Dance a jig or squeal with delight?

Ever come across that little treasure tucked away on the thrift store shelf or buried under piles of clothes on a yard sale table? You know, the one that makes you want to squeal in delight? That is, if everyone around you weren't inclined to pull out their cell phones and report you to authorities for being too giddy.

One of my recent finds was just that sort of treasure. I stumbled across a garage sale at a small photography studio and just couldn't drive by without stopping (no I don't have an "I Brake for Garage Sales" bumper sticker, but maybe I should). Right inside the door was an adorable vintage slide tote. I didn't know whether to dance a jig or squeal. This isn't like the flat, metal case I stored my slides in back in the '70s. This one looks like a small make-up or train case, maybe from the '60s or earlier. I'd never seen one like it before.

See, isn't it cute?

I also snatched up the camera at the same sale. (Have you seen the sample of my camera collection on the Collections tab?) This one is a Falcon Miniature, manufactured by the Utility Manufacturing Co. of New York. This little bakelite number most likely was manufactured between 1934 and 1940--before Utility was sold to the Spartus company. It's in excellent working order and was quite a bargain! And, it looks great in its new home.