December 21, 2016
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EDITOR – CAROL BROOKS, 841-4933 FEATURES – NORMA B. DENNIS, 841-4933 DISPLAY ADVERTISING – 316-1231
Vol. 39 No. 1
Jamestown, North Carolina
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Signs of the Season
Day and night, scenes from the Jamestown community and surrounding area announce the presence of Christmas 2016. (Photos/Jamestown News staff and submitted)
Simple Christmas display continues to bring joy By CAROL BROOKS Editor Do you remember the scene in the movie “A Christmas Story” when the kids went to Higbee’s Department Store to look at toys in the window? Animated figures danced amid artificial snow as the kids pressed their noses against the window. The movie was set in the 1940s and animation displays were very popular and ran on complicated machinery. But in 1915, displays were simpler. Many were animated, but the workings were electromagnets. Local architect Gary Robbins has one of these displays depicting two children alternately peaking from behind a curtain as Santa Claus visits their house. A teddy bear with googly eyes nods his head, the rocking horse moves and Santa waves as lights glow on the tree. Robbins bought the store display – approximately 4’
(Photo/Carol Brooks)
Robbins stands beside the back of the old store display, showing the simple electromagnetic motor. The simple display has several movable images, including Santa Claus, teddy bear, rocking horse and two children alternatively peaking out from behind the curtain. wide by 3’ tall – just before Christmas last year from the Antique Marketplace in Greensboro. A tag on the back indicates it is from 1915, 100 years before Robbins purchased it. Another tag, however, says 1920 “from the Back Room Store in Greenville, N.C.” Still another one had an antique dealer’s price of $1,475, much, much more than Robbins paid for it. “It didn’t work when
he bought it,” said Kathy Robbins, Gary’s wife. “I was prepared to have a guy fix it,” Gary said, noting that after he straightened several pieces that were bent and oiled everything, it started working. “The motor is very interesting. It’s not one anyone I know has ever seen before. There’s an electromagnet and a pendulum.” Robbins must plug in the display and give a push to
the electromagnet to start it, but it will continue working until it is unplugged. “It’s a little bit of a Rube Goldberg design,” he said of the motor. The scene appears to be made of heavy cardboard and other than some fading, has stood the test of time well. “I’ve looked online and everywhere and haven’t found anything like it,” Robbins said. Window displays in large cities like New York attract
crowds from all over the country, but what Robbins has is not as flamboyant. “This is a small-town window display,” Robbins said. “You would walk by a window and whatever was in a window, a kid would be all about it.” He pointed out the detail of the painting, down to a cabin in the snow scene outside the window and presents in the stockings. The piece may have been just for decoration since it doesn’t appear to be pro-
Holiday Closings
moting a certain product. There is no manufacturer’s name on the display. “I could sit and watch it forever,” Robbins said.
To see a video of the Santa Claus display in motion, visit www.james townnews.com.
Carol Brooks can be reached at 336-841-4933 or jamestownnews@north state.net.
• The Jamestown News office will be closed Dec. 26 for the Christmas holiday. All articles and advertising should be submitted by Dec. 22 at noon for the Dec. 28 issue. The News office also will be closed Jan. 2 for News Year’s Day. All articles and advertising should be submitted by Dec. 29 at noon for the Jan. 4 issue. • The Town of Jamestown office will be closed Dec. 23-26. There will be no garbage pickup on Friday Dec. 23. Town Hall will be closed Jan. 2 for New Year’s Day. • The Jamestown Public Library will be closed for Christmas Dec. 22-25. It will also be closed Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.