So the wife comes home one morning after scavenging the neighborhood and asks me to help her pick up some tables. The price is right, free, but they are in horrible condition. All the finish on the wood on top is extensively worn, completely down to bare wood in places. The tops are heavily tinted glass within the wooden frames. Under the glass is the ugliest fake cork you could ever imagine. I groaned, but consented to load them up. I didn't want to break the camera, so I don't have a picture of what they looked like on arrival. The first picture below does show some of the detail and the lovely pseudo cork, reminiscent of the floor in the Boston Garden. This wasn't going to be a Celtic table, so the cork had to go.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38316/number-1

Restoration was in order and after a light sanding and several coats of Varethane (not yet applied in this pic) the appearance of the wood was spectacular.;) Deciding where to go from here was the problem. I thought about displaying cards as shown, but the cork didn't get it done for me. Also I didn't want to advertise that there may be a significant collection elsewhere in the home. The glass was tinted enough and in the absence of direct sunlight I wasn't too concerned about exposure and the damage that might result, but I canned the card idea, or at least the valuable card idea.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38317/number-2

Using the table for display purposes however still seemed possible, but covering that pseudo cork was essential. Black felt was purchased and the pseudo cork plaques were removed and covered with felt and stapled back in place. A landing area was cleared in a room where the shades are always drawn, except for the purpose of the remaining pictures. From a distance it just looks like a dark glass topped coffee table framed in wood.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38318/number-3

One man's junk is another man's treasure, so I have been purchasing inexpensive items that might be appropriate for such a display. My wife still refers to these items as junk, but she is tolerant. "The Monster" booklet, an Association Footballers Album and opening game tickets for Miller Park and Turner Field in their first year are shown in the first panel.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38319/number-4

A low grade Turkey Red, P2 Sweet Cap Pin and an opening game ticket for Citizen's Bank Park in Philly grace the second panel.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38320/number-5

A Sporting News Supplement of the "Chief" and a ticket to the opening game of the Dodgers' 100th Anniversary season occupy the third panel

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38321/number-6

The last panel includes a St. Louis Browns pennant (thanks Dennis), a few hand cut trade cards and a young lad from the nineteenth century Princeton nine.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38322/number-7

The items displayed are a bit difficult to see without the morning sun, and this "fantastic" display will go unnoticed by most or dispensed with by a shrug by others. I know this for a fact as my curio display of vintage cards in the old home went largely unnoticed for five years. Even if I dragged someone over to take a look, they took a quick look and then asked for another drink.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...38323/number-8

I suspect that some of the previous owners of some of these treasures will be viewing this post and I thank them for making them available in various auctions and on our own B/S/T.

With a butter knife items is the display can easily be rearranged and switched as new "junk" (read treasures) becomes available.

Finally, I have nothing against Pennzoni display cases, but they are the only display cases that rhyme with baloney.:D