Tag: jute twine

Forthcoming Attractions: Mid January 2015

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selection of vintage homewares coming to the H is for Home shop in mid January 2015 including a fat lava floor vase, two-tone orange Thermos vacuum flask, orange vacuum jug, maroon Crayonne ice bucket, white first aid tin, cream enamel tiffin, large bobbin with twine, industrial stapler and wooden Zoo-line hippo figure

Justin’s been photographing our recent vintage purchases today – here’s a sneak preview of items heading for the web shop & antiques centre this week.

Fat lava West German pottery floor vase

We’ll start with this gorgeous fat lava West German vase. It’s got our favourite look for this type of pottery – heavily textured with a bold flash of colour.

selection of vintage picnic items including a two-tone orange Thermos vacuum flask, orange vacuum jug, maroon Crayonne ice bucket and cream enamel tiffin

We might be a bit premature in picking up picnic wares (there’s sleety snow falling outside as we write), but there’s nothing like being prepared! Some lovely items here for picnicking, camping – or a day on the allotment. The most unusual piece has to be this vintage enamel tiffin.

vintage cream enamel tiffin bowls unstacked

It comprises four cream & green containers with an aluminium carry frame. Perfect for all kinds of food from rice dishes to salads – a four course meal in fact!

white first aid tin and wooden bobbin with jute twine

We thought this wall-mountable first aid box was very nice – it’s made of metal and has a clean, simple style. Sitting alongside the cabinet is an old mill bobbin with jute twine. No house should be without some good twine – and when it looks this good, all the better.

small vintage leather suitcase and industrial stapler with staples

Next, a couple of items that date from the 1920s/30s kind of era. These old staplers are full of character and display really well. It can earn its keep though as it still works – and even has a box of old staples to go with it! We love the tiny vintage case – endless storage possibilities from craft materials to fashion accessories. They look great on a shelf or chest of drawers – singly or in a small pile. This one even had some lovely old paper from a local drapers.

details of interior of vintage leather suitcase

Last, but certainly not least is this gorgeous wooden hippo. We didn’t actually buy this piece recently – more a case of putting her into storage and it temporarily vanishing! Safe & sound now though. It’s an overnighter – the mouth opening wide to hold jewellery, watches and so on. It’s from the Zoo Line Series designed in the 1950s. There’s a bit of damage to the ear, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. The hippo has its original packaging and she looks pretty much unused – so ear aside, condition is excellent – including the bright red lips and the fact that the curly tail is intact – often this is missing or broken.

vintage wooden Zoo-line hippo with original box

So, as usual, a diverse range of items – they’ll all be available to buy soon.

Forthcoming Attractions: early June 2012

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selection of vintage garden items including canvas seated chair, terracotta pots, 3 large reels of jute twine, hand painted fish & chip shop signs and tin dolly tub and bath

We went to one of our ‘bygones’ auctions last weekend – so this Forthcoming Attractions post has a lovely, vintage, outdoors-y feel. The lots up for sale were gathered from farms, barns, yards, outbuildings & allotments.

tin dolly tub and bath from a selection of vintage garden items

We often come back with some galvanised metal containers – baths, dolly tubs and buckets. They’re ideal candidates for a bit of upcycling – functioning as planters, water butts or general storage containers.

tin dolly tub and buckets containing hostas large tin bath containing lavender shrubs

The price of dolly tubs in particular has increased quite markedly in recent years, although we can understand why. Not only do they look great with their ribbed, patterned sides – they’re multi-functional and there’s no chance of frost shattering. We’ve just put one in our Picture House Antiques pitch where we try to keep a corner that has a vintage cottage garden or wash house look.

stack of terracotta pots from a selection of vintage garden items

We bought a good quantity of terracotta pots. We’ll keep half as we’re running a bit short ourselves – the others will go into the shop. They have this lovely, aged colour – much paler than new terracotta – and are ideal for use inside or out.

three large reels of jute twine from a selection of vintage garden items

All our future twine needs have been satisfied with these huge rolls – probably used for bailing hay or straw in days gone by. It’s perfect for kitchen or garden use too. We’ve put a couple of large rolls in our shop – and have also broken one of them down into much smaller balls of twine which have been selling well already.

set of four wood and canvas camp chairs from a selection of vintage garden items

Next we have this excellent set of folding beech & striped canvas chairs. They’re perfect for picnics or camping – or they could be just the thing to keep in the summer house or shed – providing a welcome seat to rest those weary legs after a long day’s gardening – glass of something chilled in hand to admire your efforts!

two hand painted wooden fish and chip shop signs from a selection of vintage garden items

We’re happy with all the day’s purchases, but these vintage fish & chip shop signs might just be our favourite. We think they’re charming. We see them working really well as a quirky wall decoration in the kitchen, seaside chalet or even beach hut.

Fish & chips with tea, bread & butter for 2 shillings (or 10 new pence) – those were the days!