Friday, February 26, 2010

Friday Favorites: Consignment/antique shops

Since I was a little girl my mom has been taking us shopping at consignment stores and she has been buying antiques--I definitely acquired her love of old things with character. Well, the other night I had a dream about wandering through an antique store (my favorites are the ones in hold houses that have had rooms added and you just wander through room after room like a labyrinth) and finding the most perfect teapot :) Well, I have been avoiding my favorite shops lately in an effort to save money, but decided that this would be a good day to visit some on my lunch break.

Loaded up with a box of junk to drop of to grandma's attic, I picked up a few little things (plus a payment for my last stuff I sold!) and then headed to another store I love, the Clothes Lion! This shop is part clothing consignment, part antique store. Several vendors have booths in the back. I usually skip the clothes and head over to the treasures. Here is what I bought during my trip:


(all for $13)
  • two adorable owly christmas salt & pepper shakers (I will probably give these away)
  • a retro memo reminder shaped like a hand--you can clip notecards or other papers behind the finger and it says "don't forget"
  • a lovely vintage crystal necklace (I have also been dreaming about vintage jewelry, though I never really wear jewely)
  • and, my favorite of all, this child's book "Slovenly Peter"
The book is extra special...are any of you fans of The Office? Well, do you remember the Bring Your Daughter to Work episode? Go here and watch this, then come back...

Are you done yet?

Okay...did you see the book that Dwight is reading? THIS IS THAT BOOK!!!! The English translation of Struwwelpeter...It doesn't have a copyright date, but my copy is dated by someone who used it...


Grades 1 & 2 Oct 26, 1942

Here is the story from that episode:


You know that I love books and I picked this one up without really looking through it, it was just $3 and looked intriguing--I didn't realize that it was the same book from that episode until I got it home, but it is very interesting! (and kind of terrifying)

I guess some school used this in the 1940s--the original book is German from 1845. I cannot imagine that any school now would use this (or parent would read this to their kid for that matter)

Here is "The Dreadful story of Pauline and the Matches"

in case you can't tell from the picture, she gets burned to death....

And "The Story of Augustus who would not have any soup":


He starts out fat and then wastes away and is dead within 5 days (that tiny little yellow thing is his gravestone)

You might consider me morbid for liking a book like this (the stories I've shown are actually quite tame compared to some others!) but I just love old books and seeing how much things have changed...and oh how different they are! The main concerns that they are cautioning children about are being dirty, fidgety, looking at the ground instead of where they are going, crying too much, or eating to much or too little...very different than what people worry about now!

I don't know that I will ever actually read this to my children though....just an interesting conversation piece! Whoever sold this for $3, even though it isn't in great condition, must not have known what they had b/c I've seen older copies like mine selling for over $100!

6 comments:

  1. wow, you really made out like a bandit! I love that book, too. What a neat find. I remember that episode! (I'm somewhat of an Office freak!)

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  2. OH my gosh Sarah! I can't believe you actually found that! You're right I'm completely jealous! This book is gold! Wow...I just ended EVERY sentence above with an exclamation point.

    this is Hannah btw... <3

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  3. I love vintage items. Looks like you found some great things! I am a thrifter but more for things to wear or use in the kitchen.

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  4. Aren't these stores fun. Could wander for hours in one. Great finds.

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  5. Great finds! I love that you have the book Dwight was reading! Hilarious!

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  6. you gave those owls to me!!!
    love the hand and the book.
    The stories remind me a bit of Edward Gorey's stuff. I bet Brittany would like to see that.

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