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Antique Christmas Stand and Downsizing?
From 2016,
A found treasure is what started Christmas 2016 for us.
First, we aren't having the holiday here this year. Not much company---and well we are still exhausted from finishing our DIY house remodel.
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In November at an antiques show---with emphasis on Christmas items, I scoured each booth and with the idea of down-sizing--for Christmas,
I passed up wonderful 1940-50's that reminded me of my childhood.
I bought nothing----except, way back in the corner, twenty minutes before closing
a dealer was taking her display down. And there it was---an OLD antique fence/Christmas tree stand.
Original paint---mellowed red, with silvered (tarnished) white snow on the pickets and posts.
The base is on wheels, and it's about 40" square.
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The price was excellent, and I just was so excited---I couldn't get my money out fast enough
and then grinned while hauling it the two blocks to the car.
There are some bits and pieces missing here and there...but I don't care---
I've always wanted one---and couldn't be happier----BUT---
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...there's the issue of the tree.
While we must have 4 large trees in the basement or garage, nothing seemed really appropriate.
Our gorgeous big tree---that usually holds over 15 totes/boxes of ornaments
and has over 750 lights, would overwhelm this antique.
And we wanted to simplify a bit this year anyway.
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I went online and looked at stores, and the tree I was searching for
was something quite Victorian and expensive
and they---were out there, but
we really didn't want to spend another $250 + dollars on another tree.
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Wouldn't you want this to show---
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And glisten with snow! And fill with favorite toys, or brim with special presents?
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Two weeks later at GoodWill there was a gorgeous primitive tree
with 6 strings of non-working lights on it for $9.99---yes, under $10.00.
I would have to do a REDO. The tree had probably been a store display from the quality of the lights, but when they had a problem, they just wired more lights on top of those not working/
so it was thick with professionally wound cords.
Every branch had red berries and little buffalo check bows on it, too.
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So I cut and unwound and pulled and yanked, and muttered.
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And this is what it looked like all straightened w/o lights after over four hours.
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We put four strings of LED's on it...golly they are bright.
And then we hand-picked from our OLD HUGE collection of ornaments.
I chose one or two of the ornaments we had bought in sets each year: like the balloon clips we bought one year, and the ginghams, which turn up now in vintage/antique venues. The carousel horse I have two of--they were just so gorgeous, and probably 15 years old already.
We have two OLD original Rudolphs from 1947-8, these were my Hubby's as a child.
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This NEW little guy---comes from a vintage reproduction collection
that occasionally crops up at TJMax.
I snag them when the price is right. Boats and fishing are always popular here.
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The OLD mushrooms I bought here in Chicago in a Polish neighborhood way back in 1975, when we were thinking of moving here from Northern Wisconsin.
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This guy was Hubby's Gramma's, he's not sure how old they are---but we have two.
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Here is the other one, he had been altered a bit over the years and REDO eyes painted on.
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This silvered tinsel atop an Victorian glass bell, is hard to show, but these are also from hubby's family.
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Another one has a curlicue tinsel surrounding it. Behind large glass snow owl keeps watch.
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This OLD silver cone basket---has two bells attached to the side, I haven't filled it with anything, but maybe will put some candy canes in it.
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The Raggedy's were sewn from felt back in the early 1970's. The huge mushroom is more recent, with the resurgence of gnomes, mushrooms are popular. I saw red dotted mushrooms in the wild in Denmark when I was there as a teenager. They are a very popular motif there and to my family.
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It was hard to choose just a few birds. We have boxes/totes of them.
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Paper woven hearts (Julehjerter) are a Danish tradition and I've included a link for a simple video on how to make them. Behind is a photo mounted on porcelain of my son when he was 3.
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A sweet kitty in a basket form the 80's.
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The yellow and blue ornament below is from my parent's 1st Christmas tree. Dad was still in the service in December of 1945, and they sublet an apartment from another soldier complete with a decorated Christmas tree.
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We have many tiny ornaments and a wax lamb and wax angel at the top of the tree, Gurley ornaments, I purchased last year in this post to replace my grandmother's which had melted.
A silver glass horn from my mom's collection.
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I've displayed some toys: a favorite teddy and a reindeer, sitting on a
1907 reproduction Sears Catalog.
How many generations of children pored over catalogs for their wish list.
But it isn't until night when the magic happens.
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I hope you enjoyed our down-sized Vintage Tree and Stand.
And a Very Merry Christmas and
Happy Holidays
to All!
Thanks always for visiting.
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.
All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or posts. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle
