Monday, 7 November 2016

Frosty mornings

We now find ourselves in November and we have had some early morning frosts with plunging temperatures here at MillCottageRetro HQ!
However, I have been assiduously seeking new items to add to the Etsy inventory and have found some.

In this picture there is a poster for the 1994-5 Jean Hugo exhibition at the Musee Nationale de la Cooperation Franco-Americaine in Blerancourt, France. In front is a 1972 pink vinyl record box with some interesting psychedelia inspired art work. The small vinyl cover has an atomic inspired image, whilst next to that is an illustrated book from the inimitable Dick Bruna (both added to Store already). At the front is a Caithness glass cased bud vase (already added to Store) and a Simon Drew humorous mug. [All now added to Etsy inventory except the poster]

New inventory for green-vintage8855 can be seen in the pics below.

 Pictured is a collection of horse figures in hard plastic, some with riders and some with known manufacturers [all listed, figure on the left sold]

 China collection: Denby Monsoon teapot and three mugs comprising a Roy Kirkham chocolate mug, a Staffordshire Tableware rural scene mug and a collectable Garfield mug. All added to inventory in green-vintage8855.

 Two Christmas themed snow globes, a block painting by Van Gogh, some sheet music, unused Nottingham lace panel, vintage soap dish and base. [All added to inventory on Ebay, soap dish sold]

Finally, some Andy Pandy books which will be added to some already in store, Cloverleaf floral tablemats, a Garfield plush toy, Hornsea storage jar and a book on carpets. [All now added to inventory]

I will be working to add these to existing inventory during the next week or so. Happy thrifting, friends!

Thursday, 29 September 2016

Gusts and showers

As I write this we are experiencing a rather damp day with occasional windy gusts so not very good for taking outdoor photos at the moment! We will have to see where the day takes us. For myEbay shop green-vintage8855 I have, just in, some men's jackets which have to photographed from the outside of my office as it is so full at present there is hardly room to turn around! I am out most mornings searching for great thrifting finds to pass on to my lovely customers and have been fortunate with the weather so far. I have also been fortunate enough to find a few items for my Etsy Store MillCottageRetro, which you can see below. 

Delicious Wedgwood decanter and two matching glasses, a pair of charming glass fish and a Canadian resin duck by Boma [All added to inventory]


Set of six Sedish smoky blue grey hiball glasses and three cobalt blue spice jars, all of these are on my Etsy Store MillCottageRetro now


Super cool retro tea set and sandwich plate (to be sold separately) from Thomas (Rosenthal) in Germany [All now sold]



The treasures pictured below are already on my Ebay Store, green-vintage8855:



Large Elizabethan Rosamund plate with pretty pink flower pattern, Flower Fairies plate from the illustrations of C M Barker (this one is the Hawthorn Fairy) which joins the others already in the Shop and a pretty Royal Doulton flower basket (I always think that the people who made these, most probably ladies, were so clever as the work making and painting these tiny petals must have been so painstaking)


Beautiful Celine silk scarf with impressionistic depictions of the Paris skyline, including the Eiffel Tower, and a Nike wool golf pullover with an AVFC logo, (Aston Villa Football Club, for those not in the know!) just the job for those chilly mornings on the golf course! [both sold]



Beautiful pair of Nine West shoes (the LK Bennett pair I had on sale sold this week), a vintage apron in green and blue and a Jacqmar ladies head scarf which is what all the ladies need to keep their vintage 'do' in place

Lastly, but not leastly, three brilliant paperweights, all with tiny creatures suspended in the glass. I think it is so clever how they manage to do this, but then anything to do with hand blown glassmaking is super clever. [the one back left is sold]

And a final word just to update you on last week's blog: all the Ebay items (except the green glass dish which will be available today) are now in my shop green-vintage8855 for purchase. On the Etsy front I have made available, on MillCottageRetro, the Dartington Fleur bowls and the two Tremar Pottery pieces (the Real Ale tankard and the Brandy flagon) and will be working on the remainder during the next few days.

Best wishes to all thrifting friends!

Thursday, 22 September 2016

Autumn

I have just realised that I haven't produced a blog entry for some time, so I don't know where the summer went! Our son was home from University for the summer so it was really nice to spend some time with him, then we had a holiday in Hastings on the sunny south coast. An old friend of mine lives in nearby St Leonard's so we met up and she came back to stay with us for a while - a good excuse to visit all the local tea shops!

Then we had a weekend in Bedfordshire for the Twinwood Festival which was great as usual! The Bootleg Beatles helped to create a wonderful '60s night' atmosphere but there were also excellent performances from Down for the Count Swing Orchestra with guest vocalists, and rock and roll group Jackson Sloan and the Rhythmntones. Saturday evening was finished off in style by the Electric Swing Circus and their version of 1920s swing in the magical Woodland Glade.

