My passion, after my family of course, is Treasure Hunting. The simple beauty of things from by-gone eras have always spoken to me. Whether these treasures are found at a flea market, fine antique store, estate sale, thrift shop, or in the family attic, surprises abound.
As an interior designer, I believe it is vital to balance your decor by including found and family treasures. Surrounding yourself with things you love should always be the goal, from there you will find your true style.
As I shop, I may have a client in mind or I may want to resell at our french flea market or in my shop. I am lucky to have several outlets for my treasures including my own home! I plan to share my searching, hunting, travels, and treasures with you and encourage you to enjoy adding your treasures to your home.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Sunday Flea... Saveloy Tin Plus

My crazy schedule of working at the shop, designing a commercial space for a client, several garden projects and wrapping up an immense estate sale we held for a friend, I was very much looking forward to a quiet Sunday at home, for the first time in months. Instead I found an email Saturday evening informing me I had won 2 passes to a large monthly market not too far from me... well that changed everything! Not that this market charges much for general admission, but the "early bird" fees are much higher and multiply by 2, since my husband and I go to these markets together it was too tempting. So that is just what we did... off early, early to the market.
We had a great day and to say it was an eclectic haul is oh so obvious.
Could not pass up this saveloy warmer. I admit I did not know what a saveloy was and either did the vendor offering this piece, as she had acquired it just a day earlier. So out came my iphone and the search was on. It was fun for all of us to learn about saveloys... red, spiced wieners typically offered at British fish and chip shops. Wieners are kept in these heated warmers either on or just behind the counter. Anyone in the know- please correct me if I am wrong! I will first offer this piece to the owner of a quaint British pub a couple of doors down from the shop.
This nice wall planter is perfect this time of year. It's vertical design allows it to work well in a variety of spaces. Imagine planted with flowers and ivy. As you may have noticed in the first photo, I purchased a taxidermied hen and I must say she looks great in this planter as a nest. A combination of hen with ivy would be fun in a mudroom or butler's pantry. I purchased the hen as a reminder of a kitchen I designed many years ago for a well known comedian and actor and his lovely wife. We lined the top of an antique welsh china cabinet with taxidermied hens in basket nests and stems of rose-hips as accents, it looked beautiful and they loved it. I may end up keeping the hen and doing something similar at home.
We picked up this set of antique garden bench frames. The beautiful design is in the faux bois style. We were inspired to pick these up knowing that friends of ours purchased a spectacular set in France and we thought they were such a great find. We were lucky to also find a vendor selling 120 year old reclaimed American oak lumber. We will be picking up a couple of 10 foot boards from them to recreate our bench- we just need to decide on the bench length.
A small variety of silver, most in the repousse style. Along with the repousse candlesticks I picked up a couple of weeks ago, massed together it will make a nice vignette for the shop.
This is one of my favorite finds of the week... an entire box of antique and vintage poultry award ribbons. Dating from 1906 to 1948, they are still in very nice condition.  They will be great additions to antique silver trophy cups I already have and perhaps a few special ribbons I will have framed. Not only do I love the ribbons but I must say how impressed I was by the young man I purchased them from. He is paying his way through college by selling vintage and antique items at the weekend fairs! I will make a point to find him at future fairs to do what I can to help him realize his dream!
Believe it or not I am working on Fall and Holiday decor and displays for the shop. I made note of several vendors with items such as majolica, antique decoys, transferware and linens all in anticipation of tabletop vignettes. It will be here before you know it!
Have a great week. I will be polishing silver to post as a follow-up to this and the last loot shoot.
Happy Hunting!







3 comments:

  1. Okay, so my little trunk full of stuff looks plain and ordinary compared to your great finds. Except the chicken feeder that I picked up at a local barn sale for $2. It's going to look awesome once I clean it up and put a fresh coat of paint on the rusty parts. My husband thinks I'm nuts - but don't you think something like that would make an unusual birdfeeder?

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  2. Great finds, Jennifer. I love majolica. Oh, I love all things that are pretty! Thanks for sharing, Paula Lusk

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  3. Jen- I think you'll probably finish your bench before we finish ours!!
    Love the wiener warmer:)
    Hugs
    Sarah

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