More ANTIQUE Shopping at Sleepy Poet--Antique Shopping Tips

I ended up going to Sleepy Poet Antique Mall ( located in Charlotte, NC ) again last week, and as you can see...someone was unhappy about being thrown out in the yard for most of the day when I left. Here's a closer look at the black spot through the fence to the bottom right...

Maxine, looking forlorn. She'll be fine, left her food and water and dragged her big dog bed out for her to snooze on for the day. Ok, let's go to the antique mall.

I arrived about 10:30, was glad to see Jason,  the owner's son who I think is the manager, who is such a very nice young man. I like everyone who works here. I had spent most of my moohla for art in Charleston a few weeks ago, so I had to be very thrifty with my shopping. I saw many paintings I could not afford to get for resale . Darn. That's alright, I found a few things. I will say again, I am NOT an art expert, there are so many art history majors , historians, museum curators who would stick their nose up at my limited knowledge here. I am just an art lover,and I try to sell paintings online . But...I know more than the average antique art shopper, and I like to share what I know if it may help you in any way.

 I liked this western themed frontier style painting , but it was bit high for resale. Would consider this one again though. Let's look at a tapestry...

This was a nice larger, maybe 3 or 4 feet long machine loomed tapestry, 1920-40's time frame. She had over 400.00 on it, too high for what they normally sell for. Most of these go for between 75.00-150.00 in good condition. When you look at these, check them out carefully for holes, tears, stains, etc. All defects are big deals in linens and tapestries. Also check that it is not too faded . Machine loomed are a uniform weave throughout, hand-loomed, much more  valuable, have a nubby appearance on the back and front. Hand-loomed , or weaved, can cost thousands of dollars.
Any machine-loomed tapestry with holes, tears, satins, and excess fading will be worth maybe 25%-50%( or less ) of it's value if it was in very good condition. 


Look at this little frame....

I almost bought this, but am being thrifty today. Wanted to show you that it is a newer frame, last 1-10 years, but is hand-signed by the artist on the back. That makes ANY item, that is handmade, more valuable. Support hand-crafted items at all times , when you can.

Decorators and homeowners have been using old fencing to decorate their walls at home. Neat idea , old fencing can be found at antique shops, salvage places , and large antique shows. 

 Gorgeous 1800's gold gilt mirror. I would say always buy an original old mirror instead of spending 100's on a new one that they make look old. Old antique ones will increase in value as well.

1800's gold gilt mirror

Metal decorative touches.

New reproduction painting of an old masters art. I could not get a good enough picture to show you that these are new. These are sold in home decorator stores, malls, ect. I would encourage each one of you to buy ORIGINAL antique or vintage or even new original art , instead of these mass-produced paintings that sell for 300. and up. Most are machine painted , mimiced to look old. They all have brand new frames as well.

Liked this old , probably English...1800's, wood panel painting. It had damage to the bottom left, and still a tad to high for resale...this time. This is another type of painting that has been faked by importers and sold in designer shops.

The original old wood back, shows you this is truly old.

This is another item that has been reproduced. These were mirrors for the 1800's, brass frames, but if you look at the back of this one...you see it has a new stand, and the backing is new. So a nice repro ' antique ' mirror. The original stands broke on many of these, and they look different from this one.

Wish we could turn people around and look at them from behind and see if they are genuine. I think God does that by looking at us when we are alone, no show, no audience. He knows what's ' behind ' are motives and actions.
Antique-religious-philosophy 101.

 Killer gorgeous pastel antique painting. Many problems for me with this one, foremost, pastels sell for less, usually than oil paintings. No 2 : It is large, covered with glass, a absolute nightmare-stressor to ship. And lastly, too expensive, even with his sale to make it worth my while. For re-sale .

Beautiful.

 Here I will frustrate myself, but try again to show the difference between a PAINTING and a PRINT of a painting. This is a copy or an antique painting, It is completely smooth to the touch, housed in a newer frame. Original paintings, the paint can be felt , unevenly over the surface.

 Completely flat and smooth.

