My Weblog

Beautiful Fall Days Make for Great Antiquing Days!

My son Sammy refers to himself as the collector!  Whenever I ask him about the items he has acquired here and there he reminds me "you know Mom I am the collector"  Funny how at 7 he has his own little eyes looking for fun things to find!  This Fall has been a great time for us to collect and find new things for the shop.  We are welcoming so many new people to the shop every day.  As we are in our 20th year, our collection now spans from the traditional Early American Country furnishings and accessories to the unique architectural elements and unusual and interesting industrial finds "as found" as well as "re-purposed".  It's an exciting time for us.  I welcome you to like us on facebook as well as instagram, twitter and pinterest.  When we started out 20 years ago email was just beginning and photos were developed prior to sharing!  What a time we are in when you can get information instantly about an item you are seeking!  Always feel free to email or call with any questions.  Enjoy the new inventory in our October Album.  More to be added this week.  Suzanne
 

A Great Weekend Was Had By All!

It was a great weekend for all during Salem County Arts & Bloom! We couldn't have asked for nicer weather.  People from all over traveled the County visiting our local studios.  We are already making plans for next year's weekend including adding live local music.  Thank you to the Salem County Art League Members who worked throughout the weekend showcasing their skills to our many visitors.  They shared many of their finished pieces, some of which sold through the open house.   Mary Wolfe was one of our visiting Artists and brought with her many of her latest oil paintings and succulent creations (some are still here so stop by).  Our neighbors, Quintan Nursery, were on site throughout the weekend welcoming our visitors with their offerings of beautiful perennials and are already making plans for next year's event. We also had fun watching all the children trying their hands at watercolor painting including my Sammy who helped Mary Herz, who chairs the Art League, teach one of the groups!  We loved being a host site and I enjoyed hearing the artists talk about using my vignettes for their paintings.  Looking forward to planning next year's Arts in Bloom Studio Tour!  Follow the links above for the Art League, Arts in Bloom and Mary Wolfe for information on next years dates and information.  We will be open this weekend so stop by.  The shop is full as well as Picker's Field!

Royal Port's Open House..... A Perfect Fall Day!

We had a great time yesterday.  It was a beautiful day inside and out.  We offered a great selection of Antiques, plenty of food and great customers.   We thought it would be fun to share some of the items our customers purchased.  Check out some of their photos in the Open House Album as well as some simple Fall decorating ideas.  Thanks to those who played along!  We were overwhelmed by the crowd so we know we missed photos of many of you before you left.  We'll get you next time.  Even one of Sammy's friends paid him a visit!  Thank you to all that stopped by.  We have several new items coming into the shop next week so I will be adding new inventory to the September Album.  Our next event is the Annual Ghost Tour of Salem City.  We are one of the sponsors.  It is October 26th.  Stay tuned for details.  Suzanne

Great Fun at the Mullica Hill Antiques Show!

I took a few photos yesterday to share with you of our booth at the Mullica Hill, NJ show.  We had such great weather and a very nice crowd throughout the day.  It was a pleasure seeing so many people we know and catching up.  Our Sammy is getting so big.  He helped with the cleanup.  He and Mike held down the shop while I manned the show.  I hope everyone enjoys all of their new treasures.  See you soon and make sure to check out the album I posted from the show.  Suzanne

A Nice Collection of New Inventory at The Royal Port!

We have been like hunters and gatherers but not to get ready for the winter but to get ready for the budding of the Spring Shoppers.  They, like us, are ready to break out of our winter hibernation to see what is fresh and new.  A few days here and there of nice weather have cleared my mind to share with you some of the new inventory ready for you at the shop.   Included in this post is a link to the February Album with additional photos and descriptions.  I really like adding the albums with the posts and will build on this throughout the year.  This 2 piece 19th Century Corner Cupboard was a nice additon to the shop.  Our inventory of yellow ware fit nicely on the shelves.  The scrollwork nicely frames whatever collections are placed on its shelves.     For those of you looking for a table this is a beautiful pine table with heavy, nicely done turned legs.  It is a perfect kitchen or dining room piece.   One of my new favorite pieces to the shop is ths early trolley or train bench.  We have two of them.  The sides have nice paneled details.  The back flips over for arrivals and departures.  Both are in nice condition.  We also added a nice selection of smalls to the shop.  This 19th century pierced tin and wood foot warmer is nicely done and in great condition.  It retains its interior coal tray as well.   This 19th century wire and wood birdcage is beautifully done.   Sammy had a great time playing make pretend with it.  I couldn't understand why Sammy needed eggs from out of the shop until I saw them in the bottom of the cage.  This little bird hatched chicken eggs.  Funny! The cage can hang from the top or from the wooden tombstone shaped back.  Another great early piece is this dated 1858 dovetailed slide lid box with handle.  It is beautifully done with a branded maker and date on the reverse side.  See the February Album for details.  To finish off the post I want to share a detail of a late 19th century floral appliqued quilt.  What makes this quilt so beautiful is the nicely done stitching of a medalian pattern throughout the piece.  It shows beautifully hung or draped.  It is in nice condition.    There are additional photos of furniture and smalls in the album.  Mike and I would like to say it was a pleasure to meet so many people at the Renningers King of Prussia show this past weekend.  We hope you can join us at the shop.  We just had a very small sampling of what we have to offer here at the Royal Port.   Think Spring!  Suzanne

