Monday, November 26, 2012

Antique Pier Table


Oh! I am so excited! Last weekend I went to an Estate Tag Sale and bought this beautiful Pier Table. I had looked for one a couple of years ago to put in my foyer/front hall area but when I couldn't find one I settled with an antique hall stand instead. These tables are hard to find so when I saw there was one at this sale I knew I had to get it if the price was right. And guess what?! THE PRICE WAS RIGHT!! Yippee!
So here it is, I think the side view is so pretty. It is Empire style and dates back to 1840-60 or so, is my guess, if you know differently please let me know. These tables are often mistaken as being just a hall table but the mirror has a purpose. It was for the light. The low mirror reflected any available light and helped to illuminate a dark foyer or hallway. The mirror also reflected the pattern of the rug or tile and helped make the room appear larger.

                   

Since I did not have room for it in the foyer area I decided to put it here. And here is why...I read in my "Collector's Guide to Victoriana" book by O. Henry Mace that a "pier" originally referred to the columns that supported the ends of an arch. In nineteenth-century architecture, the term was used to describe the part of a wall between two windows or other openings. Items intended for placement on that wall (pier tables, pier mirrors) were given the name as well. So I thought this spot would work. See the reflection of the rug in the mirror below.     
   
               

I didn't know what to put on the table and then I remembered that I had bought these two tea light lamps for my Titanic table setting and thought they might look good there. I wanted a pair of something, not just one and I like argand lamps with the hanging lusters and the frosted shades but do not have any so this is the closest to that as I could get to. So what do you think, do you like these on it or...


do you like this arrangement on it. They are the things that I had on the parlor table that used to be in this spot.


You know what happens when you buy another piece of furniture don't you? Everything has to be moved around and a little bit of redecorating has to be done! And sometimes you think, why did I even buy that? Well I wasn't thinking that this time because I love this beauty!!!
So anyway...the parlor table that was there got moved here with almost the same stuff on it.



And the table that was in that spot got moved over here...


And the table that was there got moved upstairs to this spot...


                                   
And this table that was there had to go! Off to the auction house it went and will be sold on Dec. 8th. It was my least favorite table. The marble didn't really go to it, I just found it later at an auction. It's a little big for the table and is stained so it will be sold separately. The wood top on the table is pretty though, so it should sell well without the marble.
   
                  
 
You know how I was saving my money for that sideboard, well I spent it all!!! BUT...by selling the above table and a few other things and from selling the lamp pictured below I will have more money then I had before I bought the pier table!!! How lucky is that?!
                                     
                  

Because I had to redecorate a little bit I had this wondering velvet table scarf with no place to go so it went here on the piano for now. Doesn't look too bad.



AND, I had these two seashell art boxes that needed a new place to go. The round one got booted out of the parlor and the dresser looking box got booted off my dresser when I bought that dresser tray. So, I thought and I thought, and decided to put them in my seashell bathroom! Imagine that?! And with all the inspiration I get from looking at other blogger's beautiful vintage linens and how they display them so nicely, I decided to add some to this, what was once boring, cabinet. So here it is...



and up close...



I'll still need to add some more pretty lacy and tatted hand towels though.



While out flea marketing the other day I found this gorgeous antique Moser glass vase! And it was only $12!! I couldn't believe it!!



And I got these dainty looking hankies with the nice embroidery. I like the white butterfly one the best. They are housed in my bathroom cabinet on the top shelf in the shaving mugs for now.




I also got this little souvenir pitcher. It is not antique or Victorian by any means but I liked it for $2. I have been to Hannibal, home of Mark Twain, so many times that its not even funny! But I do love going there. Victorian's liked to collect souvenirs to set around in their parlors, they were good conversation pieces. So you know me...if Victorian's had them then I had better have some too!



Well that is all for today. Thank you so much for your visit and I do hope you will leave me a comment! Have a great week!

Monday, November 19, 2012

The Turkey, the Black Bird and the...Robin?

Hello blogger friends! I know you are probably wondering what's up with the different birds in one title. Well, I wanted to do a Thanksgiving post and a post on robins so I decided to combine them into one and add the black birds. So here we go...

When it comes to Thanksgiving, it's the turkey who get's all the attention, right?
These postcards are from my personal collection and are actually the only turkey things that I have so I tried to fancy them up a bit by displaying them in front of the centerpiece on my dining room table. (along with the black bird!)





Here is where the trusty ol' black birds come in. I know, I know you are getting tired of seeing them! I have used these birds for Halloween,  Autumn and now Thanksgiving! 

Tucked in amongst my faux fruits and veggies is the same rose bud that I shared with you in my last post on the Rose Chintz china.

And then there's the black bird display in the parlor...

You will be glad to know that the black birds will be put away come this "Black" Friday.
So this is where "little robin red breast" comes in... 
The weather has been so nice here lately that the robins are just having a hay day in my bird bath and I was even lucky enough to capture them in the act. I just think they are so precious with that little white ring around their eyes. 



With Christmas just around the corner I wanted to share with you a few of the legends on how the robin got its red breast.

One is connected with the tradition of the burning of the Yule log during the 12 days of Christmas. The robin was believed to have first carried fire to the earth, thus its connection to the Yule log. As the story goes, in the process the robin singed its breast and forever after had a red breast. 

And for those who preferred the religious connection, the robin was said to have plucked a thorn from Christ's crown, accidentally pricking its breast and staining it forever. 
So whatever the belief, the robin could not be omitted from the Christmas decorations of the Victorians. 

This is it for today, but I do want to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving. And may we all remember to...




God bless you and yours!

