Sunday, November 1, 2009

Found: Raw Materials at the Elephant's Trunk



Up at the crack of dawn this morning...couldn't get Rob to accompany me to the Elephant's Trunk flea....probably because I wouldn't go with him yesterday to see "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" ....It was just as well....I found and brought home several things that he would have rolled his eyes at...He has trouble seeing my vision for things in their "raw" state.

First, I picked up this old red iron pulley....love the rich color..
...and I'm thinking Christmas display...



Next, I found these silver wine baskets....perfect to give as part of a gift after they are cleaned up... with a bottle of wine and a beautiful ribbon. Also found... the tin cake pan for a dollar and two sweet silver spoons....



This definitely would have received an eye roll and the infamous question, "what are you going to do with that ?"...
But I LOVE it...and I know exactly what I'm going to do with it....



This is the back side of the metal cabinet....all the drawers lift up and out and separate from each other...many tiny compartments inside....The printing says "Genuine Parts" and "Carter".
What would you do with it?



Isn't it wonderful? I've moved past Halloween so quickly....and Christmas is on my mind....such a beautiful worn red velvet photo album! It is small, only 5 inches by 6 inches and will be perfect in a small Christmas vignette...Don't you love the brass pieces decorating the cover?



There are twenty wonderful old photographs inside....most of them babies!!!





This little cardboard suitcase is only a foot long....It has the name Kathy scrawled on it in childish handwriting ..definetely tugged at my heartstrings...



Love the black stripe, the navy plastic handle, the silver stars on the paper lining the inside...
I can see it full of Christmas ornaments...and....well....you will have to wait for that!



...a colorful tin top to add to my vintage toy collection



Have a cowboy theme going on in Dan's room at the lake house...much to his dismay...



As soon as I spied this old box on the "Everything is a dollar" table...I KNEW it would be mine and that it would be filled with my kind of thing...



I wasn't disappointed....laces, old velvet ribbon, seam binding, etc. (yippee!)



A sweet little butter pat...



OK, now this mystery piece was $5 and Rob would never have understood this...in fact he still hasn't seen it...It was full of dirt and spiders and you almost couldn't tell that it had a glass front...



Twelve little compartments, big enough for a butter pat...



Any idea what its purpose was?
I did a preliminary wash down with the hose outside...



Cool right? Now tell me how you would use it and where!!!



It was a fun autumn morning...not as many dealers as I would have liked as it rained last night into the early hours...but by the time I left to go home at 9:15 am ...the sun was shining!
Happy Day!
My friend Zita from Mlle. Magpie suggested I join in with Clara and Marcela from Cottage Charm and Family Inspiration for their Junkin Monday party where everyone shows their weekend finds! Sounds like my kind of fun!

32 comments:

Julie Marie said...

Hi Laura... I am guessing your mystery piece was to start seedlings in??? I love those baby photos... how could anyone possibly part with them??? You found so many wonderful treasures! Bisous... Julie Marie

hens teeth said...

I have a husband who 'doesn't get it' and keeps telling me he wants 'minimal' in the house...yeah, right!
Wonderful buys, you have great vision. x

Lisa said...

What great treasures! You will so have fun with them!!
Hugs, Lisa

Michelle Hughes said...

Oh I love your butter pat! And, i am not sure what that was used for, but you could do seasonal displays ie put seashells, beach glass, and other light beachy type items for the summer and then switch it up. You could do a black and white display with black buttons, white buttons, dominoes... oh the possibilities are endless! Love it! Pretending it is mine right now!

Smiles!
Michelle

Andy's Attic said...

You found such wonderful things. Don't know the purpose of the long box of compartments but it would go on the wall in my potting shed to hold little things and do das. The butter pat is sweet.
Annette

jules said...

wonderful finds. you inspire me with your great ideas...as for the box? i don't know what it would have been used as. however, i could envision using it on my picnic table and put my knifes, forks...in old containers and set into openings along with napkins rolled and tied with string or torn pieces of fabric. maybe a plant or two in between. can't wait to see what you are going to do with it, jules

Lori said...

What great finds ~ loving that mystery piece although I have NO idea what it would have been for or what I would do with it.... but I know you have something in your mind!

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

Love all your finds...my husband doesn't get the "old" stuff thing, especially if it comes from an old shed...but we get it!

Theresa said...

Must be a husband thing, mine says that too:) Great finds, not sure what that thing is, I bet I could find a use for it:) My favorite is the red photo album. Have a blessed day!

Chez Zizi said...

If this is the same Elephants Trunk Flea in New Milford, I love that place! You have some great finds.

Zizette

Susie~From My Home To Yours said...

Oh, my..you definitely found some pretty fun stuff today! Love the drawers, top, butter pat and, of course, the ultimate mystery item. My guess is that it was a store display item...but for what?! It would look great in my kitchen windowsill with tiny potted plants, mosses, ferns, etc...that I know!
Have a great week and I definitely look forward to seeing your 'finds' in future posts.
Susie

GypSea Rose said...

