After the excitement of nearly killing my sister at the Christie Antique Show & Sale wore off, I started to get the sweats. We had been shopping for around 4 hours and I'd already spent all the money I had brought ($100) plus all of Pink Tool Belt's money and Fish Pedicures. I spent all of our combined money.
Uch. The only thing worse than the meat sweats; the buyer's remorse sweats. You know the feeling I'm sure. You've bought something, thought you loved it, started to wonder about it, convince yourself it's entirely wrong, realize you cannot return it, start seeing stars, feel tingly all over and then pass out into the arms of a stranger wearing an "I Brake for Antiques" tee shirt.
I didn't quite pass out, but just after lunch at the Christie Show I started to get the remorse. The yikes, I never should have bought that thing. For me it's usually the small items I freak out over buying, not the big ones. Because I rarely impulse buy a big item. If I buy something big and costly I usually research it, know I need it and can deal with the fact that it's costing a lot of money. But buying little things like magazines or impulse items make me feel like I need to put my head between my knees. If only to see if there's some money down there.
Now that I have everything home, I'm good. I have a bit of buyer's remorse on one thing because I can't find the right place for it, but once I do I'm pretty sure I'll stop shaking.
So you saw all the pictures from the show last week which included the things that I bought. Some of you guessed right off the bat what it was I bought and some of you were so far off I wonder if maybe those were the things I actually should have bought. And now I have not-buyers remorse.
We'll go from least to most expensive.
I paid $5 for 3 wood and metal berry baskets which I'll add to my stash of photography props. They're bound to make an appearance here on the blog when I harvest my first flush of Charlotte Strawberries. No buyers remorse over these.
This one wasn't actually in the photos from Christie's. I thought it was but when I reviewed my photos, nope. It wasn't there. Hello buyer's remorse. How are you? $30 for this incredible patinaed copper box. I love the box. I love it. But for the life of me I can't figure out where to use it. I do not want to use it as a planter. I want it in my kitchen. For now it's holding my potatoes under my counter, but I would really like to show it off a bit more. The problem is there isn't any space on my counter for it. I'll figure it out. I hope.
$62 for this set of 5 Ironstone dishes. I very nearly didn't buy these, but I collect Ironstone and I only collect pieces I'll actually use. Which means I don't need any more platters or bowls, or gravy boats, but dishes??!! Yes. I can use dishes. No remorse.
Antique library ladder complete with handrail. $225. This of course is for what will be my dining room/library combo in the fall. I knew I wanted a library ladder but I really wanted an old one. This was a good price for it and it's in great shape, has a great worn colour and has a handrail on it which is hard to find. The only problem is now I have to buy all of the hardware for it which will run me around $500! So I've got my eye on Kijiji and Craigslist and hopefully I'll find some used rolling library ladder wheels and rails for less money by the time I'm ready to install it. Oh! It's about 2 feet too high for my ceilings so there will be some chopping going on.
When I look at the list here $322 is actually a great price for all of these things. Especially considering antique shows aren't always the best place for finding cheap stuff. It's the best place for finding interesting, hard to find stuff.
Kind of like my basement actually.
By the way ... I asked you all to guess what I bought. Reader Liz got every SINGLE thing RIGHT. Here's her comment:
ladder, chicken and something ironstone from that cabinet. Maybe not the chicken and the wood baskets with tin trim instead."
Liz. You know me well. Maybe too well. Creeping me out well. She didn't get the copper box because I didn't show it in the photos originally but if I had, I'm sure she would have guessed it. Because she's creepy Liz. ;)
Have a good weekend, get stuff done and relax. You can always resell it on Craigslist.
I am freaking out over the ladder!!! By Jove you got it! You lucky, lucky lady. Can't you raise your roof instead of chopping off the ladder? I know, ridiculous but oh I can't wait to see it installed.
Love the copper box. I collect boxes as you know. You know where I am should you wish to sell. Of coarse now you won't want to get rid of it!
I swear that black stool used to be mine. I thought I took it to the dump.
Forget the beauty of that library ladder....is that a hairy beaver in the photo with it??
Huh. Would you look at that. Yes it is! Totally missed that, lolol. Of course I'm quite cosmopolitan and probably wouldn't have even given it a second glance anyway. ~ karen!
Being "cosmopolitan" I'm surprised you did not buy that mink(?) stole over the back of the chair behind the ironware plates. Something to keep your neck warm as you go out in the winter to feed the chickens. So practical.
I will admit that I saw the library ladder, the block and tackle stuff, the lamp shade and then the hairy beaver! My first thought was how does someone collect such diverse items? And then I may have laughed out loud!
