Blizzard



Snow Drift in front of my Store.



This is my screen porch. What a mess.



My Side Porch.Lemonaide any one?




Side patio with snow up to chair seats.




My neighbor Stacy's car.



Can you believe this is my screen porch? Snow 3 feet deep.



Out my front window looking at the Mississippi River.




This is what I had to walk through to go to dinner at my neighbors last night.



I worry so about my Southern  Magnolias .



This is a small path I made out the door this morning.




Out and about town with the snow.




This might be the meaning of life! What do you think?

  Over the past few days and nights we have had some really bad weather. The news was saying this for days, but somehow, I just didn't want to believe it. Well we got it.The wind was bad, kept me up most of the night. We have snow drifts as tall as me. I had a time walking Ms. Sissy Dog. She fell under a few times and looked up at me like, "are you nuts." There is a drift  up to my neck in front of my shop. My screen porch has 3 feet in it, and as there is no outside door, so  I am scopping it up in buckets and putting it in the kitchen sink. Could have been worse, as so far ,we still have power. I had dinner at my neighbors last night and her three dogs and Ms. Sissy sure had a good time. I hope you all are safe,warm and dry. Richard at My Old Historic House.

eau de Toilette ( Dresser Accessories)

    Of all the items we have  from our family, most of them are  usually silver or sterling. I do not know how many times, I have admired a sterling comb and brush set, and the owner would say,"that was my mother." Or how about a dresser jar or pin tray? I have always had a thing for these little goodies. I have a big  pile, in all my guest rooms. The onces I am sharing with you in this post are found on a Victorian Marble top dresser in my blue guest room. I love this setting , as above there is a wonderful painting of a beautiful young girl with roses at her bust. The dresser items, are  flanked on one side ,by a pair of German Bisque figures, of Romeo and Juliet and the other by a painted Gone With The Wind oil lamp.In  the back ground  there is a wonderful framed French Folding Fan with feather trim. The bed  in this room, faces this dresser, and when my guest wake up ,they see this wonderful grouping and on each side of it, is a  window with a breathtaking view, of the Mighty Mississippi River.This type of collection is always fun to add to. It is easy to pick up a little special item on a trip or just at a local tag sale. They are at there best when they are all polished. You all, are  very lucky, as I shined them just for this post.

A collection of sterling dresser accessories.

Used by Victorian ladies daily.

The workmanship is beautiful on items of that period.

Face Fan with Ivory handle and feathers.



A Victorian Calling Card.


a

 A  very special piece.



French 18th century hand painted fan with feather trim.



German bisque statues of Rameo and Juilet.



One of my favorite paintings.




Gone  With The wind Oil lamp.



Notice how the boarder matches the girls dress in the painting.

   Stop by any time for a tour. I will leave the porch light on. And Sissy Dog will meet you with a jump and a kiss.

Dresser Accessories For Sale

13 Piece Faux Ivory Dresser Set.

$135.00 set plus $15.00 shipping

Cut Crystal and Sterling Hair Receiver.

5 inches by 3 inches. marked sterling and Ellis and Co.  $45.00 plus $9.00 shipping. Tiny chip on glass under the lid.

6 piece  Art Deco  Dresser set. $45.00 plus $10.00 shipping

French Lanvin Sterling and Crystal Perfume Bottle.

$50.00 plus $10.00 shipping  French Sterling Hallmarks.

4 piece American Brillant hand Cut Glass Dresser Set.

Miner chips,$200.00 plus $15.00 shipping.

Crystal and Sterling Tooth Brush Jar.

8 inches long and 1 and 1/2 inches wide.

Marked Sterling 825, $75.00 plus $10.00 shipping.

Mother of Pearl and Sterling coin Purse.

3 inches by 2 inches.$45.00 plus $5.oo shipping

Very old, carved Mother of Pearl

Sterling Hair Curling Iron



7 inches long $50.00 plus $5.00 shipping.

    Wecome to Richard's Great Stuff, a gift shop, in connection with, My Old Historic House, The 1845 Elgin / Cottrell House Museum in Beautiful Downtown Historic,Clarksville,Mo. Today I am offering for sale a variety of Ladies bed room dresser accessories. These are real antiques from the Victorian period.If you are interested, just call me with your charge card number, 573 242 9688 and I will ship them right out. Or if you would rather mail a check, please send it to, Richard's Great Stuff. PO BOX 443, Clarksville,Mo. 63336. I would appreciate an email, so I can mark them sold. Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoy and find something that you can not live without.  Fondly,Richard

Little Doll

    Sometimes my Niece, Linda, comes to, My Old Historic House and spends the night, with her Granddaughter,Nathalie. They like the blue bed room, and if Nathalie catches me not looking, she plays whith this old French Doll. But, I say it is hard to tell which one is real and which one is a doll. Just had to share this with everyone. Isn't she just about the cutest little thing ever? It  probably was a good thing, I never had children, cause they would not be right, I would spoil them so much.
   Be sure to watch Masterpiece Theather tonight, it is really good.

   Also, I added some more  things to my  Valentine Goodies for sale, a couple of post back. I have had such a good response, I added more. And yes, there is a cherub piece.

Aesthetic Movement Portfolio

     If you are a fan of the American Aesthetic Movement or not, most likely you will like this charming little piece. Those Victorians,they came up with the most wonderful things. This is called a Portfolio, and was made to hold drawings, magazines, sheet music or any other paper items that would be looked over in the parlor for intertainment. After all, there was no TV or Computers in those days.
   The Aesthetic Movement, is a 19th century European Movement, that emhasized Aesthetic values over moral or social themes in literature,fine art,the decorative arts and interior design.
    It belongs to the Anti-Victorian reaction and had post - Romantic roots, and as such, anticipates modernism. It took place in the late Victorian period from 1860 to 1900. Yet some people feel it was the height of the Victorian period.
   The Aesthetic Movement in furniture is characterized by several common items.
A. Ebonized wood with gilt highlights.
B. Japaneese  influence.
C. Prominent use of nature, especially flowers,birds,gingo leaves and peacock feathers.
D. Compination of black and fine wood.
E. Carved decorations
F. Dore' bronze  ornaments.
   When trade opened up with Japan in the 1850's, the Japanese influence was very strong in Victorian America and often found in this movement.
   I found this wonderful little piece at a local tag sale. It was in pieces and the sellers had no clue what it was. I worked with it and determined it was all there. I made a deal and bought the pile of stuff, as they wrote on my sales ticket, for $25.00. I have a wonderful person, who can do most any thing with wood. He put it back together, along with my direction and here it is today.
  The Aesthic Movement is not a favorite of mine, but have to admit, a sweet little piece like this, can change my mind. No Victorian home could be complete with out a least one example of this movement. I am glad this is mine.When I have tours of My Old Historic House, this item always raised interest, and I can see why.
  Sissy Dog was very excited last night when I was trying to get a good picture. This piece was very hard to get just right. I also noticed this morning when working on this post, it sure could use a good dusting. It is amazing what will show up in a picture. I always try to cary a dust cloth in my back pocket when I give tours. Someone always ask,who cleans this place, and I pull out the cloth and say, help your self.So if dust bothers you, you might be in the wrong place.



Walnut and Ebbonized Wood Portfolio.

 


Beautiful Carved Burl Walnut Panels.




With the panels up, they drop down and have brass chain to hold them.



Close up of the walnut panel.

Bottom Panel Down.



Detail of the side construction.



Gilt decoration.

Sissy Dog.

  Drop by any time for a tour. I will leave the porch light on and Sissy Dog will welcome you with a jump and a kiss.