Of course mustn't forget the fabulous Bryan Ferry at the Cornbury music festival in July - so good to hear some of those 1970s Roxy Music classics!

However, September is with us again and, as usual, sees people returning to work and learning after the summer break and back to work for me in my garden office which is not too much of a hardship!

It may be worth mentioning that I also have a presence on Ebay at  http://stores.ebay.co.uk/green-vintage8855 which has a slightly different vintage feel to it from MillCottageRetro on Etsy.

Below are some photos of items that have recently been added or that are in the process of being added to green-vintage8855: 


Collection of vintage green glassware bought at auction

Some pretty china pieces of which some were found at a car boot sale, one was an inherited piece and another from an auction sale



Mixture of auction, car boot and charity shop purchaes











I suppose that you could say that these pieces constitute the more traditional end of vintage thrifting, whereas on Etsy I place mid century and retro pieces. My Ebay store will also have clothing and more modern items that do not fit in with Etsy's guidelines.

However, here are some pieces that will be going into my Etsy Store soon:

 
Some traditional Dartington glass bowls and a retro brandy glass, don't you just love that ruby red colour. Some people just collect that colour of glass


Super retro tableware: the fabulous Midwinter Pottery, super on trend Hornsea cruet and the deep, deep Mediteranean blue of Rimini Blu.

Here is a rather cute collection of Cornish studio pottery wares. I have kept back one piece: a coffee mug which has my name on it here in my office (not literally, of course - it says 'cafe'!)




Tuesday, 21 June 2016

New glassware picks

From the months of May and June here are some new glassware pics which mostly focus on British design: 

 
Swedish smoky blue lemonade glasses and funky British design glasses



Wedgwood candle holders in contrasting colours designed by  
Ronald Stennett Wilson

Dartington Glass bowl

More Wedgwood candle holders and Swedish wildlife  

paperweights

Tuesday, 10 May 2016

April showers still in May

After the lovely Sunday we have just had here it is hard to believe that we are back to rainy days though it is warmer than before.

But gathered in before the rain struck are the treasures below:

Some fabulous treen and folk art - mostly from
one collection and most added to Etsy Store or
soon will be!

More additions to the mini animal rescue centre
that we have here and already added to Store.

Book of Parisian photos and more Miro prints -
already added to Etsy Store. I am feeling
quite efficient so far this month!

Monday, 18 April 2016

April Treasures

Recently found and rescued items for MillCottageRetro on Etsy


Wonderful Chance handkerchief vase in yellow with a Dala
horse and Carltonware cup and saucer

Some fascinating purple glass

West Germsn vase and turquoise blue glass bowl

Two Riihimakki glass vases by Tamara Aladin and a West
German handled vase

Holmegaard decanter in smoky glass

Thursday, 31 March 2016

March finds

Some more pictures of recent finds, mostly from our recent trip to Cornwall, a couple discovered in the garage and one from a vintage fair. All great pieces saved for posterity!


Three pieces of Langley cookware.

Two Holkham mugs with owl like features
(already listed), three colourful Price Kensington
 mugs and two more pieces of Langley
 ovenware

Scandinavian glass vase and small stoppered
bottle

Colourful LouLou Cacherel scarf and modernist
style brooch with maker's mark


Tuesday, 1 March 2016

February finds (2)

So far this month my finds include quite a lot of glass, which is great. All these items except for the Denby Green Wheat bowl at the bottom were found and purchased at a flea market. 


Scandinavian glass in green, the left hand piece is Rihimaen Lasi

More Scandinavian glass in green

Scandinavian glass in red, the piece on the right is definitely Rihimaki

Poole Contour twintone tableware in sky blue and seagull

The two Scandinavian pieces are from the Egersund Pottery,
 the piece on the right is a Denby Green Wheat bowl.
 I listed quite a lot of this in MillCottageRetro but somehow
this piece was missed.

Wednesday, 10 February 2016

February finds

A few new things to add so far this month despite the stormy weather!

Meakin Elite coffee set

Some more ceiamic items: Poole Twintone biscuit barrel and sugar bowl,
miniature Wade planter and saucer, studio pottery dish


Three Holmegaard Gug decanters and a Murano glass bird

Art glass miniature animals with boxes

Friday, 22 January 2016

New Finds for January


A small selection this month but it is better than nothing! They should be available on Etsy during the next couple of weeks or so.



New glassware - a decanter and four glasses, a retro
candlestick and four  ashtrays which today would be more
 appropriate as pin or ring dishes

Coffee or hot water pots from Denby and Poole - I like
 the green lids on the Poole

Some figures - small pottery pigs and a Canadian polar
bear and whale

Set of fab wooden soldiers and ball

Small German studio pottery vase