Yea, one of three right. I was sure the plates had to be yours. But I was also sure the chicken. What gives with that? And no Halloween props? I'm really loosing it. The ladder is just wonderful. Can't wait to see it finished. If it were in my house, I would line the outside of a storage box with old book spines and use it to store stuff on the top book shelf. I think I guessed the ladder also but thought it would be too costly - need to go back to check what I guessed. That would be two of the three items. But not the chicken? WHY?????? Course, I cheated and guessed about 10 things. Wouldn't the chicken have looked cute out in the garden or on your front porch? I just don't understand what happened.
Houzz has an in depth article about library ladders. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/31700579/list/aim-high-what-to-know-about-adding-a-library-ladder
Who knew they were so complicated! But our K will figure it out. Can't wait to see.
I'm giggling now, because when I was going through your pics of the show the first time, I wondered who on earth would spend their hard earned dollars on those little wooden fruit baskets?
Karen would! That's who :)
Granted, the metal trim does set them up a notch, and the price was right - now I want to DIY them!
#thingsididntevenknowiwanted
Oh yeah, Today is my 50th Birthday, so if you are still suffering from buyer's remorse, feel free to send them my way ;)
Happy Birthday Jenny!!!
Ha! No ma'am. :) But happy birthday Jenny W!!!! ~ karen!
Hi Karen ~ I don't know the dimensions of the copper box, but since you don't have room on your counter, perhaps it could go up on a shelf (on it's side), like a shadow box to show off something placed inside it.
BTW, I "finally" ordered the chicken swing for your babies. I misplaced your address and was embarrassed to ask for it again. I recently organized my office and found your address...I was so happy. I don't know how long the swing will take to arrive, but it's on the way. :-)
Judy D.
LOL! That's great Judy! Thank you so much! Someone just sent me a link to that swing and I told them a reader wanted to buy it for my chickens at one point. :) I guess that point is now, lol. ~ karen! p.s.I once had to ask someone to help me out of a sports bra. So no need for you to be embarrassed about having to ask for my address twice!
You have incredible self control. I loved your pictures, and saw so many things that I would have thrown my sister's money at if I'd been there...
Love the copper box and that was a great price. I guessed the ironstone. Glad to know I was right but it does seem a steep price. All together a nice haul. Nice.
I can't believe you didn't get the chicken...I would have bet money on that! Good thing I don't gamble...lol
I don't really decorate with chickens Martina, but I did love that chicken because of how rustic it was. However ... it was already purchased by the time I saw it. :/ ~ karen!
Ahhh, my gambling run is intact! Thanks Karen!
Good job, Liz! Dang it, I didn't get a single thing right. Oh well. There's always next time! Great purchases!
You should have buyer's remorse for not buying the guy with the beard.
LOL. I ran out of money? ~ karen!
You did good, Karen. Copper boxes are one of my things, too. The ladder was so big, I didn't see it. I was too busy looking at the sewing machine drawers. I want some.I still wish you'd bought that truck. Then we could have seen it again. It rocked.
I was lusting after those drawers too!!! I have two and I lined the bottoms and put glass pulls on them and one holds the mail and one collects... just collects.... stuff.
One of the things I sold back when I was really hard up for money, and regret selling, now, was an old sewing machine. The whole thing, machine and stand. The cabinet was oak, and had LION'S HEADS carved in relief on them. I have never found another like it on eBay. (sound of quiet sobs)
Love the copper box . I have some old copper pots (no lids unfortunately) that were used for boiling laundry on top of the stove. At least one of them even has the twist of fabric in it that was used to mend a hole.
The ladder is wonderful. Good score.
I am surprised at the price of the plates, but if you collect it you would know what us a good price.
Thanks for sharing.
Oh the plates weren't particularly cheap, lol. But this was the first time I saw ironstone plates (even though they're possibly platters). So I bought them because they're hard to find, not because they were cheap. ;) ~ karen!
Be still my heart, that library ladder! I neeeeed it! I wouldn't chop off an inch. I'd move first!
I love everything you bought but I actually want that basket of rolling pins! All of them!!
My favourite is the copper box. Not exactly sure how large it actually is, but I would think it could do a good job holding a centerpiece at a thanksgiving table?
Ha! Beat you to it Mar, not even a phone call from my mom while writing in my cell helped you!
That copper box is absolutely gorgeous, is it really blue or is my screen misguiding me? Maybe you could use it as a centerpiece
I fell in love with the library ladder first thing!
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