These photos are private property, and may not be copied nor duplicated in any form or part without expressed written permission.
Shop for Rarities & Collectibles Here !
The items presented here do not have anything to do with the Narrows bridges, but are Rare or Unique in their own right, as the Narrows bridges are. If you have an item you would like to have shown here- click on the Email Us button.
The start of our country's independence was officially declared July 4th of 1776. At the time we had no president, but we did have a commander of the Continental Army; General George Washington. A mere 3 weeks later he wrote a letter from his headquarters- this being his signature on that rare letter.
The heading of the letter by the soon-to-be President of the United States of America clearly dates it; July 27, 1776.
Paper currency was often regarded as worthless at the time, but the Founding Fathers of the United States had to create a monetary system that would separate itself from the European pound & shillings denominations. One such note was this Six Dollars note dated just after the Declaration of Independance- July 22 of 1776.
Victor David Brenner was a famous scupltor, medalist, and engraver around the turn of the 20th century, and his work on the Lincoln penny is his most well-known. The 1909 S V.D.B. penny is the highest prized of the series. The medal shown here was earned by my grandmother while in school in New York. Ironically, it was awarded to her "For Fine Craftsmanship" by the School Art League of New York City in 1918. The obverse shows a high relief allegory figure studying, along with the engraver's name; V.D. Brenner.
The medal reverse bears the lettering, and of note is that it was produced by Robert Stoll of New York, which was the firm that Victor Brenner first worked for as a hand engraver.
Calvin Coolidge was our 30th President from 1923 to 1929, and this is his photo and autograph. Although the signed photo is not very rare, the person he signed it to was an important person in Tacoma history- thereby making the autograph most unique. Frank S. Baker bought the Tacoma Daily News newspaper in 1918 from Sam Perkins. The Tacoma Tribune & Tacoma Daily News merged to become the Tacoma News Tribune, which is still publishing today.
Frank S. Baker contributed much to Tacoma, and currently has a medical center named in honor of him.
This is a very popular recruiting poster from the World War I era, enticing young men to enlist in the U.S. Navy. The unique thing about this particular poster is that the subject of the original artwork; the girl standing here was Helen G. O'Neill- and she autographed this poster shortly before she passed away.
The poster was one of many that the famous artist Howard Chandler Christy did in 1917.
Flags and Banners have been symbols of many things throughout history; in the United States of America they have been symbols of freedom. The banner shown above is a great symbol of exactly that. It is a World War II In Service banner that was hung in a window in America to show the homefront support of the troops in the war. This idea started in WW I with families who had servicemen serving our country at war. The number of stars indicated how many family members were at war, and if one was killed, the star was changed to a different color- usually gold. This banner is quite rare in that it was from an organization; perhaps a business or a church. The large amount of stars, and the size makes it valuable, and as you can see- one member was killed in battle.
This flag is a reproduction of a 34 star U.S. flag that was used from 1861 thru 1863 during the Civil War, although the particular star arrangement on the canton is most unusual. Keep in mind that during the first 150 or so years since the United States was formed there was no government mandated design for our flags. Each maker chose their own pattern, with this one being quite rare.
The 46 star USA flag is more recent, and is dated from 1908 to 1912. The flag above was made in a larger size than today's flags, as seen by the longer length denoting that it was probably flown above a government building or official office a number of years before World War I.
This flag is perhaps unique in design. It was made sometime between 1959 and present day being as that it is a 50 star flag, but it has an excellent thought of making the standard flag, complete with gold tassles & cords in a waving fashion on a blue background, with extra stars on the stripes, and explosions around it. The impression is of the flag above Fort McHenry during the Battle of 1812, with shells exploding around it- which was the inspiration for our Star Spangled Banner anthem. At the very least- it reminds us of how patriotic the 4th of July is.
The 15 star flag above is exactly that which was just mentioned. An older reproduction of the original flag dated 1795 to 1818. The flag flew above Ft. McHenry during the historic War of 1812 battle which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner; which would later become our National Anthem. This 15 star flag is the only US flag to have 15 stripes. The gold fringe on this particular one indicates it was probably used as a ceremonial flag for an organization or event. It is believed to have been made around 1945 for the 150th anniversary of the 1795 flag, or it may be dated 1966 for the 150th anniversary of the State of Indiana admittance to the Union in 1816.
This flag, or banner as it is more accurately identified- is quite rare. It was said to have been flown in a downtown Seattle, Washington street for President Franklin D. Roosevelt during a WW II visit he made there in 1944. It does reflect that purpose having the Presidential seal, and the word "Welcome" above it. The construction is unusual, as it has a double row of borders with separate grommets for hanging. But the logo design of the eagle with the circular encased 13 stars above is an older Dorsett style President Seal used until about 1935. It is unlikely that this flag is of President Theodore Roosevelt's era, so if the claim of this flag being flown for FDR's visit to Seattle in 1944 is true, the maker used the older design. In any case- the banner is historic.
The panarama photo above is actually a series of 16 photos together. It is a sweeping view of part of the Olympic Mountain range as seen from Tacoma. The shot starts at Mt. Olympus and goes north towards the Strait of Juan De Fuca. To see the panoramic shot in it's entirety, just click on the photo.
Collectibles Here !
