You know I love my antique and vintage finds.  And, I love to share them with you.  If you want to see all of the posts on my fun finds throughout the years, along with prices, they are all rounded up here.  It’s fun for me to share what we have in our area and what we pay for things. And, from talking to others on social media, we have some good stuff.  My dad called me and told me of a barn sale so Deb and I hopped in the car and made a flying trip about 30 minutes away.  That barn sale was huge.  So here are my antique and vintage finds this week.

Why do I collect things?

I can imagine many of you asking yourselves why do I collect things. Ha! What makes me collect certain things?  How do I know what to add to my collections?  I thought I would answer some of these questions quick.  

I have been collecting antique and vintage items since I was 19 years old. I bought my first home and filled it with only antique items because that is what was the most affordable at the time.  My entire house was filled with antique furniture that cost $1, $3, $20.  If you missed the post on my yellow ware bowl collection, I shared where I found my first one. After that I was hooked.

As far as what makes me pick certain things to collect… I can’t answer that.  Ha! My newest collection are old wooden canes.  I had one that was Deb’s dad’s that basically hung out in my home decor room.  That was until I found a few more for a few dollars and added them to an old barrel here in the kitchen. I loved the look.  And what do you know, every yard sale that I went to over the next few weeks had old wooden canes for $1-$2.  Some were more expensive but I set my budget for canes at $2, so anything under that, it comes home with me as a little treasure.

Collecting vintage items can be a rewarding hobby for so many people for so many reasons.

Vintage items often carry memories of the past, whether they are personal experiences or a connection to generations past. Some people may seek out items that remind them of their childhood, family history, or a time they admire.  I think I only have maybe one piece that belonged to family, but the pieces I have now have big stories. Since I have been collecting for years, I have carried a lot of these pieces with me throughout lots of different phases of my life.  Each piece has lived in many homes with us and many storage units over the years.  Like I said above, my love for vintage and antique pieces started out of necessity due to cost and it moved into more of I love the way they look. Vintage and antiques add warmth and character to our home.  Ok on to my finds.

Antique and Vintage Finds this Week

Five Wooden Canes

I mentioned my cane collection… well, I added to that when I found 5 of them for $1 each.  My little barrel in the kitchen is getting full. And, I love it.  They are fun to collect and you can find them pretty much everywhere. I have been collecting long enough that I know how it goes.  Once people start gathering them up, the prices will go up. I saw it with my rolling pin and wooden kitchen utensils collections.  I bought all of my rolling pins for under $1 each and my wooden spoons for 10-25 cents.

Wooden Barrel Tapper

I have never shared this smaller collection with you before.  But, I found a wooden barrel tapper for $1 and added it to the ones I already had.  I think the first one I found was in the House on Winchester hoard.  I thought it was so cool so I added it to a bowl inside one of my cabinets.  If I see one for $1-$2 I pick them up. Now I have a smaller collection of them.

Wooden Shoe Form

Wooden shoe forms are another smaller collection that I have that I rarely show. I have had a few forms in my possession for several years. Recently, I have grabbed a few more to add for $1 each.  So you can say that collection is growing as well.

Foldable Wooden Tape Measures

This is a collection that I started a few years ago. I had one foldable wooden tape measure that was probably found in a random auction box.  Well, they started popping up for me at yard and barn sales for $1.  So I grabbed them. I have them all displayed in this basket here in the laundry room.  My dad picked five of these up for me for $2 each and wouldn’t let me pay him back.  So, these were free to me. I love the way they look. 

Fun Fact:  The Amish crew who hung our trim in our new house used one of these.  When he whipped that tape measure out of his pocket I almost laughed.  But that is what he is used to I guess.

Cast Iron Lantern Holder ?

I have a question mark because I’m really not sure if this piece is a lantern holder.  Several people over on social media thought it was.  They guy selling it had no clue either but a quick search revealed several similar things.  I didn’t find anything exactly like this.  But it was $10. And, I love it with a candle. It would also look cute holding a pumpkin, a Christmas tree, or even a plant. If you know anything about it, let me know.  It is pretty big as you can see from this pic below.