Look at her fingers , no paint is seen or felt. This is a PRINT of a painting. Also , try not to call PRINTS of paintings, PAINTINGS. Even if they are a print of a painting, they are correctly called PRINTS.
Sound like a stern school teacher don't I ?
Sorry, pet peeve of mine...
I did find two nice items in the same booth as that PRINT above. This pretty pink chenille bedspread in very good condition. 
Look at the sparkle silver thread in the middle section , loved that.

And this early 1900's original PRINT ( do you feel as if I am trying to make a point ), of a grouping of pink and yellow roses in its original old frame. 

 Let's flip it around,see the dark cardboard backing ?

 Scored with these two, as they were in a 50 % off booth.
I see I am getting too long , I will continue our shopping tomorrow or the next day.

 Wishing you all love in the New Year,


Gina

Antique Shopping at SLEEPY Poet Antique Mall--Part 2

Back we are again to finish up my shopping for antique artwork , prints and picture frames at the Sleepy Poet Antique Mall in Charlotte, North Carolina. The mall is 55,000 S.F., huge, enjoyable...and the possibilities to lose yourself in here...physically and emotionally, are endless. We are halfway through, from the last post I did...so let me take you by the arm , and guide you through some more.

Let's go....

Here is a gorgeous antique frame, I would have jumped on, but the last owner of it did it the major Disservice of spraying it with gold paint. Please, do NOT EVER spray a picture frame with gold paint, either paint it directly by hand with burnished gold, or antique gold paint from  small can. Test the color first, if it comes out a bright, garish gold, DO NOT Use it. It destroys the value of a frame, by over 1/2 ( or more ).  Also , I will mention one of my personal pet peeves, that I will show in a picture later...and that is spraying or painting everything you can get your hands on WHITE. Shabby-chic, Cottagy  etc. look completely destroys the value for future generations, of a piece of furniture or mirror, or whatever someone decides to spray in white or an Easter egg color that is chic at present. 

One of my rants...but don't worry, knowing me there will be more.

Let's keep going, oh...passed on this frame.

 I love this ladies booth, she loves art like I do...I can tell. I have bought many things from her, but more difficult as she has them priced for what I would sell them for, so no profit for me.

Really like this antique landscape, but at 500.00, too high for resale. Perfect for someone for themselves though.

Pass.

 A antique oil on canvas of a harvest scene. Nice, but has numerous areas of damage, and the colors are very dull...my camera flash brightened them.

Pass for now. Sometimes I reconsider these at another time when I come through. Markdowns, sales, etc, help me reconsider.

Aisle after aisle after aisle after aisle....

Some lady has some fun with her furniture, she obviously likes to repaint everything...and it's hers so she can right ? I saw the large S a ways away from her booth, and made me think of Sarah.  Sarah would have liked all this ' funness ' in this booth, she came here with me twice. 

I wish I could buy her the S .

Then I looked around, and saw the large R on the wall behind me. I considered buying it for my oldest daughter Rachel, but at 300.00, and not knowing if she would even like it ( probably not )...I passed.

What a glue gun and fabric tassels can do to a lamp.

What faux orange fur and pink paint can do to a vintage chair.

Ok, enough silliness, let's keep walking.

Wanted to show you this, and since I do not have you in person, and cannot take the best pictures with my camera...will try to explain that this is NOT a painting. It IS a antique print that mimics the ' look ' of a painting. You have to run your finger gently across some of the people, and surroundings...and see there is no raised paint...no roughness at all. Not all paintings are ' rough' or have evident areas of paint, UNLESS you use a magnifying glass to check it out closely. In time, some restorers have shellacked or lacquered a paintings o much that it is smooth...drives me nuts I can't take each of you and show you the difference in person. 

This antique PRINT would fool most people, as it has the look of a painting, but if you run your hand across...totally smooth. It even has old rips and reglued tears in the paper ( or fabric ), and that makes it look like a painting. Just know it IS an antique print , in a antique frame ( frame had too much damage for me to buy ), BUT is not a original oil painting.

Gee whiz, I am frustrating myself , not being able to explain this well enough to help you.

