Basket of heads

Nope, not channeling my inner Marie Antoinette.  I actually bought a basket of heads and other body parts.  Well, actually porcelain doll heads and parts.  Hit my favorite place for unique finds and came across this neat, handmade basket filled with lovely painted and doll parts and had to have it.  When I brought it to the counter, the folks began to laugh and said they were discussing who would buy this creepy lot...yea, it was yours truly.    

Still, they offer so many decorating and altered art possibilities so home with me they came.  Funny how neat finds just sometimes show up in one place and the prices are so good you wonder if they even looked at what they priced.

For example, this spectacular early Doulton earthenware serving platter.  Perfect condition with a lovely blue transferware pattern. Impressed mark dates this between 1891 and 1902 and all they wanted was $9.00 for it.  Be still my heart, I nearly passed out but was still lucid enough to grab it.

 

Is that another antique platter?  Sure is and it is a beauty.  An mid-century, Victorian platter (1860s) of blue transferware and heavy soft paste. Has an in line crack about 4 inches from one edge.  These soft paste beauties rarely lasted as they are heavy and chip very easily.  To find one of this age and mark in this condition is a great find and yup, another $9.00 platter.  What I didn't get was they had a stack of white platters from Big Lots they had priced at $18.00 and $24.00 respectively and yet, they gave these two away.  Lucky me is all I can say.

Nice set of 5, Warwick white embossed dinner plates. Early 1900s

I adore glass fishing floats and found three of them at $1.50 each.  Two sea blue and one green.

A pair of large, oval frames from the turn of the century.  I sell vintage/antique frames as quick as I can find them.

How sweet is this chippy, vintage pink wooden chair?  Had to have it as a display for some of the dolly heads and bodies. I hate "sticky" labels and tie tag nearly everything.  I didn't realize until I displayed these that the tags look like I'm pulling a loose tooth from these heads. LOL 

My display of dolly heads and bodies among barber tools.  I'm starting to think I set the table for Sweeny Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.  (have I stumbled across a new Halloween theme?)

Found this great enamel kitchen table from the 1940s.  Beat to hell but I adore the 4 shades of soft, chippy paint on the legs and base. Still, it is structurally strong and will make a shabby cottage collector/designer very happy.  Got it on the cheap, so passing it along on the cheap. 

Another great find.  This lovely hand painted hibiscus serving bowl has thick gold lustre slip throughout and on the sides of the bowl.  Small, little chip on one curve that you can find along the left hand curve, but for $4.00, I had to have this Victorian beauty.  Even with the chip, the value is around $60.00.  I have it priced less than that because even the best of us have a few chips and we are invaluable.

Did a complete rework of my main booth. Really stuffed it because I am leaving for Mexico this week to swim with the fishes.  

A head on shot of my overstuffed booth.  It actually looks better "in person".  Right now, this photo looks like an antique warehouse that threw up in it as I have every nook and cranny filled with something. Still, this is the time of the year when the Queen is deluged with vacationers and visitors and they all like to walk away with a small or two. 

Is that what I think it is?    You bet it is and I have one.  Goodwill now offers a gift card and my baby sista bought me one for my birthday and I am overjoyed.  I find the best stuff at our local Goodwills so this is like the map to a treasure hunt.  Can't wait to use it when I return from the deep.

So looking forward to heading out to the sea on Wednesday.  I can hardly wait to sink my toes into the cool sand and wrap myself in the soft embrace of the sea.  It is what sustains me. It is my balance.  Hope to have some new underwater photos as well.  Have a marvelous week all and blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch