Auction alert: Commemoratives, Fairings, Stevengraphs, Staffordshire Pot Lids and Prattware

Healey & CoS Crystallized Honey Cream pot lid

London-based Historical & Collectable is the only auction house in the world that regularly holds specialist auctions of commemoratives and Staffordshire pot lids.

Their upcoming auction of Commemoratives, Fairings, Stevengraphs, Staffordshire Pot Lids and Prattware takes place on Tuesday 18th October 2022 at 10am.

I have a growing interest in all the different antique bottles and pot lids from the Victorian and Edwardian era. I follow various ‘bottle diggers’ and ‘mud larkers’ on Instagram and am fascinated at the types of things they uncover. Like the anti-slavery tea kettle and British Antarctic Expedition cup & saucer from last week’s Auction alert post, they provide insight into this country’s social history of that period.

It’s a very niche subject, and prices vary widely depending on scarcity, condition and subject matter. You have to really know your stuff!

At this auction, there’s a buyer’s premium of 24% + VAT on the hammer price and further online charges if you bid via EasyLiveAuction or The Saleroom.

Commemorative coal-mining mug

Lot 68: Coal Mining pottery mug
A rare cylindrical pottery mug printed in black with scenes inscribed for the Oaks Colliery disaster of 1866 and a heavy cast bronze medallion for the opening of the New Coal Exchange in 1849, with embossed case (3)
Estimate: £60 – £90

Anti-slavery cotton work bag

Lot 77: A very rare cotton work bag printed en-grisaille
With the scene of a slave cradling an infant whilst being addressed by a driver, whip in hand, the reverse inscribed with verse, circa 1830, 270 x 220mm, stained and minor tear * See lot 76 for a contemporary description of these work bags in the Ladies Society for the Relief of Negro Slaves newsletter with an explanation of their suggested contents also contemporary engravings from which the portrayal on the front and the script on the reverse of the bag were taken.
Estimate: £1,800 – £2,400

Three jars with named scenes

Lot 223: Three jars with named scenes
Two Crosse & Blackwell jars, one with lid and a Burgess’s jar (7)
Estimate: £30 – £40

Anchovy paste lids

Lot 235: Ten Burgess’s anchovy paste lids
Plus five Banger anchovy paste lids; a Woods areca nut lid and an Army & Navy shaving lid; The Three Choristers, restored and six blank lids (a lot)
Estimate: £40 – £80

Patey's Bears Grease Perfumers, London

Lot 240: Patey’s Bears Grease Perfumers, London
69mm, hairline crack to flange
Estimate: £80 – £120

Russian Bears Grease, genuine as imported

Lot 243: Russian Bears Grease, genuine as imported, delicately scented
100mm, later issue
Estimate: £40 – £80

Rimmels Bunch of Cherries pot lid

Lot 380: Rimmels Bunch of Cherries pot lid
Estimate: £30 – £50

Cherry Tooth Paste pot lid

Lot 381: Cherry Tooth Paste, 81mm
Estimate: £50 – £70

Healey & CoS Crystallized Honey Cream pot lid

Lot 382: The Beehive (130) * Ex Mortimer collection
Estimate: £200 – £300

Uncle Tom and Eva and Uncle Tom - both with bases

Lot 455: Uncle Tom and Eva and Uncle Tom – both with bases (4)
Estimate: £100 – £140

5 ways to improve the feel of your home

5 ways to improve the feel of your home

Is your house nice, but not quite as nice as it could be? At the moment, this is true of many homes, but you and your family deserve to live somewhere that’s the best it can be. There are many things you can do to improve the feel of your home and make it a more enjoyable place to live. You just have to figure out what they are and then do them. In this post, we’ll touch on some of these things so that you can get started. If you want to learn more, keep reading below.

Lower the cost of running your home

The first thing you’ll need to think about is how to reduce your monthly domestic outgoings. We know that this may not have a direct effect on the house in general, but it will still make it a better place to live for two reasons. The first is that it will make things significantly less stressful because your utility bills won’t be as high. The second reason is that if you lower your expenses, you have more money to spend on any home improvements you want to make. This means that lowering expenditure will make a huge difference to your home and to your bank account.

There are many ways of doing this, just get yourself and the rest of the household into developing cost-cutting habits. Develop practices such as switching off lights when you leave a room, stopping water from running unnecessarily, turning down the central heating thermostat by a degree, only boiling as much water in the kettle as you need and so on.

Become more efficient

A great idea for improving your home is making it more efficient. If you care about the environment, you may want to find ways in which to make your home more efficient. A first step is to switch to LED light bulbs that use less energy. Even though they may be a little dimmer than those you’re used to, you’ll soon get used to it – and you won’t need to change them as often. If you use these bulbs instead of the old incandescent variety, you’ll use a lot less energy when you turn on your lights.

You could also do some research to see if you can power your home, or at least part of it, with another type of energy. For instance, a business like Annapolis Propane can help you figure out how to use propane. Of course, you won’t always be able to use this to power your entire house, but it’s a step in the right direction. Or, if you live in sunny climes, you could consider investing in solar power. Set-up costs are a bit high, but the system pays for itself pretty quickly.

Change the mood

Improving the atmosphere of your home can be an extremely beneficial and worthwhile home improvement project. When you first step inside your home, what thoughts and emotions run through your head? You want be greeted by a sense of cosiness and warmth the moment you step through the threshold of your front door. It should feel like you’re at home when you’re there, which means that the space should be comfortable and inviting. If this isn’t the impression you get, something needs to be altered. Create a cosy space for unwinding by incorporating leather corner sofas into the design.

