To Grandmother's House We Go

My sister Erin and I went to our Grandmom's house in Northeast Philly on Sunday to help clean out her basement and attic. She has the most organized junk I've ever seen. Everything was labeled in rubbermaid containers and boxes. I thought I was going to open this shoebox and find some Chinese stars or maybe a small dagger:

Nope, it was just this:

Whew. We're safe.

We focused on removing the junk and donating it to thrift stores. For the most part, this was not fun vintage junk. It was just stuff like old mugs and vases and gifts that her five children, 16 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren have given her throughout her 89 years. Erin and I would hold up a bowl or a vase or a mug, and ask if she wanted to keep it or donate it. Her response was usually, "One of you kids gave it to me". She didn't want to offend us, but what the hell was she going to do with 30 coffee mugs and 347 clear glass vases? Most of it went to the thrift store, but I did keep a big pasta bowl that I gave to her ten years ago.

She gave me her bowling ball & bag:

My grandparents were avid bowlers. Granddad was even on Bowling For Dollars in the 1950's - and won. My Grandmom warned me that the ball was for a left-handed female, so I probably wouldn't be able to use it. That's when I heard the story (not for the first time) about the nuns in her school who used to call her Boobie Gibbons because she was left-handed. (Gibbons was her last name - they weren't calling her a monkey.) As was typical in those days, they forced her to write with her right hand. She is ambidextrous now. It's true - my Grandmom swings both ways.

On the way to her house, Erin and I spotted a flea market near the Tacony-Palmyra bridge. We made a quick detour, and searched for a parking spot. As we drove around the block a few times, we second-guessed our decision. The neighborhood wasn't so great. We eventually found a spot and hid all of our valuables under the seats. This was the fastest flea market visit ever because I kept imagining a brick going through my car window. At one point, I heard someone say, "If one more f*cking person bumps into me, I'm going to have to throw a bitch down". I slowly and carefully turned around to make sure that Erin wasn't the bitch who was to be thrown down, since she can be very fidgety at times. Luckily, it wasn't her.

After a quick sweep of the place, I ended up spending $13. I bought five glass floral frogs, a black & white metal hamper, a big picnic basket with plasticware, and a glass doorknob set. Lesson learned: bad neighborhoods can make for super flea markets. And lesson #2: if you want to make it home alive with your great finds, don't bump into anyone ever.

At a yard sale on Saturday, I spent fifty cents on this greenish-teal transferware bowl, marked WR & Co Tyrolean. I looked up the mark, and found that the pattern is called Tyrolean and the maker is William Ridgely & Company, circa 1834-1854. It isn't cracked or chipped or anything. Amazing.

At the next sale, I saw this: (cue singing from the heavens)

I took off the heavy lid, said a little prayer and turned it upside down. There it was...the holy grail of yard-saling: a piece of Le Creuset enameled cast iron cookware for three bucks. Holy $hit!

I initially thought it was a fish poacher, but it seemed too narrow (12" x 4" x 3"). You'd have to cook a skinny fish in that thing. No fatties allowed. The homeowner told me that it was fish poacher, but he used to bake macaroni and cheese in it. When I got home, I searched for "le creuset fish poacher", but didn't find any results. Then I looked on the Le Creuset website and learned that it is a Paté Terrine. Wow - this is just great. Now I can make my kids' peanut butter and paté sandwiches look so much more professional.

Actually, this will be coming to an eBay auction near you. The retail price of a new Paté Terrine is $130. But I don't know if a "vintage" piece of Le Creuset is worth more or less than new ones. Does anyone know if there is a way to tell the age of it? Unlike the newer pieces of Le Creuset, this one is all one color, and doesn't have the label on the front.

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OTHER STUFF
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Last year, I contributed some photographs (pre-D40) to a new book by C. Dianne Zweig called "Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes". I don't know which photos were selected, so it will be a surprise for all of us! It isn't available until October, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon. Dianne also wrote "Hot Kitchen and Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, and 50s", which I love. It has all of the kitschy stuff that I am always buying at yard sales and thrift stores. A definite must-buy.

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I'd like to give a big THANK YOU to reader Janet P. from Delaware, who emailed me with a tip on a yard sale a few weeks ago. It was a sale that wasn't on my normal yard-saling route, so I wouldn't have known about it. This was all she needed to write:

"I thought of you when I went to a garage/estate sale this morning...They have a pile of chenille bedspreads- the prettiest one was $15. There weren't a lot of shoppers..."

I hauled ass to Delaware and I bought a pile of chenille bedspreads! The top one is white with flowers, and the bottom are yellow, blue and green popcorn-style spreads. The white one needed an overnight soaking in Biz, but it turned out great. Thank you, Janet!

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Anyone who has read this far into this long-ass post gets to find out some top secret information. I'm starting another blog. Yes, it's true. I'm launching it in a few weeks. Oh, but what will be the subject? An in-depth look at cock socks from around the globe? Perhaps a haunting discourse on picnic baskets and the women who love them? What is your guess? (Family members better keep their damn mouths shut.)