It looks like an old candy display or small parts display. Soo Cool, I'm very envious. Tomarrow I shall go straight to the Flea market I haven't been to before.
I would use it as a display shelf with top for more display.
Great finds.

FILIGREE MOON said...

Wow! Sensational finds. That photo album is just too sweet! Have fun with your finds ~ Angela

Vintage Blue Studio said...

Those are fantastic finds! I tell you what, I would put all kinds of rhinestone bits and bobs into that little cabinet box.

Heidi said...

OMG! I would have bought every single one of those items! I am a sucker for little striped suitcases! And anything with drawers or cubbies! I am thinking paperwhites in your mystery item!
:)Heidi
PS- I love the $1 table!!! Cannot believe some of the great finds I have gotten at them!

north pal said...

mercy,mercy,mercy!great finds!but, i am in love with the red velvet album,ESPECIALLY the size. it is super,enjoy!Bestest,Denise p.s. i could leave my address,just in case you wanted to ship the album my way. :)

Fifi Flowers said...

Oooooh some many FAB finds!

June said...

Laura, as always you brought home the goods. I love the red album...and the baby pics are such a bonus. The red pully is great. I am really into this kind of stuff right now and it has my husband scratching his head. He is always saying to me, "you would have made me haul stuff like that to the dump 20 years ago". That was a different woman, I don't even know who she was anymore. Thank goodness!
Hugs,
June

Rose ~Victorian Rose ~ said...

The butter pat and the little tin box with all the "goodies" inside are my choice of favorite finds you got yesterday .~~ Nothing more fun than "the hunt" it seems ~
Rose
http://delightfulclutter.blogspot.com/

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Oh Laura....you've done it again....been to another wonderful place, come back with the goods and made me envious again !
I love that cabinet with the drawers with writing on it....and the little red photo album is gorgeous.
I also think that your idea of a bottle of wine in the silver wine basket as a gift is a brilliant idea........ as for the 'mystery object'..... would old terracotta pots fit in the compartments ? Would look great on a kitchen windowsill with different herbs in.
More wonderful finds and home in time for breakfast ! XXXX

jacklynn4 said...

Wow, you did well at the elephants trunk! I adore the photos, the butter pat is to die for, the glass compartment thingy??? Hmmm, it is a curiosity. I'll have to think about it. I have no idea what I would do with it, but I certainly would have bought it! The cowboy book and the top are so charming, and the suitcase too-especially because it is only a foot long.The metal box is stunning and the other thing-are they drawers? Is it metal? Wood? What do the words say? It looks like the beginning of a booth at another place I know (in western Mass...:)I'm headed to Paris on Wednesday! Please, make a mention in your blog about the giveaway I have happening.

Zita - Mlle Magpie said...

Such wonderful and unique finds, Laura. You really found some interesting stuff there. p.s. this would be a perfect post for Clara and Marcela's "Junkin'Monday"

Nice and Easy Antiques said...

Hi! So glad you decided to join! Zita is a sweetheart...isn't she??? We are kind of late posting our pictures today but we will add your link right away!! We love EVERYTHING you found. We are not thinking Christmas yet, but those reds are definitely taking us in the right direction!!!
Clara & MArcela

Fete et Fleur said...

I love that beautiful red album! The box is intriguing. I think it was for seedlings too. I would now put votives in it for a romantic evening.

Nancy

Tracy Watier said...

Hi! I've only recently discovered your blog, but I like it so much already that I've given you an award. Please come to my 11/02 post to see and let yourself be tagged!
Tracy@Comfort&Luxury

Jill said...

That is a very interesting little display piece! I think I would put a vintage spool of thread (either each a different color or different shade of the same color) in each compartment. Now, I wish I had it!

Uncanny Festoon said...

How funny my post had the same topic...husband or no husband...I so get the eye roll. Good thing he wasn't with you. I would have purchased all those things! And left behind that chest of drawers would have haunted you!



Joy...............always

Rostrose said...

Hihi, I love this sentence: "He has trouble seeing my vision for things in their "raw" state." My husband has the same trouble; it is better to visit flea markets without him. You really found goodies. I love this album and the old box of the "Everything is a dollar" table, but I'm sure I also would find good ways to use "this mystery piece" and the the metal cabinet! I am very curious what you will conujure with them!
Hugs to you, dear Laura,
Traude

Carole said...

Great haul Laura!
But aren't they all. I was going to go to that one with Delores one day. She loves it there! I'm pretty lucky I don't get the eye roll from G. I guess I'll keep him...lol
XXXXX....C

Cami @ Creating Myself said...

What fun finds! Love the red velvet album & the glass compartment thingie. I don't know what it was used for but I think I'd store little bits of lace & scraps so they'd be easy to pick from.

lala said...

Oh what glorious treasures!!! I love that long box, and it would make a perfect dislay for all of my bird nests!

Anonymous said...

Oh how hard it was not to head to ET before my flight on Sunday!!!! Love your finds and hope you had a good time. We will have to meet up one Sunday soon.