January Treasure

My first treasure hunt of the new year found a few nifty pieces.  Hope this is a good sign of things to come.  With the present economy and disposable income quickly drying up, I am a little nervous about whether the antique buying community is hesitant to make purchases these days.  Conversations with other dealers all share the same concerns.  As the weeks go by, I will be sharing how sales are moving along and invite your comments and insight on your selling and buying experiences.  Anyway, I removed the last few Christmas items from my two antique booths and did a huge refresh in them as well.

 Found this pretty art nouveau, flow blue bowl with transferware climbing roses in center at my local goodwill.  Nice size piece.

 How cute are these BEANO cards.  Before there was "Bingo" there was Beano.
It was a country fair game where a dealer would select numbered discs from a cigar box and players would mark their cards with beans. They yelled "beano" if they won.  When the game reached North America in 1929, it became known as "beano". It was first played at a carnival near Atlanta, Georgia.

 Love this big and heavy, concrete cherubs and scrolls decorative element.  If it doesn't sell, I won't be sad as I have a place picked out for it at the house.

 Set of five, Taylor, Smith and Taylor dessert plates.  Rare pattern with rich, 22K gold banded edge.  All plates in terrific condition.

A lovely green transferware sugar bowl and creamer.  Very early, mid-Victorian pieces are Hexagonal and filled with pretty scenes.

 Sweet little hand painted lady on berry bowl.  Circa 1900s

 

Terrific and big Bavarian mustache cup.  Has some chips around the lip but this is common from these well loved and used pieces.  

 

Fell in love with this pretty covered sugar bowl by Grindley, England.  Has lots of little chips but it is so pretty that I just didn't have the heart to not snap it up.  Got it for pennies and have priced it low as well.

 

Picked up these two, very large glass pieces at my local goodwill.  Filled them with pretty red drieds and pillar candles.  

 

Valentines Day is just around the corner and I had to bring out this lovely Victorian hand mirror and brush set.

 

 Love this pretty hand embroidered linen frame and Edwardian print.  This piece was originally in a round frame as you can see a clean area around the linen. 

 Found some marvelous pictures over the holidays and this is one that I carried back from Denver.  Pretty vintage print and frame.

 One of my favorite finds from Denver, a 1865 Marriage certificate that is for a couple from Yates County, New York.  The man, Charles E. Wells, is also listed in the NY Civil War roster.

 Pretty Reward of Merit card in white frame.  These were handed out to Victorian children for good behavior in school.

 

 

 I'm a softie for pictures of Victorian, Edwardian and depression era women and this pretty flapper does not disappoint.

 Pretty hand made hat of the softest pastel roses.  
Circa 1960s.

 I changed the entire booth around today to freshen existing merchandise and showcase new pieces. 

 

Moved the large stained glass window off the side wall and it now makes a lovely backdrop for some of the refreshed items.

 

 On a disappointing note, I have had to close my Girdle Gals booth at Queen of Hearts. The owners decided to have no designer clothing booths at all and any dealers who had sold those items had to either close their booth or convert it to a general line.  I was not interested in a third antique booth so I closed it.  Will move Girdle Gals to an online shop instead.  So disappointed as I sold very well with Girdle Gals and made good money for myself and the Queen, even in this economy.  So I had to move this pair of very large and very ornate framed french slippers into my main booth.  They do look good on the side wall and I hope they sell to a home that will appreciate them.

A corner view of the revamped booth.

 Found this pretty braided rug at goodwill as well.  It's a Shabby Chic make and a pretty little thing.  

 

Now I have to get into the garage to clean up and store the Christmas items that I didn't sell (thankfully, that is only 3 boxes) but I have fixtures from the Girdle Gals booth that I need to find a home for and still get my vehicle in the garage. It was a busy weekend and enjoyable.  I always like the treasure hunting but it's back to the job that provides the medical bennies tomorrow.  Sigh. Wishing everyone a marvelous week.

Last weekend's treasure

Finally found a moment to post about last Saturday's treasure hunt. It was an interesting day because the weather could never make up it's mind...sun, clouds, rain, clouds, sun, rain, clouds, rain, sun.  So as the weather pendulum swung with extremes, so did some of my finds.  Sis came along as we hadn't "hung" together in a few weeks so we gossiped, did lunch, gossiped some more, laughed so often that we were doubled over and trying to catch our breath.  We always have such a great time together.  Here is what I found:

Sweet little "Illuminations" study lamp with a Frank Lloyd Wright appeal to its design. 

These baby/child plates always delight me and this 19"teens" piece by Roseville was a terrific find for a few dollars. 

A lovely hand colored 1800s print of sandpipers beautifully matted with silk and in a gold leaf frame.  I almost kept this for myself but sold the Poppies canvas which left an empty wall to fill in my booth.

Child's toy laundry washboard.  Circa 1950s  

Everyone recognizes this sign that swings in front of every convenience mart that sells gas, snacks and ice, of course.  This one is wood and handpainted on both sides.  How cute would this be in a pool area or on your deck?

Bobby pins from the 1950s and Marcel wave curlers from the 1920s.

