This time of year without fail I go to Canada’s largest antique show, the Christie Antique & Vintage Show. Held outside covering acres of fields the show is how I’ve kicked off summer for at least 20 years. Also they have good french fries. The show has been cancelled since the start of the Ick. :(
It won’t be reopening until 2022. So today we’re going to take a look back at what I bought on my last trip to Christie’s in 2019. The same way old beer bellied jocks retell the story of some play they made 40 years ago.
I’m also going to update you on whether it was a GOOD purchase or a BAD one.
Way back, I posted about my day long trip to the Christie Antique Show and asked you to have a look around the photos for what you think I picked up. This egg scale is now in my house. The clipboard and sofa are not. Those are the two things I intended to look for and buy at the Christie Show this year. But a soon as my feet landed on the field grounds, both of those things flew right out of my brain and made their way home, leaving me there, overwhelmed with all the other options.
vintage egg scale – $20
Any of you who are regular readers with a good eye, noticed the egg scale in my post on organizing my cabinets drawers.
UPDATE:
I still like and have my egg scale, but it’s in the basement and I’m not using it. So maybe a bad purchase?
So that was an easy one. But did you guess that I also picked up sticks?
Sticks – $1 each ($10 for 10 sticks)
That’s right. I was peer pressured by Pink Tool Belt to buy a bundle of sticks. She walked out with beautiful white cast iron urns that were a fraction of the price they should have been, yet she encouraged me to pick up sticks. I have a plan for them. I’m either going to build an onion/garlic drying rack with them for my front porch, or a hanging herb dryer for my kitchen.
UPDATE:
Those sticks were a GREAT purchase. I did indeed end up making an herb drying rack you can see it here.
And then there’s this photo. I could very well have bought ANYTHING in this photo and in fact almost bought the black cast iron urn (it came as a pair of urns). But I didn’t get the urns, I let my sister Pink Tool Belt have them. I got the ….
Candelabras – $???
… brass candelabras. Which both of my sisters didn’t like. And were quite vocal about not liking. I think they hated them. Which is weird because they’re everything all of us normally love. I, on the other hand do in fact love them.
I especially like them with my farmhouse table and the white mid-century things in my dining room. The candelabras were $65 each, but now that I have them at home, I took another look at the tag and they were supposed to be $65 for the pair! So I’m going to have to email the vendor. Luckily I grabbed one of her cards before I left. Otherwise I wouldn’t have any idea who I got them from.
UPDATE:
I still love my candelabras and they move around the house as I see fit. One is currently in the foyer, and one in the kitchen.
This is another shot that could go either way. Did I get the cutlery pouches or the bug book?
Bug book – $5
The bug book for the win. I was sold on it from the cover and subject matter but when I opened it and found it’s also filled with these great illustrations I decided I’d pay anything they wanted for it.
UPDATE:
I reference this bug book ALL the time!
The rugs …
This is the rug guy that’s at the show every year. For the past couple of years I’ve bought a rug from him every time I visit the show. I use them as a long row of scatter rugs from my front door to the back of the house.
Turkish rug – $90
UPDATE:
Well, yes the rug is still down and looking great with the rest of my Turkish scatter rugs.
And this next photo. What do you think I got from here?
Egg crate – $40
I bought the egg crate. Because as I fully explained in this post, I very desperately needed an egg holder.
UPDATE:
I did NOT need another egg holder. It sits in the basement. Probably a bad purchase but I knew that.
And now a couple of things that weren’t in the photos from the Christie post. I also bought a bench. But not just any bench. I’ve been looking for a bench for a couple of years now but they were either too much money or the style wasn’t just right. Not that I knew what the right style was, I just knew what wasn’t the right style.
The bench I bought is a Canadian Armed Forces bench from their training facility.
Armed Forces bench – $120
I love this bench. It’s painted and a little different than every natural wood bench you see in the way it looks because the legs are foldable. You can just fold them up and the bench turns into a flat piece you can store or carry anywhere.
I just like the way the hardware looks on it with the metal braces and the chains underneath.
UPDATE:
This bench is one of my most favourite Christie Antique show purchases. I didn’t know it at the time but I really, REALLY love this bench.
Ironstone crock – $25
Finally, as I often do, I bought a piece of ironstone. This is just an inexpensive jug (some of them are hundreds of dollars) for keeping flowers in throughout the summer. In the winter, it might graduate to a pot for a tiny countertop Christmas tree.
And finally (I bought a LOT this sale) …
I got a bread box! A cream enamel bread box with a small glass knob.
UPDATE:
I gave the bread box to my sister to sell in her store, lol. It was a beautiful bread box, but I couldn’t justify the space it took up in the kitchen.
And there you have it. I won’t have another chance to make bad decisions at Christie’s until June of 2022.
Hopefully.
Ick.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Soooo, scanning through all the replies, I found one from me almost exactly 2 years ago when I wrote that I’d love to hear the result of the candelabra price “mistake”. Did you ever get any money back or just chalk it up to experience?
