Brimfield 2011 Finds

Hi! I meant to post this for you guys last week, but then I had some computer issues...got a nasty virus, it was scary. Everything's all good now though.

So, want to see what I got at the Brimfield Antique Show last weekend? It's been raining and cloudy here every day this week, not ideal for taking photos, but oh well...I did it anyways.

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I was on the hunt for some prints like I bought last year at the show for Maura's nursery to hang on either side of our front door in the foyer. Instead of botanicals though, I wanted something sea-life related..fish, shells, coral, something. I couldn't find the same vendor that I purchased them from last year (I'm sure she was out there somewhere), but I did find a booth that had a pretty good selection of fish. I bought four prints and they were each 75% off...score! They are hand colored engravings from 1827-1834, done by Baron Georges Cuvier (who was apparently a French naturalist and zoologist).

I was hoping to find 4 vertical or 4 horizontal prints for a completely symmetrical look, but hopefully these will work. I also have to re-mat them (one of the prints has a light pink mat while the others have white)...but I'm definitely happy with the find - even though I had to go with the semi-creepy catfish to round out the group:)

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Continuing on a slight nautical theme, I also bought this child's paddle for $7. I've been looking for an old oar or paddle for awhile and this was the same price as the sandwich I ate that day at the show...so I had to get it!

The edge is missing from the left side of the paddle blade, but I figured that only added to the "this oar's been around the block/lake" feel.

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Going into the show I knew I wanted to keep my eyes open for some old apothecary glass bottles. I picked these four off a table where everything was a dollar.

{"Baker's Indian Rootbeer Extract", the back of the bottle says "Baker Extract Company, Springfield, Mass." - rootbeer is my favorite soda}

This tall bottle was really dirty, but I liked it because of all the text. I washed it as well as I could, but still a lot of grime on the inside. Anyone have any tips for cleaning the inside? The guy I bought it from said I "should get some bee bees from Kmart", drop them in and shake them around to try and knock out some of the dirt. Hmmmm.....

{California Fig Syrup Co., CALIFIG, Sterling Products (Inc.) Successor}


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Check out these cool...well, I'm not really sure what to call them actually...decorative door lock plates? or something? I was totally a copy cat on these, one of the women I was with found them first and bought some. And then I jumped on the bandwagon (thanks, Leslie!)...they had tons and tons of different shapes and sizes and finishes to sift through. I ended up with these three.

Not exactly sure what I'll do with them yet, but considering framing each of them (no glass) and hanging them one above the other in my dining room. I'm kinda regretting not buying any antique keys to put with them:(

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Last but not least, I was successful in finding another #13 blue Ball mason jar to add to my collection. I now have three!

The new one is the one in the middle. The woman I bought it from had a few to choose from, she suggested this one was the oldest because of the way the Ball logo is underlined. My other two don't have that line. Interesting.

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How do you think I did? Anyone go antiquing or yard saling this weekend and get some great finds?