A Country Auction

It was hot & humid on Saturday when I arrived at a country auction near where I live.

The auctioneer neglected to mention that the second & third floors of the barn had not been emptied, 

until he started the auction there.  It was accessible only by ladder.  

So, with no chance to preview, Kathy & I crawled up the ladder with about a dozen others.  There were interesting-looking items, but knowing that the only way I'd get stuff to the van was back down that same ladder,my purchases were limited to a few small items:  a partial wasp nest, a couple of feed sacks, a store display piece and a cherry can with unknown contents, (more about that later).  

There were a few people that that wanted the same things that I wanted. (Hate it when that happens!)

The fan and table were on my list but went far beyond what I would have paid. 

This sweet little doll trunk did come home with me.

I was charmed by the rosy paper inside.

The lid was firmly stuck on the aforementioned cherry tin.  Some guy guessed that it was probably filled with deer tails that the farmer had disposed of when he butchered.  It didn't seem all that unlikely!

So I gloved up and got to work on it yesterday.

This lid is the sweetest...perfect for the upcoming show in Door County.  You can imagine my relief when the lid popped off and inside it was packed full...

..of receipts from the 1940s & 50s. 

Love these 'egg tickets'. 

...and other fun stuff!  I also got these pretty hat boxes.

and in the spirit of whimsical summer fun I couldn't resist this little bank.

A few other things came home with me; overall it was a moderately fun but not 'heart-stoppingly good' auction...I'm still waiting for one of those to come along this summer! 

 It's gonna 'bee' a busy week here...I've got to buzz off now.  Have a lovely week!

***Pssst...by the way - I've created a sale section in my etsy shop and the items there have been marked down 30% to make room for new finds...check it out!  

I'm So In Love With...

Yesterday was a good day.  A very good day.  

My junksista Kathy and I spent over 2 1/2 hours at a marvelous estate sale.  

This is my favorite of all my finds.  

It's painted on black velvet, but this ain't Elvis folks.

It's 'Kewpie.'

 One look into those eyes and I fell for him.

The velvet is shattered along the stretcher bars.

There are holes here & there.

He's been around a long, long time.

Look at the backing.

The artist, M. Schomig wasn't exactly a pro at proportions

but he/she sure did capture Kewpie's soul.

I'm so in  love with 'Kewpie'.

Poe - The Princely Steampunk Altered Art Crow

 Poe has been traveling to antique shows this fall and is now finished with the circuit. He's been the "goodwill ambirdador" for our booth and has made many friends along the way. Now he's looking for a quiet nest where he can enjoy his well-deserved retirement.

You'll find Poe to be a most gracious family member. As a prince, his manners are impeccable. See how considers the "moldy" pumpkins without selfishly rushing in to grab one?

Poe is an authentic vintage life-size paper-mache crow decoy. Check out his soulful glass eyes. Everything he wears is from the royal attic; (no self-respecting member of the steampunk ruling class would stoop to buying 'new').

Crows love bling, and Poe is no exception. His huge rhinestone necklace is, of course, his favorite accessory. Notice the clock hand dangling from the back of it; a gentle reminder to him not to be late for his princely appointments.

The ragged cape is vintage crepe paper, while his silverplate crown was once used at state dinners as a napkin ring, (Crowbama may even have used it!) It's been embellished with watch parts and more of his beloved jewels.

Poe and the "moldy" pumkins are currently available in our etsy shop.

Elkhorn Antique Flea Market - Grain Sacks & Time Travelers

This Sunday is the last of the season for the Elkhorn Antique Flea Market in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. This is by far one of the best flea markets in the Midwest with 400-500 vendors of vintage and antique items.  No new stuff is allowed so you won't wear out your tootsies bypassing soy candles, knock-off handbags or t-shirts.  As always, we'll bring a nice mix of items for you.

We'll have a selection of grain sacks at a very special price

 

Seasonal decor & accessories

and even "Time Travelers"c

See YOU there!

