A Gathering of Tearful Beauties

Adventures in Antiquingland - What Is It?

What Is It?

Okay, I am perplexed and need your help. I found this little gem on my last foray to the Aberfoyle Flea Market with my BFF Liz.   

What is this diminutive brush?  I'm thinking it's either a victorian men's hair brush with a well on top for hair oil or a shoe brush and the well would hold the polishing oil.  There's no holes in amongst the bristles to let the liquid seep through, it would have to be poured out onto a cloth.  It appears to be a silverplate on brass and the bristles are very soft.  Also, the bristles seem to be mounted in ceramic or something similar and all the bristles are in tact and in very good condition.  No smell in the well (that rhymes doesn't it) and no residue on the bristles so there's no clues there.

Made in England

The top of the well says "Patent No 176263 (made by) Mutal Made in England".  It's old, dented, pitted and the silver is rubbing off to show brass. 

I haven't been able to find anything on it through my online searches.  It's currently listed in my online Etsy shoppe BeJoyfulVintage .

NEED YOUR HELP!  Please end my distress and comment back to me.

BEJOYFUL!

Living Through Missing Rhinestones

 
GLORIOUSLY TATTERED AND SPLATTERED

This posting is about my love of rhinestone jewelry but I have to also share with you this latest find from the Aberfoyle Antique Market in Aberfoyle, Ontario - a gloriously tattered and splattered dress form.  My amazing friend Liz brought my attention to the display set-up in a sun drenched spot at the market.  I was sweating uncontrollably and was certainly looking for one more heavy thing to carry but I HAD TO HAVE THIS!  Headless and armless dirty fabric bodies may not be attractive to most but they speak to me.  So.....here she is and she's adorned with some of my rhinestone finds.

 
  MISSING RHINESTONES

Yes, I admit my passion for rhinestone jewelry but also for jewelry missing rhinestones.  These darlings spark my creative spirit.  Sure, I could replace the missing rhinestone with a similar one from my stash but would that be creative? unique? one-of-a-kind?  Not really. 

I truly wish I'd taken a BEFORE picture of this pendant.  My fab friend Kate has asked me to create something with her beloved grandmother's jewelry.  Kate was devastated that one of the royal blue rhinestones from this piece had been lost - not a problem, just a blip in the radar.  I think she'll be pleased when this project is finished.

ALMOST AFTER

I have replaced the royal blue stone with a rhinestone button echoing the shape of the overall pendant and the shape of the pearl centre cluster.  This is going to be stunning when chain and other embellishments are added. 

So you can now see that the imperfect becomes a joyous challenge to the creative heart.  And I love these challenges when they involve gloriously old, discoloured, chippy, scratched rhinestone jewelry.  Oh, BTW,  I also love chandelier crystals so when I combine the two this is what I can come up with.

BIRD UNDER CHANDELIER GLASS

More of my non-custom order repurposed jewelry creations can be found in my BarbaraDoone Etsy Shoppe.

BE JOYOUS!

 

There's Just Something About "Blue"

French Blue Coffee Carafe

There's just something about the colour blue.  French blue, robin's egg blue, blue delft, blue willow, blue cheese, sapphire, periwinkle, Elijah Blue (perennial grass),people naming their children Blue.....it's endless. 

Since we've positively established that I love blue, here's a selection of blue items from my BeJoyfulVintage Shoppe to give you an idea of what's out there in the colour blue vintage-wise.

 
 China Tea Cups

These two serene, floral themed teacups and saucers are now on their way to France having been recently snapped up by a savy Etsy shopper. 

I hand select all the items in my vintage shoppe so I'm not trying to "unload" items that were in the box that I won at the last estate auction.  My commitment to my customers is that I will only offer items that I would buy for my own home and items that "I absolutely LOVE".  

Blue is now on my radar therefore you will be seeing more blue in my shoppe.  Here's a few more items currently for sale.

Geometric Aqua Tea Cup and Saucer

Vintage Book "Good Wives" by Louisa May Alcott

Blue Willow Dishes by Johnson Bros.

Blue Sky and "Butterfly Wings" Picture

French Blue and Nest Brown Plate

Blue is cool and can be absolutely icy, serene yet bubbly, serious and kittycorner to playful and blue is.......well.......just the perfect colour.  Enough said about blue.

