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.

Ten Chimneys - Genesee Depot Wisconsin

Theater legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne were a most successful celebrity couple.  Devoted to each other, they appeared only together; neither was in a production without the other from the late 1920's until their retirement in the 1960s.  In demand, they were able to have a clause in their contract that gave them every summer off to spend extended time at their beloved Ten Chimneys.

Situated in the beautiful hills of the Kettle Moraine, in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin, the estate is open for tours. Yesterday, a friend and I spent a lovely morning there.

This was our second visit to this historical treasure, and I'd love to go again.  Furnishings in the estate are original to the Lunts.  The Ten Chimneys Foundation did a masterful job of authentic restoration. You feel as if you are peeking into someone's home while they are away, rather than looking at museum artifacts. Most rooms are open so that you can walk around them to view objects up close.  (Not surprisingly, inside photos are not allowed).

The lodge, the main house and the honeymoon cottage, (photo above), each have a distinct personality. I so wish that I could have taken a photo of the bedroom in the cottage...white on white with sheepskin carpet; it was 'to die for'.  I know that you won't be disappointed if you ever have a chance to tour Ten Chimneys. In the meantime, enjoy these photos of the grounds.

Something For the Fireplace - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

I'm linking up with Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays today.  It's always fun to see what everyone else has found in the past week - check it out!

I hit the brakes yesterday as I was driving by our local thrift store. This beautiful coal hod or ash container was in the front window. 

Our town is small, and our thrift shop is tiny. It's the sister shop of a larger store in a nearby town. 

The managers of this little shop "pick" the warehouse of the mothership to bring a nice selection to the store.  I've found loads of great items there over the past few years.

They don't "give" the items away, but prices are fair so that dealers can purchase and turn a profit. 

The charity that owns the shop does a great job of helping those in need.  

The paint is so perfectly worn that when I first picked it up I thought that it might be a repro from Home Goods.  The holes rusted through the bottom, the dirty interior and spider webs inside convinced me otherwise.  The scoop is missing from the slot on the back.

It's a beauty.  I'm looking forward to dressing it up for the holidays.

Antique Classroom Charts - So Charming!

Hey dealer friends - raise your hand if you've ever saved something to take to a specific show and then forgot to take it.  I see you out there, and it's good to know that I'm not the only forgetful one!  Some beautiful McConnell's antique classroom charts came to me this past summer.  "These will be perfect for Junk Bonanza" I said to myself, as I put them away.  And then forgot that they existed...

Now that show season is over I'm concentrating on eBay and etsy and ran across the charts while gathering items to list.  They aren't dated and I haven't been able to locate much info on the company. I'm guessing that they are c1900.  They are worn, stained, and perfectly charming...

Were you wondering why birds have wings?  "All birds have wings so they can fly up into the air."

 

"The cats are nice"

 

...and adorable!

 

The colorful illustrations are well-done

 

 and nicely detailed

have a lovely Monday...and eat your fruit!

Been Looking For A Friend....

....and she found me today.  Back in 1996 when I started in this crazy business I bought a wonderful old dress form, and promptly sold her. What was I thinking?  Since then I've seen a few like her, but there were always too many Georges on the tags.

 Today I stopped at a little antique mall that I rarely visit and there she was.

 She was tagged with a very reasonable price.

 Her fine form was obscured by a poodle skirt and a wool coat.  The salesperson cheerfully disrobed her so that I could check out her assets, and called the dealer who graciously lowered the price a bit.

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I think she was waiting there, just for me. Ever feel that way about your finds?

The Kane County Flea Market - Would Love to Hear YOUR Opinion!

This year was my first at Kane and I participated in four shows there. My friend Kathy shared a booth with me this time and our location in Expo West was great. The building is light & spacious and sales were good.

At The Kane County Flea Market you'll find a great mix of primitives, industrial, and shabby treasures. You'll also find the dreaded beanies, t-shirts and cheap imports.  Countless customers at other shows have commented to me that they no longer shop Kane because there's too much new stuff.  From a shopper's perspective, I say just walk past what you don't like and you'll have more time to spend in booths like

The Frenchman's Wife...

ChiPPy!-sHaBBy!...

...and Altered Ever After

Kane does have a different vibe than any of the other shows that we do.  The show opens at noon on Saturdays and this weekend traffic was steady but we never felt the type of "rush" that we get at other shows. (We don't have the established customer base at Kane that we do at other shows so that may account for the quiet start.)

Sundays at Kane just feel surreal.  Few shoppers arrive at 7:00 when the show opens and many dealers don't stroll in to open their booths until 9:00 or after.  It's one of those chicken/egg things. Do the customers not come because the dealers don't bother to show up, or do the dealers not come because they don't want to open for just a few potential sales?  Personally, if I've paid for a space I'm going to be there for every possible customer. A later show opening on Sundays might be warranted at Kane since the hardcore buyers probably come on Saturday.

Traffic was steady later on Sunday, but many times during the day it just felt like there was no energy in the building and people were plodding along. (A little background music in that hall would probably help a lot.)  One of the vendors that came in late on Sunday just packed up and left around noon.  An hour or so later another did the same.  If I were the promoter I wouldn't tolerate that and those folks wouldn't be welcomed back.

We appreciate each shopper that helped make our weekend a success.  If you shop at the Kane County Flea Market I'd love to hear your overall opinion of the market.  And if you sell there, likewise...we'd love to hear from you!

Ida, Blanch, Lottie, Mabel & Genevieve in January 1899

 

Meet the mysterious Ida Jones, Blanche Griggs, Lottie Pratt, Mable Wallis and Genevieve Miller.

Don't you just love old photos?