Treasure Box Wednesday: Porcelain, Pottery, and Personality

In the world of secondhand treasure hunting, it's funny how things go in cycles. You can spend years looking for a certain type of thing, and then in a short span of time you will find that style of item everywhere-- and all for amazing prices.

Recent readers of The Thrift Shop Romantic will probably notice I've been in that cycle of luck with portrait plates and bowls lately. And my thrifting buddy Scoobie has been having a similar sort of good fortune with the Western-themed goodies she collects.

This elaborate unmarked bowl was a find from the Riverfront Antique Mall in New Philadelphia, Ohio...
With its extensive detail and deep aqua color, it was a quick decision for me to bring it home. You can see a close-up on the French lady transfer portrait here.

I also found this little Austrian portrait bowl at the same antique mall. It was in a booth that had mostly hardware and lamp parts, and it seemed real luck to me I stumbled upon it. And at $8, it was very affordable.
Lastly, at the Red, White and Blue thrift store in Bellevue, I got this cheerful little pottery teapot planter...
(No, it's not a real teapot. You'd be boiling up dirt residue from its insides, if you used it that way!). What I liked about it was how much personality it seemed to have. There's something vaguely like Disney animation about it to me... like if it took off dancing to a musical number you wouldn't really be that surprised.

Anyway, that puts a lid on this Treasure Box Wednesday. I hope to get back into doing some humorous recipe and general collectibles posts soon, but I've been spending some time trying to get an agent for the novel I wrote, so my energies are temporarily elsewhere.

Happy Hunting!

11 comments:

Dreamgoddess said...

Jenn, your French portrait bowl is stunning! I love the pretty aqua color and all the ornate details in it.

aimee said...

I agree with Dreamgoddess - your first find is one of the loveliest things I've ever seen! The other objects are great too - love the planter. And good luck with landing an agent!

Jenn Thorson said...

Dreamgoddess- It definitely is not minimal, is it? :)

Aimee- Oh, thank you-- I kinda felt the same way when I came around the corner and saw it. My friend Scoobie has a French blue room in her house, and I found my own overwhelming joy of this bowl had me apologizing to her saying, "I know you have more blue French stuff than I do... but I am buying and keeping this bowl."

Antiques selfishness, it's not pretty. :)

Betty's corner of the world said...

You have such an eye for beauty.
I love looking at all your treasures.
♥ Betty

Jaffer said...

Is that really and old lady posing on your French portrait bowl ?

If so... Arrgh ! My Eyes ! My eyes !

Jenn Thorson said...

Betty- Oh, thank you kindly. It's so fun to share!

Jaffer- Don't let the powdered wig fool you, Jaffer. She was the Desperate Housewife of her time. :)

Andrea at My Feathered Nest said...

We are on the same wavelength, because the instant I saw that teapot, I thought DISNEY! It seems to be smiling. Maybe it reminds me of an elephant with an upturned trunk, but whatever, it makes me smile!

Jenn Thorson said...

Andrea- It does, it's like a 50s deco cousin to Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast. :)

Cindy Brick said...

I haven't said anything before, but love to browse your blog regularly...you and your Western-loving buddy do have such good eyes for design and taste!
But I have absolutely lost my heart to that green unmarked bowl -- what a lovely piece.

Brian + Cheryl B. said...

Hi Jenn :-)
We are working on doing another listing of blog 'theme days / memes / carnivals / link-up parties. Seeings how that last one we did was a couple of years ago, we're re-checking all of the previously listed ones. I see that you are still doing your "Treasure Box Wednesday('s)", but it looks like it is no longer an event others can link up to.
Are my findings right? If you wish to again make it a link-up party, we will leave you on the list ;-p
Please let me know either way.
Thanks!

Jenn Thorson said...

Cindy- Thank you for the sweet comment. I'm glad you enjoy the virtual shopping trips! :)

Brian & Cheryl- I never actually set it up as an event others were supposed to link up to, it was just my own little thing. If others want to play along, that's lovely, but it was originally just my own theme for Wednesday posting.