My Antique Brother

He visits once every year. He's the middle of my three older brothers. He's not the one who's into photography. He's not the one who adores Alton Brown on the Food Network. He's my antique brother. 

Though he is probably an antique himself, this particular brother is the one who loves to go antique shopping. Therefore, I consider him my "antique brother." Shhh....don't tell him. He might take it the wrong way.

Anyway, he was here over the weekend, and we went to our usual lineup of stores, starting close to home and working further away. I don't claim to be a collector or someone who knows anything about certain collections. The only thing I can see is beauty; if I like it and I can picture it in my home, then it's good enough for me. My antique brother is a different story. He can spot a single collection piece five vendor booths away. I'll literally be staring right at something we've both been looking for, and I still can't see it.

He laughs at my inability to spot something. So does his wife. I still love them both.

Sometime in the future, I'll do a single blog post on my brother's display of Ransburg pieces. His collection is in the hundreds, I'm guessing, but here's a very small sample of his appreciation for colorful things from the past. He loves the craftiness, the quality, and the feeling of things from past decades. 

Did I luck out by having him for a brother or what? Sorry ladies; remember he's already taken. 

On last year's antiquing trip together, my brother came home with an armload of Ransburg pieces. After the shopping spree, he sat at my kitchen table and lovingly cleaned each piece he'd purchased. 

I returned with the usual - old pictures.

This quaint little scene won my heart last year. When I first saw it, there was a surge of happiness that ran through me. At the checkout counter, the gentleman behind the desk said, "Did you know this was part of a set?" 

Then he came back with the matching picture.

OMG! Cuteness at it's best! And for such a small price.

Two years ago, I found a mate for one of my favorite pictures in the bedroom. 

And this year...well, this year, I actually found something that wasn't a picture. Let's just say it was love at first sight when I saw this sweet dresser and mirror.

I'd been looking on Pinterest for ideas on what to put in the entry hall by the front door - something that said "welcome to the farm."

And there it was. 

Although I'm pretty sure my brother also wanted to take this home, he kindly helped me load it up. He even gave me a very concerned and sympathetic look when I hopped out of the back of the truck, banging my knee on the trailer hitch I'd forgotten to remove. 

Ouch!

It warms my heart to spend such quality time with my antique brother and to look around my home and see proof of our visits with each other. He's a gem.

Sharon