Honor to dedicate this issue to …

Just because we know that death is a part of life, that acknowledgment never makes that loss any easier when it happens.

It is my great honor to dedicate this issue of Discover Vintage America to longtime contributor Anne Gilbert, who died peacefully in her sleep on June 7. She was 96 years old.

If you’ve ever read Anne’s column, “The Antique Detective,” you know she was a wellspring of antique trivia, lending her decades of knowledge to readers over the years. She was an expert in her field, having written multiple books. A syndicated columnist, Anne’s writing was enjoyed by antique enthusiasts across the country and around the world.

A graduate of Northwestern University in Illinois, Anne’s lifelong interest in antiques led her to research and write multiple books throughout the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, including “Investing in the Antiques Market” (1975), “American Illustrator Art” (1980) and “Collecting Quilts” (1994). Her self-syndicated column, “The Antique Detective,” began as “Antiques & Stuff” in 1970. Her column would go on to appear in The New York Daily News, The Chicago Sun-Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Miami Herald, among other daily newspapers and antiques trade publications.

Anne Gilbert

Anne’s column focused on identifying fakes, in just about every category you can imagine.

Anne’s heart for animals was as big as her love for antiques. Specifically, she was a longtime advocate for abused dogs and even wrote a novel about an animal abuser receiving his comeuppance. Animals had a great friend in Anne Gilbert.

Although her physical life has come to an end, Anne’s legacy lies in the fruits of her expert knowledge of antiques — the many, many pieces of writing she left behind, from which all of us may benefit.

Just like a beloved family heirloom is part of the fabric of one’s family and their story, Anne has been part of our family here at Discover Vintage America for many years.

50th anniversary

This year includes a couple of very special occasions that are near and dear to my heart. The first, we’ll celebrate with all of you in just a couple of months, as 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of our humble publication, Discover Vintage America. Look for our anniversary issue hitting antique stores near you this August. But more on that later.

Another 50th-anniversary celebration will take place this month – that of my parents’ wedding, which our entire family will mark with an outdoor party.

My parents were married on June 15, 1973, on a hot summer day that was made even hotter in the church where they stood and recited their vows. The building was not air-conditioned, and one of the groomsmen fainted due to the heat. It’s a story my parents have told me many times over the years.

In their wedding photos, my dad sports a head of shaggy, dark hair, with a mustache to match. Mom looks radiant in her dress, with her long, blonde hair cascading down past her shoulders. They are a picture of youthful energy and optimism in their long future together.

When many people reflect on their parents’ marriage, it usually is accompanied by a statement like, “Marriages just don’t last like theirs anymore.” It’s a sentiment that’s difficult not to repeat as I look at so many of my friends whose parents’ marriage dissolved long ago.

Youthful sparkle

I’m incredibly blessed to say that mine, however, have managed to retain that youthful sparkle in their eyes, which grew even brighter as we sat a few months ago and talked about what they would like for their anniversary.

My mom told my brother and I that all she wants is a gathering with her closest family members – one where they can enjoy one another’s company in the sunshine of summer. How convenient, as my mother’s side of the family already gathers every Father’s Day at Wyandotte County Park for an annual cookout.

Such a simple request shouldn’t be surprising, should it? The older we become, the less emphasis we place on material possessions such as gifts (my folks are at the age where they’ve already acquired nearly everything they could need or want, anyway), and added emphasis is placed on making memories with loved ones.

Gas Station Attendants

It’s about that time of year when people pack their bags, gas up their cars, and hit the road on a summer vacation or road trip. Our cover story in this month’s issue introduces you to vintage gas pumps, collectibles related to gas and fuel, and even vintage gas stations – and, along with them, those plucky helpers of yesteryear, full-service gas station attendants, who, upon hearing the ‘ding’ that a customer had pulled up, would rush out to your car, fuel it, wipe it down and get it ready for the next leg of your adventure.

Where did those attendants go? Theirs is just one of many jobs that have vanished with the passage of time. It’s a topic that has become especially important to discuss as automation and artificial intelligence threatens even more jobs in the coming years. For now, I wanted to take a moment to salute those jobs that have gone by the wayside, relics of a bygone time when a company’s focus was sharply settled on the consumer and his satisfaction. These folks made life a little easier for all of us.

Milkman

Milkman: So often the butt of jokes about questionable parentage, the milkman served a crucial role in one’s household, delivering milk, eggs, butter and other kitchen staples to homes across the country. When home refrigeration became more common, the job became obsolete (but the jokes have stuck around; that much is certain).

Elevator operator

Elevator operator: Fourth floor – housewares and home décor! Don’t bother exerting yourself to press a button. Let a gentlemen or lady dressed in a fancy uniform do it for you. Seen most often in department stores and offices, these operators were forced to hang up their uniforms in the 1950s, when automatic elevators became the norm.

Chimney sweep

Chimney sweep: Though a lot of us know them as the dancing, dirty fellows from “Mary Poppins,” the position was a crucial one for hundreds of years – until the Industrial Revolution, that is, when electric and gas heating were used. Blimey!

Billy boy

Billy boy: Just like having your own personal barista by your side as you work, billy boys were apprentices in training who would make tea and coffee for the other men as they labored throughout the day. This job existed until as recently as the 1950s.

Originally, there were five males – the fifth, named Joe, was stolen 30 years ago and never been replaced, according to The Northeast News. You can find each boy rabbit’s name on the collar of the dress jacket he wears; names for each girl, meanwhile, appears on the side of the basket they carry in their arms.