Ebay win: iron balustrading

We got lucky recently and picked up some old wrought iron stair balustrading that I'm sure will come in handy for some of the outdoor stairs, probably on the old house.



From the Ebay description:

11 Pieces of wrought iron stair balustrade, it is well made in heavy iron and looks like its hand made . I bought it second hand about 15 years ago but have never used it. It is in good condition been stored inside, looks like it has only had one coat of paint on it from new so not to hard to clean down.

2 Corner Bits are 36 ins high 12 ins bottom edges.
2 Flat centre bits 36 ins high 16 ins across bottom edge.
1 Flat end bit 36 ins high 8 1/2 ins across bottom edge.
1 3 way centre post 40 ins high 7 ins across bottom edge.
3 angle stair poles 36 ins to top tip 8 ins across bottom edge.
2 Angle stair poles 34 1/4 ins to top tip 8 ins across bottom edge.

Ebay win: flywire door

Every so often things like this come up and, if they're conveniently located for collection and in good condition, I take a punt on putting in a low bid. And very occasionally, I win. :-)

We're going to need one of these on every outside door and this is the first I've found so far. You can buy new 'old style' replicas but figured if I can get the real thing for a price of a cup of coffee, why not.



From the description:
Antique fly screen door from back veranda - an Australian icon. It's in Kew. It's very heritage, but unfortunately we have no use for it. Pickup only please. It's 765mm x 2025mm.

Ebay win: stained glass lampshade

At last! I've lost track of the number of these I've bid on over the years. Finally I won one. It's an old stained glass lampshade, which will be perfect to have as a little feature light above the front door of the cottage.



From the description:
Here we have a traditional period antique exterior stained glass Canopy Porch Lamp shade from the 1930's. This beautifully shaped shade comes in very good condition for age. All stained glass panels are intact and display no cracks to the coloured glass

Ebay win: stained glass bird windows

So these were a little bit of a splurge, but it's rare to find two handpainted sections of this size and (almost) matching... plus I really liked them. :-)

They're even nicer in real life, I'm using them here just propped up against one of the conservatory windows, but at Amherst I can see these could work well either side of a door perhaps.



From the description:
Two beautiful and lovely traditional hand painted and stained glass panels, depicting two different birds. These would have been made using traditional process of hand painting, staining and then kiln fired to make all work permanent. They could be incorporated into a stained glass or leaded panel, as decorative glazing or enjoyed just as they are as light catchers. All glass is intact. The centre glass is a clear rough rolled texture and the border is a blue/green of a similar but slightly different texture. Size of each panel is approx 28.2cm x 23.5cm

Ebay win: introducing our pet cow

Yesterday we collected my new pet cow!

Although sadly it is not a real live cow, rather a cast iron version. Still functional though as a doorstopper and moneybox. She came from Ebay of course - where else would you find such an obscure object! We have decided she is a girl due to having the udders, and ignoring the horns... and she is around 1.5 foot long and a foot tall.



One day I do hope I get to have a real pet cow but until then this will suffice. :-)

Ebay win: another roof finial

Ebay is strange sometimes... you wait ages for something to come along, then suddenly you're swamped.

We've just won another gorgeous terracotta roof finial. It's even bigger than the other.

To give a sense of scale, it's pictured with a tin can. As you can see, it's huge!



From the description:
A stunning beautiful old antique terracotta large roof finial, circa 1880s. Beautifully made,finely carved with scrolled and leaf designs ,surmounted with a stylised acorn finial. The condition is also very good for age, The finial is of a large and heavy size which stands at 27.5 inches high.

Who knows what it will become: garden ornament, finial on a summerhouse or shed. I know it will be the perfect finishing touch to something we build at Amherst. I love Ebay: there's no way I'd ever have stumbled across something like this before, let alone at a price I can afford.

Ebay win: roof finial

There's not many of these that get listed these days, so we were really happy to get this. I don't know where we'll use it precisely but given we have such a steep roof, I'm sure there'll be places where it would be a great finishing touch.



From the description:
A second-hand roof top ridge blockend angled double scrolled finial. The width for the ridge is 320mm by 510mm in height. In excellent condition.

Ebay win: fence spears

We just won a bulk lot of these. I've seen similar before but there hasn't been enough of them or else they were just too expensive / too much hassle to arrange delivery. These were only 20 minutes from my sister's and the seller kindly agreed to drop them off.



From the description:
A bulk lot of 95 cast iron Victorian Pallisade fencing spearheads. 120mm long, 75mm wide, 21x17mm stub to suit 25mm RHS. New, never been used, although some are a bit rusty. Great for repairs or extensions to original or reproduction fencing

Not sure precisely how we'll use them yet, but one idea is on a fence to enclose parts of the garden near the house. It wouldn't keep out kangaroos, but they're unlikely to come close to the house anyway, but it would work for sheep.

The rough concept would be to get some old metal rods, like the kind they use in foundations (ie: cheap) which we'd then attach these spears too, spraypaint black, and voila a fancy-ish fencepost. If we spaced them eg: a spearpost every metre with wire in between, Dave reckons we'd be able to cover an area 20m x 20m square which is a reasonable size.

Ebay win: stained glass doorway

We won this set of stained glass yesterday and collected it this morning, as luckily turned out to be only 15 minutes drive away.

