands is missing the handle. I can see him banging on his high chair for more milk!

There is one, the most elaborate that is engraved. "To Mackie from Mama"..and the date is 1884.

You wonder how they ended up out of the family, but I am taking good care of them.

There is one with the Campbells kids and some have elaborate handles of animals. Most have engraved names.

I display them in a big silver frame that once was for a picture but now has shelves. Someone sweet and wonderful made it for me.

[De Lis]

Go packers!!!!!!

[Figmo Bohica]

A Japaness statue of an old man cleaning a fish, signed by John Pic, 1962, Tachikawa, Japan. John Pic, an Air Force Staff Sergeant at the time, is Lee Harvey Ozwalds half brother. It was given to my mother as a Christmas present by Marge and John who where are neighbors while living in Japan.

[Posh 08]

Many years ago when I was a boy, my Grandfather gave me a silver dollar. He said "as long as you keep that, you will never be broke". I still have it.

[Doodlegirl]

to my home in response to a letter I had sent to him indicating I felt he was
blackmailing Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Have been waiting for a higher offer than $1,500 ten years ago! Hoover included a xeroxed copy of an article from the Washington Post in which the then author appeared to
'clear' the bureau and Hoover of wrong doing. After waiting 2 hours in front of my home for me to return from my teaching position, my husband virtually pulled me into the house saying, "I told you not to write him, those guys are FBI and when I told them you were teaching they said they would wait!" My late husband was actually shaking with fear! He had no idea what they wanted or why they were there and I think he had visions of my being dragged off to a hidden location forever!

[momesu]

Many years ago when I was a boy, my Grandfather gave me a silver dollar. He said "as long as you keep that, you will never be broke". I still have it.

OH my grandfather did that also and yes I still have mine. It is even more special because it was made in the year he was born.

Suzanne

[graciegirl]

to my home in response to a letter I had sent to him indicating I felt he was
blackmailing Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Have been waiting for a higher offer than $1,500 ten years ago! Hoover included a xeroxed copy of an article from the Washington Post in which the then author appeared to
'clear' the bureau and Hoover of wrong doing. After waiting 2 hours in front of my home for me to return from my teaching position, my husband virtually pulled me into the house saying, "I told you not to write him, those guys are FBI and when I told them you were teaching they said they would wait!" My late husband was actually shaking with fear! He had no idea what they wanted or why they were there and I think he had visions of my being dragged off to a hidden location forever!


Boomer?

No, I thought for a minute you might be the new Boomer who disappeared awhile back but I read some of your old posts and I don't think you are now.. Both of you are very nice!

[l2ridehd]

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj152/l2ridehd/Road%20King/3.jpg

[babbs455]

my photo with cousin Wy and her momma!!! priceless..

[Villages PL]

My beautiful Gibson guitar (acoustic and electric). It was given to me in 1952 by my mother and father, when I was 11 years old.

[ladydoc]

I have a couple of cool things...a mint Shirley Temple doll from the 1950's (my doll, I never really played with dolls); a Life Magazine from the week I was born and best of all, my vintage hubby~

[The Great Fumar]

I have a stuffed dog !!!!!!

Not sure whose it was ??????

[graciegirl]

I have a stuffed dog !!!!!!

Not sure whose it was ??????

Fumar. You ain't right.:wave:

[Bill-n-Brillo]

I have a stuffed dog !!!!!!

Not sure whose it was ??????

The most recent pooch that whizzed in your yard, Fumar??? :shocked:

:jester:

Bill :)

[buzzy]

Two large framed posters of Apollo astronauts, with shots of the Lunar Module in orbit and on the moon, surrounded by hundreds of signatures of Grumman employees, including mine.

[PennBF]

In around 1960's my mother flew to Russia on her own in order to tour the country. As a gift she brought back to me on a stand (about 6-8 inches tall)
the Russian desk stand of the Russian Sputnik. The Russians were first to put an orbiting satellite in space in October 1957. If it is wound up it plays the Russian national anthem. The base is in gold plate with the earth on a half moon base and the model of the sputnik raised on a sort of arm. Punched on the base is "4 X-1957-CCCP". :wave:

[CaptJohn]

19th century half dollar shot by Annie Oakley. She was the first in TV. Originally from around Greenville, Ohio she spent winters in Leesburg, Florida and Pinehurst, NC.

