Monday, November 16, 2020

The season is upon us

 November is half over, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and then Christmas will follow quickly after.  2020 continues to confound and I'm not sure if I'm ready for the holidays or want to jump in whole hog.  I am grateful that in spite of COVID, sales at the Lyon's Head Antique Mall have been the best in three years.  I suspect that antique/vintage shops have become the new entertainment with conversations around the history of things we offer.  I have noticed more and more families coming to visit and the conversations are around, "Dad, did you have this when you were a kid?" or "Mom, what is this?"  This makes me happy as a new generation is being introduced to what their parents and grandparents lived with and it generates a love and interest in the vintage and antique pieces of tomorrow.  

Saturday errands morphed into a quick stop at two of my favorite haunts for treasure and I came home with an eclectic mix of interesting items.

I have a weakness for antique books and this Tarzan, the Untamed, by Edgar Rice Burroughs published by Grosset & Dunlap, 1920 was a surprise sleeper.  Has a much higher value than I thought but I still have it priced below book value for the antique book collector.

One Hundred and One  Famous Poems is another find.

Lovely impressed leather bound binding. Dated 1929.

Sweet little, Armetell ware bicentennial commemorative mug by Wilton.  Circa 1970s

Found a pair of these lovely needle and petite point canvaswork pieces beautifully set in gilt wooden frames.  Very 1970s

Nifty vintage wrought iron shelf unit with hooks to hold hats, towels, bathrobes, etc.

I adore vintage and antique instruments as holiday decor.  This is an antique violin that has seen much better days and someone painted gold leaf.  This would look lovely on a mantle with pine boughs and bright red ribbons.

I sold one of these 1960s small toy accordians about 20 years ago and was delighted to come across another one.  This one is in great condition with the paper intact.

I'm selling a lot of antique and vintage clothing these days so I pulled this one out of my 1960s closet and brought it into my booth space.  Groovy princess cut shift dress with a teaser neckline.  Brilliant psychedelic purple barkcloth.

These vintage beer taps just called to me and I can't explain why.  I just like them and I hope a collector will enjoy them as well.

I love these fussy little Victorian pieces.  
Pretty holly transferware with gold lustre trim nappy.  Circa 1890s

Mid century import, marigold carnival glass decanter is a pretty thing.

Vintage tin tinsel from Germany. Heavy and in original package, never opened.

Sweet, vintage "Light of the World" child Jesus print by Charles Bosseron Chambers in original frame.  This is a small piece 5 x 5 inches.  Circa 1940s.

My mother had Christmas Lefton holly pieces and I always remember them on the family living room center table.  She had candlesticks, nutmeat and candy servers, a teapot and creamer and sugar and we used them throughout December.  Finding these brought all of those memories back but still, these will be in my Romancing Christmas space at the Lyon's Head Antique Mall.

Found a bag full of items that were part of a VFW grouping.  Need to do a little research on two of the pieces before I put them in the display case.

Terrific pair of chalkware Holy Mother and Passion of Christ statues.  I remember seeing these in Catholic homes all over northern New Jersey as a little girl.

A weekend of finding a lot variety of nifty items is a great way to start the week before Thanksgiving.  My sister and I will get together and have a great time eating, relaxing, forgetting about our day jobs and binge watching Hallmark Christmas movies and a few on Pure Flix.  

So my wish for you is continued health and a gentle Thanksgiving.  Blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Fall back and forge ahead

 So far 2020 has been a bitch and with everything we have had to endure I was so hoping that the time change would be dumped and nature would be allowed to reign.  Nope, that wouldn't fit the 2020 narrative so here we are with the clocks turned back an hour again and natures biorhythms thrown out of whack.  Still, we forge ahead and November begins the big holiday season for those whose celebrate Diwali, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas and I think everyone is looking forward to a new year.

Busy at home, busy at work and in between I have found a few  items for my space in the Lyon's Head Antique Mall.

Charming little cotton floss embroidery of an owl in frame.  Sweet little thing and so 1970s when owls were king.

Antique cranberry rake in in marvelous condition and already decorated for fall.

Everyone loves a nativity scene for Christmas and this one may not have a lot of pieces but it is lovely.

Great antique book for boys called The World Adventure.

A gorgeous, vintage, Rodney Kent, hand wrought aluminum tray with hand engraved tulips. Decorative handles circa 1950s.  This is a really nice sized tray and would look marvelous on a kitchen wall.

Selection of saltwater rods from the 1950s.  

Lovely watercolor painting, signed and dated 1939.

Charming bisque cathedral with stained glass windows that light up.

And now, the queen of finds this week.  When England swings like a pendulum do and Carnaby Street was the place to be seen.  A great, abstract London Bridge skyline painting produced in the style of the Vangaard Studios in the late 1960s.  This is a big, sofa width size depiction of the well known London Bridge is done in true vintage form with the brutalist drips so popular in the late 1950s through the 1960s.  Original frame.

Just a short video of my space as I just refilled it this weekend.  November begins the busiest time for us and I've got lots of items to bring in for all of the upcoming holidays.  Wishing everyone a gentle November and blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch