Happy New Year Friends!
We had a fantastic Christmas Season and loved seeing all of you.
How in the world is it 2026? Do you remember what we thought 2026 would be like when we were kids? Flying cars, perhaps? Living on the moon?
Just for kicks, in 1926, futurists made a wide range of predictions about life in 2026, some of their predictions turned out to be completely wrong, while others proved pretty true.
Predictions included technological advancements like food from nozzles, the end of big cities, and news appearing on tiny screens!
In 1926, the world population was around 2 billion. Predictions expected it to swell to 5 billion by 2026 (in actuality, it’s more than 8 billion today).
Here are a few highlights. I’m not sure what to say about most of them. My mother was born in 1926, so these predictors don’t seem that long ago.
- Food will be provided in factories. Such farms as do remain will be maintained by people who want them purely as hobbies.
- There will be no need for mines or oil fields as mankind will have new power sources.
- The vast amount of energy sent by the sun will be caught and utilized.
- An arbitrary standard will supersede the gold standard agreed upon internationally. (The U.S. abandoned the gold standard in 1971).
- Travel will be chiefly by air.
- Big cities will be a thing of the past in 2026. People will spread out more evenly in great numbers of smaller cities.
- Push a button at the bedside and clothes will be whisked from the wardrobe and brought to the bedside. A mechanical valet will provide a shave with a touch as delicate as a woman’s hand; and an electrical bootblack delivers boots polished like a mirror.
- To get breakfast, a tube like a piece of hose piping inserted into the mouth dispenses two fluid ounces of concentrated food. Hmmm … appetizing.
- To get the news: Click! Upon a tiny screen in the wall all manner of things could be watched – American baseball, news in other countries, local events and entertainment.
- One scientist worried that by 2026 humans would lose the use of their arms and legs, and become “immense brains” directing the mechanical forces at their command.
Sounds about right.
- Cleveland-born author Alice M. Williamson (1858-1933) envisioned that married couples of 2026 would enjoy a “dignified separateness” by living in adjoining houses. There would be a door leading from one house to the other on each floor, but couples would own the homes separately.
- He would have poker parties and other bachelor fun in his quarters while a manservant waited on him. She would take care of the children with the aid of a nurse and host social functions. They would visit each other’s homes by invitation.
- Scientific discoveries would practically eliminate disease and old age. By 2026, the average lifespan would be around 100 years old, nearly doubling that of 1926. In fact, 100 would no longer be considered old. Many people would live much longer.
- “Unless we wreck our civilization in the next 75 years, which is unlikely, many a baby will be born with 200 years of life before it, and men and women 100 years of age will be the normal thing, but instead of being wrinkled and crippled, they will still be in their vigorous prime.”
- Women will do most of the governing.
- War will be unthinkable as slavery and dueling now are.
- Physicians will be public officers.
- Hospitals and sanitariums will replace prisons.
- Cooperation will rule in the business field.
- Every child will be kept in school until the age of 21.
- The school teacher will be the most highly paid and respected member of the community.
- The total absence of servants will drive all but the artisan class into flats and apartment houses.
And finally,
E.A. Hungerford (1875-1948), author and journalist: “It is January 2026. The family that is not wealthy, at least worth a million dollars, is such a novelty it becomes the subject of a feature story in the newspapers.”
Did they get it right?
When hunting antiques with the 100-year mark, it is always fun to think how many hands the item has passed through.
Categories of Antiques Pre-1926
Furniture: Arts & Crafts oak pieces, Victorian-era carved wood, Art Nouveau designs.
Lighting: Stained glass lamps (like Tiffany), ornate chandeliers, and early electric fixtures.
Decorative Arts: Art pottery (Roseville, Weller), perfume bottles, elaborate barware, Art Nouveau metalwork.
Textiles: Embroidered quilts, antique rugs, hand-stitched linens.
Photography & Technology: Early cameras (Kodak Brownie), typewriters, gramophones, antique telephones.
Books & Paper: First edition books, antique maps, vintage advertising signs.
Coins & Collectibles: Rare coins, early baseball cards, vintage toys.
Common Kitchenware Before 1926
- Wood: Wooden spoons, bowls, rolling pins, cutting boards (paste-boards), and even mixing troughs were essential.
- Metal:
- Cast Iron: Durable skillets, pots, and Dutch ovens were staples, often seasoned for non-stick use.
- Copper: High-quality, thick copper pots, often with brass or iron handles, were prized, especially French versions, sometimes lined with tin.
- Tin & Steel: Basic pails, pans, and early stamped metal items were common.
- Ceramics: Earthenware and porcelain bowls, plates, and storage crocks.
- Stone: Mortars and pestles (or “beetles”), grinding stones.
- Glass: Simple glass jars for storage, though less common for cooking.
- Key Tools & Early Gadgets
- Mortar & Pestle: Used for grinding spices and herbs.
- Hand Mixers: Early egg beaters, often hickory or metal, with cranks.
- Hand Churns: For butter or drinks.
- Sieves & Sifters: For flour and dry goods.
- Early Appliances: The first automatic stand mixers (KitchenAid) appeared in the 1910s, though early models were large and industrial before home versions became available
How to Identify
Look for Maker’s Marks: Found on the bottom of ceramics or hidden spots on furniture.
Check Materials: Hand-carved wood, solid brass, early glass types.
Consider Craftsmanship: Items often show detailed, individual work rather than mass production.
We are enthusiastic about 2026! The vendors are eagerly filling up their booths and looking forward to an exciting year ahead. See you soon!
Bev