Thursday 16 February 2017

a bunch of grapes

I love old fashioned junk shops where pictures are stacked against rickety tables, piles of china languish in cardboard boxes and assorted flatware mingle with old watches and paste jewellery in glass cabinets. I spotted one last week en route to a tyre centre with MasterM and so I left him considering the prohibitive cost of replacing a tyre and walked back with my purse feeling pleasantly warm in my pocket.


Through the dusty windows I could see an elderly lady reading a novel next to a two bar electric heater and I felt my pulse rise as I walked through the door. I was immediately distracted by the £1 bargain basket which contained a rare Wedgwood plate with a hairline crack. That was definitely being rescued and coming home with me.


There were so many things that I wanted to buy but I was very restrained and selected this charming little watercolour. It is in a shabby frame with a lopsided mount but just look at the delicate detail and colouration. I have no idea how old it is or what it was originally but I am delighted with my find and will be taking it to my friendly framer for an upgrade.


The lady wrapped up the plate in newspaper, put the picture in a shopping bag and said that she hoped that she would see me again. I promised that it wouldn't be long before I was back.

6 comments:

  1. Oh, that's very pretty. I love shops like that too and my daughter always tries to frogmarch me past one in particular. She doesn't understand the allure of the 'old stuff'. I was rather taken with the treacle tart in your previous post and tried to leave a witty comment about 'healthy living' and how important puddings are for mental health. Probably for the best.

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  2. Puddings and cakes are often laden with family memories so I am reluctant to give them up forever.

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  3. Your new picture instantly reminded me of the hand-painted wallpapers seen in period rooms of National Trust houses. I've often thought they are pretty & interesting enough to be works of art in their own right, so perhaps someone else agreed and framed up a bit of wallpaper. It'll be interesting to see what is underneath the current frame - you might have a sample of something old and/or rare.

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    1. How interesting - I had not thought of hand painted wallpaper. It is possible because the piece is irregular in shape and has obviously been glued to a backing before it was framed. However the detail is quite small so I wonder if it was a keepsake pasted into an album. There is no evidence unfortunately but it is a delightful item.

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  4. Ooh, I do like the pretties. Have fun on future visits.

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    1. You can rely on me. I have my eye on a couple of things already.

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