In Search of Souvenirs

[kevin_standlee]

Doing some research for someone who reads my journal, this morning I went to the Winchester Mystery House, where I thought I had seen in the past an old style medallion maker.



They did indeed have a Metal-Typer machine as once was relatively common in places where you might buy souvenirs of a given place. For fifty cents, you get 32 characters (but you'd better leave it at 31 unless you want the last and first characters to run together). I made one.



Shown here with a quarter for a size comparison is the anodized aluminum medallion, which reads SAN JOSE IN 2018-WORLDCON 76. The image in the center is an outline of the Winchester Mystery House, and the reverse says WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA.

While I was there, I took a couple of pictures of the House itself.



Not wanting to pay admission today, I simply held my camera over the fence for this shot of the front of the building.



The building is a registered historical landmark, and well worth the visit. I've been through the tour four times, including once on one of the "flashlight tours" done at night.

If you're still undecided about which site to vote for for the 2018 Worldcon and are wondering what there is to do and see in San Jose other than the Worldcon itself, this is one of the places I think everyone should go see. It's not walking distance from the convention site, but it's a relatively easy public bus ride, and I suspect that if there was enough interest, we might be able to arrange for transportation for a group to go see it. (I'm not in a position to commit to that! I can't guarantee it! I'm not volunteering to organize it!) But if you can go and visit the house and gardens, try to do so.

Comments

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Ah, the memories of being a guide there.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of you when I took those pictures, actually.

[garyomaha.livejournal.com]

Standard Metal-Typer. Now that's a name that rolls right off the tongue.

Thanks for your reconnaissance.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

In response to a deleted comment from kalimeg: San Jose is bidding to host Worldcon 76, so I don't think that there's anything wrong with that usage. (Nor would the equivalent for other bids.)

Also: San Jose is two words (technically, it's San José). Worldcon is one word without an intercap.

[clothsprogs.livejournal.com]

I remember the Winchester house from the Costume Con visit. It's fun and interesting but there's absolutely no mystery about it - the woman was mad.

Teddy

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

I think she was more eccentric than mad, and had a odd architectural hobby. I have a feeling that if we had effectively unlimited funds, we could find ourselves building on Fernley House indefinitely, after buying out all of the surrounding lots. Whether we'd insist on round-the-clock construction is a different matter.

[clothsprogs.livejournal.com]

The only real differnce between eccentric and mad is how much money the individual has.

Teddy

[lindadee.livejournal.com]

Too bad you can't print up a ton of those souvenirs to take to Kansas City.

I toured Winchester House after ConJose, and loved it. VERY eccentric woman, indeed!

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the cost is trivial (fifty cents each), but the throughput time is awful. It takes a long time to make one medal, and you have to be very careful to line the letters up just right or you'll get a typo that ruins it.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

That medal is cool. One could have fun with that. "My other house is a TARDIS"
:D

[delosharriman]

I have such a medallion, in plain (silver) aluminium, which really makes me stop & wonder. The lettering appears to have been applied completely at random!