Friday's Finds... #04

The week is almost at an end and its time once again for Friday's Finds!

I've got to be honest.  As of yesterday, I had nada.  I've been so consumed with that blasted buffet, that I haven't really had time to go anywhere or do anything.  Thankfully last night, I was able to slip into my favorite thrift store while the boys were at football practice.  And for once, I was able to get in there within two days of when they put out their weekly donations.  Usually I get there on Mondays when everything has been picked over for a week.  I must say, I did find a few treasures.

I did a double take when I saw these old cane bottomed chairs.  Well they used to be cane bottomed, until some genius decided that it would be better to cover up them up with pressboard.  However, I am not daunted.  No, I don't know how to repair cane, but I simply could not walk away from chairs that had so much history.  They had obviously come straight out of someone's barn, so I scooped them right up.

The detailing on them is amazing, right down to the feet.  Such pride in workmanship they had back in the day!  At $15.00 each, they were a little spendy, but I wasn't going to take a chance they'd be around long enough to have a price drop.  All I'll probably do is clean them up really good, since age and time has already distressed them.  As for the pressboard?  Hmmmm...  I'll have to get back to you on that.  Anyone have any ideas????

I picked up a couple throw rugs for $1.50 each.

I've seen these painted woven rugs all over the place lately and figured these two would be great to practice on before I tackle the larger project planned for the living room.

And since its never to early to start thinking about Christmas decorating (GAH!), I picked up this ancient sled for $15.00.

I spied this as I was in the process of getting checked out and snatched it up pretty quick.  So quick in fact, that I didn't notice until I was out in the parking lot that one of the wooden slats was broken off up at the top.  DOH!  Oh well, my vision for it means that particular part will be covered, but I hate it when I impulse buy like that.  :P

And check out this blue Mason's Jar patent date November 30, 1858!  I nearly squealed when I saw this!  And for only $3.00 too!  It probably came out of the same barn as the chairs, since it was filthy.

**  Thanks to Anita at Going A Little Coastal for pointing out that it was not a Ball jar, which encouraged me to check further into it's history.  I should have done that before hand.

Here's some information on it:

Another way to tell the general age of a jar is to examine it from top to bottom. Is the top smooth to the touch or is it rough and ground off? Look at the base of your jar. If the base of your jar has a round ring in it and the lip is smooth, your jar was probably machine made sometime after the turn of the century but probably before the 1930s. If the jar has a large, rough and jagged ring on its base, it was probably made between 1900 and 1930 when the Owens machine was in popular use. Machine-made jars after the 1930s have a more modern look and frequently have small scars on the bottom indicating they were made on more modern, sophisticated machines.

It would seem that the value of this jar is somewhere between $5.00-$10.00, so I did get it for at least a couple dollars less than what its worth.  Now to find a spot for it where rough-housing boys won't be able to come anywhere near it.  Wow!  Almost 100 years old and its still here.  Amazing.

Not a bad haul, all in all.  I love Trinkets and Togs!

Now back to scavenging the in-law's farm.  The amount of stuff they have is unbelievable!  Both young during the Great Depression, they save EVERYTHING.  You know, you might need it someday!  Their outbuildings and the upstairs of their home is a treasure trove.  They're not quite at "Buried Alive" level, but the older they get, the worse it is becoming.  We regularly go in and do a sweep when they're not home to get rid of newspapers and magazines.  Seriously, they might have some issues.  But, their ways have also caused them to keep some things that any other person might have gotten rid of over the years and they have been so generous about letting me have things that pique my interest.

I about fainted when I found this old iron shoved to the back of a top shelf on their front porch.  Granted I had to climb through a ton of crap to poke around up there, but I was totally rewarded.

At the time, I didn't know really anything more about it than it was an old iron and it was a cool color, so I grabbed it.  At first I thought that the little bell shaped container on the back was for water for steaming, but I have since discovered that it held gasoline to heat the iron.  How cool is that?  It was manufactured between 1929 and 1933 by the Coleman Co. in Chicago and cost between $6-$10 back in the day. The particular green color of the enamel is highly desirable, as the most common was blue.  Who knew?  I found one of the exact same color, but in a little better condition that sold for $95.00.  I'm definitely going to clean her up and put her someplace safe.  My favorite part about the whole thing is that you can see where the hubs' grandmother's - or maybe great-grandmother's thumb rubbed the paint away on the handle.  Just imagine.  It makes me think of a time where a woman just like me was raising her family, doing her ironing.  She is long since gone, but the iron and her mark on it, still remain.  That warms my heart a little and makes me a little sad too.  What will I one day leave behind that a great-grandchild marvels over?

I also found on the same top self, this Puritan meat grinder by The Griswold Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania.  Who knows what I'm going to do with it, but I love the heft and age on it.  I didn't find out a whole lot of information about their grinders, but I found a TON on their cast iron cookware.  Hmmmm...  Nah!  I spend enough money already!  ;)

I also grabbed these odds and ends from up on a different shelf, as well.

Another old processed cheese box, a postcard box, a can of black enamel for polishing a stove, and a vintage spool of thread...  I just thought they all looked neat and could find a nook somewhere.  For now they're shoved into a book shelf that is begging me to add some breadboard and paint.  The only thing I could find about the enamel is that it cost $1.50 in 1904.  I guess no one is interested in  iron stove polish.  :(  I was really hoping to learn more about it.

Unfortunately, I don't have anything for my internet finds segment. I literally have spent every waking minute either doing mommy/wife things or working on the buffet.

The good news is, I have made some real progress on that sucker!
Her drawers have been sanded, primed, and wallpapered.  Now they're just waiting to be painted...

I've still got to prime some of the edges.
It should have been done before they were wallpapered,
but I needed the hubs' help for that part.
The man is a wallpaper genius! (And he can cut a straight line. LOL)
Since I didn't get it done before last night, they'll have to get a coat today.

And here she is...

I've got to do the final hand sanding with a fine grit sandpaper and then she'll be ready to prime.  We moved her in from outside since the wind is blowing a 25 mph gale today.  I haven't decided whether I should go white with the slate glaze or change it up a bit and go with a color.  Hopefully I'll have that decided by the time I'm done priming.  :)

I would have to say we are coming along swimmingly.  It took a heck of a lot of sanding and wood putty, but I think she's going to be gorgeous when I get done.  Be sure to check back on Monday for her final reveal!

I hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday to show her off.  :)