November Estate Sale Treasures

Yard sales may be winding down as the summer months fade and winter scratches at our doors 

but estate sales are still beckoning me from my jammies and hot coffee on early mornings.

TIP:  I've discovered that the best time to go to estate sales is Thursday morning. 

That's when the dealers check them out and buy all the best stuff. 

It used to be Fridays but more and more people are starting on Thursdays.

We always check Craigslist first thing Thursday morning to see 

if there are any good sales in our neighborhood. 

This Thursday we struck gold at a beautiful old Victorian not ten minutes from our house. 

The owners said everything had to go so they could renovate.
(I liked it just the way it was.)

I love to go to sales at old houses just to look around inside. 

The details in these vintage beauties are so gorgeous, 

it's worth going even if you don't buy anything.

Like this stunning foyer with original tin ceilings, drop-dead chandelier, and fancy woodwork.

And original patchy wallpaper clinging to plaster walls. 

I hope the people renovating this old place keep at least one wall intact to preserve 

the history and beauty of bygone days.

But on to the treasures. I've recently been collecting old books and found a lovely tome containing 

the complete collection of Thomas Moore's (1779-1852) poetry and melodies. 

A mere $5 brought it home with me. 

At first, I was attracted to its beautiful rich brown and gold cover.

I had to do a little research on Moore but discovered he was known as the National Bard of Ireland 

and wrote many popular folk songs. He was also a close friend of Lord Byron and Percy Shelley. How thrilling!

After I take it home, I'll pop the book into a baggie and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours to discourage any unwanted visitors that might have been hiding between the yellowed pages.

Moving into the dining room, we admired the tiled fireplace and oak mantle. 

And there, resting against the mantle, was something I'd been looking for.

An old medicine cabinet! When I asked about the price, another $5, I practically shouted, "Sold!"

But it reeked of must and had several layers of grime on the lovely old oak.

Underneath all that grime, it had a beveled mirror and curved woodwork 

and a breathtaking little dangly knob that I fell in love with.

Once home, I took the medicine cabinet outside to clean it. 

The inside smelled like something had died in it 

so I mixed up some white vinegar and water and gave it a thorough scrubbing.

Then, I opened the door and let it air out in the mile-high sunshine all day. 

I brought it in at night in case it rained or snowed, then repeated the steps again the next day.

By then, it was smelling better so I rubbed some antique improver into the wood. 

It's sold in most antique malls and contains natural oils and emollients. 

I hoped the scrumptious odor would soak into the wood. 

As I worked on this piece, I realized someone had added two curved wooden edges to the shelves, probably to keep things from falling out. But they weren't original, so we took them out.

Time to clean the beveled mirror. 

As I wiped away the grime, the silvered beauty of the old mirror shone through. 

Note the curved trim, so graceful. 

Here's a closeup of that gorgeous dangly knob that I loved at first sight.

Next, I clipped some fresh lavender and bought a "Clean Linen" air freshener 

and tucked them both inside. Much better.

Finally, I positioned the cabinet on a table in front of my wall of mirrors in my dining room

atop an old lace tablecloth that I'd found at another estate sale. 

At the time, I didn't know what I'd do with it as it didn't fit any of my tables. 

But I knew someday it would find a home.

I lined up three little white creamers on top of the cabinet. Perfect.

To balance the arrangement, I re-positioned an oval mirror across from it. 

French Country style often includes timeworn wood so the addition
of this little oak cabinet and the old newel post warm up the space.

I hate to think that magnificent old house, probably from the 1890s, 

will be scraped clean inside --  modernized with stainless steel and granite,
smooth new walls and floors that don't creak. 

At least, I saved a bit of it before it's all gone.

Sharing with:  Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House,
Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co.,
Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, Ivy & Elephants, From My Front Porch to Yours, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, A Delightsome Life, Northern Nesting,
Adirondack Girl at Heart, Meadow Lake Road, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home,
French Country Cottage, Creative Country Mom, Shabby Art Boutique, My Romantic Home,
The Cottage Market, Shabby Fu Fu, Thoughts from Alice