Weekend Spin

Saturday I got to spend a few hours doing something that brings pure joy to my soul.  But let me take you back a few months...while doing a little treasure hunting in Lilburn, I stopped in at Antiques in Old Towne, where there is a lovely space dedicated to American Primitives.

 The dealer, Linda Napier, was working her space so I asked if she had any spinning wheel parts.  That conversation turned to spinning wheels and she asked if I knew anyone who could show her how to spin on her wheel.  A serendipitous meeting because "SeaWitch" not only spins but demonstrates spinning fibers and also teaches one on one.  We set up a date and time for me to come to Antiques in Old Towne to teach Linda how to spin and also spend a few hours demonstrating this to visitors to the shop.

I demo using a Scottish Castle Wheel as it is easy to travel with. Although it looks like an antique, it is actually a contemporary wheel that I acquired in 1976.  

Antique baskets filled with raw, natural and painted fleeces, my pair of carders and a swift and it was a marvelous afternoon of spinning and teaching another how to do this as well.  I am always interested in hearing what viewers of this craft have to say but my favorite was from a stunning woman who stopped to watch and then asked me where I purchased my raw fleece.    When I mentioned that I purchase much from wool farms in Wisconsin, her face lit up and she shared that she grew up on a wool farm in Wisconsin where lambs were welcome in the home and that it had been many, many years since she had seen anyone spin on a wheel.  Watching the fleece draw through my fingers and twist into fiber as it wound into the bobbin brought lovely memories of her childhood and we both got a little misty eyed as she shared her history.  It is moments like this that make this very simple craft such a powerful one for me.

At the end of my demo, I did a little hunting and found this delightful pair of vintage stockings and garter belt from the 1930s.

Picked up a box of linens that I won at a local auction.  Love it when you can leave an absentee bid and find out you won.

The box was filled with these stunning antique French tambour, net lace dresser linens.  I kept the huge chaise lounge piece and have the smaller ones in my Victorian space at the Buford Queen of Hearts.  

The box was filled with linens from the 1950s as well and these are priced to move quickly in my main space.

Customers are already asking for Halloween decor and decorative elements so I have begun bringing them in.

Beautiful candelabra with a Victorian print of witches in a window frame.

Vintage Stairway to Heaven shelf unit from the 1920-30s.  

1900s Victorian witch print in silver frame.

A happy coven and jewelry caskets.  

 Ticking cats and pumpkin bowl fillers.

 Steins for Octoberfest, pumpkins and of course, that favorite holiday server, the vintage Amber hobnail deviled egg tray.

Summer is nearly at an end with Labor Day fast upon us.  I can honestly say that we are all looking forward to cooler weather as this has been a brutal summer of heat for the nation.  Wishing you blessings to you and those you love.  SeaWitch

Thrifting Gold.

The Olympics are in full swing and if there were medals for thrifting, I'd would so participate in those events.  We had another oppressively hot weekend and most retail stores were empty.  However, the movie theaters were filled to capacity and the venue of choice for folks wanting cool air conditioned comfort for a few hours.

Me, I went hunting for treasure at a few of my favorite haunts and although the pickin's were slim (like the crowds) I still found some neat pieces.

I adore American basketry and this faboosh apple gathering basket is a winner.  Just a few splints with issues, it is perfect for holding hand spun yarn and it looks marvelous next to my spinning wheels.

Oh, how I adore Goodwill.  A scarce, highly collectible, 1920s Lancaster Glass Company ”Poppy Red Lustre” stretch glass flared compote with three hand-painted enamel blue flowers with green foliage. As with all antique stretch glass, this piece has an iridescence that shimmers with colors of pink, purple, gold, blue, and green depending on how the light hits it. 

One is good but two is even better.  Another highly collectible, 1920s Lancaster Glass Company ”Cream Lustre” stretch glass deep compote with three hand-painted enamel orange flowers with green foliage and blue lined trim.   

A thrift store find, pretty Art Deco silverplated compote.  These are always in demand for holiday tables.  Fill with homemade candies and cookies.

