ANNUAL CITY SALENot necessarily a 'haul' and not quite as inexpensive as the 'rummage' sale, but definitely quite specific to all that I collect, is of interest and/or will become part of my art. I 'gather' now with a different focus, but WITH focus...oh it is possible to buy with gay abandon and find yourself with 'regrets' just as it is possible to pass up something and regret THAT later. So...
if it has appeal (I do have specific collections & a variety of interests), has purpose (someday) and most importantly, has a price that is a given, I buy it. There are always ways to free yourself of occasional mistakes...my preference is to donate items to another sale. And this is what I did last week...a car/trunkful to our local Animal Rescue Fund's sale. I even donated some items from my cat collection & was happy to see my donations missing from the high school cafeteria tables...where the sale was held.
Did I come away with stuff? You bet! I didn't photo it here because I bought primarily vintage picture frames including a very large gilt frame I helped my neighbor carry from her car! I was amazed to still see it there for the taking. A very interesting stripped Windsor chair which will either become an art project or will be 'planted' in the garden, an interestingly painted silverplate/flatware box w/flatware...this to be used in my windchimes, oh and the only cat item left--a wrought iron piece now on my front stoop.
How much? Well...nothing marked with prices and the animal fund just asking for a donation...amazing! And if you couldn't come up with a number, they would throw one out to you. I had no problem here as this is my soft spot, my charity, happy to give above and beyond my 'pickins'.
There was one other sale since the 'rummage' and this was another town's historical society's fund raiser...higher end than the one in my town and yielded a large pair of Mexican feather birds w/original frames/labels, 2 old house windows for a future art project, a cluster of strange little dolls and who knows what else!
As to the ANNUAL CITY SALE...this takes place primarily in the town's triangle/center of town and wraps itself up, down and around depending on how many folks decide to sell. Weather always threatens with dark clouds, drizzles, bursts of wind, but we all forge on.
A nice accumulation of items...there is a scrapbook there from the 1930s along with other vintage books including the 1950s Advertising awards, a couple of 'shoes', a wooden shoe form that I bought along with what I think are cricket paddles...the patina on these wooden items is their beauty. A stack of old beautifully addressed envelopes/stamps (1939 World's Fair) which include a couple of vintage birth announcements, pair of deco style black cats, a tipsy-stripper figurine ca. 1940s--a gift from a favorite dealer because this risque figure suffered serious cracks/repairs.
When all is unpacked, cleaned up a little...I assess while dispersing and the real treasure reveals itself...this the painting. I was on my way to the car, to unload, free my arms in the drizzle and I spotted it under a table. It's crackled, the gilt frame is worn, but it shines here. It is signed/dated 1950. There is something so pleasing to me in the palette of art done in the 40s and 50s which is enhanced by the primitively done art.
This painting has a couple of old address labels stuck to the back...Los Angeles, California, bearing a different name than the artist. I am not familiar with the West coast, but I'm sure this painting depicts some traveled aspect of the coastline...an architectural 'wonder' to the front.
If someone knows...let me know.
To conclude a lengthy post...town events usually wind up bumping into people you know and maybe even hooking up with a friend which is what I did. She was traveling on foot and we walked a large solid cherry swinging crib (for her two 'boys' _^..^_ ) to my car...(she got it for $5!! from the same people who sold me most of the books, wooden items).
Then to lunch...local pub that had just opened its doors and filled up within moments. Good food, window view watching the shoppers, the rain...and feeling some mighty tired legs when we stood up!
All days are good...and some are even better!
if it has appeal (I do have specific collections & a variety of interests), has purpose (someday) and most importantly, has a price that is a given, I buy it. There are always ways to free yourself of occasional mistakes...my preference is to donate items to another sale. And this is what I did last week...a car/trunkful to our local Animal Rescue Fund's sale. I even donated some items from my cat collection & was happy to see my donations missing from the high school cafeteria tables...where the sale was held.
Did I come away with stuff? You bet! I didn't photo it here because I bought primarily vintage picture frames including a very large gilt frame I helped my neighbor carry from her car! I was amazed to still see it there for the taking. A very interesting stripped Windsor chair which will either become an art project or will be 'planted' in the garden, an interestingly painted silverplate/flatware box w/flatware...this to be used in my windchimes, oh and the only cat item left--a wrought iron piece now on my front stoop.
How much? Well...nothing marked with prices and the animal fund just asking for a donation...amazing! And if you couldn't come up with a number, they would throw one out to you. I had no problem here as this is my soft spot, my charity, happy to give above and beyond my 'pickins'.
There was one other sale since the 'rummage' and this was another town's historical society's fund raiser...higher end than the one in my town and yielded a large pair of Mexican feather birds w/original frames/labels, 2 old house windows for a future art project, a cluster of strange little dolls and who knows what else!
As to the ANNUAL CITY SALE...this takes place primarily in the town's triangle/center of town and wraps itself up, down and around depending on how many folks decide to sell. Weather always threatens with dark clouds, drizzles, bursts of wind, but we all forge on.
A nice accumulation of items...there is a scrapbook there from the 1930s along with other vintage books including the 1950s Advertising awards, a couple of 'shoes', a wooden shoe form that I bought along with what I think are cricket paddles...the patina on these wooden items is their beauty. A stack of old beautifully addressed envelopes/stamps (1939 World's Fair) which include a couple of vintage birth announcements, pair of deco style black cats, a tipsy-stripper figurine ca. 1940s--a gift from a favorite dealer because this risque figure suffered serious cracks/repairs.
When all is unpacked, cleaned up a little...I assess while dispersing and the real treasure reveals itself...this the painting. I was on my way to the car, to unload, free my arms in the drizzle and I spotted it under a table. It's crackled, the gilt frame is worn, but it shines here. It is signed/dated 1950. There is something so pleasing to me in the palette of art done in the 40s and 50s which is enhanced by the primitively done art.
This painting has a couple of old address labels stuck to the back...Los Angeles, California, bearing a different name than the artist. I am not familiar with the West coast, but I'm sure this painting depicts some traveled aspect of the coastline...an architectural 'wonder' to the front.
If someone knows...let me know.
To conclude a lengthy post...town events usually wind up bumping into people you know and maybe even hooking up with a friend which is what I did. She was traveling on foot and we walked a large solid cherry swinging crib (for her two 'boys' _^..^_ ) to my car...(she got it for $5!! from the same people who sold me most of the books, wooden items).
Then to lunch...local pub that had just opened its doors and filled up within moments. Good food, window view watching the shoppers, the rain...and feeling some mighty tired legs when we stood up!
All days are good...and some are even better!
