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HARDING — The philosophy that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure has led Donald Gross to an impressive and eclectic collection of vintage items.
The 82-year-old Harding resident has bought, sold, gathered and kept everything from instruments to kerosene lamps to pieces of Americana, and he said his collection is both an investment and a means of staying active at his age.
Collecting, Gross said, started for him about 40 years ago.
“I was in the heating business, doing a job in Sebastopol,” Gross said referring to a neighborhood in Jenkins Township. “Up in the rafters was one of the kerosene lamps covered in dust.”
Gross now has about 100 kerosene and carbide lamps. Some are valued at $30 while others have been appraised at around $500, he said.
His most expensive — he neglected to mention the price — is adorned with gold leaf and red roses and painted from the inside.
“I was working in Inkerman, and I needed to borrow a water key from the customer’s neighbor,” Gross said. “It was just sitting in the garage, and the guy gave it to me for free.”
In the rafters of Gross’ home, he has other Americana collectibles, like a railroad signal lamp, a gallon can of German pilsner beer and a unique pitchfork carved out of one continuous root structure.
“You’ll never see anything like that,” Gross said. “It’s hand crafted, and it grew like that.” He said of all his items, the pitchfork is a favorite, because it raises the most conversation.
From a closet, Gross produced an antique iron, a wooden cased spotlight and a Blickensderfer portable typewriter from the late 1800s.
Gross’ time as a musician — he still plays occasionally — led to another stockpile.
“I have a collection of too many instruments,” Gross said.
He owns six guitars — one he made himself — three ukuleles, a banjo, a mandolin and an organ. The crown jewel is a 1956 Guild acoustic electric guitar. He paid $256, and it’s been appraised for over $5,000, he said.
“It went through six kids and a lot of bands,” Gross said.
Gross goes to auctions five nights a week and regularly buys and sells instruments and amplifiers.
The formerly avid hunter has quite a few firearms as well, the standout being an early 1900s three barrel German Drilling shotgun with two 16 gauge barrels and one 8.8 mm barrel, appraised, he said at around $10,000.
“It’s not mine, though,” Gross said acknowledging ownership to his daughter Ruth Atherholt.
Atherholt, of Dallas, said growing up with her father’s collection was normal.
“He was a furnace guy, and sometimes people couldn’t pay him so they’d give him items in trade,” she said.
A trip to his barn reveals more treasures: an antique bicycle, an old yet working ringer washer, a 1954 Cushman Eagle scooter and a Fairbanks Morse engine Gross said once had a retail value of $5,000.
His garage contains a prize of another kind, a 1954 Cadillac convertible.
“It took me five years to build it,” Gross said. “Right now, we’re working on the roof.”
Gross said it was interesting amassing his collection. Other than the items already claimed by his children, Gross said, “everything is for sale.”
History channel show American Pickers will be filming in Pennsylvania this summer and producers are scouting for private collections like Gross’.
Gross said he might allow them to see his collection but an auctioneer friend advised against it, because it leads to the kind of exposure that invites criminal activity.
Of all he’s gathered, rare, unique and sentimental, Gross said his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are his greatest treasures.