Antique Lover for Life

I have been around antiques and antique fanatics all my life. My step mother and my mother both loved antiques. My father and step mother's home was very large and it was packed with antique furniture. Inside each piece were literally thousands of different patterns of fine china. She knew her antiques. She collected limoge, staffordshire, victorian glass and something in every genre. Quilts, linen (she had over 1,000 tablecloths and napkin sets when she passed). I found 13 different patterns of pink roses in limoge china in ONE piece of furniture. Growing up, I never paid a bit of attention to any of these items. At the time of their passing, I was living with my father (they passed 4 months apart) and he had me trying to put patterns together of china, sterling, glassware, linens, quilts, vintage fur coats (racks of them). Her personal consisted of
countless jewelry boxes filled with fine and costume jewelry, over 500 pairs of shoes. Over 500 hats. Buttons, figurines, nick-nacks, odds and ends of flatware and on and on.
In the process of inheriting so many of these items (even sharing it all with 6 siblings and still enough for the neighborhood) I was inclined to do some research as I had no idea at the time what anything was worth or the history of it all. The furniture all came from castles in Europe. Ornately, hand carved european furniture with cherubs, griffins, lions, etc. Very beautiful items. Then there was my mother. She, too, loved them and we were splitting her items 2 years later. It's been many years now and since I have researched everything and learned a plethera of information. I rent a space in an antique mall in my hometown and do pretty well. I love the buying as she did and had to start sharing or these things were going to move me right out of my home. I love antiques more and more every day and I never stop learning. I have a collection of antique victorian and edwardian stick pins. Probably about 200 now. My personal passion is fine
jewelry but I love it all!! My stepmother had collected about 10 victorian tumblers. I continued to collect them until I found myself with about 60 of them. Trying to let some go. That's the hardest part. When I buy for my booth, I don't want to get rid of it. I'm doiing better every day. But the buying is, by far, the most fun for me. I am 57 years old and see no end to my love of antiques.

 

Hi Cindy,
We hear you. Most of us grow up the same way only not as fabulous as your upbringing but in a similar vein. Glass, china and furniture was my downfall. We are a friendly group here and you are most welcome. There are many really good experts here, sprinkled in among the rest of us they love the stuff. You are really welcome to speak up or remain lurking.
greg

 

Hi Cindy welcome to the boards! You're in good company here and others will completely understand where you're coming from!

(I thought I'd caught the collecting bug all on my own but after my dad passed we found he had his own collecting bug so maybe it's a nature or nurture thing. He didnt' do furniture from castles in Europe more like bottles filled with volcanic ash he collected while visiting different volcanoes, bags of old stamps and things like that.)

 

Greetings, Cindy!
I hope you will show us some of your collections - even if you don't have questions about any of the items - it's so much fun to look at other people's pretty old things (for me, at least!)

 

Welcome! Delighted to have anyone here with castle experience. Hint, hint: we love pictures!

(Because you are new, I am not going to make any goofy remarks about your father marrying two of the same woman...)

 

Welcome!

 

Hola, Cindy!

As you get to know the categories (and characters) here, I will offer this thread as a great way to enter the flow of things. It's a "Finds" thread that shows what people are buying, selling, evaluating on a daily basis, and also a bit of fellowship and fun.

https://www.antiquers.com/threads/finds-thread.137/page-310

Welcome to the Forums!

Gila

 

Greetings, Cindy!

 

Welcome, can't wait to see some of your collections.

 

Welcome!!

 

A Very WARM WELCOME here Cindy!! Sounds like we're all pretty much in the same sort of boat....however, sounds like yours may have been a yacht!!!! You kind of sound like me in that growing up, I didn't have the interest.....Mom was the collector and Dad went along for the ride!!! Enjoy the fun here!!! And as said before, we love to learn, AND share pictures!!!!
Sue

 

Welcome Cindy.

"When I buy for my booth, I don't want to get rid of it."

Selling IS the hard part.....but it lets you BUY more !!!!

 

Welcome! This is a very friendly forum, and you should feel free to post whatever you like.

 

Hello and welcome. Glad you joined.

 

Welcome Cindy