Downstairs demolition 8: If these walls could talk

We uncovered a lot of things inside our walls. None could be considered treasures, although a few artifacts were more interesting than gross.

We found a shuttlecock, two broken ping pong paddles, rusted ax head of no historical significance, along with (click image to enlarge) a:

• Chipped 1950s Pepsi bottle (worth $7.99 on eBay if in mint condition); the label claims the product is “Sparkling.” Found in the corner past the steps on March 23.
• Small bottle of somewhat coagulated Fargent linseed oil (which yielded no hits on Google); it sported a big green thumbprint. Found underneath the stairs on March 30.
• Scrap of newspaper announcing the sale of a ’51 Plymouth for $1745, aerated with nail holes. Found in the corner past the steps on March 30.
• Delicate tea cup, made in Japan. Found on April 5 stuffed full of insulation in the corner of the utility room under the stairs.

When we tore down the ceiling in the walk-out basement on April 12, we also pulled out old ducts—and found a rubber ball about the same circumference as the duct’s diameter, which explains why that corner of the house was especially cold before we installed the Unico HVAC system with its own mini ducts.

If these walls could talk, it wouldn’t make for much of a show.