Chequered Past: If you own three, you're a Collector

Part of the enamelware selection we are offering
at Peregian Beach Market.

It’s a truism in the antiques industry that as soon as you own three or more of anything, you’re a Collector of those things. This hardly seems fair. Think about it – how many things do you own three or more of? You can inadvertently find yourself the proud owner of more than three of lots of things – I (accidentally!) own five cats – but don’t collect them; three cars – don’t collect them; 54 acres – don’t collect them.

So maybe it’s only an antiques thing. And on that basis, dang, it turns out that I collect vintage tins. Didn’t mean to. Didn’t even notice I was doing it, so it’s not what you’d call a carefully selected and curated collection. And yet, I turned around one day and found myself with rather a lot of lovely vintage tins. 26 lovely vintage tins. This might not be so much of a collection as a secret vice.

I bought some lovely vintage
tins on our last buying trip. This one
is being offered for the first time at
Peregian Beach on Sunday.

But as far as secret vices go, I’ve heard of worse. Heck I have worse, but I’m certainly not telling you about them. You get to hear about my new-found appreciation for vintage tins, a pretty and useful ~~secret vice~~ collection. Mine are scattered throughout the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, and all are used. Beautiful and functional is what I like in my possessions, and vintage tins turn out to have a multitude of uses.

While unpacking the new shipment I have found a few really nice vintage tins, but so far only one that I am definitely keeping for myself. In my defence, that’s because it features a reclining tiger. You will recall from my Blog of 18 September 2013 (entitled I’m Still Standing) how fond I have become of tigers.

The tiger tin that is staying at my house.

Lots more unpacking of the new shipment has been essential because our third time at the Peregian Beach Market was a triumph and we sold heaps. I’m so glad this Marketeering thing is working out. We weren’t sure how the day would go as it was 37 degrees (98.6 degrees to my American readers - hi y'all), and this time we had been moved across the path from what we had come to think of as “our spot”. I wasn’t happy with the move at first, but as the day progressed I saw advantages with the new site, not least being a lot more shade and also a whole side of the stand open – rather than cheek by jowl with another stand. So now I want this new spot to be “our spot”.

The bucking bronco vintage tin has already
sold, but I shall offer this particularly nice
English Art Deco glass tray at Peregian.
It's $32, which is close to half the price to
what I used to have to charge for such
things in the shop. Ah, the joys of wholesale.

Despite the heat there was a pleasant sea breeze and a good number of people came out to play. The start of our new shipment was well received, and we were kept busy all day. Yay! You know I always get all paranoid about whether people will like our things when we have a new shipment arrive, and people always do like them, and yet after all this time I still feel uneasy until we’ve started making some serious sales. So now it’s all good.

I don't often buy French ceramics, but on our
last buying trip I obtained a nice selection
of French ceramic kitchen canisters.

Then, when we got home there was a message from the manager of the Caloundra Street Fair, welcoming us as a casual stallholders. I wasn’t expecting to hear from them for some time, because there is a long waiting list for stands at this Fair. But yet again it has paid to have stock that no-one else offers, and we got to jump the queue. I think the Caloundra Street Fair will prove interesting, but we’ll see. I will Blog with plenty of time to spare when we’re taking a stand there, but in the first instance it’s back to Peregian Beach next Sunday (5 January), seeing how it’s the first Sunday of the month.

He's only 9 weeks old, but you know that
nothing good is going to come from this look.

So we’re set for a good 2014. We spent the last day of 2013 with our friend Kim, who breeds the most beautiful Bengals and who has a crop of kittens about 9 weeks old, which is a very fun age. What a lovely way to while away the last day of the year, playing with gorgeous little bebes.

My only publically acknowledged New Year’s Resolution was to create a Facebook page for the business, and from next Monday I am taking Business Facebook for Numpties lessons so I shall have news on that front soon. Ha! How many of you have fulfilled a New Year’s Resolution so quickly? It’s official, I am superior in every way.

Brown and Blue Bengal kittens, very different
looks but both very beautiful.

My only conundrum now is what to call the Facebook page. Regular readers will know of the story of selling the shop but then not, but if you’re not familiar with that sorry saga see my Blog of 25 June 2013 entitled Is Malcolm Smith a Spineless, Blithering Liar? You decide. Seeing how I still own the business Continuum and have the signage from the shop, which I’m now using at Markets and Fairs, I think I might as well use that name.

So the Blog title here - Chequered Past – which I invented because I planned to sell Continuum, will be retired. Probably. I’ll still be here, still giving my news and views on life as an antiques dealer, just under a new name. Probably. Patience, Grasshoppers, I shall decide soon. Probably.