Life rarely offers second chances.
About 20 years ago when I was a relative fledgling antiques dealer I sold a sugar bowl that was part of a cream and sugar set I had held on to for a few months at home. (You can see a picture of it in my collection here c. 1990. The cream and sugar are on either side of the top shelf.) It was in the Wedgwood St. Louis pattern. Although I really liked the piece I was in a stage of my career where I couldn't really afford to keep inventory sitting around on my own shelf a home. I placed both the creamer and the sugar in my showcase in Adamstown, PA., but only the sugar sold. (I think it sold for $225.) I guess the price of the creamer was too high.
After the bowl sold, I took the creamer and placed it in a box with other majolica odds and ends I had put away. As time went on I found more pieces of St. Louis and I eventually exhumed the little creamer and placed it with the matching pieces from that set on my shelf. I grew quite fond of the pattern and eventually did a painting of it. (You can see the creamer in the lower right hand corner of the painting below.)
I regretted having sold the sugar bowl. For years I searched for a replacement but never found one. It left a hole in my collection that bugged the heck out of me.
This past month I replaced the sugar bowl... with EXACTLY THE SAME BOWL! How do I know it was the same bowl? From photographs I had taken as part of my inventory all those years ago. After 20+ years the majolica gods forgave my mercenary indiscretion and reunited the two pieces that had been together before this for 120 years.
I'm glad to have it back. It now sits proudly in my cupboard with my other St. Louis pieces and the little creamer right next to it.
Now, if only I could find a teapot!
About 20 years ago when I was a relative fledgling antiques dealer I sold a sugar bowl that was part of a cream and sugar set I had held on to for a few months at home. (You can see a picture of it in my collection here c. 1990. The cream and sugar are on either side of the top shelf.) It was in the Wedgwood St. Louis pattern. Although I really liked the piece I was in a stage of my career where I couldn't really afford to keep inventory sitting around on my own shelf a home. I placed both the creamer and the sugar in my showcase in Adamstown, PA., but only the sugar sold. (I think it sold for $225.) I guess the price of the creamer was too high.
After the bowl sold, I took the creamer and placed it in a box with other majolica odds and ends I had put away. As time went on I found more pieces of St. Louis and I eventually exhumed the little creamer and placed it with the matching pieces from that set on my shelf. I grew quite fond of the pattern and eventually did a painting of it. (You can see the creamer in the lower right hand corner of the painting below.)
I regretted having sold the sugar bowl. For years I searched for a replacement but never found one. It left a hole in my collection that bugged the heck out of me.
This past month I replaced the sugar bowl... with EXACTLY THE SAME BOWL! How do I know it was the same bowl? From photographs I had taken as part of my inventory all those years ago. After 20+ years the majolica gods forgave my mercenary indiscretion and reunited the two pieces that had been together before this for 120 years.
I'm glad to have it back. It now sits proudly in my cupboard with my other St. Louis pieces and the little creamer right next to it.
That painting is SO awesome
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