A Classy Flea

ARS Follow-up

2010-08-26T01:35:00.001-04:00

We’re back home from Washington D.C. and our trip to the Antiques Roadshow. If you haven’t already done so, please read my previous post here, http://aclassyflea.blogspot.com/2010/08/antiques-roadshow.html, about the items we took with us. We had a great time and the entire event was organized and coordinated to the point that everything went off without a hitch. This is no small feat considering they were expecting to see between 10,000 – 12,000 items in just the one day!

They did not allow pictures from inside the studio so you’ll have to take it from me that there was stuff everywhere! And to be perfectly honest, I saw a whole bunch of stuff that was NOT treasures! A bit of advice for you if you ever have the opportunity to attend one of these events, think twice about taking artwork or jewelry. The lines for those items were easily 3-4 times longer than any other lines.

As you recall, we took a salesman’s case of medicine pills, an old accordion, a carved cane and an old Indian doll. As we entered the appraisal area, we were given item specific tickets to meet with the appraisers. We were given a “Musical Instruments” ticket for the accordion, “General Collectables” for the salesman’s case, “Fine Art” for the cane, and “Tribal Art” for the doll. I was actually surprised we were sent to Fine Art for the cane as I was expecting it to be seen at Folk Art.

Upon entering the studio, the appraisers were all gathered in a central core with lines pin wheeling out. We were told to just find the shortest line for the items that we were having appraised, so off to Musical Instruments we went. We were able to walk right up to the table. When I put the case on the table the appraiser said “What do you have there?” (click on any of the pictures below to see a bigger image)I opened the case to show him my accordion. He asked what I knew about it and told him I had just purchased it at a garage sale and that I had found nothing on the maker’s name or the model name when doing a search on Google. He told me that that was not uncommon, that there were hundreds of companies making accordions in the 1920’s and 1930’s, primarily in Italy and Russia. I told him that the brand name, Riga, is now the capital city of Latvia and he confirmed that this was probably of Russian origin. From the design on the grill and the looks of the case, he estimated that it was made between the World Wars, during the art deco period. As far as value, as he said “There are a lot more accordions around today than there are accordion players.” He wouldn’t even hazard a guess as to value but said I had done quite well for my $25 purchase.

After that let down, we set off looking for the next line. We moved to the General Collectables line, but realized it wasn’t moving and was rather long. So we searched for our other two categories. Tribal Art it is, again, with no waiting in line! A soon as Shelley took the doll out of the container, the appraiser chuckled. “I know exactly what you have!” Then he asked if we wanted the bad news first or the good news first. When I asked if there really was good news he said there’s GREAT news! Shelley asked him for the bad news first. She asked if it was a contemporary doll. He explained that this is a contemporary doll made by an indigenous tribe in central Peru. He told us the name of the tribe but I didn’t write it down and haven’t been able to find them online. The women find scraps of fabric from old sacks to make the clothes for the dolls. The good news is the sacks date back to the pre-Columbian times, around 1200 AD! So what we have is a recent doll wearing clothes made from 800 year old fabric. Value? $100 - $125.

The Fine Arts line was shorter than the General Collectables, so off to Fine Arts we went. We waited in the pin wheel line for quite a while before being escorted to the interior line. The problem here was there were still probably 8-10 people in front of us in that line. It was so busy that there were appraisers actually in line looking at the items to determine if they needed to spend more time with them. We happened to be in line right next to the furniture section, so not only did I see the Kenoe brothers, but Ken Farmer was also standing there. The appraiser came up to me and asked what I had and I handed him the cane. When I explained the history of the cane and the background of who it was given to, it didn’t take him long to ask if it was okay to show it to someone else and get another opinion. (That was exactly what I was hoping to hear!) I watched him mingle amongst several of the appraisers and he eventually wound up talking to Ken Farmer and another gentleman that I didn’t recognize. Ken came over and introduced himself and complemented me on the fine cane. He explained that it had a lot going in its favor that would appeal to different collectors. It is a finely carved oak cane with a gold-filled knob. There are numerous carvings including people and animals. But there were problems, too. He explained that collectors really want to make a statement when it comes to their canes. He walked about 15 feet away and asked “What do you see?” while holding the cane up. I told him I basically saw a wooden cane. He explained that he would have liked to have seen for dimension to the carvings. When I asked about the provenance of it coming from Territorial Montana, he told me that was actually another part of the problem. You see, there weren’t too many people living in Montana then, or now, so the local interest is also depressed. It’s not all bad news, though. He said it’s a thousand dollar cane. He recommended we insure it for $1500.

So we finally made it back over to the General Collectables line. We had quite a wait there and, again, had another wait once we got in the central area. I plopped the case up on the table and the appraiser said “Well, you’ve certainly got my interest peaked. What do you have there?” That’s when I opened the salesman’s case. I explained it was a salesman’s case for a pharmaceutical company showing the colors, shapes and sizes of all of their pills. We explained that it came from Shelley’s father’s offices when they were being cleared after his death. She said it was quite interesting and the first she had ever seen. The biggest problem she had with it is the limited number of collectors that would be interested in it. Most collectors of salesman samples are looking for smaller versions of the real thing. It would have more value if the drugs were real and belonged to someone important, “…like Elvis, which had a bottle of pills sell for $15,000 at auction.” She also mentioned a European artist who specialized in medicine bottles, pills, etc and his collection of pharmaceuticals sold for over 5 million dollars at auction. She is seeing this case as more of a novelty for a specific collector, but she placed an auction estimate of between $800 and $1200!

We haven’t decided what we’re going to do with these items, yet. They may wind up in the store or they may go straight to eBay. Let us know if you have any specific interest in any of these items!

Antiques Roadshow

2010-08-20T02:20:00.001-04:00

Most everyone, especially those of you who are inclined to read a blog such as this one, is familiar with the PBS show ‘Antiques Roadshow’. This is basically a filmed appraisal fair where people can bring in their items and learn a little about them including their value. I was fortunate enough to attend one in Cincinnati, Ohio during the second year of production. Back then all you had to do was arrive early, get in line and hope the doors weren’t closed before you got a ticket. But with the hopes of confirming treasures over trash, PBS went to a sweepstakes format where you applied for tickets and only a specified number of tickets were awarded.

I have been in the antiques and collectibles profession for about 8 years, now. I have applied for tickets to the Antiques Roadshow every one of the past 8 years and was never selected, UNTIL NOW!

I finally got tickets for this year’s show in Washington, DC on Saturday, August 21. The ‘Roadshow’ is travelling to 6 cities this year, though none of then were in Georgia. I chose DC because I wanted to meet one of the appraisers, Ken Farmer. You’ll find out why in a moment.

When I tell my friends and co-workers that I am going to the Roadshow, invariably the first question is “What are you taking?” I have 2 tickets and each ticketholder can bring 2 items so here are the four items my wife, Shelley, and I are bringing (click on any picture to see a larger version):

You’re probably still asking “Well,what are they!?!” Here we go:

Number 1 is a cane that was acquired at a family run estate sale in Marietta, GA by one of the owners of A Classy Flea. There are several different types of canes that are valuable to collectors. One type of cane has a secondary, hidden purpose. These canes often have something hidden within the handle or at the top of the shaft such as a flask, a dagger, or even a pistol. Another type of collectable canes are the presentation pieces, those that are made to commemorate a specific place, person or event. And then there are the folk art canes, those hand-carved pieces of artwork often done just for the enjoyment of the carver. This cane actually falls into 2 of the categories.

As you can see from the engraving on the knob, this cane was made for Tom McTaque of Deer Lodge, Montana. Who is that? He was the Superintendent of Prisons for the Territory of Montana before it became a state. He was also brought in after Montana achieved statehood to correct problems that arose after the state took over.

What is also interesting about this cane is the carvings down the shaft:
Please click on the image to see a larger view!

More carvings moving down the cane.

…and even more carvings!

When it comes to folk art canes, the more collectable ones are those with figural elements, especially people and animals. This cane has 39 different carved figures.

The second item is:

a doll! Right after Shelley and I moved back to the Atlanta area we watched an episode of Antiques Roadshow where an old Indian doll was appraised. It was worth several thousand dollars. Shortly after seeing this episode, Shelley found this doll at a local garage sale.

We don’t know if this doll is genuine or if it is a reproduction made to look old. That’s one of the exiting times of the appraisal – when you get the expert’s opinion.

Let’s take a closer look at the third item:

A suitcase with 2 sets of latches and “Lemmon Pharmacal Co” printed on the front. Looks like a salesman’s case maybe…

Yes! A case of dummy pills showing the colors and sizes of the pills available for distribution. And below:

sample liquid drugs, as well. I only wish the case had been more complete with the samples. This case actually came from the office of Shelley’s Dad who spent his entire adult life in the pharmaceutical industry.

The last item was just purchased this week from a customer that came to the store wanting us to buy his excess furniture and accessories from a recent downsize. On his list was this item for $25 that I accepted, sight unseen:

a piano accordion in its original case. The bellows appear to be free of leaks and all of the keys and buttons work! This model has 120 bass buttons, one of the most intricate types of accordions available.

But I could find no reference to any accordion made by Riga or with a name of Orchester. I knew that the only way I could determine whether this is a $25 instrument or a $2500 one would be to take it to someone who was familiar with musical instruments. I still needed a fourth item for the Roadshow so on it goes.

I would love for my readers to leave comments guessing what you think the value of each item is. Next week, I will write a follow-up and let you know what I found out about each item!

Now, why did I choose Washington DC and how does Ken Farmer play into this. I have watched Ken give numerous appraisals on ARS and I really like his style. He owns an auction house in Radford, Virginia so I was pretty sure he would be there. But why Ken? A couple of years ago PBS filmed a special segment to show during an episode of Antiques Roadshow that featured Ken and his personal folk art cane collection! I have contacted Ken’s business and they have confirmed that he will be there. Though he is not working the folkart table at this show, he has asked me to bring it over to the furniture area for him to look at. I can’t wait!

Researching… Sterling Silver And Silver Plate

2010-02-02T00:13:00.001-05:00

My wife and I visit in excess of 4000 garage sales, estate sales, auctions, and homesteads every year. Multiply that by the 31 dealers currently at A Classy Flea and you can imagine that we come across a myriad of interesting finds. Fortunately, one of the biggest joys I receive from working at A Classy Flea is that I love to research the more interesting things that I come across. I am lucky that I have the ability to remember much of what I have researched and am able to apply that knowledge when I come across similar items later. The other dealers in our shop know they can use me as a resource for identifying and assisting in valuing their finds. Lately, they have been bugging me to share my secrets so they can research their items without taking my time, so that is what is prompting this weekly blog.

I, like many other people throughout the world, enjoy collecting silver over gold not only because of the considerable difference in cost, but it can be found in so many different forms. I have seen sterling silver in coins, flatware, jewelry, tea sets, platters, trophies, lamps, candelabras, statues, drinking cups, baby rattles, knife rests, and on and on and on! You can buy new sterling silver items at almost any department store and you can find old sterling silver in most antique stores and even many flea markets and thrift stores.

