The Twists And Turns Of Life -

Twenty five years ago I was teaching high school mathematics.

If someone had told me I would be selling antiques after I retired I would never have believed them. But, as fate would have it we had a new home in a small New England town that needed to be furnished and my sister - a long time resident and antiques dealer - introduced me to a whole new world of antiques. It wasn't long before I was using a large portion of my new found retirement time selling some of my new found treasures on Ebay.

We attended an estate auction at one of the Bellevue Avenue mansions in Newport RI and I purchased a large set of antique Haviland Limoges china. I sold it piece by piece on Ebay and a good part of it to a lady in Texas named Dixie. I promptly learned all I could about this beautiful antique china and sought it out in my antiquing travels. Before long I found myself specializing in antique Haviland china and Holly Lane Antiques was born.

While participating in an Antiques Show in Southern California we met a lady who had a set of Haviland she wanted to sell. We visited her house and found it full of something she referred to as white ironstone - much of it also for sale. It was love at first site! The shapes of these pieces took me back to the Geometry I had been teaching and the floral embossed pieces soon became my favorites. They had been long time collectors and were finding it necessary to downsize. We had been advised at an Antiques Show that we needed to broaden our inventory - that specializing in just Haviland china would not be successful. So we did just that and went back to visit and purchase from her often.

I must admit that visitors to our booth at Antiques Shows often comment on the wide difference of our offerings - from the delicate pastels trimmed in gold of the antique Haviland China to the simplicity of the early English White Ironstone - from the china of the elite to the farmer's china. Add some early Transferware, Vintage Linens, Glass and Silver and that is now Holly Lane Antiques. No longer selling on Ebay, we now have our Ruby Lane Shop and participate in many Antiques Shows.

Last year while searching for something to make as a contribution to a local charity's Christmas boutique I decided to knit some baby hats. I had found something to occupy those long hours sitting at Antiques Shows and traveling to and from them. So I continued knitting baby hats - finding and adapting new patterns - and loving engaging my creative side. The patterns became more complicated to keep up with my newest ideas and the baby hats became more precious and fun.

Holly Lane Hand Knit Baby Hats became a reality on Etsy. I already had an Etsy Shop having tried to sell some of my antiques in its vintage area. With a few changes I became part of its hand made artisan area.

While visiting our daughter in Boston we became aware of the Sowa Open Markets and have been selling these special little hats there in the Sowa Artisan Market on the Sundays when we don't have an Antiques Show scheduled. I just love seeing peoples' reaction to them - I can say that few can walk by our booth without smiling.

Our Ruby Lane Shop is a wonderful place to sell our antiques as is Etsy for our baby hats. However, there is nothing like interaction with the people who also enjoy what you sell. Our Antiques Shows and Sowa provide that for us. We are continually searching for other places to sell our special baby hats and spent last Saturday on the Cape with the Sandwich Artisans. It was a wonderful day and we will return in early October.

So - This is our retirement - If I never would have believed I would be selling antiques - I really never would have believed I would be knitting and selling baby hats.

The Twists and Turns of life!

Visit Holly Lane Antique On Ruby Lane -
And Follow Us On FaceBook -

Visit Holly Lane Hand Knit Baby Hats On Etsy -
And Follow Our Newest Page On FaceBook -

Find Us On Pinterest -

Summer Antiques Shows

~ OUR SUMMER ANTIQUES SHOW SCHEDULE ~

~ COME VISIT HOLLY LANE ANTIQUES ~

June 2 - CCADA Spring Antiques Show - South Yarmouth Ma - Cape Cod
June 9 & 10 - Antiques At Elm Bank - Ma Horticultural Center - Wellesley Ma
June 16 - Grafton Historical Society Antiques Fair - Grafton Ma
June 23 & 24 - Vintage Bazaar - Pettengill Farm - Salisbury Ma
June 30 - Brewster Historical Society - Drummer Boy Park - Brewster Ma - Cape Cod
July 4 - Tiverton Antiques Show - Four Corners - Tiverton RI
August 4 - Little Compton Antiques Show - Sakonnet Winery - Little Compton RI
August 16 - Osterville Historical Society Antiques Show - Osterville Ma - Cape Cod
September 23 - Antiques At The Depot - Lexington Ma
September 29 - Weston Antiques Show - Golden Ball Tavern - Weston Ma

Click on the banner below to visit our internet store at Tias Antique Arts -


Visit Holly Lane Antiques On Ruby Lane -

Become a Fan of Holly Lane Antiques on FaceBook
Follow Holly Lane Antiques on Twitter
Follow Holly Lane Antiques on Pinterest

Surrounded By White -

Hyacinth & Beaded Handle Soup Tureens - Hyacinth Sauce Tureen


Early this month we attended the White Ironstone China Association annual convention in York Pa. This convention is a wonderful immersion into this early English pottery with so much to see and learn in the company of the nicest people - many even more addicted to early White Ironstone than I am. Is that really possible?

There are many opportunities to purchase wonderful pieces of English White Ironstone from the Tops & Bottoms Sale the first evening - to the Auction with over two hundred items available - to the Sunday Morning Sale. Most of those attending this convention are collectors and as their collections get too large some of their treasures need to be moved aside for new acquisitions. The many special items included in the auction are these pieces.

We came home with a car full of white treasures - many of which will be available for purchase in our internet stores on Ruby Lane and Tias Antique Arts. However, since I favor the pieces with floral embossing many of those will remain in my private collection - at least for a while.


