Car Boots and Auctions

The car boot last Sunday was sooo warm and my pitch was facing the sun. It was a rather smart venue, as you will be able to tell from photos posted by both Niki (Nostalgia at the Stone House) and Kelly (Vintage Lifestyle). It was great to meet Kelly (I already know Niki) and I look forward to seeing them both at Shepton next weekend.

I managed to get a quick look at the other booters' wares and found this lovely hen and chicks jelly mould. It wasn't easy to get the light right, so you may not be able to see the pattern too clearly. Those of you who visit Shepton will know that I always have plenty of moulds on display, and I'm hoping someone will come along and fall in love with this one! I also bought some super fine linen sheets - one has a laundry mark for 1833 and is perfect!

Today I attended an auction hoping to buy a superb Lot of a dozen or more copper moulds. I'm afraid the price went too high for my pocket this week (but well worth the final price), and I also lost out on some wonderful Victorian wooden grain measures.

However, not one to go home empty handed I bid on three textile Lots and won two. There are a couple of linen pillowcases, a couple of early tablecloths, huckaback handtowels, a Victorian paisley shawl (some damage but still worth having), numerous 'interesting' textile pieces, and among other things an early 20th Century unbacked patchwork piece. I haven't measured it yet, but at a guess it's probably about 4ft x 5ft. The pieces of paper are still tacked in and they look to be from books, official letters and handwritten notes. One Lot came in an old suitcase which had seen better days, but the other Lot was contained in a small tin trunk. These goodies will be going to Shepton, along with the book on Patchwork that I found in the bottom of the trunk.

I also did a deal afterwards on an Autographs and Sketches book which didn't sell. I've taken photos of the watercolours and drawings and thought you might like to see a few. Unfortunately it would seem I'm only going to get to upload one photo for the time being! Anyway, all the paintings and drawings are signed, and are dated between 1902 and 1910. Can you imagine anyone producing such lovely work in a friend's album in 2002 or 2010? I'll try and post more pictures later.

I'll also endeavour to take a photo of the patchwork, but I think most of this evening is going to be taken up ironing last week's linen sheet collection which I've just brought in off the clothes line, and sorting today's pieces to see which need laundering and whether they can go in the washing machine or whether they would be better in the pot which is almost permanently bubbling away on top of the hob!

As if all that wasn't enough, tomorrow I have to go and collect the remainder of the kitchenalia bulk purchase from a couple of weeks ago. Never a dull moment!!

Oh, and just to update you on our new home ... we've had a builder in churning up the floor and the drive to put in the pipework for our new downstairs loo and utility room. Plenty of concrete dust everywhere but the end result will be worth it. The order is in for a double Belfast sink for the utility, which will make life so much easier. Our kitchen has looked like a Chinese laundry ever since we moved, and I can't wait to be able to hide it all away. Buying and selling antique linen is great, but can be quite time-consuming - it usually needs washing (at least once), and has a tendency to take over the whole house if you're not careful!