While I was waiting out the snowstorm at my mom's house, I went to a small flea market in Sutter Creek, Cal., in the heart of California's famous Gold Country. Somebody was selling a bunch of old ice picks of the kind used by people to break up the big blocks of ice they would buy to keep their food cool before refrigerators came along. This was the only one they had that had a still legible handle.
Closeups of the handle:
This pick must have been owned by a wealthy family who had servants to do stuff like breaking ice. The servant probably wore gloves while doing so, which is likely why it is so well preserved. The phone number dates to the time before San Francisco had dial telephones, so probably 1910s-20s.
Closeups of the handle:
This pick must have been owned by a wealthy family who had servants to do stuff like breaking ice. The servant probably wore gloves while doing so, which is likely why it is so well preserved. The phone number dates to the time before San Francisco had dial telephones, so probably 1910s-20s.