What I paid for Aunt Rozella's Silver

I am sorry it has taken me THREE DAYS to tell you about Aunt Rozella's silver.

Obviously, I'm having a little trouble telling this story. I couldn't figure out what to share and what should be edited...ugh...I didn't want to make anybody look bad.

But, hey -- Uncle Marion did most of that on his own....

I was disappointed, but not surprised, when he refused my offer of $1500. So -- Aunt Rozella's silver would go to the auction...and I was very hopeful that I'd be the winning bidder.

But, like I said -- the GMB boys were attracting HUGE crowds at that time...

For me -- going to an auction was a regular Saturday activity. Whenever anybody was visiting me -- we'd head off to the sale barn in DeWitt. I took both Joanne Ross AND Pat Leslie....and Mary Mulari has probably attended half a dozen auctions over the years...Obviously, I am a regular customer...

Mary -- with her own bidding number...

So -- I have set the stage. Aunt Rozella's belongings have all been taken to the auction barn in DeWitt, Iowa. I went up on Friday night to help unpack the boxes and set up the tables. My Uncle Melvin was the one doing most of the heavy lifting on this whole deal.

Uncle Melvin and his wife Kathy spent days (weeks?) going through Aunt Rozella's house, and packing up the boxes...I helped a little -- but, for them, it was a full time job!!  Uncle Melvin thought it was terrible that Marion didn't let me buy the silver...and he thought I made a generous offer...

When we were setting up the tables on Friday night, I talked to Norm, the auctioneer, about Aunt Rozella's silver.  He knew I was hoping to buy it.  Norm figured it would be sold in the second hour...

Saturday morning...with my bidding number in hand... #12.  I waited patiently.  There is a certain strategy involved when bidding at an auction.  I decided I would NOT be the first one to bid...I didn't want to appear too eager....

A local antique dealer started the bidding at $25.
I bid $50.
She bid $75...
It was just the two of us...and we got up to $200 pretty quickly...I was holding my bidding number in the air the whole time...altho #12 definitely had a budget, I wanted to look determined...like I had NO QUIT in me...

The antique dealer bidding against me was sitting at the end of a bleacher seat.  This woman was a family friend, and Deena thought maybe she didn't realize she was bidding against ME -- Aunt Rozella's actual NIECE...

The woman had just bid $250.....when Deena got next to her, and said, "Say -- do you know you're bidding against Rita?"

My #12 was in the air all the time...

The woman looked down at Deena and said (with some disdain) that she knew perfectly well she was bidding against family-- but -- hey -- THIS IS AN AUCTION -- it happens all the time -- and if I want the silver, I'm just gonna have to pay...

While she was still talking to Deena, and explaining how this auction thing works...the auctioneer dropped his gavel and said, "SOLD for $275. to bidder #12 ..."

I don't know who was happier...Deena, Uncle Melvin, or me. Yeah...it was me. Definitely me...

Aunt Rozella's Silver

So -- okay -- I am free to tell this story because Uncle Marion died in 2007.

See -- here's the thing. Although he and Aunt Rozella were married for over 50 years -- they weren't exactly Romeo and Juliet. They were the "Bickerson's"...

Aunt Rozella was the main breadwinner. She always had a good job that provided their benefits. And she was an officer in many local charitable clubs and service organizations...

Uncle Marion served in WW II, then came home and married Aunt Rozella -- who,apparently, was embarrassed because her younger sister (my Mom) was already married.  She was suffering the humiliation of being considered an Old Maid.

Although Uncle Marion worked as a mechanic, he was not a go-getter...and he pretty much stayed at the entry level wherever he went...(gee -- this is hard to write).

I adored Aunt Rozella.  I was not a fan of Uncle Marion.

To be honest -- he was a bigot -- and his view of the world was hard to take.  He hated many people, and he liked to blame other people for many of the problems in his own life.

More often than not, he'd start to talk, and Aunt Rozella would shut him up...with a stern -- "Oh, Marion...that's not true..." Sometimes, she actually held up her hand...sending a clear message... SHUT UP...

