Thursday, August 12, 2010

Thrift Store Finds

As promised, I wanted to show you a few things I picked up last week at the thrift store and a garage sale. Not everything I purchased is shown here, just my favorites.

I don't really know when my love affair for dishes and other kitchen paraphernalia started. Perhaps it was when I was 15 and my Mother and German Grandmother purchased silver tableware for my hope (hopeless as my family called it) chest. The first items to enter my hope chest were silver coffee spoons and cake forks. That was the beginning of the end. (My mother still purchases tableware/kitchen items for me.)

I use Fiesta Ware as my everyday tableware. I love all of the different colors. I fell in love with Fiesta at my American Grandmother's house. She had a complete set to include serving dishes. I also have a set of Pfaltzgraff's Yorktown pattern. The Pfaltzgraff was my first "real" set of dishes.

My favorite set of china is my Spode Christmas pattern. My mother gave me 4 place settings for Christmas over 20 years ago. Almost every year my Mom adds to my collection! Two Christmases ago, she gave me a tea pot, creamer and sugar bowl. These are probably my favorite pieces of the Spode collection.

On to my finds!

I fell in love with the patterns on both sets dishes. Both patterns are made by Taylor, Smith and Taylor. The company was originally from West Virginia and that bit of history makes them more special to me. I believe they date to the 30's. I have yet to find the name of either pattern, so if anyone recognizes them, let me know. I found a book that has the patterns of Taylor, Smith and Taylor in it and I am going to see if the library can order it for me.







My next find is my favorite. It is a sock darner made by Hungerford. It is a heavy plastic and is marked "For Light Material" on the red side and "For Dark Material" on the cream side. I almost passed this up - my first thought was that it was a fishing bobber (I think that is what those things are called). I looked at is closer, realized it was a darner, saw the $.49 price tag and knew it had to come home with me. I researched the darner and saw that someone had one just like it for sale for $20.00. I am not able to find much history on it and I don't really know if it is worth $20.00 or not, I love it and think it will go well in my sewing room!





I went to some of the Garage Sales in town this morning and was able to snag some goodies. I will post about them later in the week. My friend Lisa and I will be going to more sales tomorrow and I want to combine all of my finds in one post.

Hope you all are having a great Thursday.

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6 comments:

Michelle said...

Such lovely, delicate patterns on your new dishes. Beautiful!

I've never seen a sock darner before.

shirley said...

I am having a rest from my "list of chores" to check out the blogosphere....my excuse is have to rest my back for a while....
Your China is beautiful I have a couple of pieces I have kept from my "Glory Box"

I remember sock darners well...We had a wooden one. I received a prize in class in about grade 5 or 6 for having the neatest darning. ..that did not carry on to the darning we had to do at home though.

Dianne said...

Like Shirley, we learned darning at school. Can't say I ever put it into practice though:-) That is a very unusual darner, I have my Mums which is a lovely smooth wooden one. Your china was a great find. Happy treasure hunting.

Shay said...

Fabulous finds Cynthia.

I am particularly in love with the second set of dishes.

I used to think collecting old dishes was what old ladies did but since I am now doing it as well, I think it's because we just gain an appreciation for vintage goodies as we age.

And I have never darned a pair of socks in my life, but I can recall my mother doing it.

mindy gallagher said...

oooh pretties from the thrift store, great now I think I'm gonna go today! lol.

minders via swapbot
prettylittlepaperlove.blogspot.com

Monique Berry said...

Hi

I love this post because I can relate to it. I live a dollar-store lifestyle! Can't beat them for the things you find.

Monique

"Blog me up baby"
Swap-bot username: StickerLady