On the Tenth Day of Christmas
On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten plates a-chipping,
Nine shakers for salting,
Eight engravings hanging,
Seven drawers a-stacking,
Six fans a-blowing,
Five popping springs,
Four statue crowns,
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Old Dishes Displayed in the Kitchen
Photo © Wayne Shielly
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On the Ninth Day of Christmas
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine shakers for salting,
Eight engravings hanging,
Seven drawers a-stacking,
Six fans a-blowing,
Five popping springs,
Four statue crowns,
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Silver Salt Shakers
Photo © Leah French
You'd think hallmarked silver prices would be fairly consistent, at least more so than items with less definitive markings. And perhaps they are among specialized dealers, but I've seen identical pieces marked from a few dollars to 10 times that amount.
When you're shopping for silver - or for anything else - pay attention to prices and watch for patterns. You'll be able to spot overpriced merchandise, and you'll know when you've found a real steal.
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On the Eighth Day of Christmas
On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight engravings hanging,
Seven drawers a-stacking,
Six fans a-blowing,
Five popping springs,
Four statue crowns,
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Antique Engravings
Photo © Wayne Shielly
This classical art grouping of antique engravings hangs in the bedroom of Memphis Interior Decorator Wayne Shielly. Enjoy the full photo tour of Wayne's bedroom.
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On the Seventh Day of Christmas
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven drawers a-stacking,
Six fans a-blowing,
Five popping springs,
Four statue crowns,
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Old Painted Drawers
Photo © Leah French
Part of the charm of these old painted drawers is having so many of them, in the different colors, stacked together. I doubt I'd even have noticed them singly. Had I bought them, I'd have wanted them all. Fortunately, dealers are almost always willing to haggle when you're buying multiple items.
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On the Sixth Day of Christmas
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six fans a-blowing,
Five popping springs,
Four statue crowns,
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Vintage Electric Fans
Photo © Leah French
I found this great selection of vintage electric fans at the Memphis Flea Market. They aren't always so easy to find. Several years ago, a friend searched quite a while for a large black one for his kitchen.
When you're looking for something specific, and can't find it from your usual secondhand sources, try searching online yard sales and auctions. The pool of merchandise is usually much larger.
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On the Fifth Day of Christmas
On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five popping springs,
Four statue crowns,
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Retying springs might be too much for a beginner's upholstery project, and hiring a pro is expensive. Make sure you know which pieces to grab, and when to walk away.
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On the Fourth Day of Christmas
Infant of Prague Statue Crowns
Photo © Wayne Shielly
On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four statue crowns,
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Memphis Decorator Wayne Shielly collects Infant of Prague statue crowns, and displays some of them on wax skulls in his study. See more of Wayne's study.
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On the Third Day of Christmas
Antique Doorknobs
Photo © Leah French
On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three doorknobs,
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
My mother has been collecting antique glass doorknobs for years, keeping them tucked away until she has enough to do the whole house. She's found most of them while thrift store shopping.
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On the Second Day of Christmas
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two ceiling tiles,
And an antique secretary.
Tin Ceiling Tiles
Photo © Leah French
The Carpenter & Carpenter design duo used antique ceiling tiles as artwork in their luxurious living room.
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On the First Day of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
An antique secretary.
Antique Secretary
© Wayne Shielly
This antique secretary may be Italian, but with its elaborate carvings and hand-painted finish, it could slip right into any New Orleans style home. Displayed as it is, the effect is very New Orleans French.
The secretary lives in the bedroom of Memphis Interior Decorator Wayne Shielly. I'll be featuring his bedroom, along with the rest of his amazing house, in photo tours this week and next.
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