Sunday, April 1, 2012

"A" is for Antiques

Happy "A" everyone!

We've been in the UK for a little while now, and one of the first things people said to us when we moved was that we just had to go antiquing.  Now, antiquing to me was something rich, snobby ladies did on weekends with their girlfriends, or that people did on the sly when they visited the homes of aging relatives.

Oh, come on...who hasn't thought, "Grandma's collection of Civil War thimbles is mine!" when visiting?

I was also under the impression that antiques were generally some huge, ugly piece of furniture it would take a mountain troll to move.


Or some tiny, yet extremely valuable trinket picked up as an afterthought...





Or, even worse, some creepy, kitchy, was-this-made-by-a-toddler-and-why-would-you-even-want-it? knick-knack with a face--surface?--that only a mother could love...




So imagine my surprise when a friend brought me along to an antique store that's run out of the home of a lovely older British couple.  I was instantly taken in by the craftsmanship of the items they had for sale, and the knowledge that the man, a woodworker himself, had about the origins of the pieces.  I fell in love with a desk (mid-1800s Victorian Gothic revival in case you're wondering) and brought my husband back later that week so he could see it.  He was like a kid in a candy store, and the desk was mine.

We have another piece, a cabinet, as well, but part of why I enjoy going is to learn about the history of the items.  I have a lot of respect for the craftsmen who made and carved the furniture and other pieces; these aren't flimsy, throwaway, particleboard furniture.  These will last a lifetime--some already have lasted several.

See you tomorrow for "B", and what are your thoughts on antiques? Awesome legacy pieces that are functional and will last a lifetime? Or dusty, weird wastes of space? Tell me!

xoxo Sarah

23 comments:

  1. OMG! I love antiques--great blog choice. My favorite is a 1910 Fruit Gum Company nickle slot machine I got from my dad. It wieghs sixty pounds and doesn't work right now (know any slot-machine fixers?). I still remember getting the jackpot as a kid in dad's basement.

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    1. That sounds like a pretty cool toy! You must have been so excited to hit that jackpot.

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  2. Very cool. I'm an antique-lover too! Stopped by to say hi! A-Z, baby. New follower too.

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    1. Thank you, Mina! I'm headed over to check out your blog, too. :-)

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  3. I felt the same way about antiques. But that's because my family dragged me through them as a child with threats of death if I touched anything. I haven't gone back yet, I'm afraid I'll start twitching. :)

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    1. Ah, I can see that! I always have to watch what I'm doing so I don't knock anything over or bump it with my bag. :-P

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  4. Well, since my house was built in 1726, I cannot avoid thinking about antiques every day. Nice post!

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    1. How true! I'd love to live in a house that old. I grew up where there were plenty, so maybe sometime in the future I'll move into one. Glad you liked the entry!

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  5. I love antique furniture. My husband loves antique computers - like vintage dot matrix printers and really old desktops with the big floppy drives - seriously.

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    1. That's kind of awesome, though! To each their own. :-)

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  6. We didn't have the opportunity to go antiquing, but hitting the local yard/garage sales in the area was always a treat with plenty of antiques to rummage through for hours!
    A is also for Aloha!
    http://gail-baugniet.blogspot.com Theme: A World of Crime

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    1. Yard sales are definitely fun! You can get some great deals and find some very different things.

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  7. I love love love antiques. I can only imagine antiquing in Europe. My mouth is actually watering at the thought of it! Any possibility of seeing a photo of your new acquisition?

    I look forward to reading more of your posts. Glad to know we are adventuring in A - Z together.

    Julie Jordan Scott
    twitter - @juliejordanscot
    A is for Adelaide

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    1. Haha, it's quite fun! Expensive, though. I'm glad you're having fun A-Zing, too!

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  8. Antiques are satisfying and gratifying on so many levels--they're lovely to touch and smell and feast the eyes on; they make us boggle in wonder at he craftsmanship that has carried them over the centuries, and they stoke our curiosity with their history and mystery.

    Great post. I'm looking forward to following you through the A to Z challenge!

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    1. I couldn't have said it better, Kern! I'll be checking out your blog ASAP.

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  9. "I was also under the impression that antiques were generally some huge, ugly piece of furniture it would take a mountain troll to move."

    Omg, Sarah. You are so funny. And your desk fantabulous. Great entry, lady! :0)

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  10. Antiques are great unless you take it overboard. My grandmother is a hoarder. She's got some awesome stuff in her house, if only you could get to them. Before a set of books was completely covered, I asked her if I could have them. I got my books, but there are other things I will probably never get. Bulldozer might be the only option later on.

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    1. How true! I hate clutter, and that would drive me nuts. My parents' basement sounds quite like that, actually...

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  11. I'm #150! Huzzah! I love antiques - but I do agree you can go overboard, so I take it easy on my antiquing. Cheers!

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    1. Very true. I definitely don't want too many...only if we fall in love with a piece.

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