The question I get most often when other dealers bring me silver pieces to look at is “what do all of these marks mean?” If you are a fan of the TV programs “Antiques Roadshow” or BBC’s “Cash in the Attic”, you often hear the appraisers comment that the silver pieces have the “correct silver marks”. So, what are the marks and what do they mean?

To better understand silver marks, lets start at the beginning. As I explained in last week’s blog, sterling silver is not pure silver, but an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. It was discovered that this combination gave silver the best of all properties of luster, workability, and strength. What may be surprising to you is this is not a recent discovery. Though silver was mined as far back as 4000 BC, the sterling alloy likely originated in continental Europe and was used for commerce as early as the 12th century in what is now northern Germany! Nobody is certain where the term ‘sterling’ comes from, but it may have derived from a new 13th century Norman silver coin “librae sterilensium” or “librae sterilensis monetae”. More likely, the term comes from the Old English “steorling” which means ‘coin with a star’, which the old Norman coins had. Most of the world’s silver was mined in Asia Minor and the Greek Isles until major concentrations of silver were found after the discovery and exploration of the ‘New World’ in the 15th and 16th centuries. Since the 1500’s, most of the silver production came from Bolivia and Mexico and even more recently from The United States.

I know what you’re saying; “But what about the marks!?!” Most people didn’t read or write prior to the 18th and 19th centuries and even back then, the government felt a need to control and tax everything being produced. The British Isles probably led the way with a series of marks that can be traced back to the 1300’s! Each of the major cities had a Goldsmith’s Hall where the local tradesmen would take their gold and silver wares to be inspected. There, the pieces would be inspected for quality and stamped with a city stamp to show that they had passed inspection. Later, as precious metals started being taxed, duty stamps were added to show that the taxes had been paid. As unscrupulous metal smiths started faking the city and duty stamps, all makers were required to include a maker’s stamp to identify who made the pieces. Lastly, date stamps were added to further document the history of the piece. So, what does a proper mark look like?
‘Reading’ left to right we find:
Lion in a Shield: Silver Standard Mark for Sterling .925
Crowned Leopard Head: London City Mark (1478 – 1822)
Letter O in a shield: Date Mark – This one is 1789
King George III: Duty Mark (1786 – 1821)
T and W: Maker’s Mark – Thomas Wallis

To verify the mark is correct, the Date Mark must have been used by the associated City, and must fall within the reign of the Monarch depicted by the Duty Mark. Additionally, the Maker must have been active during this same time.

Fortunately, most of the sterling silver we come in contact with at A Classy Flea was made within the last 200 years and the vast majority of it was made in the US. All sterling made in the US must be marked with the word ‘Sterling’ or the purity mark ‘925’ which stands for 92.5% pure silver. I walked around the shop and took some pictures of a few sterling items we have for sale.

La Pierre Manufacturing Company Compote: Founded in 1888 in New York, became a division of International Silver in 1929, still in business.

Georg Jensen Ice Tongs, Acorn Pattern: Founded in 1904 in Copenhagen, Denmark, pattern introduced in 1915, this particular mark was first used in 1945. This pattern is still produced today.

This mark is from the bottom of a very ornate dish. Lucky for me, there was another mark on the other end of the bottom of this dish, Gorham. Founded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1831. This mark is a date mark from 1887. The 656 is the pattern number. Gorham is still in business today.

Here is an interesting mark on the bottom of a candlestick. The mark consists of J.W. within parentheses, an eagle, and 925/1000 within parentheses. This was sold by the John Wanamaker Department Store who commissioned pieces to be made and then marked them with their own mark. They first started marking sterling in 1870 in Philadelphia and are still in business today.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention sterling jewelry made in Mexico. Jewelry designers really started making their “mark” during the 1930’s and continued through the 1970’s. There are many well known and collected Mexican silversmiths including William Spratling and Los Castillo. There is a Mexican village, Taxco, that became such a hub for jewelry makers that designers and silversmiths registered for their own Taxco makers mark.
The Mexico mark is self explanatory. TM-92 is a Taxco (T) mark and was the 92nd one designated for someone whose last name started with an M. The MEE mark is probably the maker’s initials and the 925 is the sterling mark. My books show TM-92 to belong to a different designer so this could have been done by an apprentice of I may be misreading the mark.

Then, there’s this mark:
I found this on the bottom of a tea pot. Three different marks within shields and an eagle’s head. This looks like a British sterling mark, but looks can be deceiving! If we look further, we find:
its actually silver plate on copper. This tea pot was made by Forbes Silver Company, founded in Meriden, Connecticut in 1894.

So, what is silver plate?

The first silver plate was probably a lucky accident. Someone probably had a sheet of silver laying on a sheet of copper and after is was heated up, they found they couldn’t separate them. Silversmiths in Sheffield, England exploited this property. They started fusing silver blocks to copper blocks and when they rolled them out it could be worked just like a sheet of sterling silver but at a much lower cost. The generic term for this silver plate is Old Sheffield Plate and is characterized by the piece being silver on the outside and copper on the inside, such as a pot. In 1840, Elkington and Company patented a process to electrically transfer silver atoms from a donor sheet or solution to a base metal, often copper. This is what we know as electroplated silver. You will find many different types of marks for electroplate: EP, Silver Plate, Quadruple Plate, and EPNS. EP and Silver Plate are typically done over copper. Quadruple Plate was common during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and was a testament to the amount of silver used. Typically at the time, 2 troy ounces of silver was used to plate 144 teaspoons, but the quadruple plate process used 4 troy ounces of silver to plate the same 144 teaspoons. EPNS loosely stands for Electro Plate Nickel Silver. There are two common forms of EPNS. The cheapest is to use a base metal of an alloy that is part copper and part nickel. The base is more silver in color so when it is plated with silver, it tends to have a more bluish tint than plated copper. The other way is to start with a polished brass base, plate it with nickel, then plate it again with the silver. This has the truest color to sterling.

So, there’s a lot to know to determine who made your items, where they were made and when they were made. How do I start my research? The absolute best place to start is
www.925-1000.com.
This site refers to itself as the”Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers’ Marks” and it truly is. I have spent days just browsing the site and I am still reading articles for the first time. Here is a sampling of the information you can find here:

Clicking on the American Marks at the top of the page presents you with these options. The Main Menu ~ American allows you to find a maker’s information either by matching the picture of the mark or browsing the initials on the mark. Manufacturer specific date marks can also be browsed to assist you in dating your pieces. You will also notice that Canadian makers are listed here, though Mexican makers are listed under World Marks. Speaking of World Marks:

World marks is the menu you will use to find information on all makers other than American, Canadian and British. It is a good idea to just browse this section to familiarize yourself with what proper city and duty marks look like. You will also notice at the very bottom that the entire Silver Plate information, regardless of the country of origin, is accessed from this menu.

The Mexican Marks section has a very good primer on the more popular Mexican manufacturers but more thorough info can be found on other websites.

Continuing across the main menu, we find the British Marks:
This menu is more pictorial in nature with links to more detailed info, as seen in the picture above.
The Patterns pull-down shows a sampling of flatware patterns of some of the more popular sterling silver manufactures. A much broader listing of patterns with pictures can be found at www.replacements.com but this is a great place to start!

The last two drop down choices, Library and Resources, have the information that first brought me to this site. I’ll let you explore these to find the treasures waiting there including the Forum where I have had many questions answered!

Here is my calendar of future “Researching…” blogs:
February 8: English Pottery
February 15: US Pottery
February 22: German Pottery
March 1: Chinese Pottery
March 8: General Web Research
March 15: Resource Books?
Please let me know if there are other types of collectables you would like information about researching!

Researching… Costume Jewelry

2010-01-25T13:28:00.001-05:00

Shelley and I have just become interested in jewelry over the last 2 to 3 years. It is so much fun to rummage through old jewelry boxes looking for that special find. It is a real treat for us when we are able to purchase an entire collection, just so we can go through it, cleaning them to their original glory, imagining the places they have been, and discovering when they were made and by whom.

There are 2 things that I first look for when trying to place a value on jewelry; fine metal marks and maker’s marks. Fine metal marks have become mostly standardized throughout the world. If the item is silver in color, the ‘good’ marks are “800”, “925” and “Sterling”. Metal in its pure state is much too soft to be used in jewelry. It would get dented and misshapen too easily during normal use and would quickly lose its beautiful appearance. “Sterling” is the common term for an alloy made up of silver and another metal to give it more strength. Sterling silver is commonly considered to be made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal. This also relates to the “925” mark. The “800” mark simply shows the item is made of an alloy that is 80% silver and 20% another metal and is usually found on older, European items. (For more information on silver marks see next week’s blog!)

Most of you are aware that pure gold is considered 24 karats and is referred to as 24K. Again, pure gold is much too soft to be used in jewelry and is most often used in gold plating. You will usually find ‘real’ gold jewelry marked 22K, 18K, 14K, or 10K. These, again, are alloys of pure gold and another metal. For example, a ring marked 18K is actually 75% gold (18 divided by 24). You may also find a gold ring marked “750” which is identical to 18K. Using the same logic, 22K=917, 14K=583, and 10K=417.

There are other gold marks to be wary of. I have seen many dealers get excited when they find a ring marked 18K-RGP. A similar mark that is often overlooked is something similar to
14K-GF. It’s easy to see the 18K or 14K and think you have just made a great find. “RGP” stands for “Rolled Gold Plate” and “GF” stands for “Gold Filled”. An item that is marked RGP has less than 1/60th of it’s weight made up of the marked gold. So an item marked 18K-RGP is only 1.25% pure gold! An item marked “GF” actually has a thicker layer of gold over the base metal and must be at least 10% of the total weight of the metal. Even so, an item marked 14K-GF is still less than 6% real gold.
Another special case you may find is gold jewelry, usually bracelets, that are marked “925”. This is commonly called vermeil and is made of a base of sterling silver with a very fine plating of 10K or 14K gold on top. The amount of actual gold is insignificant and we usually price these items as if they were sterling – which they are!

Obviously, the majority of the jewelry we come across is loosely referred to as Costume Jewelry. This is jewelry that was typically made in the 1940’s – 1970’s that was low on cost but high on show. Though they were low cost, many of the older designers were high style and actually very high quality. The collectability, and therefore the value, of a specific piece is a combination of colors, design, maker and age. A lot of this is subjective, but it is necessary to know who made the piece and when. Most of this can be derived from the maker’s mark on the piece.

Though there are many websites dedicated to the identifying of costume jewelry, there is only one that I have come to rely on: “Researching Costume Jewelry” at Illusions Jewels: http://www.illusionjewels.com/costumejewelrymarks.html

The ladies at Illusion Jewels have created and identification guide that looks exactly how I would have asked for one to be designed! Just scroll down the main page a little way and you will find an index to the first letter of the maker’s mark:

And what kind of information can you expect to find on their site? Here’s an example of one maker, Schiaparelli: (click on the picture to see a larger version)

The information includes the years the company was in business, the different marks they used, and most importantly, the approximate dates the individual marks were used.

