Forgotten Antique Sterling Silver and “New” Thrifted Finds

A lot of downsizing/decluttering books share that if you’re not ready to let something go tuck it away for six months. At the end of six months if you haven’t missed it, you’re ready. Ready to let it go. Makes sense.

Sadly I wasn’t trying to declutter these sterling silver items. They had been wrapped, boxed and stored in preparation for our 2021 house termite tenting. A neighbor had kindly housed them while the termite guys were doing their thing in our house. After I got the them back I left the items boxed and then totally forgot about them.

Oh dear. I mean honestly!

They are fabulous antique sterling silver bits–things I bought and adored and displayed in our china hutch–and I hadn’t missed them for almost two years!

This little English cigarette case commemorates an event in 1944, but the case itself is hallmarked for Birmingham 1918. This charming bright-cut card case (with designs on both sides) is an American piece.

And this sweet card case is full of leafy flourishes and initials and if I remember correctly fits credit cards. I’m sure I used this as a wallet for a time!

How could I have forgotten about these??

Perhaps it IS time to let them go to new homes. The truth is I have too many delightful pieces. More than I can appreciate or use–in part from my “collector years” but also from my vintage/antique business. I think too, even though I do regular purges, because we have lived in this house for decades, I haven’t had the need to “dig deep”…if you know what I mean.

Long story short, I’ll be adding these to my Etsy store soon.

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On a different note, on Thursday, after a dry spell both in sales and thrifting, I finally had orders to take to the post office and decided to pop into my neighborhood thrift store afterwards. Hadn’t been there for a few days and was happy to see some new merch.

Another guy and I were perusing the small, awkward area of artwork. The store makes it hard to flip through stuff. But I did my best and spotted this pretty Chinese watercolor. Gosh, this was sweet as could be.

The lacquered wood frame is beat up and the brocade “mat” has some water stains in the right bottom corner but the artwork is perfect. The top part of the painting. It is enchanting.

Would love to get the Chinese translated. Tried in Google images and this is what it came up with. Hmmm.

Have no idea how to price this. Will need to do more research!

Then on Friday I went to a Russian Orthodox church rummage sale not far from where my daughters live and they both decided to join me. (My youngest doesn’t work on Fridays and my eldest took an extended work break.) What fun! I LOVE hanging out with my daughters. I never take the blessing of their proximity for granted.

Well, it was a smaller sale, heavy on the clothes, but I found a couple of things.

I thought this vintage ceramic ashtray was so fabulously unusual. There was another one in a different shape with the same glaze and I wanted to buy both, but the other one had a noticeable chip. Isn’t this just the wackiest thing?!

This Russian wood shadow box has glass top and a tin bottom. There is an inset removable birch frame with pyrography details and underneath an old print of Mary and Jesus. It needs a bit of cleaning and I’ll condition the wood but it intrigued me.

Paid $7 for the pair.

I’ll close for now. Wishing you all the best in this hot summer.

Karen