Posted by I’m a bit under the weather and decided to redeem the time by working on a blog post. Started working on a “2017 Wrapup” post, but found it too depressing. Not that it’s been a bad year. It hasn’t. But I didn’t reach the sales and revenue goals I’d set for myself. So I decided to think about something more fun…like my favorite finds of 2017.
If you’re like me, hunting for vintage stuff in the highways and byways is a passion and a joy. I never tire of it. Here they my top 10 favorite finds of 2017 (though I may change my mind next week!) in no particular order…
Art Nouveau Hat Pin with Sterling Front
I bought this charming hat pin from an eBay seller. It’s a true Art Nouveau-era piece. (I may turn it into a pendant.) Alas, alas, I see a lot of “Art Nouveau” jewelry for sale that was made yesterday. I’m okay with describing something as “Art Nouveau style” but to attribute a piece of newly made jewelry to 1880-1910 is wrong and deceptive. This pin is the real deal.
Replica Houdon Terracotta Busts
What can I say? I found these delightful busts at my neighborhood Goodwill. They are reproductions of Louise and Alexandre Brongniart sculptures originally by Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741 – 1828) and are scarce Borghese versions.
Victorian Dog Figurine
I think my heart skipped a beat when I spotted this dog figurine on a shelf at a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. Likely a Staffordshire piece, the bottom was open and showed how the clay bats had been hand pressed into the mold…a technique used in the 1800s! To find such an old piece amidst all the modern bric-a-brac was a thrill. (SOLD)
Small Spinach Jade Bowl
I bought this from another Etsy seller. It was priced tantalizing low for jade and so pretty. I love things made from natural rock, mineral and crystal.
[Non-Vintage] Kate Spade Grey Street Cooper Purse
I’ve never felt the need to wear designer labels. That said, I was tickled when I found this Kate Spade leather bucket purse at my local thrift store. I’ve actually used it a couple of times and feel quite swank. I’ll be listing this here on my blog at some point.
1950s-1970s Handmade Pottery Vase
Found this in a small consignment shop in York, Nebraska. We had gone to Nebraska to visit my husband’s parents and see a total eclipse of the sun. (Which was weirdly awesome!) Spotted this intriguing vintage vase in the back of the store for $2. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is mine. (I don’t plan on listing this in my store…at least not anytime soon!)
1950s/1960s Boy Scout Shirt
Loved this vintage Boy Scout shirt with all the bells and whistles. (It actually fits. Thinking I should wear it sometime.) This was a yard sale find, but a pricy one. The guy running the sale was a frequent seller at the popular Alameda Flea Market. He knew what he stuff was worth and wasn’t willing to negotiate on the price of this shirt, but threw in the vase I wanted for free.
Vintage “O. Danner Reiseartikel Bern” Swiss Leather Case
I saw this Swiss case at a local rummage sale. The leather was dry and scratched, but I really, really liked it and thought it had potential. I decided to condition the leather and it turned out beautifully. I almost didn’t list it in my store because well, I really, really liked it! (SOLD)
Celluloid Victorian Hair Comb
Found this beauty at my cousin-in-law’s collectibles shop in Lockport, New York. This comb is big and bold with all the rhinestones present. Couldn’t leave this behind.
Edwardian Lace and Linen Shrug
When my friend Lauri and I walked into this one antique store during my trip last February we were greeted with rooms filled with furniture and big items. Beautiful things, but nothing that I could get across country on a plane! But hold the phone, there was a rack of fabric things: tablecloths, doilies, baby dresses and this Edwardian-era lace and linen shrug. In a word, it was a stunner in beautiful condition and for an antique store, shockingly well priced. Downton Abbey here I come!
Hope you enjoyed my finds. Would love to hear about yours!
Happy hunting,
Karen
Hunting for Vintage 
What great finds for you! It’s fun looking back at the successful treasure hunts, isn’t it?
My two favorite finds this year are both framed art, both found on different occasions at the same Goodwill. The first is a small 1836 hand colored steel engraving of the Place de Palud, Lausanne, engraved by W. Wallis after W.H. Bartlett, in what I think is the original mat and frame. I knew it was old, but I was a little shocked to find out how old it really is when I looked it up the day after I bought it. I found the perfect spot to hang it in my home and I am enjoying it immensely every single day.
My second great find from this year is a limited edition signed and numbered print by Edward Gorey, a triptych called “The Tearoom”. I’ve been a huge fan of Edward Gorey’s work my entire adult life, and so I was super excited to find this lounging casually in a stack with a bunch of other odds and ends of stock prints and empty frames.
Good hunting!
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Your finds sound amazing!!! Just the kind of things that get me excited too. And to find them in a Goodwill…well spotted. 🙂
Love Edward Gorey’s work. Bought a book about his house (called “Elephant House”) that I found fascinating.
Happy hunting to you in 2018.
Karen
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