Reader Exchange: Antique combs sought for Ohio museum

As the saying goes, nothing succeeds like success. It's always great when readers are so tickled by the response they generate through this column that they try, try again. Belva Green of Tarpon Springs, for example, wrote a couple of years ago to locate people interested in Billikens. That worked out so well that she's back with two new requests.

One of Belva's hobbies is collecting antique combs, so she is helping a new museum in Ohio dedicated to the life and times of Orange Johnson, a hornsmith and combmaker who lived during the 19th century. Johnson also made a name for himself in real estate, banking and road construction, but Belva has chosen to help round up donations of combs from that era to the museum. Donated combs will be displayed with the donor's name, and the donor will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

The second item Belva needs is for her personal use. She has the set of cards for Trivial Pursuit, Silver Screen Edition, but she needs the board. Belva will donate the cards to someone who needs to complete their game if she is unable to find the board to complete her own. Her number is (727) 942-7354.

Cathy Penner needs instructions for a Galloping Gourmet Perfectionair tabletop oven. She says it looks like a great appliance; she just doesn't know what to do with it. She has scoured book stores and thrift shops to no avail. If she may copy yours, please contact her at (727) 536-8140 or cpenner@tampabay.rr.com.

Louise Carter, a winter resident of St. Petersburg, is preparing to return North to her summer home at the end of April, so maybe we can put her request in motion in time. If not, she returns during the first week of November.

Louise cooks quite a bit for her club, so she is hoping to make her life easier with an item from yesteryear: a Veg-A-Matic for cutting french fries. She knows they aren't easy to find, because she has been haunting rummage sales and garage sales in her search but coming up empty. If you have one you no longer use, Louise will gleefully pick it up. Just give her a call: (727) 393-0148.

Anyone for Mah Jongg? That's what Mildred Vinas of Pinellas Park wants to know. She would like either to join a group in need of another participant or find other individuals interested in forming a group. Mildred may be reached at (727) 546-2166.

When Janet Frampton of Tarpon Springs received a rigid heddle loom for Christmas, she found the basic instructions rather uninstructive. The staff here, clueless, simply scratches their heddles, unable to offer much enlightenment, so everybody involved is hoping that readers having additional sources of information or books on the topic will share them with this new student of the rigid heddle loom. Please call (727) 937-7987.

Audrey Liptow's husband, Art, has been trying to locate Ping Zing 2 metal woods nos. 3 and 5 without success. If you can suggest some sources to investigate or you have some you wish to relocate away from your home, please e-mail audreyliptow@aol.com or give Art a call at (727) 379-0858.

Mary Cochran wants to surprise her daughter on her birthday with a doll like the one she had as a child. The doll was manufactured during the 1950s; it was 1958 when Mary's daughter received hers. When the doll's stomach was squeezed, its face would wrinkle up. That was the doll's charm: Mary's daughter is deaf and, although she was unable to hear a doll say "mama," she could respond to the expression on her doll's face. If you can help in Mary's quest, please call her at (727) 422-0971.

After Elizabeth Cooper culled through many years' worth of collected recipes, both booklets and clippings, she came up with a large bagful that she'd like someone else to enjoy as much as she has. If cooking is one of your passions, you may want to call Elizabeth: (727) 443-3084.

When Janet Whysong moved to Florida from Indiana, she brought a red flame African violet with her. Unfortunately, it was here that the plant succumbed to the cold after being forgotten outdoors on a cold day. This is not an easy specimen to find, and Janet has about given up on finding a replacement.

But if you have a plant from which Janet may obtain a clipping or you can let her know where one may be purchased, please call her at (727) 323-8614.

Sherri McCarthy needs knitting or crochet patterns for making GI Joes/Action Men clothes. Her boys' dolls need some clothes, but their grandmother, who would gladly whip up some wardrobes, unfortunately lost her patterns when she moved. Sherri also wants to find a pattern for an 18-wheeler in plastic canvas; she'd like to make it up as a gift for her husband, who has one of these trucks. Please e-mail andycap1@tampabay.rr.com if you can help.

Karen Stevens of St. Petersburg has a lot of old classical LPs and a few ancient 78 rpm records to give to somebody who will pick them up. She may be reached at (727) 864-7332.

A couple weeks ago we misprinted an e-mail address in a request to borrow tent poles for a class project. The poles need to be 10 to 12 foot long, round or square, wood, PVC or bamboo. If you can help, call Audrey, at (727) 539-1109 or e-mail jaco2@worldnet.att.net.

- Send requests to Reader Exchange, Newsfeatures, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg 33731 or e-mail cole@sptimes.com. Only questions of general interest will be answered. Requests will be accepted only by mail or e-mail; no phoned requests, please. This is an exchange column, so we will not run items that are for sale. Except in unusual circumstances, readers must agree to publication of phone numbers.

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