Big Box o' Roseville and Hull?

Ah, the happy Hull and Roseville family o' pottery above... You folks would just not believe the good fortune I had in the past week in finding some of these little lovelies!

I had found the Hull bow style cornucopia on the right below when I was antiquing with my buddy Josette over the Fourth of July holiday...

It had been on the floor, of all places-- easily kicked, I feared-- in the first booth of an antique mall. I almost hesitated to look at the price, because bow style Hull pottery is crazy expensive. Only the price reflected a piece that was carelessly placed on the floor and not prized, so I had it in my hands in about three seconds flat.

But the real treasure chest came along with the Hull waterlily piece on the left above. And that's where a stop at an antique mall I almost had decided not to even check out presented me with more Hull and Roseville options that I even knew what to do with. And at prices, well-- I actually thought I was reading it wrong when I saw the waterlily vase and this blue and pink wildflower vase below were $15 a piece.

 $150, I figured. $15, not so much. Then there was this gorgeous Roseville bleeding heart vase...

Admittedly, this one has a repair on the top, but the price more than reflected that. Plus, where it sits, no one but an NBA player would ever see. I just loved the look of it.

I also got this (blurry, sorry) other Roseville piece. This one's in perfect condition.

Anyway, I walked away with four pieces in a cardboard box, feeling like I was Indiana Jones having just found some amazing ancient temple of treasure. There were even others, but I didn't care for the look of them so much. It was very strange to be able to pick and choose of items I normally can't touch with a ten-foot barge pole.

Here's wishing you all find the coming weekend full of favorite things, friends, family, food and even some fun finds. Cheers!

-Jenn

Treasure Box Tuesday: Roses, Glasses and Goodies

It's been a crazy few weeks for me. I've had to put in many extra hours at work for projects, as well as taking care of cat with a respiratory infection (Harry's doing better, happily) and so many other things, would you believe I didn't realize how many weeks it had been since I posted? (?!)

I hear the brain is the first thing to go.

So the thrifted and fleamarket finds I'll show you today are a collection of a bunch of weeks put together. All the items have found their right spot in my house. This was a Victorian transferware bowl I found at the Goodwill in Irwin a while back. 

 I loved the colors-- perfect for the curio cabinet in my diningroom!

At the L&L Fleatique on Route 30, I got this marvelous Hull vase with a waterlily on it. I love the soft pastels and matte finish.

 This sits on top of the aforementioned curio, next to THIS transferware vase from Austria...

I got that at Junk for Joy in Jeannette, PA. Love it! It's quite tall, too, so it makes a nice statement.

At the Fleatique Too in Ligonier, my shopping buddy Scoobie spied these two Wizard of Oz drinking glasses...

I had gotten one from Junk for Joy a while back, of Dorothy, and these belong to one of three different sets put out by Swift Peanut Butter in the 50s and 60s. They look really cute in my kitchen and match the colors of my Fiestaware.

My favorite piece of the past few weeks has been this Roseville console bowl. It was a price I could actually afford because someone had glued a styrofoam flower frog in the center of it to hold their centerpieces...

I had an inkling that antique glue might not be too hard to get off there without damaging the bowl. And with some careful tugging, some very hot soaking water and a little Palmolive, the whole thing came out bit by bit. Suddenly a good buy had turned great!

Lastly, but probably less excitingly, I picked up a whole bunch of file folders and hanging folders in pinks, purples and aquas. This was from the Goodwill Outlet, where tons of them were just tossed in the bins.

So, that's it for today's Treasure Box. We have our neighborhood yard sale this weekend, so I hope to have some fun finds to share with you next week, too!

Happy hunting!

Egging on Vintage Easter Decorating

A hoppy, slightly-early Easter to you, my friends! As a big fan of both Spring and pastels, I couldn't resist doing a small Easter display in my diningroom. That's a thrifted Shabby Chic table cloth I'm using as a mantle scarf at the moment.

I found this sugary-looking Easter sign at Marshall's several months ago and just had to snag it. It looks a bit like it's made of Peeps! (I suspect it would not be tasty, though. Sorry.)

Easter also gave me an excuse to bring out a few of my Hull vases. This one in particular has always had an eggly vibe, so there seemed no better time than now to feature it...

