Eclectic Collecting; or, Picking when the Pickings are Slim

We delivered a piece to a couple in Ohio today and the original plan was to do some junking along the way. Today's cold, cold weather kinda nixed that plan. Instead we had a drive through the beautiful snowy Hocking Hills region and a leisurely lunch with the couple who bought the cabinet. It was fun--completely restful and enjoyable.

We did have time to stop at a couple Goodwill stores on the way home, but pickings today were pretty slim. Even so we managed to find a few things, nothing really antique or even very old, but some odds and ends that will still be good additions to our stock. Here's a few pics of what we found:

Some favorites here are the little ceramic tree with those little light thingies--it needs a light  of some sort but for 99 cents, I think it was a steal. These things are hot sellers this year, a real fad that seems to have taken off. I haven't seen a baby one like this one before.

 I also really like the gray glass refrigerator dish. I haven't seen one like it before either but the color says 1930's-1940's to me.I'm not sure who made it, so I have some research to do.

The Alice in Wonderland clutch/wallet is just a cute, collectible piece, and something that grandparents or parents might pick up for the child with them when they shop. I find that I sell a few things that way that aren't necessarily old or vintage, but nice for a child who might get bored looking at old stuff.

Behind the wallet is a Georges Briard carafe with a wood handle and lid, which must have been part of a buffet set. It is also apparently unused, since the tag is still attached. Mid-century for sure! Value?  have no idea, but will soon find out when I do my research.

These were probably the best find of the day, at least for this glass-aholic. These were made by with Morgantown (WV) Glass and called Crinkle, and also by Seneca Glass, another company in Morgantown, and called Driftwood. I have yet to learn the distinguishing characteristics, but I did find out there is a museum in Morgantown so I will soon be visiting there and hope I can learn more about this glass.

I have several pieces on hand at the moment, and I love the range of colors. Maybe I should start collecting it myself! Here is is in amber, amethyst, aquamarine and green. Isn't it pretty? (And I just found two more on a shelf in my room, in a darker blue.)

One sure way to identify this glass is by the tops of the glasses:

See how the tops are not round,  like the blue and the amethyst pieces to the left? Morgantown and Seneca have angles in the glass at the top, and that is the easiest way to spot them.

Don't you love this little retro organizer? It's even a music box, playing "Happy Days Are Here Again." I might just have to keep it!

Another fun find was this lamp chimney with the fired-on holly pattern. Fired-on, as I understand it, means the pattern was baked or literally melted onto the glass and will not come off like cold-painted decoration. This one will wait for a red kerosene lamp, or maybe just be packed away with my to-sell Christmas items.

Quilted pillow shams can be found pretty often in resale shops. I buy them to use as covers for footstool and chair cushions. This one had a very pretty color scheme.

The print is fairly large and has a good primitive look--but the frame? not so much. So I'll be painting that bad boy. What color? I'm thinking a dark red. What do you think? I like the flag tucked into the left-hand side, and old glass-monger me is wondering about the pattern on those goblets.

The frame on the little mirror will be painted, and the wood sled will be packed away for next Christmas' sales.

Lamp shades are expensive these days, have you noticed? So I buy them whenever I find them in good condition. This one probably won't stay with this lamp though,

unless I repaint the lamp? It's a pretty color, but maybe it needs to be white, or red, or black, or...

 I do not know who made this wineglass, do you? I love the shading from cranberry to blue, but have not been able to find its maker so far.

This amethyst goblet I have identified as made by Bryce Brothers in the 1880's; the pattern is #1000 and is called Diamond Quilted.

So that was today's pickings. Nothing spectacular, just a little of this and a little of that. But enough to pay for lunch, gas, and all my buys. And that's enough to make me happy.


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