Here is my calendar of future “Researching…” blogs:
February 1: Silver and Silver Plate
February 8: English Pottery
February 15: US Pottery
February 22: German Pottery
March 1: Chinese Pottery
March 8: General Web Research
March 15: Resource Books?
Please let me know if there are other types of collectables you would like information about researching!

Tablescape Thursday #12

2010-01-20T16:41:00.000-05:00

Thanks for joining us for our twelfth Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to all of the other tablescapes this week. As always, click on any picture below to see a larger version for more detail.

It has been a while since we have posted to our blog and to all of our followers, we apologize. I am going to start back slowly with 2 posts each week: Tablescape Thursday and Research Monday. Susan at Between Naps on the Porch has not only put countless hours into maintaining her blog and encouraging others with her tablescapes, she has always been open with the joy she receives from shopping at A Classy Flea. One of the joys I get from working at A Classy Flea is the wealth of knowledge I acquire while researching many of the fabulous finds that come into our doors. The most common question I get from our dealers is “where do you get your information” and I will be addressing this question on the Monday blog. -Glenn

While emptying some boxes of treasures that have been in the office for many months, I found some great looking pink depression glass. This was the inspiration I needed to create a new tablescape.
These were made by the Jeannette Glass Company of Jeannette, PA and this pattern, “Holiday”, was introduced in 1947. You will also see this pattern referred to as “Button and Bows”. Jeannette “Holiday” 10 oz. Footed Tumbler: $12.95 ea (BJS)Jeannette “Holiday” Tea/Coffee Cup: $4.95 ea (BJS)
Jeannette “Holiday” Footed Sherbert (w/rays): $9.95 ea (BJS)

Fortunately, a wonderful round table with 4 chairs had just come into the shop. With the weather warming up in Atlanta and the pink glasses to work from, I decided to go for an informal Springtime look.

I started with some mint green placemats to help highlight the unusual chargers.
I loved how the pattern in the chargers played off the carving around the edge of the table.
Green “Kohl’s” Placemats: $1.00 ea (SHEL)
Plastic Molded Chargers with ivy design: $1.95 for 4 (SHEL)

Wandering through the store ‘shopping’ for plates, I found these cabbage plates in a cabinet in Barb’s space. I see these all the time in green, but rarely in pink.
The chargers act perfectly to border the plates against the placemats. The brighter pink color helps with the spring palette.
Bordallo Pinheiro Red Cabbage Plates: $5.95 ea! (B)

You can’t have a Spring theme tablescape without a floral pattern dish, can you! I had a number of dishes to choose from but the one I found in Julia’s space had the green accent stripe that went so well with the placemats.
She has a number of these dishes in her booth in many sizes and support pieces. This is the “Selston” pattern and was made by Woods and Son Pottery in Burslem, England during the early 1930’s.
Selston Dinner Plates: $7.95 ea! (ALLI)

You can’t eat without flatware and Phyllis has a set of silverplate that just goes with the theme!
Made by Rogers Brothers in the very popular “Remembrance” pattern, there is just a touch of a flower to add to the look.
Rogers Bros. Silverplate “Remembrance: $75 8 place setting (PHL)

Putting it all together, here is what the place setting looks like:

Yes, you can see a hint of what I used for a centerpiece. There are actually 3 separate items that I’m grouping as a centerpiece, all coming originally from Fitz and Floyd:

From the top:
Fitz and Floyd Swan Soup Tureen w/ladle: $95.00 (SIS)
Fitz and Floyd Swan Pitcher: $25.00 (SIS)
Fitz and Floyd Swan Vase: $25.00 (SIS)

And here’s a close-up of the Franciscan creamer and sugar:

Franciscan Desert Rose Creamer: $19.95 (PHL)
Franciscan Desert Rose Sugar Bowl w/Lid: $19.95 (PHL)

Bernhardt Table, Wide Leaf and 4 Chairs with Leather Seats: $1200 (SIS)

Many thanks to Gretchen (GRE) for helping me with many of the design decisions in putting this table together!

Tablescape Thursday #11

2009-08-05T21:48:00.001-04:00

Thanks for joining us for our tenth Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to all of the other tablescapes this week. As always, click on any picture below to see a larger version for more detail.

Connie (CAT) is this week’s tablescape architect who was assisted by Patricia (VON) using a table in her booth. When I asked Connie what her inspiration was this week, she told me it was an ode to the passing of summer and moving into fall. (Several school systems in metro Atlanta started school this week and the majority of the rest start back on Monday. I remember when we didn’t go back to school until the Tuesday after Labor Day!)

Okay, so picture a couple of Moms meeting at a friend’s house. They stroll out to the porch to reminisce about the summer passing and school starting back. What says summer better than an apple green plate topped by a darling white china dish?
Apple Green Charger from Pottery Barn: $3.00 ea (SIS)
”Home Essentials” White Grape Motif Plate: $9.95 ea (PHL)

Top this with some fine etched crystal for your favorite beverage:
Etched Crystal: $14.00 / set 4 (SHEL)

We’ll add some crystal accessories and keep things clean. Today’s centerpiece is much simpler than the past couple of weeks.
Etched Glass Cruet: $8.00 (SHEL)
Individual Salt and Pepper Shakers: $2.25 ea (GRE)

Here’s a closer view of the centerpiece. A depression glass cake stand with a matching dish from the place setting, topped with a silk rose in a green teacup!
Federal Glass “Madrid” Depression Glass Cake Plate: $14.99 (VON)
Silk Rose in Coffee Cup and Saucer: $7.99 (VON)

Susan, I know how much you like to repurpose books. You’ll be relieved to know this is not a real antiques book being used as a hot pad.
Red Cliff Ironstone Tea Set: $49.00/3 pc set (LRA)
”War and Peace” Hide Your Treasures Book: $3.00 (VON)

I know, you want to see what those other roses are in the background. It is one of the largest tole painted trays I have ever seen. And doesn’t it just work with the rest of the scene?
Fabulous Vintage Tole Painted Tray: $89.00 (!) (LRA)
Carved Bird: $6.95 (PHL)
Black and Brass Lamp with Shade: $39.95 (PHL)
Black Iron Candle Stands: $9.95 / $8.95 (LRA)

Here’s a better shot of that tray:

And here’s the big picture. You have to imagine the deck, cool breezes and aroma of flowers wafting through the air.
Black Iron Table and Chairs with Glass Top: $199.00 (VON)
Green and Blue Chandelier Down Filled Pillow: $24.95 (ALLI)
Ann Taylor Straw Hat: $7.95 (LRA)

Oval Leaded Glass Window: $69.00 (CAT)

Molded Garden Urn: $24.00 (LRA)

China Cabinet & Hutch: $199.00 (VON)

Godinger Silverplate Squirrel Nutcracker: $19.95 (NET)
Painted Silverplate Tray: $24.00 (CAT)
Crystal Wine Glasses: $12.00 / set 8 (CAT)

I’ll leave you this week with a shameless self-promotional shot:
French Memo Board made from old Door: $59.00 (B)
Brass Tray Chalkboard: $17.99 (VON)

A little about us - We are located in Marietta, GA, about a half mile east of "The Big Chicken". With over 25 full time dealers, we are open 7 days a week. You can get much more information by clicking on the link here. As pretty as these items are, and as much as we want you to have them, our policy prohibits us from selling any of these items without you seeing them in person.

Tablescape Thursday #10

2009-07-29T21:16:00.001-04:00

This week’s inspiration came not from a set of dishes, nor the perfect table, not glassware, flatware, or centerpiece. This week’s inspiration came from a special piece of furniture that just arrived in the store.

To work this piece of furniture into a tablescape, we decided to have a little tea party!
Here we have our silver plate tea set, earthenware creamer and sugar, silverware and red and white transferware ready to go on a coffee table. (Maybe it should be a “tea table” in this case! No, this isn’t the inspiration piece.)

Here’s a little closer view of the tea service. So classy!

It’s so much fun to mix and match patterns! As many collectors already know, it can be so much fun to group similar items as opposed to same items.

And here’s a mirrored-back buffet being used for it’s originally intended purpose. No, it’s not the inspiration piece.

Don’t you just love these old transferware grill plates? The cut glass decanter and biscuit jar add just enough sparkle. The old mirrored tray keeps everything tidy.

Some red silk roses to play off the red and white stoneware.

Curious about that piece of furniture that inspired this service?

How about a stunning, hand worked needlepoint sofa?

Here’s the entire room vignette. Here’s just another example of A Classy Flea living up to our name! I would like to thank Patricia (VON) and Connie (CAT) for assembling today’s tablescape. I would also like to thank Barb (B) for sharing her space and sofa for today’s photo shoot. I apologize to all of the dealers whose pieces were used as I have misplaced the notes with names and prices for each of the pieces. We all hope you enjoyed this very nontraditional tablescape from all of the dealers at A Classy Flea.

For all of our friends in the Atlanta area, we are teaming up with Rockin –P – Rescue as they host a fund-raising flea-market in the Town and Country Shopping Center where we are also located. We will be having our own “Dog Days of Summer” sale this week-end with all of our dealers participating. Please stop by the temporary Rockin-P store located behind our friends at Psycho Tattoo.

Tablescape Thursday #9

2009-07-22T20:56:00.001-04:00

Thanks for joining us for our sixth Tablescape Thursday. We have had the best time over the last month and a half putting these together! Be sure to visit our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to all of the other tablescapes this week.

Okay, we’re going formal today! First off, I have to thank Laura (LRA) for the use of her table and allowing us to set up in her space, and Patricia (VON) who assisted in creating the tablescape. As always, you can click on any picture to see a larger view.

Sometimes, you see a piece and you just want to show it off! That’s the case with today’s inspiration piece.
This is a samovar (tea urn), most likely from the 1820’s. It is not marked, but that was often the case in that time period. This dates prior to electroplate so is most definitely cold-rolled Sheffield Plate. What is also unusual about this one is it still has the original coal chimney inside.

