New Antique and Vintage Finds

Finding antique and vintage pieces to bring into our home makes my heart happy. I’m so excited to share my new antique and vintage finds with you today.

Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old, but the natural.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

I love history and old pieces. The more flaws the better (I think). I love finding old ironstone with crazing or little chips and cracks. Weather and patina makes for a more interesting piece than something that’s perfect.

The other day I went on a little antiquing adventure with my mom. We love “the hunt” for antique treasures and could spend hours looking. We’ve gone antiquing together ever since I was a little girl. The happiness is in the search but it’s an even better day when one finds a treasure to bring home. The other day I hit the antiquing jackpot finding a beautiful sailboat photograph, a bunch of ironstone, two Lily Pulitzer dresser for summer AND a bunch of votive candles. I know you guys love to see my finds so here they are!

A beautiful vintage sailboat photograph

If you follow me on Instagram you maybe already saw this beautiful sailboat photograph:

This was propped up on a shelf at Patina Antique Mall and there just was something about this photograph that captured my heart. I loved the boat itself but there’s also something about the people in the photograph. They look so relaxed and carefree. A perfect day to sail!

The frame is original and is a stunning silvery gray with bits of paint perfectly flaking off. I had no idea where this would go in our home but knew I had to have this sweet little sloop in our home. Right now I’ve placed it on the Welsh dresser but I have a feeling it will move around our house. I also thought it would look beautiful in Conor’s bedroom or our bedroom BUT not many people would be able to enjoy it in one of our bedrooms so…. for now it’s here:

I love the warm wood paired with the black and white photograph.

A few people on Instagram thought it might be a Rosenfeld. I’ve emailed Mystic Seaport who have his entire collection to see.

Ironstone

I love vintage Ironstone and have a growing collection on our Welsh dresser. What I love about it is – it’s a neutral element but has beautiful shapes and looks wonderful as a collection displayed in one area.

In addition to it looking pretty, it’s functional! We use our ironstone all the time. I serve vegetables, sliced meats, and side dishes on all our plates. I also upcycle pieces and use them for plants (as above) or create centerpieces click here to see that.

You can read more about my ironstone collection here.

The other day I found 4 new pieces for my collection at Patina Antique Mall. We were about to leave and then I spotted these high up on a shelf that I nearly missed:

I aboslutely love the shape of this tureen. The ladle is missing but that’s okay.

Aren’t the handles unusual?

This piece had a broken top:

Finally, I couldn’t resist this sweet little pitcher and plate.

The pewter plate in the background was from my parents’ restaurant – Baldwin’s in Woburn.

This little pitcher looks so cute with a small frilly daffodil tucked in.

I left Patina with a box full of treasures, excited to display them in the dining room. Before we headed back to the house we stopped at ReStyle Consignor around the corner. It’s mostly clothing and accessories BUT I, of course, had to look at the housewares.

Mercury Glass Votive Holders

I have a weakness for votive holders. I always think they add so much to a table.

I ended up bringing home four larger mercury glass votive holders and two smaller. They actually have a pale turqouis blue tint to them so thought they’d also be lovely for the summer months.

Each night we enjoy dinner in here with our kids and always have candles lit. It just makes dinnertime so much for special and we usually linger longer over meals and conversation.

For this tablescape I mixed in a cheesecloth runner with linen napkins, vintage brass candlesticks, and shell candles that we made, click here for that tutorial. Also, John made the hand dipped candles click here for that tutorial.

Well, I can’t wait to hear what you think of my latest vintage finds. If you enjoyed this post you might also like this one and this one, both on decorating with antiques and vintage.

Before I sign off, I wanted to give you a few tips if you decide to go out on the hunt.

Tips for Hunting for Antiques

• Always keep an open mind and an open heart. You’ll be surprised what vintage goodness will find you if you keep your eyes and heart open
• Wear comfy shoes and dress in layers. Antiquing isn’t a fashion show. I like to dress comfortably so I can really look properly
• Bring a tape measure and have measurements of areas in your home if you’re hunting for a specific spot. It would be a shame if that table or dresser doesn’t fit in the spot you’ve imagined it in.
• Usually pricing is flexible. If I think the price tag is a good price I don’t usually try and negotiate, if it’s high I might ask if they can do better.
• Ask the dealer if they know more about the piece your buying. They might have a fantastic story that goes with it! To me that’s just as special as the actual thing!
• Antique stores and thrift shops are ALWAYS getting new things in. I try to rotate the places I enjoy going.
• If you love something get it! If you think it will be there next time you come back – it won’t!

I hope this gave you some ideas for going on a vintage / antique hunt for your home! Investing in antique pieces really make a home so inviting and warm, and most importantly, unique!