Hearing ghost stories
I often find myself lost in time and losing track of time when I’m wandering through vintage, antique and thrift stores. If I’m not careful, I’ll easily pass hours in the quiet corners of my favorite vintage shops, and having quiet conversations with the merchandise for sale. Before I know it, half my day has passed and I’ve accomplished absolutely nothing but question the history, story and past ownership of old items that are sitting on the shelves and racks.
I’ll spend minutes, sometimes hours, pondering the existence of an old bowl, who had owned it, what their life was like, and the amazing foods that was served from that humble vessel. I’ll pass by an antique chair and imagine the lives of who sat in it, what they were reading while resting in it, where and how it ended up in the store and why it’s forgotten in the corner of the shop.
My quiet obsession is with anything old, faded, used, forgotten and left for sale. All of these relics have a history, a grand story to tell. My ears are ringing and I love to listen.
I love old rotted, paint-chipped wood, rusted metal, old architectural salvage hardware, dishes, bowls, plates, furniture, clothes and everything that has lived through history in someone else’s possession. Anything that was treasured by someone from a past era and that is now sitting in a vintage, antique store has a story to tell. When I pass by old paint cans, I ask what walls their colors had graced. A stack of plates from the 1940’s, flawless of chips or cracks, tells me that their original owner cared for them with caution, keeping them in perfect condition after all these years. I wonder how many dinner parties these heirloom plates have seen and how many generations of families it’s been passed down to.
The price tag isn’t always a reflection of the items value. One time, I found some old cast iron pans, slightly rusted, but in still in perfect form. It was given a value of $5, which I found to be a steal. This was a heavy iron pan that must have seen the days of the Oregon trail, provided many warm meals during the California gold rush, or even accompanied a cowboy along his travels in the great plains. Maybe the sagas I’m envisioning are over exaggerated and only drawing from the romance of American history that I learned in the 5th grade or saw on “Little House on The Prairie”. Regardless, I found that cast iron pan to be priceless. The $5 price tag seems so unappreciative of it’s history.
Silly as it may sound, being surrounded by old, vintage and antique items makes my imagination go on a wild historical ride.
Are there any old items that you cherish? Is there a story behind it? I’d like to hear.
Maybe I’m not the only one hearing ghost stories.
-Diane
I have finally discovered why I love Antiques and the stories they seem to bring to your mind. Thank you for putting into words my feelings for anything old. I have always felt that the older the item the more character it has. Maybe it is the stories behind the item. Absolutely fabulous posts. Thank you all!!
I’m new to your site but I’ve been enjoying your posts, recipes and photos. The “ghost stories” series most of all. Like you I love things from the past, those that were once part of history, of lives of people generations before ours. I enjoy visiting thrift stores, goodwill stores and consignment stores. I get excited when I see something really old and yet in very good shape. True, the former owners took great care of them. They were precious relics from the past. Sometimes, I couldn’t stop myself from bringing them home… too precious to be left out there. Before my Mom died, she passed on some items she’d been taking care of for years… some were early gifts from my Dad. Beautiful linens from the Far East. Jewelry from when she was young. My Mom was a very good “saver”. She would save anything… you wouldn’t even see any trace of old age in some of them. When she died, I brought home with me some of their old wedding gifts… Using them everyday, makes me embrace their value even more. Remembering too that I, as a child, would use them, living with my parents and siblings back home in the Philippines, decades ago. I find pleasure in sharing these treasures and the love for them to my own daughter at present. Thank you for sharing your passions to us…
I have collected antiques too (in the past) and I still have quite a collection of them. My current lifestyle doesn’t allow me to spend money on such luxuries anymore though. 🙂