December Treasure

Can't believe that we are in mid December and 2013 will soon be over.  It has been a year of highs and lows.  My knee replacement surgery was a marvelous success and I am so grateful for the brilliant surgeon I had, my insurance coverage and the outcome that allows me to move about so easily now.    The passing of my beloved following a quick diagnosis of cancer was devastating for me.   We never saw this ugly disease coming and it took him  so quickly.  I miss Alan daily but he is in my heart and I feel his presence all around me.  

Spent Saturday out and about at favorite haunts and brought home some marvelous pieces.

I adore American basketry and although my collection is a small one, I do have some good pieces.  This large, square split oak market basket is gorgeous and I can't wait to fill it with handspun.  With the cold temps were have been having, I spin fiber for the pure joy of it.

Found this beautiful French, late Victorian stoneware pitcher at the Buford Queen of Hearts that was part of a washbowl set.  Great transferware images.

Closeup of the pair of morning doves that are found all around the pitcher base.  This is another personal keeper.

An auction win, a set of Rudyard Kipling "pocket books". Circa early 1900s.

Another auction win, the works of Washington Irving...one of my favorite American authors.  Right up there with Nathanial Hawthorne and James Fenimore Cooper.  These appear to be first edition and each one has a beautiful engraving at the front.

Engraving of Washington.

Engraving of Buffalo hunt.

Pretty two handled urn is blow art glass in a bronzed metal frame.  Unfortunately, it was dropped by a previous owner and the glass is broken in places. Still, a votive candle inside and it glows beautifully.

A lovely pair of Victorian, Reed and Barton water/wine goblets in marvelous condition.  Heavily silverplated, one chalice is engraved with beaded bands and the other engraved with Eastlake designs.  Circa 1870s.

Most of you know I have a fondness for antique, Currier and Ives prints. This gorgeous print is "Robert Burns and his Highland Mary." Has some age issues but the colors are brilliant and it is in the original frame with bubbled glass.

Found a nice assortment of vintage, Crown Ducal, England transferware plates.  Pattern is Bristol and the transferware color is English Blue.

In the same group was an assortment of plates and bowls in the same pattern but in the color, Bristol blue.

Four antique, mother of pearl handled, sterling ferrule and heavily silverplated Wm. A. Rogers forks. These are in marvelous condition for their age and weighted beautifully.

Six antique, mother of pearl handled knives are in great condition.

Pretty, Reed and Barton fluted server is brilliant silverplate.

Always love to find these antique pitcher and bowl sets in white.  They just speak of another era gone by.  

So I cleaned and I researched and I priced and then I baked pies.  Pumpkin and egg custard, my kitchen smelled heavenly.

 

Hope you holiday preparations are going smoothly and as always, blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Excitement at the Auction

It was a very exciting Saturday at the local auction house in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The Atlanta Auction Company has become my go to "Saturday" place for finding treasure these days and I was able to bid and win some great pieces.  About every six weeks, a live, internet auction is run in conjuction with the floor action and often brings the most marvelous pieces up for bid.  This Saturday was one of those live, on line auctions and there was some hot auction bidding going on. 

The first piece offered from the on line catalog was this marvelous, turn of the century cut crystal inkwell.

 Big, heavy, and with a monogram etched into the bronze lid, I was delighted to be the winner of this lovely piece.  For the Sea Witch, this was a sign of auction possibilities.

Gorgeous Saint Louis crystal was offered and an online bidder won most of these beautiful pieces.  This was one of those times when I wished I had a deep pocketbook, sigh.

Still, I was the winning bidder of this pair of Victorian button hooks with sterling handles.  So pretty and I was also the winner of this great, 1882, Harvard quadruple plate cup.

However, the most exciting auction piece offered, at the auction, was this lovely Russian enameled icon.

Image courtesy of makeitloudsites.com

The bidding started at a few hundred dollars but quickly rose to a few thousand...and...then...the bidding war began between on-line internet bidders and a telephone bidder.  $2,000, $4,000. $9,000, $11,000, $13,000...and it kept going.  Finally the bidding reached $17,000 and you heard the words, $17,000...$17,000, once, twice, SOLD! and the gavel went down.  The audience cheered and clapped for the winning bidder.  So exciting to witness this bidding war over this lovely historic piece.  Even though I was not a bidder, I and other auction participants could feel the energy that his piece brought to the floor.  It is an auction moment I will never forget.