You can’t have an antique tea urn without some teacups, can you? I found this silver trimmed set made by Royal Sutherland along with a creamer and covered sugar by Red Cliff .
Royal Sutherland 6pc. place settings: $58 / 19 pcs (PHL)
Red Cliff Ironstone Tea Set (Teapot, Creamer, Sugar): $49 (LRA)
Sheffield Plate Samovar c1820’s: $895 (SHEL)

I wanted to keep the place setting simple, yet elegant.
The salad plate and dinner plate are sitting on a silver plate charger. Cut glass stemware and sterling flatware complete the place settings.
Coalport Oceanside Dinner Plate: $34 ea (LRA)
Coalport Oceanside Salad Plate: $85/6 (LRA)
Silver Plate Charger: $5 ea (SHEL)
Stemware (Unknown maker – Unknown pattern): $8 ea (BJS)
Silver Plate Hinged-top Butter Dish: $14.99 (KNK)
International Silver “King Louis” Sterling: $749 / 6 pl. set. (BJS)

Next, we’ll add a couple of accessories:
Chafing dish to keep the food warm and an ice bucket to keep the wine cold! (The Hauck Cellars wine is made by Greg Hauck, a brother of A Classy Flea’s owners Barbara, Jo, and Shelley.)
Waterford “Simply Red” Ice Bucket: $129 (SHEL)
Silver Plate Chafing Dish (as-is): $5 (VON)
Bunch of White Silk Flowers: $7.95 (LRA)

And carrying the floral theme to the rest of the embellishments…
a vintage lamp, a centerpiece and picture complete the look.
Vintage Green Floral Lamp: $45 (LRA)
Floral Arrangement in Tall Vase: $34 (GRE)
Floral Print in Ornate Gold Frame: $99 (LRA)

Place them all together…
a simple, formal elegant tablescape.
Mahogany Double Pedestal Table w/leaf: $149 (LRA)
Vintage Lace Tablecloth: $29 (LRA)

I would be remiss if I didn’t “toot our own horn” for just a moment. One of our customers recommended our shop to AirTran Magazine and we are the top shopping recommendation for Atlanta in the July magazine! See the listing here!

Tablescape Thursday #8

2009-07-15T21:19:00.001-04:00

First, I’d like to thank Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for being our gracious host for Tablescape Thursday. If you didn’t get here from there, please be sure to click on the link and see her tablescape and then go on and look at the others that are participating this week!

Unlike last week when I couldn’t find a table to use for a tablescape, the dealers have come through (again) and I had several to choose from. What caught my eye this week was a table set up in JO’s space just about ready to go, as-is. JO, like so many of our dealers, presents her merchandise beautifully, so very little enhancement was required. VON assisted me in adding a centerpiece and straightening the background. So, here we go…

This week’s table transitions quickly from an afternoon brunch right into a game table.
The dishes are by HomeTrends in the “Jazz” pattern. This earthy striped patterned set is placed on bamboo placemats surrounding a small topiary tree and a chess board. In the background you can see a coordinating woven screen and rustic ladder. And you’ve got to love that old pottery jug!
Stripped Dishes: $12.00/set (JO)
Bamboo Placemats: $7.95/4 (JO)
Topiary Greenery: $14.95 (VON)
Ecuador Game Set: $24.00 (JO)
Oak Pedestal Table with 4 Chairs: $199.00 (JO)

Let’s take a closer look at those dishes:
Dinner Plate

Salad / Dessert Plate

Coupe Soup Bowl

Mug

All together they make a nice, casual tablescape:

Here’s a little better look at the background pieces: Black and Woven Screen: $59.00 (JO)
Rustic Ladder: $39.00 (JO)
Stoneware Pitcher: $59.00 (JO)

And how do you top this?

With a beaded chandelier, why of course! $195.00 (RPR)

Put them all together:

We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into our store. Please check us out online at www.AClassyFlea.com. And the next time you visit our shop in Marietta, GA, please be sure to let us know you saw us on the blog!

Tablescape Thursday #7

2009-07-08T16:41:00.001-04:00

Hey! We’re back after being away for a couple of months. I want to thank everyone who has been patiently checking back to see if we’ve posted anything new. To be perfectly honest, the blog has taken a back seat while we tended the store and produced a new website. Our dealers have been working overtime trying to keep ahead of all all of our loyal customers. Our sales are way up over last year and we appreciate each and every one of you. We have also launched a brand new look to our website. Please take a few moments to check it out at www.AClassyFlea.com.

Yes, I am lucky to be able to walk through the entire store, searching for inspirations to guide me on my tablescape. As I was walking through the store yesterday (Tuesday) I saw 2 different tables that would be perfect. When I came in today to take pictures, they were sold, and gone! Both of them! So, starting over today, I was really getting stumped because we have sold so many tables recently. What I did come across, though, was a set of old china stacked in one of the china cabinets. Here was my inspiration! (you can click on any of the pictures to see enlarged views.)This is Crown Ducal Ware in the A1476 pattern. More on the china later.

I found this crystal glassware in another cabinet. Four different sizes and I don’t know what each are used for. It may even be inappropriate to mix these but it only matters how they look. And they look marvelous!

The “tablecloth” is actually an antique net lace bed cover I found in the office. I just thought it looked neat with the old china.

This old marble scale with the fruit was just the perfect accent, pulling out the colors in the china and also echoing the fruit in the pattern.

Not bad for a techy type guy!

After I first assembled the table, one of the dealers said “I have the perfect rug!” So, we disassembled the tablescape, moved the table to the rug and put it back together. And, yes, the rug does complement the china.

One of the interesting things about this china is even though it was purchased from the same person (it was her Grandmother’s), and all of the pieces are of the same pattern, there are actually three different marks found on the back. Crown Ducal was actually a trade name for the A. G. Richardson and Company, Ltd. This pottery was founded in 1915 in Tunstall, in the Staffordshire area of England. The mark on the top left dates to around 1925, while the mark on the top right was used beginning in 1932. The lower mark was not introduced until the late 1940’s, but you can clearly see the 1476 pattern number on the two more recent marks.

Be sure to check us out on Twitter. Tweets from A Classy Flea can be found at www.twitter.com/aclassyflea while our dealers announce new inventory at www.twitter.com/acf_dealers. You’ll probably want to follow both of them!

Tablescape Thursday #6

2009-05-20T19:36:00.001-04:00

Fortunately, this week’s tablescape didn’t have to be “put together”! If you have been following our past TT you know that we recruit volunteers to assemble a tablescape from items for sale in booths throughout the store. This weekend, we not only got in a full set of china but a most impressive dining room set to put it on. (Please click on any of the pictures in today’s post to see a larger image.)

The china is Ferncroft by Royal Worchester.

This china was produced in 3 colors. Originally, this was just an open outline pattern with no color. Turquoise was added very early and pink was used toward the end of the pattern run.

There are actually a total of eight place settings including dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, and cup and flat saucers. You’ll also notice the creamer and lidded sugar bowl in this shot.

Looking down the table you can see the adorable teapot.

And in the china cabinet are a couple of oval vegetable bowls and a large oval platter!

Here’s a picture of the mark on the bottom of one of the soup bowls:
In addition to the stamped logo mark with the pattern name, you can also see the pattern number handwritten in red (z2247/1). If you look closely you can see the impressed mark W 1. This mark dates this piece to 1951. The original price tag was just $3.34 but this bowl now sells for $25 - $30 each!
Royal Worchester “Ferncroft” China $395 / 54 pieces (SIS)

Accompanying the china are some antique cut glass stemware. We have not been able to identify the maker or pattern and replacements dot com couldn’t either. If you have any ideas, please let us know!
Crystal Stemware maker unknown: $15 ea (BJS)

We used the same flatware this week that was on our beach porch table last week. You just can’t go wrong with a set of ornate sterling flatware.
International Silver “King Louis” Sterling: $749 / 6 place settings (BJS)

Table with butterfly leaf, captain chair and 5 side chairs and a newer custom table pad: $499 (SIS)
Completing the tablescape are a pair of round tablecloths folded and used as runners ($14 ea – KI) and a floral centerpiece in an oval planter ($12.95 – SHEL).

I would be remiss if I didn’t show a couple of shots of the other pieces of furniture!

The buffet features 5 drawers and 2 doors. $499 (SIS)

China Cabinet: $499 (SIS)

The furniture is marked “Finch Fine Furniture” of Thomasville, North Carolina. Here’s the plate inside the drawer:

Apparently, the Finch family owned the trees and lumberyards used by the furniture manufacturers in the High Point, NC area. When Thomasville Chair Company got into financial trouble in the early 1900’s, the Finch’s took over the company to protect their investments. In the early 1930’s, they began producing high quality, solid wood, bedroom and dining room furniture in a dedicated factory, purchased from a bankrupt rival. The pieces from this factory were marked Finch Fine Furniture. The Thomasville Chair Company was renamed the Thomasville Furniture Industries in the 1960’s. Today, the Thomasville Furniture Company markets a number of well known brands such as Broyhill and Drexel Heritage. It also produces a large range under its own Thomasville name. The Thomasville brand is aimed at people looking to buy in the upper to premium market sectors.

Pink Saturday #4

2009-05-15T23:03:00.001-04:00

Welcome to our fourth Pink Saturday. Pink Saturday is hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. Be sure to click on the link (or the picture to the right) to go to her blog and see a list of the other participants in this week’s Pink Saturday.

Here’s today’s Sneak Preview:

The stars of today’s post are a couple of cool cats:
Broderick T Honeywell

and Eleanor F. Fairchild.

Made by Katherine’s Collection, these 2 dolls retail for $350 each! Katherine’s Dolls: $49 ea (BJS)

Here’s a shot of them in on set:

And one last photo-op of just Broderick:
Today’s Supporting Cast:
1890’s Germany Cup & Saucer: $18 (BJS)
Pink Frame: $6.95 (B)
Ivory Lamp with Pink Button Shade: $19.95 (B)
Shabby Chic Wall Urn w/Pink Flowers: $14 (K9)
Maude Humphrey Print “Miss Muffet’s Birthday Party”: $19.95 (B)
Tropical Pillow with Bead Fringe: $7.95 (B)
Tall Pottery Jug: $10 (BJS)
Homer Laughlin Plate: $2.50 (BJS)

Friday at “The Flea” #5

2009-05-14T20:43:00.001-04:00

Welcome and thanks for joining us on our fifth Friday at “The Flea”. I decided to give Glenn a break this week and took a leisurely walk through the store, just snapping pictures of anything that caught my eye. Hope you enjoy wandering about “The Flea” with me!

I just love this old painted wash stand. To me, the missing door just gives it more personality and another place to add some color!

B’s multi-pattern pitcher caught my eye. Wouldn’t it be beautiful paired up with some of …

ALLI’s gorgeous linens and doilies. They’re sure to add a bit of romance to any room.

And they go great with roses.

This bark cloth covered ottoman makes me a little nostalgic. And of course anything with fringe catches my eye!

I can just imagine this pretty blue desk and chair in a beach cottage. Our dealers paint a lot of the furniture you’ll see at A Classy Flea. LRA does a great job and picks the prettiest colors.

I’m always a sucker for wicker. This rocking chair in EM’s booth is a steal at only $29. I love the high back and the open pattern.

Cute as can be, these tea cups with matching lunch plates would be perfect for an afternoon tea. Remember when people used to have time for such a thing?

I love this white iron chandelier – it’s so unusual. Wouldn’t this be great in a shabby chic dining room? How about a sun porch…or maybe over the tub?

