He Collects "Portals Into The Past

He Collects "Portals Into The Past AG WORLD 33-6-24 Upscale city folks might call them "19th century hand-made wood sculpture decorating accent pieces". Anyone else would just call them outhouse seats. But who ever heard of anyone collecting them? Writer Robert Kyle used to ask himself why he started collecting outhouse seats until he saw one in a new barn built for the former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Reagan. "I was at a party there and when I entered the men's room I was met by a magnificent three-holer hanging on the wall. I had to have one," Kyle says. "If a man of that importance appreciated outhouse seats, then I must not be crazy to like them as well." Kyle is an antique dealer, firearms consultant and writer for antique and gun publications. His outhouse seat collection started with a few one and two-holers. "I found them at auctions and flea markets," Kyle explains. "All had been cleaned, but I think after decades of non-use any germs on the seats would have disappeared. However, I've seen too many over-cleaned seats where much of the original old paint has come off. Paint is important to preserve." Kyle views the seats as artifacts from American history and a bygone era when times were hard. It's a history that could be forgotten if collectors don't keep some of the old seats as reminders. "I've had visitors see my three-holer on the mud room wall off the kitchen and not know what it was," he says. "Too many Americans are growing up without the outhouse experience. I would teach æOuthouses 101' in college if someone would hire me." "I refer to the holes as portals into the past because of the material that accidentally fell or was purposely tossed down the holes," Kyle says. "Scientists have been able to discern much about early American life by what's been found in outhouse pits." Kyle purchased his first three-holer on eBay; he was the only bidder. Fortunately the seller was just 40 miles away so he picked it up and saved the shipping. Outhouse seat prices range from a few dollars to $100 or more depending on the region, clientele - and, of course, the number of holes. Over the past 15 years, Kyle has collected about a dozen seats. "I'm always looking for the better ones. A friend in Maine is saving a nice two-holer with lids for me," Kyle says. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert Kyle, (robertkyle1@earthlink.net).

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