Lake Country This Month

Electric From page 1A For Nelson and other elec- tric car enthusiasts, it means an easier and more efficient way to fuel up. it also could mean more tourism and can send a mes- sage that Oconomowoc is a city interested in protecting its environment by embrac- ing alternative and renew- able energy sources, Nelson said. An electric tinkerer Nelson has built electric vehicles out of an old Geo Metro, a bicycle, used motor- cycles, even a scooter designed for riding on the ice. "The actual moving com- ponents of an electric car are actually so much sim- pler than a gasoline (car)," he said. "It is actually pretty easy to build an electric car." His fascination with elec- tric vehicles began with the 2006 documentary film "Who Killed the Electric Car?" The film explores why electric cars, which were popular in the earlier 20th century, were eclipsed by gasoline-powered vehicles. The early versions were preferred by doctors and women over the gasoline cars due to their relative ease of use — no hand cranking to get the engine churning. Nelson said electric vehi- cles still hold the same con- veniences. His motorcycles, for example, don't rely on heavy maintenance to keep them running properly and efficiently. All he has to do is put it away for the winter, then turn it on in the spring. After viewing the movie he visited the Midwest Renewable Energy Associa- tion's Energy Fair — the country's largest event of its kind takes place right here in Wisconsin — where he got curious about an electric bicycle. He purchased a conversion kit and an old St. Vincent Thrift Store "granny bike" and soon he was cruising around town at 25 miles per hour. "(Builidng it) was the opposite of rocket science," Nelson said. The next summer Nelson built an electric motorcycle; the next summer it was an electric car. Last year Nelson took a trip around Lake Michigan on a modified motorcycle. He rode nearly 3,000 miles, charging at campgrounds, mostly. He designed a special aerodynamic cargo hold to bring along a tent and some supplies. Other projects he's worked on include converting his daughter's Barbie Power- Wheels Jeep to solar power and upgrading its battery, a retro 1970s electric car called a Citicar, a kids' elec- tric scooter he turned into an electric ice scooter. A win-win Nelson said he thinks the new charging station will be a boon for Oconomowoc. Electric cars use very lit- tle electricity, he said, and if a renewable power source such as wind, solar or water is used to create the electric- ity, it is a very clean fuel. He said having the new charging station could make a difference whether or not people living in the region driving electric vehicles visit the city. "I am looking forward to having public easy charging in Oconomowoc," he said. As for his next project, he currently dismantled an aftermarket battery that quit work in his wife's 2004 Prius. "It stopped working on me, so I'm taking it apart right now to fix it," he said. Email: rbillingham@conleynet.com FREEMAN & ENTERPRISE LAKE COUNTRY • Page 3B April 2016 249636001 Q. I have a small collec- tion of older Easter items that I display. I wonder if they have much value. — T.S., Hartland. A. Easter evolved as a significant commercial event during the late 19th century. Thousands of post- cards were sent with both serious religious messages and messages that were whimsical. Many items today have been passed through generations as fam- ily members cherish memo- ries of Easter morning. Some of the themes that remain most popular are baby chicks, bunnies, bas- kets, egg containers and the Christian cross. Bridal egg cups Pocillovy is the sophisti- cated name given to the hobby of egg cup collecting. Examples are constructed of an array of compositions from sterling silver to straw. There are very few areas of collecting that pulls from so many materials. One advantage in collect- ing egg cups and other small items is the fact that it takes only small spaces for storage and display. Egg cups can be found from all major countries and take the form of every- thing from gaudy to deli- cate. One client told me after she hand-dyed her annual Easter eggs, she displays them in her vintage egg cup collection. The formal container for serving boiled eggs was popular in past eras. It's hard to imagine this vin- tage bride-and-groom set was a wedding gift in the 1940s! The attached under plate called a "footie" serves as a saucer. This figural pair was manufactured in Japan and has pattern num- ber 7967 stamped on the underside. The set is still very functional but there is something missing on this set. They should have hats that doubles as salt and pep- per shakers. There would have been a removable groom's top hat and bride's floral-shaped headdress. This pair has a value of $35. If it was a complete set — with the salt and pepper hats. Value: $75 to $100. Side-by-side chick egg cup This ceramic, double-egg cup has a singular base and a baby chick stationed between the shell-shaped cups. Manufactured in Japan, they were then imported and sold at five- and-dime stores nationwide through the 1950s. The piece can double as a toothpick holder or small flower vase. Still very utilitarian but has perpetual crazing. Value: $14. Lamb cake mold Made of textured cast alu- minum, this two-piece 1940s cake mold has a flange ridge to receive the top half of the mold. Accepted as a tradi- tional religious Easter sym- bol, lamb cakes are usually seen around this holiday. Note: When using a simi- lar cake mold, suggestion is to double grease to avoid sticking. First coat the inside of both pieces with vegetable oil and wipe with a paper towel. Follow with shortening, not a spray, then the final step is to flour-dust it thoroughly. Value: $75. Chocolate bunny mold This double-hinged choco- late mold clamps closed with metal straps that are part of the frame — this ensures a tight seal and is nice for storage. The unusu- ally large size of 14 inches means this most likely belonged to a candy shop and is hard to find. This early 20th-century standing rabbit has an Easter basket on his back (yes, backpack) and the mold has fine details that guarantee depth in the finished shape. In excellent condition, value of $200. Submit an item for consideration Do you have an item or collection of items that could be shared in a future newspaper column? Let Barbara Eash hear about it! To have your item or col- lection considered send the following information: up to three, sharp, well-lit pho- tos of front & back of the item(s), measurements as well as any history or hearsay, length of owner- ship and your full name, address and daytime phone number. Mail: Waukesha Antique Shop, ATTN: Bar- bara Eash, 1427 E. Racine, Ave. Unit E-2, Waukesha, WI 53186 or email: beap- praisals@gmail.com. If your item(s) are considered for a future column, we will contact you. No photos can be returned and no pur- chase of items will occur. (Barbara Eash is a mem- ber of the Certified Apprais- ers Guild of America, spe- cializing in appraisals of antiques and collectibles and has extensive experience writing and speaking about antiques.) Lots of treats in collector's Easter basket BARBARA EASH Antiques Appraised Submitted photo A group of Citicars — funky 70s electric cars. The white one is Ben Nelson's. Submitted photo Nelson with one of his electric motorcycles. He rode around Lake Michigan last year on battery power.

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