Tuesday Treasures - July 21, 2026

St. Vincent de Paul has a one day 1/2 off everything sale once a year in December.  They did something new last month, a three-day 1/2 off sale on collectibles only.  Those would be pink sticker items, or in display boxes with pink stickers.  

Now, the collectibles like glass trinkets, salt and pepper shakers, or dog figurines, I'd have already bought at full price if I liked them.  However, as the then manager had been putting out loads of antique postcards and other ephemera I thought I'd take a look.  I "took a look" all three days!  Here are some of my half-off treasures.

Gombault's Caustic Balsam ad c1896-1902

I had an antique frame just waiting for something that fit, and this did!  38¢ 

The first day I bought one of these packets of stationary, hand-made paper from Nepal for 68¢. I didn't know it was stationary when I bought it, just that it was hand-made paper.  It's made from daphne bark. 

The envelope hooks closed with a piece of bamboo.

When I realized that there were eight notecards and envelopes I went back for the other ones the next day!  I'm not hoarding them, I shared with someone I know! The images are woodblock prints with colorful paper overlays. The red envelopes have the cafe scene, the pink two different house exteriors. 

The back of the notecards are printed with an image of a woman with a tangle of stems after cutting them near the shrub's base.  Harvesting doesn't harm the plant, which will regrow usable bark for several years. 

The information sheet depicts the frames that hold the wet pulp, which will dry in the sun.  How the paper is made...

Lastly for this week is this "At Home" card set.  Mr. and Mrs. Culver had been away, possibly on their honeymoon, and would be home and receiving visitors after January 1, 1883.  The envelope (top) was the recipient of said At Home card, and the calling card at the bottom most likely from someone who came to visit, bringing the At Home "invitation" with her.  In 1883 Dakota meant the Dakota Territory (1861-1889), later Vermillion became part of South Dakota.  Only the well-to-do used At Home cards, the doctors, lawyers, judges, etc.  Whoever the Culver's were, they were upper crust residents of the small (1,400 residents per 1883 census) frontier town!  50¢