[Kathie]

The coolest thing I own is Sophia Loren's directors chair from the movie Grumpier Old Men. Won it at a charity auction.

[perrjojo]

A lock of my blonde hair which was cut when I was three years old....it proves that I am REALLY a blond. HeHe

[Cantwaittoarrive]

WWI trench art made by my grandfather while hunkered down in a trench in Germany

[Cantwaittoarrive]

A lock of my blonde hair which was cut when I was three years old....it proves that I am REALLY a blond. HeHe

I also have a lock of hair from when I was three. In my case it proves I actually had hair

[Didiwinbob]

My dogs own me, and I'm always cool in there eyes
I love my iPhone


Chris

[eweissenbach]

1. A nineteenth century Dresden China Tom and Jerry Bowl and 12 cups. Very ornately painted with gold edges. My Great Grandfather owned a tavern near Hermann, Missouri where he served T and Js during the holidays.

2. A program, in near mint condition, from the first AFL / NFL championship game between the Packers and Chiefs in 1967, before it was called the "Super Bowl".

[bandsdavis]

Taking a lead from RichieLion's post re: "COOLEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!", I'm wondering what is the coolest thing you OWN (your pet(s) and/or your home in The Villages to be excluded)?

For me, it's my collection of letters from Civil War soldiers, and other original effects from that same time period.

What about you?

About 2 years ago, I bought a guitar that looks just like the one George Harrison played in the early Beatles years. It's not exactly the same (about a $2000 difference) but it looks the same and is the same make, so it's good enough for me. I have wanted something like this since 1964, so to me it's pretty cool!

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

About 2 years ago, I bought a guitar that looks just like the one George Harrison played in the early Beatles years. It's not exactly the same (about a $2000 difference) but it looks the same and is the same make, so it's good enough for me. I have wanted something like this since 1964, so to me it's pretty cool!

I have a few guitars. One is a 1987 Rickenbacker that has been customized to be as close to the second one that John Lennon owned and played in the Beatles years.
Another is a limited edition John Lennon Signature Epiphone Casino. In 1965 both John and George acquired Epiphone Casinos. John made it his primary guitar for the rest of the Beatles career.
In the 90s Gibson, who owns Epiphone, decided to do a commemorative guitar. Yoko allowed them to get their hands on John's guitar and they took photographs, did tracings and took measurements. They then produced 1965 numbered instruments. I own #89.
I also own a Ludwig drum kit identical to the one that Ringo played on the first Ed Sullivan show. His was a 1964 kit and mine's a 1965 but there were no changes in the way they were made in those years.

[John_W]

Hmmmmm......lemme see......

The "coolest": This would probably be some of the cars we still own but also a whole bunch of cars we've owned over the course of time.....though maybe "the ones we used to own" isn't responsive to the thread. Mostly older cars but some have been new ones that we really enjoyed...

I had collected over 4,000 record albums from 1966 until the mid 90's. However, since we had to downsize to a CYV we had to leave them behind. It now has to be my car, a 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. It's two months old but I still get a thrill everytime I drive it. The color is Ironman Silver with black leather interior.

http://photos.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_1032/car_photo_516268_7.jpg


.

[blueash]

I have a two page letter written by General Ulysses S. Grant discussing civil war strategy. It is written to a friend of his named John. In it, he says, "Lincoln is skeptical of my plan, but what the hell does Lincoln know of war?"

There is also a tintype picture of Grant along with the letter. The letter is very old and very fragile. I use to display it in a frame, but have since sealed it in protective coating and store it in a secure location.

It was sent to me anonymously by one of my radio listeners about 20 years ago. It has been examined by numerous authorities including the Smithsonian, who would like to have it.

So far, I have had one offer from an individual to purchase it from me. The offer was $49.

JLK

Wow, I hope you will seriously consider gifting it to the Smithsonian or perhaps National Archives. They will do a great job with preservation and it will be a permanent part of American history accessible to everyone. Imagine having your name on the little sign.. Donated by the Talk Host JLK

[DougB]

About 2 years ago, I bought a guitar that looks just like the one George Harrison played in the early Beatles years. It's not exactly the same (about a $2000 difference) but it looks the same and is the same make, so it's good enough for me. I have wanted something like this since 1964, so to me it's pretty cool!

