Was out minding my own business one day when I heard a sinister Psst, Pssst from a shady fellow in a dark doorway. Want to buy some antiques he said, only a hundred and eighty years old. Intrigued I entered the place of business of the shady antique dealer. This is what he showed me
These are Victorian hand painted pictures from the Indian subcontinent. Often referd to as company pictures. If you were a person of means and doing the tour of Empire on your visit to India, this is what you would have bought as reminders. Purchased from the street venders at the train station. As mentioned they are hand painted in the reverse on thin sheets of mica. They were called company pictures because they were painted by underpaid sweatshop artisans working for the British East India Company. They are really fragile and not many of them survive.
And the story of the shady fellow in the door way, well it's almost true. I was minding my own business, but for some reason walk into a pawn shop. I think I'll need to make more visits to pawn shops.
Any how I will frame them up properly in an antique eastlake frame I bought and proudly tell stories of my visit to the Indian subcontinent. More Victorian clutter to add to the old girl.
Period furnishing for our period homes
- Gothichome
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Very cool Gothichome - I've never seen anything like that around here. Interesting.
- Gothichome
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Sara, I had known about them from research on another Victorian topic, but had never seen one either. So at the price he was was offering them to me I could not turn them down. Things like these interest me. Two of them would have been a set, the two with the green gourds or bowls. The other two are missing the other half of the set.
- Al F. Furnituremaker
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- Location: Binghamton, NY
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Back in March I posted a link to a Wooton Desk Restoration I was starting. Well it is finally done. Lots of detailed time consuming work, but worth it.
The link to some in process pictures and the final result is:
Wooton Desk Restoration
The link to some in process pictures and the final result is:
Wooton Desk Restoration
Al Fortunato Furnituremaker
http://www.alfortunato.com
https://www.facebook.com/alfortunatomastercraftsman
http://www.alfortunato.com
https://www.facebook.com/alfortunatomastercraftsman
- Neighmond
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Pretty! I wish mine had been that nice!
- Chevygirlalways
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Such beautiful work. The desk is stunning.
Susan
Susan
- oaktree
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- Location: Michigan
Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
I am perhaps not choosing as authentic furnishings as much as some of you, but I'm excited about some of my recent finds.
Instead of the huge kitchen island that I just removed, I found this old table. The seller said it's from the 20s, but maybe it's older. There's no metal hardware in it, and it needs a little work. I'll have to research how to do this now without compromising it too much.
I also found this pendant light for $40 dollars, and I cleaned and rewired it (new socket). The seller claimed this one was from the first decade of the 1900s, but I'm not sure about that. I like the snowdrop shape, and I think it's going to go over my kitchen sink.
Instead of the huge kitchen island that I just removed, I found this old table. The seller said it's from the 20s, but maybe it's older. There's no metal hardware in it, and it needs a little work. I'll have to research how to do this now without compromising it too much.
I also found this pendant light for $40 dollars, and I cleaned and rewired it (new socket). The seller claimed this one was from the first decade of the 1900s, but I'm not sure about that. I like the snowdrop shape, and I think it's going to go over my kitchen sink.
1862 Greek Revival Farmhouse, Michigan
Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Love that table! Character like that only comes from age.
Mick...
- oaktree
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Thanks! I love that it looks like it was used as a kitchen table for a long time. It needs a couple repairs, but I have to now figure out how to do that without adding any nails or screws and ruining it.
1862 Greek Revival Farmhouse, Michigan
- Gothichome
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Re: Period furnishing for our period homes
Oaktree, there are some very skilled carpenters here that I'm sure can get you going in the rite direction for repairs. As far as finish, just oil it, as Mick suggested characters like that is hard to come by, style wise could it be shaker.
Just noticed there is a little recess detail going the length of the table top about an inch in. It's a fancy table.
Just noticed there is a little recess detail going the length of the table top about an inch in. It's a fancy table.