Buying back my youth

Nope, not a post about a new anti-aging creme, not about botox or cosmetic surgery...but I did buy a bit of my youth back this weekend.  

I was taking pictures at the Lyon's Head Antique Mall to add to our facebook pages when one of the dealers brought in this marvelous, 1935, mechanical toy of the Lincoln Tunnel by the Unique Art Manufacturing Company, Newark, NJ.   As a child, I spent many a weekend in the family station wagon with my sisters and mom and dad.  We would travel from our home in Lincoln Park, New Jersey and  head into Manhattan which took us through the Lincoln Tunnel.  As we entered the tunnel, dad would tell us girls to lift our feet up and not let them touch the floor of the station wagon until we left the tunnel and entered the city...we would then do the same on the way out of the NY tunnel entrance back into NJ.  So many memories of this trip, we took often as a family, came flooding back and I had to come home with this vintage toy and I purchased back a piece of my youth.

The weekend found other treasure that will find its way into my spaces.

Nifty 1970s bird cage as an Aladdin look about it.   I love to fill these with groups of pillar candles or small, white lights and hang in outdoor living spaces.

Found this lovely, antique trumpet shaped brass vase.  Most likely an altar piece.  It is a tall vase with original patina from the early 1900s.

Pretty little antique, brown transferware creamer.  

Simply charming, vintage personal teapot is hand decorated with painted oranges and blossoms.  this is a pretty little thing.

Don't you just love children's shoes?  This is a sweet pair of black, leather  shoes from the early 1900s.

Darling miniature oil lamp is a depression era lamp.  I may be keeping this one myself.

My local Goodwill had a bag of Christmas and these pre-skew ornaments from Italy were in the bag along with other items.

Four, mid century, plastic Santas.

Four plastic reindeer...these will be added to my personal collection.

 A group of those impish elves.

It was a lovely weekend with Florida spring temps making it perfect to spend time in the pool.  Nothing better than a book and a dog but sweet girl fell asleep on my book in the sun and I didn't have the heart to move her.  So I did as she did and took a snooze on a raft floating the afternoon away.  Life is good and with that let me wish blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch.

December Treasure

Can you believe it?  It's December already.  Had a lovely Thanksgiving visit with my son and his family in Denver and even got a little treasure hunting in as well.  I hope the holiday was a great one for you as well. Now I'm playing catch up again on adding more inventory, pricing items, sprucing up the booths and preparing for more Christmas sales.  Found some nifty finds this weekend, unusual pieces for this time of the year as well.

 

Found this buried in one of my boxes of Christmas items.  I had thought I sold it all these years. Very 1960s with plastic garland on a birch branch with bells.  The definitive door hanger to announce when guests arrive.

 How lovely is this big, vintage wooden and wire birdcage?  Original brass feeders are still intact and has two doors.  I filled it with vintage Christmas balls and topped it with a pretty ribbon.

Pretty vintage, wrought iron tabletop or mantle candelabra is big and heavy. Holds 7 standard dinner tapers and has lots of layers of old paint.  Really like this piece so if it doesn't sell, I won't mind. 

 

 

 One of my best finds this weekend.  A marvelous, original Currier & Ives hand colored print of "Little Charlie" and is dated 1874.  Original bubble glass and frame with wooden backing.  The colors are brilliant and true.

 

Vintage milkglass footed compote is filled with gold plated silverware.  Everyone needs a happy gator with a Christmas ball in his mouth...especially if you are a "Gator's fan."

Pretty little jasperware creamer and sugarbowl.  Soft sage green color with lovely details.

Vintage Holy Family velvet tapestry. 

Beautiful pair of late Victorian, pot metal, heavy candlesticks have been sprayed antique gold.  

 

Exquisite silverplated tray by Wallace Silver.  Large piece with highly polished surface, it is as brilliant as a mirror and looks like it was never used.

 

Another super find this weekend,  a gorgeous and hard to find Roseville, Clematis container.  Their larger offering, this pattern was produced in 1944.  These actually look like poinsettias.  It does have crazing and a small repair and a crack line, but it is a hard to find pattern in the matt pine green and the large container form. 

 

Brought in more Santa's as they seem to fly out the door. 

 This jolly old elf is a nifty vintge piece that is a nice size.  He lasted 24 hours before someone took him home.

 

I love these wicker tiered servers.  They have so many uses.  Nice vintage piece in terrific condition.

 A second beautiful hand colored print in bubbled glass frame.  I love these mid Victorian pieces and this pretty peasant woman is filling her table pitcher with cool water from a wooden flume.

 Pendelton blanket, Harley D stocking and pinup calendars came and went as fast as the vintage Santa.

 Vintage trees, wicker pieces and mica houses.

 Photo of my general line booth.  Sold lots of items while I was visiting my Denver raviolis and had to fill in the empty spaces.

 

My Victorian booth continues to be my favorite.  It is always fun to add period pieces to this booth.

 Sold several large pictures so had to bring in new ones.  Moved items around to give the booth a fresh look.