Coolest guitar I own is a 1967 Gibson ES 335 I used when I got the opportunity to play with Mike Smith, lead vocals and keyboards of the Dave Clark 5. I have bought and sold many guitars over the years, but that is one I will always cherish. Wish I had him sign it.

[Geewiz]

Project Gemini Master Countdown signed, "To Gary - Best of Luck...Neal Armstrong, Charles Conrad, abd Bill Aldrin." My uncle was a honcho for Martin Marietta during Gemini.

Also a 1965 Epiphone Casino lefty.

But then there are old tapes of rehearsals with those still here and gone and those wonder images of my son.

[Chief X]

I've got two pretty cool items - a (nearly perfect condition) copy of a 1938 Syracuse Herald newspaper with a picture of Lou Gehrig on his way to the world series, sitting in the back of a pickup truck on his suitcase. Also in the paper is a picture of Hitler, during a ticker tape parade.
Second, I have a J.W. Pepper "Surprise" cornet that was manufactured in 1894 and sold for around $15 new. The cornet is in excellent condition and I typically play a song or two during each local performance. The cornet was a gift to me recently from a friend.

[quirky3]

My grandfather's signed Prohibition Pledge card. I knew him as a fun-loving Welshman, so something tells me he didn't really mean it!!

[JoeC1947]

I still have my health!

[mrsanborn]

I have a Medtronic's Protecta XT ICD. When asked, "How did the move go?", I always answer, "damn near killed me!"

[2BNTV]

My health and sense of humor. :D

[graciegirl]

The coolest thing I own is a 72 year old man who has been hanging around for more than fifty years. He is very good looking and has the warmest smile. He fixes me coffee in the morning and brings it to me in bed with a kiss and he knows just where the hitch is in my neck and can make it go away. He seems to know when my day isn't doing too well and always manages to somehow set it straight. He directs me back to the sensible thing to do at least three times a week. He has the same children and grandchildren as I do and seems to think he loves them more.

He is a prize, that boy. I am so lucky.

[djm619]

It would have to be my 1977 mint AMC Gremlin. When people see it they just smile.

[SanFranDianne]

We have an elephant chair, one that was used for riding elephants. It's called a howdah in Thailand, where we got it. It's almost always in our entryway, although I'm not sure where it will fit when we get our furniture delivered to our Sanibel house.

[gocubsgo]

My Arabian horse, Marty. He's my man! I.ve had him for 5 years and would never give him up!

[swrinfla]

A long time ago [like in October 2009] BogeyBoy posted that he had an old silver dollar [post #38 in this particular thread].

I thought that I should add that I also have an old silver dollar which I've carried in my pocket since late 1957. One side [tails] is virtually blank. The other side [heads] does still have an image of a head, but that's about all!

I think the coin dates from 1918 or thereabouts. I'm pretty certain that it couldn't be used as legal tender anymore, but it is extra special to me! I got it in change at The Three Fountains restaurant in St. Louis between Christmas and New Year's Eve of 1957. That would be the same week that my parents-in-law-to-be threw a big engagement party for me and my bride-to-be! We were married in September 1958 and had a wonderful life together until her passing in May 2000.

Lots of memories here!

SWR
:beer3:

[George Bieniaszek]

I bought an 1973 Corvette 11 years ago to celebrate my upcoming 50th birthday. The car is in excellent original condition, 57K miles, L-82, 4 speed, and puts a big smile on my face every time I take it out for a spin and hit the gas. It is up in CT right now but I will be bringing it down to The Villages in the spring time.

[dancerbill]

I own a large handmade American Walnut dining table which was built by hand by my great grandfather in 1866 when he returned home from the Civil War. The table was built to be used in the new home that he was setting up with his bride, Belle, and was used during his lifetime, then passed to my grandfather who passed it to my father and ultimately passed to me. I am named after my great grandfather who passed away in 1925 so I never knew him except by reputation as a man whose word was his bond. For most of his life, he was a circuit riding Baptist preacher in North Georgia and was known as the most honest man in Cherokee County.

So many great stories are told about him that I wish I had known him. But, I have his table and it is my most prized possession.

[BAILYBOOHOO]

Myself.

[Monkei]

The plaque and certificate commemorating my 91 hour motorcycle ride from Jacksonville FL to San Diego, CA and back to Jacksonville. Also my two Italian Greyhounds but I am not sure whom owns who there.