Well, there's simply nothing to top off a sunny spring weekend like some fine vintage shopping! Apollo and Indiana, PA were our destinations this time. And it was at Denise's Antique Mall in Indiana that I found something I never, ever anticipated...
The top half of a Victorian Eastlake mantle!
Now if you've been reading a while, you've probably noticed that my dining room mantle-- while Victorian-- is missing one of these babies.
Yes, indeed, within its oaken top, there are telltale holes for where a mirror or shelf unit like this used to sit. But it was lost to time during some previous ownership. Instead, a vintage dresser mirror has been hung, to curb the sense of emptiness.
But I never really expected to find something this elaborate for a good price!
It's got plenty of places for Victorian knicknacks... And while you see it here, terribly dirty, it's got all its knobs and curlicues. So I think it should clean up nicely.
So, you'd think this was quite enough for one day, wouldn't you? I mean, really, how lucky can one gal be on a single day?
Ah, but we also hit the "We Miss Back When" Antique Mall in Apollo, PA! And there, I found this excellent McCoy pottery vase in the Wheat pattern...
A fun piece of Judy Garland sheet music ($1!)...
And this super-heavy pink sandwich glass bowl with carnival luster!
Oh, and earlier in the week, the Salvation Army Superstore yielded treasures, too. Like these five brilliantly-bright 50s aluminum bowls for just $0.99 a piece. (I laughed because they were $5 a piece in the antique stores!)
And some gorgeous shell pink milk glass made by the Jeanette Glassworks. This was done in the late 50s to early 60s, and it's not very easy to find pieces in this color.
Oh, and before I go, I thought you all might get a chuckle from this... Every time I go to Indiana, I go past the old Indiana Courthouse and try to get a photo of the Jimmy Stewart statue there. Jimmy was born in Indiana, his museum is there-- sometime I'll take you all virtually with me-- but in all the times my troop of folks sped past on our journeys, I never once got a good shot of the statue.
Well...
You all have no idea how very far away this was, from a moving vehicle and over the top of a minivan, too. He's a tad blurry, but the fact that Mr. Stewart showed up to greet us at all was shocking...
So I got a good snicker when I cropped in and discovered our "Elwood P. Dowd" of Harvey was just standing there as pleased as Punch.
And with that, I leave you with a quote from Harvey I always liked:
"My mother, she used to say Elwood-- she called me Elwood-- she said, 'In life, you can be oh-so-smart or oh-so-pleasant.' I recommend pleasant."
I hope you all have a pleasant week ahead of you!
- Oh, and if you missed last Sunday's post on the winners of the Nancy Drew journals, click here.
Take care, friends! I hope to see you this coming Sunday.
6 comments:
Love your blog. Thank you for the information on blogcatelog. I will take your advise. Again, I apprecaite your time and I love your taste in shopping!
Pink Carnival glass.
Shiny.
And what a find with the mantle top. That would be enough for a good year for most thrifters. Does it match up perfectly, as if it belongs, or just close enough to be nice?
I'm so darned nosy sometimes. I can't wait until you have it cleaned and in place.
:)
Just discovered your blog, and am enjoying reading it. I used to live in the Pittsburgh area (Forest Hills), and fondly remember many of the shops and thrift stores that you mention...they were my old haunts! I still miss the Kennywood Red White & Blue.
I have since moved, and for the last three years have been living in Punxsutawney. I was thrilled to read of your recent trip up this way. I get to Indiana every couple of weeks. Did you stop at the Goodwill? The store used to be a car dealership, and the place is large, bright, and clean. I've had the luck of finding some really neat books and ceramic items there.
Keep up the great writing!
KlayKisses- You're very welcome. I'm glad you felt it helped!
Da Old Man- No, it doesn't match up perfectly, but it's got a very similar feel to it. To be honest, almost nothing in my entire house matches exactly-- it's all pieced together. But that's sort of the way it worked with the Victorians, too. it was all mix-and-match.
Maybe I'll get a chance to clean it up on the weekend, take down the mirror that's up there, and see how this will look.
Chuffle- Oh, it's wonderful to have folks from the general area who know the landmarks, etc., reading! I'm so glad you found the blog!
Yes, I did get to that Goodwill in Indiana. I didn't buy anything, but the people I was with sure did. I think I was all shopped out by the time I reached there, after my big mantle purchase!
this one's really nice and a good deal!
Really liking your finds, esp that Judy Garland sheet music!
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