BEJOYFUL! 

Phantastic Photo and Phood Pheast Phinds!

Great Old Photo Pheast Phinds

I was out at my favourite local antique mall this past week, twice actually.  When you've got the bug it so hard to fight it, right?  On my second trip I found this fabulous ziploc bag full of old cabinet cards and album photos in paper frames and fold over paper frames.  What made this find really special were the two photos above of family feast table settings, complete with turkeys and fancy table cloths!  Rarely does one find anything beyond the traditional formal family portraits, everyone sporting their best "duds" and no smiling allowed.   Enjoy the Photo Pheast!

To continue along with the "phood" theme, I also stumbled across several grey to black gloriously tarnished silver or pewter pitchers and a mug or perhaps it is a sugar bowl.  The engraving is stunning and they all must have been well used as several dents were included at no extra charge.  I've developed a love for dents, scratches, tears, gouges, stains et al.  Pristine, unmarked, perfect conditions are so boring.   Those clean pieces have spent their lack-lustre lives sitting in the back of someone's cupboard, unused, unwanted and unappreciated.  Blech!

 
I went across the street to the yummy small town bakery to get a scone while Ally added up my bill and came out with 6 zingy little gingerbread men instead. Amazing how that happens.  When I re-entered the mall I zeroed in on this - what doooooooo you call it?  I guess it's a flour sifter with a wood pestle to grind down those nasty little flour stones.  Is there a special name for it?  Please send me a comment if you know. 

Love it, grab it, take it home and put it in my BeJoyful Vintage Etsy Shoppe to give my loyal "BeJoyful-istas" a Phantastic Phood Pheast Phind! 

BEJOYFUL and include a visit to your favourite antique mall and yummy little local bakery this week!!!!!!

Lucite Love

 

Rialto Lucite & Rhinestone Box Purse and ??? Lucite & Rhinestone Clutch

Have I mentioned that I like, no I LOVE, to go antiquing and flea marketing?  One of my partners in crime on these forays is my sister Judy.  This past summer she and I were poking around in the antique stores and malls where she lives in Minneapolis when I stumbled across the lucite box purse in the picture above (left).  It was buried in with a jumble of old, grimy toys - I think the dealer thought it was a children's toy purse or pencil box.  The purse is missing it's handle but despite this one flaw it is in extremely good condition.  All of the rhinestones are in tact, the lucite itself bears only a few light scratches and scuffs (absolutely amazing for its' age). 

 

Dimensions 7 1/4" w x 3" t x 3 1/2" d.  Deeply carved pattern.  Studded with foil backed rhinestones.

Ornate intaglio clasp in perfect working order.

 

Signed "Original RIALTO NY".

NOW I'M HOOKED on lucite - I think you can appreciate why when you look at the detailing of the purse.  The lucite box purse is not only studded with rhinestones but is deeply carved in its entirity with a fresh floral and curved diamond pattern. 

 
 This lucite clutch purse was recently purchased from one of my fellow Etsy vintage sellers.  It is a lovely addition to my small but now budding collection. Thanks so much  to my friend Michele at www.planetclairevintage.etsy.com purveyors of fine vintage clothing and accessories.   I was looking for the clutch style to complement my evening wear during the upcoming holidays.  The lucite again is deeply carved but this time with a cherry and leaf pattern.  Again, studded with rhinestones but only on the front side of the clutch.  There are also rhinestones on the two ends of the clasp.  This purse is not signed.

 
    Flexible plastic side gussets.

 
Rhinestone studded clasp.

Both purses are just the right size to hold some mad money, a lipstick and cell phone.  I might even line the purse with a fancy, colourful vintage hankie.

Funky, Chunky Lucite Bracelet at www.blissquest.etsy.com

Lucite wasn't just used for purses, there is a plethora of vintage lucite jewelry available.  Lightweight, colourful, playful necklaces and bracelets which are actually back in style today. And the bigger and chunkier, the better!!!!   I have added my own version of funky, chunky  lucite and button bracelets to my BlissQuest Etsy store recently  www.blissquest.etsy.com like the one above. 

Lucite, my love, don't fret...... I am searching for you now everytime I go antiquing!