What Do You Think This Was?

I picked up this very interesting table at the local thrift -- I paid more than a 'thrift' price, because I loved the styling and thought buyers in my booth might, too.

It's all brass (I think) with a wood inset top -- even the legs and shelf on the bottom are brass.  It has casters and they're little metal ones like they used years ago.

The detail on the drawer is lovely.  The drawer is wood and faced with a brass sheet that's been folded around it and nailed in place.

The top is inlaid and looks like oak to me -- it's joined wood, not veneer.

I could see this as a bedside table in the hospital sets of Downton Abbey, or as a bank or cashier's table in The Sting.  It really looks like 1910s to 1930s to me, and the quality speaks to that era, too.  It could be newer, just made to look old, though.

What do you think?  When do you think it was made and what do you think it was used for?  I'd love it if one of you could identify its era and use!

New Life for a Sad Jack-o-Lantern

I finally finished one of the projects on my list this weekend (a rare occurrence, lately).

I bought a blow mold at a rummage sale a year ago, planning to sell it at a bargain price, because of its condition.  It was a black cat sitting on a jack-o-lantern and the orange on the pumpkin was faded to almost white.

I decided to keep the cat & pumpkin and paint the pumpkin a renewed orange (thinking that new granddaughter might like it in a couple of years).

I've seen blow molds that people have brush painted and you can always see the brush strokes -- they look really bad.  I bought Rustoleum spray paint that is made to bond to plastic.  The toughest decision was neon or regular orange?  Since I could barely see the old finish, it was impossible to know which it had originally been!  I opted for regular, as the neon was too much like landscaper's orange...

I didn't take a good before picture, because I thought I already had one... The pumpkin was almost the color of the cat's mouth, though.  I think that was originally orange, too, but I didn't try to paint it.

Taping off all the black and masking the cat was the biggest part of the job (it took almost a half hour to make sure it was perfect.

I made sure it was completely covered, but didn't want it to be too opaque.

I think it turned out pretty well!  Now all I need is the granddaughter! :-)

September = Spend, Spend, Spend!

Now that we're through the first week of October, I'm looking back at September and all I see is spend, spend, spend!

I knew it would be like that to some extent, because both Greenmead Flea Market and Michigan Antique & Collectable Festival in Midland, Michigan (affectionately called just 'Midland' by all of us who love it) are in September.  Those are BIG 'merchandising' opportunities.  Thrown into the mix, though, was a great estate sale that I would have missed if my friend Bargain Hunter hadn't text me to ask me about pricing a typewriter...

I was invited this year to go, too, to the Junk Bonanza in Shakopee, Minnesota, but I just couldn't make it work.  I definitely want to visit my friend and fellow picker, Kally, there in April next year!

So I almost had the basement completely organized, but have sabatoged all my efforts by bringing in the sweet things I've bought lately.  But who could resist finds like these?

West Bend Hallite Casserole with great Bakelite knob

West Bend Hallite Casserole with copper lid & handles

I can't resist pennants and I picked up some great old ones!

Two vintage Brownies in boxes.  One has film, too

Can't resist melmac, either.  These are cute little serving pieces

From Midland -- I LOVE this picture of 'Bob', painted by his Aunt Ev in 1951.  She really captured his personality!

From the estate sale -- this is the typewriter I helped price for Bargain Hunter

This is from the estate sale, too -- I'm excited to put it together and turn it on before I list it on Ebay.  I don't think I've ever seen one work -- just as display or for sale in antique malls

This print is really big -- 18x24 or larger

This little kitty holds a pen as his tail

A hard-to-find Teetertot Shoofly bouncer by Delphos Bending Co.  I hope it will sell better than rocking horses do at the mall.  It has a seat, which makes it great for displaying vintage stuffed animals or dolls (but it's NOT for real babies any more!)

Art Deco kitchen clock

Wood shopping list from the 1960s

These flocked cats, made in Japan in the 1950s are wonderful

A made-in-Japan asian planter from the 1950s.  I might keep him, he's just so cute!

Pantry Parade tomato range salt and pepper shakers

These made-in-Japan 1950s cats are great, too.  I see a made-in Japan, mid-century and cat theme developing...

With Spending-September gone, I can concentrate on listing on Etsy to get ready for the Christmas shopping season, which has already begun!  I can also (hopefully) get the basement organized (again)...I'm afraid that will turn out to be a never-ending task.

Maybe I'll even have time to post on the blog more often!

But, before you go, what do you think about Bob -- would you have bought his portrait?  I'm thinking about resurrecting 'Would You Buy It Wednesday' since (I think) Junker Newbie doesn't do it any more.  I would definitely have contributed Bob...

What about Bob -- yes or no?