 

Here you can see the table itself. The pink tablecloth was thrifted. The placemats were off-season discount from Tuesday Morning. The candelabra was a thrifted find that I tarted up with some pearly pink paint, and the plates are mostly Hazel Atlas Platonite from the 50s.

Just one last shot so you can see the matching table and mantle together.

I hope those of you who are celebrating Easter have yourselves a memorable one filled with family, friends and food! And those who have other plans, may the weekend be a good one.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Lucky and Unlucky Breaks

I have some pastel pretties to share with you this week, but first, I wanted to mention I'm doing a giveaway on my humor blog, Of Cabbages and Kings, where participants have a chance to receive one of two free copies of my new humorous space fantasy novel, There Goes the Galaxy. I know that kind of reading isn't everybody's bag here, but I also know it is for a few of my readers. Plus, it's free. We all like free. It doesn't get more thrifty than free. So I figured I'd mention it. You can check out the There Goes the Galaxy giveaway fun by clicking here.

Okay, that said, back to the order of business! I wanted to show you photos of the little mantle decor I've been working on. The newest acquisitions here are the two green and pink vintage lamps, which I got at the Salvation Army Superstore a few weeks ago...

They needed rewiring and shades, and oddly I found a pair of perfect shades at TJ Maxx the day after I bought them. They match my mint-green Victorian fire tiles perfectly.

The second item that's new is the blue Hull vase in the center of the display. I got this at an antique mall not far from the Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Faire. The Hull vases on the ends, if you remember back, were also from the Salvation Army Superstore.
Above, you can see the blue Hull tulip vase just a bit better.

And lastly, when trying to rewire a different old lamp I had an experience I've never had before in all the lamps I've redone...
THAT is the metal base which was apparently totally cracked and missing much of itself, and it was replaced at one time by some cork panels. As I was working with it, it simply began to crumble apart. I know spelter is a soft metal, but WOW. Sooooo, I will be searching for a boring vintage lamp with a similar base I can take apart and put on the vase of this one.

This lamp vase is gorgeous-- pale green with handpainted roses, so it's entirely worth the effort. I just figured you all would find it interesting to see when these projects take unexpected turns.

And at THIS turn, we must end this week's Treasure Box post. Wishing you happy days as we make our journey quickly into October.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Hull Haul

There wasn't a ton of time for thrifting this past week, but I was able to grab a happy thrifty moment prior to a hair appointment on Saturday, where logistics sent me straight into the Salvation Army Superstore out by Century III Mall in West Mifflin.

It was there, just as I was leaving, I happened to spy two pink-and-blue beauties I recognized immediately: a pair of matching Hull Pottery 8 1/2 inch Magnolia pattern vases.

Now, Hull can get incredibly expensive, and while I like many of the pieces, I simply can't justify buying them... unless they show up at a thrift store with shining beams of light on them. I had found a few unusually inexpensive Hull vases at thrift stores and antique malls-- only by sheer luck in the past. And it was sheer luck once again that found me with this lovely haul of Hull. You can see my Hull pieces here (though I think one pink piece is hiding behind the second new vase).

 Anyway, one vase is absolutely perfect, no chips, cracks or anything. The other one does have a chip at the top, but I couldn't leave it there when it's companion was going to be a guest at my house.

Amusingly, when I was at the register paying for it, the cashier commented she'd figured no one would ever want to buy those vases.

I guess they are entirely too pastel and frou-frou for many of today's modern tastes. But I personally love the soft matte finish to them, and the gentle spring colors.

Ah, there's something for everyone at the thrift store! You just have to take the time to treasure hunt.

Hope you all are finding yourselves more comfortable this week after our steamy summer so far.

When All Hull Breaks Loose: Collecting Hull Pottery

My first piece of Hull Pottery was a thrift store find that had some structural issues. I loved the style of it-- the matte finish, the soft pastels, the art deco/art nouveau styling-- but chips kept it from being drooled over by serious collectors.

It was a little number in the Wildflower pattern, from about 1946...
And in spite of its chips, its cheerful palette and overall look encouraged me to bring it home.

