| Summary: | In 1899, Ohio-born curio collector Joseph Edward "Daddy" Standley (1854-1940) arrived in Seattle from Colorado with his wife and four children. In Denver he had operated a grocery store, with as much shelf space given to collectibles as to fruits and vegetables. In Seattle his Ye Olde Curiosity Shop (after a few moves and name changes), has become a waterfront institution at Pier 54. Still a family-run business after five generations, the store sells art and souvenirs and displays its collection of culturally significant items, including Northwest Coast Native American totem poles, woven cedar mats, and fir needle baskets. The store attracts about one million people a year who come to see natural history specimens such as whale bones, narwhal tusks, and the two human mummies, Sylvester and Sylvia. The image here of an agate fireplace surround was taken at the Standley's home in West Seattle. The house, dubbed Totem Place, was built in 1908 at 1750 Palm Avenue Southwest and became a second museum for Standley's collections. A sculpture garden for about 15 large totem poles and a "six-foot high mound built with shells from the seven seas" were an attraction for both the children of the neighborhood and sightseeing buses. Caption information source: https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/you-can-tour-the-home-of-daddy-standley-founder-of-ye-olde-curiosity-shop 1 photographic postcard: b&w; 5.5 x 3.5 in.
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