I am not sure why but I have always loved antiques and I have a few pieces that I cherish. I wrote before about one such piece which I will sell due to it being too large for my condo. That didn't stop me from buying another treasure. This one I purchased more for practicality than anything.
My latest acquisition is a Chinese Elm wood blanket chest. It is about 150 years old so not terribly old but I like the character it has. I immediately wiped out the inside and filled it with some of my craft supplies which are overflowing in the living room. I covered the stop with some of my African craft finds and my Aloe Vera plant which really does need to be re-potted into a larger container.
I have been wanting a Chinese antique for years. Initially, I was thinking of an altar table to be used in my front entry. But really I have no room in that area because it isn't a hallway and that is where I have bookshelves housing many of my books. The altar tables don't have the kind of practicality I need since they don't have doors and drawers to hide things. I think this piece is more suitable for my needs.
I got it for a wonderful bargain and paid almost one quarter of the original price. These days, antique shopping is a luxury for most people and the store owner is branching out in many ways to try and save her business. She can no longer afford to just sell antiques. She understood the value of off loading her inventory by giving me a fabulous deal. It also helped that I had my eye on other pieces in a different shop and so knew my prices as well as the market right now. Learning how to establish bottom lines and haggling in Kenyan market places has helped me here at home. At least with stores that aren't big box stores.
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| I'm very pleased with this piece. I see that I need to give it a good cleaning on the outside as well but that can wait until I re-organize things a bit more. |
What about you dear reader? Do you prefer antiques that have the character and vibe of days gone by or do you prefer the modern look?
