ALADDINS FAIR TREASURES - March 2017

I decided to visit the Aladdins Antique & Collectables Fair at Windsor yesterday. It had been some time since I'd been to an Aladdins Fair, but as it was the last day of my holidays I thought I deserved a treat. Not only did I manage to pick up a few treasures but I also caught up with some of my collector friends, bumped into a cousin of mine and enjoyed a leisurely lunch with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. Overall it was a very pleasant day and a great way to finish my holidays.

Below are some of the items I came home with.

Not a big haul but I think there are some unusual and interesting items among them

An enamel chamber pot and a ceramic 'The New Slipper Bed Pan'

Sandland Ware cream and sugar featuring 'Down Somerset Way' transfer print

Crown Lynn (New Zealand) child's 'Georgie Porgie" mug

Miniature sad iron - 9cm long

Set of four 'Dulcet Piano Peds'

Willow cookie press and carved wooden handled bread knife

'Philips Model of the Human Body (Female)'

I may keep some of these items for my own collection but many will be coming up for sale soon. Feel free to message me if something takes your fancy.

My Birthday Visit to the Historical Brisbane Home MIEGUNYAH

Last Sunday was my 60th birthday. Not being a huge party person, I decided it would be nice just to have a quiet day out with my family doing things that I enjoy. So a visit to "Miegunyah" and the "Windsor and Districts Historical Society" was planned. It had been about 38 years since Karen and I had been to "Miegunyah". Throw some yummy food, such as a Devonshire Tea and lunch at Subway, into the equation and you have what to me seems a great day out.

We left early so that we could arrive at "Miegunyah" just when it opened. Unfortunately, I didn't check the opening times before we left and we turned up half an hour early. At least we weren't late. Thank goodness for electronic devices such as laptops, iPads and mobile phones to while away the spare half hour.

"Miegunyah", an aboriginal word meaning 'my house', is a heritage home from the late Victorian period, now owned by the Queensland Women's Historical Association. It was built in the 1880s and is located at Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills in Brisbane. It was purchased by the Queensland Women's Historical Association in March 1967 and opened as a house museum in June 1968. "Miegunyah" is on the Register of the National Estate, on the Queensland Heritage Register and classified 'A' by the National Trust. It is considered to be a particularly well preserved and fine example of a typical large Queenslander built in Brisbane in the last quarter of the 19th century. You can read more about "Miegunyah's" history here.

We were met at the door by our guide, a lovely lady named Marita, and invited into the entry hall. Marita's guided tour of the home bought everything to life. She knew the home's history well and many other interesting things about how the former residents would have lived. Although I have been interested in antiques and their history for most of my life, I still learnt many new things from Marita. For example, the numerous starched collars that a man would keep in a leather collar box on his dressing table were not just a fashion fad (as I thought) but were changed daily out of necesity because he would be wearing the same shirt possibly for the whole week. This fact, accompanied with only bathing once a week, would have resulted in a shirt with a very grimy collar, hence the solution of having a number of detachable collars instead. A guided tour is a must if you ever visit "Miegunyah".

Below are a few overall photos I took of some of the rooms in "Miegunyah".

The Drawing Room - most likely originally the main bedroom

Another view of the Drawing Room - showing the piano in one of the front bay windows

The Dining Room - very grand now but would have originally been two smaller rooms

Another view of the Dining Room - showing the other front bay window. Most of the joinery is red cedar while the floors are all of pine.

One room is set up as a Bedroom with a very nice brass & iron bed

The Kitchen - showing blue and white china on one of the kitchen dressers

The following photos show some of the other things you can expect to see on your visit.

This is the Dining Room fireplace. Under the two glass domes are two taxidermied miniature dogs. These dogs are believed to have been pets and specially bred to achieve their small size. Although these two dogs are reputed to be the genuine article, it must be understood that due to the Victorian's demand for the bizarre, the Victorian taxidermist became very skilful at faking tiny adult dogs. Are these two genuine? Let's believe so, however gross you may find them to be. You can read more here.

One of the miniature dogs - probably only about 10-12cm high

The other miniature dog - even much smaller than the first, probably smaller than a rat

Lactogen baby feeder in the Child's Nursery - had to take a photo of this as I collect baby feeders. This one is a little different to the Lactogen feeder that I have in my own collection

Salesman's samples of bentwood furniture. If I had to pick something, these three pieces would probably be my favourites. Would love to have them in my own collection.

Red Cedar display cabinet originally from the old Queensland Museum. I have seen a number of these cabinets from the Queensland Museum in recent years. Saw one at the Mary Kathleen Memorial Park and Museum at Cloncurry earlier this year as well as one similar in the Harrisville & District Museum last year.

This display cabinet housed a collection of Victorian gentleman's smoking caps

Very nice small size butter churn - often see the large size but seldom this half size version. Another item that would look good in my own collection

Nice assortment of vintage irons displayed in the Laundry. I believe the pressure spirit iron at the back right is a rather rare model. Very unusual with a wooden handle that would look more at home on a hand saw. 

Nice little gothic styled clock in the Gentleman's Dressing Room

We ended the morning with a yummy Devonshire Tea on the front verandah of "Miegunyah", overlooking what would have once been part of a large country estate but what is now inner city Brisbane suburbia.

TEA is now being SERVED - "Miegunyah" is still extremely fortunate to have it's original shutters on it's windows. This is one of the front bay windows

Rob and I ready to tuck into our Devonshire Tea. I believe the scones were freshly baked on site by Marilyn, the other  guide working with Marita and looking after visitors on the day.

