Porcelain Kitty with a Mystery

 

A few months back my friend Susan and I attended an Estate sale.  It was a great one and I found more things than I should have.  I actually went back on the last day of the three day sale when prices had been cut in half. There were still many items left that were worthy of bringing home.

 

Since  I have a black and white kitty who is so dear to my heart, it seemed I should take this little porcelain piece home with me.

Don’t we all flip things over to see what markings we might recognize?  This name didn’t mean much to me but I did like the fact that it was from Germany.  The owner of the home had great taste and I felt sure this was a found treasure.

 

Here’s what I found on an antique collectibles sight:

The Erphila trademark was used by Ebeling & Ruess Co. of Philadelphia between 1886 and the 1950s. The company imported quality porcelain and pottery from Germany, Czechoslovakia, Italy and France. In general, Erphila pieces are scarce, not easily found.

 

I do think Maggie and Estate sale kitty could be related!  You don’t know how many times I have walked by my dresser thinking Maggie was sitting there when it’s really just the estate sale kitty.

 

Okay now for the mystery.  Here’s where one of you might come in  to help.  This little thing has a cork plug in the bottom and appears to be filled with sand.  Why is that?  I can’t find anything online when I search for information about Erphila pieces that indicates anything about the cork or the sand.

 

I mentioned it to my daughter Jamie one day and she said maybe it was really an urn…an urn the original owner had used to store the ashes of her beloved cat!!!  YIKES!  I never thought of that!!  Could it be? 

 

For some reason, I don’t think so.  It is quite heavy.  Do any of you have any knowledge of this?  I’d love to hear if you do.

 

I’m joining Marty’s blog ~~ A Stroll Thru Life  and Tabletop Tuesday  with a little vignette today. 

I hope you have lots of good things planned for your week.  I am looking at upcoming Estate sales looking for a secretary for my living room!

 

Donna

Classy and White

 

 

 

Hello Friends!  I’m participating in Rhoda’s Today’s Thrifty Treasures once again.  It seems I always have something to share from a thrifting adventure.  Even though I didn’t find all these luscious white dishes this past week, all but one were from thrift store finds.

 

My eye was drawn to these plates because of their shape.  I flipped them over and REALLY loved them when I saw they were Johnson Brothers Ironstone dishes for 99 cents!  A couple of them do have a chip here and there, but for some reason that doesn’t bother me.  I am on the lookout for more, as there were only five plates.

 

As all of us dish junkies know, white plates are the perfect look for a variety of tablescapes, one being shown here.

 

 

On the same day at my local Goodwill, I found these beauties!!!

The bottom tells me they are from the Henry Ford Museum England Collections by Simpsons LTD.  Once upon a time ( a few months back) I happened to check for these on eBay and they were going for a pretty penny. If my memory recalls, the coffee pot was over $70!  Aren’t their lines simply eloquent?  It is so hard to understand how people can just give these pretties away.  I have a hard time parting with some things that are much less beautiful than these!

 

And more white treasures…..

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the blurry picture, but i wanted to show you how well they work in my glass front cabinet.  It was just what I needed to show up against my dark red/brown wood.

White dishes are gorgeous in little vignettes!  Just look at that little sugar bowl?  Doesn’t it just make you weak in the knees?

 

Who’s going to tell me the little baby cups are in desperate need of polishing?

Oh wait!  We bloggers decided we like tarnished silver, didn’t we??  :)

 

 

On the other side of my kitchen I have shown you this black cabinet that sits in the hearth room. It’s a fun place ever changing accessories.   Anything white placed in here is always crisp and striking.  I have found oodles of little white pitchers.

 

 

 

On top of the cabinet sits a little white lidded bowl…cute as can be for $4.00.

 

I’m also happy to join Marty at A stroll thru Life and her Table Top Tuesday party.

 

And Linda at Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays.

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by 47th Street Today!

Can’t wait to see what you are up to again!

Have a great day! 

Donna

 

Whiffs From Heaven

 

 

 

Recently I took a little road trip with three other friends to Kansas City.  We visited Nell Hills and several other little shops.  Just browsing around I always have a hard time resisting picking up soaps and candles.  If they are there, it seems I must pick several up to smell.

This one REALLY appealed to me!

It is so very fragrant with the most pleasant smell!

Strong but not overpowering.

 

 

Not needing a new soap in my tub or shower quite yet, I decided to place it on my bedside table to see if I could smell it in the night.

 

And I DO!

Quite often I have sleepless nights…

Nights where I truly might toss and turn for up to three hours!

I have decided the scent of this soap makes those tortured hours worthwhile.  I’m amazed at how often I roll over and get whiffs of lavender.

 

I also have a lavender candle nearby.  I burn this as I browse through decorating books or cookbooks just prior to turning the light off. 

The little Reed and Barton silver plate was an estate sale find from last week end as was the little footed glass dish.  Such simple pleasures of life! 

My motto is ~~ Let’s use the pretty things for everyday.  They really do bring me great pleasure.

 

 

 I was happy to see my purple irises blooming now.  My mother gave the bulbs to me when we moved into our new home.  She is always thinning her iris.

I don’t have any purple in my bedroom ~~ it’s actually decorated in red and gold.  That won’t stop me from placing irises by my pillow or from burning a lavender scented candle.  Notice the book?  “Art of Accessorizing”  ?? 

 

 

 

 

 

This was one Marty recommended to us a couple of weeks ago.  It IS a good one!  I’m joining Marty for Table Top Tuesday and Tootsie for Flaunt your Flowers this week.  I hope you’ll visit them as well.  There’s plenty of inspiration.

 

 

What’s on your bedside table?

What are life’s simple pleasures for you?

Donna

 

    

Letting Early Spring Linger

Good Morning everyone!  I’ve been wanting to join Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for quite some time.  Today is the day!

 

 

Many of us live where spring is bursting open with tulips, daffodils and lots of perennials showing God’s gorgeous color palette.  Being a silk floral designer I have much of this indoors as well.  :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still have forsythia “blooming” in my entry with this little vignette.  It makes me smile each time I walk by it.

 

 

 

 

Moss Rocks add interest and more color of nature

 

 

 

A little bunny grooming himself, along with more moss rocks and a soft green beaded garland complete this simple look.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Marty for hosting our event again this week.  I always enjoy seeing what others have to share.

 

Thanks for joining me today!