Walking all around, My Old Historic House.

Leave It To The Victorians

     Don't you find it interesting that the Victorians, 1830-1900, during the Rein of Queen Victoria of England, made things for everything? Elaborate butter dishes, comb cases and BOOT RACKS. These were most likely made for the tack room at the horse barn. They were designed to hold tall leather  boots.The boots would be fitted with wood boot forms to keep them in shape. The wood form would have a handle or brass ring on the top. This was made to pull the form out of the boot. It was also made to hold boots in the boot racks. The handle looked a lot like the top of a bowling pin. The handle or the ring would slide into the groves on the middle shelf and hold the boots into place., The pegs at the top would have been used to hold the leather whips.

   I don't have a barn or a tack room ,so my Boot Rack is living in the front hall. It is made of mahogany and is most likely English. Could be French because of the design on the end. I would say the age is most likely 1850. I would love to have a least one pair of tall leather boots, with there form inside, to complete the picture. Any body out there have a pair? I might be interested. Today most people just throw the boots in a pile on the floor. Life has changed. Of course we do not have servants these days, to keep the boots. Most people have never heard of a riding boot as they have never rode. Well I would say that there surely is a Boot Rack at Downton Abbey. What do you think?
   Come by for a tour anytime. I will always leave the lights on and Sissy Dog will meet you with a jump and a kiss.

Happy Valentines Day from My Blog to Yours.

This is a repeat from last year, but Sissy and I still stand by what we say. Happy Valentines Day to each and every one of you out there. I wish I could give each of you some flowers and candy, but, Sissy's beautiful picture is the best I can do. We have snow and ice covered everything here in Missouri, but the sun is shining and tomorrow is promised to be a nice day. I hope all your dreams come true. I sure wish mine would. Richard from My Old Historic House.

What's New?

    I have made a few changes around, My Old Historic House. I have gotten a few new things and wanted to share them with you all. Sometimes I wonder when, enough is enough? I have often said there can never be too much stuff in a room, but now, I am starting to question that theory.I have been an antique collector for a very long time and an antique collector never seems to stop collecting. I have had to put a damper on it as of late because there never seems to be enough money in the budget for it. The golden years are not always what they are cracked up to be. I have a very expensive house to keep up. There is always something wrong with it, being 168 years old, adds to that. The utility bills are not cheap and it never is really comfortable. Cold in winter and warm in summer. I am not really complaining, as I love the old place and am so grateful to have it. I might not mind in a few more years, to turn it over to some body else's charge. But I digress and get back to my story.

Old blue paint, small child's sled.

   I got a couple of new things for Christmas. I come from a very large family. I have five  brothers and one sister. My Parents and Grandparents are all gone.  All my siblings are married and have children, grandchildren and great's. I could go on for ever. The thing is, we can not possibly give all of us presents. We used to draw names, but a few years back we stopped that. So very few presents are given or gotten by me. I am OK with that as it makes the holidays so much less stressful. I do have a favorite Niece. We are very close. She helps me with the house and I help her with hers. We have an old tradition where we go shopping on Christmas Eve, I buy her something she wants and she buys me something I want. We don't really consider them Christmas presents, more or less, just presents. We went shopping this year and then I spent the next two nights with her and her husband in there 1829 farm house. I picked out and old blue painted sled for my gift and she picked out a set of canisters with blue windmills on them. We were both pleased as punch. My problem was where to put it? I did not want to just use it at Christmas. It took some moving about, but I have found an OK spot for now. One of my

I love, love,love this pottery.

Color looks pretty with this lamp

What kind of animal is this? Love the colors here in the library.

dealers, here at the antique mall, surprised me with 2 gifts. I was over whelmed and very surprised. I love old brown Bennington pottery . She has seen my collection many times when she comes to the house. She brought me the most divine pitcher and bowl sets. I usually keep the brown in the laundry room, but wanted this to be more special, so I placed it in the library beside a brown lamp. The same sweet lady also gave me a deer head. Well I am not sure it is a deer? I have a deer head already in the library. Wanting the library to look a little more manly, I had a desire for more heads. She had this one, left over from a divorce, so now it has a spot of honor. I used to collect antique hand made quilts. I had many. Sometime long ago I sold them off. I love them and long for them when I see them at shops and auctions. I bought two the other day.

My new quilts, perfect colors for my kitchen.

 They should be inventory for the shop, but for now, they are spending some time in my kitchen.I had this wonderful old birdcage on the outside porch. The weather was starting to take it tole on it. I thought I should bring it inside before it was destroyed. To me the only place for it was the kitchen. After much debate it ended up there on the wall above the door. Even though it covers a transom, the light can still come in. The jury is still out as to where it might end up.

Don't you think this wonderful old bird cage is too good to leave out side to rot?

One other thing that is new, is a small basket. One could say, really, how would you tell? You see I have so many. This one is so special and so very rare. It is small and made to hold a plate. It would have been designed and used to carry food some where. Like to the field for a worker or to a church carry in dinner. I have never seen another, only in books. I was so thrilled to find it for $5.50 at a thrift shop. Treasures do not have to cost a lot, be of great importance. They just have to make me happy. Getting new things always has done that. I love to shop and collect. It is in your blood and I am not sure there is a cure. The only one I seem to find that half way works is, no money.

This is my hand made, rare, plate basket.

  I threw in a picture of a collection of drinking goblets. I got these this summer from a dear friend. They had belonged to his mother. She was a collector like me. I found a spot for them in the kitchen. Poor kitchen it is becoming a catch all. I did a post of them at the time, but in case you missed it, here they are. Also new in the kitchen is a couple of old, old things. A man and women brought a box full of old goodies in to sell me one day. I bought them and because I loved them so much, kept a few for

Hand made old, old, tin lantern.

Tea for Two.

Popcorn popper and Ms. Sissy

myself. The small iron tea kettle is divine. The old pop corn popper would have been used in a fireplace. And the hand made lantern is so cute. They all ended up on the kitchen fireplace.
  I am going to close for now. Probably have rumbled on to long . I don't think people really read the blogs, just look at the pictures. So I am going to throw in a joke and see if  it gets mentioned. "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,THE DOCTOR JUST ABOUT DIED."

   Happy New Year everyone. Be safe, be warm and be happy. Come by anytime for a real tour. I will always leave the lights on and Sissy dog will meet you at the door with a jump and a kiss.

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?