Comments

[vintagesue of VRS]

Let's see: blogging while you're at work? late-night ebay surfing/wine-tasting? secret Boggle game strategies?

XOX

P.S. Good scores!

[Amber Lee]

Oh can't wait to see what the new blog is, I love this one so! That comment from crazy lady in the thrift store was priceless by the way. :)

[Abbey Goes Design Scouting]

hmmmmm... I have no idea, but I suspect I'll like it. xo Abbey ps i'm way impressed with the frogs for $12

[Janet]

Your very welcome- I was excited to see my name "in print".
There's a white elephant sale at Cokesbury (fancy retirement place) tomorrow and a tag sale (but don't know if it's a real one) in Hockessin-in Heather Valley.

[Lorie Charles]

Your blog is always a great place to visit and this story....the pic of the "knife box"....has made my night! I'm sure it is sending many readers to thoughts and memories of their Grammas! Thanks for that!!
Smiles, Lorie

[Angie]

You are a hoot girl! Love checking in every day and of course love even MORE when you've updated. Nice finds recently and your writing is making me giggle. Love the brick through window comment and checking to make sure sister wasn't gonna take one for the team.

Keep writing. You are adorable.

Angie

[Joy]

Holy $hit! You find the BEST Deals! And you crack me up every single time! lol

Joy

[HeidiAnn]

I'm definitely looking forward to finding out what your new blog will be about!! I loved your post, and seeing your great finds.

[gail]

Can't wait to learn what that new blog will REALLY be all about! You make me smile, which is good!

[meghan]

I must say, good for you on finding something at the Tacony-Palmyra flea market.
It's usually just crap when I have headed there & yes, the neighborhood is not that great BUT hey, at least you didn't visit one in Camden!

I live about 15 mins away from that flea market & only went once. Once was enough for me!!!!

As for the "throwin the bitch down!", well that's Jersey for you!
LOL

Anxiously waiting to see your new blog.

[Wanda]

Wow. WOW! That's about all I can say. You've been busy and have found some fantastic stuff AND had some pictures featured in a book? Enough already! No, never enough. You go girl!

[Sara]

My grandma was forced by the nuns to switch to her right hand as well! What is with that? Are you the devil's spawn if you're a leftie? Guess I am, then!

[Sara]

My grandma was forced by the nuns to switch to her right hand as well! What is with that? Are you the devil's spawn if you're a leftie? Guess I am, then!

[ismoyo]

Girl you crazy! Stay safe. No bumping into anyone while thrifting. Thanks for the tip.
But wow what great finds you got while risking a beatdown and a carjacking! ;)

[Tracy Dayett]

Perhaps your new blog will be an advice column on thrift store/tag sale shopping OR just one to list your wares for sale opposed to a store setting. Either way I look forward to it..good luck!
Tracy

[Wendy]

Too funny! Those green & blue chenille blankets are gorgeous!

[Selena]

I can't believe you found that pan for only $3.00. What a steal. Hmmmm....a new blog? Kitchen collectibles?

[Lily Wrey]

Colleen,

I am so happy to have found your site.

I have been totally engrossed at your newest blog and finds, feeling the anxiety of them being yours and not mine!

I LOVE what you do, and am a bit of a yard/thrift hunter myself. Selling much on Ebay, of late I have been focusing on designing and creating handmade jewelry, and getting ready to open up a monthly "Court Yard Sale" of my own. My way of having my dream brick-n-mortar compromised!

Warm Regards,
~Lily

[Jeannie]

Those are the best "questionable area" flea market finds I've ever seen! When I venture to one of those types of markets, I usually just find endless rows of tube socks, greasy automobile parts, and knock-off purses and watches (and bad ones at that)!

[Stephanie Howell]

I love this post. It has me laughing out loud.
And I am in LOVE with that plate. I love your blog. Love Love Love!

[Lori]

hey, we're neighbors! I live in NE Philly too (Oxford Circle)
Love your blog

Lori

[Shanae]

I really enjoy reading your blog, it's so much fun! Love seeing all the goodies you find too!

[Karen]

Eeeee Gad! Hope you wore your oyster shucking gloves or your falcon catching ones to open that knives box. Wouldn't want you slicing through a tendon!

[Jill]

Speaking of "throwing down a bitch", my friend & I were in a Dillards dept. store (in Utah) and there was a purse sale. We were laughing at this ugly beaded ladybug one and this Mexican gal came up & said it was hers. Linda said she was nowhere near it & since she was holding it, it was hers. Well~~~~they followed us the entire time in the mall while arranging on their cellphone to have us beat up in the parking lot. (they had a baby w/them in a stroller ~ whats that all about?) The security guard took us to our car...we alternate giving our b-day presents in it each year & still laugh about it. Every time we go into a purse dept now one of us says "Bitch be goin down" (we really aren't white trash but yardsales & mall sales bring out the survivor of the fittest in the hunting & gathering genepool!)