Petite Portmanteau

~ George Crawford ~ 1 Comment

One cannot have enough baggage in one’s life.

Especially if one is a traveller.  On that note, I put together this 18th century style portmanteau to attach to the bottom of my rucksack.  It is on the small side for this style bag but the dimensions are based on a convenient size to attach to the backpack and the scrap shoulder I was using.  I also foresee this working as a front bag for the scooter or even on the bike.

PortOutside dimensions are 16″ (40.6 cm) x 7 3/4″ (19.7 cm) diameter for about 680 cubic inches (11 litres).  One step closer to a handcrafted life.

Indian 1940 Civilian Scout

~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

I think I need one.

TidiousTed's avatarRetrorambling

697_indian

Indian is an American brand of motorcycles originally manufactured from 1901 to 1953 by a company in Springfield, Massachusetts, US, initially known as the Hendee Manufacturing Company but which was renamed the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company in 1928.

The Indian factory team took the first three places in the 1911 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. During the 1910s Indian became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. Indian’s most popular models were the Scout, made from 1920 to 1946, and the Chief, made from 1922 to 1953.

The Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company went bankrupt in 1953. A number of successor organizations have perpetuated the name in subsequent years, with limited success. In 2011 Polaris Industries purchased Indian Motorcycles and relocated operations from North Carolina, merging them into existing facilities in Minnesota and Iowa. Since August 2013, three motorcycle models that capitalize on Indian’s traditional styling have been…

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Bear the Tinker

~ George Crawford ~ 1 Comment

Bear the TinkerHere’s a man making his way in the modern world but likes being stuck in the late 18th century.  Farrier, blacksmith, storyteller, and musician living in his bowtop.

BearTinkerVidAbove is a short interview with the man himself from a few years back (opens in a new window).

Small LedgeLiving in the 21st century, he even maintains a Facebook presence, of sorts.  Click on his new little Ledge Wagon above to see what he’s up to.

Hanomag 2/10 PS (The Komissbrot)

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688-komissbrot

The Hanomag 2/10 PS was an economy car manufactured by Hanomag from 1924 to 1928. It was one of the first cars with envelope styling. It was affectionately referred to as the “Kommissbrot” or “Loaf of Rye Bread” due to its small squarish shape.

With a fuel consumption of 4.0 litres per 100 kilometres (71 mpg), the 2/10 PS was the world’s most fuel efficient mass-production car between the two World Wars. This was because it was the only mass-produced car of that time with a low-friction one-cylinder-engine and its light weight.

688-komissbrot2

The 2/10 PS (two taxable / ten brake horsepower) had a single-cylinder half litre engine at the rear. The rear axle was chain-driven, with no differential.

The fenders, or wings, of the 2/10 PS were integrated into the bodywork of the car, allowing the passenger space to be wider than it would have been with the traditional…

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Update from the vault: Vardo and Sheepherder Links

~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

After several requests for information, here is my short list of inspirational sites found on the web.  Culling the web for Vardo style so you don’t have to.  I will try to morph this into it’s own page soon as a place to add more links as they become available.

Romany and Traditional Style

GypsyWaggons
Great Historical Resource
Roth
Gypsy Vans by Roth. Beautiful traditional waggons with loads of information about types and styles. Amazing stuff here.
Nice, garden variety caravans. These make wonderful retreats and getaway spaces.
Nice, garden variety caravans. These make wonderful retreats and getaway spaces.
Solid, permanent and towable vardos from Windy Smithy.
Solid, permanent and towable vardos from Windy Smithy.
Ingham & Fallon, restoration, new and used. The images alone make this one worthwhile.
Ingham & Fallon, restoration, new and used. The images alone make this page worthwhile.

Sheepherder Wagons

Plan to spend some time on this website. Anvil Wagon Works in Livingston, Montana makes all types of traditional Chuckwagons, Sheepwagons, and Buggys. Lot's of great photos.
Plan to spend some time on this website. Anvil Wagon Works in Livingston, Montana makes all types of traditional Chuckwagons, Sheepwagons, and Buggies. Lot’s of great photos inside and out.

 

This image links to their Sheepwagon page but there is so much more here. Serious craftsmen of all things traditional Wagon and Wheel related.
This image links to their Sheep wagon page but there is so much more here. Serious craftsmen of all things traditional Wagon and Wheel related.
The Lazy AA Guest Ranch and Builders of towable Woolywagons.
The Lazy AA Guest Ranch and Builders of towable Woolywagons.
Idaho Sheep Camp. You can't be more authentic than this. I want one! Pages of images to inspire the builder of tiny homes.
Idaho Sheep Camp. This is the interior of just one of their many featured wagons.  You can’t be more authentic than this. I want one! Pages of images to inspire the builder of tiny homes.
Old Western Wagons are builders of Sheep Wagons, Vardos, Freight Wagons, and other horse drawn vehicles. Located in Seattle, Washington.
Old Western Wagons are builders of Sheep Wagons, Vardos, Freight Wagons, and other horse-drawn vehicles. Located in Seattle, Washington.
Engel's Coach Shop Joliet, Montana. Master Wheelwright and makers of horse drawn vehicles.
Engel’s Coach Shop Joliet, Montana. Master Wheelwright and makers of horse-drawn vehicles.
Plankbridge Shepherd Huts from Dorset, England. Traditional huts, not for long distance travel but fine for short moves. Nice designs.
Plankbridge Shepherd Huts from Dorset, England. Traditional huts, not for long distance travel but fine for short moves. Nice designs.
bshtrippictransnoshadow850
Blackdown Shepherd Huts. Handcrafted in Somerset, England. Posh and spiffy little cabins with lots of style.
Shepherd
Everything you need to know about historic Shepherd Huts.
Ranch Willow Wagon Co. builds and restores wagons to the highest quality standards. Company owner Lynn Sedar has been in the wagon business for over 20 years and is also an acclaimed artist, design consultant and furniture designer. Wagons designed by Ranch Willow Wagon Co. are the ultimate blend of history and art.

French Style

ImageTitreIndex

In French. The website contains some good old images as well as information about various types of travelers’ wagons (a.k.a. Roulottes).

An Interesting mix of Hippie vehicles from Britain and Europe:

travellerhomes-head

MORE TO COME

Pack Box

~ George Crawford ~ 1 Comment

Continuing my search for backpacks and rucksacks throughout history, I keep coming across various types of boxes and baskets strapped to people’s backs.  While querying the web today for variations of the Asian pack box, I saw this nifty solution.  Cheap, easy to construct and extremely functional.

packbox
Found here: http://mistermort.com/

I can imagine this as an excellent platform for a street performer or busker.  Solidly built, this can be a table or a seat and provides a high degree of protection for the contents.  This one is very simply built and harkens back to a medieval concept but note the sweet dovetails holding it together.  I just want a peek inside.  I would be sorely tempted to fill it with compartments.

More nifty ideas to follow.