Vacation Life

I’m not traveling much these days, but am thankful I made the trip to visit family in Tennessee. My brother and dad are transplants here, but it suits them, and for me it is a lovely place to visit and I enjoy our time together.

We wrapped up our first evening talking, eating and watching a movie together. (Such a gift.) Then on my first full day in Tennessee we headed to North Carolina–Asheville to be precise with a lovely drive through the Great Smokey Mountains. Lunch was at Farm Burger which I highly recommend for fresh, local ingredients and one of the best illustrated chalkboards.

Of course, I had to go antiquing and thankfully both my brother and dad are willing to put up with it in moderation!

Antique Tobacco Barn

A wowser of an antiquing venue with 77,000 square feet. If you need vintage and antique wood furniture you’ll be spoiled for choice. There were also some fantastic MCM pottery pieces and artwork by various vendors, but all too big for me to transport on a plane.

Loved this 1960s dress!

I admired these two hand-crocheted tablecloths/bedspreads in this basket, but each was priced at $85. No meat on the bone there!

Sweeten Antique Store

Another large venue with 125 vendors. This store had more of the small items I buy and the layout was more accessible, but there were a lot of lovely little things in locked cabinets throughout and I didn’t want to take the time to walk back and forth to the front desk to get someone to open them up. If I had been on my own I would have, but not with family members in tow.

I was really tempted by this fabulous 1960sish reversible jacket for $50.

What I Bought in Asheville

In the end I bought just a few things. Some odd bits and some really worn bits!

Like this heavy, primitive brass thingy. It was described as a “fire tool” and indeed has ash on it, but I wasn’t convinced. For one it seems kinda short. And why is it flat and round at the end? And the sales clerk wasn’t convinced either. Could it be some sort of old kitchen tool? Perhaps for stirring jelly? Or a pendulum…though that doesn’t seem right either. Maybe it is just a fire tool! Other ideas? [UPDATE: Thanks to Lisa who told me this tool is actually an 18th/19th century salamander used in a kitchen for browning food.]

And I know some of you are thinking “You paid money for these?” I know! Both are seriously wabi-sabi. The made-in-Italy leather box with gilding was once sold at B. Altman’s and has a look I think (I hope) someone else will love too. And what about this antique leather kid’s shoe? Such an interesting shoe with a brass toe “bumper.” I’ll give both a rub down with some conditioning paste to revive them.

My one breakable piece is this signed, textured pottery vase with shoulders. Thought it had “a look.” Possibly even a good one!

This Victorian crocheted purse with dangles is rather unique with its colors and stripes. Typically these purses are in ivory with fancy patterns or in black and used as mourning purses. I have never seen one like this.

I spotted this Sam Philipe Jerusalem paperweight and knew the overlay was sterling silver. (It is marked in two places but you really have to hunt for the marks.) The seller didn’t realize it was sterling silver and had it priced at $7.50! Bingo!

Here are recent solds for this paperweight.

Total paid $56.

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Of course the main reason we went to Asheville was to visit the famed Biltmore estate. Wow…what a place! It is pricy but fabulous and well run. Worth a visit. Sadly, we didn’t spend nearly as much time here as we wanted. Some parts were not accessible to our 92-year-old father with his limited mobility and walker and he quickly tired.

Loved the tapestries and paisleys in the music room.

Here’s one of the sitting areas around the main atrium. And yes, the Christmas decorations are up!

We are back in Tennessee now and I am enjoying hanging out at my brother’s house. He made a delicious chicken stew last night for dinner (who knew he could cook?!) and afterwards we watched an old Hitchcock movie. Good times!

Wishing you happy hunting wherever you are,

Karen