But how exactly do you alter the atmosphere inside the house? Begin by painting the walls in a colour that lifts your mood and makes you feel more positive. White is a good opening option most of the time, despite the fact that it is not very comforting. A softer, more subtle cream or magnolia is a better choice to go with if you want to keep things straightforward and uncomplicated. You could also enhance the space by adding  photographs of your family and friends, cosy soft furnishings and other personalised items.

Complete necessary repairs

If you want your house to be a more pleasant place to live, you need to finish all of the repairs that you keep procrastinating about but never actually get around to doing. Putting off essential repairs is never a good idea because you can never be sure how much worse they’ll get over time. Make it a priority to address maintenance jobs as soon as you become aware of them so that you do not put anything in jeopardy by allowing them to deteriorate further. You may not always have the funds necessary for this, but perhaps you’ll be able to complete some of them yourself.

Set up a quiet room

Adding a room for quiet activity could be a valuable thing to do to improve your home. It could be useful in preventing negative energy from spreading throughout the household. When someone is feeling upset, angry or any other negative emotion, they’ll have the option of going to the quiet room where they can calm down in their own time. If you have a new-born or young children, it can be the place where you take them when they’re crying, irritable or being naughty in order to stop them from disturbing or waking the rest of the family. Make the most of the space by furnishing it with soft blankets, cushions, a rocking chair and other calming items.

We hope you found this post informative and you now have a better understanding of some of the steps you can take to improve the quality of life in your home.

[disclosure*]

Get their look: Tea lover’s brew station

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Helen McLean (@mamofboys)

Helen’s Instagram shots of her kitchen make me smile. She has something of a sweary tea lover’s brew station set up, and it garners lots of support from fellow tea fans!

I’m more of a coffee lover myself. I have a cup of tea about twice a week, and only if someone else makes it for me… because my tea making skills are poor.

Despite Helen and I being Yin & Yang, day & night, completely contrary – I can appreciate her gorgeous space. I just won’t offer to make her one of my brews if she ever came to visit!

Get their look

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Bistro storage jar
Bistro storage jar
3-piece black storage jar set
3-piece black storage jar set
Alessi Plissé toaster
Alessi Plissé toaster
Alessi Plissé kettle
Alessi Plissé kettle
Peace candle
Peace candle
‘Tea Revives You’ wall art
‘Tea Revives You’ wall art
Brooklyn cone wall light – 7 inch, brass
Brooklyn cone wall light – 7 inch, brass
‘Let’s Stay Home’ neon wall light
‘Let’s Stay Home’ neon wall light
Bistro storage jar
Bistro storage jar
3-piece black storage jar set
3-piece black storage jar set
Alessi Plissé toaster
Alessi Plissé toaster
Alessi Plissé kettle
Alessi Plissé kettle
Peace candle
Peace candle
‘Tea Revives You’ wall art
‘Tea Revives You’ wall art
Brooklyn cone wall light – 7 inch, brass
Brooklyn cone wall light – 7 inch, brass
‘Let’s Stay Home’ neon wall light
‘Let’s Stay Home’ neon wall light

How to incorporate a wet room into your home

How to incorporate a wet room into your home

The newest kid on the UK bathroom block? The wet room. Its practical and low maintenance design have seen it surge in popularity amongst UK households. If you’re not certain what a wet room is, it is, in essence, a room in which all the walls and floors are sealed with a waterproof membrane. The result is a 100% watertight space that can be completely doused in water.

Most wet rooms contain a fully tiled shower area without glass panelling, coupled with a slightly slanting floor which guides water into the drain. There’s no risk of the water draining into other parts of the property and causing damage. Wonderfully practical and efficient, wet rooms also open up more design options that you might not have had with a regular bathroom.

The advantages are endless. Here are few worth considering.

Accessibility friendly

Barrier free and completely streamlined, wet rooms are perfect for older people or anyone with mobility issues. There’s no shower enclosure to navigate and no need to step in and out of a shower unit. The design removes all the problematic obstacles with which many people struggle.

A great space-saving option

Wet rooms are a popular choice for smaller houses, commercial buildings or apartments. This is because there’s usually no space taken up by a bath, meaning that the toilet can be placed much closer to the shower, thus saving space.

Many households are doing without baths regardless of mobility issues. Many find that showers are more practical and use less water. Families with young children, especially, are going without the luxury. And with less space, there’s less to clean which is, let’s be honest, always a plus!

Unleash your style on its simple set-up

With less to think about, wet rooms can often be more stylish than the traditional bathroom. Minimalist trends and streamlined aesthetics are easily adaptable for wet rooms which tend to be contemporary in design anyway.

Focus your attention on your tiles, as these will effectively decide the warmth, mood and texture of your wet room. With so many colours and patterns to choose from, this is the perfect opportunity to show off your personal style. Then, install a new toilet to complement the design of your shower and unify the design of your wet room for a beautiful overall aesthetic.

There’s little to no chance of mould or damp

Finally, and perhaps most attractive of all, is the reduced possibility of mould and damp. Due to its watertight nature and it being covered top to toe in tiles, it’s virtually impossible for mould spots to form. For anyone who’s been plagued with a mouldy bathroom, this is the only information they need to make an informed decision.