Finally I Have A Buzz Saw Blade
And other bargains found at the Chalkstone House auction
You all missed a great auction last Sunday. It was at the (locally) famous Chalkstone House that sits above the Missouri River on the west side of Yankton. It was built in the late 1930s by kindly physician Art Smith, partly as a way to keep people busy during the depression. The Bowyers, masons who built the South Dakota Magazine buildings, provided the expertise.
The Smith family, who have their roots in my hometown of nearby Utica, have finally sold the house and an auction was held Sunday. I always wanted a big buzz saw blade to hang in the barn. I have very scary childhood memories of the big circular blades because we used to help elderly neighbors cut their firewood in winter. Anybody who ever was close to one would know why they got the name "buzz" saws. They buzzed furiously when powered by a big wide belt hooked to a tractor pulley. OSHA would have had a heart attack, but we never lost any limbs or even fingers.
So I got the buzz saw blade. It was used to cut the chalkstone into blocks for the house. The yellow dust is still in the saw's crevices. Plus I got a four-foot handsaw, a six-family birdhouse, a German-made nativity scene, some Egyptian-looking cornises that must have not fit onto the Chalkstone House, rabbit traps, two antique chairs, a wood filing cabinet and other necessities of life.
Some people would say, "well, now you'll have to have an auction." But I can't. I like it all too much. So in about 50 years, they'll probably have my auction and everyone will be wondering what that big round blade is for, and why it has yellow dust in the teeth.
You all missed a great auction last Sunday. It was at the (locally) famous Chalkstone House that sits above the Missouri River on the west side of Yankton. It was built in the late 1930s by kindly physician Art Smith, partly as a way to keep people busy during the depression. The Bowyers, masons who built the South Dakota Magazine buildings, provided the expertise.
The Smith family, who have their roots in my hometown of nearby Utica, have finally sold the house and an auction was held Sunday. I always wanted a big buzz saw blade to hang in the barn. I have very scary childhood memories of the big circular blades because we used to help elderly neighbors cut their firewood in winter. Anybody who ever was close to one would know why they got the name "buzz" saws. They buzzed furiously when powered by a big wide belt hooked to a tractor pulley. OSHA would have had a heart attack, but we never lost any limbs or even fingers.
So I got the buzz saw blade. It was used to cut the chalkstone into blocks for the house. The yellow dust is still in the saw's crevices. Plus I got a four-foot handsaw, a six-family birdhouse, a German-made nativity scene, some Egyptian-looking cornises that must have not fit onto the Chalkstone House, rabbit traps, two antique chairs, a wood filing cabinet and other necessities of life.
Some people would say, "well, now you'll have to have an auction." But I can't. I like it all too much. So in about 50 years, they'll probably have my auction and everyone will be wondering what that big round blade is for, and why it has yellow dust in the teeth.
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Too bad this isn’t ebay as I’d sure like to bid on that beautiful nativity set.
Comment by Anonymous — October 26, 2005 @ 7:46 am
He’s right. You could probably make some money on Ebay with all that treasure. But it’ll be worth even more when your grandchildren sell it in 50 years, even if nobody knows what some of it is. You should have an artist paint a picture on that buzz saw blade, but I sense that you are a purist and wouldn’t dream of that? Right?
Comment by Joey — October 26, 2005 @ 8:05 am
Bernie I will give you $100 for the blade sight unseen and I promise not to paint a farm scene on it? Let me know. I’ll send the money.
Comment by Anonymous — October 27, 2005 @ 7:53 am
I was ecstatic to see your comments on attending an auction at a chalkstone house in Yankton. It was fascinating to read of the saw blade. My husband and I are trying to save an 1883 chalkstone house in Mitchell, South Dakota and are desperately searching for sources of chalkstone. So if anyone out there knows where there is some chalkstone that can be used for repairs on our house (or other words of encouragement) we would love to hear from you.
Comment by Lauretta Cole Larsen — November 27, 2005 @ 1:44 pm