Then let’s add this great bird cage. Ooh, this room is starting to look so pretty. Check out NET’s booth to see these great items.

Pretty blue and white pitcher is also NET’s.

And if you are longing for the good old days…how about this red and white enamel top cabinet?

Remember saddle shoes?

Or splashing around in your red rubber boots?

When was the last time you saw a box of detergent with a free gift inside? This one still has the towel and detergent in it!

And finally, if you’re an Art Deco fan, how could you pass up this adorable lamp? It’s a repro, but it’s just too cute! And at a third of it’s original price, it’s very affordable.

Hope you enjoyed shopping with me today. Be sure to check back tomorrow as we participate in another Pink Saturday.

Tablescape Thursday #5

2009-05-13T20:11:00.004-04:00

Thanks for joining us for our fifth Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to all of the other tablescapes this week.

Shelley (SHEL) and Laura (LRA) volunteered to be this week’s tablescape architects. Their inspiration came from a cute white folding table and chairs set and the thought of summer soon being here. Here are a few hints of what’s to come (as a reminder, please click on the pictures for a closer look): Ocean hues of blues and greens…

White seashells and flowers…

Clear crystal…

Green glass…

Dainty …

yet geometric…

With a bit of whimsy…

and a touch of flair!

Gives us a setting that would be at home on a porch by the beach.

Today’s shopping list:
We start with a 3-Piece White Folding Table and Chairs set $89 (GRE)
and put it atop a Diamond Pattern Rug $39 (B).

Add a Sweet Blue Shabby Chic Table for our wine stand $18 (RBEY),
a White Wicker Double Wine Basket$12 (JER)and drape it with a Sea Foam Blue Scarf $3.95 (GRE).

Nautical Fabric works nicely for our table runner $19.95 / 2 yds (BIG)
and Crochet Dresser Scarves soften our chair backs $10 ea (SHEL)

A Shell Pedestal Bowl to hold our rolls start our beach theme $24.95 (TONY)

Then we found a Vintage Seltzer Water Bottle to set the color tone for the table $24.95 (BIG)

Our Coalport “Oceanside” Dinner Plates $34 ea (LRA) topped with
Coalport “Oceanside” Salad Plates continue our seashell theme $85 /set 6 (LRA).

For a bit of whimsy we added Silver Candleholders with blue glass globes $5.95 ea (TONY) and topped them with Candlewick Bowls $12 ea (LRA) to serve our fruit in.

Sterling Flatware, International Silver $749/8 5-pc settings (BJS) adds a touch of elegance.

Lenox “Mediterranean Collection" Milk Pitcher $9.95, Lunch Plates $35/12 pc set, and Sugar Bowl $11.95 (TONY) add a bit of color.

Royal Bavarian Crystal Wine Glasses: $30/set 6 (SHEL) and a bunch of White Flowers $3 (SHEL) finish off our table setting.

Verse Pillow $3.95 (B) in one chair and book “Impress for Less” $3.95 (B) add a little more interest.

Simple, Shabby and Elegant.

Be sure to join us tomorrow for "Fridays at The Flea" where Shelley is going on a shopping spree and sharing some special items that caught her eye.

A little about us - We are located in Marietta, GA, about a half mile east of "The Big Chicken". With over 25 full time dealers, we are open 7 days a week. You can get much more information by clicking on the link here. As pretty as these items are, and as much as we want you to have them, our policy prohibits us from selling any of these items without you seeing them in person.

Friday at “The Flea” #4

2009-05-07T21:25:00.004-04:00

[Editor's Note - My apologies for those of you looking for this week's Pink Saturday post. I've caught that cold bug going around and just not up to it today. Join us next week and hopefully I'll be going strong, again!]

Welcome and thanks for joining us on our fourth Friday at “The Flea”. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the pottery available at A Classy Flea. “Why pottery?”, you may ask. Pottery is something you can find in almost any antique mall, flea market, thrift store, garage sale… need I go on? Pottery can be found in any color with any pattern at any price point. I have also seen many parents getting their children interested in antiquing and collecting by starting them collecting a specific type or maker of pottery.

As I strolled through the store looking at pottery to include in this week’s post, it became obvious that I had to define a subset of what we have available. I could probably publish a coffee table book on pottery just using what we have available today. So, I decided to only highlight US potters, and provide a little information about them.

When you mention US pottery, most people immediately think of the potters who populated Ohio at the end of the 19th century. Let’s take a look at a few:

Rookwood Pottery was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio by Maria Longworth Nichols in the year 1880. Pottery lovers everywhere can spot the unique look of the Rookwood glaze. One of the best things about their pieces are that they are clearly marked, including the year it was produced. This vase dates to 1928.
Rookwood Vase 6” #2989: $175 (NET)

Speaking of distinctive glaze on pottery produced in Ohio, none is probably more recognizable than those produced by Roseville. The Roseville Pottery Company started operations in 1890 in Roseville, Ohio. It incorporated in 1892 and moved to Zanesville, Ohio.
Roseville Bittersweet Yellow Ewer #816-8” ca. 1940: $225 (NET) Roseville Dahlrose Vase, 8” ca. 1924: $149 (LRA)Roseville Green Zephyr Lily Bookends #16: $99 (GRE)

Weller Pottery was founded by Samuel Weller in Fultonham, Ohio in 1872. The pottery was moved to Zanesville in 1888.

Weller Cameo Vase ca. 1935: $95 (NET) Weller Bouquet Vase ca. 1935: $59 (BJS)

Continuing with our Zanesville potters, you might be expecting us to be overwhelmed with McCoy. Planters and vases marked McCoy are readily available at garage sales and estate sales all around Atlanta. Unfortunately, the market has been saturated with McCoy fakes it has diminished the collectability of the real thing. While walking the store, though, I did come across a rare Brush Art Pottery piece:

You often hear Brush Pottery referred to as Brush-McCoy. The two potteries did join forces for a while but were actually two independent potters for most of their existence. Here’s a glimpse at the Brush mark on the bottom of this piece:

This cookie jar was tucked away mostly hidden by a bunch of other things. It has a top that doesn’t match, but the value in this piece is the jar, anyway. I’m including this one in the post because shoppers often have found hidden treasures throughout our shop.
Brush Pottery Cookie Jar ca. 1940’s: Sale $6 OMG (PHL)

Shawnee Pottery started in Zanesville in 1937. Most of the items they produced were often found in the five and dime stores of their day. Since they were so inexpensive, they were considered “throw-away” and can be quite collectable today.

The small pitcher in front is another type of item that is often collected, mini-pitchers. These are small (obviously) so they don’t take up much space. They can be found in almost as many shapes and colors as their larger counterparts.
Shawnee Mini-Pitcher: $9 (SHEL)
New Fiesta Pitcher: $15 (B)

In addition to Zanesville and Roseville, another small town in the same area of Ohio that spawned potteries was Crooksville. One of the earliest potters here was Burley & Winter. Burley Winter Pottery was started by William Burley and Wilson Winter in 1872. It continued under several different names until 1932.

This pitcher is marked on the bottom, impressed by hand.
Burley & Winter Pitcher ca. 1892: $99 (NET)

Also located in Crooksville was Hull Pottery. Hull produced a plethora of decorative pieces that looked very much like and competed with McCoy.

Hull Duck Planter #104: $49 (GRE)Hull Dancing Lady Planter #955: $43 (BJS) Here’s a great shot of why pottery can be so much fun to collect. These three pieces have completely different shapes but look so wonderful together since they are the same pattern.
Hull Pottery Matte Magnolia Pattern:
#8-10-1/2” Vase: $99 (NET)
#11-6-1/4” Vase: $55 (NET)
unmarked 5” Ewer: $29 (NET)

We will finish up our visit to Ohio with a few examples of Watt Pottery. Watt Pottery was incorporated in 1922 at the site of the Burley Pottery. Watt holds a special place in my heart as being the single most expensive piece of pottery I have ever sold, a double apple sugar jar for over $1500!

Watt Rio Rose Individual Casserole ca. 1949: $95 (BJS)Watt 2-Leaf Apple Flat Bowl #74 ca. 1952: $25 as-is (BJS) Watt Double Apple Dip Bowl #120: $65 as-is (BJS)

But, let’s face it, A Classy Flea is located in Georgia and I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight two well known Georgia Potters.

W. J. (Bill) Gordy was born into a potter’s family in 1910 and opened his own studio in 1935. Cars would line up for miles, hours before sunup on the days that Bill would empty the kiln. His works are displayed in the Smithsonian as examples of southern folk pottery. He was also a founding member of the Piedmont Arts Festival in Atlanta and would turn pottery at the show. Mr. Gordy died August 19, 1993.
WJ Gordy 3” Creamer: $22 (B)
WJ Gordy 7” Ewer: $28 (B)

You can’t mention “Georgia Folk Potter” and not think of Lanier Meaders. Lanier Meaders notoriety came about almost by accident. The Meaders family pottery was started by John Meaders in the 1820’s on Mossy Creek, just outside Cleveland, GA, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It was eventually passed on to his grandson, John Milton Meaders in the late 1800’s. John Milton’s son, Cheever, continued the family tradition through the depression and World War II. In the 1960’s The Smithsonian and PBS combined to document southern US folk potters. During their travels searching for artists, they were intrigued by the works of Cheever. However, on the scheduled day of filming for the PBS documentary, Cheever was too ill to work. His son, Lanier, jumped in and demonstrated how he made his face jug. Lanier had started making these for the tourists that drove through the area headed for Florida. As a result of the interest generated by the PBS documentary, The Library of Congress commissioned Lanier, Cheever and his Mother to produce a show in Washington DC. Lanier’s works are still on display in The Smithsonian. Lanier Meaders died in 1998.

Lanier Meaders Face Jug, Clay Eyes and Teeth: $999 (NET/ART)

Be sure to check back tomorrow as we participate in another Pink Saturday.

Tablescape Thursday #4

2009-05-06T01:48:00.002-04:00

Thanks for joining us for our forth Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to all of the other tablescapes this week.

When we asked for a volunteer to put together this week’s tablescape, Patricia (VON) again jumped at the opportunity. Gretchen (GRE) enthusiastically volunteered to help. What they created is way more than just a tablescape! They have put together an entire scene, using a palette of greens and ivories with a punch of purple. What’s is most amazing is there is something in this scene from every dealer in our shop. I think this shows just how diverse our dealers are and how easy it is to find just the right item, seemingly no matter what you’re looking for. We’re calling this week’s tablescape “Former Princess, Reigning Queen”. As always, please click on any of the pictures below to see a larger version so you can see even more of the detail!

Yes, there really are dishes on a table somewhere in there!