Found this lovely & unusual size, vintage footed server with etching on front and back, roped edge and pierced  inner edge.  Hallmarks for W. S. Blackinton, Meridian CT silver company.     Circa 1940s

Very heavy little cut glass tray.  This baby throws lots of rainbows.

Found a bag full of odds and end and these vintage political campaign buttons were at the bottom.  The Goldwater button is 5 inches in width, it's a big boy.

The Nesting Spot at Vintage Village offered these sweet, soft pumpkins repurposed from old sweaters.  My little girl, Gynness, loved them and kept hiding them in her crate.

Found this pretty little flow blue luncheon plate at the Queen of Hearts.  I always do a little shopping after I fluff up my booth spaces.  Speaking of spaces, I realized I have been selling for 28 years now so I decided to have a 30% sales on selected items throughout my booth spaces to celebrate.  

Scattered throughout both spaces are bright orange tags with the 30% discount on those items.

 Lots of pretty things to choose from in my Victorian space.

 My main space is also filled with 30% off sale tags.

 Filled to the brim with lots of goodness, there is something for every one in my main space.  I will be running the 30% sale through September in prep for the fall and winter holidays.  Hard to believe that August is half way over and the year will end in 4 1/2 months.  So blessings to you and those you love.  SeaWitch

Silver lining finds.

As with the rest of the US goes these days, we are still dealing with hot hot temps.  Most folks are hiding in malls or movie theaters to embrace the AC within.  I went a little treasure hunting early on Saturday to try and get home before the temps entered 3 digit categories again.  The silver lining with this hunt was just that...silver.  Lots of beautiful silverplate was everywhere and that is what I came home with.   

This lovely Victorian quadruple plated serving tray was a thrift store find. 

Lots of silver is still intact.

 

Victorian, Bride's Baskets are a favorite of mine.  

Found two of them this week and this one I kept.

It was the rim along the top and bottom that is filled with bats, crabs, lizards, lobsters and turtles that  caught my eye.  Bride's Baskets are uniquely Victorian and The Ribbon in My Journal  blog has a marvelous post about the history of Bride's Baskets.

Silver, silver everywhere.  Another Bride's Basket, little Chippendale server, Gorham bud vase and a pair of shakers. 

 Stunning open compote and a pair of lovely, small servers.

Just when I thought I couldn't find more silver, these two beauties jump at me.

Heavy champagne bucket is in like new condition right down to the engraved names and date of August 10, 1974.  Serve your best, jumbo shrimp in this pretty shell server with sauce holder with cobalt blue glass insert.

A few non silver pieces came home with me, this pair of souvenir EAPG pieces are sweet, especially the little cutie creamer.

Pretty little Royal Copenhagen figurine, The Little Mermaid.

Last but not least, this delightful photograph with hand painted details in original frame.  A mother's love shows with lots of smiles.  Flapper era shows her bobbed hair and dressing gown.  Very 1920s.

Watching the Olympics as I write this post.  Women's Gymnastics has been awesome.  Wishing everyone an olympic week and blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

New and favorite haunts.

Spent a long week visiting grandchildren in Virginia and since I drove I was able to stop at a few antique malls and thrift shops along the way.  Returned home on Tuesday so I was at the local auction house on Saturday.  Lucky me, as these last two weeks brought some interesting finds.

Dropped by a huge antique mall, in North Carolina, that was going out of business.   

Was deligghted to find this marvelous unmarked McCoy piece. 1935 vintage, pictured on page 46 of Volume 1 Hanson's McCoy Pottery Book, " Swallows Jardiniere" and in fantastic condition. 

Another pottery find from the same mall, this pretty little Weller vase, pattern: Bouquet Drape. White with pale pink rose and soft green leaves. Really nice condition, circa 1940s

Vintage and antique cut glass is my new passion and this pretty vintage decanter does not disappoint.  They had this priced so low that I felt like I stole it.  Needs the topper and a big one so that is my new hunt.

