A find from Aunt Tillie's estate sale inspired this post. I found an unusual tape measure and was telling my Mom about it and she suggested I post on that tape measure. Plus yardstick, rulers and such.
This is the one from Aunt Tillie's. I found it in the sewing area and it was rolled up. I saw the checker board design and tossed it in my basket.
I laughed when I looked closer at it when I got home. It was a tape measure to measure the WEIGHT OF A COW!
What a goofy find! That tape measure will join these. I always pick up the cloth tape measures at estate sales and use them for crafts.
Assorted colors.
These tidy tape measures were found at one sale.
A fun jumble of colors.
Some were given as promotions and there is advertising info printed on one side.
I also have a soft spot for metal rulers. Again, a give-away from a local company.
Plastic rulers.
I like the second one down that lists all the presidents.
Rulers for the season. Promotional give aways.
Wooden rulers. One Foot. I like the different companies and graphics.
I did not realize I had some wackier rulers until I started this post. The longer ruler in the middle is actually a gasoline gauge (it states that fact) and was used to measure the level in your gas tank.
This ruler is intended to help people with sight problems, with the measurements printed larger.
From a foot we go to a yardstick.
We then having folding rulers with the ever popular star shape they can be folded into.
My Dad always carried a slide rule when he worked (he is an engineer). Ben is quite a math whiz and was always interested in my Dad's slide rule. I started picking them up at sales for Ben and my Dad taught Ben how to use one when he was in middle school.
Ben did not inherit his math skills from me and one look at these crazy numbers has me running back to my trusty glue gun!
Quite a few of the homes in our area have the old in ground oil tanks. I often find the long sticks for measuring how many inches of oil are in your tank.
For those of you who think I am the only pack rat in our family...while on the ruler hunt in the house I can across this simple ruler.
On the flip side are doodles from Tom and his grade school days (that would be 40 years or so ago).
I never realized I had quite so many measuring items. And of course I can now go out and measure the weight of a cow.
If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "show me your collection of ___". Small collection, large collection..you just never know.
Dang it! We just had a cow butchered last week and I could really have used you and your measuring tape :-)
Last year in Corvallis, Hanna, Maddie & I stopped at the second day of an estate sale. Maddie found an old plastic advertising ruler from the Ford Insurance company. It has really silly graphics on it and we actually use it all the time. It has half price day and the ruler was originally marked a nickel. Can you believe the lady made Maddie give her 2 cents? She thought she was being generous by having her pay less than half. Crazy.
Tom's old ruler is so sweet. If he ever decides to give you a bad time about your measuring collection (which I HIGHLY doubt he will) you can just tell him he started it.
~Erica
Posted by: Erica | October 08, 2013 at 05:27 AM
I cannot match your variety, or your slide rule collection - but I, too, own the cow measuring tape. I know this does not surprise you. (Another fun collection, btw!)
Posted by: Barbara | October 08, 2013 at 07:08 AM
The collections just keep on coming! I certainly understand wanting to run back to the glue gun instead of making sense of math comment. Emma's math skills have far exceeded mine own at this point.
Posted by: Musings from Kim K. | October 08, 2013 at 08:54 AM
Interesting! My sister has a horse weight tape from her riding days. Like the different colors of the tapes.
Posted by: Diane | October 08, 2013 at 09:20 AM
I was at a Garage Sale this weekend and the lady was making tidy lines on a piece of paper to write down what they had sold. She was using a vintage green Smokey the Bear ruler. I thought of you when I saw Smokey the Bear but before this ruler post. I asked to buy it and the lady clutched it to her chest and said, "No! I have had this FOREVER!"
I bet you have some figural tape measures too - I have an apple with a tape measure in it and a pincushion doll.
*My PINK yardstick is one of my all time favorite finds.
Posted by: Shara | October 08, 2013 at 09:30 AM
You never know when you are going to have to measure a cow.
Posted by: Danielle @ Blessed Serendipity | October 08, 2013 at 09:35 AM
A tool for every purpose. I like information printed on things... like the presidents listed on your ruler. I great way to gain infomation without trying... like reading a cereal box.
I have a shoe size measure that I'll have to give to you someday - I'm not ready to let it go just yet.
Fun collection.
Posted by: Janet Johnson | October 08, 2013 at 11:01 AM
I'm amazed at what you find and what kind of collection you have! I've never seen a tape measure that measures the weight of a cow! Of course Phil has and he was telling me how they would use it too. Love the one that looks like a foot or half of one. I see the one that says Sprouse-Reitz on it....that was my first job when we first moved up here to Oregon! Ah-Hah! Knew Tom had to have some type of "Pack Rat" in him (Cute that you have his ruler). Phil is a "Pack Rat" too though he won't admit it. He's an enabler to my collecting.
Thanks for the smiles :-)
Posted by: Doreen | October 08, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Well you have hit on something we have a common fondness for and I now know why I don't find all that many - I sleep in on Saturday and you win, hehe....
Love that weight measure... come on over here Bossy, now stand still girl...
I have to ask, did you wrap it around you to see how much you would weigh if you were a cow??
Posted by: Kathy | October 08, 2013 at 12:27 PM
Another great collection! I have a few rulers and yardsticks too... I have a neat old solid brass ruler, but my favorite is a 12" ruler from Perth's Cleaners... and on the back is listed "The Rulers of England" from Elizabeth (current Queen) back to William I in 1066. What a perfect addition to my British adorned Victorian Studio! I also had to pick up a teenie tiny old ruler from an antique show that is only 2" long and states it's for "measuring tiny things". I have never, ever seen a measuring tape to estimate a cow's weight tho... that's pretty cool!
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2013 at 05:39 PM
You just never know when you're going to need to know the weight of a cow, so handy! I like the "keep your customers in toe" ruler.
Cool collection!
Posted by: Melissa | October 08, 2013 at 06:23 PM
Wow!! That's a lot of measuring devices!! I have one pink cloth tape that was my grandmother's, my husband likes rulers as much as you, he is always keeping an eye out for them!
Posted by: Jill | October 09, 2013 at 04:39 AM
A neat collection and I love the Christmas ones! I was at an estate sale on Saturday and their was a lot of rulers, but way to pricey. I am really not liking the high prices lately. Happy sweet day! xo Heather
Posted by: Heather | October 09, 2013 at 09:11 AM
To measure the weight of a cow?? Some one had to figure that out first!! Very unique.
My most unusual ruler was a give away from a urologist that was 6 inches long but says it is 12!
Posted by: Annette | October 09, 2013 at 05:08 PM
I love industrial scores like this! Love this collection, this gives me an eye for things to look out for while on the hunt, too!
Posted by: Van | October 10, 2013 at 07:09 AM