There are 5 pieces:

The top centre panel that goes above the door (120cm x 47cm), 2 vertical ones that run either side of the door (210cm x 42cm), and 2 smaller ones that sit atop the vertical ones to join it to the centre panel (47cm x 42cm). All measurements include the frames which are in great condition.



It looks nicer in real life than in the pictures... much more of a bronze/gold colour than orange.

It was used on an internal doorway at the house we collected it from, a 1930's era semi-detached house, but is solid enough it could be used on an outside entrance too (assuming we're allowed to have single glazed).

Ebay win: mosaic floor tiles

My idea is to make either one big or a couple of normal sized "doormats" out of these. I don't know exactly where yet but I like the colours and pattern, so it seemed too good a bargain to pass up - especially since they were just down the road from Mum's.



From the description:
"Victorian Mosaic Floor Tiles suitable for a patio. They came from the patio of an old terrace house in Prahran, Melbourne. The larger dark tiles measure 115mm square. Of these tiles I have 134 good, 63 with very small chips and 36 with bigger chips plus some broken tiles. The smaller sandstone colour tiles are 40mm square and there are 270 of these. There are also 31 triangle shape tiles of these smaller ones - the full tile has been cut in half. A very few of the above tiles have small amounts of mortar on them that would have to be chipped off"

Ebay win: Victorian plant stands

Anyone who's read my post about the iron gallery at the V&A will know I love wrought iron.

It's so hard to find nice pieces of metalwork these days that don't cost a fortune, so when I saw these planters come up on Ebay I couldn't resist. Even better it turned out they were just up the road from Mum's house, so collection was not a hassle. That's fate. :-)



From the Ebay description:

These Victorian Metal Plant Stands were purchased from an estate auction of furniture from a large Victorian homestead in NSW approx 15 yrs ago. ...

Both the planters are complete, however, one does need to have an underneath section re-welded, but the part is complete & unbroken, just the join has come adrift. Although not in pristine condition (see photos) they are original & haven't been touched. There is surface rust present & discolouration of the metal due to age &/or weather. I'm definitely not an expert & I'm not sure what type of metal it is, but I'd guess cast iron or similar, as they are quite heavy for their size.

In all my travels to auctions, antiques shops, antique fairs, clearing sales etc, I've only ever seen one other pair. These had been painted & repaired, but the price was astronomical - well over $2,000. I have no doubt that someone with a bit of knowledge & time could do these planters up beautifully & make more than a tidy profit if they wished, but due to illness & time constraints, I'm sadly unable to do so myself... Anyway, my loss is your gain! Enjoy owning a piece of history!

Measurements are as follows: 80cm H x 31.5cm across the top x 95cm circumference at the widest point.

Here's some more photos showing the detailing. I quite like the rust and colouring - it shows they've had a life - so any repairs we do will be with a very light touch and structural only or to stop further deterioration. I'm not intending to paint them.

water bottles for trees

Both Dave and my birthdays are coming up in April, and Mum asked what present we wanted. So, I immediately thought of Amherst and suggested a lemon tree for the orchard.

But of course, lemon trees need a lot of water, far more than the others in the orchard. So I came up with an ingenious solution. Why not give any ultra-thirsty trees their own little water butts set on a drip feed going right under the soil? It wouldn't be lost to evaporation that way and they'd be able to have as much water as they wanted then provided the water butts were big enough.

I looked on Ebay and - tada - the perfect solution. Old olive barrels already fitted up with taps and in a fetching terracotta colour that won't look too out of place:



This is the description from Ebay:

This 190L Rainwater/Greywater barrel has a brand new 1/2 inch garden tap fitted. It is ideal to store water for the garden. It features an open top 2 piece lid . The lid has a hole in the centre and it and comes with a sink plug to stop the mozzies from getting in. In a former life this drum held olives and I have rinsed and leak tested it. The drum after rinsing retains a slight smell of olives but this will go in time.

During Melbourne's recent rain, using these type of drum/ tanks I caught 700 litres of water off a 6m x 4m shed. I then used the water to wash clothes and used the greywater to water the garden. This drum could also be used to catch the water dripping from your air conditioner or you could catch the overflow from your rainwater tank.

Tank Size approx 900 x 550mm.
Lid size 320mm diameter

We bought three of them and Mum liked them so much she bought two more for herself. I plan to just prop them up on bricks next to each tree that needs extra cosseting, they'll look quite cute. :-)

1930's architectural model

This isn't directly related to Amherst, except it has inspired yet another whimsical project to pass the time until we move back and can properly start!

I just found a lovely 1930's architectural model of a typical bungalow house. I think it's just a really cool display item, a piece of work-related art, just like the stained glass window designs we got last year.



The detailing is magnificent. It even has curtains painted on the windows and paper in brick, tile patterns on the outside. When we finally get the model of the new house at Amherst, I want to do something similar. A kind of real life russian doll to have a model of the house displayed inside the real thing. :-)



From the Ebay description:
"This is a rare vintage 1930's Bungalow architects plan model building. It measures approx 10" x 7.5" (from above) and is made from balsa wood. The roof comes off so you can see the inside plan of the building. It is in good condition for its' age, with just a few indentations on the roof and one of the chimneys missing. It's a must for any interest in the 1930's, especially if you've an interest in 1930's architecture".

