Fun Stuff from the Estate Sale

Most of us who love the needlearts, whether it be sewing, quilting, embroidery, CRAZY QUILTING, beading, etc., usually love (or at least appreciate) vintage linens and textiles.    I inherited a lot of crocheted and embroidered tablecloths, doilies, handtowels, hankies, and such from my mother and grandmother, which also included work from my great-grandmother Oma.  And I've always loved them.  It wasn't until I reached my forties that I began collecting them.

At first, I collected anything.  Now I'm much more selective, not to mention that I'm running out of storage space!  So, selling off a lot of my vintage linens and other finds to make room to breathe is part of the game plan that will begin this summer.  But in the meantime, when I find something really NICE, and reasonably priced, I'll buy it.

This piece, done on ivory linen, was only $3!  

Look at the lovely hand stitching!

And this 36 x 36" pristine tablecloth was also a steal at $3.

These two books were like new, fascinating, and only $1 each.  And see the hat stand?  No, it's not vintage.   It just is there to display the crocheted WHATEVER that I got.  There's a piece of ivory silk that I draped over the metal hat stand first (so the crochet wouldn't get snagged).

This is what it looks like from the top.  Is it a nightcap?  A snood?  

Someone would have to have had a lot of hair to fill it up!!  Any ideas???

But the REAL puzzler is the following porcelain piece.  Does anyone have any idea what it is?  Even the antique dealers were stumped.   This is the front, more ornately hand-painted side.

Here it is from the back

Looking inside.  Unusual shape and nice gold trim.

And this is the bottom  No markings!

I'm thinking it may have had some use at the dining table, and it looks nice with a vintage chocolate pot and snack set I have.  But for now, it's in the guest bedroom sitting on a vintage washstand.....  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this piece!!  Oh, it was originally priced at $12, then marked down to $8.  She sold it to me for $5.

Moving along, the vintage bottle above ($1) I just couldn't pass up, especially since the top part of this former talc shaker still works.   I've got some cool graphics of vintage French perfume and talc bottles that I can print up and decorate it with.  And the pin (too corny to be called a "brooch"!) is a "diamonoid" (as DH Bruce would say) banjo.   Bruce plays the banjo (and guitar), so we got a kick out of this.  I know it'll find its way into a personal art piece.  (too bad, eh?)

I started collecting vintage baby clothes last year.  Don't know why.  Perhaps because I became a grandma for the first time and was feeling sentimental?  Maybe that should just be plain ol' --MENTAL, not sentimental.   I checked out prices on Ebay, and they're really not worth much - at least not monetarily.   But I love them and often wonder about the children they belonged to.  The boys' things, above, are probably from the 1930's to 1940's.  The little girls' dresses, below, are more recent.  I'm thinking fifties.

But if nothing else, wouldn't they be cute in some type of collage?  They're all small; 12-18 month sizes mostly.

They'll all be listed on Ebay next month, too, and likely to go for a song.  I may keep a piece here and there for myself....  This one rather reminds me of a yellow dress I had my picture taken in at age 4.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Murray City Hall to find out about participating in our LOCAL Farmer's Market.  And I'll also set up a vendor booth in July at our Wheeler Farm Historic Fair.  My plan is to sell aprons, totes, sachets, pillows as well as girls' dresses and playclothes.   On Ebay I'll sell vintage collectibles, linens and hankies, fabric and the like.  On both Etsy and Ebay I'll be selling vintage laces and hand-dyed (with potassium permanganate) "golden" laces.  Maybe try an apron or two there as well to see how that goes.   I finally figured that it made sense to separate things this way for awhile until I get my extra stash and "inventory" cleared.  Then I'll re-evaluate and focus on what works best.

As always, "so much to do..... so little time'!!

Hugs,