Looking back -- I do wonder why they stayed together.  Because she obviously did not like him....

But -- I digress.....

Back to Aunt Rozella's Silver.

The day I found it, under the bed, I really, really wanted it. I didn't have any idea what it was worth -- so I went to that brand new phenomenon -- eBay! At that moment in time, there was a complete set of Spring Glory silver -- which was listed for $1500.(but it had NOT sold.)

Gulp.

I printed out that page and showed it to Uncle Marion. I offered him $1500. (which was A LOT OF MONEY for me )....

He knew Aunt Rozella spent $2250 for her silver, and he believed it would be worth twice that much.

So he said no. He would rather take his chance at the auction...

I don't have pictures of Aunt Rozella's actual auction -- but this is the same Auction House

The GMB Auctioneers were, at that time, doing an excellent business in DeWitt, Iowa.

They had an auction almost every weekend...

They did a great job of sorting and displaying the items to be sold.

And they were attracting BIG crowds...

People came from miles around.

The head auctioneer -- Norm (with the white hair in this picture, holding up the quilt) was an excellent auctioneer..

I once purchased this button turkey for my niece Amy...

And you know I have built a HUGE COLLECTION of household linens...

This is NOT Aunt Rozella's silver...but, even the forks and spoons I use everyday are old silverplate -- all of it purchased at auctions over the years...

Thanksgiving Wednesday: Tie One On DAY...

I wrote this post TEN YEARS AGO...
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This is a picture of Mary Mulari and her Aurora, Minnesota crew -- enjoying an evening at the play, "The Church Basement Ladies"...and, of course, THEY ARE ALL WEARING APRONS...from some of Mary's various wonderful apron patterns. Her "Church Basement Ladies" apron is her #1 seller.
In this picture (so old, I am fat) -- my book clubbers are all wearing vintage aprons -- we were reading "Growing Up Country" -- and serving a 50's supper for some friends.

Me and Mary, stylin' in our aprons, posing for our publicity shot...

So -- what's my point? Well, I am encouraging you to participate in the "National tie One On Day" this Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. This movement, started by the woman who wrote "The Apron Book" -- is simple.

On the day before Thanksgiving, give an apron, maybe wrapped around a loaf of bread or a thoughtful gift -- to a woman who is working to prepare the family Thanksgiving. I'll be giving a vintage apron to my niece Amy, who has invited us to her house. Inside the apron, she'll find a 1944 cookbook that used to belong to her Grandmother, my mother...

It's simply meant to brighten somebody's day...whether you live in a big city or out in the country -- connect with a neighbor, acquaintance or friend who would appreciate such a simple, thoughtful gift.

From the website -- Apron Memories -- with Ellyn Anne Geisel, author of "The Apron Book"

“Women clad in aprons have traditionally prepared the Thanksgiving meal, and it is within our historical linkage to share our bounty.” EllynAnne Geisel

 https://www.apronmemories.com/tie-one-on-day/

And -- I DIDN'T FORGET...tomorrow I promise to tell you how I came to own Aunt Rozella's silver...

Aunt Rozella's Silver

Anybody who reads this blog on a regular basis has heard about Aunt Rozella's silver. It's the finest thing I own.

But -- as I'm getting ready for the Art of Homemaking exhibit -- I realize Aunt Rozella's Silver is largely responsible for my MASSIVE COLLECTION of all-fine-things...

And here's why...

Aunt Rozella was my Mother's only sister, and she was my favorite Aunt. She worked in an office, and had a "wardrobe". She always acted like she enjoyed talking to me...even when I was a little girl...and I loved her.

As my own boys were growing up -- we went to her house every Sunday morning after Sunday School. She would always have a snack for them -- and they LOVED visiting with her. She and Uncle Marion always celebrated Christmas with our family.  And, after John and I built our home -- she and Uncle Marion came to my house for Easter dinner, and New Year's day dinner...for many happy years.

