Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Victorian Bedroom Suite

Hello everyone and welcome back! I am finally getting back to my own house tour. We are almost done, only 2 bedrooms left! We are still upstairs and will see my son's room today. Now remember, he is not a Victorian wanna be, so besides the furniture, his room is VERY BORING! But before we see his room I need to take you to Boonville real quick and then we'll get back to my house.
Okay, you guys know that I totally love Victorian houses and antique auctions, right? Well put those two together and I am the happiest little clam you ever did see, especially when I get to buy some of those original furnishings! So back in August of 2009 I went to this auction in historic Boonville, Mo., the house and the original furnishings were all up for auction.
Below is a photo of the house. (I took it a month or so ago and just realized when comparing the photo to the auction flyer from 2009 that the new owner has removed the front porch columns and its large round  top! That leads me to believe that the guy was not a Victorian wanna be! )


At some point the turret roof was also removed...that's too bad. The front porch cover was round, matching the white part of the turret. I hate it when original architectural elements are removed from old houses.


I did not get a photo on auction day with all the wonderful stuff in the front yard. If I had you would have seen the 3 piece Victorian walnut bedroom suite that I bought. And you would have seen the sorry state that it was in. Unfortunately I didn't take those "before" photos and wished I would have.
So now, back to my son's bedroom...
here is the bed, it is 7'4" tall. The large panel on the headboard and several pieces on the footboard were off but luckily still there. So I added them back on. On the bed rail hardware it has Norris and Co. Patented Sep 10 1878 on it.


Below is the washstand...
The drawer pulls are not original and are way too large for it and the dresser. Some day maybe I will find a set of 10 pulls more like the originals. The pulls had been replaced prior to 1962, when the second owner bought the house and its furnishings. How lucky they were! At the auction she told me that she was a little girl when her family bought the house and most of the contents were then moved up to the attic! Including this bedroom set that they never used. So I'm not sure how it got to the sad state that it was in when I bought it.


Here is the dresser, it had some pieces off as well and the mirror was broken and had to be replaced.


Here is a close up of the detail on the crowns... and my hands and camera reflection in the mirror. Oops!



I like this picture with the reflection of the bed and washstand in the dresser mirror. I had always wanted a 3 piece bedroom set and actually went to this auction for the washstand but when I got there saw that it was actually part of a set and knew that this could be my chance! And because all the pieces needed some work I figured I could get it for a great price and I did! Yay! Need I say, hubby was NOT happy with me!


Also at the auction was this incomplete washset. It has beautiful hand painted scenes on it. It is kind of funny how I acquired it for I did not get it at the auction because it went higher then I wanted to pay for it in the condition that it was in and plus I knew I had to save my money for the bed set.


So, here's the story...a dealer bought it and had it at a local antique mall for $175. I still loved it but definitely wouldn't pay that for it either. So about two years later it was moved to a different mall and marked down to $100.  Well that's when I decided to make my move and offer $60 for it and because she had had it for so long accepted my offer!! So I ended up paying less then what she paid for it at the auction! All's well that ends well!


I keep the set boxed up in my closet for now and some day when the room is vacant (boo!hoo!) I will have it here, like this.
Below is the chamber pot, minus the lid! Darn! And the set is missing the slop jar.


Notice the beautiful hand painted scenes. I especially like the gold bow on all the pieces.


And look at this scene. I love the rock bridge.


Also at the auction I bought a vase full of parasols for $15. The original owner, William Mittlebach (1856-1930) had two daughters, Leola born 1884 and Lenora born 1886. After the parents death they lived there together until Lenora married and moved to NY, so Leola remained in the house, a widow, until her death in 1960. So I would imagine these parasols belonged to the sisters. Isn't that cool?


This parasol is my very favorite, because I love fancy and I love lace. But look at it! The lace has not withheld the test of time. Unfortunately! So it stays in a bag in the closet while the other 5 have their place in the hallstand in the foyer. To see it click here.


Well that is it for this post. Thankyou for visiting, have a great week and I hope to see you next time.

