Last Friday I showed you some antique demijohns I've collected over the last year. Since they are currently quite a popular collectible, many places charge quite a pretty penny for them. But if you happen to not mind shopping in the not quite so chic antiques stores, the kind that are more of an antique/junk store or those in little out of the way towns that aren't so popular for antiquing, then you just may happen upon a bargain. Finding a bargain is part of the fun of the hunt!
So let me tell you about this large demijohn that I recently found, embossed with the year 1933 on its bottom. (The year made me wonder what this demijohn was originally used for as prohibition was from 1920-1933 and most demijohns were used for wine or beer production.) This demijohn was actually found in quite a trendy antique mall, but this poor guy was in sad shape. Because of that, it was on sale.
When I first saw it, it had the bottom half of it's wicker jacket torn off, and old brown tape wrapped around the neck of the bottle, trying to hold one side of a metal and wood handle on it. It was filthy dirty. I took it home and didn't even think of taking a photo of it before I started cleaning it up.
Some people love the texture of the wicker left on the demijohn, even if it's a bit raggedy, but in most cases I prefer the beauty of the old glass, so the first step I took was cutting off the remaining old wicker. Next was taking off the old tape. Then I gave it a good bath in hot water and Dawn dish soap in the bathtub.
With the tape off, I tried to think of a way to attach the old handle on the side where the glass hole it attaches through was broken. When I couldn't, I decided to take the handle off.
So this large old demijohn is perfectly imperfect in my book. Sometimes that's what you have to be willing to accept if you want to pay a bargain price.
There's a bit of humidity inside the bottle in these photos. The glass itself is actually clear and in great condition. I'm picturing it at Christmas holding some branches with ornaments.
It's Friday, friends!
Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday
and
a SAFE and BLESSED weekend!
It's beautiful, Elizabeth! I can imagine your pleasure in finding it at an affordable price...
ReplyDeleteI actually saw it, went home, went back a couple of days later and bought it.
DeleteI'd have been overwhelmed by cleaning it, but it looks great now!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty undaunted when I have a vision of what can be!
DeleteI'm curious what "affordable" is for a demijohn....
ReplyDeleteI paid under $20 for each of the smaller ones and $40 for the large one.
DeleteI learned something today. I know what a demijohn is!
ReplyDeleteYou took something tattered.old and brought it back to life. A new life!
That's what is so fun about thrifting and antiquing!
DeleteAntique shops have MANY great treasures. I have booths at 2 shops and feel that people are missing many good deals. Shop antique shops!
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I love to shop antique shops and thrift stores and have found great deals at both!
DeleteI have a few demijohns which I got for a bargain, too, when the shop owner just wanted to "get them out of here!" Fun! That was a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteOh, I wish I could see them!
DeleteLove you treasure find! Digging around in old, out of the way shops can yield the best finds! :)
ReplyDeleteAnne, those are the funnest shops to treasure hunt in!
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