This last weekend I uncovered two more Hull Pottery pieces, and now the trio stands proudly on top of my china cabinet...
The haul of Hull inspired me to do a little digging in my Collectors Encyclopedia of Hull Pottery, by Brenda Roberts...
...And I thought I'd share with you what I learned.

While Hull Pottery began in 1905 as the A.E. Hull Pottery Company of China Street, Crooksville, Ohio, it had a convoluted history involving acquisitions-- like the Acme Pottery Company-- tiling manufacturing throughout the 20s, and even the management of the Shawnee Pottery Company in the 1937, before it evolved into the company we think of today.

It was the late 1930s and into the 1940s, where Hull began vases in the Iris, Potty, Tulip and Wildflower shapes, in the soft colors and gentle detailing so recognizable as Hull. (They're also known for those Red Ridinghood Cookie Jars and other novelty pieces you may see at antique malls and yard sales!).

The pottery continued through a flood in the 50s which caused a kiln to explode and the factory to catch fire. Then with rebuilding and restructuring, the company continued in various iterations during the 1950s, with serving ware and florist ware well into the 1970s. According to Wikipedia, it was in March, 1986 the Hull Pottery company ceased operations and closed the plant.

This is the small Iris patterned vase I picked up this weekend.
This was my particular favorite, a 1940s Tulip patterned Hull vase
The mark below, on the small vase says it's "Hull Fine Pottery" but I didn't find that mark in my book. Could it be knock-off Hull?...

I don't know the answer. I know there are supposed to be many Hull imitators out there-- particularly in the Red Riding Hood theme. But, honestly, even if it isn't original Hull, I still like the shape of the vase.
And if you like the look of Hull pieces, I suggest you be sure to shop around. Many pieces I see in my travels are in the $40 and up range (mostly UP), but it is possible to find nice pieces under $20-- though it takes time and patience. Unlike McCoy, Hull typically can't be found for thrifty prices!

All hail Hull! (And I'll see you Wednesday, for this coming week's Treasure Box post.)

Hull and Hobnail Happiness

Forrest Gump had that line about life and chocolates. But I think life's more like a thrift store. You have a wider range of serendipity. A little humor. A little "what the heck is that?" And junk or treasure, it's all in how you look at it.

Anyway, this week's Treasure Hunting took me and my shopping bud, Scoobie, around Pittsburgh's South Hills. I had had my eye on a type of Depression glass from the 40s by Anchor Hocking called "Moonstone" and this was the weekend I managed to snag a few pieces at a good price...
I'd like it noted that this was from the very same antique mall where I showed you the, um, unique example of Big-Eyed Portraiture on Sunday. Proving, I think, the truth of that adapted Forrest Gump adage I was just talking about. :)

And underlining the bit about serendipity, at the Salvation Army Superstore in West Mifflin, I came across my very first thrifted Hull vase...
Scoobie and I both spotted it at the same time and gasped, knowing full-well how expensive Hull is in any of the antique malls.

Now, I'm not going to kid you-- it does have two chips. You can see one of them on the right hand side. But honestly, sitting up on top of my china cabinet, its soft matte-finish pastels look just right in my dining room. I looked it up and the pattern's called Wildflower. I figure no one visiting will be inclined to pluck the vase from its spot and "tsk-tsk" over the chips...

And if they do-- heh-- I probably should invite them over less.

Lastly, I snagged two bright green Depression glass candlesticks at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Castle Shannon. They don't look quite as intensely green in this pic as they are in real life...
They came out to be $5 for the pair.

Now, before I forget-- one of the Thrift Shop Romantic's regular readers, Debbie of Debbie-Dabble, had asked to see a closeup of a table in my spare room, based on a previous post. So Debbie, my friend, here is more of that sewing stand...
It's from the 70s, a Singer cabinet, which I two-toned with some of the same cottage white paint I've used elsewhere in that room. Its top wasn't great, so after I painted it, I put a Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic placemat over the top and glass over that to keep it tidy...
Here you can see the Colonial knobs were exchanged for glass knobs, and I'd added some wooden appliques to fancy it up.
Thrift stores often have old sewing tables without the sewing machines in them, and the tables still make great sidetables, with a little bit of work.

Anyway, that's it for this Treasure Box Wednesday. I hope to see you again on Sunday for our next post-- and have yourselves a chocolate-box-worthy remainder of this week!