Sunday, April 28, 2013

Spring Pickin 2013

Want to look like you were just teleported from a Newport beach bash awash in Narragansett Beer during the Kennedy Administration? Check out this apron, perfect for your next party's oyster bar shucking station. - A couple of bucks.
A friend went to a really good ol' fashioned country auction and found this great piece of folk art by the garden. What's it good for? Absolutely nothing. I just thought that it was funny and cool.
From the same auction, she pulled this hornets nest that was hung up in the barn rafters. Again, what's it good for? Absolutely nothing but it makes for great natural sculture. 

Kind of scary, ten minutes after my friend told me that she was lucky to have her health after some serious health issues, she tripped over a box in her booth and hit her head on the pavement. After an ambulance to the emergency room, she was released. Pretty lucky.

Church rummage sales have been fairly good. I happened upon one rather late one Saturday morning recently and was able to find some pretty decent things cheap. This 1960s curtain fabric was in perfect condition and passed the 'Bud Collins' test, meaning that it could these be taken over to the Andover Shop and made into kickass G.T.H. pants. Under $10 for many yards of fabric.

I can never resist more diner china and this airbrushed pine cone china from the 1950s was too perfect for the dream cabin to pass up, especially at a buck or two a plate.
At the same church rummage sale that I found the choo-choo fabric, I found this complete set of cool Danish Modern dishes in versatile blue and white. Although a few pieces were chipped, a whole box full for $8 isn't bad.
I haven't been to many estate sales this spring but this underadvertised one was pretty good. Low key, Old Raleigh family trying to liquidate a bunch of stuff. What is the roll of stuff? It's 1960s grass paper that was very popular as wall paper back then. I think that it could be used as a good, cheap runner in a beach house.
My church held its annual Trash 'n Treasure rummage sale to support youth missions and it's quite a scene. I looked around and looked around and didn't see anything. Here's another lesson or two. First, don't give up too easily and make that extra curcuit around the junk because that's when you often spot stuff. Second, if you have eclectic tastes like I have, literally hundreds of people can beat me to a sale and I can still find stuff. No one paid much attention to the artwork and I found a couple of decent items. This civil war piece is pretty decent. Well executed and an original painting, I got it for $6. Anything Masonic is interesting to people because that stuff is often so weird and mysterious. This framed shadbox frame was probably made as a memorial for a member and, although it looks like it was made yesterday I'd guess that it is from the 1940s at the latest judging by the framer's label on the back. One interesting thing about it is that, if you notice, there is a 'flap' hidden by the ribbon. I'll bet that there is something hidden behind that flap!

22 comments:

Thaddeus said...

Remember that like it was yesterday -- think we danced the Camel Walk to the Shirelles, yessir.

Horatio said...

Thad: You're losing it -- it was dancing the Twist to the sounds of Chubby Checker. Then, as I remember, you had consumed a few Cape Cods at the clam bake....

The Ghost of Felix Rohatyn said...

Is that lady really just your "friend"? It's okay, Mr. Trad, I know how it goes...one minute your combing through a box of old tabacco blankets, and the next minute your hands touch. Pretty soon thereafter, you're dabbing Brasso on an old Jefferson cup together. Mazel, really, it's okay.

Martha said...

Folk art is a very good thing.

The Ghost of Admiral Stockdale said...

Take that hill, son, there are more of those oriental rugs on the other side.

What? No, I'm fine. Okay, Felix, fine for a dead guy.

H. Ross said...

Jeezum Pete, Jim Stockdale, I told you that damn war of yours is over. And for the love of all things Holy, Felix Rohatyn is not dead - I had lunch with him the other day at '21.

This kid, Mr. Trad, is trying to run a respectable blog here - with all sorts of good stuff like rummage sales and rugby - but these whacked-out Eastern European and Deep South trailer park dwellin' individuals are making a doggone mockery out of it.

Kudos to you for your patience, Mr. Trad, now would you mind running a piece on monk strap shoes or the merits of a good clothes brush vs. excessive dry cleaning. Now that'd be some good entertainment.

Martha said...

And if that Russian cad hasn't already snapped it up, I might be interested in taking that yummy fabric off your hands. You have quite the eye, Mr. Trad, you really do.

Do you ever find yourself in Connecticut?

Pine Plains Weekender said...

Nice Entry. I like the old civil war painting a lot...great color and nice frame.

Seriously, if you stumble upon one of those Hubley French Bulldog; Spaniel; or Pointer iron door stops - condition unimportant - or some old wooden Remington or Winchester shot shell boxes - please let me know.

Trailer Trad said...

Ghost,

That nice lady's currently dating an old doctor, I think.
-So I don't have a chance.

Martha,

Thanks so much. -Are you an actual woman because that's VERY rare among my blog commenters.

H.Ross,

Whoah... hold on there. I won't have you implying that my loyal blog commenters are making a mock...Wait, hold on. Maybe they are making a mocckk...room spinning...feel dizzy..

Pine State,

Your good taste continues to impress! I'll keep an eye out.

Russian Trader said...

How much to bundle hornet's nest and pine cone plate?

Phineas said...

Last time i saw a wooden Winchester shell box it contained a bottle of Blanton's bourbon.

Eustace said...

You gonna leave us guessing? Whats behind the danged flap on the Masonic shadowbox?!

Trailer Trad said...

Russian Trader,

Buy now and I'll throw in 10,000 live hornets for free.

Phineas,

So true! I'd forgotten about that. I was thinking about the actual paper shell boxes (that also quite collectible)but the old wooden ones are quite cool.

Eustace,

There was a sheet of heavy,french-milled stationary with a strange seal on it. However, it didn't say anything. Not a thing. Nope. I burned it so I can't go back and check either.

And Raleigh is not the center of world Freemasonry. -We're just a little town! Why would that be true? Ha. You make me laugh Eustace with your silly inquiries.

Martha said...

A very real woman, Mr. Trad, and fond of younger men since I got out of prison.

Mildred said...

Just because I can out-run, out-shoot, and out-spit any man in Culpeper County, and just because I can pee standing up, doesn't mean I'm not a real woman.

The Ghost of Felix Rohatyn said...

Thanks, Ross, you are correct in that I am decidedly not dead. My "nom de blog" is supposed to be witty, like all those hipsters in NYC.

Moreover, that was the Four Seasons where we bumped into each other, Ross, not '21. You were eating a big plate of shrimp cocktail with G. Gordon Liddy or some other bald military type, and I was having a Cobb salad, alone, and reading the FT. I wouldn't exactly say that we had lunch "together."

Anyway, I'd also like to see a piece on brushing or patting dust and lint from suit lapels and trousers. You can't dry clean a modern day BB suit too often these days, it'll shine like a dickens - Ross can confirm that.

Pine Plains Weekender said...

Blanton's is delicious. Will there be any at the cabin next month?

G. Gordon said...

It wasn't me, I think that was the Russian Trader that Ross was with.

I was having a slice of brick oven pizza in the village with Ollie North; E. Howard Hunt's illegimate son from Estonia; Rudy Giuliani; and Elton John. Strange group, I'll admit, but they're all top-notch bocce players.

Martha said...

Bocce is a very good thing. It means kiss in Italian.

Martha said...

I can teach you to make another lovely shadowbox using things you already have around the house.

Jahbulon said...

I'll be sending over a team to pick up the secret of the pyramids document next Tuesday. Look for the miniature cars.

Russian Trader said...

Do you accept PayPal for hornet's nest and plate?