To Market, To Market

iheat

Its nearly August which is great news because it means that we are just  “6 sleeps” away from the lovely “I heart market”.

blog3

We have loads of pretty cups and saucers.

Its nearly a month since the last one and I have since had a serious hunt for stock to bring down to “Durbs”. It only seems right to share a little of our countrified loveliness with the friendly beach-loving -metropolis-dwellers! I have been packing my crates for a few weeks so I have actually loss track of exactly what I have in store for the market. Its going to be like Christmas for me when I finally get to unpack it all this weekend.

blog6

Do any of these “ring a bell”?

Here’s what I do know… I have lots of gorgeous glassware, elegant EPNS items, pretty porcelain, wooden items, ornaments, cutlery and a lot of other “Lollapaloozas”. Not to mention a collection of new up-cycled porcelain pendants too (hopefully I will be able to do a separate post about these later this week).

blog2

More pretty porcelain

blog

Pretty plates just R20 each!

I only thought to take pictures of the stock once half of it was safely packed in the crates (with lots of bubble-wrap). So here are the few pictures which  I did manage to take. The rest? Well that will just have to be a surprise for you  too.

blog5

Unusual or ugly? Well, these are real Lollapaloozas!

blog4

Loads of lovely EPNS ware. This is just a very small sample!

Hope to see you at the market… its going be AMAZING!

KLM Bols Delft Houses — Build a Dutch Village on Your Mantle-piece!

We were recently fortunate enough to come across a lovely collection of 22 KLM Bols Delft Houses. Perhaps you have never heard of these lovely collectables? Please do read on to find out more:

delftvil

A village on your mantle-piece

KLM (the Dutch airline) started issuing these miniature house-shaped bottles in 1952. Air companies were not allowed to give presents to their customers because of unfair competition. So, KLM had some Blue Delft houses made, and filled them with Bols Brandy. Then, of course, their competitors complained that KLM were giving presents to their customers. KLM said “May we not decide how we serve our drinks? Is there is a law which states drinks have to be served in a glass?”… and so it all started.

By 1993 the airline had produced 60 different Dutch houses. In 1994, in celebration of  KLM’s 75th anniversary they produced an additional 15 houses to bring the total to 75!  House number 75 is a replica of the former KLM head office.

delvil3

Each house is different but styled on the traditional Dutch-look.

delvil4

If you get tired of looking at them — you can always enjoy the brandy!

The company now produces one new house every year in October to mark another year in business. House number 93 was released last year (to mark the airline’s 93rd birthday).

These miniatures hold a lot of appeal for collectors. They are beautifully detailed and feature the attractive “blue & white” colouring which is well loved by Delft fanatics. They also carry additional value as airline memorabilia and for their link to Bols brandy.

klm75b klm69 klm60 klm46 klm43 klm40

klm37 klm36 klm35 klm33 klm26 klm23b

klm16b  klm6 klm4 klm3 klm9 klm7

You simply can not have just one of these – as you will soon want to build a whole village!

We have the photographed houses for sale at just R100 each – the numbers we have available are as follows:

3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 16, 19, 23, 26, 33, 35, 36, 37, 40, 43, 44,  46, 60, 67, 69, 75 (we have two of 75).

All of them are in good condition – please comment below if you would like more info and photos of any of them.

To read more about KLM  Houses please have a look at this very useful website.

Name the “What-You-Ma-Call-It” Competition

Do you know what these two items are? If you do comment below or send us an email… We will pick the most original answer and send a prize to one lucky fan!

huh

Bidorbuy Wednesday Auction — 22 July 2013

It’s nearly that time of the week again…. the start of bidorbuy’s “Crazy Wednesday” auction. Our “crazy” auctions run from 12pm on Tuesday to 9:30pm on Wednesday. All auctions start at just R1 and the highest bidder wins the auction! This is a great chance to snap up a bargain.  To go to the auctions please click on the links below:

To start off we have a bit of a “Beswick” festival this week. Beswick is a name synonymous with top-quality British porcelain and ceramics. The Beswick figurines and ornaments are highly favoured amongst collectors.

We have this stunning abstract Beswick vase (a very elegant and desirable piece):

vase

This charming Beswick teapot depicts the notorious nurse from Dickens’ Martin Chuzzlewhit. She ought to add some interest to your tea time!

sairey3

She may not have been a good nurse but she makes a fine teapot!

 

This amazing bald eagle ornament is a stunning piece:

eagle

Just look at those wings!

 

We have a Lancaster Toby Jug depicting another well-loved Dickens’ character — Mr Micawber:

mrm

A charming old Toby Jug

 

This large Scotty Dog plate is a highly collectable Royal Doulton piece:

scott2

A lovely plate for the Royal Doulton collector!

 

How about a touch of elegance with this fine Victorian Teacup Duo?

viccupp

Finest china decorated with dainty designs… just your cup of tea!

 

Or you could go for a little pink elegance with this Cauldon trio?

apr10

Prettiest pink … with lovely gilding.

 

Lastly we have these stunning Art Deco figurines. I just love the sense of movement conveyed by this beautiful pair:

dancinglad2

Just look at them dance!

Hope you enjoy this weeks auction… happy bidding!

When “Old” is the New “New”

It seems that in this era of mind-blowingly modern miracles people are beginning to have a hankering after some of the old fashioned charm of yesteryear. You only have to look at Pinterest, Etsy or Flickr to see that “old” is the new “new”.

It’s a strange paradox really – people using their high speed iPads, iPhones or latest android devices (inventions which people could never have imagined 50 years ago) – to look at pages and pages of vintage inspired “prettiness”.  Even fashion has taken a definite “retro” turn in recent years.

pin

Pinterest — got to show some vintage love!

Naturally, I am delighted by the current yester-yearly leanings. I have, however,  never been one to be governed by popular trends. I grew up in the 1990’s … probably one of the most “modern” and “androgynous” eras in all of history. Girls wore “Doc Martin” boots (with short dungarees); overly feminine skirts and dresses were frowned upon and to admit you liked the colour pink was social suicide! Black, white and the occasional touch of blue were the tones of the times.  Phrases like “less is more” and “minimalist”governed the decorating scene.

fashion

The cast of Beverley Hills 90210 pretty much had the 90’s look “sorted”

In spite of my “badly timed” teenage years – I have always had a love for antique treasures. This was probably because I had some good inspiration… My grandparents had an amazing house in Hilton (in the KZN Midlands) which they built themselves using salvaged pieces from demolished antique buildings. They had crystal chandeliers in the lounge, refurbished yellow-wood flooring, huge old hardwood doors, even stained glass windows! The home was literally overflowing with English porcelain, figurines, EPNS cutlery, statuettes and amazing old furniture.  My granny (at nearly 92 years of age) still has a (slightly smaller) home full of such delights.

To add to this, my father and mother have always been avid collectors of vintage treasures (they even had a brief stint running an antique shop in the picturesque village of Robertson in the Western Cape).

I read Jane Austen; knew all the words to “Sound of Music” and collected pretty ornaments and china from church fetes and charity shops. Nothing much has changed… actually, I may have forgotten some of the words to “Raindrops on Roses”…. (at least I now have the luxury of being able to “google” those).

som

“La a note to follow So” … gotta love those curtain outfits in Sound of Music!

So although I have never been a “fad follower” – I think I might just be happy to go along with the latest handcrafting-upcycling-vintage-loving trends. I just hope this endures a little longer than the health sandal phase which lasted for about 6 months when I was in Standard 9!

shoe

Seriously, these were the must-have footwear for teenage girls and boys at Howick High school (for about 6 months in 1998)!