On Saturday when I go to the dump I carry with me a long steel hook which allows me to fish interesting things out of the metal re-cycling dumpster.  I'll also stop and look through intersting piles left curbside for collection on trash day.

Some find this practice unseemly, but I feel the greater crime is to let these items enter the waste stream in the first place.

April 14, 2007:

I found some nice things this week!  A grandfathers clock escapement, a lovely silver-plate teapot in quite nice shape, one brass andiron, a brass vase from India, and a pair of, um, Catholic welding gloves?

The nicest find is the clock escapement, it's full of lovely gears, levers and cogs.  It's made in Germany and must have played a tune of some kind on the hour.

These are interesting.  They are quite small, I can not get my hand into them at all.  They've either shrunk or were intended for a lady.  Or perhap they are purely ceremonial - if you know what they are drop me a line at jake@vonslatt.com.

Update: I believe my fellow Brass Gogglian exoskeletoncabaret has nailed it - they appear to be ceremonial gauntlets belonging to a Freemason that has attained admission to the exalted ranks of the Knights Templar.