Collecting Vintage or Antique Items--Furnish Your Home with Collectibles!

I love vintage...clothing, furniture, artwork...anything. Vintage kitchen stuff--I gotta have it, especially if it's red, or black, or chrome, or, well...you get the idea...There's just something about things made in the 30's, 40's, and 50's that appeal to both my husband and me. And once my husband Tom and I started going to auctions on a regular basis, I saw more and more things that would look terrific in our home.

I've always liked old stuff--I have my paternal grandmother's treadle sewing machine, and my paternal grandfather's old trunk. I inherited both of them as a child, and they have traveled everywhere that I have.

One time we found this old white vinyl covered rocker with wooden arms shaped like a goose head and neck--totally old-fashioned, but we had to have it. We crossed our fingers when the bidding started on it, hoping it wouldn't go too high...then, what? No one else even BID on it??? We were the only ones who thought this chair was just too cool? Evidently so...we got it for $5, and were thrilled.

A couple of months later, we were at a different auction, and what did we see? Another goose head rocker, covered in fabric this time. We had to have it, but, as luck would have it, someone else must have had a matching one, too, and the bidding war was on...but--yay--we got it! Unfortunately, it cost us quite a bit, but what the heck--we really wanted it. Now we have two conversation pieces in our living room, and one has become Tom's favorite chair!

Another time we found this old enamel topped kitchen table, with wood and chrome legs. It had the extensions that tucked underneath when you didn't need them, and had a white top with black scrollwork...it was beautiful, and we really wanted it. Another bidding war ensued, but we were victorious--got it for $60, which was higher than we wanted to go, but we excused ourselves, since it WAS our anniversary that day, and it was our present to each other! We have had this for several years now, and I never want to part with it.

Tom and I both love vintage pictures and paintings of ships at sea, or young women, and we pick those up whenever we can. Those are harder to win, but we've gotten a few that we really love.

And in my kitchen, I've collected many old kitchen utensils--most that I use! I found an old meat grinder one time that had our son's name on it--I couldn't believe it...his name is Larkin and you just don't see that name very often, so I now have it displayed on the fireplace mantle in my kitchen, along with some odds and ends "rooster" items that I couldn't resist.

I love old rooster items, and have a wooden canister set and breadbox with roosters on them. I also have an old aluminum canister set that we keep our coffee, filters, and creamer in--very handy! I used to have many more things like that, but had to thin the collection down some when we downsized earlier this year.

I've collected and sold many vintage pieces of clothing on Ebay--some designers and styles are very collectible, and will sell pretty well--same goes with vintage patterns, the older, the better...I absolutely love coming across old 30's or 40's clothing patterns at garage sales or auctions--I bring them home, and will spend hours sorting through them, counting every pattern piece to make sure they are all there. It's not a chore to me, because I love those time periods, and looking through those old styles of clothing.

I'm weird like that.

We very rarely buy anything new--in the beginning of our marriage, it was out of necessity...now, it's because we just love the vintage look, and will pick it anytime over new things...

The "old" stuff is so much better quality, and has such great and unusual character...such as this vintage item I picked up over 20 years ago...my absolute favorite of all...lol