Craigslist And Estate Sales Are My Friends

Yes, indeed they are.

I needed to refresh the stock at my antiques booth,

so a couple of weekends ago, my daughter Anne and I hit up several house sales,

and picked up a washstand, ca. 1870, from a Craigslist posting.

(The washstand in our sunroom, awaiting
its beauty treatment.  The top drawer is out.)

We stuffed the minivan; Anne has excellent packing skills.

But we had to pass up an Eastlake bed.  That was painful.

A very BIG Eastlake bed, it was in excellent, gorgeous condition, 

with rails, and already converted to queen size.  I know!

Why didn't we take it?  

I negotiated the price from $275 to $100 

-- it was the last day of the sale, and I was buying other things -- 

but when I stood next to the bed, and realized that it was taller than I, 

and certainly wider than 48" . . . I knew I couldn't fit it into the minivan.

Dang.

But we got an adorable old cherry one-drawer stand, with uber-patina.

And an antique repair to its top.  

(Please excuse the sneakers, dog toy, and vacuum in the picture.

Real life is messy sometimes.  Or, always.)

Not a very professional fix-it job, and it may win the prize for 

most nails used in any furniture repair ever, but I just love it.

It cracks me up.  It would have given my father fits.

Also in our house sale haul, a wonderful old chestnut drop leaf table, 

with three original leaves.  A rare bird, indeed.

The picking gods were with us that day.  It has not just 3 leaves,

but a holder to keep them protected.  I never saw one of those before.

It's possible I have lead a sheltered life.

Haha ... those are Howard's feet on the left; we were in the parking lot behind the shop, 

delivering these things to the booth this past Sunday.  

I have shrunk my booth down to 1/2 its former size, 

so it was a tight fit to get the new things tucked in.  But we did.

The rustic little one-drawer stand sold today, one day after its arrival.

And someone put a "hold" on the drop leaf table.

Yup, house sales are my friends.

And ... I just noticed my giant handbag on the drop leaf table.  Well, at least I didn't leave it there.

The house sale also netted us a nice sturdy country Windsor chair,

and a sweet pine desk/vanity/hall table that needs a teensy bit of TLC

before it's ready for its closeup, Mr. DeMille.

Sunday was such a lovely day.

Maybe Howard and I should have had lunch al fresco in the parking lot!

Side note:  A couple of days after I got the washstand from a home in Chatham, NJ, I got an email from the owner; she had found the bail of one of the brasses in her garage.  Did I want it?  Yes!  I was ready to hunt for a replacement.  Instead ... this lovely lady mailed it to me.  I know people worry about Craigslist dealings, but so far I have only met the very best people in my Craigslist purchases, or sales.  Even the hermits.  :-)

And it isn't much of a collage/mosaic that I've done, but even so ... 

I'm hitching it to Mary's Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.

Confession:  It's been SO LONG since I've done a blog party linkup that I forgot how.

True.

A mind really is a terrible thing to waste, isn't it?  See you soon! 

-- Cass

A Bundle of Estate Sale Bargains

I don't know about your neck of the woods,
but around these parts, estate sales are rarely
held on a Tuesday.  Today was an exception.

Ridgewood, New Jersey, is a village in Bergen County

with fabulous - and I do mean fabulous - old homes.

All eras.  All styles.  Nearly all gorgeous.

I can stalk these houses for hours.

 Street after street of beautiful homes.

So when the estatesales.net website told me that there was a 

one-day estate sale in Ridgewood . . . well, you know I was going to be there!

Especially since these were among the for-sales:

Drexel shield-back dining room chairs, 6 of them.

Howard and I had tried to win 8 Drexel shield backs at Sunday's auction, 

but got skunked.  So I thought, today's my chance!

But after I saw them, I decided no.

They were marked at $495 for all 6, but I could

have made an offer.  However, while they 

were lovely, they are not as heavy as the Drexel shield backs

we already own; I'll hold out to find their siblings, instead.

But I did get this at today's estate sale:

An old washstand, pine, nice patina and wear.
(The CD shelf does not go with it, lol.)
Heading for our antiques booth!

