Roadtrip to the Mutter Museum

Adam and I just went on a brief roadtrip that was initially intended just for us to get away, but of course, if we are driving our empty van, we are going to fill it with stuff for the shop. So, that is just what we did! We went to Philadelphia (and D.C.) with the goal of going to the Mutter Museum. It has been a desired destination for years, and we finally had an opportunity. Its amazing! Conjoined twins up the wazoo, a doctor's collection of everything his patients had swallowed that he removed, Einstein's brain, and my personal favorite The Soap Lady. When she died, her fat went through saponification, and it is now adipocere (soap).

If you love Woolly Mammoth, you will love the Mutter! Go now!

http://www.collphyphil.org/site/mutter_museum.html

Find of the week #1

Woolly Mammoth's find of the week is a 1924 Super Marvel Violet Ray Generator. This wacky device was sold by faith healers as a cure-all device pruportedly curing everything from baldness to arthritis. Common in rural communities, this apparatus was sold by door-to-door unlicensed quack "doctors" who preyed upon the gullible.

Answer to the #1 question we hear....

The number one question asked by patrons at Woolly Mammoth is: “Where do you get your stuff?!”. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to that question. Adam and Skye spend considerable amounts of time traveling the U.S., hauling found treasure to load the shelves. They also love to take the occasional jaunt across the pond to see what can be found in foreign lands, as Skye is a bit of a language lover.

Basically, barns, basements, attics and auctions supply the majority of the items at Woolly Mammoth. The occasional antique flea market, or tag sale is not out of the question either.

But the really interesting stuff typically comes from private collections. Word of mouth, tips, phone calls, and then a bit of travel usually provide the most cherished inventory found at Woolly Mammoth.