The charming small sauce tureens were plentiful and we came home with ten of these precious treasures. And at the other end of the spectrum we now have two new large soup tureens - one with its matching under plate. I have a customer in California who has a variety of the sauce tureens and serves soup in them to her guests - with each having their own unique shape.


Squash On Vine Shape - Paneled Grape Shape - Victor Shape

I have always been drawn to early White Ironstone pitchers and ewers especially those with the floral shapes such as these -

Forget Me Not Shape and Wheat in the Meadow Shape


Shown here along with Ceres Shape, Leaf & Thumbprint Shape, Budded Vine Shape

My newest fascination is the early tea pots. I just love the form of the Chinese Shape and Fig Shape and the simplicity of the Sevres Shape.


Bath pieces are becoming more and more difficult to find - the brush and razor boxes and soap dishes. We were lucky enough to locate a matched pair in the Hanging Basket Shape. These pieces leave the bath quite often in today's life style. A customer of mine uses them on her buffet table to hold all sorts of small food items.


Wonderful relish dishes were available and leaf shapes seem to be the theme of those I purchased.


Fig Union Shape - Lily Of The Valley Shape - Potomac Shape - Along With Leaf Shapes

These two covered tureens are just exquisite in their shapes -

Fig Shape and Berlin Swirl Shape


Platters in a variety of sizes and plates completed our purchases. So very useful and food looks so appealing on white.


Morning Glory Shape, Baltic Shape, Athens Shape Platters
Ribbed Cookie Plate
Corn & Oats Plates
Fig Shallow Bowl



Please visit our internet stores if you see something you would like to add to your collection - links below.

Better still - Come visit our booth at one of the many Antiques Shows we will be participating in this summer in New England - and see and touch these special pieces of early English White Ironstone.

We have just returned from Brimfield and some of these pieces are no longer available.

Our next show is an exciting experience - Antiques at Elm Bank - June 11 and 12 - on the grounds of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Just imagine white tents full of antiques nestled amongst beautiful gardens! My favorite combination - antiques and flowers - Wonderful!


Holly Lane Antiques is located across from the goddesses

Click on the banner below to visit our internet store where many of the items pictured are available for purchase -


And visit our newest internet store at Ruby Lane
Holly Lane Antiques at Ruby Lane

Become a Fan of Holly Lane Antiques on FaceBook

Experiencing Spring In Rhode Island ~

We recently traveled to Rhode Island to begin our summer schedule of Antiques Shows starting with the J & J Field at Brimfield this week.

Our first impression was that our corner of Rhode Island hadn't been told - It Is Spring! On a sunny day last week I set out for my walk along these country roads. I began by admiring our magnolia tree - the one sign of spring in our very dreary yard.



The sky was the most wonderful blue - a blue we don't ever quite see in California. It was definitely a "good to be alive day"! But just look at those bare branched trees.



Looking down - the dandelions are here - and wait - there are teeny flowers mixed in - so very close to the ground.



And this wonderful patch of purple color - again so very close to the ground -

And a stray brave flower that knows Spring is here -




A few trees are trying to wake up - so slowly.








Yellow is definitely the color of Spring - Forsythia!

A few remaining daffodils -



And Marsh Marigolds -



The sound of the babbling water adds to the joy of this day!





Wonderful color in a neighbor's yard -



And home to my beautiful magnolia



And to find that the Osprey have returned again this year to their nest high up in our tall pine tree.

Yes - Spring is showing itself in Little Compton a little more each day!

Holly Lane Antiques At The Del Mar Antiques Show -

Holly Lane Antiques returned to the Del Mar Antiques Show last weekend. It is a three day large show at the fairgrounds in Del Mar California. It was a wonderful spring weekend and we had a successful show. Perhaps the economy really is beginning to turn around! The best part of any show for us is always visiting with our returning customers who are now friends after so many years and helping them add to their collections.







As many of my blog readers know I have a serious fondness for the early English White Ironstone I sell and have favorite pieces. One of my most favorite ewers in the Bordered Hyacinth Shape found a new home as did this difficult to find large drainer - also referred to as a mezzanine I have been told.





Two of my exquisite Hawkes stems also found a new home. Note the unusual square base. Back in their day I am sure they were meant as water goblets but now how wonderful for our wine! Two of this size are still available as are matching cordial stems.



Favorites among my sterling collection are the delicate strawberry forks with their long tines for piercing those luscious berries. Several of those will now be used for the wonderful large just picked California strawberries we are finding in our roadside stands. These are in the Imperial Chrysanthemum pattern of Gorham. Four more are still available as well as strawberry forks in other patterns.



A favorite Antique Haviland plate in a beautiful lavender floral dropping to the center went home with a Haviland collector and repeat customer. She also chose a charming chocolate cup and saucer for her collection. Another collector of Haviland ramekin sets chose one in the popular Schleiger #146 pattern on the St Germain blank. There are still some of these chocolate cups and saucers and ramekins available for purchase. The plate was unique and a rare find.







My husband commented on the variety that we sold at this show including some of our beautiful English table linens and depression stemware and antique floral prints.

This show however was a bit bittersweet for us. We brought my 99 year old dad to live with us here in California last October. He was with us for the November and January Del Mar shows. He came and watched us set up our booth - asking questions and giving suggestions for a better way. My daughter brought him to see the show and he proclaimed our booth as the best one there - always the proud dad! He passed in March to join my mom and sisters. He is so missed!




Click on the banner below to visit our internet store where some of the items pictured are available for purchase.


Also visit our new internet store
Holly Lane Antiques at Ruby Lane

Become a Fan of Holly Lane Antiques on FaceBook