Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Day 279/365 Winning Streak

Another weekend, another estate sale, another anonymous car with tinted windows.



Until the doors are opened.



Every inch crammed full.



And an awesome trunk that is as magical as Mrs. Weasley's tent....capable of holding an amazing number of things.


A Turkish rug (a real one)...



A turn of the century carpenter's trunk, complete with four sliding wooden trays and a tricky lock and key...




And a Windsor chair, a small pedestal table, a heavy duty handmade oak curio shelf....




A handmade tray (I'm planning on putting postcards in it)...



A handmade full size quilt top in Sunflower pattern, plus a twin size floral chenille spread...




An antique military souvenir scarf from Czechoslovakia, right next to the embroidered dresser runner...




1920's souvenir plates - one from Saratoga Springs, New York (during its heyday as a resort community)....



More linens...this time crocheted tablecloths and doilies....



The weirdest pair of lamps I've ever seen, and these will end up with their own blog post, because they have attachments that give them their name: spider lamps. More to come on that.




An unusual oil lamp, with a heavy brass base, sporting an odd blend of art nouveau and late 1800s European painted glass. Probably the sleeper of the day.




It's not old, but it's a beautiful print by an artist my daughter loves. And a great frame.




So, all in all, we're still batting 1000. Now I get to research and tag all this stuff, and move it over to the booth. Just in time for next weekend's sale.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Day 278/365 Gambling Pays Off

Sunday I decided to flirt with disaster and take the van to estate sales. For once Murphy's law took a vacation and we found one sale at 50% and the second at 70% off. Meaning this beautiful chest of drawers, cica 1920, is now in the booth. The doors open to reveal two drawers, and the mirror on top tilts.

The 70% off sale yielded this gorgeous 1900 Art Nouveau dresser - intricately carved details, massive, heavy - this one almost ended up at home in the permanent collection.

Both of these dressers literally went in the van, and straight to the booth, with only a loving coat of orange oil applied to freshen them up.

We also took this little half moon table from last weekend's sale - also from the 1920s, it came from a sale where the most prized possession of the owner was an autographed campaign poster of G.W. Bush, Jr. Displayed prominently on opening day, it was still there at lock-up on closing day. Didn't even move at 50% off. And we're in Republican country.
Sometimes though, the treasure comes in pieces and needs a little more than orange oil.


Even when it has feet with golden claws.

Sometimes the pieces need to be put back together. And there's a possibility that the missing piece needs to be cut out of completely new wood, so that the top and legs can be reunited and make a happy table once again.


Of course, because we took the van, we had plenty of room for the 40" framed collection of early 1900's photos of twins.... but that's another post.