"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