Wednesday 23 May 2018

Second hand news

With the weather going up and down like a yo-yo, the temperature often fluctuating wildly within a single day, deciding what to wear in the morning can be a hard nut to crack.

Take last Saturday, which started out grey and miserable and with a definite chill in the air.

We had a long weekend to look forward to, with Monday off as well with, as I already hinted at in my previous post, not one but two flea markets chalked in.

First up is Saturday's which, in view of the unstable weather, fortunately was an inside event.



Your eyes might be deceiving you in thinking it's a dress I'm wearing, but it's a skirt and blouse combo, which turned out to be a match made in heaven.

The skirt is modern, bought in the sales a couple of years ago, and I have it in navy blue as well.

The blouse, on the other hand, is one of my Diolen delights, picked up at Think Twice. With its simple green and blue floral print and white collar and button placket, it was love at first sight. 

Looking at it more closely when I got it home, I'm thinking that it probably started life as a dress, which I imagine to have been a short A-line mod dress. How cute that would have been!


The temperature dictated that I wore a cardigan on top, its colour picking up the bits of blue in the blouse's print.

I thought it looked a bit bland so I added a contrasting colour by using an orange belt. Further accents of orange can be found in my ring and the brooch I'm wearing on the blouse's collar, which has an embroidered orange flower at its heart.


The chunky wood and plastic necklace came from Accessorize, when they still had a shop here in Antwerp.  I've had it for absolutely ages. 

A final colour pop is provided by the tapestry handbag, its design featuring two huge roses. 


There were less stalls than usual at the flea market, as is often the case this time of year. It did look fully occupied at first sight, but there were huge gaps between the rows of stalls. This was due to the presence of a television crew, who were using the venue for Belgium's watered down version of The Antiques Road Show.

We ignored proceedings and the people queuing up to have their items valued, and browsed as usual, pausing for lunch and coffee mid-way. 

And then there was this scary green-eyed doll, which had my friend Inez and me in fits of laughter. 
But have no fear, we did not buy her!



We did buy other things, though! Don't they make a pretty little tableau on our garden table? 

Of course, by then it was late afternoon and the sun had decided to come out and play after all.

Now let's zoom in and see some details!


As you are probably wondering what the yellow and blue cylinder shaped object is, I am starting with that.

Well, I'll keep you no longer in suspense: it's an unopened can of scouring powder, a predecessor of the more famous VIM, if you like. On the side it mentions "Verkocht zonder Zegels", meaning that it was being sold without coupons. This dates it firmly to the Second World War or immediately after.

It definitely predates 1946, as it has still got the pre-1946 Flemish spelling.



The next item is a wall hanging letter rack, in the same style and colours as the newspaper rack we already own, bought at the same flea market earlier this year.


I couldn't resist bringing home these two sewing baskets, which will come in handy for storage. 

Tania, a seller who follows my blog, brought the small round blue and white one with its cute butterfly closure especially for me. Thank you, darling!



Displayed on top of the largest basket are some of the smaller pieces we found, including two cheap flower corsages and a transparent yellow plastic ring.


But these are the real stars, of course, all but the German souvenir brooch featuring Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf, bought from the same stall.

Both the blue and gold Bambi and the swan pendant brooch can be spotted in the display pictured on the top right of the flea market collage.

I almost walked away from the Murano glass necklace as it didn't come cheap, but Jos insisted on buying it for me!

Now, I cannot possibly sign off without showing you some of the other things which have recently relocated to Dove Cottage.

They were gifts from our lovely friend Inez, who is in the process of refurbishing her apartment.  Isn't she an absolute angel for thinking of us?



This vintage wooden mantle clock, by renowned German clockmaker Junghans, is in perfect working order, and charmingly chimes the half-hours and hours.



These magazines dating from the 1950s are just the top of the iceberg, as Inez gave me a whole bag full of them, including a volume dating from 1937-38.

I can envisage many an hour spent looking at the fashions of the day and the at times very entertaining advertisements!



