Author: windsorplaceantiques

In an effort to put the vast real estate holdings surrounding my corner store to use, Windsor Place Antiques will be having a spectacular sidewalk sale this Saturday May 20th from 10 am -6pm. We may even have a few special guests from the Brooklyn Flea. The Saturday Brooklyn Flea is in exile from our original Fort Greene location. We tried East River Park in Williamsburg, but the neighborhood didn't exactly roll out the red carpet for us.

As an added incentive to come by, I just returned from selling (and buying) at the great Brimfield Antiques Show up in Massachusetts and am overflowing with new merchandise. For those of you who come into the shop frequently, there will be lots of new things to see.

Clearing out some of the oldies, but goodies, at greatly reduced prices. Sidewalk will be overflowing with useful and fun items.

I think I was put on this earth to reuse, re-purpose and recycle. It is, essentially, what I do. But REDUCE? Not so much.

While re-purposing old things is nothing new, it never gets old. One of my favorite ways to recycle old tins, wooden crates, vintage bake ware and enamelware is to use them as planters. I'm constantly enlisting unusual receptacles around my shop and house. Time worn and full of life. Old & green.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have definitely noticed a simpler, greener, more natural style brewing around Brooklyn.

Among our other recycled offerings, we have these clip boards made from antique book boards. They can hold an old handmade print and be hung on the wall as an alternative to traditional frames. The hand marbleized paper lining the sturdy leather boards are unique and beautiful.

If you like the modern mix in the photos below we can help source the pieces to bring it together.

 

 

 

By decorate local, I don't mean shop local…I mean put things up on your walls that reflect your local surroundings. Birds, insects, flowers and plants that you could see outside your window, in your local park or surroundings. As March roars outside my door, pelting us with ice and wind, it's comforting to look at these lovely antique nature illustrations. Over the winter, I was fortunate to find several volumes of The Natural History of New York published in Albany in 1851. Some were in better shape than others, but all had beautiful hand-colored plates. My favorites are the butterflies and insects- seen (in the center) framed on the gallery wall in my shop.

And for when spring arrives, we have a nice selection of vintage and antique nature guides to birds, animals and wild flowers.

For kitchen decorating, The Apples of New York, circa 1910, and The Peaches of New York, have beautiful color plates. We have some matted and ready to frame in stock, as well as both complete volumes for your coffee tables.

Or, for those of you who like fungi or foraging, we have some matted and ready to frame color lithos from the Edible Fungi of New York (1900, New York State Museum).

In the same decorating vein, although not local, the New York Times styles section recently featured a restaurant in London decorated with hundreds of color plates of butterflies. You can see the article here. I am a huge fan of repeating patterns, collections of like objects and book plates, so this article just jumped off the page at me.

While we do not have the same plates in stock (working on it!) we have many others with a similar aesthetic.

While Valentine's Day may have become a cheesy, commercial holiday, there's never a bad time to give thoughtful gifts to your loved ones. Flowers, chocolates, Champagne or jewelry are always good choices, but I've got some alternatives to the ordinary in the shop. Come in and browse this weekend and find some treasures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you can join us for our first vintage craft event at the shop. Valentine's Day seems like the perfect time to come together and work with some original and nostalgic materials. We're bringing out some real treasures from the archives and getting some expert guidance on combining various elements and textures.     

Share the love! Invite your friends. Sign up soon at https://vintagevalentineworkshop.eventbrite.com Space is limited. Contact rebecca@windsorplaceantiques with any questions.