Friday we made the opportunity to do something I have always wanted to do: attend Raleigh's Antique Extravaganza. They had a wide array of things for sale, such as:
Toys - from miniature metal soldiers to old wooden rocking horses and horse sticks, there where a few booths had toys on display. There was also a doll collector vendor who specialized in restoration, but I don't consider Raggedy Ann & Andy to be antique. :)
Linens - I love looking at linens and think they look nice, but since I don't use tablecloths or linen napkins or fancy hand towels, those are just nice things to look upon. A few booths I couldn't help but wonder if the linens were new but made using antique methods (tatted lace, hand embroidery, etc) I didn't stop to ask so I guess I'll never know.
Furniture/repurposing - There were a few booths that had antique furnishings, some fancy, some plain, and thoroughly enjoyed looking at those. Prices were all over the place, and many "showers" were more than willing to bargain. Too bad we weren't in the market for anything. One of my two favorite repurposed pieces (both had me wishing I had taken my camera) were made into hall trees. One of them was made from porch railings and slats. The coat hangers were actually door knobs off of old doors. I thought it was very creative, though with its bulkiness you'd need a really large entryway to house it. The other was a smaller hall tree, but it was made from a feeding trough. That cracked me up.
There were a few things that made me a little sad, like bronzed baby shoes and yearbooks. Personal items in sales such as those always scream "unloved" to me, but it was also a good reminder that we waste way too much money on frivolous things that the next generation or two will simply get rid of.
A few things that I found funny and not antique - rotary dial telephones. Those were the first phones we had in our house (that I remember) and seeing them in an antique sale was strange. Metal cookie cutters - exactly like my Mom's. Not only where they metal, but the had little lever handles on top made from the same sheet of metal. I debated whether or not to get one that she didn't have, but decided since she so seldom makes cookies anymore (if ever) I'd pass. I started to tell Bobby those weren't antiques, but knowing that my parents got those as a wedding present and they'll celebrate 49 years of marriage this winter, I guess those cookie cutters are antique.
It didn't take as long to walk through the displays as I had anticipated, but we had fun anyway. It helped that it was very crowded. We may not ever make it back to another one (which would be fun), but it's one of those things I can cross off my "it'd be nice to do but don't know if I ever will" list.
Toys - from miniature metal soldiers to old wooden rocking horses and horse sticks, there where a few booths had toys on display. There was also a doll collector vendor who specialized in restoration, but I don't consider Raggedy Ann & Andy to be antique. :)
Linens - I love looking at linens and think they look nice, but since I don't use tablecloths or linen napkins or fancy hand towels, those are just nice things to look upon. A few booths I couldn't help but wonder if the linens were new but made using antique methods (tatted lace, hand embroidery, etc) I didn't stop to ask so I guess I'll never know.
Furniture/repurposing - There were a few booths that had antique furnishings, some fancy, some plain, and thoroughly enjoyed looking at those. Prices were all over the place, and many "showers" were more than willing to bargain. Too bad we weren't in the market for anything. One of my two favorite repurposed pieces (both had me wishing I had taken my camera) were made into hall trees. One of them was made from porch railings and slats. The coat hangers were actually door knobs off of old doors. I thought it was very creative, though with its bulkiness you'd need a really large entryway to house it. The other was a smaller hall tree, but it was made from a feeding trough. That cracked me up.
There were a few things that made me a little sad, like bronzed baby shoes and yearbooks. Personal items in sales such as those always scream "unloved" to me, but it was also a good reminder that we waste way too much money on frivolous things that the next generation or two will simply get rid of.
A few things that I found funny and not antique - rotary dial telephones. Those were the first phones we had in our house (that I remember) and seeing them in an antique sale was strange. Metal cookie cutters - exactly like my Mom's. Not only where they metal, but the had little lever handles on top made from the same sheet of metal. I debated whether or not to get one that she didn't have, but decided since she so seldom makes cookies anymore (if ever) I'd pass. I started to tell Bobby those weren't antiques, but knowing that my parents got those as a wedding present and they'll celebrate 49 years of marriage this winter, I guess those cookie cutters are antique.
It didn't take as long to walk through the displays as I had anticipated, but we had fun anyway. It helped that it was very crowded. We may not ever make it back to another one (which would be fun), but it's one of those things I can cross off my "it'd be nice to do but don't know if I ever will" list.
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