A surprise find.  Pretty Lenox Elijah's cup for Seder.  Original skew from the 1980s was still on it.  Paid $6.00 for it figuring I could easily price it at $18.00.  Well, it always pays to do your homework, because I learned that this lovely piece was made and retired in the 1980s and is presently listed at $179.99 (when they can find it) on replacements.com.  So my selling price moved from $18.00 to $85.00. Still a great price for the Lenox collector.

Set of terrific and crisp kitchen curtains from the 1950s. These are actually a set of cafe curtains, but I have them displayed as a single window with a valance.

A pair of Mary Gregory Christmas plates.  If I told you I paid $1.25 for each plate would you hate me forever?

My vintage and designer label, "Girdle Gals" booth is taking off. I'm so pleased as I just didn't know what to expect with this new venture. I change out the flat mannequins and bring in new items weekly so the inventory is always fresh for the customer.

Moved the bakers rack so I could get use out of both sides.  As I hung items on the back which actually faces the front of the booth, customers were buying things right out of my hands. 

I never enjoyed playing with dolls as a child, (more of a pup tent kinda gal) but I love display and putting things together so this has become my doll playing mode.

 

The racks are full of colorful summer wear.  

 

And the geese came out to say hello as we drove to our favorite Chinese restaurant for lunch.  The rain always brings them out into the Kroger parking lot as they look for puddles to waddle in.  Have a great weekend.  Sea Witch

A few items found

Busy few weeks and they all got away from me again. I forgot I had a few photos of items I found last weekend.  Not a lot of treasures because it is getting cooler now and the yard sales have all but come to a screeching halt.  This is the time of the year when I really miss living in the midwest...the fall auctions are always a delight.  I love schlepping through the boxes of items piled on the hay wagons.

Found this reproduction antique lock with keys. Works like it should and what fun to have on the back gate if you have one.  Someone appreciated it for what it was because it was in my booth for only 24 hours.

Found a few more blue transfer ware saucers and dessert plates.  I adore vintage/antique transferware and it always moves so quickly.

Pretty serving bowl cover.  So often you find these covers without the bowl.  I used to display a variety of these lids on my dining room wall over a Victorian sideboard. 

A pretty little bone china chocolate cup and saucer. Really fine china with rich cobalt blue and gold slip decoration. 

Found a pretty vintage candlewick cake plate.  It's hiding under the Phaltzgraff coffeepot and oil and vinegar jugs.

Any time I place a lamp on this Victorian desk, the lamp sells.  I've sold three lighting pieces in as many weeks so I moved the pretty  Tiffany Lamp over to it. Besides, I like the way the light from the lamp lights up the eyes on these china doll heads.  LOL

Decided to finally part with this magnificent hand crocheted bedspread.  I has this on an old brass bed in a guest room in the sprawling Victorian we had in Illinois many years ago.  I've been holding on to it for years and came across it as I was cleaning out a trunk.  Decided it needed to move on to a new soul who will love it as much as I did.  Perfect condition with no holes or repairs and is a beautiful ecru color.

So, I need to publish this post and get ready to leave for and apple orchard run. My honey and I are road tripping it through North Georgia today in search of the perfect Apple Pie and Apple Cider donuts.  Photos will follow.  Have a marvelous day everyone and blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Treasure hunting in the heat.

Another hot weekend in Atlanta.  Temps are pushing 100 degrees and the heat index is way over that.  When it's this hot, not too many estate sales or yard sales are running so I headed to my favorite place for treasure.  The heat was so bad that you burned yourself picking up anything off of their outdoor tables.  Not a lot this trip but the fun is that I never know what I am going to come across at this place.  My first find was a pretty little enamel dogwood dish from mid century artist Margaret Ratcliff.  I have been "lucky" with contemporary art pieces from art glass, prints and pieces like this and they sell quiickly in my booths.

A local artist of Atlanta, born in the 1920s, her pieces are always sought after and especially her dogwood items.

There's no place like home.  Hey, any great pair of shoes will let you click your heels and find yourself in a dream. A great find, lovely pair of Victorian wedding shoes with steel cut beading.  Pretty silk has begun to shred but the leather soles are in excellent condition and these size 6s are actually wearable. 

Neat photograph of a "teaching" doctor, circa 1930s.  I love old photographs, something about them speaks to me.  I always see stories in them.

Another lovely photograph of a young girl reading 1937.  What a sweet face. Don't you love the moment that the photographer captured of this young girl?

Fantastic diamond optic amethyst purple compote.  Very 1960s 

Sold my large chandelier so brought in this huge and heavy pendant lamp.  Looks small in the photo but it is a big piece.

After "fluffing" up my booths, I dropped off some items at the local Goodwill and did a quick run around to see what I could find.

Couldn't believe my luck when I saw a group of Precious Moments figurines. Something I don't usually pick up but they were all priced at $2.92 each and I grabbed every one.  Most of them are from 1976 through 1985 and two of them are music boxes.

Many of them were either retired or suspended.

These were large pieces and in perfect condition.

How cute is this Thanksgiving figurine?

Sweet music boxes play Brahms Lullaby.

Spent most of Sunday looking up secondary market values and pricing for the store.  Because I obtained then at a very low price, I will  price them way below market value to pass a good deal on to the buyer. 

What I love about the hunt is being able to pass a good find to my buyers. Half the fun of of collecting is the "good deal" whether you buy, sell or trade.

Have a wonderful week all, stay cool.  Sea Witch