Sometimes when I go Junquing I hit the Motherlode of 'Scores' and at unbelievable Bargains... Saturday was such a day as this! Yes, I was 'Goodwill Hunting' since most of the Thrifts had 50% off all their Merchandise... and you know I'm all over that! *Winks* Though it had been professionally Framed I prefer most of my Oil Paintings to be Simple and Unframed. I felt the large fussy Frame detracted from this Beautiful Small Oil Painting that reminded me of an Idyllic Bora Bora Lagoon... where I Dream of one day languishing, so I took it out of the Frame. I like it much better just propped in a Vignette. The details and depth are Amazing, I feel as though I could walk right into this tiny unsigned Painting and the Price was less than Three Bucks!
I also have a 'Thing' for Botanicals and so whenever I find Vintage ones I scoop them up. This is one of two matching tiny Vintage Botanicals obviously Created by the same person... Beautifully mounted on Vintage Sepia Colored Satin with dainty Dried Field Herbs and this one has a Butterfly... only a Dollar and Forty-Nine Cents each!
So I bought the Pair and just Love everything about them including the simple Wooden Frames brushed with Gilt Paint.
Here's a Close-Up of the second one.
The next 'Score' was a Cool Old Black Box filled with a complete Set of Hand Carved Chess Pieces and a Maker's Label saying Wm. F. Drueke of Grand Rapids, Mich. ... for under Three Bucks!
The next 'Score' was supposed to be heading for my Showroom... see, I even put a Price Tag on it and put it with the Items that will be Showroom bound in the Morning! *Smiles* But it is such the height of Retro Motel Cool Lighting that in the end I just couldn't bring myself to part with it! I was Wrestling with the Urge to Keep rather than Sell in fact!!! *LOL* Even The Man thought it was Cool and had similar Nostalgic Memories of these at Motel Bedsides back in the day!
(Yes, the Tree is STILL up and at this rate might stay up all Month!?)
A double Gooseneck Motel Lamp, still fully functional with three settings, where either of the one Lights or both Lights can be turned on or off and pointed any way or angle you choose or need!
I'm Adoring everything about this Light... from the Bronze Base... double Gooseneck adjustments... to the double Sepia Hued Fiberglass Lampshades with Lovely Retro Butterfly and Leaf Motif!!!
As much as our Family moved in my Childhood I recall these types of Lamps on the Center Bedstands of most Motels of that Era. I thought they were Cool then, and I still do now, and to find one now was a total Rush... Old Motel Decor doesn't make it's way into the Secondhand Market very often... so I knew I'd absolutely Regret Selling this one at any Price!
I only paid Twelve Bucks and it was twice as Functional and Sweet as the other Vintage Art Deco Single Gooseneck Lamp I presently had on this Desk, so I swapped them out. The Conversation with Myself went something like this: "If you Sell this... where are you gonna find another one any better, Cooler and less than Twelve Bucks?!" EXACTLY! So it was a no brainer to take the Price Tag off and consider this one a Keeper! *LOL* Vintage Lamps fly out of my Showroom quickly, so I just couldn't risk waffling with the Sell versus Keep sentiments on this one. And the muted glow of one or both Lights is perfect for a Computer Room.
And no... I didn't decide to Keep everything in yesterday's Haul! Showroom bound are a Vintage Leather Briefcase, Vintage Wood and Metal Skirt Marker in Original Box, Silverplate Urn and a Vintage Retail Sign that says 'Many Extras'.
And a PAIR of Gorgeous Large matching Stained Glass Style Commercial Signs with Images of Peacock, Chateau and Grapevine in the Graphics from 'Chateau Ste. Michelle'!!! You know how much I Adore Peacocks... and Stained Glass... and Wine... and Chateaus... so letting go of this Pair of matching Signs ain't easy my Friends! *LOL*
Chateau Ste. Michelle is the oldest Winery in Washington State and is one of the Country's most famous Wineries. Where these two Signs were used or Displayed I can't say because I have no idea how they ended up in a Thrift Shop in Phoenix, Arizona?!? Perhaps a Distributor of the Chateau's Wines Locally once had them as Displays or as Promotion, I don't know?!? I could find no Images or Comps Online of this exact Signage.
I just think they're Beautiful... and perfect for Decorating a French or Tuscan Inspired Room, a Wine Cellar, Rec Room or Sun Room where the Light can Shine through them like a Window! Alas I have insufficient Wall Space to keep even one or I'd be Tempted to Keep one and Sell one. *LOL* I'll be Selling them Separately rather than as a Set though because of the Large Size... someone would have to possess a lot of Wall Space to hang both. I got such an Insane Deal on these I had to Pinch myself to make sure I wasn't Dreaming!? *Winks* Peacock Perfect for my Showroom!
A Small Keeper I 'Scored' was this Lovely Vintage Turquoise Floral Framed Needlepoint... as a Fabric Artist I like to Display Hand-Made Fabrics and Artwork as Inspiration... and sometimes they eventually come down and get used in a Creation that they seem Just Right for. This one was under Four Bucks and the Colors are in my Fav preferred Palette for Needlepoint.
And my Favorite 'Score' of the Day was under Three Bucks and something I had been specifically Thinking Upon recently and Hoping the Laws Of Attraction would bring my way!? I Love the Old Carnival Chalkware Prizes that could be Won on the Midway in the 20's through 40's Eras. I don't own a single one but I've always wanted to begin a Collection of them, they are so Vintage Kitsch. But the Prices can be high so I've always Passed on the few I've ever seen. And I have always liked the Dogs in particular... so Imagine how Jazzed I was to 'Score' this Boxer Smoking a Pipe and well within Budget! He has a nick in his Cap, but considering his Age, his Colors are still Vibrant and he's in pretty good shape... so begins my Carnival Chalkware Collection of Kitsch! *Winks*
I'll be joining Cindy over at MY ROMANTIC HOME for the 'Show And Tell' Blog Party she's Hosting... come Join us!
I'll be joining Cindy over at MY ROMANTIC HOME for the 'Show And Tell' Blog Party she's Hosting... come Join us!
And may your Junquing Forrays be Equally productive my Friends... Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian