Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Crowns and Nibs


Why oh why am I attracted to these things?


Canadian canning jars with crowns on them.
Silvery pen nibs and pencil clips....a box full.



These are the clear jars.
Even the glass tops have crowns!

  I  also found two older ones in blue which I will share next time.


I have always liked supplies.
  School supplies, office supplies, art supplies.
Don't you find these nibs and crowns irresistible?


Go figure!

:)

Tonight Mr. Flea asked me that question again...

What are you ever going to do with them all?

I just smiled.



I know you must have some ideas!
Do tell!
:)



Linking up to White Wednesday over at 
Kathleen's Faded Charm

59 comments:

  1. Laura,
    Oh how I love jars filled with odd stuff. I do have to say that the 'nibs' are a new one on me, but they are pretty cool!
    Take care,
    Susie

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  2. Those jars are so pretty...Canadian, eh? I will have to look for some. They are so handy to store things in. Laura, I have to ask, what do you do with all of your collections? Are they on display? Or do you swap them in and out?
    I am like you and collect quite a few different things. Mr. B. just collects elephants, so much easier to control (that sounds funny) ;)

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  3. There just way cool, and I guess you have to be one of us to appreciate these thing, I mean come on look and look close. love the jars too.

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  4. Hi Laura...being a lover of writing, I would display them just like you have them on my writing desk :)

    just THINK of what was exiting those pen tips!

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  5. Those jars are pretty cool! I live a bit too far south to find Canadian jars, but I do have a small collection of nibs! Never thought about the pencil clip things. But I kinda like them, too. If you figure out why we're attracted to those things, be sure and let me know.

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  6. I LOVE those jars! I know you'll think of something amazing.
    -Aaron

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  7. WOW! My mom is Canadian and gave me one of her jars a few years ago. Then, last year, I found a dozen VERY cheaply at a flea market. I still have some left, so will put them on Etsy. They are truly the dreamiest! Thanks for goading me into it.

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  8. I am in love with that Canadian glass jar. My hubbie is Canadian! I have never seen those jars before.

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  9. " Bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils" or something like that

    I adore desk or school supplies...a new box of 64 crayons - swoon and jars and jars of paper clips, rubber bands and calligraphy inks and new pens,and sealing wax and old rulers and and and...
    :D
    z

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  10. Laura- I have a few of the crown jars too...LOVE THEM so much...I know I'll buy more at the Fleas this spring! I fill them with everything! Blue ones??? Never seen those!
    Have a great week!
    Tammy :-)
    JUNK WILD

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  11. Hi Laura,
    I just LOVE those canning jars, the glass lids with the crowns are the best!!
    I so relate to your collecting, I too collect things that one may wonder why even bother, its just what moves us :)

    Thank you for sharing your passionate finds.
    xx
    Dore

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  12. Those jars are irresistable!!! I love them, especially the crowns in the top. I, too, love supplies. I spent much time as a child in our old drug store that sold office supplies. I would play office and school etc. Not sure what I would do with the nibs other than put them in the jars.
    Annette

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  13. I am pretty sure I could make earrings with the nubs....now I may have to see if I can find a few to try ~ thanks for the inspiration !

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  14. I want to see what you'll do with the nibs, Laura! Love those beautiful jars!

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  15. Those are great! I had never even heard of Canadian canning jars!
    Pam

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  16. Laura, the jars look so pretty! I am drawn sometimes to otherwise mundane items as well. Still thinking on ideas hmmmm ;)

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  17. The jars are lovely - a time when products were made with pride and care.
    Not the mass produced that we have now.
    The pen nibs, love them.
    I have things like them and I wonder what will happen one day to all my stuff!
    In the meantime I'll use things like the nibs in my art work.
    I only write with an ink pen and the nibs when used can give each persons writing a life of their own. No ballpoint can do that.

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  18. Hi !!.Now I'm curious!.What are you going to do with them ?.I would like to arrange an old branched candlestick but I'm waiting ispiration!!!.

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  19. Love those glass jars - they are so beautiful. The silver pen nibs are cool - I would have bought them too :-). I´m sure you´ll come up with a great project for them.
    xo Tina

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  20. Oh Laura,
    I love the jars, especially that they have crowns on them. I don't think that we have those jars over here. If we do, they are plain.
    I also love the pen nibs. They remind me of my time at school when we always used fountain pens and ink.
    Tell Mr. Flea that you are not alone. There are lots of us who love these sorts of things ( although, you seem to have more than most, but don't tell him I said that !!!!) XXXX

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  21. I heard "The Hoarders" come to your door when you exceed a certain number of nibs! Haha!
    Hugs,
    Suz

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  22. Laura, I love them too, and have a small collection-NO NOT AS BIG AS YOURS :)
    Only to look at is wonderfull, and in those jars of yours ,it is just beautifull.
    I think that maybe my husbond comes from the same family, as yours ,lol.
    Hugs--Dorthe

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  23. I'm sure you could make a delicate little garland or two with the nibs, or some quirky earrings! Stationery is an achilles heel of mine - you can never have too much in supply :-)

    The jars are simply gorgeous!

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  24. Mai cette fois tu vas me faire mourir de voir ces bocaux avec ces couronnes....

    Belle journée mon amie,a kiss from Paris

    Manon

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  25. I love those old crown jars. I have a few myself and it is fun, fun, fun to fill them with "stuff" ~ ;-)

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  26. Laura, I just smiled at what your husband asked you. So cute.

    Still chuckling....
    Diane

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  27. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't do anything with them except enjoy the pleasure of their company. They deserve a rest after all the work they've done in the past.
    Debbie

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  28. Love your crown jars;) Now you won't be able to say no when you see one. Can't wait to see them in blue:)
    ~Debra xxx
    Capers of the vintage vixens

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  29. The jars are fantastic and perfect for storage of your 'supplies'! I think you are on to something with the nibs!

    XO,
    Jane

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  30. I too love nibs - and have an old english teacup filled to the brim with them. since I'm a multi media collage artist, I use the nibs as embellishment on art pieces (they have that hole at the tip which makes it so easy to attach), especially when I use old letters (like the ones you just featured!) as another collage element...
    amy of four corners design

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  31. I would make a necklace out of the nibs, but first I would bend the ends of the tips back and crimp them and the sides so they would not be sharp! Or I would find an old wood frame and nail them around the outside of it, oh the possibilities are endless!!!

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  32. Never seen a Canadian canning jar but would love to find one. Maybe I will... my dd married a Canadian last year & they'll be moving to Ontario in the fall. I'll have to go shopping when I go see her.

    But the pen nibs... I made a necklace from mine. A tribute to Edgar Allan Poe:
    http://keepinupwiththetatums.blogspot.com/2010/10/poe-necklace.html

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  33. I have four of those canadian jars in aqua that I found here in Michigan at an antique mall for $2.00 each! Just couldn't leave them behind! Those pen nibs are neat too!
    Blessings~

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  34. Oh Laura...those jars are a dime a dozen over here...but they are pretty I must say,if ever I come across a special one I will grab it for you...promise!!! x0

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  35. ...adoring your pretty crown jars!!
    ~ and wow! what an instant stash of pen nibs!!
    hhhmmmmm...maybe you could create a crown out of them as YOU are the queen of penning ~
    and dear Laura, your images are stunning as usual, such a great eye!!
    xo, Rosemary

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  36. What a great find! I have taken some calligraphy classes and would love to try some of the nibs to see how fine of a line they would create. Thanks for sharing. The jars a wonderful!

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  37. Tank you Laura for your lovely words!!! Me too I'm so glad to have a blogfriend like you!!!!
    Big big hugs.

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  38. Being a former calligrapher, if I ever came upon a box of nibs I'd be so excited! I just love the old-fashioned way of writing with pen & ink.

    The jars are lovely too! ::Jill

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  39. Hello Laura!
    I love those jars. I used to have some when I lived in Canada but I left them up there when I moved to the States in 2000. They really do have pretty markings on them. Who says you have to do anything with those nibs...they look beautiful just sitting in the jar. And making 52 ;) Hope your day is a good one.
    Maura :)

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  40. I'm a calligrapher so I would have jumped at the chance to buy those old nibs...are any of them Esterbrook? They would look neat displayed in an old ink bottle or inkwell. Great find!!!
    Sherry

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  41. what a great idea for displaying the pen nibs! love it! you're so good! :-)

    i also love vintage art supplies:

    http://ilovecollecting10.blogspot.com/2010/07/vintage-art-supplies.html

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  42. It's funny how we fall in love with the craziest things! I'm purging all my collections! I can't stand piles of stuff around my anymore! Less is more for me these days!
    Theresa
    aka:tot

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  43. I do understand you!!! i myself have a pretty big amount of them to!
    happy eve,
    Rosa

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  44. Hi sweet Laura!

    Oh yes they are just beautiful, I love old glass jars!
    The nibs and clips are so cool!

    Take care,
    Mia

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  45. HHHHmmmm....
    perhaps in your past life you were a scribe for a Queen? ~ that seems to sum up both loves...
    whatever the case, your post is just beautiful !Lori

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  46. I would buy a wooden model hand and glue the nibs on as long beautiful fingure nails or take a good calligraphy class. They are just beautiful. Wish I could find me some of those beautiful jars!

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  47. 'Cause they're old. And shiny.

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  48. Those are the prettiest jars! I love the clear glass tops!!

    xoxo laurie

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  49. Men just don't get it, I think. I love old fountain pens...the collection of nibs ROCKS! Happy White Wednesday - Tanya

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  50. Because they're beautiful, that's why anyone would love them. Your home must be huge, you have so many collections. Here's to enjoying them all!

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  51. I don't know what I would do with the nibs, but I sure would like one of the Crowns!

    I USED to have one in my huge fruit jar collection, but after paring things down............

    {yeah, I know...}

    Guess I'll have to find another one, huh?

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  52. So you like our Canadian jars eh? Would you like one in light teal blue with 'The Gem' raised label early 1900's full of lovely little bubbles blown right into the glass.
    Just send me your mailing address.
    Susan

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  53. I also have several of those awesome crown jars - very Rachel Ashwell don't you think... :)

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  54. what about a wierdly funky light fixture ,use nibs as trim?Or chandelier??? jewlry?or simply a ply thing when you are at a desk and having a creative block.lol Me,I would mak a few of them in to a closure for a bag if they aren too pointy and sharp,like a toggle button?
    www.magpiesoupandhairpins.blogspot.com

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  55. Oh gosh Laura, I wish I had known....I threw all of that stuff away! Just left one as a remembrance. Makes me want to cry....
    Who knew it could look so pretty!
    Lots of love to you all,
    Evi

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  56. I would just keep them in one of you clear jars...like old grey mare said, "bouquets of sharpened pencils" I think that was from You've got mail maybe.

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  57. Oh my heavens, those Crown jars are gorgeous!!! Okay. Now that I have that out of the way, I kind of like the pen nibs just in the jar. I know know what I would do with them. Maybe mini star bursts around tiny mirrors? I adore the aqua ones in the newer post too.

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  58. Um. Yeah. That should be "don't know."

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  59. I love the nibs, too! I like that they represent writing, so I like to tie them as an embellishment in my ephemera journals! I've never seen those crown jars before but I LOVE THEM NOW!

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