Most folks know I am weak in the knees for beautiful linens and this gorgeous battenburg piece was a "must win" for me.  It is in spectacular condition.

Recently sold my last silverplated pedestal cake plate so I was delighted to be the winning bidder with this one.  It's now in my Victorian booth at the Buford Queen of Hearts.

 

Gorgeous, vintage Fisher, silverplated pedestal compote looks like it was never used.  Lovely showpiece and is also in my Victorian booth at the Buford Queen of Hearts.

 

Be still my heart.  Yeah!  I was the winning bidder for this smashing, antique French parlor table.  Heavily carved cherub legs and lots of flourishes along the tabletop edge.  Amazing piece in beautiful condition.

Last but not least, I was also the winning bidder on this lovely, old pawn Zuni cuff bracelet. The Zuni are known for their shaped turquoise jewely and this big cuff has sixty, rich turquoise blue shaped stones set in silver.  Nice mid century cuff is a lovely example of Native American craftsmanship.

It was an exciting auction and such a joy to see so many lovely pieces come up on the block.  Additionally, it was good to see that our economy is still chugging along in spite of the present climate.  Antiques continue to be excellent investment pieces even in these up and down economic times.  To quote myself,  "They do not provide food or shelter that we may live. Why then do we "need this?"  Because they make our lives worth living with the joy of the hunt, the successful acquisition, and most of all...the history, the beauty, and the energy these pieces bring from another time and place."  

Blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Dec is here.

I hope everyone had a wonderful and gentle Thanksgiving.  I spent a few days in Florida with my sister and it was so good to see her.  We used to spend every Saturday running around, laughing until our sides hurt and just having a great time together.    It was like old times and it felt like she never moved away.  Weather was a windy with temps in the 70's but that didn't keep me from the ocean.  

 The wind was over 10 knots so the large beach umbrella's were buried in the sand to keep them from flying away.

 

 The ocean was choppy but with great waves for surfers.  Still, I walked into the water and released my honey's ashes back into the sea.  He sailed from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to the Bahama's many times and this is where he wanted to be returned to.

Before I left for Florida, I did get a few items into my booths for the Thanksgiving shopping weekend.  Found this great set of vintage, Martha Stewart copper cookie cutters. 

They are huge and will make the prettiest cookies.

 

Found this lovely group of Anchor Hocking Depression Glass, circa 1929, at my local Goodwill for a few dollars.  Couldn't believe it and I will be bringing these in next weekend.

 

Lovely antique Edwardian white child’s dress was an auction win.  French seaming and lace on cotton batiste.  Rare to find a child’s dress in this marvelous condition. Circa 1900.

 Spectacular. like new champagne bucket and liner.  Beautiful piece and ready to help someone ring in the new year.

 Another local auction win, a pretty set of elegant depression glass, etched and pretty green.

 Another pretty depression glass biscuit jar in pink.

 

Pretty figurine cordial glasses hold vintage ornaments.

Lovely Victorian quadruple plate creamer and sugarbowl.

 

Pretty Nude Stem Sea Shell Comport,  Cambridge Glass company. From their Statuesque 3011 nude stem line. Perfect for displaying Victorian calling cards, antique ornaments or your favorite rings. Circa 1920-50s.

 

 Gorgeous, American Brilliant cut crystal server.  Big and beautiful and held together with four, metal staples. Yes, this lovely piece has that great metal repair so often done during the Victorian era. I may keep this myself as I love these repaired items.

 Finally brought that fantastic grandfather clock into my Victorian booth.  It is a beauty.

 Last, but not least, an Adakai, Santa Clara bowl.  Signed and with that beautiful tone on tone, this was a thrift store find and is now in my Native American collection.  Just gorgeous.  So it was a marvelous Thanksgiving weekend for me and I hope everyone else had as much joy as I had. Let us all take on December with peace and taking an opportunity to pay it forward whenever we can. As always, blessings to you and those you love.  

Sea Witch