I've just added this cool antique English dog, greyhound or hunting hound knife rest. It has a riding crop for a bar and was made in England 1890-1910. I just fell in love with it when I saw it and HAD to have it!

You can see it at:
Time Was Antiques


Lots more fun things to list, so I'd better get going but wanted to post this great victorian gadget to keep the table clean.

Just Added--Fab Wedgwood vases

I just LOVE these vases!!!! Part of the first lot from my recent buying trip. I have just added a two 6.5 inch high Wedgwood, England glazed cream ware or Queens Ware vases made in the 1950s. One is marked 1952 and the other 1956. They have the applied blue grape and grapevine border are are in excellent condition.

I love ANY color, as long as it's blue, and have since I was a child. I like other colors, but I LOVE blue, and especially blue and white. These Wedgwood vases are really superb!

Unpacking is such fun. I can hardly wait to see what's next!

Weather this Memorial Day weekend is perfect. We have been doing some planting, weeding and generally enjoying being outside for breaks from working on the shop.

Now it's time for a snack and then back to work! Enjoy your weekend, and thanks to all those who have served or are serving to keep our country free. God bless you!

We have just returned from our annual spring buying trip with lots of fun items English antiques and collectibles. Some we carried home, but most will be arriving next week.

We will start adding new items to our websites today, and just keep adding as they arrive. We acquired Shelley China, Wedgwood, English real photo postcards, tea caddy spoons, teacups, linens, Crested China, Mottoware, horse brasses, costume jewelry, toast racks, knife rests and much more.

It's just like Christmas...opening the cartons & oohing & ahhing because you've forgotten you got it. It is SUCH FUN!!!!

So, as we ad we'll highlight special finds here as well.
A wonderful & successful trip but it WAS so nice to sleep in our own beds with our own pillows....and our cat either next to or on top of us.

It's a beautiful spring day here on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington state and my DH is mowing the lawn. We'll take a walk later and savor the beauty of spring. Have a great day!

Fab Sadler Art Deco Teaset Added

This is an absolutely brilliant vintage art deco design 3 piece teaset I just added at Time Was Antiques, http://www.timewasantiques.net.

The teapot, cream and sugar was made in the 1940s and features an awesome art deco bubble and checkerboard design that I just had to post. I fell in love with it when I found it in England last trip.All 3 pieces are in excellent condition which makes it even more special! The teaset has been in storage for a few months since arriving so it was like Christmas to open the box and find it.

Lots more fun things to come from that box. I acquired a collection of vintage tea caddy spoons which were in that carton as well, so will start listing some this week. But more about that later.

I'm off to church now and it's sunny today which is always a treat in the Pacific Northwest!

Fred The Flour Grader Pie Funnel

Say hello to this cute little guy...a vintage English pie funnel or pie vent by the name of Fred The Flour Grader from Homepride Bread ads in the 1960-1970s. I just LOVE him! He's not what started me on pie birds or pie funnels, but it's the sort of thing that keeps me looking on our annual buying trips to the markets in England.
The figural Homepride Fred is made of glazed ceramic and stands 4 inches high with a hole in the top of his hat to let out steam. And in excellent condition with a cheeky grin! Pie birds were developed in the 1700s to release steam from a baking pie so the filling didn't boil over. He is SOOO cute! So look for a friend to cook with...they come in all sizes, shapes & personalities. Cool.

I have just loaded a number of vanity or dresser items of antique celluloid, and early plastic. Celluloid was known as the poor man's ivory and had great popularity on both sides of the Atlantic in the late victorian era through edwardian era from 1870-1920. Celluloid was made most often to mimic striations like ivory as well as the color of ivory and was used to make relatively inexpensive items in all sorts of things....toothbrushes, manicure sets, dresser sets, bowls, trays, jewelry, photo albums, collar boxes, etc.

Celluloid was malleable enough to be made into a myriad of shapes and was colored, molded, embossed and further disguised as everything from wood grain, tortoise shell and everything between. Because of it's susceptability to staining, cracking, melting and becoming "sick", a lot didn't survive. But there are many items still available at affordable prices and whole collector societies! Fun items from a bygone era. You can see the collection we have just added on Time Was Antiques at this CELLULOID link in the vanity item category.

Well, at least it's clear today, but after a night down to 20 degress, it has a long way to go to be warm! Hope it's more comfortable where you are....it's the coldest winter here for over 40 years. Go figure....

Wedgwood in bankruptcy

One of our favorite places to visit when we go to England to buy has always been the Wedgwood potteries at Barlaston, near Stoke-on-Trent England. We have loved watching the manufacture of Wedgwood jasperware and dinnerware on the factory tour and lingered long watching the skilled craftsmen making the delicate bone china flowers by hand that decorated specialty pieces. I am heartbroken to see the end of a wonderful tradition of workmanship and art.

Wedgwood, had been acquired several years ago by Royal Doulton, had also been merged with Waterford Crystal and was doing okay...even building and opening in late 2008 a wonderful museum in Barlastan. But the economic crunch meant they couldn't continue.

At the moment, no one is sure what will happen. Will this really be the end of china making in England? The end of beautiful patterns and skills that have taken generations to perfect? We hope not. We'll post if/when we find out anything else.