Part of a series on Kootenaiana appearing on eBay
The most noteworthy item to sell last week was a ribbon from the Diamond Jubilee Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1683 of Slocan City, which went for $271 US.
The seller indicated it dated from 1897, the year of Queen Victoria’s jubilee. It may not actually be that old — Diamond Jubilee was part of the lodge’s name — but it’s certainly of that era.
The Orange Lodge hall stood on Arthur Street in Slocan until it was torn down in the 1960s or ‘70s. The Orange Lodge is a Protestant fraternal organization founded in Ireland in the late 18th century.
The ribbon drew eight bids, including five over $250.
According to the seller, who was in Pardeeville, Wisconsin, it came from the estate sale of a man who died recently.
An envelope from the Brilliant co-op drew five bids and sold for $49 US.
It was postmarked either 1966 or 1968 — not long before the co-op closed.
The seller was in Fort Gratiot, Michigan.
According to Jon Kalmakoff’s doukhobor.org, the co-op was established in 1949 on the site of the former Kootenay Columbia jam factory. Only Doukhobors who belonged to the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ could be members.
The co-op sold groceries, but was notable for what it didn’t stock: meat, fish, fowl, alcohol, tobacco, or anything else that violated Doukhobor religious beliefs.
The co-op was also home to the Brilliant credit union — which later moved to downtown Castlegar and was one of the founding branches of what is now Kootenay Savings.
Today Co-op Lane is a reminder of where it once stood.
A nice real photo postcard showing the old Trail city hall (in the same spot where the current one is) and Central School, ca. 1911, sold for $27.66 US.
It was published by Rumsey and Co. of Toronto. Although not postmarked, the message on the back read: “This is the new school just finished and opened is a fine school. It’s up on a flat on the mtn side. Can see all over the town from the front door. It doesn’t show to be very high but it’s pretty steep climbing to get up to it. There is a little mountain stream runs under the sidewalk going in front of the City Hall. Runs for 150 feet. I guess wouldn’t know it was there if couldn’t hear it run.”
The postcard drew four bids. The seller was in Fargo, North Dakota.
(This story will appear in the November 10 edition of the West Kootenay Advertiser.)
