Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Antique Collecting


Antique shopping and collecting brings me great JOY.
Sometimes my antiques and vintage collection show up in pictures,
but I don't share the stories.

When my husband and I were married, many years ago,
we couldn't afford to furnish our new apartment; so
we started shopping at "junk" stores.  At the time we said someday
we will replace things with nice pieces of new furniture.
Well somewhere along the way we fell in love with these old pieces of "junk".

Then the search was on for more "junk".
Still today, though I don't need more, I still love to visit antique shows and shops bringing
home yet another little treasure.

The cabinet in this picture has a story.
We were living in Kansas at the time and a friend visiting us wanted to
go to a farm sale.  I left her there and went home to cook dinner.
When I went back to pick her up they were still auctioning things off.
They were starting to bid on everything in the barn.  I ran into the
barn to see what was there and there was this cabinet.
Someone else got the whole contents of the barn for $20., then turned
to me and said he would sell me the cabinet for $10.
I didn't have $10., but wrote a check hoping the bank would
cover it.  My husband wasn't very happy with me, but
he picked it up and brought it home.  It was covered with black
grease; so he started cleaning it and this is what we found underneath.
We also found that it was built before the Civil War.
The wood was hand planed.
My husband soon changed his mind and I was forgiven.
We have loved it ever since.

Do you like collecting anything?
Did you start by choice or was it an accident made into JOY?

10 comments:

Jeanne said...

I love all you share precious friend


Love Jeanne♥

Unknown said...

I love that cabinet and you sure can't beat the price.
My wife and I bought our first piece of furniture 30 years ago, from an antique store. It is a oak hutch, it was in 2 pieces and showing its age. We fixed it up and it is promenently displayed today in our living rm. Love antiquing.

Kathy Walker said...

Wonderful story and a beautiful piece.

Se'lah said...

beautiful piece and post. i love collecting anything peaceful...and matryoskas.

beth said...

i'm off to the flea market on sunday...that's my kind of antiquing :)

Bernideen said...

I love your cabinet and could say we were similar to you. If I were younger I'd get out the white paint like all the young women but after all the hours and days spent stripping this stuff years ago I haven't been able to do that yet!

Angela McRae said...

What a magnificent story!!!

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

I collect a bunch of different things!

I used to love going junking, garage sales, antique stores, etc. Haven't been since we moved here, not a lot around here.

Katherine

Mary said...

Well dear, you know about me and antiques/vintage...........why I even have a little shop now!

This is a stunning piece, and even though $10 was a lot then you definitely made the right decision in purchasing. Love it!

Annie Jeffries said...

My collections always start by accident or take their cue from childhood memories. My latest collection started out with falling in love with McDonald's recent Madame Alexander storybook dolls for their kids meals. Once I got all of those, I check eBay and now I have the Wizard of Oz collection as well. Yes, a total accident and I look at them everyday and smile.

The armoire is such a lucky find. I'm betting hubs does not doubt your desires anymore when a piece of furniture speaks to you.