Aunt Rozella was not a good cook. But, for some reason -- we ALWAYS had Thanksgiving dinner at her house.  Even when we were little, we realized she didn't put that meal together easily.  Her mashed potatoes were either runny or lumpy...and I remember one year in particular when the turkey was raw.

Preparing that meal must have been torture for her. She and Uncle Marion lived in a small house, and fitting all of us meant setting up card tables in every room of their little house...There were six of us, then, eventually -- we brought our spouses, then, our own children. But, even as the family got BIGGER AND BIGGER -- she still did that Thanksgiving dinner every year. Eventually, she had to make room for 25+ people. IT WAS A LOT...

Aunt Rozella died in 1995.

Several years later, Uncle Marion was selling their house. I went to help him go through the rooms -- sooo much stuff. Again. Another auction....

In the guest room in that little house, I sorted through a closet and some drawers. She had several mink stoles...and some odd dolls. Then, I pulled a dust-covered wooden silverware box out from under the bed.

Uncle Marion, standing in the doorway, said, "That's Rozella's silver..."

Of course, I knew it could not possibly be REAL silver. I had never seen this box in my life. If my Aunt Rozella had REAL silver -- surely she would have used it on Thanksgiving...

I assumed it was a nice set of silverplate. Perhaps something she picked up at an auction...(auctions are a huge sport/pastime here in Iowa).

But, then, I opened the lid of the box. The original receipts were in a envelope. During the 40's and 50's, Aunt Rozella worked for Shell Oil in downtown Davenport. She purchased a piece of silver every-other-week for years -- from Parker's Department Store.

OMG...

The last piece she purchased was the pie server -- in 1976 (their 25th Anniversary).

The pie server cost $275.

She had spent a total of $2250.00 for her Silver.

Spring Glory was the pattern.

It is beautiful.

So -- now you understand how Aunt Rozella came to own this stunning set of silver...

Tomorrow -- I'll tell you how I CAME TO  OWN IT....

The Friendship Quilt

Two years ago, during Mary's Iowa visit, on our TMBC day -- we went to a quirky little antique mall...

One booth, in particular, was a BONANZA of vintage linens....There were a dozen SETS of embroidered Days-of-the-week dishtowels ($21 for a complete set)...and a basket full of pillowcase sets that had been laundered, ironed and folded ($4 a set).

THEN WE FOUND THE RACK OF QUILT TOPS...

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I don't know most quilt patterns, so I'm not gonna try...

But looking at the pictures, I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T BUY THEM ALL...

I did buy this one. What looks like a pale blue is actually a small blue and white stripe...and the pink is a red and white stripe...IT'S TERRIFIC, ISN'T IT??

But I think this was the star of the day. All different quilt patterns sewn together.

I think it was the original version of the Splendid Sampler!!

Mary bought this one and took it home!!

This is a double wedding right -- right?

And a Grandmother's Garden?

All those pesky little hexies...

One of the few photos we got of all five of us.

The price for the quilt tops? $15 each.

The last picture is actually a friendship quilt -- most likely from the 30's or 40's.  Each one of the colorful blocks in this quilt has an embroidered woman's name.

My tentative plan is to make this Friendship Quilt a part of the Art of Homemaking Exhibit.

Wouldn't it be fun if I could publish the names of the women who made this quilt?  Maybe somebody will recognize a name -- and know something about these women. 

And -- hey --  if anybody comes forward -- I'll  give them the quilt!!

Whitening Vintage Linens

Although I have posted this several times -- I'm DEEP INTO my vintage linen stash -- getting ready for "The Exhibit" at the Bettendorf Library -- so I need to review...

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Years ago, my Sew Expo friend Bonne asked for my best advice about whitening a stash of yellowed vintage linens...I sent her this:

You LUCKY DUCK!! What a wonderful gift to have -- pieces of antique lace and embroidery from your grandmother and her mother...

Here's my best advice about whitening. The first rule is to NOT BE SO PICKY...sometimes -- you just need to settle for "good enough". Because with delicate vintage fabrics -- you cannot go all the way to bleach. It's not worth the risk...

I asked her to send pictures -- and you can see that many of the pieces are very discolored...

