The Internet is littered with items you can buy relating to Revelstoke, from old postcards, art work and souvenirs, to modern products like the Nike Revelstoke boot, the Spyder Revelstoke jacket and the Burton Revelstoke backpack.
Here’s my 10 (or so) favourite oddities you can buy relating to Revelstoke, most of which are found on eBay:
1. A terracotta bust of Lord Revelstoke. Yes, you can own a terracotta bust of CP Rail’s savious and our town’s namesake. Made in England in 1887, the bust is 28 centimetres high and is on sale for 650 pounds by Robert Bradley Antiques in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK. A plaque says: ‘sketch study in Terra Cota LORD REVELSTOKE modelled at breakfast at 37 Charles Street, Berkeley Square, W, London, 16th, 17th February 1887.’ You’ll have to book an appointment to see it. If a bust isn’t your thing, you can purchase an 1898 Vanity Fair lithograph of the lord for $29 USD on eBay.
2. Redeemable tokens. There’s a few of these available. First up is a worn copper token from McKinnon Bros. that could be traded in for a nickel, but who’s starting bid is $10. You can also get one good for the Central Hotel that was good for 15 cents, but it will cost you $250. The best value is probably one from the Modern Bakery that’s good for one loaf of bread. It’s for sale for $19.99 USD, which makes it an expensive loaf of bread, but still better than spending $10 for a nickel.
3. A paperweight featuring an aerial photo of the Revelstoke Dam and a piece of lucite from the Revelstoke canyon. In the days of air-conditioned offices, paperweights are a reminder of times gone by and noisy fans messing up that stack of documents on your desk. If that’s still a problem, why not get a local paper weight? The starting bid is $4.99 USD. You can also buy a 1950s vintage paper weight from the Regent Inn for $19.95 USD.
4. A topographic map of the Revelstoke area supposedly produced by the Soviet military. Or Pebeлctok as it’s written in Russian. The 1981 map is 57 cm by 58 cm and has a scale of 1:500,000. It’s roughly centred on Revelstoke and covers an area from Golden to Kamloops and from Mica to Nakusp. You can buy it now for $13.95, plus shipping.
5. An ashtray from Revelstoke Tire Service, with the slogan “The Safest Place to Retire.” The dish features an alluring drawing of a pinup model in lingerie, because sex has, and will, always sell.
6. Geologists and insomniacs might be interested in a 1973 report titled Petrology & Structure West Flank Frenchman’s Cap Dome. It’s going for $12 USD.
7. Rail nuts will enjoy the video by 7idea Productions about CP Rail’s mountain sub. The two-hour long video looks at the rail route through Rogers Pass. $28.95 USD and it’s yours. There’s also a video about the Shuswap sub available, and one featuring the Rocky Mountaineer cab ride from Revelstoke to Field.
8. There’s lots of old postcards and photos for sale, most of which feature scenic shots and old motels. My favourite is an antique leather postcard from the early 20th century. It features a colourful blue and yellow pansy and the inscription, ‘Only a pansy blossom, Revelstoke.’ It was sent by a fellow named Jim to a lady named Emiline in Toronto.
9. You can buy a 1934 photo of Lord Revelstoke, the grandson of our town’s namesake, in which he professes his love to former Miss England, Angela Joyce. The photo was filed in court when Joyce sued Lord Revelstoke for 100,000 pounds after he married someone else — supposedly breaking his vows to her. Lord Revelstoke won the case, but not before his teenage love letters were made public.
10. Probably the most bizarre item I’ve come across with the name Revelstoke is BioNinja Wiz-z-zer Revelstoke battling top. I’m not really sure what this is, even after watching a six minute YouTube video. I also don’t know why it’s named after our town; the other tops made by Duncan Toys have names like Dire Raith, Mantis Terris and Waspmawl.
