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

Holiday Open House Weekend

It was a marvelous weekend and I hope everyone can say the same.  Made my way down to Monroe, Georgia for several Holiday Open Houses in the area.  Hodge Podge Antiques, Markets of Monroe, Davis Street Antiques, and The Cotton Depot were all decked out for the Christmas holidays.  First stop, Hodge Podge Antiques.  Always delightful with lots of dealers and creative artisans, I knew I would find treasure here.

One of my favorite booths is first and center as you walk into the shop.

 These sweet gnomes dolls were priced to take home more than one.

Felted sweaters were repurposed into stockings and vintage Santa's found their way into many neat Christmas pieces.

 This beautiful booth was filled with mica homes and churches.  

Trees filled with everything Christmas. 

Pretty glitter stands have so many uses.

 Not a creature was stirring, not even a chocolate mouse.  So many tasty treats were offered by these sweet little mice stole the show.  I walked away with two bags worth of treasure.  So after dropping them off in the car, I then moved on to Davis Street Antiques.  

James always puts out the most interesting pieces to draw you in off the road. 

My friend, Cheryl, is one of those folks with an amazing eye for blending the most common of objects and turning them into delightful vignettes.  I always find treasure to take home with me in her space.

So many lovely spaces decorated for the holidays that it was hard to know where to look first.

More of Cheryl's lovely booth.  I purchased a beautiful muted silver goosefeather type tree to display  my antique ornaments.

The magic of threes in a group becomes an instant collection.

Pretty mica house filled with pretty trees is a Christmas favorite.

Such pretty items served up on a vintage silverplated tray.

White mica house nested inside a birdcage is a lovely decorative element.

Vintage christmas ornaments are bursting out of this garland wreath. Such a brilliant and lovely wreath captures light at every angle.  Would look fantastic above a fireplace mantle.

As always, James had a spread that Top Chefs would clamor over.  So many tasty morsels that I must shamefully share that I made a little doggy bag of treats for my 45 minute drive home.  

Sad to say that my camera literally died at the end of this visit and my iphone was in the red so I was unable to take photos of The Cotton Depot.   Next trip to Monroe will have those.  Inspite of the cold, damp & rainy weather, it was a marvelous Saturday full of treasure hunting, meeting with old friends and making a few new ones, tasty holiday treats and the sound of folks laughing and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season.  So let me add one more wish to all who stop by...Blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch

Holiday Open House at the Queen

Can you believe that the Thanksgiving holidays will be kicking off in two weeks?  I can't and the way the holidays fall this year, we actually lose a retail weekend.  Those of us in any business are scrambling like mad to get Holiday Open Houses off the ground and then, of course, we want to visit every one ourselves.  Part of my holiday madness is due to spending a week in Anchorage, Alaska visiting my son and his wife and their three children, my raviolis.  It was a wonderful visit and one that I sorely needed following the passing of my husband in September.  To be surrounded by those who love you helps heal a broken heart.  

Had a great weekend for finding treasure and in between the hunt I was pricing and setting items up in my booths.  With my main living area looking like the holidays have thrown up in it, I was happy to get most of it out of the house and in the booths.  I spied a sweet transferware piece on the Vintage Village facebook page and asked "the vintage hag" to hold it for me until I returned from Anchorage.  When I came by the shop on Friday, I found a lot of treasure that had to come home with me.

Pretty little chippy child's rocker is perfect for the upcoming holidays.

Keeping this baby for myself.  I adore vintage tinware pieces and this US Kreamer is a keeper.

Ditto with the treenware, these two antique butter paddles are fantastic.

Sweet child's feedsack dress will be in my booth next week.

Gorgeous flow blue soft paste platter and a sweet pewter salt and pep set.

The transferware piece that instigated the buying frenzy. LOL  

One of my Christmas displays in my main booth.  Trying to get ready for the Queen of Hearts - Buford Open House on Thursday. Is there ever enough time?

Filled the hutch with pretty plates.

Mercury glass piece are a popular seller.

Pretty primitive Christmas pins and other decorative elements.

Delightful light up Candyland house will enchant children.

That pretty little chair at the start of this post is now decorated for Christmas.

Mica snowballs are fun decorating elements.

Sweet mica house and snowballs on a silverplate tray makes a nice holiday display.

I almost kept this pretty Victorian quad plated bowl.

My best find this weekend, a gorgeous Victorian quad plate tea/coffee service set in excellent condition.  It is in my Victorian booth waiting for someone who will take it home.

My Victorian booth almost ready for the Open House.

I repurposed wool sweaters from Goodwill by felting them and then turning them into stockings.  This was a fun project as I was able to get about 6 stockings of different sizes out of one sweater.

These were so much fun to make and I like the idea of repurposing thrift store sweaters into holiday stockings.  I'm gonna try and catch up on my blog reading this week as I have been missing the posts.  Wishing everyone a wonderful week and blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch