Not long after I began dealing in antiques and collectibles I developed a passion for antique advertising that continues to this day. The detailed graphics and multi-colors of many pieces speak to me and my personal collecting interests have always centered around this segment of the antique arena.

Sometime in the mid 1980s someone showed me a copy of a newsletter devoted to antique advertising called The Tin Type News. The Tin Type News was published by a gentleman from Colorado affectionately called Nosmo King and each issue was filled with photos and information about fantastic old tins, tin signs, and other advertising memorabilia. After seeing that one issue, I quickly subscribed and ordered a complete set of back issues.

Fast forward to 1995 ……… We had just moved to a new home and my better half decided to have a garage sale to get rid of things we didn’t want to clutter up the new house. Some how, the boxes all my issues of The Tin Type News were packed in got shuffled into the wrong place and my mother-in-law who was “helping” at the sale, ended up selling them to someone for five dollars.

Fast forward, once again, to this morning at eight o’clock. I’m digging through several boxes under a table at the second garage sale of the day. One of the boxes holds several black three-ring binders and when I open one of them the cover of the June/July 1991 issue of The Tin Type News is staring back at me.

A woman standing next to me looking at Christmas decorations on the table I’m digging under says - “Excuse me! What did you just say?”

“Nothing. I’m just talking to myself.”

“You need to keep your thoughts to yourself. There are children here.”

I quickly flip to the end of the issue and staring up at me is an address label with my name and old address on it. I check more boxes and they are all there - every issue. Two trips down the driveway and with my bankroll five dollars lighter, I’m driving away with them whistling a happy tune. I bought a few other things at the remaining garage sales, but this five dollar purchase was the best buy of the day.

Earlier this evening I spent an hour on the deck with a good cigar, a glass of scotch, and The Tin Type News. Looking at the pictures I was like a teenage boy with his first issue of Playboy. It’s doesn’t take much to put a smile on an old man’s face and make him happy.

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