One thing you may not know about me is that I detest working with tools. Yet, oftentimes I must. A carpenter I am not. Too exact and always trouble; nothing ever goes smoothly. It turns into the snowball effect and I just can't stand it. Frustrating is not the term I'd like to use. (Oh, and forgot to mention the time I hit my thumbnail three times in a row with a hammer.) When I go to the hardware stores, I am asking for this little thingy that goes into that kind of thingy that looks like this (my hands trying to draw a shape)...
Anyway. This is an old Adirondack-style smoking table with traces of haint blue paint (keeps ghosts at bay.) Itinerants used to make this sort of thing in exchange for food, etc. The little cabins held the smoker's tools of the trade. At some point, someone painted the roof of said cabin and put a transfer of a robin on it. I've never seen one painted so. I have two left from my antiquing days. They are all different in design, but basically always have a little cabin on top.
This one needed a few repairs and thankfully, I didn't wish I had a shotgun to blow it to bits like I did with curtain rods last week. The previous owners put some kind of heavy duty wall bolt thingys in the wall to hold up curtain rods. They could have held up a ton of bricks instead of curtains. Working on a ladder, high over my head, it took me one and a half hours to remove four (??!!) screws. I kid you not. Breathe deep. I left the job with four more to remove.
Whatever. This is going to the booth today. I love folk art, but the mighty dollar is calling my name.
18 comments:
How interesting..I have never heard of that use:)
i have seen that bent wood work..chairs etc..plant stands..never a smoke house:)
That should sell quickly.
Poor you and the screws..I know what you mean..plugs :) HATE.
Jacques is a firm believer in sturdy..you should see how I have done things in the past..LOL.
The roses:)♥
Wait----WAIT! You WISHED you did, or you DIDDDD? Out of anybody I know (and I know Southern Belles and G.R.I.T.S. Girls and other ladies who can pitch a Hissy Fit, Throw and Tantrum, and absolutely Go To Pieces at the drop of a lace-edged hanky, including one who filled her husband's mid-life convertible with a backhoe from the hog-lot), I think you're the one who would DO it. I can just see those clackety rods now, all bundled in your arms and smacking against door-jambs, as you flounce out into the yard, pick up the 12-gauge, and send finials flying in a burst of buckshot. I can even hear the loud, hair-raising KAAA---CHICKKKK as you rack in another round.
Do say you did. Belles bow in your direction; G.R.I.T.S. Girls genuflect. And Evelyn Couch is kvelling as we speak.
r
I hope it does Monique, because I priced it 50% off what they sold for in my days of selling. I am just not meant for carpentry - don't have the patience. Yet, I seem to have to do lots of it anyway. The roses were for Valentines Day.
I had it up to there after an hour and a half. It's a sawed off pistol shotgun that could blow out part of the wall, but luckily, it was at the farm instead of the city house. Just imagined doing it. You have interesting friends. No, I'm more bark than bite (and really, not bark because I am quiet and rarely raise my voice.) I never was the kind to throw dishes or break things. Others' maybe, but not mine.
Sigh on the simple job which gets more and more complicated and difficult and frustrating. Often because someone else has taken a sneaky shortcut.
No guns here and I try not to throw things (dropping them is a different matter) but sometimes I can blister the air...
I hope it sells quickly. And well.
What were you doing there, sanding off a broken bit? I've never seen a bent wood piece like this, even back in the nineties, when crafty people in upstate and Jersey were knocking this stuff out in their back yards for the shows. Either this went under the radar of all those women outfitting the summer cottage ("Just a little thing I picked up!), or it is completely unique to your neck of the woods. Will your buyers be familiar with it? I think it is so cool, I might mark it a little higher, line through and announce reduced to: and still sell it for a little more, for the provenance. The cigarette won't hurt, either.
It has to have some kind of name Child, that is used for carpentry. Murphy's law is too tame for toolish work.
Sawing, gluing and nailing. It must be mid-American or southern as I know haint blue paint was used by former slaves. It's on par with tramp art furniture, boxes and frames - about the same time period during the Great Depression. I'd definitely call it lodge or cottage look. They aren't all that common and used to sell for upward of $125.00. I don't look anymore though, so I don't know what's out there. Had these for a long time.
I'm with you on fixing things about the house, and I'm not great, but I do have a straight eye and can hang things well so insist on good work by others. Sadly my man is useless at jobs requiring tools - we have to hire a lot of service people! Awaiting another tile guy who will be fixing a couple of kitchen issues hopefully this week.
Imagine 'smoking' being such a huge habit to require it's own paraphernalia such as this. Love the American robin transfer though. Hope you get a nice sum for it - and that this is a good weekend for shoppers to come out for a little treasure hunting!
Thanks for you sweet comment on my blog anniv. post - glad we're friends.
Mary -
Well done Dnna for sending it to the booth and not holding on to it. Do not be tempted to buy it back at the last minute.
I won't Pat, but it was still there last night which was a surprise. At that price, I thought it would fly out the door. It was warm yesterday, so maybe everyone was enjoying the day instead of shopping.
Oh me too, Mary
Donna, it's been a long time since I have seen one of those smoking tables...must have been at some antiques show way back when. I know that none of my friends or family ever had one. I think it's a charming design, with a good back story. You will surely sell it to someone who will treasure this piece of folk art history.
Watch out on those ladders!
xo
I hope someone buys it soon. Yes, holding heavy tools over your head on a ladder is pushing it.
I am no good with tools. Oh, the things I could accomplish if I were.....
I've never herd of a smoking table Donna ..... they must be particular to the US. Hope you get zillions of dollars for it !!! XXXX
The work is just too precise for my personality. I wish I could do it too as there are so many things I would like to do.
Oh, I've marked it half price and it still hasn't sold. Antique prices are down in the US. Art, mid-century modern or early American made are what is selling and at high prices. Minimalism is the decorating mantra right now.
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