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!

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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

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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!




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March - A Time For Green And Clover -

My Favorite - Green Orchid

For the Irish and the non Irish alike - March is the month we think green!


Early English White Ironstone Ewer in the Clover Shape

A Time to Celebrate - being Irish or perhaps that Spring really is coming!


Antique Elite Limoges Plate

For most of the country this has been a long, cold and snowy winter and you are yearning to look out your windows and see your green lawn again. For those of us in Southern California it is a joy to look out our windows and see the foothills once again covered in green after the fires. We have had so much rain lately it is as if it actually rained green.



Early Haviland celebrated the Irish with its designs featuring clover patterns.


Schleiger 98


Schleiger 113

And often used green very effectively as borders and accents.






Schleiger 1153


Schleiger 2776


Schleiger 33


Schleiger 847



The early English potters favored clover in several of their shapes.


Wheat And Clover Shape



Green transfer ware is not as readily available as other colors. When a piece is found it is a rare treat!





Green depression glass is always special







Continuing With The Green Theme -


Royal Crown Derby


Tirschenreuth


Royal Crown Derby


Haviland Schleiger 67


Royal Worcester England


Haviland Limoges



Green has always been a favorite color of mine. I love it that there is a month when many celebrate green!


19th Century George lll Mahogany Fire Screen




More Greens - A Yummy Way To Eat Your Spinach!


Bruschetta with Fontina and Greens

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
Toasts:

* 1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta bread, trimmed and cut into 14 (1/2-inch thick) slices
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
* 1 garlic clove, halved

Topping:

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 12 ounces (12 cups) baby spinach
* Kosher salt
* 2 cups (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese

Directions

For the toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Set aside.

For the topping: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/2 of the spinach and stir until it begins to wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Using tongs, arrange the spinach on top of the toasts. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Season with salt and cool for 2 minutes.

Transfer the bruschetta to a platter and serve.


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Holly Lane Antiques at Ruby Lane

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A Bit Distracted Recently

Holly Lane Antiques continues to offer a large selection of Antique Haviland Limoges China and wonderful Early English White Ironstone at their two internet locations - Ruby Lane and Antique Arts - links below.

However, this blog has been neglected for a while since my life has taken on a new focus. In October we brought my 99 year old dad to live with us. This has been a new adventure for all of us and after two months we are all settling in very well. What a wonderful experience for my daughters and grand children as they have the opportunity to experience his stories of life in the early 1900's. And to have four generations gathered for our Christmas celebrations was most special!





I have especially enjoyed observing the interaction of my 7 year old grandson with his 99 year old great grandfather. They have become great buddies! Memories to be cherished!




With the new year we will be continuing our Antiques Shows beginning with the Del Mar Show January 22 23 24 at the fairgrounds in Del Mar California. Holly Lane Antiques can be found again at space 820.

And with the new year I will be back here more often sharing information about our new treasures and adventures.

The beautiful Haviland set pictured at the beginning of this blog entry dates to the late 1800's - Haviland's earlier pieces. It is the Lierre Shape of Haviland and features a pattern of gilded leaves. The squash finials and split design of the ribbon handles add to the beauty of these pieces.




Among our most recent English White Ironstone pieces are this Hidden Motif Shape Pitcher and Niagara Fan Shape covered tureen. The Hidden Motif Shape was made by Jacob Furnival & Co Cobridge England. This 19th century English White Ironstone Pitcher has a lovely graceful shape with leaf sprays around the top and bottom of the wonderful rope handle. The hidden motif are the small 6 leaf sprays under the pitcher lip.




The Niagara Fan Shape was made by Anthony Shaw c.1856. This 19th century white ironstone tureen has a lovely classic shape along with an embossed leaf pattern on the lid at the base of a gorgeous finial. Both the body and lid are divided into paneled sections and it stands on a pedestal base.

Holly Lane Antiques Sends Best Wishes For A Happy New Year To All!

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



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