Treasure Hunting with Millie - The Christmas Edition
Around this time every year I head to my favorite antique store in the Detroit metro area to look for some new Christmas antiques to add to my collection. I know it seems a bit early but you have to go before Thanksgiving hits or else all the good stuff will be gone. Besides, I don't know about you but a few days after Halloween ended, my Christmas switch got flipped and all of the sudden my body was ready for Christmas.
No exaggeration: every time I step inside this place I always feel like Charlie when he sees inside the Wonka Factory for the first time. These dealers know their stuff; they line their shelves with the best of the best. The only downside about antique dealers knowing their stuff is they know how much things are worth so the chance of finding a steal is unlikely.
No one said treasure hunting wouldn't be dangerous, ok?
Here's a few photos of one of my favorite booths that happens to be particularly Christmasy right now:
I wasn't lying when I said it was particularly Christmasy, eh? Their Christmas-o-meter is up to eleven, I think.
Oh hey, this is Mercedes. She's a sweet little pup that belongs to one of the many dealers that sells there. She pretty much followed him around the store but did venture out to say hello to me after I called her over. Meeting her was a pleasant surprise because I really only have one goal in life and that's to pet all the dogs on the planet.
One doggo down, billions to go.
Also, excuse my fug yet comfortable shoes. I require two things during a treasure hunt and good arch support is one of them (strong brewed tea is the other).
He is so cute. Don't you just want to boop his little face?
I spent some time talking to one of the dealers there about these ceramic trees. They are wildly popular now but I grew up seeing them at my grandmother's house during Christmas time. A company called Atlantic Mold started making them in the late fifties but there are a lot of other manufactures that made similar ones throughout the years. The price depends on who made it, when it was made and of course, the size. You'll also see a reduction in price if some of the light bulbs are missing. And that's not an entirely uncommon experience because they come out so easily.
Ok, let's move on to the treasure hunting haul...
I have been looking for a midcentury tree topper for my Christmas tree ever since I started collecting. But it's always something — they are either overpriced for the shape they are in or red is a prominent color in them (which doesn't go with my Christmas tree color scheme at all). But today was my lucky day because I found not one but two tree toppers. My Christmas tree topper cup runneth over, as they say.
(no one says that)
The green one is made by Shiny Bright and I'm unsure of who made the cream colored one but it is definitely made of glass as well.
So here's a fun fact about collecting midcentury Christmas bulbs — the break SO easily. I've literally had some ornaments break before I get home. That's why I always say If you want to drive safely, just pretend that you have a bunch of Shiny Bright Christmas bulbs in your backseat.
Also, never let anyone wrap two bulb together when you are checking out. Make sure the store clerk wraps everything individually. Learn from my mistakes because there is nothing worse than getting home and unwrapping the tissue paper to find your ornaments in pieces.
I found this guy in a booth that had very little Christmas swag. He looked so out of place that I decided to rescue him and give him an equally festive home. Plus, I've always wanted a Santa Clause blow mold. This one was made in 1968 by Empire Plastics.
Dat booty, booty.
And here's my bulb haul. Eight new old bulbs came home with me today. And I'm proud to say that none of them broke in transit.
I'm unsure of the company that made them or when they were made but they suit the aesthetic of my Christmas tree perfectly. I was especially excited about the three ombre style bulbs I found. I'm thinking the dark blue and pink ombre ones might be a little newer due to their condition but I think they'll still fit right in.
And that concludes my Christmas treasure hunting haul for 2017. Now all that is left to do is get my decorations out and put my tree up. I'll be sure to post a photo of my tree on Instagram once it's done.
How about you guys? Are you team early decorations or team decorations after Thanksgiving?
I am team early decorations just because I think midcentury themed trees are so beautiful and want a little longer to look at mine.