Period furnishing for our period homes

[Gothichome]

Well that's the best bit of nail carving I've ever seen.
This is the oldest (?) antique we have, bought once again at auction. Sold as a Georgen (circa 1840) fire screen. We think the needle work is of the same period due to the type of jute used and is very well executed.

[Gothichome]

Well, my wife just found this little trinket. It's a Victorian lamp hanger. Made in Germany out of thin biscque. Well over a hundred years old. They are realy hard to find these days, mostly due to the nature of use. They were used to pull the lamp down for lighting. The string that hung the swing would break and your hanger would be on the floor in pieces. Just a little bit more Victorian clutter from the period.

[Gothichome]

Been on the road for the last few weeks (still am) but I do have a new antique to show off.



This is a clock shelf we found a while back, the unique feature of it it's a bit of Victorian thrift as well as an example of the finish carpenters skill. The carcass is left over pine from a home build. The ornate section is also left over trim. If you look closely the same trim hase been used only it has been fitted upside down to the course above it. The corners are beautifully miterd and the molding at the corners perfectly matched.

[Kansas.1911]

Gothic home, you had asked about our Gilbert. I don't think it keeps time very well but I don't care. I like the ticking. The Seth Thomas kitchen clock if "off" more often. Between the two, there is no schedule.

That is one beautiful Victorian shelf. My first thought was that I would enjoy the shelf because somebody understood what it's like to be 5' tall.

[Gothichome]

Kansas, our Gilbert is always consistent as far as keeping time. If it's a minute fast a day it always stays a minute fast. Same if I set it slow. It has the best gong tone of the lot though. The shelf is nice, We really don't have a good place to mount it though. It's currently in mounted on the dinning room wall with the Gilbert resting on it. The clock looks a bit out of place on the shelf due to the large size of the shelf. We just might have to by more antiques to fill the other eighteen inches of shelf dam it!

[SouthernLady]

Meet Wilson, my big baby! Meet my 1862 Ludden and Bates Square Grand Piano, made in Atlanta. I am the first one to own this big thing outside of its original family. She still has her original strings, and plays beautifully! The original seat is not pictured.

[Gothichome]

Isn't that a thing of beauty. A great parlor piano, evry parlor needs to have an instrument. In most cases it was the only form of entertainment. This one looks perfect built for a larger home and a budget of means. I wonder how many southern bells learnt how to play on that piano? The shape looks like it was designed to be against a wall or if not against with the back facing into the room without taking up too much floor space. Now all you need is some Victorian piano dressing draping over the top with tastes hanging over and an oil piano light. Are you the new southern bell to play it?

[SouthernLady]

I am sure there is some kind of story behind this piano... think about it: Manufactured in Atlanta during the onset of the Civil War, and it has stayed in the South ever since. I have a friend who is a master as caring for pianos with 40+ years of experience and he has never seen one of this quality. He tried to talk me out of the purchase for two weeks, but once he saw it he couldn't believe it.

[mjt]

Wow! It's an amazing piece!

[Chevygirlalways]

That is so beautiful. I'm sure it could tell some stories. Lucky you!

Susan