Antiques with a Story

Good Evening, It has been awhile since I've been here. Lots of things have happened. Georgia and I were out scouting around and bought a box of fountain pens for $20. Would you imagine that one of those pens, it needed repair, sold for $170? It surprised us. I ordered 3 reference books on fountain pens this week. Maybe the next time I will know what I am doing.

I purchased some McGuffy's Readers and Spelling books last week also. One of the readers was used by at least two in a family, David and Martha Hughes. The book was copyrighted in 1844, signed first by David Hughes on October 29, 1852 and then signed by Martha Ann Hughes, who also went by Mattie H Hughes. Mattie signed her name in the back of the book on December the 20th 1878 which leads me to believe she is David's daughter.

She wrote a poem in the book which is either copied or written by her:

When virtue, consecrates the lines
And friendship, holds them dear,
Oft, may memory, bring to mind,
The hand, that placed them here.
Mattie A. Hughes

If these few lines accepted be.
Please read and think of me,
And if the same you do refuse,
Then please erase and me excuse.
Mattie A. Hughes

Columbus Grove Ohio
December the 20th, 1878

When a 9 or 10 year old girl writes like that it makes a person wonder how the rest of her life went. If she had children, grand children, great grand children, and so on until today. If she was related to me I would very proud of my Pioneer relative. Lets see, she would have been my Great Grandmother.   This book is listed at: http://www.seeauctions.com/show_item/149231/

Kentucky Derby Licensed Ceramic

Today was quite interesting. Our antique purchases yesterday were logged in our inventory log and we started the listing process on Etsy and Bonanzle. Georgia had a large number of pictures of new listings to be taken of her jewelry and I had twelve of the bird prints. On Sunday I found a ceramic bank licensed by Churchill Downs Inc which is the home of the Kentucky Derby. Georgia and I have both searched for a identical item and nothing. I sent three pictures to a friend of mine who has been in the antiques business for twenty five years and he said that he had never seen it before. Here are a couple of pictures of the piece: It is up for auction on seeauctions.com. My ID on that site is oldsaltsailor. Check it out if you have time.

So Many Things to Do

Sunday March 29.
This month sure went fast as each day does. Seems that time goes so much faster than when I was out selling each day and driving at least a thousand miles a month. I was in places in Alabama that even the natives had never visited. All my customers who were mostly at Wal-Mart, Loews, and Home Depot and they thought I was a Yankee. Took a long time for them to trust me.

Georgia has been listing a lot of Jewelry on her site. http://www.bonanzle.com/ringsandthings Would you believe Sterling Silver Wedding Rings, both Engagement and Wedding Ring for less than $20.00. These rings are great for the party or cruise trip you are taking. Leave the real rings in the lock box at the bank. Check out her Booth/Store.

I better get busy and take the pictures Georgia ask me to take yesterday.