I am joining the following parties...
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Patti
TREASURE HUNT THURSDAY with Pamela
HOME with Sandi
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy
INSPIRE ME TUESDAY with Marty
TUESDAY'S AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Bella

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Rose Chintz and More!


Yesterday was a beautiful day here in mid Missouri . A rosy kind of day actually. This delicate little rosebud is evidence of the warm November day and probably the last bloom I will get to enjoy from my garden until next Summer.


My mom came to visit today and we found ourselves going to an Antique Show. I saw lots of pretty things, but only purchased one little bitty thing. 


It will join the others until next Easter. I have several but this little guy sold itself because he was a nice smaller size (the size of a true chicken egg) and he was embossed on the egg. My other eggs this size are just smooth and then painted on. Click here to see these eggs displayed at Easter.


I didn't want to spend too much money because, well, I'm trying to stay focused on that next big piece of furniture that I am saving up for. I want a sideboard and I saw this one at a nursing home, so I took a photo of it so that I can keep looking at it to remind me to save that money! (This is not the one I would be buying, it is not for sale. Darn!)


By the time we left the show and had some lunch it was only 12:00 so we decided to take a little road trip across the river bridge into Jefferson City to take in some of their antique malls.
(postcard from my collection)


At the first mall I bought this $8 table scarf thing for my parlor table...


And the next mall, where I never find anything, is where I found the deal of the day! A 70 piece set of Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz China! I first saw this pattern on Sandi's blog and it was love at first sight! Click here to check out her wonderful blog. So anyway, but to the story! The set was $80 and I was thinking, wow, that's a good deal! But then my mom pointed out the 50% off sign!! So I got it all for $40! 
So we got it all packed up and brought it home.


Livy dog likes pink and gives it her approval and out of the box it came!


And that's when I noticed that the set has 6 different Johnson Bros. marks.


After a little research I only discovered two things...the pink mark is the oldest mark dating from 1930 -1950 and then the black mark with the bull is from 2003 - 2011. If any of you can fill me in on the other marks I would greatly appreciate it.

Below are the pieces that had the pink mark. The butter dish has the pink mark but no roses on the side of the mark.


Below are the pieces with this black mark...

These pieces have this black mark...


These pieces have this black mark...


These pieces have this mark (with the bull)...
And what I don't like about these teacups and mugs is that they don't have the rosebud on the inside like Sandi's cups do.

and then these two mugs have this blue mark...

So maybe that was why the set was only $40, huh? After careful consideration, I have decided that I will keep them and into the cabinet they will go! But I will be on the look out for that pink mark from now on!


See you next Spring Rose Chintz!


Thank you for your visit and I do hope you will leave me a comment. I love hearing from you!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The Tale of the Dresser and the Tray

Once upon a time there was a Victorian dresser




that stood proud and tall with her beautiful crown.


But oh how that dresser longed for a lovely tray to hold all of the pretties that were scattered about on her marble top.


Well, lo and behold, one day a tray just magically appeared! It did look a little naked though so now the dresser wished for something to make it look a little more "romantic".


Well out of the linen closet came this lovely lace piece...


and it just so happened to fit that tray just right!


So now the tray was ready for all of those scattered pretties to be placed upon it. But there was a problem.

                                              
Not everything would fit on that tray. So now the dresser needed to decide which pieces would receive a spot on the lovely tray.
If they were to be placed on the tray like this...                                


Then the hair receiver, which holds a lock of her owners hair from childhood, would not have a spot.



UNLESS it took the place of the poor little shell box, like this...

So the Victorian dresser wants to know which way you like the tray. Do you like it better with the hair receiver or with the shell box?

Now not to be worried, all the other pieces that didn't receive a spot on the tray got their own little spot on the dresser's glove boxes like this...



With all the excitement of being placed on "the glove box" the mirror and brush wanted to show off their fancy cherub handles. The dresser tells them that they should not be quite so conceited about their beauty because after all, look at her! AND her mirror is bigger then that hand held mirror's little round mirror would ever be.



The lovely tray told them to stop bickering for goodness sake, for she had some showing off to do herself.
Starting with these stickpins...


These are her favorites, especially the one of that handsome young man, she likes to believe that it is Gilbert Blythe from the Anne of Green Gables movie. Ooh! La! La!


Now, to open up that jewelry casket and see what is concealed in there. Oh there's a human hair watch fob.


And taking a closer look, there's a ladies watch fob and pin that you would hang the chain and or the watch on. If I had one that is. (if you know more about that then I do please let me know, I'm a little confused about how to use it). On that pin, do you see the little cherub up at the top and what's left of the little pearls on the sides? And a monogrammed "G" for Gina. And for the bar pin below that, I just noticed it is upside down, it has "Hattie" engraved on it. And the lockets, the one with the smaller engraving has my exact initials on it. I was excited to find that! I have my kid's pictures in that one. The larger cameo pin is a family piece. All of the pins have the old clasp on them. 


And to make the dresser happy, the tray showed off some pretties from the dresser's drawers. Including a purse and fan and some sweet smelling sachets. (The pink heart that reads "You are special" was given to me by my mom when I was in grade school)


And lastly, the lovely tray has a few antique trade cards to show off. She felt they were quite fitting for this post. There's a  fan shaped calling card, a card with a lock of hair, scrap art of a Victorian lady and above her is a corset and then an invitation to the "Fourteenth Annual Ball of the Neptune on Saturday Eve, February 27, 1880. I'm sure the lady went and had a glorious time...

As for the dresser and the tray, they learned to get along splendidly and they lived happily ever after.
Thanks for joining me and I hope you enjoyed "The Tale of the Dresser and the Tray".