Rose Jewelry Box, Vintage Calendar Print, Godey Fashions, Paris Perfume Bottle & More!

"New" items are being added this week to the virtual store.

Hope you enjoy the sneak peek below:

Vintage teapot. Having a teaparty? This one is too cute!

For every kid at heart. A vintage 1965 Disney Fantasyland story book.

All the favorites in one book!

What's not to love about a pink trimmed rose cake plate?

The only thing missing is the cake! And I actually have one on the site for sale. Only, darn, you can't eat it.

These were too sweet not to arrange them for a possible wall display, especially when you get lucky enough to find three of them!

A vintage Godey Fashions framed print. So lady-like!



A mirror trio. Not old, but fun for decorating!


A few of thes have sold already...only a few left!
These were adorable for my "FOR CRAFTERS" category. Great for mixed media art projects! I wish I could see what happens to these items after they leave the store. Hey, that's a great idea...to post customer's projects on the website!

Thank you, this has SOLD!

Couldn't believe I found another one of these! This one is FANTABULOUS! Is that a word? It should be... to describe this needlepoint chair cover. The pink rose is huge and so well done! Fits about a 17 x 20.

This pretty chic n shabby glass covered jewelry box could also be painted white or pink. I'm not sure what look you may be seeking so I'll probably leave it up to the next owner.

I just love this pink Asian style parrot lamp. It is GORGEOUS. Great on a night table or special nook.

This is stunning. The blue gown is to die for! But alas, it is a print. A vintage salesman's sample for a calendar, as I was told at the time of purchase.

Put your own title at the top, or crop it for framing.

Ships rolled up in a tube so it won't be bent by the postal service.

This ornate mirror caught my eye. Thought it would make a great foyer piece in an arrangement. One of my customers buys them for embellishing. Maybe I should add it to my "For Crafters" category! You just never know with these creative ladies...the beautiful things you can create.

Thank you, this has SOLD!

A French perfume bottle marked PARIS in raised letters. Oui!

We also have the silver overlay on the glass perfume bottle, shown in the top photo.

I was soooo tempted to keep it but I just can't keep it all!

Soon these additions and more will appear on the website, Bella Rosa Antiques, under the "Just Listed" category. Join my growing mailing list if you'd like to receive an alert as to when they make it on: Tell me in an email and send it to BellaRosaAntiques@verizon.net.

As always,

Flower Frogs: A Unique Piece for Collectors + History

Being in the antique business, we come across a lot of flower frogs. You know the usual type commonly found at garage sales....clear glass in a disc shape ... or there are the small pointy green metal pieces that look more like a wild animal hair brush than a flower frog.

But recently I found this little beauty while hunting for Bella Rosa inventory:

Not only was this one cute but it actually had a "theme!" A wheel barrow as in gardening. And it was adorned with lovely pink roses. PLUS...get this...another bonus: the flower frog "tray" comes out and you can use it for something else instead! Now this is my kind of flower frog!

It then led me to wonder where or when flower frogs started. I searched the internet and discovered an article written by Bonnie Bull. She writes:

Although flower frogs reached their heyday in the United States in the mid-twenties and thirties during the flapper era, they can be traced back to the 16th century in Europe where it was customary for pottery and china houses to mark their pieces. Glass flower frogs were not generally marked prior to 1870-- the year it became possible to record patents and trademarks on glassware. The oldest known record for a U.S. frog is a patent issued to S. Van Stone in 1875 for a conical shaped flower stand with concentric rings of holes stacked pyramid fashion. Another early creation is the mushroom-shaped, Mt. Washington condiment server/floral holder . A patent for this holder was issued to Andrew Snow, Jr. in 1893. Since the turn of the century some 20 well-known glass and pottery houses have manufactured frogs in the U.S.

They have ranged in shape and design from simple "rounds" to elaborate and artistic "figurals." One of the most prolific producers of glass flower frogs in the U.S. was Cambridge Glass Co., located in Cambridge, Ohio. Any round frog that says "PAT'D April 11, 1916" on the side is Cambridge. Some of the Cambridge round glass frogs have "Pat. Apl'd For" on them, and a few from the later years have "Cambridge" embossed on the side. All of the figural ladies are covered by a patent issued to A. J. Bennett on Oct. 18, 1927. Of the same era but cast in pottery are the R. G. Cowan dancing ladies with trailing scarf in hand. Many are individually patented and have double-walled bases. They are full of life and movement, reflecting an age of flamboyance soon overshadowed by the Depression.

The etymology of the term "frog" has proved more difficult to research than the actual items themselves. The term "frog" as it relates to a holder for flower stems does appear in 1968 in the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, but it is not listed in the Oxford and Chamber's etymological dictionaries. How it came into general use remains a mystery. Over the years flower frogs have been referred to by many different names; such as, flower blocks, flower bricks, flower holders, and floral arrangers.

