Royal Copenhagen pin trays
I've been to few car boot sales in the last two years - perhaps four or five - but I have recently been seduced by a new enterprise that has started on a Sunday morning at the local racecourse. I've been very restrained, but my sharpened eye has been lucky enough to find some real treasures - and here are some of the items that I acquired today.
The Royal Copenhagen pin trays are in perfect condition, and a real bargain at just one UK Pound each. They do sometimes come covered in grime though - so here are the "nuts and bolts" of my cleaning box
- all sorts of things here, from lemon juice and salt to silver and brass polish - cleaning is sometimes the most fun part of the whole operation - there is nothing like seeing a filthy piece of china or brass cleaned and polished to perfection!
I've given up collecting "dolls" as such, but now do keep an eye open for wooden figures, which are usually much smaller. These are eight fun little Japanese wooden dolls, accompanied by two fabric covered Kimekomi dolls - three pounds for the lot!
And just one more piece of glass for the collection - surely there is room for this?
Finally, I could not resist these items below, again for just one pound - more of a curio than anything else. A pair of Victorian children's wooden and leather clogs - how hard and narrow they are - and how little the child wearing them must have been - nothing of "the good old days" about these!
I've had a fun morning, and now have my younger son conquering the jungle of grass in the garden for me (interspersed with many cups of tea!) - so I have good company as well.
Tell me - what are you doing an this autumn Sunday?
Here in the US we have what we call flea markets (outdoor) and very fun! I love old things and would rather have something old and one of a kind anyday.
Posted by: Bernideen | Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 19:14
I am going to Copenhagen in two weeks. Every Saturday morniing there is a huge secondhand market there which I will visit, and I plan to buy some royal blue.
When I was in Durham a few weeks ago I came over an antique fair. There I bought a glass bowl, on a silver stand. It had this wonderful milky blue colour like the one you show here. It was made in Gateshead about 100 years ago I think.
Posted by: Britt-Arnhild | Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 20:36
What fantastic finds. The shoes are fascinating and the pin trays are great.
Posted by: Jackie B | Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 22:08
You have such an eye for spotting the good stuff. Those little shoes are amazing, the blue glass basket is beautiful. It is all so interesting.
Darla
Posted by: Darla | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:14
Oh, I absolutely LOVE that blue glass bowl/basket. Wonderful color! I live in the Washington, DC area and a few times a year we have what is called the "DC Big Flea" where over 1000 vendors come together to sell and barter. I told a friend it was like going to 1000 junk shops in a few hours! Exhausting, but I love it.
Posted by: possumlady | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 21:49
Well written article.
Posted by: Maribeth | Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 14:34
Alittle late to reply I know but I have just bought a pair of clogs like the ones you have pictured and I wanted to date them roughly for the children in my class, it is nice to see someone else enjoying the same things!
Sharon
Posted by: sharon gordon | Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 12:15