Moving to Larger Booth!

Hi.

This week I moved Antiques for Today's Lifestyle into a larger booth at Rosebush Antiques Mall in Levittown, PA.  It actually took me two days to get set up in the new space, but it is a great location next to the cashier's desk.  Wish me success!

Here is the 2 x 10 booth I moved out of.

These photographs are of the new 8 x 10 booth.

There is an electric pole in one corner of the booth, so  I wrapped it with an artificial vine I found at Michael's and added strings of white holiday lights.

With only two walls to the booth, it is very open.  In order to fit in as much merchandise as possible, I used the furniture to create the third and fourth walls.  If you have any more creative ideas on how to arrange the space I would love to hear about them.  Please comment on this post and tell your friends about my blog.  They can find my blog at http://www.antiquesfortodayslifestyle.blogspot.com/ .

Have a great day.

Sincerely,
Lynn

Larkin Sales Premiums

Hi.

What a beautiful morning here in New Jersey.  The sun is out after yesterday's downpours.

Yesterday I went antiquing in the rain in indoor shops in Bucks County, PA, and found a beautiful Larkin table.  The shop owner told me a little about the principal used by the Larkin Company in marketing their products in the early 1900s.  She said that housewives would sell the soaps of the Larkin Company and earn gifts, including furniture pieces like the table I found.  While it does not have the original paper label of the Larkin Company, it has been handed down and sold with the history behind it being passed down as well.

One of my favorite things about antiquing is learning what things are and how they were used - the story behind each item.  This is how I learned about my family antiques from my mother.  I still learn as I go today by talking to very experienced antiquers with knowledge in various product areas.  While I love the concept of antique malls for shopping convenience, the one thing that is lost in that environment is the chance to talk to the shop owners about how they came to acquire an item and what they know of the history of the item.

A Brief History of the Larkin Company

I did a little online research to learn more about the Larkin Company and their marketing efforts in the early 1900s.  John D. Larkin was one of America's early entrepreneurs and a great merchandiser.  After originally getting into the soap business with his sister's husband, he later started his own company.  A partnership later developed with Elbert Hubbard, who was a marketing genius.  Larkin and Hubbard were determined to attract the public to their products by using give away items.  Over the years, many different products were given away such as pictures, handkerchiefs, and towels.  Then Larkin moved toward a direct marketing strategy.  He marketed directly to consumers and used the savings on commissions for paid salespeople to cover the costs of premiums given away.  In the early years of his business Larkin purchased premiums from other companies in large quantities, but later set up his own company subsidiaries to manufacture the premiums.  At the turn of the century, Larkin added household products to their product line and recruited housewives to market their products door-to-door.  From 1892 to 1904, Larkin's business grew tremendously, with a catalog of products surpassed only by the Sears catalog.  By the 1920s, a home could be completely outfitted with Larkin goods of all kinds, including food, furniture, china, and glassware, to name just a few items.  The Larkin Company was sold in 1941 and became a mail order business.

Larkin products, especially the furniture, are now collectibles.

This is the Larkin table I found, including a picture of the carving on the legs of the table.

Please comment on this post and let me know if there are topics of special interest to you for future posts.

Have a great day!

Lynn

Antique Washstands

Hi.

I love using antique washstands.  They are made of beautiful old wood and can be used in many ways.  Washstands also may be found in many different furniture styles.

A Brief History of Washstands

Washstands were created out of necessity before the invention of indoor plumbing.  Before the late 1800s, every bedroom had a wash stand and commode.  Early washstands were two level tables with an upper shelf for a basin and a lower shelf for a chamber set.  Some wash stands had holes in the top shelf for the wash basin, while others were meant to have the basin sit on the shelf.  The chamber set included a wash basin and large pitcher for water, as well as a soap dish, toothbrush cup and shaving mug.  Commode washstands served the same purpose as a simpler table washstand, made like a chest with a bottom cupboard to hold the chamber pot and a jar for dirty wash water.  Drawers were added in some models to store a razor, soap dish and towels.  Some washstands had a lift top with a well inside to hold a wash basin and pitcher.

Using Washstands in the 21szt Century

While there is no longer a need for washstands, they are still beautiful pieces of furniture waiting for your imaginative use in your home!  I have an early painted table style wash stand in my bedroom and use it as a night stand.

I inherited my mother's chamber set, with a wash basin and pitcher, and several other pieces.  I display this chamber set on a primitive hand made pine commode washstand in my bedroom.  This stand has a marble top and a cabinet below with a shelf on either side.  It also has a side towel bar.  The piece is a little bit crooked, as the maker was not a fine cabinetmaker.

Below is a vintage chest style stand.  This is a great piece of furniture in any room, with its drawer and cabinet for storage.  It makes a great entry hall table, night stand, end table, hall table or additional storage piece in a large bathroom.  I am sure you can imagine other ways to use a great stand such as this.  Some stands similar to this one also had a harp shaped towel bar along the back of the cabinet top.  If you see a stand such as this where the top of the piece is about and inch short of the back of the chest, it is likely missing its towel bar.

Please comment on this post to share your ideas with me and other readers.

Sincerely,
Lynn