Ebay wins: garden ornaments

These don't look much yet but wait till you see them in the garden. I think they'll be used in a herb garden, or perhaps just to line either side of a path on the way to the house. But first, they're going to do service in our London backyard. :-)



From the description:
A good run of reclaimed clay / terracotta garden edgings from a large estate in Gloucestershire. Condition is variable, the two runs shown are intended to provide an average sample. There are 60 pieces, around 18 m. Depending on your requirements, 3-4 m may be too worn. This is quite an unusual moulding and they are all handmade with some size variation. The eight on top of the pallet are the most worn. Approximate dimensions: Height 15 cm, Width 5 - 7.5 cm, Length 30.5 cm



Next, also for the garden, a stone mushroom. The picture shows 4 but we sadly could only afford one and so went for the tallest - the one in the back of the photo.



From the description:
Beautiful antique stone garden mushrooms. They are not concrete, they're 100% genuine solid stone. The back one is 1 foot 7 inches high by 1 foot 3 inches wide

Finally on the garden front, some lovely lions to serve as pot supports:



From the description:
Set of 4 superb and realistic terracotta lion plant pot supports. Each one measures 4.25 inches long by 3 inches high. They are very heavy for their size and are covered in age moss. They'd also make superb book ends

trusses for shed

Dad got some great trusses. He's going to use them to make a temporary shelter for building materials he needs to clear out from his backyard. The picture of the random carport shows how he's thinking it will look.

Ebay wins: fireplaces, fender, brass bed

I'm afraid I fell off the ebay wagon again, but it's OK 'cos I've found some great stuff.

First up we have a proper old-fashioned style fireplace fender with seats. I've always wanted one of these.



From the description:
"A lovely original oak Victorian / Arts & Crafts fireplace fender with twin seats. It adjusts in length from an inside edge measurement of 107cm to 139cm. The inside edges are lined in sheet metal to protect the wood from the heat. The pretty twin seats are upholstered and in very good condition.Lovely turned, carved & barley twist wood, especially around the base of the seats"


Next up, a fireplace mantle of similar vintage - in fact two, matching. I love this style of fireplace with the two shelves and the mirrored panels (or rather, spaces for mirrors). The only thing I'm not sure about is the curved fireplace opening, but I figure that can easily be altered to accomodate a square fireplace.



From the Ebay description:
"Beautiful old kauri pine fire surround from the 1920's. Very good condition but will need to strip the paint to bring it back to original. 164cm high, 153cm wide, 20cm deep"


And finally, a brass bed. I don't expect I'll use this as a bed... with the addition of lots of cushions and propped against a wall, I'm hoping to turn it into a kind of knole style sofa. It'll be great too for storage, tons of room for drawers etc underneath.



From the Ebay description:
"Antique cast iron/brass 3/4 bed head and foot. 122cm by 128cm. 1 bracket damaged but all still fits together. Condition is very sound but will need some cleaning, sanding, repainting. Late Victorian/Edwardian"

Ebay wins: lining boards; stained glass

So it's been a little bit of an expensive week on Ebay... but worth it I think.

First up I have bought a giant pile of wood. Old timber tongue & grooved lining boards to be precise. They're in various sizes but basically there are LOTS of them.



I'm hoping they'll be useful for lining the inside of the verandah roof on the old house. Also could be useful for going on the wall, up to the dado rail (or whatever that thing that goes round at waistheight is called).



Here's the description:

This large pile of original timber lining boards are now excess to my needs...So if you have a place that requires a dado panel up the wall or if you want to add or repair walls then here is a supply you cant go past..it's going cheap..believe me it wasn't cheap when I bought it...try getting a quote from the demo yards...knock your socks off

this pile that I have up for sale is dry and of varrious lengths..there is approx:

280 lengths @ 1.2 m and 150 wide
380 @ 1.3 m length and 100 mil wide
50 @ 2.6 m length and 110 mil wide
90 @ 2.5 m length
360 @ 1.8 m lengths and 150 wide
20 @ 5 m length and 150 wide
60 @ 2.5 m lengths and 95 wide...
and thats min amounts there were a couple piles I didn't even get to..a few more hundred meters are included...

NOW...they are used...and I have them outside..so there is going to be wastage I found that the ends had to be trimmed off..and usually the top row I put to the burn pile but under that was pretty good as far as second hand timber goes..They have paint on them and I just scrapped them before nailing into position... Just keep in mind these are old boards..used(no nails) ..they are not perfect (far from it..to be totally honest ,so you have to expect wastage..some splits ,breaks..but if you are like me and want the look as real as possible...then here is a pile of material to get you started on your next project.

We also got hold of some lovely stained glass panels going for a song, which are going to be SO fantastic in the doors of the crockery cupboard (well, that's the plan for the moment anyway). We've got 2 of each of the following:





They are sized, in order:
51.5cm x 25 cm
52cm x 27 cm
68cm x 25.5cm
82.5cm x 33cm
93cm x 29cm

We also got a panel which has handpainted kangaroos on it! It looks really old, awaiting close-up photos to see how good a painting it is, but for the price we paid it was worth the gamble. It's sized 95cm x 32cm.

