Finding Old, Humble Things

Lately I’ve been particularly smitten by old, humble things that are well crafted, have survived decades of use and are still usable today!  Like the bunch of old hammers I bought at a yard sale last weekend. The patina on these was so appealing.

So the other day I was happy to find this humble Korean brass tray at Goodwill that had just been put on the shelves the night before. It’s all clean lines (and a hefty three pounds) and would fit in any decor.

And at my favorite rummage sale I found other humble items that captured my heart. The first was a very old, worn, leather case with the maker’s mark: “O. Danner, Reiseartikel, Bern.” Looks military or industrial to me, but after an hour of research, I haven’t been able to find out anything about it. Today this could be used to store jewelry or special mementoes.

And I spotted this Victorian/Edwardian-era wood butler dustpan and broom. Think about it, made over 100 years ago and could still be used today.

And I couldn’t resist this small Indian drum made of wood and hide.

And just to balance out all the humble things, I bought this kitschy, colorful 1950s Paris wool needlepoint handbag from Betty, a local Craigslist contact. The manufacturer’s tag is missing and she told me it was likely a Switkes, but I’ve found a similar one listed as a Koro Creation. It’s in great condition.

It was so much fun hunting for these things the other day. Now to get them listed in my store!

What are your favorite old, humble things?