The inspiration this week came from a cute glass top rattan table that was already setup with some ‘Springy’ grapevine dishes. This was going to be the basis of this week’s Spring themed table. Looking at the table proper:

The china is Vintage Noritake: priced sep. $6 & up (RBEY)
Green Crystal Stems: $38 (DEB)
Lace Doily: $8 (ALLI)
Green Glass Bowl: $14.99 (JCCA)
Vintage Grape Bunch: $1 ea (ST)
Hand Painted China Pitcher: $60 (CRIS)
Dark Green “Cameo” Jar: $20 (CAT)
Former Princess Sign: $10 (SHEL)
Vintage Doll with Tulle Dress: $7 (RBEY)
Green Finials: $6 - $7 (K9)
Limited Edition Cat Print: $19 (GRE)
Green Metal Butterfly Tealight Holder: $10.99 (NET)
Ivory Metal Candle Holder: $3.95 (B)
Amethyst Tilt Ball Pitcher: $18.95 (NET)
Green Travel Bag: $50/set 3 (JAZZ)
Tin with Violets: $2 (SHEL)
Mother’s Day Cards: $1 ea (SIS)

Backing this is a cute ivory shelf with a little bit of whimsy:

Cream Cottage Shelf: $39 (LRA)
Antique Fish Lamp w/Opalescent Shade: $69 (LRA)
Ceramic From Figurines: $1 ea (EM)
Royal Devon Floral Pitcher: $39 (GRE)
Brass Bunny: $4.95 (MLP)
Small Photo Box: $10 (BEL)
Purple Bulb Vase: $2.95 (DEB)
Vintage Cream Aigner Heel: $13.95 (CAT)
Vaseline Glass Juicer: $15 (ART)
Dragonfly Planter: $4.99 (DWAL)
Lavender Plant in Pot: $12 (VON)
Silk Lavender Paisley Jacket: $$15 (JL)

We did try to frame the shot a little bit by providing some screening from the rest of the booth:

Raw Silk Celery Stripe Fabric: $5 (K9)
Four Panel Wood Screen: $89 (KNK)
Floor Lamp (used as coat rack!): $36 (DEB)
Welcome Yard Sign: $3 (TONY)
Crochet Tablecloth: $* (DEB)

Of course, you have to have a place to sit. How’s this for an eclectic pair of chairs?

Green Velvet Channel Back Chair: $39 (LYNN)
Green Ladder Back Chair: $19.95 (ALLI)
Violet Needlepoint Pillow: $18.99 (PHL)
Garden House Book: $6 (JO)
Needlepoint Handbag: $19.95 (JER)
Tropical Bark Cloth Print Pillow: $14 (KI)
Vintage Dark Green Water Sprinkler!: $24.95 (BIG)
… and let’s not forget the Glass Top Rattan Table: $59 (DEB)

All of the owners and dealers at A Classy Flea would like to wish all of you Moms a very happy and special Mother’s Day this Sunday.

Here are a few more wordless pictures of this week’s tablescape:

Be sure to join us tomorrow for "Fridays at The Flea" where we will be featuring Pottery and again on Saturday for "Pink Saturday" to see what surprises we have ‘in store’ for you!

Pink Saturday #3 - A Very Special Dress

2009-05-01T13:21:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our third Pink Saturday. Pink Saturday is hosted by Beverly at this location. Be sure to click on the link (or the picture to the right) to go to her blog and see a list of the other participants in this weeks Pink Saturday.

I liken myself, as a dealer in a shop such as A Classy Flea, very much to a treasure hunter. Sure, my first goal is to find enough “stuff” that someone else will want to buy at a price that allows me to resell it and make a profit. But what really keeps me going is that, through much hard work and perseverance, every once in a while I DO find a real treasure. You can ask any dealer in our shop, and probably 99.9% of dealers in shops like ours around the world, why they do this and the response will be the same: “It’s the thrill of the hunt!” Most of you readers know the chill that runs through the body when you are browsing through your favorite thrift store, outlet store, or a sale at your favorite retailer, and find that perfect thing that you weren’t even looking for at a price that’s more of a ‘steal’ than a ‘deal’!

My wife and I were strolling through an Estate Sale in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, not too far from the shop. The lady who lived in the house had recently passed away at the age of 106! She was obviously a very well-to-do woman and a world traveler. Even though we primarily search for furniture and decorative accessories at these kinds of sales, we were both drawn to a side bedroom that was filled with vintage clothes and hats. We bought all 36 hats and several nice outfits. The one thing my wife wanted that I was hesitant about was a large white box that held what was obviously a very old wedding dress. Someone had tried there best to protect the dress, storing it inside-out, but is was a total loss. The raw silk was in such bad shape that any that remained crumbled at the slightest touch. But what attracted my wife to the box were some of the accessories: gloves, collars, hankies and the such. Needless to say, that box came home with us along with all of those hats (and a few treasures for me, too).

The OMG moment came when we carefully unpacked the box to sort out all of the accessories and take a better look at the dress. Packed along with the wedding dress was another dress that we now believe was probably the bride’s debutante dress. A long flowing bustle skirt topped by a tiny top with huge balloon sleeves (please click on each of the pictures to see a larger view!):

Here’s a shot of the top over the back of the skirt.

Zoomed in on the top.

Just take a look at the design in the fabric…

and the detail around the hem…

Remember the lady who’s estate this came from? We have evidence that this dress belonged to her mother-in-law, who would have been 16 years old in 1890, the approximate time-frame for this outfit.

Let’s take a closer look at the skirt:

Just look at that skinny waist and the wrapped buttons!

Hand-made button holes and look at that hook and loop!

No, it’s not perfect but it is MARVELOUS!

Here’s a view from the front, draped on a hanger. You can imagine what the profile would look like with a proper bustle in place.

Yes, there are a few foxing stains.

A closer look at the hem detail, inside and out.

Isn’t this lace amazing?

Seam detail

Ruffle detail

How about the top, you might ask. It’s just as stunning if not more so, as you can see here.

A close-up of the right sleeve detail…

and the left sleeve.

The lace collar has seen better days!

Here’s a view of the back: Just look at how much it has been brought in around the waist!

Similar collar condition problems in the back.

Center – Back detail

Here you can get an idea of the craftsmanship that went into this piece! I can only imagine the hours invested.

Funny thing is, I hadn’t even noticed the sewing detail on the hooks until I was reviewing the pictures for this post!

… the loops.

Seven stays!

The box also had the original cummerbund!
I know what you’re thinking… it you only had the shoes. Well…

As you can imagine, there are a number of condition problems with the shoes. I think it’s amazing that they’re even there!

Yes, I believe those ARE the original stretchers!

The bows are still tied!

Here are some dimensions to help you visualize size:

Cummerbund:
Length from hook to loop: 22-1/4”

Skirt:
Waist: Difficult to measure.
Length (front): 38”
Length (back): 48”
Hem: about 120” (10 feet) around!

Top:
Waist: 22”
Length (back): 16”
Bust: Couldn’t measure because of the sleeves.

Shoes:
Length: 9-1/4" Toe to heel
Width: 2-1/2" across widest part of sole!

When it comes to antiques, provenance is everything. Going back to the estate sale, it was at the estate of Mrs. Albert Worth Hobby, Jr. She died in 2008 at the age of 106. That would have put her birth year in 1902. Her husband’s father was Albert Worth, Sr. When I finally got around to discarding the wedding dress, I took the top of the box and put it in place. This is the first time I had noticed the top, as the contents had remained in the box bottom, nestled inside the box top. Here’s what was written on the top of the box:

“Mrs Albert Worth Hobby, Senior’s
wedding dress, slippers, fan, gloves, hose.
Also another dress, slippers, fan, hose
that were in her trousseau.”

When we first looked at the dresses we wondered who they belonged to. Was it the owner of the estate or was it her mother’s?This was the answer we were searching for! It was her husband’s mother’s. This lead me on a search to identify Mrs. Albert Worth Hobby, Sr. Here is a synopsis of what I discovered:

Elizabeth Gooch, born 1874, was the daughter of J.W.M. Gooch and wife, Alice Adams, of Cedar Hill, TN., and the granddaughter of James Gooch and wife, Sarah (Sally)Porter. She died Feb. 4, 1941 in Atlanta, GA. Married Dr. Albert Worth Hobby 1890s-1900 ca. Dr. A.Worth H0bby born July 28, 1872, died September 8, 1924 in Brentwood, TN on property he owned at corner of Granny White Pike & Murray Lane; killed by stroke of lightening. Both A.Worth & Elizabeth are buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, in Sec.22 Lot no.W 1/3 150. They had 2 sons - Dr. A. Worth Hobby, who was a physician, of Atlanta, GA in 1941 and William Francis Hobby, a chemist for TN State Highway Dept in 1941. Albert Jr. went to Vanderbilt University medical school. Albert Jr. had a son, Lovicworth Hobby of Atlanta.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lovic at the estate sale. He is 86 years old, himself!

If you are still reading, I really appreciate your time. I hope I have conveyed the excitement I experienced, not just with the discovery of the dress, but also the revelations during research. Normally, this is where I put our disclaimer in that items shown on our blog are for sale only to our customers who see our items in person. However, I will be posting this dress in our online store next week . You can see our store on Ruby Lane here. Since you will be able to purchase this dress there, I have decided to offer it here, first. If you mention you saw it on the blog, I’ll pay the shipping. Contact us for payment options.

Pink Bustle Dress with Accessories, circa 1890: $795 (SHEL)

Friday at “The Flea” #3

2009-04-29T17:37:00.002-04:00

Welcome to our 3rd installment of Friday at ‘The Flea’. This was created in response to posts by our friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch who often blogs about her shopping trips to our store and the fabulous treasures she has purchased for herself here.

I asked our dealers for ideas on what they would like to see posted on our Friday blog. A couple of dealers enthusiastically asked for a post on some of our wonderful Primitives. So I sent word to our dealers to bring in some of their primitives and they responded. But…

Two of the most common phrases heard here at A Classy Flea from our shoppers is “I should have bought that when I saw it!” and “It was here just yesterday!” Well, it goes for taking pictures, too! Some of the most fantastic things have come and gone before I even got to share them with you, but I think you’ll really enjoy many of the items on our virtual shopping trip today. Be sure to click on any of the pictures to see a bigger view.

When I think of “Primitives” as it relates to antiques and interior design, I immediately think of furniture. Here’s an old double school desk, the likes of which I have never seen before:
Double School Desk: $179 (LRA) and she’ll throw in the stools!

