Friday 24 January 2020

Friday

A nice full house for our Coffee Meeting this morning -   so a very pleasant hour was had by all. This was followed by a nice lunch at our usual Friday venue (fish pie and crispy kale for me and ham and turkey/leek pie with honeyed carrots for W. )   Being naughty we decided to share a helping of chunky chips (delicious) and then wished we hadn't done so.   Still that feeling will go off (eventually).

Then it was home as I had decided to have the lock changed on my front door - just home in time for the locksmith who took all of five minutes to complete the job efficiently.   Now, at  half past three, I feel as though I have done a day's work, although in fact I have done next to nothing.   The central heating has switched itself on which suggests it is coming cold earlier this evening, so I shall shortly close all the blinds and get the bungalow snug for the evening.

One of the advantages of lunching at Tennants - our local Auctioneers and Valuers - is that if there is a sale on (as there is today) each lot in turn is flashed up on the screen and you can watch the bidding and see how much each item sells for.   It always saddens me to see how little beautiful furniture fetches.   It happens too on Antiques Programmes on television.   Unless it is Mouseman furniture or something like that then really beautifully-crafted furniture goes for next to nothing or else doesn't reach the reserve price and is withdrawn.   Much of this stuff is individually craftsman -made of beautiful wood and yet these days many folk would prefer mass-produced stuff.   Why is that I wonder?  Somehow our values have changed and we look at things like this in a different light.   I heard on some news programme the other day about how these days people prefer to spend their money on experiences rather than 'stuff'.   Is this a good thing or a bad thing.   I really don't know.   I do know that the one or two pieces I have which have been in my family for a long time I value greatly and bring back happy memories when I look at them.   What do you think?

20 comments:

Sue said...

Did you see that Mouseman horse that they bought for £10 on Antiques roadshow earlier this week and sold for over £500 at auction? I was once given a carved mouse by a Mouseman apprentice (from Leyburn) - I should have kept it!

Librarian said...

Some years ago, my aunt and uncle took me to see the Mouseman workshop. We also had a look at the shop and found that the only thing we could have easily afforded to buy would have been a can of furniture spray!
The two sideboards/cabinets in my living room were made in the 1930s; my grandparents bought them as their first set of furniture when they got married. The coffee table is from the 1960s and also belonged to my grandparents - I have know it all my life, and never want to part with it.
Most of my other stuff was either a hand-me-down from my sister or bought (cheaply, I admit) at IKEA - but I used to have very little money when I first moved into this flat 17 years ago and was glad to be able to have those things. I set them all up on my own, I only had help with the wardrobe in the bedroom as it is too large for one person to set it up alone. I like the clean, neat lines and will keep even the cheapest item for as long as it serves its purpose.

the veg artist said...

I have very little new furniture. I bought my kitchen table and my Chesterfield sofas myself - about 40 years ago! Nearly everything else is family stuff or things left by previous owners when I have moved into houses. I feel quite weak when I see the prices of low-quality furniture in shops. I first set up home in the days of Habitat, and made a bookcase of bricks and planks. Very stylish!

Rachel Phillips said...

I should think you feel full up as well as having done a day's work.

wisps of words said...

I read that also... How young people today, tend to value experiences, over stuff. It was in connection with a piece, on some new, very small individual living quarters. Not much room for furniture... And the living units were rather open, to spaces where everyone could go. Very much different, from the usual separate dwellings we are used to...

Like many *new* concepts, it would be wonderful, _if_ all people were nice.

But human nature being what it is, _not_ all people are nice.

Most of us, would still rather, have our home, be able to be closed off, and be just for us. I don't think many, are ready, for communal living.

But that's just me....

Bonnie said...

My son and his wife are in favor of spending money on experiences rather than items. In their case my daughter-in-law has recently done a complete decluttering of the items in their home and they are trying to keep their belongings at a minimum. I understand that and I certainly need to do a lot of decluttering myself but it is so hard for me as I have a lot that has been passed down and I have family attachments to much of it.

I still have and use some furniture that belonged to my Grandmother and I love it. I had an antique bedroom set that I gave to my granddaughter and she loves it. But overall many of the items I have saved, expecting to pass down, with probably not be of interest to anyone and that makes me a little sad.

Heather said...

