Friday met an old friend (also retired) for lunch in Sanford–Willow Tree www.willowtreecafe.com/‎ Nice extra day off.

While we were doing some walking around town we went into a book store—https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya-Books-and…/152704731576‎ I noted a poster on the wall about Ma Barker and I remembered reading about her (she and her son Fred were killed in a stand off in OCKLAWAHA, FL south of Ocala). The house which still stands (and was reportedly hit 1500 times with various bullets) isn’t open to the public but you can drive by (ha ha) on Co. Rd 25–the house is on the Shore of Lake Weir.

That got me thinking what other gangsters decided to GET AWAY (moan) in Florida:

Here’s one you heard of: “Alphonse Gabriel “Al” Capone (1899-1947)…a gangster in Chicago during 1920’s and early 1930’s…In 1931, Capone was sentenced to prison for tax evasion. Suffering from a case of syphilis that left him too mentally ill to resume his previous criminal activities, he was paroled in 1939 and settled in Florida, where he lived until his death in 1947.” http://vault.fbi.gov/gangster-era There’s a Capone Museum in Miami Beach and check out their web sites for locations in the area: http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com/id180.htm where he lived and died.

We even had our own 30’s gangster John Ashley who was known as King of the Everglades: “South Florida’s most romanticized gangster. Long before Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow became America’s great anti-heroes, Ashley and his ragtag gang enthralled and infuriated Boom-era Florida with their robbing, hijacking, rum running and even murder.” http://www.historicpalmbeach.com/eliot-kleinberg/1997/03/the-legend-of-john-ashley/

Which leads me of course to some type of collectible we’re looking for today: How about 1930’s. None for me but you might have some hit (oops–hid) away.

and on Google search (all 30’s)

Theater Playbills/Movie Scrap Book for $249

Original art work from $109 for an Art Deco Nude to an oil pastel of Matlnomah falls in Oregon ($125)

A post card of Josephine Baker ($35)
Baseball gloves from a Hernie Manush ($280), Hernie Schuble Tigers Wilson Glove ($235) up to a Bobo Newson ($514)

There’s a bust of Lincoln (bronze-tone) for $25.

Many typewriters: Remington’s from $65 – $249 and a Smith Corona for $384

An Anti-war pin ($27)

Weirdest is a Black American Jig Dancer/folk Art–it just look so strange ($75)

and my favorite a hand made hospital gown pattern (there are also other patterns including one for an evening gown at $140) for $15

The real loot: Leather hockey helmet for $1,475.

Anything sound vaguely familiar?

Get going on that adventure.