Lots more information than I think I was looking for but thorough! Somehow though we still don't know how the term "frog" came about. Maybe one day the mystery will be solved. In the meantime, I hope some of the information helped you, too.

And if you'd like to purchase this flower frog you may click here to go to Bella Rosa Antiques.

As always,

Mysterious Franciscan Ware Mark

This is an excerpt from Kovel's newsletter. I find the mystery marks section interesting and bring you interesting questions when I find them. Here is a great question from a fellow reader:

Q: I have used a set of Franciscan Apple dishes for over 60 years and my mother used them before me. I have one 8-inch plate that is marked "this is my first piece of Franciscan Ware." Can you tell me when these dishes were first made and why "this is my first" is stamped on one?
A: A piece of Franciscan Ware was given to each girl graduating from high school in the Los Angeles area in the 1940s-50s, probably marked like yours. We have seen an Apple mug with the "this is my first" marking. Franciscan dinnerware was made by Gladding, McBean and Company of Glendale, California. Gladding, McBean was founded in 1875 and began selling dinnerware and art pottery under the name Franciscan Ware in 1934. Two of the most popular Franciscan patterns are Apple, introduced in 1940, and Desert Rose, introduced in 1941. They are both still being made. Franciscan became part of the Wedgwood Group in 1979 and production was moved to Staffordshire, England.

Vintage Rose Mugs, Vanity Tray, Recipe Book, French Silk Scarf, and more!

It's a sneak preview! I went on a buying trip this weekend and had lots of fun! I hope you'll enjoy what I selected for the Bella Rosa Antiques website. They're not listed yet...but will be soon. Here is what I found for you:


Handpainted pink rose porcelain water pitcher. Gorgeous! I can't say enough about it. And there is more on the reverse. Signed by the artist.

Six more vintage calling cards. Love these.

Thank you, this has SOLD!

Porcelain rose plate with an iridescent border. Marked OG Germany.

This is darling! A porcelain flower frog wheel barrow with roses!

Thank you, this has sold!

A journal.

Handpainted roses tole tray.

Another vintage recipe book. This one does not look like it was used very much. The last one I sold had all kinds of neat kitchen wear. If you want to get the chance to "mess" it up yourself while cooking, then this one is for you!

Porcelain rose creamer. An oldie but a goodie. Shabby great!

Rose transfer mug. I can see this in someone's office/studio for pens or paint brushes!

For those that love classic old books and poetry. A vintage The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe.

Comes with original gift box. I think the cover is green suede.

Gorgeous large perfume tray with a pair of floral "3-D"
handles.

I found another sweet mug! This one has a lovely iridescence.

Thank you, this has SOLD!

This 5 1/2" rose plate is coming from my personal collection so you get the hanger free!

Thank you, this has SOLD!
Ooh la la! A silk rose scarf by Marc Rozier PARIS, France! Wow!

Victoria Magazine published some awesome entertaining and decorating books. This one has all those delightful tea party recipes.

A petite pink rose cup and saucer. We have plates to match already on the site.

A tin heart for hanging your favorite silk or dried flowers...

or whatever your imagination comes up with!

And for fun...how about some vintage bow ties! Couldn't resist picking up these.

None are listed yet on the website but wanted to give a sneak preview.

Check back soon for listings!

And as always,

Garage Sale How To's

This great article on how to hold a garage sale (plus some great tips) is from Kovel's Antiques weekly newsletter. I'm bringing it to you here on my blog in case you do not happen to receive it:

Looking for extra income? Clean out your house and run a garage sale. Better yet, join with friends and host a big, big sale. Many newspapers offer a garage sale kit to tell you what to do. Find someone who has run sales before to help you out.

A few tips:

Run an ad online (Craig's list is good) and in your local paper. Read other people's ads to see what's selling.

Put up neighborhood signs that can be read from a moving car.

Set up a sorted display--clothes in one place, toys in another.

Mark everything with masking tape or another label that's hard to remove. Do not put labels on paper or other surfaces that could be damaged by the glue.

Make sure there's an electric outlet nearby that can be used to test any electrical items.

Price things low enough. Your selling cost is less than it would be with a lot of online listings.

Don't let anyone in your house for any reason.

Keep cash in a secure box with a trustworthy person watching it.

After the sale, help others by packing up what remains and taking it to a charity resale shop. You'll be adding a good deed to the list of your accomplishments that day.

_____________________________________________________

Hope this inspired you to have a garage sale or to get up early and go to a few! Enjoy your weekend and as always...