I'm still thinking of how best to display these delightful Bakelite chocolate moulds, but they're a wonderful addition to our collection of kitchenalia.


After a thorough clean, this 1930s coffee grinder is now gracing our kitchen wall, replacing a smaller one which we will be selling on at our local flea market in July.

This too is in perfect working order and is destined to earn its keep as coffee is made in the proper way here in Dove Cottage, starting with the grinding of coffee beans.

That's all I have time and space for for now, but I will be telling you all about Sunday's flea market in my next post!



38 comments:

  1. Little Red Riding Hood looks like she is giving the wolf a lecture about scaring little girls!
    The odd doll looks like something at www.shiftythrifting.com
    if you haven't looked at that blog, you really should. it is terrifying!
    Love, love, love your cheerful green top and skirt. You always put together the best colour combinations.

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    1. I popped over to www.shiftythrifting.com and you're right. It IS terrifying. But I can easily contribute with some of the freaky things I come across in our charity shops ... xxx

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  2. so lovely of jos to buy you that necklace!! its very pretty!
    and you do look very pretty in your green/blue ensemble - i´m swooning over that bag!
    spooky doll indeed!
    but fabulous finds - the baskets look like they have just left the factory - and the beautiful and matching letter box - and sweetest brooches....the village rurberg (eifel) is a common destination for belgian tourists - says wiki!
    can i come and look into this mags with you - while we eat shell shaped belgian chocolate and drink fresh made coffee?? ;-D
    many hugs! xxxxx

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    1. Thank you Beate! I'd never heard of Rurberg but then I must be one of the only Belgians who never went there ;-) And yes, do come over! xxx

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  3. That doll is indeed creepy, it looks like Chucky from that gruesome film. Fancy finding wartime Vim, I imagine that it's solidified over the years. I'm loving your new gifted coffee grinder from Inez. Coffee is seldom made in Muddle Towers and if it is, will be the instant muck, I'm strictly tea.xxx

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    1. I'm not going to open it and find out, but I'm sure that it was indeed solidified over the years. Had a good chuckle at Muddle Towers ;-) xxx

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  4. That doll is freaky!

    I cannot believe you found a can of Vim from 1946. Unopened on top of that.

    Love all the bits and pieces you've added to your collection.

    Your skirt and top truly are a pair made for each other. I especially like the unique details on the top. So cool!

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

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    1. Thank you Suzanne! The seller told us the "vintage vim" came from a very old lady whose house was being cleared ... Oh, how I'd love to do that! xxx

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  5. I guessed scouring powder! I love seeing your vintage finds - I just made a date with a friend to go to a local fair in a few weeks.

    I love your blue cardigan - the cut of it is awesome on you. Your outfit, well, it's just another great outfit, what can I say?? ;-P

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    1. Thank you Sheila. It's a vintage cardigan, and as they're quite hard to find in good condition, I try to wear it sparingly! xxx

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  6. The glass necklace is a smashing present! I really like the shade of blue in your cardigan, 'azure'? I would love to see some general shots of your kitchen, you've made some lovely additions to it over the past months x

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    1. I'm always having problems finding the right name for shades of blue and green ... probably because I am slightly colourblind in that range ... xxx

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  7. That outfit really suits you Ann, the colours and the style. Your house must be as full of stuff as mine by now haha xxx

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    1. I think your house is bigger than mine, so if yours is as full as mine, you'd have quite a lot of stuff, haha xxx

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  8. Aaaah, those magazines! You have to share the good bits with all of us! (I'm a sucker for old magazines.)

    Only Emma (Ivy Black Chat) could love that doll. It would scare everyone else.

    Did standard spellings in Flemish change in the 1940s, or did the brand switch to using French? Your comment on 'pre-1946 Flemish spelling' is intriguing.