Wow y’all have the coolest stuff at that Christie’s sale–I love reading about all the wonderful stuff you’ve found there. Really sad they didn’t have the sale this year, y’know…being that it’s held outside and all. 🙄
So you didn’t keep the bread box as a measurement device, so you’d know–while explaining to someone–which particular items are bigger ‘n a breadbox?
What is your sisters stores name? Does she have a website?
Wire chicken basket- make a chandelier for the outdoor or coop area….
There’s always Aberfoyle 🥰
Awwww I wuz gonna say that! 😕
Aberfoyle is equally dangerous. I went on Sunday and I came home with two of the largest, most questionably upholstered chairs in existence. ~ karen!
My mom has that very same egg scale and I love it!
I have it too, Julie, and 5 others that make it a collection!
I loved this update post!
The art of doing stuff? The sticks you bought, you could’ve built the egg crate and saved money you think? One lady had the right idea on the baskets to protect young plants. I really like the that egg scale I really like, if it’s just getting dusty in the basement, ship it to me lol. The bug book was a Great find! Keep having fun
Those wire baskets are great to guard yummy tender young shoots from hungry rabbits and deer. The cages used for tree roots work too, wrapped with chicken wire. Pin them down until the leaves are darker green and not as tasty. I rescued my heuchera from those savage deer chewing them down to the ground. By the time they were 12″ tall, dark red and hairy and deer had moved on to greener pastures…
But I still need help with voles, those little bulb-eating monsters! Any suggestions?
Ooh the candelabras are fantastic Karen, the garden book is my close second though.
Great finds
I’m so jealous! I have been looking for an egg scale like that for several years! Looks like a good haul.
If you decide you don’t want to just store your egg scale and don’t plan to use it, I would love to buy it from you. I have wanted one for a long time. I wonder what shipping to the US would cost.
I would imagine it wouldn’t matter??? lol
Great buys! I love them all!
Love the bread box! I always thought they were a bit of an affectation, but they do really keep breads fresh.
OMG THE BREAD BOX!!!! I would have braved the rain for that!
Dr. Cynthia Westcott was and still is a horticulture hero, IMO. Her bug book for $5! What a find. The kind of book you can read with your grand kids. Seriously, my 4-1/2 year old granddaughter is all over my bug books.
Dr. Westcott got a PhD in Plant Pathology in the 1930s only to be told that it was no job for a woman. So, jobless, she gave them all the ultimate FU, started her own plant doctoring business and went on to become famous. Meanwhile, the world has completely forgotten the guys who told her she couldn’t.
Those are some pretty great finds! I too have a love for brass candelabras and was wondering…. how do you get your candles to stand so straight in them?! Every time I look, my candles are either leaning drunkenly or have already fallen out of the holder….
I just kind of fiddled with them. The candleholder holes are a bit of a weird size too so I also had to shave the ends of the candles down. Because of that they’re really tight in the candleholders and a bit easier to wedge into place (straight). ~ karen!
You really got some amazing things! Love that egg crate and especially the bread box!
I’ve had a package of those cheap little round cakes for making strawberry shortcake in the breadbox forever and they haven’t become mouldy OR stale. It’s amazing. ~ karen!
Ooooo, the candelabras look fabulous with Margaret and the gilt mirror, such wonderful contrasts with the rough, white painted brick wall, warmly, homey farm table and sinuous white chairs! Luscious eclecticism!
Perfect breadbox, the crystal pull is a lovely touch!
I’d say you definitely scored some great finds, I think they must make up for the deluge at the show.
Loved all your picks!!!
These are mostly things I wouldn’t think of getting but, as always, you tie everything in together beautifully! That’s one of the reasons I love your house; it’s so creative and unique!
I can’t believe you walked away from the giant copper pot. I’m still dreaming about it.
I love almost everything you got home with!! I think you were smart to get those candelabra–they look great in your home. Shop On!!
Karen,
Put your list on your phone. If you forget your phone, well there is nothing anyone can do about that.
GREAT score on that bug book!
That’s a great tip! My family members and I use the free Wunderlist app on our phones and tablets. It’s a great productivity tool, but we primarily use it because we can easily make and share lists with one another. Lists automatically update on all devices in real time as we add and check off things. You can also upload photos or files so anyone with access to your list can see measurements and detailed descriptions or better understand what the item should look like.
I’ve never been so organized before, and it’s frankly weird to see our household running so smoothly. Now we no longer end up with like 3 boxes of the same kind of cereal, an incorrectly sized air filter that needs returning or have to make extra trips to stores for things because we aren’t constantly forgetting handwritten lists at home or in the car.