Cleaning up the Hitchhikers for Elkhorn

Yep, it's here.  Elkhorn weekend.  The Elkhorn Antique Flea Market is this Sunday.  We'll be loading up tonight and setting up tomorrow.  My first task today was to clean up these great little parts bins.  They'd soaked for awhile before I attacked them with a brush. They cleaned up quite nicely. ("Quite nicely" = your fingers won't turn black if you touch them but you may want to work on them a bit more if you are the the sort that likes things to be 'squeaky clean'.)

I call them hitchhikers for two reasons. When I stopped to pick some things up from a favorite supplier, he took me to see part of his stash; amazing industrial finds that he's not yet ready to part with. But, he did decide that these could leave him and hitch a ride home with me.  Secondly, they're small and can catch a ride on your locker baskets or other containers, providing additional storage without taking up a lot of room.

This card file is also coming along to Elkhorn.

It looks like a few drawers got left in the...

As usual, Kathy and I will have an eclectic mix of industrial, primitives, shabby, girly, and artsy items; you'll just have to come dig through our booth to discover it all!

Kane County Flea Market This Weekend

The van is loaded for the Kane County Flea Market, Saturday 12-5, Sunday 7-3, St Charles, Illinois. We're bringing our usual eclectic assortment of old treasures including this great typing table,

lots of flour sacks like these

and so much more.  We'll be in the Dairy Cattle shed, space 9.  Hope to see you there!

All American Finds - Meet My New Man "GW"

This was a fun day as I love being surrounded by patriotic displays all year long.  Off I went to purchase one special item and ended up with a whole lot more.  First, allow me to introduce you to the animatronic George Washington.  At 4 feet tall with a composition head, arms & legs, velvet coat and cotton wig, he's utterly charming.  He's missing a hand and one arm is broken but present.  His head nods up and down when you plug in the cord.

I'll be giving him a little TLC to minimize his injuries and spiff him up a bit.

Once the deal was made on George, I learned that his owner is downsizing and willing to sell more items from her collection.  Her home was filled with great bits of Americana and I was happy to bring some of them home. 

 - a group of smalls -                                                             

 

- a cute "chicks" sign -

- "God Bless America..." -

- "Housekeeping Rooms" -

- Early 1900s sand toys -

- saleman's sample saddle -

- Soap crate converted to shelf -

- Framed bunting from 1932 -

- early 1900s trim on bolts -

- 1899 Betsy Ross Assoc. Certificate -

....in the next post I'll show you the early 1900s classroom charts...they're fantastic!

Start Humming 'God Bless America' and Come Meet Uncle Sam

Uncle Sam.  Here he is; one of my favorite old men.  Vintage patriotic items have been on my radar for years and I love the red, white and blue. My heart immediately began to race when I spotted him in the garage at an estate sale. Over 85 people had been admitted to the sale before I arrived to shop the multi-building sale. After forty-five minutes of shopping the first building I strolled into the garage and saw him.  

 With a sinking heart I figured that he'd been sold

and was just waiting for pickup.

No!  He was available and waiting for me.

He's a tall, thin fellow and stands just a skosh under seven feet.

His pants, head & hat are of solid wood while his 

hat brim, bow tie, coat & arms are made of plywood.

He was made to be a flag holder and likely used

outside to call attention to a store.

He originally would have held a full-size flag.
I don't have one of the proper age so loaned him

a few of my smaller flags for the photos.

His right side is more worn & faded indicating that he

encountered more sun on that side.

There are traces of old varnish in some areas.

I love every detail including his handsome face...

...the stars on his hat...

...his striped pants...

...and the epaulets on his shoulders.

His actual age & history is a mystery.  It's evident that a few 

repairs were made over the years. The estate he came from
was that of someone who had collected
with hopes of opening an antiques store.

 Uncle Sam will be making his first public appearance 

in September.  He'll be the official greeter

at our booth at Junk Bonanza.

Save the date and come see us there!

- God Bless America -