March 4th, 2011
Friday Finds Ring With Old World Science
There has been such a thrifting drought in my life lately that it’s been shocking! After trying to remember the last time I went out on a just for fun thrifting run, I was upset to figure out that it’s been since before Christmas. Usually there’s nothing that I love more than imagining the stories behind all the objects that line the shelves of cramped shops with their quirky owners, or picking up little objects to be made into a collection- so I was relived and excited to go on a field trip to an antique shop over lunch this week!
 Larger Black Clubmaster Styl… $88.00
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 antiseptic bottle $15.00
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 The Collection Number VII … $20.00
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 Aqua Blue Seltzer Bottle $50.00
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 brand new porcelain coyote s… $125.00
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 Clear glass display dome $38.00
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 vintage apothecary lab glass… $18.00
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 Antique Wooden Eye Chart Lig… $325.00
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 vintage school laboratory bu… $14.00
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 No. 10011 – Alphabet Teeth $8.00
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 Vintage Medical Instruments,… $15.00
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 Vintage Stellar microscope w… $60.00
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 Charles Darwin The Origin of… $95.00
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 Hand me a book – 2010 – Orig… $11.00
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 Vintage Metal First Aid Kit … $35.00
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The shop we stopped into had lots of beautiful old barber equipment, which makes me all swoony and wide eyed. I’m not sure if it’s that I’ve watched too much Sweeny Todd or what, but I love the clear bright glass containers and the dull shine of old metal from antique barber and doctor’s instruments.
What part of the ‘old world’ are you most drawn to?
My favourite part is that all antiques have a mysterious story attached to them
that we walk in and out of without even really realizing :)
It’s a bit late, but I just found this. Thanks so much for including my dome in your beautiful collection! I used to work in a natural history collection, so I have a soft spot for these types of things. I’ll share a link to your blog on my shop’s facebook page.
Thanks again!
Kris
I totally agree about loving the stories attachted to old objects. My mom has this old, antique table. If you take the drawer out and flip it upside down, someone carved “Grover Cleveland for President” in the bottom. I always wondered who that was and used to make up stories about a young, political activist when I was younger.
I am drawn to apothecary bottles and old anatomy books and charts, if I had space, I would collect them
Being a scientist, I find all this stuff absolutely fascinating! I love how people had the same curiosity I did and seeing how they answered questions with much less technology. I think the vintage microscope set is my favorite!!
I very rarely thrift, but I love finding things that have the old owner’s name sewn on a label. I can imagine a whole beautiful life!
I love the bunsen burners!! I love old world stuff – even just to imagine *I* lived a hundred years ago :)
Love all of these cool specimen :)
I found a doctors bag at my local antique shop that I could kick myself for not getting. I swear it looked right out of a Fossil catalogue! I also LOVE old medicine bottles & those glasses are killer! <3 I love old world stuff…I dream of having the perfect MAN library one day…sigh. ;)
lol! Yes, that’s exactly what I want- a man library! ;)
Leigh-Ann found the most amazing doctor’s bag the other week, it’s black and gets so tall when you open it up! It’s totally giant, and I’m super jealous :)
I am drawn to the “old world” and antiques because I feel that the previous owners have imbued them with a sense of soul. I know that may sound weird, but I am comforted by the fact that the person who owned it before loved it enough to ensure that it traveled well all the way to a place in my life. One of my favorite things about antique shops are the bins of old photos they usually have – it’s fun to look at the people photographed and try to imagine what they were thinking in that moment.
I just bought a whole bunch of old photos the other day! There were such cute photos of fathers and sons with vintage cars, I couldn’t pass them up!
LOVE the blue seltzer bottles. I’m a huge fan of anything 1920-1950. I know, broad range but it’s true. Or some of the random 1960s/1970s “modern” stuff (what was modern to them, you know).
Oooooh so pretty! I am a bit obsessed with Natural History Museums- all of the old, dusty taxidermied animals grouped together (sad for them, but I do find them so nice to look at!) Plant diagrams, species sketches, feathers, butterflies and beetle collections in little wooden trays! Little glass jars, crinkled, browning labels, leather-bound journals, dreams of adventures in hot-air balloons and tall ships! Love. it. all! Thanks for sharing this pretty little collection! xo
Ooooh, fun. Etsy is seriously an obsession for me. I too like the stories associated with older and unique objects. When I was a kid, I had such a fun time looking through the house where my dad grew up on the farm and seeing all the old toys and household items.
I have actually never gone thrifting – can you believe it? So I am not sure what I would like best! I really just do not have a good ‘eye’ for things like this, though. I can see myself getting overwhelmed and not being able to figure out what to buy that would fit in with my decor!!
You definitely have to go out with an idea of what you want- either that or I pretend it’s a museum and don’t buy anything, I just browse :)
Thrifting is so much fun. Thanks for the reminder that I have to go again … soon!
I think what I like about old stuff is how sturdy (most of) it is built and how simple the design was.