I am joining the following parties...
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy

Saturday, June 16, 2012

For the Love of Birds

Birds are among my top favorites when it comes to God's glorious creation. They not only look beautiful but they sound beautiful as well. (Need I say that "most" of them fit that description.)

Below is a photo of one of my favorite "quiet time" spots. I like to sit here, early in the morning when all is quiet, read my Bible devotion for the day and look through a couple of Victorian magazines or do a little needle point and hope that a little feathered friend or two will stop at the bird bath for a visit.



A pair of purple buntings, a robin, a cardinal and a sparrow or two are usually who my visitors consist of. Even a hummingbird buzzes by occasionally. I can never sneak a photo of them because one small move and they're gone! Like this!


Since I can't get a photo of the birds these antique trade cards will have to do.


Not only do I enjoy watching birds I also like to decorate with them, inside and out. So here are my outside bird decorations.





And now, for the inside flock.
Below, in the foyer, is my calling card holder with a bird calling card...


and cardinal soap in the bathroom.


Now moving on into the parlor/living room is a nest shadow box with two lovely fake birds! I know, they look a little cheesy, but I can't find any taxidermy ones! So if you have any you would like to get rid of I would love it if you sent them my way!


A satin glass ewer with a hand painted bird...


A lamp with a cherub holding a sweet little bird...


An antique hummingbird dome...


A tattered beaded pillow top...


A tradecard album with gold birds gracing the cover...


and inside the album I have many bird tradecards but won't bore you with them all so I picked a few of my favorites.


THIS cutie being my favorite of all. It's a little book called "The Christmas Chirp, of a sparrow" an original poem by Ellen E. Dickinson. How cute is that?


And...you guessed it! Postcards!


And more postcards!
Speaking of postcards, my mom and I are going to a postcard show and sale this Friday.


In the dining room on this china cabinet are lots of birds, this one being just one of them. If you are interested in seeing the entire cabinet visit my dining room post.


A faux bird in an antique cage...


And now...
I would like for you to meet our house guests! Angel, Julie and Alex. They are staying with us for a couple of weeks while their owners are on vacation. Angel (the white one) belonged to us for many years and even had babies, Julie (the yellow one) being one of them, before giving her to this family. She has been very happy living with them. But it is always nice to see her again.


Here is Angel and my parakeet napkin ring that I bought because of her.  (She is scared of it and wouldn't stand next to it.)


Speaking of parakeets, let's step outside one more time. I almost forgot this bird. This is our bird cemetery. Baby is buried here and this is his marker. He was also Angel's baby (he looked just like her). She laid a clutch of eggs one time and out of the 4, Baby was the only one to hatch. After we figured out that the other 3 eggs were rotten we almost tossed this 4th egg right out with the others but decided to give it some more time. And lo and behold the next morning there was a baby. So we referred to him as our little "Miracle baby" but naming him Baby. Because he was the only one to hatch, we all held him a lot so he was very tame and very special to us. So, needless to say, when he died we were very, very sad. It was after his death that we decided to give Angel to our friends.


So on a lighter note, I would like to end this post with a funny happening! While writing this post I had to go back out and retake a few photos and would you believe it?! When I opened the front door a little feathered friend was sitting right there. So quickly, I snapped this picture through the screen door and here it is! Is that funny or what, that little stinker!


Just like a beautiful bird, may the sight of our presence be a blessing to others and may the words that come out of our mouths be like a beautiful song for others to want to hear.
Thanks for visiting and have a blessed week!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Inside the Vaile Mansion

Okay, I'm baaaack! Last week I showed you the outside of the Vaile Mansion and this week we are going in! Are you ready?

Where's that entrance at? Oh, there it is! They're going in, hurry! Get in line!
Our door greeter had such a sweet smile. And a cute hat!


And here is the mansion's maid. Or would she have been called a house servant in the 1880's?


Below is the beautiful walnut staircase. The room you see in the back is the dining room.


A view looking up to the 2nd floor and beyond.


