VINTAGE HAND-PAINTED TILES

If you know me well you know that I'm a collector.  Of course my children label me a hoarder.  Let's just say that I have a few collections.  Sometimes I actively look for something and sometimes the collectible finds me.    I guess the vintage hand-painted tiles found me.  

Years ago I was obsessed with transferware.  I was always on the hunt for that one pattern I didn't have, but also for patterns to complete a set.  My favorite is brown or green transferware, but I could be talked into blue, lavender or red.  While "shopping" I saw this transferware trivet.  I never knew there could be trivets too.  Of course I bought it.

RED TRANSFERWARE TRIVET ON MY VINTAGE BREADBOARD

In this next photo you can see the round "feet" that support it.

FOOTED ENGLISH TRANSFERWARE TRIVET

Many times the pieces are marked.  There's a link at the end of this post if you'd like to date a piece you have.  This piece was made by Copeland in England.  The person who sold it to me had researched and dated it already.

REGISTRY MARK AND MANUFACTURER ON UNDERSIDE OF THE TRANSFERWARE

I never came across another footed trivet, but I did purchase several hand-painted tiles.  I use them as trivets too.  They're a fun way to protect my table top from hot foods.  If it's a large casserole, I put two underneath.  I don't think any of these tiles were ever on a wall.  They're all different and all lovely.  This first one is my favorite.  I think it's the way the leaves and vines almost seem to be swirling around the flowers.  It's not marked.

FLORAL HAND-PAINTED TILE

Here's another one in my trivet collection.  The pattern is a very English design.

HAND-PAINTED ENGLISH TILE

I think the yellow in this tile makes it really unique.

ENGLISH TILE

They're both marked ENGLAND on the underside.  There are no registry marks to research.  I do know that if a piece is marked England, it's made before 1920.  Those pieces after 1920 are marked MADE IN ENGLAND.  So I do know that these are older tiles.

UNDERSIDE OF TILES

I'm pretty sure this is French.  It's not marked.

FRENCH TILE

This last tile has special meaning to me.  My husband found it while on a business trip to Holland.  He had some free time and went to a local flea market.  I like that it has fruit instead of flowers.  It's not marked, but I'm guessing it was made in the Netherlands.  Or, maybe not.  Things do travel.

What do you collect?

To learn the basics of transferware pottery, go here.

To see a guide to English registry marks, go here.

The Forty Mile Yard Crawl

I have some long-time friends who are kind enough to invite me and my family to their country house in Virginia.   Every year we look forward to relaxing, catching up with our busy lives, and my son's favorite--a slow ride on an inner tube on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.   When my friend called to invite us again, she said she wanted to tempt me to visit.  Obviously we need no convincing, but her temptation was that the Forty Mile Yard Crawl would be held that weekend.  It started in Strausburg, VA and continued to New Market, VA.  We didn't make it the whole forty miles, but I found many treasures along Route 11.

I wanted to share some of my finds from this adventure, but wanted to say that mixed in with them are even more treasures from a beach shopping trip.  No summer vacation at the ocean is complete without a vintage hunt with my friend, Sandy, who is lucky enough to live near the water year round.

And, I must confess that also in my eclectic stash are some things garnered from less exciting shopping trips around home and in Pennsylvania.  Yep, I've been a busy girl this summer.

I'm pretty sure that this classroom map will make it to Sweet Clover's September sale.
Perfect for back to school.

The backdrop I'm using for the photos is some Italian velvet fabric.  Yummy.
I also was excited to find a globe, a book with vintage maps, an architectural fragment, and some binoculars.  I've never seen a globe with a lucite support.  Have you???

I always buy folding camp stools, but this one was so unique.  It has a back rest, nail head trim, AND it is a rocking chair.  Someone added a mirror to an old ceiling tile and of course I bought it.  The brass compote holds marble spheres and tucked under the chair is a book with a fleur de lis spine.  Resting on top of it are two small French readers.

This is quite a jumble.  Empty frames, a weathered box in a fabulous green, a lion book end, a piece of a tree trunk turned into a pedestal, another architectural fragment, some games, and the little clown perched in the middle is actually a juicer.

The wooden floats tumbled around, some into an old garden trug, another supporting a seamstress's pincushion, and yet another provided a riser for an iron deer head.
Behind it all was what the seller described as an army mosquito netting hat,
but I'm going to say it really belonged to a beekeeper.
 Don't miss the artist's brush trying to hide.