Ebay wins: rotary pantry, fender, iron lace

First up a little something for the kitchen - a kind of giant lazy susan with drawers. It was a bit of a splurge but Dave especially fell in love with it so we decided what the heck. It'll need a lot of work but should come up really well when painted.



From the Ebay description:
"Made by metters sydney and newcastle, a rotary pantry as advertised in the 1920's anthony horden catalogue. Quite rusty but mainly surface rust the galvanised coating remains on much of it. No holes that i can see. The drawers are all semi circular and pivot from bolts on the main body of the pantry. 63 cm or 2 feet in diameter 80 cm tall or 31.5 inches has most or its original porcelain knobs."

See the powerhouse museum collection for a similar one, made out of an old drum!


Next, a fender that reminded me of my long ago summer in Paris.



From the Ebay description:
"Beautifully made from metal (maybe brass ? not sure due to condition), as you can see from the pictures it needs a little TLC, but there is no major damage. I am guessing it was made in the early 20th century and takes its influnce from the Eiffel Tower c1889. Stunning Art Deco detail that will look fantastic when cleaned up. These fire surrounds are becoming very rare and modern repo's are just not the same. It measures 51 inches across and 14 inches deep."


Finally, some iron lacework that will probably end up on the front verandah for the new house, in the bit that runs between the kitchen and lounge doors.



From the Ebay description:

"There are 23 pieces of wrought iron balustrading which roughly covers 2-3 bays, there are also decorative pieces for the face of support beams .Primer has been applied to the metalwork which is in good condition, very small pieces are missing from a few sections but l dont believe this to be of great significance. The straight sections measure in total 17 feet. This is combined of course with the length of the corner sections. There are 5 major corner pieces (17x24 in) and 4 smaller corner sections (17x12 in)"

Ebay wins: tulip gutters, chimney pots & verandah

Here's some more architectural stuff we've scavenged that will, one day, make its way into one or more of the buildings at Amherst. Oh how I love Ebay... I may not be able to physically make progress, but at least I can shop and find stuff that will save us a fortune in the end. :-)

First up, some amazing 'tulip' thingy's that go on your guttering and connect it to the drainpipe. Plus a roof vent. They're all brand new, handmade and we got them for less than 10% of the original price. The guy selling them said the builders put the wrong shape of drainpipes on his house and he couldn't face the upheaval to change it. If it were me I'd have got creative with making a funnel but hey, I adore them so his loss is our gain. :-)



From the description:
"1 large decorative vent and 13 period style tulips made of galvanised tin, never used. Tulips are suited for standard round down pipe and are 37 cm wide, 37 cm long and 20 cm deep"


Next, an old terracotta chimney pot. It's chipped at the base but that's OK. We haven't decided yet if this is going to be put to it's original use on one of the chimneys, or be a garden ornament. Either would be cool.




Finally, 60m worth of bullnose verandah sheets. Ironically, we're most likely not going to use these on the houses, as I prefer verandahs with straight edges or that kind of S shape. But they were so cheap that it seemed stupid to pass them up considering we're going to need loads of roof sheets for things like a carport, garden sheds, chook house, etc... and the fact that it is bullnosed will make them more interesting. :-)



From the Ebay description:
"80 colourbond bullnose verandah sheets, beige colour and no rust. Each sheet is 1.5m long and covers 760mm in width so that would give you a total of 60m of verandah 1.5 m deep"

Ebay wins: fireplace, fretwork, tiles

Over the past few months we've picked up a couple more things on Ebay which will be really useful in the house renovations. Here's details:

FIREPLACE

Unbelievably, this turned out to be only 5 minutes drive away from my Mum's!



From the description:
"This beautiful (I think original) fireplace came from an 1890's home on Canning Street in Melbourne's Carlton North when friends were renovating. We had plans to install it into our home, but as we are now moving and new owners have not expressed interest, we have it available. Although not professionally restored, I believe all pieces are present and in good condition. The main detractor is some dust and cobwebs! All in good order with adjustable metal hood/vent, a draft stopper flap and the blue insert tiles. The timber mantel is painted, but sound. See photo's for further details (please note the slight green tinge to pic's is from the overhead laserlight)."


FRETWORK HALLWAY BRACKETS





From the description:
"A pair of 2 original victorian hallway brackets. The red one, without the outside pieces of timber, measures 37 inches (94cm) wide x 25 1/2 inches (65cm) drop; ... The two arches are mathching except one is missing the outside timber trim... They are made of pine. They need to be repainted. The main body is made in two peices, which are firm, but somebody has put a screw on the inside of each piece to reinforce the joint (easy fix)"


TILES



From the description:
"300 Black, Glazed brick-tiles. 222 mm x 30 mm x 110 mm. Unfortunately, the photos tend not to do them justice. They remain stylish and have been removed from a brick wall at the front of our place and window supports to for the purpose of us rendering the wall and our house. We were considering using them for paving or even as bathroom tiles but have decided against this. Some mortar remains attached with most tiles (as you can see in the main photo), but this seems to be very easy to remove (although there are 300!) and the need for total removal will be contingent on what they will be used for. I think they are circa 1960s but could be 70s or 50s (as the house underwent renovations during these periods)."