Pretty little vintage Westmoreland milk glass creamer with lid in the Cherries and Grape design.  Circa 1950s

Just adore this sweet child's picture of a Guardian Angel watching over a baby.  Pretty pink frame is original to framed print.  Circa 1950s

Love early American pressed glass (EAPG) and this open compote is a beauty.

Hats, hats. and more hats.

 Labelless hat but who needs a label when your hat is filled with taupe silk flowers and a cha cha rose bouquet as a topper? Very 1960s.

You can never, EVER, have too many sassy hats. This Brookfair, Design by Frances vintage hat is in marvelous condition, very 1960s 

Lovely, handmade hat by Lucila Mendez, exclusive New York label. Blue and gold lame fabric with netting, scattered rhinestones and gro grain ribbon. Very 1960s .

"On our way to Bunny Bixler's—that's my friend who lives on Park Avenue and 71st Street—Patrick and I just stuffed ourselves at Schrafft's! Do you know what your silly nephew did? He spoke French to the counterman! Imagine anybody speaking French to a counterman ... at Schrafft's?"

So excited to have finally stumbled on to one of these pretty little Schrafft's chocolates server. It is in perfect condition, no chips or flakes. I spent $15.00 on it but I don't mind...I just adore it. Can't wait to serve my holiday Grand Marnier truffles on it.

Found a second piece of American Brilliant Cut glass.  A small olive serve but heavy and thick in it's cut design and it throws brilliant rainbows when the light hits it.

Nice large tin type in plastic frame painted up to look old.  It works.

A pair of Imperial Glass candlestick holders made in the Art Nouveau style. Imperial calls this color “Sunset Ruby”. The beautiful dark red glass with hints of yellow, gold, blue, green has carnival iridescence. The pattern is called “Acanthus Leaf”. Circa late 1960s, these would look stunning on your holiday table.

Vintage pool balls are a hot decorative element…or just rack’um and play. Circa 1940s

Once I returned home it was off to Saturday's auction.  This was an online catalog and in gallery auction with lots and lots and lots of exceptional glass being offered.  I did not expect to bid but was there more for what I call "continuing education".  Always something to learn in the antiques field and you learn so much from the bidders in the gallery who are the real collectors.

The first hour is gallery offerings and I actually was a winning bidder on some nifty pieces.

Part of a figurine lot that I won. This lot had lots of new pieces that all went to Goodwill, but this pretty pair of chalk ladies from the flapper era (1920s) are in marvelous condition.

This is what I was actually bidding on his this box lot.  These Hummels were buried deep and the handler never showed them to the gallery so I won this on the cheap.  Two figurines have original hang tags and two are signed by the artist.

Part of a two platter lot, one being a contemporary Noritake, this fantastic early Mason's patent ironstone china platter. Circa 1815.  I practically squealed with delight when the hammer came down and I was the winner.  This is in my personal collection.

One of my fellow bidders was after a huge silverplated platter and this lot of ladies items were offered with it.  I wanted the silk shawl that was with this group and he was glad to sell me the lot.  He won the platter and what I gave him for the ladies lot, we both did well.

 This is what I was after, a faboosh, Civil War era, big paisley shawl.  Silk and in fantastic condition with just a few age holes, colors are true and this is just a stunning piece.  

Circa 1860s 

Can never resist a lot of linens and this group has lovely cut work tablecloths.  Can't wait to bring these in over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Marvelous late Victorian “golden oak” parlor table.  Pretty spool turned legs.  Beautifully refinished by a previous owner.  Circa 1890s-1900s.  

 Nice Craftsman, oak coat rack  with original brass hooks for coats and hats.  These are usually beat from use and this one is in  great condition.  Circa 1900s

So enjoyed visiting grandchildren, they are so big these days.  We had such a great time and I did grandma-ma play dates with each one this trip.  Can't wait to visit again. 

August is just around the corner and school starts in a week for a lot of the counties.  Hard to believe that there are only 5 months left in the year...I feel like I just sent in my taxes.  Wishing everyone a gentle August and blessings to you and those you love, Sea Witch.