New Wheels
This antique wheelchair is straight from the fridge (that means really cool for all you L7s out there). And, as of a couple hours ago, it’s mine! It’s a wonderful addition to my eclectic decor of interesting old things. Now I need to rearrange my apartment to make it wheelchair accessible. If I ever need to use a wheelchair, at least I’ll be rolling in style.
This was the first thing I saw when I arrived at the yard sale last Saturday. My jaw dropped and I got very excited when I saw it — no, not that kind of excited. I kept going back to look at it, but I couldn’t decide if I should buy it. I left the yard sale with a plan to think about it overnight. If I still wanted it the next day, I’d come back to get it — and haggle for a lower price. However, I forgot that my registration expired that day so I couldn’t drive my car. I could, just not legally, but I didn’t want to risk getting a ticket and I’m a law abiding citizen. I felt like I was missing out on a very rare opportunity.
Luckily, Molly happened by the sale the next day and was ever so kind to get the fella’s name and number for me — thank you ever so much Molly. I called him yesterday and was relieved to hear it wasn’t sold. After work this evening, one of my truck owning coworkers helped me bring it home — thank you kindly, Jed.
Like most of the stuff at the yard sale, this wheelchair was used as a prop for one of the Catalyst Theatre Company’s productions. The guy who sold it to me said it was used by the actor playing FDR in Annie. It’s funny, I thought of FDR when I first saw it — probably because I saw American Experience: Franklin Delano Roosevelt a few weeks ago.
Most people I’ve shown pictures of the wheelchair to found it creepy and said it reminded them of a horror movie. (I’ve been talking about it all week and even mentioned it during the Monday morning meeting at work.) Now that I have it here and was able to give it a spin, I think it’s a bit creepy too. It makes all sorts of creaking sounds and… well, look at it.
As I usual do when I obtain a new old thing, I did a little research. Gendron, Inc. is still in business, making wheelchairs and other medical equipment. It was founded in Toledo, Ohio in 1871 and is the oldest wheelchair manufacturer in the United States. It originally manufactured steel-and-wire wheels for its own bicycles, tricycles, wheelchairs, baby carriages, wagons, and wheelbarrows. When the United States entered World War II in 1941 it concentrated on manufacturing wheelchairs and hospital stretchers. In 1959, they moved most of their manufacturing to a new plant in Archbold, Ohio. My wheelchair was made there so it couldn’t have been made before to 1959.
4 Comments
Molly said 215 days ago:
WA HOO! I am so jealous. If I was a less ethical person I totally would’ve snaked it out from under you. It’s beautiful.
I can’t imagine sitting in that for hours…. My butt hurts just thinking about it. It looked like someone swiped wood stain over the white parts of it – was that for the play or is that just how they came?
S.R. Wild said 215 days ago:
Shit, now I feel bad about bragging. I’ll tell you what, if I ever die, I’ll bequeath it to you. Now, don’t get any funny ideas about beheading or disemboweling me with you scythe.
Yeah, it’s a little hard on the bum, nothing a blanket can’t fix. I just discovered the footrests go up, it’s almost like a recliner that way. I thought about sleeping in it tonight, but I might wake up with a numb ass.
I don’t think it was stained, it’s just old. Although, it’s not as old as the guy thought, he was thinking 1930s.
Molly said 215 days ago:
NO! I am very happy for you and your chair. I have neither the money nor the room to realistically acquire it – I’m just been a whiny bitch. Can you send a picture of it to Gendron to see if they can tell you more?
I got an ancient bar of L.L. Bean pine-scented soap from my grandmother once, and I emailed the company to see if they could tell me how old it was. The customer service lady forwarded my email to their archivist! Who knew? There’s a person out there who’s job is “L.L. Bean Archivist”. Anyway, he was able to tell me based on the paper wrapper design how old it was.
S.R. Wild said 214 days ago:
That’s a good idea. I shall do that.
I was rolling around earlier and I can do front wheelies now.
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