Ebay wins: sunrise windows & violin chairs

This week we got some more stained glass... I've been holding back on bidding for glass in recent months as we've already got quite a lot, and prices seem to have gone up since the early heydays of Ebay UK. But when I saw these I couldn't resist as it reminded me of the sun ray wooden motifs in Tallin, plus the colours go well with the set of 18 we've already got (see here at bottom).



From the description:
"Two 1930's art deco mountain sunrise stained glass windows in pine wood frame. Each measures approx 19" x 20". Beautiful shiney textured stained glass colours are emerald green, orange, blue, yellow and pale green. All glass is in good condition"


A few weeks before this we also got two more chairs. Not that we needed more chairs, but these were really cheap and they reminded me of my old violin. I envisage them painted in some muted blue/green/purple colour, on the verandah. Functional yet beautiful, except for the legs but they can be easily replaced.



From the description:
"Beautiful carved hall/kitchen chairs, two matching. They look to be in light oak. The back has a heart shape carved and an ornate shape which makes them very pleasing to the eye. They'd look fantastic in any environment and are very comfortable to sit on"

Ebay wins: firegrate, washstand

Dad's collected lots of fireplace mantles but we're going to need something to put inside the fireplace too. I found this on Ebay in Australia and Mum kindly picked it up for me.



From the description:
"Original Cast iron fire grate. This was from an old Victorian home in Abbotsford Melbourne. It measures approx 39 cm long x 23 cm wide. It stands approx 16 in height including the legs"


Also we lucked out last week and found the most fantastic old washstand. I've been on the verge of bidding for washstands several times, but they've always gone for far more than I was prepared to pay. Then this comes along, and not only do I adore it, it turned out to be just up the road from Dad's so he was able to collect without any problem!



From the description:
"Beautiful washstand including deep porcelain sink and taps. All drawer fronts have a detailed patina finish. Washstand measures 1.66 high x 50 deep x 1.16 wide. In need of some restoration and would make a magnificent statement in any period bathroom".

Liberty's 2006 sale (we bought rugs!)

The Liberty sale is on again. Those who remember me blogging about it last year will know how much I love Liberty and the unusual style of things they sell.

Well, I'm afraid this year I succumbed and went. It was a bit more eclectic than I expected and a lot more modern but still some interesting stuff. Here's some photos of things that particularly grabbed my eye:



But they were all way too expensive. (The decoupaged chair alone was over £500 which is ludicrous!) BUT I did splurge and purchase two Arts & Crafts design rugs.

They're new, but handmade, 100% wool and woven to patterns exclusive to Liberty resurrected from their archives. I got them for less than half price, which was a real bargain. I've struggled for years to find rugs I like and suddenly two come along at once! Here are pictures:


Sadly this will be living rolled up under the bed with mothballs and wrapped in brown paper, till we get to Amherst. We don't have anywhere here in London we could use it that wouldn't be exposed to the wrath of bunnies! (We have 2 pet house rabbits who mean well but can sometimes be a little naughty).

But, this one we're using in the conservatory here as it's a good size for it. We're using it upside down though, so if the sun damages it and lightens the colours, it only does it to the underneath. This is a photo we took of it right side up so you can see the colours properly:



For those not familiar with Liberty, here's a blurb about their carpets section that comes from their website. It was a truly lovely experience shopping there, they were so helpful and knowledgeable. If you're looking for a nice rug, I definitely recommend them.

"The Liberty Carpet department is one of the most
established and comprehensive in the UK, if not the world.
With carpets ranging from £50.00 to £50,000 you can receive
expert advice from the specialist staff on the origin and
design of every carpet in the department... Each carpet is
hand made using traditional methods ... No brands, no
companies just a country – Iran, Persia, Pakistan,
Afghanistan. We have friends there who make the best
carpets in the world in a way that no machine
can replicate"

Ebay wins: chairs galore

We've continued to acquire odds and ends on Ebay. Here's the recent additions:

Dining chairs

Most recently we won some lovely dining chairs. This brings our total of nice chairs up to 15 now, which should be enough to allow for scattering them around the house & cottage. These require a little work on reupholstering but doesn't look too hard, and now I have a project for summer! :-)





From the description:
"Five dining chairs plus one carver. Bought together with a table 15 years ago from an antique shop. I have abandoned trying to reupholster them and we have bought some modern chairs when we moved house. Although two of the chairs have no seat pad and the others are in need of reupholstering I have all the bits. I know nothing about antiques but have been told these are nice chairs and worth something; someone even told me they are 'arts and crafts'. We are just fed up with them sitting in our house and the highest bidder is welcome to them! They are absolutely solid on their legs with no wobbly backs etc. But they do need re-upholstering"


Oak stools

We also recently got some great little oak stools. They're footstools really, but a great size to serve as little low tables too, which is how we're going to use them for the time being anyway.




From the description:
"Fantastic Pair of old carved Oak Stools, nicely carved in art nouveau, arts and crafts style, but possibly earlier. A really stylish pair of small oak stools, beautifully and deeply carved with foliage on the seats. Each stool is made of really nice coloured Oak which suggests these pieces have some age to them. The seats are nailed to the carcass and legs with four nails, one in each side, but I cannot see if these are hand made nails or not as the heads are not visible. The legs are nicely turned ending in turned feet as you can see on the photo’s. One of the seats is split clean down the middle – this has been glued at some point, but could be done much better by someone who is qualified. The stools are each 18 cm high, and the seats are 34cm by 19cm, and they look really great together as a pair, but you do need a small bum to sit on them…….which is why I am selling them :0)"


Wing-backed armchair

I've always wanted one of these, so when it came up for sale really cheaply thought it was worth a shot even if we had to invest in reupholstering it.



