Sunday, May 18, 2008

Old Stuff


After putting much time and sweat into the garden this weekend (report to come), I decided to play hooky for a few hours and go browse my favorite (air conditioned) antique mall. I don't do this very often since my house is already up to its gills in stuff. Do I really need more old stuff? "Antique mall" in this neck of the woods pretty much translates to overpriced thrift shop, but if you have persistence and a treasure seeking soul you can find some gems. Well, if not gems, then items that are better living with you than with their last owner.

I think I did quite well today. The little sheep will join my flock at home, but the cool little "Black Bull" Scottish Whiskey bottle will join the livestock in my office. Yes, it did come with contents intact, but I am not brave enough to drink something I found at an antique mall. Perhaps Magnusmog can give me a critique on "Willsher's Black Bull Scottish Whiskey".

The expandable carpenters ruler I bought out of pure nostalgia. As a child I was fascinated by one my Dad had. This one expands to 72 inches and has a cool brass slidey bit for an unknown purpose (the numbers are worn off there).

Most useful is the coffee mill. I have been looking for one for my vintage (no electricity) trailer. Most of the used ones you find have corroded mechanisms. I doubt this one is very old. With a bit of trial and error I have been able to adjust the mechanism for the finer grind I prefer.

I also found a hot/cold server (read ice bucket) that was too cute to pass up, and a 1947 knitting book with patterns for interesting things like "gilets" and "godets". Some of the pictures remind me of my Mom's high school and college pictures. I will probably never make the wool bathing suits (yikes), but the pattern for the "Swagger Coat" looks really interesting. The pattern for the Men's Swimming Trunks calls for 6 oz of 4-ply wool and a "bathing belt" - I wonder where you get one of those....

6 comments:

Sharon said...

After all the pressure, what a great way to treat yourself, and just think of the sheep as a replacement for the one the quake broke. I too remember my father's folding ruler. You did quite well~

Janet said...

I bought the exact same ice bucket at the Assistance League thrift shop a couple months ago! I love the penguins, and it matches my old toaster (also from a thrift shop) I had a folding ruler from my grandfather but my son broke it when he was a toddler.

magnusmog said...

I've never heard of the whisky make but it originally comes from Dundee (according to to the label )and that is only about 20 miles away from me.

I'll do a little digging to see if I can find anything about the company but the whisky should be fine to drink as long as the seal is intact. I can't guarantee it will taste nice though!

Mim said...

How fun! I don't get enough of antique shopping living out here. My dad built homes when we were kids and he also had a folding ruler!!

Birdsong said...

Good scores! I don't browse as often any more, and for the same reason... there isn't much room on the shelves!

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

sounds like quite the haul :) Not sure I would try the whiskey either, it may be 'over' aged lol