Three things I didn't expect to buy

There's nothing better than an on-site auction at a nice old house. Like an estate sale, it offers a lifetime's worth of stuff. Unlike an estate sale, you get to name your own price. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. It's a great thing when you can move out of your usual comfort zone and snap up some bargains. Like this Weller planter.

Pretty piece, and it's a good incentive to do a little research on Weller.

I ended up with this box of frames because I wanted one thing in the lot. You know how that is. These are the frames that are left after I pulled out the too-ugly- and too-broken-to-fool with.

This is the one thing I wanted, and it wasn't even the frame that I wanted, but what was inside it. I need a little blogland help here, though - this frame has three distinct layers and is several inches deep. Not my taste at all, but it is pretty, and I don't know if there's a particular name for this kind of style.

What I wanted was the photo inside the frame.

Complete with documentation.

The arrangement under the tree is amazing - the dolls, and the teacup and saucer, and the books and die cuts ... every time I look at it, I see something different. Marjorie's family knew how to do Christmas.

There were some other photographs, too. Talk about formidable ancestors.

My daughter took one look at this woman and pronounced her "terrifying."

The third thing I didn't expect to buy was a box of type. Most of the letters were huge (close to 6 inches) and had a beautiful wood patina. I put the terrifying portrait and some of the type in my new Etsy shop, Vintage NE. (It had what we call a soft opening a couple of weeks ago and is for the more rustic farm and camp stuff that I like but that kind of clashes with pretty vintage housewares.) Anyway, some of the letters were snapped up instantly, so I was glad I lugged (and I do mean lugged) the box home.

There was a cigar box full of smaller type inside the big box, and if you look closely, you'll see why I bought it. It was calling my name.

Comments

[Musings from Kim K.]

I've blown up the Christmas picture to stare at all the amazing presents. Wow. That family certainly came from some money in order to have such lovely items under their tree. I'm so glad you were able to rescue that special piece of history.

[Gina @ Vintagejunkinmytrunk]

That photo is amazing! Definitely worth the giant box of frames. And was OODLES really spelled out like that in that box? Because that is just too bizarre!

[Kathy]

Great finds, especially the Christmas picture. That is amazing!

[Linda @ A La Carte]

Love that Christmas photo! I wish you would make some copies and sell them...awesome! Love the letters and the oodles in the box cracked me up!

[laurie mapgie ethel]

awesome score on the great Christmas photo and so happy they added documentation...what a first Christmas that was.
congrats on that new shop....

[Jennifer F]

The Christmas photo is pretty awesome. I believe that judging by what you said about the stacking of the frames in back, I think that frame is from the time period of the photo, late 1800. I'm thinking that it is a faux marble or tortoise in the middle stack.

I have a pair of frames similar to it so I have done some research.

Great find!

[Renee]

Shut the front door.......another one and I can't even get one open. I have issues. Do you think they told people not to smile in those early photo days and why? That photo is priceless. Raised tree filled to the gills all the way around. Calligraphy penned. I would buy the whole box for that too. Smiles..and drool...Renee

[Tina]

I love your new shop!

[Ruth]

What a great find. I love the type. LOVE. And the Christmas tree photo. As far as the scary lady goes, she does look scary in the first image you posted, but she has a glint of humor if you look closer up, so I am giving her the benefit of the doubt!

[KnittingKittens]

Great post!What town in Connecticut did Marjorie Peet Moore live in?