In this post I share my recent fresh finds for June. These items will be available at Stone Soup Antiques after Memorial Day.

I just realized that it has been awhile since I have done a “Fresh Finds” post. Recently, I was able to go to Maine and so I stocked up on some inventory. If you are new to this blog, I lived in Maine for 7 years. More precisely, I lived in Maine through 7 winters.

Although I don’t miss the winters, I still love to visit Maine in the summer and fall. (Who doesn’t?) While there, I visit my usual haunts and try to stock up on inventory.

So without rambling on further, let’s jump to the topic of this post -Fresh Finds for the month of June.

Oil on Board Paintings

On my recent trip, I was lucky enough to stumble upon three oil on board paintings. They definitely have some age to them and I love the subject matter.

This first painting was completed by G. Rowe and I *think* this was one of four Wire Bridges that were built to cross the Carrabassett River in New Portland, Maine. Alas, as of now, only 1 of the bridges remains and is considered historic. The bridge in this painting is not the one remaining bridge – I believe it was one of the three bridges that was demolished. The bridges were constructed in the 1860s. It’s difficult to determine when this painting was made. If I were to guess, I would say it was painted between 1920-1940.

You can see that the artist prepared two studies of the subject matter. It’s not uncommon for artist’s to prepare several smaller paintings in preparation for creating a larger painting. Given the small size of these paintings and how the boards were roughly cut – I believe that both of these paintings were done as “studies”. I think they have so much charm and they really convey the moody essence of Maine.

The third painting is not signed but I loved the subject matter and how the brush strokes were jumping out. The painters used a goodly amount of paint to create an almost 3-dimensional look to the painting. The tree leaves in particular are well defined. This poor little painting was treated harshly and one of the corners has gone missing. Also at some point in time – someone tried to fold the painting since there is a crease across the top third of the painting. (As an aside – who tries to fold a painting?)

Vintage Glass Bottles

I recently wrote a post on collecting Vintage Glass Bottles and so I used this trip to Maine as an opportunity to buy more antique and vintage bottles. Maine always has the best old bottles.

As you can see, I particularly love finding old ink bottles. Some of these bottles I believe are more than 100 years old most notably the two small clear bottles on the left.

I also came across these Squamscot pop bottles that I think are perfect for summer. Can’t you see some small flags tucked into these bottles? That toy tractor melted my heart. It still works perfectly.

Here is a close up photograph of the tractor. I am amazed that the tires are still in good condition. The rubber usually disintegrates over time.

Vintage Kitchen Items

Vintage kitchen items are always fun to find.

This Ransburg hand painted cake carrier was adorable. The glass knob on the top and the excellent condition of the carrier stole my heart.

There is even a storage container in the bottom of the cake carrier. The middle piece shown above is actually the bottom of the cake carrier. I think you can add ice to keep the cake cool or store napkins/utensils.

This depression era bread box was such a good find! It is in remarkably good condition and it is such a generous size.

Although you can’t see it well from this photo, the inside of the bread box is in excellent condition. More often than not , the insides of these old bread boxes are rusty. However, the interior of this one is practically pristine.

I couldn’t pass up this vintage enamel slop bucket with the wooden handle. These are always charming and endlessly useful. Think of how many hands have used the handle on that bucket!

A Little Brass

Finally, I found a few items that have a touch of brass. Historically, Maine was well known for manufacturing textiles. Here is a great article about the Bates Mill in Lewiston, Maine. At one time, there were enormous brick textile mills that were situated on rivers throughout the State. Bolts and bolts of fabric were produced in these mills and sent to shops around the United States.

When I found these brass handled scissors that were used in the Maine textile mills, I didn’t hesitate to purchase them. These beautiful old scissors are huge and sharp. I would guess they are about 9 inches long and the blades are still very sharp. I love the patina and wear on these scissors and thought they would make such a great statement piece or display piece.

That little toy composition cow is from the 1920s-1930s. He was too cute to pass up.

Finally, I came across this pair of metal brass tone partridges. They are quite hefty and a fairly generous size. They have the best patina and would look lovely on a coffee table or book shelf.

Furniture

Although I was not able to photograph them, I also found the best old farm table that was cut down to coffee table size. It would look fantastic in a renovated farmhouse or cottage. It’s impossible to find authentically old coffee tables because they are a relatively “new” invention. So, whenever I find a farm table that has been converted into a coffee table – it’s a good opportunity to do a happy dance.

Photo: The Leslie Style

The coffee table that I found looks similar to the one shown above.

Finally, I found a charming old night stand that someone repainted. It has a beautiful glass knob and intricately carved details.

Summary

Thank you for stopping by the blog today. All of these items are now in my booth! If you are interested in anything in particular, please send me an email at anna.price@skylarkhouse.com. Or you can contact me via social media – Facebook/Instagram.