From the description:
"I am selling this extremely comfy Edwardian (I believe, or could be early 20thC) wingback armchair. Its is absolutely solid, with no movement in any of the joints or frame. The material is freyed in places and little old fashioned so would make a great upholstry project for someone, or its certainly in good enough condition to leave as it is if you dont mind the colour. Dimensions are as follows.
Height 37" x Wide 31" x Depth 33" These are at the widest point"


Deck chair

Finally, we also got an old steamer chair. This was a little more hassle in that it turned out to have some woodworm (the guy stretched the truth about "good condition" in his listing!). But it is still solid. It had to live in the shed for a month till we were able to treat it, but now it's fine.



From the description:
"This is an unusual antique chair frame which extends to support the legs. I guess that it is Victorian but in truth I am not an expert, it could be a bit older or more recent. It is in good condition. It is part of the contents of an old house that I have just bought and which appears to have not been touched for a least a century. It can lay completely flat and I am advised that it is called a Steamer and that these things are quite difficult to get hold of".

Ebay: bentwood chair & cupboard

I have a chair in our hallway which we got years ago, with lovely bentwood arms. I've been looking for another that could go with it, eventually, and at last I've found one I like. I don't like the colour that much but it says it's easy to recover so it might be my first upholstery project. I can see these chairs one day living in the screened porch at Amherst.



From the Ebay listing:
"This is a nice design Art Deco, Sunray Sides,
Bentwood Arm, Reclining Armchair / Easy Chair, dating
to around c1930. It has great Bentwood Arms design,
with 2 side Sunray Type splats on either side,
supported by a curved lower support rail. The seat
section, can be slid forward, to make it a very nice
comfotable Reclining Armchair. The seat section, has
been recovered at some time, and is still in good
condition, with no tears or holes, but is an easy
recover job if desired, as the whole seat and back
section, can be simple just lifted out. Overall it
is in good solid condition, with no movement in the
joints on the oak frame. It stands at its tallest
38 3/4 of an inch, and is 24 inches at its widest
at the front of the arms, and the seat depth measures
about 22 inches and the seat height of the floor
measures about 15 1/4 inches tall"


Because there wasn't an extra cost of delivery if we bought more from the same seller, we also got a lovely walnut bedside chest of drawers. I really like the simple lines of it and pieces of furniture like this are always handy as side tables, etc.



From the Ebay description:
"This is a nice design Art Deco Figured Walnut Bedside
cabinet, dating to around c1940. It is a nice design and
has a nice Grain to the Walnut Veneer. It has a single
door Cabinet below, and it has a single drawer above.
It still retains its original black Bakelite turned knob
handles with white centre insert. The bedside cabinet
stands on nice angles out legs / feet. It is in good
solid condition, with a few small nicks to the veneer
in places, and it has one small chip near the bottom
edge on the front, which has been filled in, and still
look fine overall. There is a little line stain marks to
one side, which blends in with the walnut grain, and
overall this is a great looking Art Deco Walnut Bedside
Cabinet. It stands 29 3/16 of an inch tall and is 15 3/4
of an inch wide, and is 13 inches deep".

Ebay: giant clock & stained glass

We recently got an amazing deal on a giant clock. It was built 25 years ago by the guy we bought it from as an Art college project. He put it together from all kinds of junk gathered at Portobello Road market (back when it was still a flea market). It is as much a sculpture and work of art as it is a clock.

From the description:
"This is a very tall clock, eleven foot high with a high visual impact. It was a college project from twenty five years ago. It was constructed from various components found in a cabinet makers workshop. It was fitted with a modern electric movement but hasn't run for some time"

To give you a sense of the scale, here's Dave standing next to it at the guy's house before we took it apart to transport:


Here's a closer look at some of the detailing:




Around the same time we also came by a lovely piece of art deco glass. We're probably going to use it here in London but wanted to note it down anyway as a possibility for Amherst in future.

From the description:
"It is a beautiful piece of stained glass but is in need of restoration. Almost all of the damage is to the flat pieces of glass that have either come away from the lead or have cracks but not all of the flat pieces.The main part of the design the flowers and leaves are undamaged. as one can see from the images the design and glass are of a high quality. Size is 99cm across and 48 high in the middle.

Ebay: stove, chair, doors

We recently came by a few architectural salvage items which had the great benefit of being already in Australia:


An old oak framed armchair. I got it from Ebay even though it needs restoration as it shouldn't be TOO hard to do and it'll be a great chair for the verandah and a good partner for the oak chair we already have.




An old gas stove that Dad got, which we might use in the kitchen of the cottage.