We are now entering the ladies parlor. Isn't that marble mantle gorgeous?! And the over mantle mirror!
At the end of March the mansion hosted  a "Gone With the Wind" Tea Party and vintage fashion show and the items they used to decorate for that are still up so that is why you will see lots of Gone With the Wind memorabilia displayed throughout the mansion. Like on the mantles for instance.


A beautiful black beaded shawl thingy, sorry but I don't know what it is called. I know, you wouldn't want me for your tour guide if I'm not any more knowledgeable then this!


One last look into the ladies parlor before heading into the dining room. Although lovely, none of the furniture is original to the mansion.


Don't you love this tete-a-tete, or courting chair? If you don't know about these pieces they were meant  to keep "young lovers" apart but yet close. Sitting side by side but facing opposite directions. But I would think it would be easier "gaze into one another's eyes" and get "ideas" by sitting this way, so I don't know. Never used one!


Below our guide is showing us this fire screen and how it differs from other screens because you can turn the screen itself in the angle you want it instead of having to move the whole frame. So, that's handy!


A gorgeous bookcase secretary to ooh and ahh over.


And this wonderful hair wreath shadow box! I love these things but unfortunately only have one little bitty one in my house because they are always rather pricey!


Check out this silver epergne! I love the calla lilies at the base of the vase. Hey, that rhymes! ;-)


Now we enter the music room. Another beautiful marble mantle.


A different angle in the music room. Beautiful marble turtle top table.


And look at this gorgeous chair!  I just love those carved Columbia heads on furniture.


This is the first gasolier to have been installed in Independence at that time. Look at all of those prisms. Fancy, huh?


Here is a dress from the movie, Gone with the Wind. I don't know what that cloth thing is on the head part. I didn't even notice it at the time. Hmmm....


Here she is...Miss America!!! Just a movie poster they had on display. Okay, that is it for the music room.
I didn't take any photos of the gentleman's parlor/Library. Sorry...


Moving on upstairs. Here is one of two very large shadow boxes in the upstairs hall. Inside are antique French fashions of the 1880's.


I didn't take any photos of furniture while upstairs, I really didn't feel like it was all that great for such a grand house. There were some ceiling murals that were pretty though and this dress, pictured below, is really pretty. The flowers are embroidered on it.


I really liked this display. The pinks in the epergne and lamp with the lace curtains and blouse made such a pretty combination.


And with that we scurried down the back stairs, out the side door, hopped in the carriage and were whisked away to the historic Courthouse square for some antiques shopping! No, not really. I just liked the sound of that! We did not take a carriage ride (although we thought about it) but instead we hopped into our car and went to the Courthouse square to a couple of antique shops.


This is one of my favorite shops to look in. I have never purchased anything here because it is kind of expensive, but it is nice! It was kind of crowded inside so I did not take a picture of it.


A nice fun surprise on the square was a car show! And let me tell you, the sight of those MG's brought back sweet memories of my "sweet 16" days! I had my sights set on several of these cuties at the time but I did not end of getting one, instead I got a 1976 Triumph Spitfire (same color of yellow as the car below). Spitfire's are a little bit more shapely then the MG, it looks more like a 1958 Corvette. Maybe I will write a post and share photos of my Spitfire someday. How I loved that little car!


These are the cute cars on the other side of the street. I do not know what these are called though.


On the way home we stopped at a huge antique mall/flea market called The Brass Armadillo. I had to make it quick because my daughter had really had enough by that time. (I hurried but it still took over an hour because it is so huge!) So in the midst of my "running" through the mall I found something that I had been looking for. Do you remember on my Titanic post I mentioned trying to find a pair of candle tea lamps for my dining room table? And how hard it was to find any these days? Well I found a pair and they were like the one's I had seen on Ebay and wanted to buy but by the time I would have paid shipping they would have been almost 70 bucks! So I got these for $12.75 each! Yahoo! I was so excited! Can't wait to use them next April!


Now my friends, with all that excitement behind us, it is now time to say goodbye. I do hope you enjoyed the trip and I will see you back here next week or so. Have a great week!