When I was a kid, our flatware was made of silver, that prince of metals that my parents insisted we use, but that always gave certain dishes a sharp, unpleasant taste. Before dinner I’d inspect each spoon, fork and knife, switching mine for a less tarnished one. When it was finally time to eat, I’d drag my teeth over the metal, hoping this would minimize the acrid flavor from the metal. And when I stared into a delicious bowl of soup, the dreaded silver spoon in hand, I wanted to be a poor man.
Crest of the Worshipful Company of Pewterers in London, Livery Company, founded 1348
Aluminum Canoes
There's nothing like a good old-fashioned canoe adventure. Movie poster from "Deliverance." Via Cinema Masterpieces.
An inexpensive alternative to hand-carved wooden canoes (which are very nice thank you, à la Mad River) was inevitable but it was the end of WWII that precipitated the rush. In terms of production it was a perfect storm of war-accelerated technology and idle airplane factories. In terms of demand, there was a new perception and importance placed on leisure after WWII, with young marrieds and their families enjoying their hard fought freedoms.
Fishing, and so canoeing and boating, was one of the activities that exploded in the 50s… look at any Kodachrome collection you can find and damn me if every third plaid-shirted man isn’t holding up a string of trout or stripers with his son in tow.
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