Blow Torch Convention

Last weekend my father-in-law, Graham, came to visit us from San Diego for a gathering of Blow Torch Collectors from around the country. He estimates that he has 400 or so torches in his collection of varying types, sizes, and ages. An extremely avid collector of many things - radios, cameras, autograph books, and a variety of antique tools - what I find most interesting about his collecting is the depth of his knowledge on these things. He doesn't just acquire them for their aesthetic or monetary value, but is interested in who used these things, what they were doing, and how they worked. He also does a lot of research on the patents to trace down when they were made, and how each were an improvement on the previous model.

gas fired iron (no more wrestling with the cord)

Along with two other collectors Graham completed a book that chronicles nearly all the blow torches ever manufactured in North America. On Friday night we had dinner with one of his collaborators, Charlie, a geologist from Alabama. In addition to Charlie and Joanne trading geology stories, we also heard about how many other torches they've learned about in just the year or so from publishing the book - a supplement is apparently in the works. The convention was held at a nursery in Joppa about a half hour from our house. The host, a big collector is his own right, turns out to be an old family friend on my mom's side - a very small world.

Dental Torch

There were about a dozen collector's on hand from all over the country. Some with just a few dozen torches on display and others with hundreds. I was blown away with the variety - many different versions of what I think of as a blow torch, but also lots of other things like dental torches and these great little alcohol torches. I think I was most interested in the industrial design aspect and the old labels/ad slogans. Then there was this thing...

Hedge Trimmer Drill Attachment

A few more images in a slide show - HERE