Promise that entry soon about the difference with the best pictures I can possibly take,

Pass here.

Thought this was cute, glue magnets on the game letters and use them on your fridge. They had magnets on the back of them. Also, dealer here left this piece of furniture UNPAINTED, and remember, they sell better in the future in original state. Dresser , 1940's time frame, mahogany.

Another one of my favorite booths here, you end up gravitating towards booths you buy from before. Look down at that statue, I have two of those dogs below my arbor in my front yard.

Cement, heavy statue...but the staff here can lift anything and everything and put it in your car.

White earthenware abounds here , heavy and substantial kitchen and dining service pieces. 

One of my favorite signs in a booth. Really, for Pete's sake, you have to buy something here if you shop for 3-6 hours right ?

Antique French mezzotint ( hand tinted engraving ) , prints with glass are a bear to try to photograph properly. Bought this after dealer gave me fair price.
Bargain when you can.
Scored.

I bought this great  Santa painting for a song, 18.00. It is large, very well done...and I am probably going to put him up above the fireplace with some other Christmas style paintings beside him for the holidays.
Wanted to do something to make my little boy enjoy Christmas.
Scored.

Climbed out of the booth backwards and kept moving.

 Lovely antique print in antique frame. Will show you why I did not buy it..for resale.

See to the right of my finger, is broken off gesso ( decorative plaster ), and some broken off wood molding. Someone painted the area gold again, which is fine..I even do that...but too much gesso missing for me to buy for resale. Good deal at about 48.00 , I think was the price..., for someone for their home though.

Here is a nice booth , but lots of painted furniture..which by the way is VERY popular here...just not my preference. She has the chic silver/white shabby chic look going on on her booths.

Antique glass chandelier, and architectural elements. I don't sell glass chandeliers, I already stress out too much over wrapping and shipping antique artwork and frames to torture myself by attempting to wrap a gorgeous chandelier.
Pass.

I almost bought this vintage seascape, I have almost wanted to buy if for about 5 months. Not quite old enough, would say it was 1960-70's time frame.
Knowing me , I'll consider it again when I come back up.

Very fun 4 feet tall 1960-70's glass vase.
Passed, but fun.

The dealer had this seascape on sale...I basically wanted the vintage frame the most. Picked it off the wall, carried it with me.
Scored.

Original  1800's oil painting I made an offer on last month, and they did not get back to me...appears they couldn't locate the dealer. Anyway, it has alot of surface damage , and it was better I did not buy it then. BUT...I have come back if something has been marked wayyy down..and snatched it up.
Hope springs eternal.
Passed for now.

Saw this a week ago, it has been there about a month I would guess...and the dealer had marked it down for the second time. I love the handpainted flowers, the rich colors, the condition was good. Very heavy and sturdy, 1930-40's large firescreen.
Pulled the tag, and passed  it to one of the guys who works there, and he carted it off for me to my pile of stuff at the front counter.
Scored...really like this.

There is a lady that sells GOBS of vintage clothing in here...and I saw this 1970's men's butterfly shirt and had two thoughts:

No. 1--butterflies still make me immediately think of my Sarah.
No. 2--Who on earth would have ever worn this shirt ?
I like it though.

A very nice vintage ( 1930-40's ) oil on board Marine painting by listed artist at fair price. Still got a discount from dealer, pleased.
Scored.

Gorgeous gesso antique frame..but I passed as the oval are difficult to sell for resale. Consider these though to make mirrors out of for your home.

Phew...about 3 -3 1/2 hours have passed...I have to get back on the road. There is my firescreen to far left, and on the counter now...

My stack of too many paintings and one print.

That is David to the far left, ringing up my finds. He is one of my favorite employees here, him and Jason  . I really like everyone who works here, and one of the owners , Dixon, is also nice and witty. They all make this a very pleasurable shopping trip.

It is a big distraction for me to come here , and I appreciate them helping make it so.

Here is the link to their mall:
http://sleepypoetstuff.com/index.html


Hope you all have a nice day,
Gina