Karen enjoying a cuppa and some scones with strawberry jam & cream

All served on a "Belle Vue Hotel" plate - could this be from the famous Brisbane Bellevue Hotel that was demolished amidst much controversy in 1979? If so, this could be a collectable in it's own right.

 A few more photos before we leave.

Another detail view of one of the bay windows - showing the space above the window. I imagine many a possum has spent a cosy night camped up there. I would have thought this space would have been sealed off.

The cast iron balustrade and columns were made by the Brisbane Makers of  SMITH FORRESTER & Co

Time to go after a very pleasant morning

A big thanks must go to Marita and Marilyn for their very warm hospitality and also to the 'Queensland Women's Historical Association' for the fine job they have done in preserving a beautiful piece of Brisbane's history.

Now off to the "Windsor and Districts Historical Society", but that's another story.  

My Collectorama Treasures - June 2013

Went to Collectorama on Saturday. It's a huge Antiques & Collectables Fair held four times a year, in the Nambour Show-grounds on the Sunshine Coast. Today, being the first official day of winter, meant a cold and dark start for me if I was to get there before the gates opened. You guessed it, I ended up arriving about a half hour after it had started. Still got reasonable parking though and don't think I really missed much.

I spent about three and a half hours looking around, picking up a few treasures and catching up with a few friends here and there. I started with the lower covered area.

My first find was a Salter No. 8 flat iron or sad iron on Ashley's stall. This type of iron aren't rare but they are usually to be found in a rather poor condition. This one (pictured below) was in very good condition and also very reasonably priced. Ashley always has many old irons for sale as he is an avid collector of irons as well as many other metal items. Lately he has been selling of his surplus at bargain prices which has enabled me to add to my own collection of irons which forms an important part of my overall kitchenalia collection.

Next I found this tool pictured below. The stall holder said it was for measuring the thickness of sheet metal and the gauge of wire. Not sure if this is correct as I can find no evidence of it ever having any markings on it that would indicate this. I showed it to another stall holder who thought it was more likely to be a special tool used for bending wire. But bending wire for what purpose remains unknown so it looks as though a lot more research will need to be done by yours truly. 

I found another item to add to my kitchenalia collection. This time it was a nice tin mould, maybe for jelly or something similar. Looks a bit like a beetle doesn't it? I believe it is supposed to be some type of fruit shape.

It was time to check out the two storey main pavilion next. You often find some of the better (and unfortunately dearer) items in there.

At one of the downstairs stalls, run by a nice guy from Maleny named Steve, I came across a convict brick with a large impressed heart mark. He believed it to be a genuine convict brick and after a bit of research, I am inclined to agree with him. Looks like another item that will require more research and a post of its own. I had bought some things from Steve before, namely rabbit traps, so knew that his prices were very reasonable to start with and that he was also open to consider any reasonable offers. I noticed that he had a huge circular saw blade on his stall but unfortunately it was already sold. So glad I talked to him about this because he told me that he had another one at home that I could buy. I gave him my card and he said he will bring it along to the next Collectorama in September for me. Don't know how I'm going to wait till then to get it. Hope he doesn't forget and sell it before hand.

Upstairs in the main pavilion I found the rolling pin shown below. I already had a few rolling pins but none with ends like this one. It's also quite a long one and in very good clean condition. Would be great for making pizza because of its length. Another nice addition to my kitchenalia collection.

I finished the morning by looking around the other covered area (the split level one) to see what else I could find.

The following two items were both from the same stall in the higher section of the split level area. I was lucky to see them as they had only been put out just before I'd come along (at least that's what the stall holder said). The DeWitt's Antacid Powder tin seems to be over half full but as the lid is stuck firm I have no way of checking this.  It looks as though someone has unsucessfully tried to remove the lid. Still a nice tin with good graphics. Probably dates from the 1950s.

The second item from this stall is a very tiny bottle of Alophen Chocolate Coated Pills (a laxative) with it's original box. It still has six pills left in the bottle. It has a very interesting ingredients list on the label that says the pills contain both strychnine and belladonna. I think the need for constipation relief would probably become a minor secondary problem after taking these pills.

On the same level I also found these two galvanised pitchers. The stall holder believes they were most likely used to bail out the dirty water from washing coppers. As he had about six identical ones (and he said he still had more at home) I am inclined to believe that they would have been used to scoop out feed or grain either on a farm or in a produce store. They are very strongly made and in good condition. I will probably plant them up and use them in my garden somewhere.

I also found some old Edison cylinder records (nine all up) on this upper level. Their cases weren't in very good condition but all (except for one) of the cylinders were very good. I've only ever had three before so now I have enough to play with when and if I ever get my own Edison Cylinder Gramophone. Also, the stall holder only wanted $10 for the lot which made them even more attractive.

One of my last purchases of the day, found on the lower level, was a child's Puss in Boots plate by Bristol, England. This goes nicely with a child's bowl with similar decoration that I already have from the same English company.

Last but not least was this yellow New Zealand Number plate form the early 1960s. It has already found a good home mounted securely on my shed along with all of my other number plates. Good colour for a 50 year old plate.

Oh, and of course no visit to Collectorama would be complete without stopping by for a chat and to buy some roasted macadamia nuts from Hamish. His stall turned out to be quite the meeting place on Saturday with George, Fay and Gordon, all from my bottle cub, also turning up for a chat while I was there. 

The next event that I am looking forward to is the Caboolture Swap Meet Show & Shine on Saturday the 22nd of June. Never been to this one before so hope it turns out to be a good one.