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    1. That's an interesting question, Mim. Packaging in Belgium is always in both languages, Flemish and French. Sometimes in three, as we have a small German speaking part as well. The other side of the can of Vim has the French version. So, it's the standard spelling of Flemish which changed in 1946. xxx

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  9. Those old fashion magazines are fabulous, Ann! Whenever I travel overseas I always buy fashion magazines because I love to check out fashion from all around the world. I would love to see fashion magazines from yesteryear! I love your outfit too, of course! ;) I love the blue and green combo and the orange accents are fabulous. Your handbag is so pretty too. XXX

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    1. Thank you Sasha. I love finding these old magazines, not just for the fashions but for the often hilarious - with hindsight - advertisements! xxx

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  10. That letter rack is beautiful, I adore the pattern and the font.
    Love your green outfit with the orange accents. The top would have been a very groovy dress once but thank heavens the previous owner had the foresight to rescue it rather than chuck it away.
    That doll's eyes are lovely but Jon wouldn't allow it in the house for fear it would come alive and murder us in the night! xxx

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    1. I wouldn't want that doll in the house either! And yes, I love it that the previous owner made a top out of dress. I have others like that, and I even did it myself once, even with my limited sewing skills ... xxx

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  11. What a wonderful haul! I love the brooches in particular, and would love to come and have a 'proper' cup of coffee with you at Dove Cottage. XXX

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    1. Thank you, and you're always welcome Linda! xxx

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  12. Oh little red riding hood! I have the bag to this brooche ;)
    Ann I love your fresh green skirt with this blouse. You look amazing.
    A very huge hug, Tina

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    1. Oh, I remember that bag Tina! It's super cute and would indeed make a nice pair with the brooch! xxx

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  13. I love the unusual top you're wearing.It would have made a fab dress, for some reason I can see you in it with white patent knee boots!
    Your murano necklace was a great find. I keep looking for a fruit one but you're right they are very expensive aren't they.xxx

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    1. Oh, white patent knee boots, surely that's the stuff of dreams! I have a glass fruit necklace and bracelet combo, but not Murano, just cheap charity shop finds. That reminds me that they are due an outing! xxx

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  14. What a beautiful blue and green ensemble!! Ad you have a perfect skirt for this blouse-that-used-to-be-a-dress! Now it almost looks like a dress again! I also love the green jacket Jos is wearing - I'm such a fan of green.

    That letter rack is so pretty, fairy-tale design is lovely. And your brooch collection is growing! How sweet that Jos bought you this Murano glass necklace - it's such a beautiful accessory!

    Lots of love!

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    1. As you know I'm a fellow fan of green. And strangely enough I only noticed it looked almost like a dress again when I saw the photos! I should do a count of my brooches again ... xxx

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  15. I love the swan and the deer brooches. That doll looks like it would steal your soul in the middle of the night...

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  16. 750 stalls mean a huge market!! I use to go to very small ones if compared to that , and I think I have never been to such a big flea market...
    I am not surprised you did those lovely purchases!

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    1. Thank you, Dan ;-) It is indeed quite a huge market, and we didn't do it all, it was just too much! xxx

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  17. I love that letters rack and the cute sewing baskets! those are really beautiful pieces, and the bakelite moulds and coffee grinder will look fabulous in your kitchen. So cool that you make your coffee properly, that's Real Life luxury!
    And such a lovely ensemble, your skirt and shirt really match perfectly, and love the cute blue cardigan. I totally agree, it's a marriage made in heaven!. And your accessorizing is fabulous, the red belt, the tapestry bag!! lovely!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica! Coffee making is a ritual here at Dove Cottage. We have a lot of coffee making paraphernalia! xxx

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  18. The letter rack is lovely, but the sewing baskets are my favourites, they're so pretty.
    xx

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    1. Thank you Hazel, and thank you for going and commenting on my previous posts too, which is very much appreciated! Those baskets are lovely, aren't they? I simply can't resist them! xxx

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  19. I would so love to have the orange/red belt in my life! xx

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    1. Thank you Laurie! I have that belt in navy too, and it will be a sad day when they will eventually wear out ... xxx

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