What's New at the Royal Port!

I wanted to do a quick blog with a few new things before the Open House on Saturday (18th).  We are very excited about the open house here at the Royal Port. (including Sammy)  We have been adding new things, cleaning, having fun creating new displays and organizing out back!!  For those of you that can't make it on Saturday please feel free to stop on Sunday too.  The Royal Port bucks don't expire until Sunday night.   Now onto the new inventory.  One of our favorite new pieces is this tall painted blanket chest.  This is a perfect storage piece that could be placed in multiple rooms as well as for the bottom some of the higher beds.  The trunk is in very nice condition.    Another useful storage piece is this early salmon painted one door cupboard with interior shelving.  It's a simple clean piece that could also be used in multiple spaces throughout the home.  If you are looking for doors, we have them.  We just added this leaded glass door to that inventory.  The glass and the door are in good condition.  It was used as a slider or pocket door.  The hardware is still installed on the top of the door.   We are always looking for counters for our customers.  This early store counter is a recent addition.  It would be beautiful in a kitchen as a center island or perfect for any new business.  There is a drawer in the back as well as shelving.   Looking to start you own church?  We have just the pieces for you!!    This old pulpit has a paneled front with a cupboard back.  It is slanted for literature above the cupboards.   We thought it would make a nice hostess station or store counter.  Along with it you can also put this early kneeler.  Ready for Prayers!!!   We added a nice portrait to our collection at the shop.  This signed oil painting is dated 1904.  It is nicely executed.  I really love his suit, his glasses and his mustache & beard.  He looks like someone important but his name is not documented on the painting.  He fits in well amongst our early furnishings.  We'll make sure he feels at home here.   Speaking of homes....this early primitive home is a perfect country folk art piece to add to your collection.  It was created out of early advertising shipping crates.  The exterior is whitewashed so it allows for the early advertising to show through.  The early paint is in beautiful condition.  It's an overall great primitive piece.    Some of my favorite pieces to carry in our inventory are the early scrub boxes.  They were used for keeping metals polished.  They come in all shapes and sizes but my favorites are those that show the signs of great use.  The smoothness and wear on these pieces is always amazing.  The top box pictured is the latest addition.  The circular cut out area on this one I thought was unusual.  Hope you enjoyed a quick view of a few of our new additions to the shop.  Please stop by for our open house on Saturday the 18th from 10 am -6 pm.  We will have plenty of food, sweets, and drink to go around.  Come out and enjoy the day.  See you soon  Suzanne

A few new things to add to our always changing inventory!!!

It has been a busy year so far at the Royal Port Antiques.  We have met so many nice new customers and caught up with many of our original Queen's Inn customers. I love our groupies. (Vickie & Jeff)  We are also enjoying being on Facebook.  It amazes me when I look back when we opened the Queen's Inn Antiques 15 years ago and how much has changed in how we communicate with our customers.  No more taking film to get developed so we could mail some photos to a customer.   In an instant I can send photos through email.  Well  enough of my trip down memory lane.  Let's get to the good stuff...Antiques.   We have been out and about in search of great things.  Some of our latest finds include the beautiful pie safe.  It has nicely shaped drawers  over 2 doors with punched tin panels.  Both sides also have the punched tin.  It is a very nice size.  Along with the pie safe we found this lovely dry sink with raised panel doors along with one drawer.  This is a very clean piece.  It would be a nice accent in any living room, dining room, kitchen, den or baby's room (changing table with storage).  During the holidays we brought back into the shop this painted pie safe.  The set designers from The Village, the M. Night Shyamalan movie, rented this piece back in 1992.  It is a beautifully painted piece in nice condition with 6 uniquely punched tin panels.  The sides of the pie safe are solid.  It has nicely turned legs and one drawer.   An unusual piece to the shop is this step back cupboard.  After reviewing the piece we have concluded that someone had a cupboard that they made into a step back cupboard.  It's not pure but still a great display piece for any room and at $695 it's a great price.  I've had fun decorating it as things have sold off of it.   If you are looking for some storage space, we have it.  This 8 drawer store cabinet offers a display area on top and plenty of drawer space below.  I had Spring in mind when I accented it with garden items.  The back of the piece is open but could easily be built into a room or a back added.   We love early display cabinets.  We just put in a small cabinet with a lift front and a drawer.  It was made for a jeweler's scale by the Henry Troemner Company, who are well known for scales and calibration.  This is the case alone.  It would make a beautiful case for a Troemner scale, those delicate collectibles and especially for delicate ship models.  The drawer pull and the lift front hardware are ivory.  To the right of this piece is also a beautifully hand carved wooden oblong bowl in great condition.  A perfect centerpiece for any table.  We have fun with unusual pieces.  This long narrow table was once used for prepping wallpaper for hanging.  The base folds up when not in use.  It would be perfect as an extra table for entertaining as well as a sofa table or sideboard.  Just a simple, fun table. 
And last but not least I have to mention my little guy Sam.  He is such a great helper in the shop.  Always asking "What you doodin Mom or What's you doodin Dad?"    This day he turned to his Dad and said "Aren't you supposed to be helping me?"  Funny.  It's Sammy's Birthday next week.  Happy 3rd Birthday Sammy.  Don't forget to visit us on Facebook.  Our first show this year is the indoor Renninger's show February 27,28.  See our link in our show schedule for more details.  See you soon.  Suzanne