Wouldn’t this make a most unusual potting bench, as well? Here’s a view from the side:

Another thing that comes to mind is twig furniture. Here are a couple of examples:

Child’s Twig Chair: $69 (NET) Twig Planter Box (also great for a magazine rack!): $48 (BIG)

Some things are truly old
Pine Bench: $24 (LRA)

while others are just made to look old. Can you tell what the ironwork on the back of this piece is?
Red Potting Bench (with treadle sewing machine detail): $179 (BJS)

And then there are some very old things that, though we probably wouldn’t refer to them as primitive, would fit right into a primitive decor.
Old Rattan Tea Cart: $39 (JER)

Oak Desk with 2 Drawers: $99 (SHEL)

Victorian Baby Bed: sale $129 (LRA)
Very Old Homespun Blanket: $59 (GRE)

Does the vanity chair look familiar?
Antique Crib with Original Pink Paint: $79 (GRE)

How about some decorative accessories? Old Rusted Wrought Iron Gate: $29 (JER)

Antique Oak Newel Post: $99 (DWAL)

“Modern” Dairy Milk Box: $29 (GRE)

Old Toy Tractor Trailer: $69 (BIG)

Just as each of our houses have our own personal “look”, our dealers each have their own personal look to their booths here, as well. Annette’s (NET) space is overflowing with items that could be in this post, but here’s a snapshot of a small display in one corner of her booth:Pepsi-Cola Grocery Store Display Rack: $99
Schmidt’s Beer Tray: $9.99
Blue Graniteware Pail with lid: $24
Pepsi Drink Carrier: $39
Yellow Enamel Teapot: $8.99
Baby Blue Chamber Pot: $9.99
Hand Forged Ice Tongs: $19.99

Remember the double school desk at the top of the post? There was something sitting on top that I just wanted to share a closer look…
an old Chatillon Penny Counter (with a 1000 pc. limit): $59 (LRA)

Thanks for browsing through our shop this week. Next week we’ll be showing some pottery pieces, everything from antique Staffordshire to newer North Georgia examples. Who knows, we may even have a Lanier Meaders Face Jug! Is there something YOU would like to see featured on Friday at “The Flea”? Just send us an e-mail or drop us a comment, we want to know.

Also, be sure to check back tomorrow, where we are going to be showing an antique dress for Pink Saturday.

Tablescape Thursday

2009-04-28T12:23:00.002-04:00

Thanks for joining us for our third Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to all of the other tablescapes this week.

Again, I would like to thank one of our dealers, Patricia (VON), for pulling together this awesome table. She started with a basic wooden table with 6 chairs and then "shopped" the booths and pulled together treasures from all over the store. Here's what she created:

As you can see, this is a most casual setting, working off shades of blues and green with a pop of white.
Table and 4 chairs: $199 or with 6 chairs: $269 (JO)

The inspiration for this setting came from an old stand-by, Ocean Breeze by Pfaltzgraff.

This was then topped by an old unmarked plate featuring blue daisies.White scalloped bowls and soda glasses on vintage hankies complete the place setting.

Pfaltzgraff Ocean Breeze Dinner Plates: $3.95 ea (GRE)
Vintage Blue Daisy Plates: $9.99 ea (PHL)
White Scalloped Bowls (part of set): $14 / 22 pc set (VON)
Soda Glasses: $3.95 ea (CRIS)
Vintage Hankies (used as napkins): $1.99 ea (JCCA)

You know from last week’s post that Patricia leans toward creating a centerpiece montage as opposed to just a single point of interest. She didn’t disappoint this week, either. Mixing all types of nature (beach, birds, and flowers) there is as much to satisfy the eyes as there will be food to satisfy the body! And, guess what she is using for the table runner… Silk Daisies in Glass Vase: $12.95 (B)
Starfish on Stand: $7.99 (TONY)
”Friends” Wooden Sign: $15 (BJS)
Bird Nest “Hope, Peace, Joy”: $5.95 (K9)
Wooden Bird on Stand: $10 (BEL)
Vase with Blue Hydrangeas: Sale $4! (MLP)
6” Sea Shell: $4 (SHEL)
10” Sea Shell: $7 (SHEL)
Green Bunny Dish w/Lid in Metal Caddy: $4.95 (B)

To add a little height (and whimsy) she took a mounted shell and placed a vintage hat on top! Vintage Green Hat: $9.95 (ALLI)
Shell with Stand (used as a hat stand): $6 (TONY)

And did you guess the table runner?
Floral Window Valance: $11.95 (GRE)

Be sure to join us tomorrow for "Fridays at The Flea" where we will be featuring PRIMITIVES and again on Saturday for "Pink Saturday" to see a most gorgeous antique dress!

Pink Saturday at A Classy Flea

2009-04-25T00:16:00.004-04:00

Hello, and welcome to our first dedicated Pink Saturday. Pink Saturday is hosted by Beverly at this location.. Be sure to click on the link (or the picture to the right) to go to her blog and see a list of the other participants in this weeks Pink Saturday.

Editor’s note: We are using Windows Live Writer for the first time with this post. Please bear with us and let us know of any formatting or picture problems!

We are showcasing two vignettes today. The first one caught my eye as I was strolling through the store looking for inspiration for this post. It just so happened that Becky (RBEY) had the cutest little display that just happened to be filled with touches of pink.

You can see why this caught my eye. A thoughtful combination of wall art and milk glass with just enough accessories to complete the ‘picture’.
Original oil “Irises”: $67.00
2 Small Framed Plates: $20.00 ea.
Vintage Floral Print in Pink Shabby Frame: $16.00
Girl’s Dress with Pink Sweater: $14.00

Here’s a close-up of the accessories. I especially like the way she is using an old framed mirror as a dresser tray! As with all of the pictures today, you can click on the picture above to see a larger version.
Capodimonte Plaque with Tassel: $14.95
Metal Floral Wall Decor: $8.00
Shabby Pink Mirror (used as the tray): $32.00
Items on the tray:
Tiara: $12.95
Faux Pearls: $10.00
Vintage Avon Poodle: $7.95
Pink and White Vase: $12.00 (Includes the Silk Pink Peonies!)
Heart Milk Glass Trinket Box: $4.95
Westmoreland Milk Glass Fan Vase: $12.00
Square Hobnail Milk Glass Compote: $12.95
Other items:
Table Runner (under the tray): $12.50
Old Ironstone Platter: $12.00
Limoges Plate: $9.95
Small Oval Girl Plaque (in the compote): $3.50
Hand Painted Square Milk Glass Compote: $9.95
Pressed Glass Pitcher: $7.00
China Doll Bell (sorry, no clapper): $5.95
Porcelain Cherub holding Flowers: $16.95
White Laura Ashley Pitcher: $8.95
The Blue Stool (used as a riser): $9.00

…and I just had to share this picture that was also in Becky’s booth:
3 Girls In Shabby Pink Frame: $37.00

Our other vignette today was assembled by Shelley (SHEL). She had the best time ‘shopping’ the booths and picking out the perfect things for a little girl’s room.

Isn’t this just adorable? Let’s take a little closer look…

On top of the armoire, you will find
Pink Parasol: $9.00 (K9)
White Lamp with Pink Shade: $19.95 (B)
”Dance” sign: $4.95 (B)
Large Bearington Lamb: $28.00 (SHEL)

Moving down the armoire…
Cute little doll: $8.99 (JO)
Chenille Baby Blanket (under the doll): $10.00 (SHEL)
Pink Teddy Bear: $2.50 (SHEL)
Green Bunny: $2.50 (SHEL)
White Dress with Pink Bow: $10.00 (JAZZ)
Pink Dress: $12.00 (JAZZ)
”Song of the Lark” Vintage Print in Pink Frame: $24.95 (NET)
Pink Matelasse Coverlet and Sham (on the left): $49.00 (GRE)
Children’s Armoire with Pink and Green Accents: $149.00 (SHEL)

Can’t you just imagine a little girl having a tea party at this table?
Child’s Table with 2 chairs: $65.00 (JO)
Chenille Cake with Roses: $32.00 (DEB)
Cake Plate: $8.50 (DEB)
Lady in Pink Dress Double Planter: $7.50 (EM)
3 Piece Mother Goose Meal Set by Tiara: $10.00/set (JO)
Curly Teddy Bear (on the left): $7.95 (B)
Brown Teddy Bear (on the right): $4.00 (SIS)
White Bunny: $4.00 (SHEL)
Artificial Flower Bunches: $3.00 per bunch (SHEL)

We hope you’ve enjoyed your virtual stroll through our pink paradise. If you are ever in the Atlanta, Georgia area, please stop in and tell us you saw us on our blog!

Friday at ‘The Flea’

2009-04-24T08:44:00.001-04:00

Welcome to our 2nd installment of Friday at ‘The Flea’. This was created in response to posts by our friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch who often blogs about her shopping trips to our store and the fabulous treasures she has purchased for herself here.

The inspiration for today's trip to A Classy Flea came from a couple of hand painted dishes in my living room at home. Hand painted china are often wondrous works of art in their own right and can be a very inexpensive way to collect ‘art’. Unfortunately, most pieces are unsigned as they were “just” painted by workers at the potters.

We’ll start today’s trip with an unmarked dish. This shows how inexpensively anyone can begin collecting this type of china.

Small Trinket Dish: $4.95 (GRE)

Here’s a crossover collectable, ashtrays. Small, cute, and very affordable.
” Fine Concorde China” Ashtrays: $6.00 ea (JER)

I have rarely seen hand painted china that looked like watercolors. These two 9” plates are fine examples:
“Royal Crescent – Bavaria” 9” Plates: $15.00 ea (PHL)

Don’t be afraid to mix in some beautiful transfer ware dishes with the hand painted ones. They are often hard to distinguish and are usually less expensive.
K & L Germany Bowl: $7.95 (DEB)

Of course, it’s always fun to find a signature on a hand painted piece. There are collectors that will buy only signed pieces.
Unmarked Plate with Roses: $8.00 (KI)

But then, there are higher-end pieces, as well. The artwork is exquisite, the colors bold and bright, and the pottery is often embossed with it’s own design.

and a side view of the same serving bowl:
Hand Painted Bowl marked Bavaria: $89.00 (CRIS)

Join us again tomorrow as we present Pink Saturday.

Tablescape Thursday

2009-04-22T12:04:00.006-04:00

Thanks for joining us for our second Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit our good friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to all of the other tablescapes this week.

I would first like to thank one of our newest dealers, Patricia (VON), for pulling together this awesome table. She started with a glass top table right across from the counter. She then "shopped" the booths and pulled together treasures from all over the store. Here's what she created:

This is her take on a more formal, yet fun tablescape. Working with a palette of reds, browns and ivories, Patricia was able to make the table inviting, soothing, and interesting all at the same time.

