Community Chat

[SeaMaiden]

A very large engraving of a  civil war scene created in a 1862. It has a very ornate beautiful frame.  It was sealed in back with newspaper  from 1860's and is all original.  I bought it at a Thrift store  25 years ago for $20.  I have seen similar etchings on line for sale for quite a bit if money.  It is not in perfect condition...a small crack on the glass on front in the corner....and the frame is needing some small  repair on the corners.  I keep it in a room on the wall where I never open the shades to keep it from the sunlight. 

I  should  sell it to someone who collects  such artifacts.  

Here it is:

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2013645394/

http://oldprintshop.com/product/91447?inventoryno=51201&itemno=5

[SeaMaiden]

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@StylishLady wrote:

Probably a hand carved wood table that was handed down from DH's grandmother. It is supposedly from the far east and part of a collection of items by a man named James Ricalton who traveled around the world in the early 1900's. It sits in our sitting room. You can make it out here, in the corner.

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@StylishLady  Just BEAUTIFUL.  Your home....and you!🙂

[Brigitta]

I have a quilt made by my great grandmother. I am 76, so that quilt is mighty old!

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@151949 wrote:

@AuntG - I'm with you. When I see an old piece of furniture all scratched & peeling it just screams at me "take me home and make me beautiful again." All of my antiques have been lovingly restored so to look as close as possible to how the original artisan made them. People come into our home and Oohhh & Ahhh over the beautiful antiques.Often saying they have never seen such lovely pieces and I know that is because so many people who collect antiques never bother to put in the effort to restore them.Then the excuse is - oh that ruins them & takes away their value. BULL FEATHERS! Why would restoring something to it's original beauty take away it's value ? Why would people want scratched up , peeling, dirty furniture in their home?

I guess you can see this is a pet peeve of mine.

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@151949.  Sorry, but you obviously don't know about old antique furniture. From the 1600's and 1700,s. They should not be refinished. 

[151949]

If a piece is too fragile to be restored but is not in good condition I would most likely never buy it in the first place. I have a piece from the federalist period but , honestly, after all these years - the only marks on it are a few nicks on the legs where someone probably bumped it when sweeping.Even the varnish on it is not cracked at all which is totally amazing. 

[viva923]

the oldest item I own is a coffee table that is made with pure wood. DH and I purchased this as our first piece of furniture after we were married 48 yrs ago. It has many nicks,dings,discoloration. It has seen many moves over the past 48 yrs (retired military). We just hung onto the coffee table. It holds our stereo equipment and cubby hole underneath holds old records LP kind, and plain junk that we need and can’t ditch.

[fortune]

My birth certificate!!!

[RoughDraft]

Me!  

[Tinkrbl44]

A nickel plated brass Russian samovar made in 1898 ... has the Romanoff coat of arms on it.   I had the inscriptions translated years ago, but cannot remember what it said, or where it was made.

[shoptheQ]

I have a rocking chair that was my grandmothers.  It has a very tall back and the seat portion is only 8 inches from the floor. It is wood framed with paper fiber, rush weaving for the back & seat. It is about 150 years old.  I have wonderful memories sitting on her lap in this chair.  When she passed my mom & dad got her chair. My mom then held my kids on her lap in this chair. My parents passed and the chair came to me to hold my grandchildren on my lap in her chair. For me it is a symbol of love given and received thru our family.