Salvage & Son

Most people know February 2nd as Ground Hogs Day.  For us it is known as Sam's Birthday.   Sam is the Son in Salvage and Son.  He's our big helper at the shop.  I just wanted to share with our customers, who are very familiar with Sammy, some of the pictures from his birthday.  We went with a Bob the Builder theme which is one of Sam's favorites.   We had a great party on Saturday.  Uncle John held down the fort at the shop.  He had a busy day too.  Thanks Uncle John.  Sam's favorite part of his party was the cake.  It's has become one of his favorite words. 

Happy 2nd birthday Sammy.  Love Mommy & Daddy

A New Year at the Royal Port Antiques

Welcome to the New Year.  It has been a busy one so far.  We're always moving and shaking at the shop.  Mike and I were rearranging a booth and Sam decided to help.  Of course I had to run and get the camera to capture the cute moment.  Not sure what the spooky white round image is.  The ghost of the dry sink still remains.  Only kidding or am I?  I am excited about the New Year and have so many ideas for our blog.  My goals include adding to our customer creations section.  I am always asking customers to share their before and after photos when using architectural items.  Customers are welcome to email photos of how they use the furniture too.  It's nice to see the pieces bought displayed in homes and businesses.  (FYI speaking of creations- Elizabeth's in Greenwood, DE is opening their new location today.  Make sure you check out their buffet counter which was one of my favorite pieces.)  Also in the New Year I will post customer letters, our updated show schedule and events in Salem County.   Our Blog readers, I open up the floor to you.  What would you like to see in the blog? So many of our customers ask us about our home and are curious about how we have it decorated.  From time to time I will share what I will title  "A Peek Inside" our home and talk about what we enjoy collecting. (haven't told Mike that yet- shhhhhhhhhhh)  So let me know.  Don't be shy.  Have an Antiques topic you want to learn more about in 2009?  Send me your thoughts.  Suzanne

Antique Chairs and the Time Out Dilemma......

Mike and I have a bit of a problem when it comes to Antiques at home.  We love chairs.  I counted in my head on the way to the shop today the number we have at home and it hits almost 40 (not including upols. chairs).  That's a lot of chairs.    We have Windsor's, plank bottom, child's, youth, ware, rockers, benches etc.  We do use them too.   Before our little guy Sam came into our lives we had acquired many youth and child's chairs.   Sam gets his shoes put on in a youth chair everyday.  He's gotten big enough to climb up and down even though it makes me nervous.  He loves all of the little chairs just his size.  With Sam nearing 2 or as everyone around us tells us, "the terrible two's", (I hate the saying) he's learning and discovering so many new things at such a rapid pace.  He's also learning what it means to push Mommy & Daddy's buttons.  (That would be us!!)  One of my favorite shows is The Super Nanny.  She is famous for the time out naughty chair form of discipline. I like this idea.   Sometimes I think I could use a time out. (Mike would agree)  Here is my major dilemma.  I have been trying this form of discipline with my cutie pie except for one problem.  I keep using a different chair depending on where we are in the house.  I can hear the Nanny now.  No! No!  You must pick one chair.  If she only knew.  I can't pick one of our favorite chairs and label it the naughty chair.  What is an Antique dealer to do?  Buy another chair!!!  Happy New Year!

Suzanne, Mike and Sammy