Some great old french doors, described on Ebay as "in good usable condition... combined width 972 height 2000, 35 thick... one door is 435 wide other 537 can be widened or cut to suit"

Ebay: Factory vent

We won this on ebay a few weeks ago, but Mum only picked it up last week as they've had bushfires up in Kinglake where it was. Luckily it's already in Australia... would have been a real pain getting this back! I haven't decided yet whether to keep it as a garden ornament or put it back into it's proper use. It might make a nice roof cap. But I bought it mostly just 'cos I like the look of it.

great scavenging finds (pt 2)

I was sure I'd posted this already but I can't find it... so here's a belated post about yet more of my Dad's wonderful finds from back in early December.

First, some glorious windows, which will probably end up being used in the renovations of the old cottage:



In Dad's words:
"They require some work to bring to good shape, but are sound. One is higher than the other. Where would you envision using these? I thought the lounge/kitchen but not side by side of course. They would work well with your large front window. I had to go to Healesville for the windows, but they were not to be missed. $50 each"


Next this fabulous door:



"The big door is oversized, solid timber 1 1/2 inches thick with panels that could be removed and have glass or leadlight panels. I thought you would have some notion of where to put it. It is an external door, but could be used on the door to the alcove if a large size is wanted there. A bit of a waste. I thought it would be great as a back door, opposite the large front door. Ideas wanted here as to best use of this great door. It is in excellent condition, and will stain beautifully if that is wanted. I got it from the same person as the windows for $30".
Finally some bathroom fittings, again destined for the old cottage:



"I have solid brass old tap fittings and shower head that could be used in the shower or for the bath in the loft. I would go for the loft position. Not got the back plates or handles, but these could be complementary from another source. Let me know if you like them and if you want them. I was given them from the attic extension because the plumber Diana used wouldn't fit them to the handbasin she bought secondhand".

My Dad is wonderful.

recent Ebay finds

In recent weeks we've made a couple of other Ebay finds, ultimately destined for Amherst, including a lovely piece of fretwork, a clawfoot bath and some more chairs.

First, this is the fretwork which is among the nicest patterns I've ever seen. If it fits it may well end up being used in the old house restoration. Best of all, it was already in Australia, only 15 minutes drive away from Mum's house!



"This was part of an original 1890's house. This piece of hallway fretwork requires tlc to restor it back to its original beauty. Paint would need to be stripped. It measures 1400w and 900h. The bottom left hand section is missing and right hand bottom section needs repair where timber has clean tears".


Next, an unusual wooden chair with a fretwork back. We've put a cushion on the bottom and it is surprisingly very comfortable to sit on. I love the look of it too. It came from a small town in Scotland. We're probably going to keep this here for a while as it fits well in the conservatory, but ultimately I can imagine it looking wonderful on a verandah.



"A lovely old arts and crafts style nursing chair with pierced splat back and solid seat. it is probably constructed from oak. This chair probably dates to the first part of the 20th century. The chair measures 29" tall with a seat height of 9". The seat measures 20" across the front and 17" across the rear. It measures 18" front to back. The design of this chair is in the arts and crafts style being relatively simple in terms of decorative detail. The pierced splat back is of a flower design. The seat of this chair is solid wood and would haveprobably had a cushion at one time. The overall condition of this chair is good. It still remains stable and firm with only signs of wear consistent with its age. This remains a very stylish if understated chair".

Next, an original clawfoot bath which - best of all - is already in Melbourne. This came indirectly via Ebay - in the listing they'd said if it didn't sell they'd throw it out. I emailed and said that seemed a shame, that I'd save them the hassle and take it away for them, to stop it going to landfill. It didn't sell so that's what happened. It is apparently an original from the early 1900s, is in "good" condition and is 169cm long, 56cm high, 75cm wide.



This is the description from my Dad's email after he'd picked it up:
"It has been painted inside, and I believe it will strip down very well. It is actually in pretty good condition and will be easily brought to a usable condition without reenameling. It is an authentic clawfoot, and really quite wonderful. You will be proud of it. There are a few little rust spots, which are likely exaggerated because of sitting without being disturbed so long. I expect the spot size will reduce considerably once the cleaning begins. It is a great find, in the same league as the Rayburn when an "old" item is what you want, not a refurb or brand shiny new item is wanted. It will fit admirably in the old house loft bathroom, or you can save it for the new house".


Finally, a fantastic Lloyd Loom bedroom set in pristine condition and still with it's original paint. The lady we bought it from said it had been in her family since it was purchased and that she'd grown up with it always around.



"A pair of Lusty Lloyd Loom items originally purchased from Phillips of Northampton in the late 1950's. Both items have been well cared for in a non-smoking household and their present condition shows only minor wear, commensurate with their age. Both have original labels attached"

When we went to collect them she also threw in for virtually nothing (£5!) a blanket box which although it isn't officially part of the same set, is of similar enough colouring to pass for it. The blanket box is also in original condition and the only work needed is to replace the fabric at the top. It too has its original paint, which makes a difference on Lloyd Loom furniture as the more coats of paint, the less defined the weave. It's a wonderful size, just perfect for storage in our study here in London and it doubles as an extra seat too:

the next shipload is ready

This weekend we are packing. The conservatory has gotten way too full and we need it cleared so we can set up the Xmas tree! So, we're sending another batch of furniture, books, china, etc back to Australia to go into storage there.

We've been planning it for a while, ever since we got the sideboard and teddybear chair. But, while Dave was arranging it, I took the opportunity to gather a few more things too - basically I was on the look out for anything I really liked that I could pick up very cheaply on Ebay!