Also great for planning events, projects or vacations. Not that I get to go on any vacations, but I keep a growing wunderlist full of ideas, should I ever win a lottery or something. ;)
I guessed some … love that egg scale! I never knew 😳 there was such a thing! Your candelabras are stunning and I hope you get money back. They remind me of a silver candelabra I bought at an antique place for $5! It was absolutely covered in red wax and took days to clean it off. I eventually gave it away when packing up to move here and while it’s gone to a good friend, I sometimes want it back. Did I see you downtown yesterday, Karen, looking lovely in a red dress? If not, you have a double! The shops on the south side were closed due to a power outage; I’m not sure about the other side as I was on my way home.
Nope. Not me. I was out yesterday but not in a red dress. ~ karen!
I guessed some but love all, especially the ironstone pitcher and the egg crate.
Karen, what is the date for the next sale or where to find the specifics?
HI Bonnie. In the fall some time. Just Google Christie Antique Show. :) ~ karen!
Did anyone else have to immediately go online to buy a used copy of the bug book after seeing the illustrations?!?! And I’m really glad you didn’t buy that headless mannequin in the background of the egg crate photo…
You’ve curated your stuff well over the years. The breadbox made me weep and I want to live in it. Now that my Fella and I landed in Arizona it’s going to take decades to get this place from ‘early animal house’ to something I’m happy/proud of. We have very different ideas and I’m going to have to carve out a tiny space of my own, probably outside under a cholla. If I can’t find a decent breadbox.
Great stuff! I guessed right 90% and would have bought all but the candleabras (too big for this place). By the way, you cleaned the candleabra up beautifully!
The candelabras are just gorgeous and will be more so when you get half of your money back!! Unfortunate. I have an egg crate just like that one that my mother used when we lived on a farm. You did really well.
Love the bench! It makes me wonder how many bums have sat on it in service to our country? I get sentimental about stuff like that. Old photos especially….
I would love to know how it goes with the candlestick vendor. They took advantage of you in your antique buying “high”imho!
I am so jealous of your egg scale! I have been wanting one of those – that exact style/design – for several years now, ever since I first got chickens. I never see them around auctions or antique stores here in SD… I tried to buy one on Ebay or Craigslist but I was so poor at the time I couldn’t afford the $50 or whatever the guy wanted. So it wasn’t meant to be. I will keep looking but know that at least one person in the world envies your egg scale.
Karen check out the stick flower on the physio place in hatt st beside the municipal lot. It’s made of sticks and I want one ! I will have to get some sticks and get s better look at it. Just food for thought oh and I have three caterpillars 🐛!
Oh good!!! I found an egg an hour ago and thought of letting you know! ~ karen
Great finds! I especially love the bench. I wish I had my old bench. It was ancient, thick old board. Got it for a steal. I left it with a friend when we moved.
well, I am finally a little bit Karen cool – I have that bug book! Bought it at a library book sale several years ago for about a buck. My cover is a bit more beat up, though.
The bug book and egg scale.. so jealous.. great job on all items..
I would SOOO use those cutlery pouches to carry cutlery to and from a picnic.
Now I plan to make my own and cross stitch the cutlery names on it.
And now than I plan to make these, I need to plan some picnics!
Yes! I just knew you would buy the bundle of wood!
Great scores!!! Good work.
I love Margaret. I covet Margaret. What size canvas is she? Maybe 5′ X 3′? I may have to try painting me a Margaret. Your stuff is so cool. And so are you.
The egg scale is beautiful, and so useful, but the stop light caught my eye.
Those candelabras!!! Swoon Worthy, and in my opinion, worth $65 a piece. They make your table complete :)
The view I had of the Candelabra and the ornate gilt mirror showed The Lady gazing out from her lovely frame. I had the distinct impression that she was pleased her realm was improving in splendor to match her elegant pose and lovely formal dress. Do you ever find yourself talking to her? I think I would-I am so curious about her-how could such a portrait lose its place of honor with her family? Did everyone pass on or were they unable to accommodate such a large painting?
Love them all but that breadbox! Love it 😊
You really wanted the LV suitcase too! Of your found treasures, what might you have traded that for?
I am new to your blog—love your humor, sensibilities and, the magnetic gate latch! Still trying to get it to work just right but the concept is the best!
Cool stuff!
Sooooo jealous….
I want to go next year!
I love egg scale! Nice score.
I always look at rugs – though I am not sure if I visited your vendor – but I always find them unreasonably overpriced at Christie’s. I was offered a nice rug that I really liked (although I had not planned to buy any rugs) and I thought that the price was, exceptionally, not that bad until I found several holes. So I quickly changed my opinion of the price and I walked away.
And as usual, I didn’t see you anywhere – not even at the stand with the french fries.
This guys rugs are always priced well. They’re not giving them away but for 100% wool rugs from Turkey they’re good. I’ve never found any holes but his rugs are all new. They aren’t vintage. ~ k!
The Bug Book and egg scale were too easy! The set of candelabras looks PERFECT on your table! So glad you got the bread box, also. I guessed the black ironstone urns and one of the rugs but not the one you chose. This is a fun annual event for me – you spend and I play.
I love them all, but especially the candelabras. I guessed them and the egg crate.