Another totally unrelated mix of treasures.  Everything is resting on an architectural blueprint that's curling and cascading on the velvet.  The steps are old library steps outlined in gold.  On the top step is a ceramic horse head.  One step down is a rubber mold of an Indian.
 I topped this old goblet with a seed pod orb.
 One of my favorite things to collect are old document boxes.
 Teeny ones and ones with words are the best.
 I also came across some very unique copper bracelets.  One has an applique and the other is made to look like a belt buckle.  The other is simply linked metal circles.

I love that I have friends who coerce me into shopping with them.
 I hope you have some too.
 I'd like to hear what you've come across this summer.


Kathy

Recent Vintage Finds

I'm always out and about looking for the unique.  I'm very happy with my recent finds.

Patina gets me every time. This large pine grain bin had it in spades. 

 When I ran my hand across the top, it felt silky soft.  

What a perfect coffee table with tons of storage inside.

Forged iron hinges for support and a brass escutcheon.

Huge iron hinges support the lift top.  Boards are joined with pegs and there are square nails.

The sides are dovetailed, more iron support hinges, and iron handles.

You know how I love shabby chippy.  I fell in love with this mirror.

Detail of Mirror

Another Detail of the Mirror

I also found some signed nautical map prints of Mystic River, Stonington Harbor, and
Pawcatuck River in Connecticuit.  They're signed by John Dodge.

One of Three Framed Nautical Prints in Original Frame and Signed

I also found an architectural column, a demi-john, and two huge bound volumes of
The New York Times.
 It's hard to believe that each huge volume contains approximately only two weeks worth
 of the publication.

Column, Demi-john, Bound New York Times

I have plans for this rope bundle.
 Now it supports a turtle shell and is surrounded by some small bleached turtle shells.

Rope and Turtle Shells

What out-of-the-ordinary finds have you discovered?

Kathy

Rust and Feathers

There's a new shop in the town of vintage shopping, Lucketts, Virginia.  It's a little bit of rust--AKA industrial, and a little bit of feathers--AKA soft and frenchy, with some chippy sprinkled around.  It all blends well in this multi-vendor shop with something for everyone---Rust and Feathers           

I've known the owner, Syd, for a while.  Not only does she maintain a booth and the shop, but she is also an incredibly talented upholsterer.  She's known for her meticulous work and her eye for fabric selection.  
She's the one to go to when you're in need of some fabulous furniture or if  your furniture is in need of a fabulous fabric update. 

Syd, owner, Rust and Feathers

Please enjoy the shop tour.

Please stop by if you're in the area.  You're sure to find some treasures.

Kathy

Rust and Feathers

14928 James Monroe Hwy (Rte. 15)

Leesburg, VA 20176

703-737-6700

Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat 10-5

Sun 12-5

(Closed Tues and Wed)

Please visit the Rust and Feathers blog for inventory updates here.

Or, follow on Facebook here.

I've written about another local shop owner/friend, Mable, who owns Le Petit Marche in Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
If you missed her shop tour, go here.

Le Petit Marche

My sweet friend and fellow vendor, Mable, has decided to seize a wonderful opportunity and open her own shop, Le Petit Marche.  The name is perfect for her "little shop" since Mable loves all things French and her merchandise reflects that infatuation.  Her shop will be a vintage shopping addition to a popular restaurant, The Canal House Creamery & Cafe, located in an 1820's house in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.  Customers can eat and shop ---or shop then eat.  How fun.

The Canal House Creamery & Cafe

 Diners have the option of eating inside or out. 

The Canal House Creamery & Cafe

Mable's shop is connected to the cafe with this walkway which of course she decorated.  I love the row of baskets with overflowing flowers on the railing.

( She also has an additional side entrance.)

This is what you see when you enter from the walkway.  Wow!

Enjoy these next images of her fabulous finds.

She does have a way with antlers.  So pretty.

Please visit

Le Petit Marche
open weekends or by chance

To contact Mable for questions or to arrange an appointment:  lepetitmarche.hf@gmail.com

located in The Canal House Creamery & Cafe
1226 W Washington St
Harpers  Ferry, WV

I hope you'll stop by.  You won't be disappointed.


Kathy