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Mantle

There are three Elm City printing presses on the uppermost shelf, a 5" tall cast-iron laundry mangle that sort of looks like a printing press (that's what I thought it was, anyway), and a mirror. The Awl and Paper cutter are sitting here, too, waiting until I've got some more furniture in this room.

The mirror is the only thing that's keeping me from tearing down this mantlepiece and bookcase combo to reveal the windows that are locked inside. Without it the wall seems huge and imposing - with the mirror there's sort of a little more depth to this area; it's not quite so claustrophobic.

Also here: a glass case with the head of stereotypical Irish cartoon character, Happy Hooligan. This character was the first serialized cartoon, according to Chris - I got it because it's strange-looking, with the peanut can hat on top, and because the paint is coming off which makes it look old and sad. Plus it gave me a small, valuable head for a case I'd built. The head came from the parts bin a toy dealer had placed just inside the entrance to the main building of the Kane Co. Fairgrounds Toy Show, in 2000. I got it for $75, probably a rip off.