The woven red chargers and gold rimmed china was the inspiration. In pulling the table together at the end, the wicker chargers were added for that final touch.
Red Rope Chargers: $4.95 ea (ALLI)
Brown Wicker Chargers: $9.99 ea (VON)
Pope Gosser Plates: $5.95 ea (ALLI)

Top the setting off with a matching bowl and add gold rimmed goblets.
Pope Gosser Bowls: $4.95 ea (ALLI)
Gold-rimmed Crystal Goblets: $18.50 / set of 4 (JER)

Two runners were added on top of the table for depth and texture. Instead of a single centerpiece, Patricia pulled together several smaller items and made an interesting vignette.
Red Throw (used as the bottom runner): $19.95 (ALLI)
Ivory Runner: $8.95 (B)
Red and White Wedgwood Transferware Plate: $14.99 (NET)
Pair of Cottage Candlestands with Crystal Prisms: $12.99 ea (DEB)
Vintage Black Hat: $8.99 (DWAL)
Resin Glove Mold (used as a hat stand): $12.99 (DWAL)
Small Framed San Marco Print: $19.99 (PHL)
Small Vintage Bust: $16.95 (RBEY)
Faux Pearls: $4.99 (JL)

A small garden statue, a pair of candle holders, along with a vintage oil painting and tall lamp, add height.
Tall candlestick lamp with beaded shade: $22.00 (JCCA)
Garden Girl Statue: $26.00 (CAT)
Pair of Large Candle Holders: $22.00 ea (LRA)
Vintage Oil on Board in a Period Frame: $79.00 (ALLI)

Doesn't this just all come together like they were meant to be there?
Glass Top Table with 6 Chairs: $379 (K9)
Red Velvet Pillows (in front chairs): $5.99 ea (GRE)
Multi-print Pillows in Rust and Brown (In side chairs - top picture): $9.95 ea (B)
Gold Chandelier (not shown) $349.00 (CAT)

Be sure to join us tomorrow for "Fridays at The Flea" and again on Saturday for "Pink Saturday".

Metamorphasis Monday

2009-04-20T09:21:00.004-04:00

Hi! Welcome to A Classy Flea’s first “Metamorphasis Monday”, hosted by our friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

We are still crawling her at A Classy Flea when it comes to blogging, so please bear with us! I know it's traditional to show the before pictures on Met Monday, but you'll have to use your imagination this week. We are featuring 3 ideas this week to show how a couple of our dealers have taken everyday items and repurposed them in a unique way.

The first one was done by our dealer, Marsha. As you can see, she is very imaginative and does a splendid job of presenting a concept.

She calls this piece "A Daring Spirit" from the title on the central picture of Amelia Earhart. You will first notice the oversized double frame that she white washed. In the middle she has used a combination of decoupage, multiple smaller frames, and other mixed media.

I love the way she "framed" the couple in the lower left!

Can you guess here "real" job is a flight attendant?
"A Daring Spirit" - $79 (MLP)

Next, we'll look at a most interesting coat rack done by a friend of one of our dealers, Becky.

A music inspired piece made from parts of an old piano, a 5 pane window, and lots of imagination!

Matted sheets of music behind the glass. Don't you just love those treble clef hooks? Also notice the wood trim pieces from the piano.

Here's a detail of the top piece. Yes, the patent date is 1840!

One more shot.
Music Theme Coat Rack: was $139, SALE $110 (RBEY)

And then sometimes it's not how the pieces are put together, it's more about how they are placed together. We're back in Marsha's booth where she has taken 3 "ordinary" pieces but has displayed them in a most charming way. I bet you have a few random pieces around your house that you could group together in an equally charming way!

Oval street scene with 2 ceramic knobs: $14.95
Black iron cross: $12.95
Old painted door: $12.95 (all MLP)

Thanks for browsing with us at A Classy Flea
it's the FUN place to shop!

Fridays at the Flea

2009-04-17T00:01:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for the April 25th Pink Saturday, please click HERE. Sorry for the confusion!

Hi! Welcome to A Classy Flea’s first “Fridays at the Flea”, inspired by our friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. We have so many wonderful pieces that come in each week it’s hard to choose what to feature. To help us narrow the choices, we have decided to do a “theme” each week. This week’s theme is Roses! We found roses on everything from hankie boxes to rocking chairs. Hope you enjoy browsing with us!

We are also taking this opportunity to launch our first Pink Saturday. We hope you enjoy all of the pink roses and other flowers we are sharing this week!

Let's start with a few decorative accessories:

We can always count on Laura to have roses in her space!
Boot Vase: $9.95 (LRA)

Isn't this rug gorgeous?
Hmmm, we've been thinking about doing some redecorating... Maybe I should just keep this one!
5'x9' Needlepoint rug: $299 (SHEL)

Detail of the hand work.

This is just too cute. If you're looking for pink or green, check out Deb's space!
Antique glass hanky box: $44 (RBEY/DEB)

Shabby and Romantic, a perfect way to hide the fireplace now that warmer weather has arrived.
Painted wood Fireplace screen: $45 (SHEL)

Coat Hooks on decorated board: $16 (K9)

Wouldn't this pillow look great in a romantic bedroom, or..
how about with white wicker on the sun porch?
Large quilted pillow: $14.95 (B)

Here's a great idea for a headboard! Easy and inexpensive.
Vintage Crowned Valance: $59 ea (JER)

Something cute to add to that Spring table setting.
Yellow capodimonte rose: $7.95 (GRE)
Vintage rose basket salt & pepper: $9.95 (GRE)

Tole trays: $49 - $69 (NET)

Mother's Day is almost here (hint, hint).
Decoupage plaque: $7.99 (NET)

Our dealers are so creative! This would look great in my living room.
Barkcloth in vintage frame: $39 (GRE)

...and how about some artwork for the walls:

Print PJ Redoute "Rose Anemone Clematide": $18.95 (LRA)

Pretty, pretty, pretty! And can you believe that price?
Print in ornate frame: $22 (JO)

So much to choose from throughout the store.
Oil on canvas (top): $18 (B)
Original watercolor by Emily James: $18 (B)

Painted by our own Gretchen. What a talent!
Original oil "Rose Garden": $39 (GRE)

What a wonderful find!
Family Record with dates from 1895-1955: $45 (PHL)

Roses on canvas in gold frame: $45.99 (DEB)

Hand-painted roses in gray frame: $24 (VON)

Antique original oil on board: $115 (BIG)

Everyone loves roses on fabric:

Oh so pretty accent for the bedroom!
Vintage Pillowcases: $10 pr (including feather pillows) (SHEL)

Yep! We have children's clothing, too.
Vintage Toddler's dress: $10 (BEL)

It's a good thing I don't have grandbabies. I could really do some damage in Kiki's kids corner.
Sleep Sack: $4 (KI)

Let's not forget about roses on furniture...

Love this bench! Laura - always the romantic.
Bench w/floral barkcloth: $69 (LRA)

Where else could you get a rocker this cute for this price?
Upholstered rocker: $99 (B)

Vanity stool: $32.95 (GRE)

Talk about CUTE! I love this set. I could definitely decorate a room around this!
Cottage Metal Table w/4 Chairs: $379 (K9)

Detail of the hand-painted table.

Detail of the chair.

How about some china for your next tablescape:

6" CT Altwasser - Germany Plates: $10 ea (SHEL)

Crown Staffordshire "Trinity Rose" Cup & Saucer: $10 x3 (SHEL)

Crown Ducal Platters: $28, $14.95 (B)

Oh, so pretty! I think I see a future tablescape around these (if they make it through the week-end)! - Detail of the platters above.

Japanese import china: $2 - $8 (DWAL)

Love those hand painted shakers!
"Redoute Roses" Roy Kirkham China cup & saucer: $12.95 (GRE)
R/S China hand-painted shakers: $12.95 ea (GRE)
R/S hand-painted box w/lid: $17.95 (GRE)

Never out of style -
Franciscan Dessert Rose: $7.50 - $19.95 (PHL)

Royal Albert "Celebration" cup & saucer: $15.99 (CAT)

And remember:

All greeting cards are just $1 - every day!

And no collection of roses could be complete without a book...

"The Climbing Garden": $6.95 (B)

We'll see you again on Monday when we participate in Metamorphosis Monday.

Thanks for browsing with us at A Classy Flea
it's the FUN place to shop!

Tablescape Thursday

2009-04-15T13:25:00.006-04:00

This is our first Tablescape Thursday, hosted by our friend
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

In anticipation of putting together our first tablescape, I
started roaming the store searching for inspiration. At the end of the aisle on
the lower level I saw it. I turned at Kiki's booth (KI) and saw this:

She has a celery green table (which I'm sure she painted
herself), surrounded by 6 vintage oak chairs with floral tile inserts. The table
is topped by what she calls "Peachy" plates, wine glasses, pretty
books and a butterfly bowl for a centerpiece. As you can see, Kiki does a
wonderful job of displaying her items in her booth.

This is a view looking down the table.
Here are her prices:
Table with leaf: $139
8 "Peachy" plates: $15 (for all)
4 Wine glasses: $12
Green ruffled top vase: $12
Terra Cotta Angel shelf: $4
Books:
Cinderella by Wegman: $6
Gardener's Companion: $6
Sweet Memories: $4
Portrait of Napa and Sonoma by Katz: $6

The Butterfly bowl is only $16!

The 6 chairs are only $99! Notice the slight difference in the chair designs,
not to mention the tiles.
There are 2 of these.

1 of these...

2 of these...

and this one.

Kiki also painted a hutch on cupboard to match.
This piece is $149.
The vintage White Rock Brewing tray on top is $12.

6 Pottery Barn plates: $18
Green glass basket: $6
Hand-painted vase: $6
Pink bubble glass pitcher: $11

Victorian Fan: $29
Hand-painted votives: $3 ea
Hand-painted fluted vases: $12 for the pair
Atlas canning jar (no lid): $4
Hull planter: $12
White pitcher with grapes: $8
Frame: $5

Thanks for looking at our tablescape this week and check back tomorrow when we present our first "Friday at the Flea". Our theme tomorrow is going to be ROSES!

A Classy Flea - it's
the FUN place to shop!

We're Now Blogging!

2009-04-10T20:48:00.002-04:00

We are so thrilled to see our "Fun Place to Shop" mentioned in so many posts with such glowing reviews that we have been inspired to start a blog, ourselves. Please bear with us as we initiate this new way to communicate with you, our customers and our future customers.

What do we hope to accomplish with this blog? Several things, actually. First, we hope to use this forum to let you know when some exciting new finds have come into the shop. As all of our dealers are full-time, working dealers, they literally bring new treasures in everyday. However, there are many (MANY) times that we just can't wait to say "Look what I just brought in!" Believe me, we enjoy the hunt and finding these cherished pieces just as much as you enjoy finding them in our store. Secondly, we hope to inspire you with some decorating ideas of our own. Our dealers are so artistic in how they can take a few random pieces of furniture and decorative accessories and arrange them in a most inviting way. But, most importantly, we hope to provide a forum where our customers can let everyone else know what treasures they have found at A Classy Flea and what they have done with them in and around their home.

How often will we be posting? That's a very good question. This will be a team blog with multiple dealers and owners contributing. We hope to eventually get an organized schedule so you know what types of posts to expect when.

We encourage your feedback. We want to know what you want to see presented in this blog. We want to know what your most memorable find at A Classy Flea was. We want to know how far you travel to visit us here in Marietta, Georgia!

Please visit our website and be sure to click on the "Store Map" button where you can see an overview of our store. You can also click on any of the booths to see a couple of representative pictures of that booth.

As always, we appreciate you shopping at A Classy Flea, it's the FUN place to shop!