So, also going are two armchairs which we got for £10 each:

From the description: "This is a pair of great 'his and hers' late
Victorian / Edwardian / Arts and crafts easy chairs. They are in good
sound condition, have been in regular use. Covered in what can only
be described as a yucky brown fabric. Would look fabulous recovered
or loose covers made"

and from the same seller a side table which has in-built angled magazine racks:

"this is a reproduction ornate and unusual
mahogany sofa end / sofa back table. It is a magazine rack,
the top is great for a lamp or display. It has been in storage
and gained a few tiny marks, is perfectly usable. It measures
36" wide x 16" deep x 34" high"

In reality, this isn't as nice as I'd hoped, because I don't like the colour of the wood. But we only paid £6 for it and it'll come up wonderfully painted another colour, say a deep blue to go in a sunroom or something. It doesn't work as a replica period piece, but shabby chic style it'll be perfect!

We also picked up some amazing old carved pillars, which we're planning to use as decoration either side of a window or doorway:

From the listing:
"a pair of beautifully carved arts and crafts pillars, lovely colour,
probably originally on a piece of furniture, not sure. Two on the
sides have cut outs in them, one side plain and one side beautifully
carved with ivy leaves and stems. Just a small amount of old worm and
the bottom edges have some damage. Not sure how they could be used
but they are such nice pieces they deserve a new life.
Measurements are 41.5" long and 2.25" square"

doors doors doors

The past few weeks Dad has been clearing through years (perhaps even decades) of "salvaged" building materials as he gets near finishing up renovations to his own house. We are to be the lucky beneficiaries of things he doesn't need, such as doors:

Dad says: "I am close to completing my need of old door use, and will take my stock to Amherst for various needs. I collect doors from hardrubbish for use in such ways, as doors are expensive, and a small stock can often sort out door needs if available to access before building the frame. Then you build the frame to suit the door chosen from your stockpile. I have panel doors for wardrobes, external doors, flywire doors, and a few louvre doors. Things like pantries and drying rooms are especially suited because a louvre door actually "creates" ventilation naturally"

Knowing the scale of my Dad's typical stockpiles, I suspect we won't have to buy a single door provided we're creative!

great scavenging finds

I can't take the credit for any of this as it is all thanks to my Dad. He is truly the king of scavengers! Over the course of the past two months he has managed to get hold of some great fittings to be used in the renovations of the cottage. Here's just a few:

An amazing mantlepiece that Dad found by the side of the road, which we will use in the loungeroom:


There is also a small wooden fire that he got from somewhere, I'm not sure where. It is very nice looking although I'm not sure yet whether the style of it will work with the mantlepiece. We might use it temporarily and then move it to somewhere else later if it doesn't suit:


Dad also collected from the roadside, in his words, "a very good shower base, white, a good hand basin, two good toilet pans, and some cisterns, though I will probably get new cisterns". No pictures of those yet, but I can show you a bath:



Dad got this from one of the places he works, who were getting rid of it as part of their renovations. In his words "it is in very good order and suitable to be either free standing or to sit up against walls in a corner. It is white and castiron. I got it for $20 and think it a very good thing for the Amherst bathroom. The price new would be about $500-$700. But it is second hand so not worth so much. But a good thing I think. You could buy some nice tiles with the savings. I propose to mount it end on to the wall or free standing altogether with a surround of something to form a hob all around".

We have lights and fans too. I'm not sure where they came from but Dad says "I have two ceiling fans with oysterstyle lights central to the fan. These are in good order and will be for the bedrooms. They can be run cheaply by solar if you don't get power soon, or by inverters using deepcycle 12 volt batteries which are charged by the car when travelling whereever." Pictures to come...

Ebay win: the teddybear chair!

I'd forgotten I'd put a bid in on this until we got the email tonight to say we'd won. Which is really cool, as there's just something about this chair that appeals & I'd put in a low-ball bid just on the off-chance. Of course, it's yet another 'project' but hey, it gives us a chance to learn & practice upholstery!


teddybear chair
Originally uploaded by lynetter.


I really hate the fabric on it currently, but I'm sure I'll be able to find some eventually (I don't think any of my earlier finds will work for it, sadly)

The legs will take some work too, but Dave has managed miracles with other conversions, like the 'piano-to-filing-cabinet', so I'm sure we'll be able to fix the wood scratches.

According to the Ebay description:
"Lovely Arts and Crafts mahogany armchair possibly by Liberty c1900 in need of restoration. A most unusual chair, that has been in dry storage for many years. There is some damage on the left leg, and a wobble to the left arm. Two finials are missing from the top of the arms, some fine boxwood inlay is also missing from the front legs. It also needs reupholstering. Height 44" Width 24" Depth 24" "

meet our charming container...

A few months ago we bought an old sea-freight container to give us some secure storage up there, so Dad doesn't have to cart all his tools back and forth each time. It was installed near the dam and it looks a lot better than I expected it would. I think the sheep like it too. :-)



The inside is pretty big, even though it has lots in it already there's room for much more.



The shelves that came fitted with it also proved a perfect size for storing the shipping trunks we sent back a few months ago, jam-packed with tiles, etc. They must also be really strong as those trunks weighed a ton!