[SEL] Yardbirds, Portland & Thieves

[John Culp]

As you know, I decided to cancel the Portland show trip for myself, 
Jennifer and Josh, since we just bought and fixed up a house. But I'd 
already phoned and ordered some of the "yard birds" and other 
sculptures made from scrap iron by James E. Carter of "Carter's 
Creations," who displays his wares in the big vendor building at 
Portland. So I arranged with him to drive up and meet him at his shop 
yesterday and brought home some really nice pieces he'd made. Got a 
great big pink flamingo, two medium size flamingoes, two turkeys, and 
some new pieces he's introduced since last year, a big blue heron, a 
road runner, an ostrich, and a buzzard. (The last one I call "Darth 
Vulture," as he really reminds me of the Star Wars bad guy.) I'd also 
asked him to make me a purple flower with faucet handles for blossoms, 
which I'd admired in the past but he hadn't had for the last few years. 
Turns out he'd quit making them because he'd about run out of the 
faucet handles, but he made up three sets with the last he had. Mr. 
Carter's retired from a Chrysler plant in Muncie, which was erected in 
1906 as the Maxwell automobile factory. These handles were from that 
building's plumbing shutoff valves. They were a type common through the 
1930s, but could go back to the original Maxwell plant. He's got 
another flower to sell, but plans to keep the last one since he worked 
there. (He made another flower set with newer handles that look like 
"atoms.") I also picked up one little item, a bright green salamander 
made from a spud wrench. He said he'd had that out on the table at a 
show when a big, humorless old man growled at him "You ruined a good 
spud wrench." Mr. Carter said "You must be a steel man." He said "I 
reckon I AM!," pulling open his collar to show a small gold plated spud 
wrench on a chain. Apparently when construction steel workers retire 
they get one of those instead of a watch like Mr. Carter got from 
Chrysler. He has lots of other neat creations, including a brand new 
pig he hasn't finished.

Mr. Carter's home is in very easy driving distance of Portland. If I 
hadn't been in a hurry to get back home I'd've cruised over there to 
see who was already there. Which brings me to why he's stopped handing 
out business cards at Portland: There are con men/burglars cruising the 
shows, asking for cards and inquiring about people's business. They'd 
ask questions to reveal the type of equipment one has in his shop, like 
"How'd you cut this piece out?" (Plasma cutter.) "How many days you 
gonna be working this show?" "If I need to get in touch with you, is 
someone home to answer the phone?" Then, after establishing that the 
vendor's got valuable, portable stuff, nobody's home, and it's in easy 
driving distance, they go take what they want. Portland vendors and 
exhibitors, beware. The bad guys are there, and seem like normal 
friendly, curious show visitors.

I had a nice drive up and back. Tried a new route over the Kentucky 
mountains that I'd previously avoided, thinking it'd be a difficult 
drive, but I actually like it better. I only put on 798 miles for the 
whole trip, where it would've been 1000 with my earlier routes, and 
although a good bit's two-lane I still made good time.

Since I hauled this stuff off a week and a half before the Portland 
show starts, he'll have time to paint up some "critters" from stock 
he's already welded and take them along in the space my stuff would've 
taken up, so he'll have a good selection. Go check him out in the big 
white building! HIs wife also sells neat paintings of farm scenes on 
old saw blades, golf scenes on old club heads and such, in the next 
booth.

John Culp
Bristol, Tennessee, USA