In the spirit of Throwback Thursday (#TBT) that occurs on many of the social media outlets, it’s only fitting for us to share the weirdest, coolest, and most interesting vintage items that are up for auction in the latest Father Joe’s Villages (a.k.a. St. Vincent de Paul Villages) Specialty Online Auction.
For those who don’t know, Father Joe’s Villages is a local (San Diego) non-profit that helps the homeless with shelter, food, and other resources. The organization receives all kinds of donated items from the community, which they sell through various outlets including thrift stores, daily live auctions, and the specialty auction that we help them with.
This latest specialty auction is chock full of collectibles, vintage furniture, art, and all types of items for the treasure hunter. There are over 1100+ lots, and these are just a few that will make you go, “Hmmm….!”
In the “Weird and Interesting” category is the Stim-U-Lax electromechanical massager that was produced in the 1950’s. This was a home massage device, but what’s so interesting about it is how heavy and clunky the design actually is. Your hand will need a massage after using it! Another more interesting fact about the Stim-U-Lax is that although the company didn’t explicitly say in their advertising, they suggested through creative ad wording that it could also be used to aid in women’s orgasms.
If you like one-of-a-kind items, you’ll appreciate this next piece in the “Oh, That’s Pretty Cool” category – a floor lamp that was made from a vintage copper fire extinguisher. Add a funky lampshade and you’re next conversation piece is ready to display…
Can you vibrate your way to weight loss? Apparently the inventor of this weird massaging belt apparatus thought so. You’re supposed to just stand up and lean against the belt as it jiggles the fat away. Whether they worked or not is up for debate, but on the flip side, according to a study done by New York researchers these vintage machines could actually help with immune and bone issues in overweight people.
For those of us who are too young to remember, this next item will remind us how far we’ve come when it comes to plumbing. Chamber pots were generally used in the “olden days” as a night toilet that was placed under the bed or in a cabinet. This one that is up for auction is believed to be a replica from the ones used on the Central Pacific Railroad train. It has a reminder to passengers not to empty the toilet out of train window. It makes us wonder how many people actually did that?
What’s the weirdest, coolest, or most interesting item you’ve ever won at auction? Share or post a pic on our Facebook page.
Check out the items mentioned in this post and view the whole catalog here. Make sure to mark your calendar for preview days that take place on June 11, 13, and 14 at the Father Joe’s Villages warehouse near downtown San Diego. This online auction starts closing on Wednesday, June 15, at 5:07 PM PDT.
