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We took a vacation day today and decided to go to a new antique mall in search of...well, just about anything. This mall is quite large, probably 100 or more dealers. We found some delights! I brought the first one to the counter. It was a silver hand mirror, just lovely with a very art deco styling. The clerk admired it at first and as she began to wrap it, turned it over. To her shock, there was no mirror. She asked if I had noticed that it was missing. I said "of course, I don't need it." While she tried her best to look as if she understood, it was obvious she was concerned. So, being a kind person, I explained. "You see", I said, "I hang these on my wall and don't really need the mirror portion - I feel the art is in the backing." Oh, she said, but her eyes did not meet mine. The next thing to be put on the counter was a brass circular piece, marked with wording from a Fire Department in Connecticut. A second clerk was up there and asked what we wanted with this "oddity." I explained that we often used these metal pieces as grates or registers or such. In our last home we had a nifty one that covered an old door bell box hole that was plastic and out-dated. This one might be used as a frame or perhaps a wall hanging outside. She nodded, but not too convincingly. I also told her that we had several fire hydrants in our yard to complement the "fire department theme." She responded that she heard having a hydrant in your yard was great for house resale. (I did not have the heart to tell her these were strictly yard ornaments.) In our last house we had an "ocean" theme in one bathroom. We used a real port-hole as a faux window and would put different pictures behind it. Our guests liked that a lot. We are sure that the staff at an antique mall "has seen it all" and yet is curious enough to ask questions about the use of these "bits of nostalgia." As we were getting ready to leave, a gent came to the counter with about 25 of those metal ashtrays that taverns used to give away. As they wrapped them up, he said he was glad he had found more, they were hard to find and he was running low. We did not ask. One thing is for certain: Extravagance is what OTHER people spend their money on!
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