And also this:

A sack-back Windsor chair by S. Bent & Brothers, a Massachusetts maker
of fine furniture, especially Windsor chairs.  It's prettier in real life!
It will go to the booth, too.  It's reproduction, but really attractive.

And finally - a maple drop leaf, gateleg table.  No picture!

It will be pressed into duty at the booth to hold "smalls" and

all those things I have so much trouble finding room for.

I made an offer on all 3 pieces at once -- it's called "bundling," and if an estate sale

is amenable to bargaining (check first!), this is definitely a good way to do it.

I paid 65% of the asking prices by offering a single price for all three pieces.  It's a win-win;

I got a bargain, and the estate sale sold three pieces at once for fair prices.

And now I'm going to go wax my new old furniture, so it's all

ready for a trip down Route 287 tomorrow to Somerville Center Antiques.

I hope your Tuesday was as rewarding as mine.

Cass

And now, trot over to Coastal Charm blog, to join Linda
in her Nifty Thrifty Tuesday blog party.  Click here, now!

Drop Dead Gorgeous

What is it about old Drop Leaf Tables?
I'm nuts about them.
I think a lot of other people are, too.

They are so practical, modestly slipping their slim silhouettes into narrow spots in our houses,
but then bursting out, triumphantly, with their wings unfurled to pitch in at parties and shindigs.

They are the "We need more table space, stat!" heroes of the furniture world.  

The first thing I sold in my antiques booth

last November was a much-used cherry drop leaf table.

With a few issues.

But someone took it home, with all its scars and boo-boos, and I hope is still lovin' it.

I have an old cherry drop leaf table next to the sofa in our study.

Howard and I bought it many years ago in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, when we lived in Pittsburgh,
and it has served us as a kitchen table, a bedroom night stand, an entry table, a living room end table,
and now it holds a lamp, coasters, magazines and books in a cozy nook.

Upstairs in the Pink Bedroom, there's an Empire flame mahogany drop leaf table that I'm not yet sure what to do with.

It's got one large leaf, and becomes a lovely generous 5-legged square when that leaf is up.

It could be a card table, but I think it is a little large for that.

I have pink towels for overnight guests piled on the top, so I didn't take a picture of the whole table.

(Yes, we make our guests use a slop jar . . . . anything for antique authenticity.)

*********************************

There is a drop leaf table that I would love to

sling into the back of my trusty red minivan and haul home.

It lives in Virginia, and I saw it this past weekend at my niece Emily's antiques booth.

 

Square legs.  It has square legs, love them, and a drawer that just hollers "Empire!"
And fabulous wide board leaves.

But last week in Virginia, I already had a drop leaf table in my minivan,
one that I'd gotten at an auction Thursday night in Richmond at Alexander's auction house.
That one is still upside down in my minivan; it will be going to my booth, probably tomorrow.

You know, when I clicked "Auto Correct" in the photo program on the computer, I was hoping
it would mask out the wrapping papers and moving blankets scattered around the back of the minivan.
It did not.  Useless.

 I don't often see acanthus carved legs, so I really wanted this table.

 The wood you see behind that leg, above,
is the top to this, below, which is also reclining in the van:

Another auction "win" for me, but that's a whole 'nother tale.

*******************************

Anyway, if you are in Virginia and wondering what to do around Ashland, go visit

Hickory Creek Antiques on England Street.  Emily's booth, Ha'Penny Vintage,

is the second on the left as you enter. You'll know it because it's the nicest.  I am not at all biased.  Really.

Emily's Ha'Penny Vintage blog is here.

On this warm and sunny Friday, I'm off to Philadelphia with my sister.

Play nice while I'm gone! -- Cass

Link Parties to visit and love:

Feathered Nest Friday makes its home at French Country Cottage.  Click here!

The Charm of Home features Home Sweet Home on Fridays.  Click here!

It's Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground.  Click here!
Miss Mustard Seed hosts the Furniture Friday Feature.  Don't miss it! -- Click here!