...here's how I'd start:

1A. SOAK the lace overnight in tepid water. It's important to rehydrate fabric that may be verging on dry-rot. Because there's no coming back from that...

1B. after this first soaking, check to see if they need repairs. Lay the fabric out and air dry. Make the repairs NOW -- before the real whitening work begins...





2. the next step is to SOAK the pieces in warm water with a double dose of Oxy-clean. Overnight is best...

3. Rinse and assess. If you're still not happy, repeat step #2 again. And again. I once Oxied a pair of pillowcases six times over a period of a week...believe it or not, they improved with every treatment..and I never let the fabric get "dry" between soakings.

4. Once you're happy -- rinse the fabric several times in cool water.

5. Lay the pieces out FLAT to dry.

• If you're working with shaped lace, form the wet pieces on a piece of glass or mirror. That's what they do in museums -- to avoid ironing -- which you NEVER want to do. When the lace is soaking wet, lay it on the glass and squeegee out the moisture. When it's dry, it will be wrinkle-free.

• If it's not lace -- think in terms of "layers". Top an absorbent bathtowel with a white cotton dishtowel (or piece of a cotton sheet), then the wet vintage pieces, then more white cotton. "Roll" it up and apply pressure to squeeze out the moisture...remove as much moisture as possible...then lay the pieces flat to dry.

• Or -- my favorite tricks -- HANG THEM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE. One of my grandmother's whitening secrets was to lay her white linen napkins on top of green shrubs...(she believed in the magic of photosynthesis) -- and I'm not sure it doesn't work.

SUNSHINE, SUNSHINE, SUNSHINE...

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You can see from the pictures that my student did an EXCELLENT JOB with her vintage lace and embroideries...

P.S. If you actually ARE a textile curator, please do not send me an email...I know you disagree with just about everything I said...and I can live with that....

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HOLY COW!!  This is gonna be a LOT of work...I'd better get started!!

Song of the Decade

Saturday afternoon...I was driving with the kids in the car.

Lilly was in the passenger seat, cuz she loves to control the radio. Warren was in the back seat...drawing a map of the world.

We are listening to a pop channel -- they were announcing the "Top Ten Songs of the Decade."

The disc jockey said: "The #3 song of the decade was Ed Sherran, The Shape Of You.

Lilly said, "Are you kidding me?  There's no way that deserves to be ranked #3 song of the DECADE...seriously..."

Trying to be hip, I said, "what song would you rank #3?"

Lilly said, "Well, it's not just what song I'd pick, Grandma...there were lots of songs that were bigger than The Shape of You.  For sure -- Camila Cabello's, Havana...or how about  One Dance by DRAKE?  It had over 60 million views on YouTube.  How do they pick the top songs?  Don't they take the free viewings into consideration?  For crying out loud, in the last five years, anything by Arianna Grande or even Taylor Swift's, Shake It Off..."

WHA???

My brain kind of froze over as Lilly continued to talk about ALL THE SONGS that she thought should've beat out Ed Sherran...

She was naming singers I do not know...Post Malone,  Shawn Mendes,

Then, she said, "Everybody wants to credit Netflix for Lizzo's success -- but, really it was Tick-Tock that blew up her music..."

At the risk of exposing my own ignorance -- I ask...

"What is Tick-Tock, Lilly?"

Remember -- SHE'S ONLY TEN YEARS OLD. But that doesn't mean she can't roll her eyes all the way back in her head....

Turns out Tick Tock is actually spelled Tik-Tok...and it's an APP (remember -- I don't even have a smartphone)....She's trying to explain a music video app to her Grandma, who still listens to CD books....."kind of like Instagram, Grandma...only for music videos...do you remember Snapchat?"

When I asked Lilly how she knew so much about music -- she said maybe I should watch the videos from Coachella...

Coachella?

HUmmm...it sounds like a bubbly drink...

Is that a purse?  A town?  A venue?  An internet show?

I was afraid to ask...

But, in case you are wondering...the #1 song of the decade....was Bruno Mars.  Uptown Funk