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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Old Stuff, New Stuff, More Old Stuff

Just a couple of miles from That Old House,
on a well-traveled local road, is this:

 A barn --
empty, its boards gray and weathered, in the manner of old barn wood.



The barn grew with its farm, form following function,
addition tacked onto addtion.
The whole thing, barn and setting, ragged and raw, looks right.


I think the vines and scrub trees are helping it stand up.


The barn is part of the landscape now; it looks at home.

Across the street, on this barn's old farm land, are these:


Some people call these McMansions.
Unless you live in one, in which case you call it home.

Time.  It sure can change the crop that's springs up on farmland.



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On Sunday, Howard and I bought a really sweet little kidney-shaped
ladies' desk, and managed to squeeze it into my tiny antiques booth:

It is in such perfect 1930s original shape, the mahogany with great patina,
and even the leather top is intact and gorgeous:


Anyway -- I thought I had already done a post
on the things my friend Emily and I chased around all over New Jersey 
to pick up a week ago, and bring to the booth.

But it turns out, I had not.
Doh.
So, here it is -- the stuff we got last Tuesday.


From an elderly gentleman moving into assisted living, a little carved corner cabinet:


It's just so danged cute and small -- dainty, really.  It would look wonderful painted creamy white.
Or pink.  Yes, pink -- for a little girl's room.  Can't you see dolls on it?

At one of my favorite thrift shops, a nicely scaled open cupboard.
Old antiqued green, red, gold paint.
Chipped from use, not from "hey, let's make this chippy" efforts.
At the thrift shop:
Here it is, held hostage in my mini-van.
I thought I could fit both this cupboard AND the washstand I'd bought into the van, together.
But . . . no.  Reminder: measure first.
Two trips.  It was a long Tuesday, last week.  Thank goodness Emily is a good sport!
 At the booth.

Next . . . an old lift-top washstand.
Here it is, at the thrift shop:

This is also sometimes called a "commode," but it is not what some people think of when they
hear the word "commode," which is my long and euphemistic way of saying, "This is not a potty."

At the booth:

I put a small, subtle sign on it, by way of explanation.
When the top is lifted, there's space inside for a bowl-and-pitcher.
The little drawer on the left would have held toiletries -- razor, soap, etc.
The door underneath hid a slop jar, for used wash water.

I love the pine in this wash stand.
These were the en suite bathrooms of their day.

And speaking of old things . . . 
here's a picture of my favorite antique, posing with the wash stand, lifting its top, at the booth on Sunday:


He is not for sale.
I had to hang a "for display only" sign on him.
The ladies were just linin' up.

Have a lovely Tuesday, my friends -- Cass

Link Parties!

At Bluff Area Daily Blog, it is time for Barn Charm, a weekly blog party.  Click here!
Coastal Charm is the place to be for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays.  Click here!



20 comments:

  1. I am in love with the open cupboard! The dishes are pretty, too! You really have a lot of neat things in this post. I hope your booth is doing well, it looks great!

    XO,
    Jane

    P.S. Love the old barn!

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  2. OMG .... I love the lady's desk. How unusual.
    As for the barn .... It sort of reminds me of the show ..."After People" & what happends at different year points if all people dissappear.
    We have many areas here in NE Pa. that farmland has given way to McMansions. **Progress**
    Have a Great Day!!
    Marilyn

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  3. The barn is very interesting. i see places like that when I drive about and wonder what it's story is all about. Why did some one stop loving it? Richard from My Old Historic House.

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  4. That desk is gorgeous.

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  5. Jeez...I want that ladies' desk!!

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  6. oh, wow ...what a difference between the two sides of the road. interesting. i bet it was a great barn within it's hay day. wow!! great bones. (:

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  7. I love that green cupboard, Cass. I wouldn't change a thing on it. Your hubby is a good sport. :) Deb

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  8. beautiful old barn....i'm not a fan of the mcmansions and what they tear down to build them.....i prefer an old farm house to those anyday....love those cabinets!

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  9. Are you sure that slop jar was just used for wash water? That is quite the thing, I've never seen anything quite like it. As for your favorite antique, I've got a similar one here at home--yes, brown hair and that gray beard!

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  10. WOW, Cass! What great old barns..all showing the ravages of time. The houses across the street are such a juxtaposition to the barns! LOVE all your finds...especially the kidney shaped desk and I LOVE that little corner curio and I CAN see it painted white. Have fun with all your new finds! xo Diana

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  11. I like the side of the road that has that old farmhouse and barn...BETTER! :0)
    It's so nice to see the older furniture that someone lovingly cared for. THX for sharing.(((hugs)))Pat

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  12. love the old farmstead, even if it is barely standing.

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  13. I love the barn side of the road much better than the McMansions. I hate the charming things they tear down to build them.

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  14. Great finds, Cass! I love your favorite antique... very nice picture with all that old stuff ;-)

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  15. What a beautiful old barn & I think you're right about the trees & such holding it up! =0

    Thanks so much for joining in & linking up to this week's Barn Charm =)

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  16. That McMansions neighborhood looks like where my mother lives (I have no idea why she would move into such a huge house for just her and a roommate, but she did it). If that was taken near 206 and Bridgepoint Road, yep, that's it. I'm with the people who also prefer the barn -- or your house!

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  17. Love those old barns! Beautiful photos, Cass!

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  18. Feel sorry for the barns...they appeal to me when like this while at the same time I hate to see stuff growing up and just taking over.

    I like your antiques!

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  19. Old barns across from the new housing development... somewhat sad but intriguing. I wonder what will become of the old barn property? Is it slated for development too?

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  20. That is a fabulous desk! I would have been hard pressed not to squeeze that into my home rather than an antiques booth! Lovely.

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