Really tried to keep within my allocated amount this week of $50. Ridiculous really to find that hard when I am only buying things that aren’t necessities. This should help me to get my priorities right. Already I am finding that as I am basically keeping a record of my purchases that I am being more contemplative about what I do eventually buy. Today my friend and I had a look through all the handbags as she liked my fifties style one from last Thursday. She doesn’t read my blog so doesn’t know the back story, the sheer drama of it all … says I wiping my brow dramatically. We eventually went upstairs after I scored an embroidered silk barrel bag that wasn’t there when I passed through the store an hour earlier…I know am I lucky or what?
My friend has been looking for occasional pieces of furniture for her home so showed her a small lamp table with a marble top and brass cabriole legs and a new console table and then an oak half table that also has cabriole legs with brass lion’s paws on the end of them. After much consideration she decided against getting any of the tables as her husband wasn’t with her and she felt he would like to be consulted. I certainly understand that as they love going to markets together. So while we were browsing I had a really good look and decided to get the half table for myself, probably inspired by Sally’s glorious table I saw this morning. Now it is nowhere near as marvelous as hers but I am really happy with it and when my husband saw it he loved it too. So I am not counting the price of that into my allocated amount for this week as it is furniture and we needed an occasional table.
Earlier in the week I found a cute small oriental jar that will complete my collection of coloured jars with ladies and gentlemen on them, I already had two that I found at that shop last year and am quite happy with them as I have only seen the blue and white ones secondhand before. They look great on top of the two door cabinet I found last year that will soon house a lot of my fabric and unfinished quilts and art books, photo coming soon of completed area..believe me we are all looking forward to getting all the boxes off the floor! The same day I found a small patterned oriental bowl and an even smaller English floral china dish. Was very happy with these as bowls are useful for pins etc and earrings and also needed something to go with the red ginger jar that I found last year.
While looking at the china on the middle floor I bumped into my friend [from today] and while chatting to her I saw an art deco sculpture. I grabbed it after offering it to my friend who did not like the face, because it had no face. Call me crazy but I love that look, I wonder what it says about me that I collect that kind of thing? I find it allows for more enjoyment of the form of the sculpture or artwork but that is just my personal taste. I have a large collection of Willow Tree porcelain figures and they are incredibly moving…and faceless.
I also grabbed a pink and green necklace of no particular brand, I just liked the pink against the green enamel. Earlier in the week I found a little butterfly brooch, vintage or made to look that way button and a pair of heart earrings. I am collecting heart charms etc as am in the midst of making a heart and gem stone necklace which is about 60cm long so it needs a variety of charms. On Monday I also found two sterling silver pendants and a Carlton Ware ‘Rouge Royale” dish about 18cm x 13cm. That was exciting as I love lustreware since seeing it at someone’s house, we actually drank out of some, I was thrilled and terrified. With good reason, as months later the lady fell whilst in the kitchen, breaking her Carlton Ware fruit dessert bowls, and also by the way, her wrist.
So prices now:
Bag $6 quite good price, Oriental jar $2 good as lid was missing, Oriental bowl $1 !!!!! Amazing, English bowl by Duchess $4 !!!!! thought that was a bit high as it was quite tiny about 8cm across the top, Deco Home figure $7 think that is good, what do you think, couldn’t find that brand on the internet? Pink necklace $8 which is a little high but only because I have found such bargains in branded jewellery before so am spoiled! Heart earrings $2, Silver pendants $4 think that was a find but have nothing to compare then against, Button $1, Brooch $2, Carlton Ware $4 !!!!! priced similar ones on Australian antique sites at $60 TO $70 Or more!!!!!!
So at $37 I did quite well and as the table was a necessity I am within my limit for this week. My husband who works with antiques said the table was a great find at $85 as he would have put around $350 on the table and that is very conservative. He was seen under it checking out the feet and the underside….very important in antiques and furniture apparently!
Another good thing that developed because of recording my finds has been that I am taking a lot more into the shop for them to sell as well, we have always been a family who gives our spare goods and unwanted gifts etc to charity rather than having garage sales etc but now I thought I would record what I am getting rid of as well, as an interesting aside to all this…things that I do not need and where I got them, if new or reclaimed. Might help me with my want rather than my need, when I actually see what I end up getting rid of. So I took in a pile of scrapbooking magazines, all bought from charity stores, about 30cm high. Two skirts, both charity shop ones, both of which I would not have bought new.