Will catch up on my blog reading this week, I have missed reading your posts and am looking forward to your lovely photos and what you are up to.  Blessings to you and those you love and have a great week.  Sea Witch

Proud owner of a new...

car payment. Yuk!  My beloved 1998 Honda CRV with 178,540 miles finally gave up the ghost.  Was driving to Queen of Hearts on Sunday to add more Christmas to my booths when I lost 4th and 3rd gears just before I got onto the highway.  Thankfully, I was able to coast into the parking lot a mile away and get everything that was in the vehicle into the booths.  Now if I could only coast into the nearest Honda dealer to see if my transmission was worth saving.  When I started it up I found I only had reverse and 1st gear which would only go about 15 miles an hour. Sigh.  Thought about driving it in reverse to the dealership but I knew I would have been stopped by police and really didn't want to have to explain to anyone why a blonde was driving her car in reverse to get it to the Honda dealership because her tranny died. LOL  

So long story short, I had to replace it.  I got another Honda as these babies are always problem free and they last so long.  But with a new vehicle comes a car payment and I detest them so.  Well enough about car woes, made a few finds over the weekend and brought them into the Queen of Hearts.  We have our Open House beginning on Thursday this week and it goes through Sunday.

Found this marvelous Victorian wicker plant stand several weeks ago and filled it with decorative boughs and poinsettias along with tiny white lights.  It would be a lovely piece for a front entrance or foyer.

Santa's list looks delightful next to this Victorian silverplated ink well and pen set.

 

Very handsome Santa in rich velvets and faux furs.

 Pretty Art Nouveau crumb scraper and pan.  Such an elegant little tool that is no longer used at the family table.

 Brought in three of the dolls that I purchased two weeks ago. Nice handpainted china babydoll, a 1930s composition Shirley Temple doll...get a load of those lovely curls, and then another composition and soft body doll with braids. 

 Nifty antique print of girl walking in snow with a basket of kittens and a pair of vintage gold leafed stags.  Is that Santa's corn cob pipe?  Could be.

 Always love finding a vintage top hat to decorate for the holidays.  This topper was badly beat up but a few stitches to keep it held together, a fancy holiday ribbon and picks with a few faux snowflakes and you have a decorative element right out of a Dicken's novel.

Believe it or not, I found this marvelous graduated bead necklace of cherry Bakelite at my local Goodwill.  Sterling clasp and hand knotted beads.

 A terrific find, nice art glass vase by Brian Maytum.  Signed and dated, this tall beauty as marvelous iridescent oil spots throughout.

Not old, but a neat table lamp, spun steel with lights around the wing and the fuselage.

 Mica dusted cherub will support a votive candle. 

 Whimsical Santa piloting a blimp.  Battery operated, the rear propeller spins.  Item sold two hours after I displayed it.

 Another Goodwill find, this pair of metal sleights are perfect for holding favorite vintage Christmas balls, picks or poinsettias.

 Brought in a few more holiday sprays and votive stands and a pair of gold plated pine cones from Dept 56.

 Can't forget the Thanksgiving holiday table.

 And finally, this beautiful salt glazed St. Nicholas in brilliant cobalt blues.   If this piece doesn't sell, I won't mind, I like it too much and will keep it if it does not go.

So much more to bring in with Open Houses all this week.  Will be visiting one of my favorites on Wednesday, Vintage Village Candlelight Open House in Snellville.  Will take lots of photos to share with you.  If you are in the area, you must stop at Vintage Village for their Candlelight Open House.  One of the best.

Have a marvelous week all and blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Christmas Booth Display

Hello everyone. I have two big open houses on the same night this season so I'm running amuck trying to get as many holiday items in both locations as fast as I can. Of course, they need to have an appealing look to entice folks into my booths. I got started this weekend on my larger space at Queen of Hearts and after a lot of restructuring of pieces, got quite a lot of inventory in. Still, I have lots more to place as I like to have a really filled booth during these open houses.

A glass case filled and a farm table loaded with items.

The perfect gowns for the "new moon" movie to premiere next week are hanging in the corner.

Tree with vintage beaded ornaments from the 1960-70s.

I am crazy about this old farm table with its layers and layers of old paint. Neat little drawer in the center has original metal knob that is delightfully bent. I wonder how many home cooked meals were served on this table?

Antique wicker tiered server, mica house, depression glass green bowls, serving trays and more.

Channeling the Temptations or the Miracles...I adore this white linen and sequined tux from the Motown era. Hand made from a local tailor in Atlanta and original owner's name is sewn in the jacket.

Large gold leaf letters of the Child's message on a Victorian settee.

Love the old playpen and shutter on top that converts this into a functional buffet. Perfect for showing off you favorite holiday serving items.

This week, I add more to my Vintage Village booth. Will be drawing for my 100th post this weekend with the winner announced on Monday. You may still leave a comment to enter into the 100th post giveaway. Have a wonderful Tuesday. Sea Witch