I don't like the look of modern furniture, but perhaps that is my age. I would rather have a lovely piece of hand-crafted furniture and am saddened that these pieces are not longer popular. They are so full of character and could tell so many stories. My family were not wealthy so there were no antique pieces for me to inherit, but had there been I would certainly have treasured them.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

The "younger generation" just isn't interested in those things which were once valued so much. You can't give away silver tea sets or china dishes. They don't want big heavy wooden pieces of furniture either. I must admit when clearing out my mom's china cabinet, I just didn't have the space or need for mismatched serving bowls and crystal pieces. If someone is so inclined, I imagine they could find some nice, solid pieces at a good price. -Jenn

Lynda said...

I’d still rather buy solid,old furniture than the junk that people haul out of IKEA, destroy, and promptly replace with the same junk!

DUTA said...

At a certain age, one should perhaps get practical and replace the heavy pieces of furniture with lighter ones. Even a cleaning lady doesn't wish to work hard trying to move them to clean the place.
As for inheritance matters, the younger generation is interested only in property, money and jewelery. Furniture usually gets discarded or given away.

Sackerson said...

I'd go for experiences rather than stuff. However, it's easy to say that when you can afford the stuff you need. Also, if one can't get out easily, who can blame one for creating the surroundings you want to live in? Then there's the "stuff" you buy for the access it gives you to "experience" (in my case, a mountain bike).

Joanne Noragon said...

I have seen examples of this. Older, well constructed furniture is dismissed as too heavy, too dark, outdated hardware, etc.

angryparsnip said...

The "Modern or Minimalist" look is what everyone likes.
So the heavy dark furniture is just not in fashion but you would think you could mix a few pieces here and there.
Rather sad but it is just what happens.
parsnip

jinxxxygirl said...

I know there is nothing i value either emotionally or monetarily that my children will want. Nothing that i have collected over the years will interest them.. Lord only knows where it will all end up... I think eventually if time permits and 'the end ' is not a surprise i shall try to find happy homes for all the things i hold dear to someone else who might do the same. At least then i know they will go to someone who might enjoy them.. I'am so not a Modernist or Minimalist... Sad thing is when times change again .. as they always do many of these beautiful things..like the furniture you mention will be gone and won't be had again. I'm all for experiences but experiences that still allow me to be surrounded by the things i love. Hugs! deb

Cro Magnon said...

Furniture fashion, like with most things, is cyclical. It's time will come again, and people will really regret having sold-off their prized Georgian pieces. Personally I wouldn't have anything modern in the house; other than really comfortable sofas.

Rachel Phillips said...

A multitude of reasons. Small houses, no knowledge of the fun of sale rooms, turned up noses at secondhand stuff, never had it so good although they don't know it so can buy new, lemmings all wanting to be the same.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Sue, I did see the horse - I didn't actually like it very much, I thought it was rather clumsy. But folk collecting Mouseman go crazy for it don't they?
Bonnie - I sympathise with your view. I have bits and pieces which are very precious to me because they belonged to various family members or friends long gone. When I go they will mean nothing to any body -
Sackerson - yes I agree with your attitude - and I know how much pleasure you get from that bike. Best of both worlds almost.
I must say that the days before a big sale here see the saleroom packed with folk looking round - but I suspect a good many are dealers from the look of the various bits of gear they are carrying round (and the fact that they have bought a catalogue which is not cheap).
Thanks for joining in the chat.

pam nash said...

We see the same thing here. Beautiful antique furniture ignored. These days, painted (the shabby chic look) furniture is popular and it just hurts my heart to see beautiful wood covered with garish colors that are then made to look as though it came out of an open garage.

Granny Sue said...

I buy and sell antiques and vintage, and what you say is true. Beautiful golden oak furniture from the late 1800's-early 1900's ("new" to Brits, perhaps!) rarely sells these days. Good walnut furniture is the same way. Here in the US the Midcentury Modern look is very popular--that mass-produced, streamlined look that I really don't like. And "farmhouse" which is, as Pam said above, good old furniture painted to look old. Today I cringed as I put paint on a buffet from the 1940's. It hasbeen in my booth for 3 years, a good quality solid wood piece, with no interest so I had to do something to make it sell. It is hard for me, a lover of old wood furniture, but as a seller I have to so what the market wants. And sometimes that means holding my nose.

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