Oh I do like to be beside the seaside............

..............and that's exactly where I was this weekend!  The sun came out on Saturday and not wanting to miss this rare occurrence and inspired by the photos of my Roldan dolls in the snow, Mark and I decided to head to the beach to take some more more photos of some more dolls!  I have had these dolls for a long time but didn't know what they were or who they were made by.  They look like Roldan dolls but aren't so that was where the trail ended, I put them away and kind of forgot about them.  Then one day I came across a doll that had very similar characteristics as mine and found out that they were made by a company called Larrea in the 1960s.  They are France's answer to the Spanish Roldan or Klumpe doll.  They aren't quite as detailed as the Roldan's but they are noted for their distinctive features such as their tear drop eyes and lips.  I only have a few and as they have often lost their tags and not as well known as the Roldan dolls, they are hard to find.

I thought that they deserved a photoshoot too and they fitted perfectly with the Brighton beach vibe.  So off we went and spent a lovely day in the sunshine taking photos of these funny dolls!  Hope you like the outcome.

These ballet dancers were taken on the bandstand.  I had wanted to contact the Theatre Royal and see if they would let us take photos on the stage but I was told by Mark that not only was it highly unlikely that they'd let us but how unimpressed would they be when we turn up for our 'photoshoot' with a pair of dolls and an iphone!  I got his point and actually prefer the bandstand as a backdrop (well I didn't have much choice did I?!)

Next is one of my favourites and she's a bit saucy.  Her top is normally half open but in the interests of decency I covered her up.  Only the French would come up with a half naked doll!

These photos were taken further along the promenade near the smoke house and fishing museum which I had never been in until Saturday.

We then went down to Hove to the beach huts to take photos of this little cutie

She looks so at home in front of the beach huts and suits her surroundings brilliantly.  The colours really pop and I am so pleased at how these photos turned out.  I had a vision and I think it worked!

Next saw us at my favourite shop Three Angels to take photos of my final Larrea dolls  I had always felt they had a Parisian air about them even before I knew the were made in France so I thought the French style surroundings of the Three Angels cafe would suit them perfectly.

 I love their outfits and the fact that they have cigarettes, so French and so of the time.

 As well as my Larrea dolls, I took some other curiosities along to photograph as well.  I have never seen anything like them.

They look very similar to the Larrea dolls but look closely and you can see that they don't have legs and there is a silver button type thing.  That's because underneath the cloth is a plastic bottle that you would fill with perfume.  They are perfume atomisers!  Again I think they must be French.

For our final photos of the day we thought we'd try and include the iconic West Pier and my next dolls fitted in perfectly with their surroundings.  They are cloth dolls made into the characters from the artist Brownie Downing illustrations.

Her most successful subject was Aboriginal Australia and she delighted both children and adults with her ability to capture the simple, naive beauty and innocence of children and wildlife.  Her illustrations and watercolours are beautiful and you can find prints quite easily.  She also illustrated children's books and porcelain items.  A search on eBay will probably come up with a few but these dolls are very rare.  I found the lighter haired doll at the same time as my perfume atomisers at Detling antiques fair and luckily the dealer was able to tell me who she thought it was based on.  I then did a bit of research and came across the other 2 on eBay.  I think they are wonderful and so full of character.  I love the boomerang and kangeroo especially.

So there you have it, more dolls!  I think they are great display pieces and whilst they aren't everyone's cup of tea, you can't deny how full of character they are and what great photographic models they make!

My top finds ever!

I love all my finds although having said that, I would say that I'm actually quite fickle when it comes to my finds (luckily for Mark I'm not fickle in my relationships).  I will really, really, really love something and it will be my best find ever and nothing could ever replace it until............the next thing that I really, really, really love comes along.  There are some things however that I will love forever and will never part with.  I love them so much that I thought I would share with you my delights and the things that make me so happy.

First up is a very rare 1930s, mirrored french radio

1930s mirrored radio

This was hard to photograph (thank you Eve Bellamy for the photos!) but I hope you can see some of the detail.  I found this at Ardingly Antiques market and as soon as I saw it across the field, I was there swooping down and sweeping it up in my arms.  I love original 1930s french mirrored pieces and this was my find of the year as they are getting so hard to find.  I asked how much and was stunned when the seller said that it was only £10 as he had dropped it that morning and 2 pieces of glass had come off.  He still had one bit that was easy to glue on and the other bit that had broken didn't detract so for £10 it would have been rude not to.

1930s mirrored radio

That isn't the end of the story though, Mark in his wisdom decided that the radio wasn't quite damaged enough so when he glued the broken glass back on, he decided to do some 'restoration' work.  When I say he felt it wasn't damaged enough, I mean that this must have been what was going through his mind when he decided to take a scouring pad, scouring side up, to the glass panel at the front and proceeded to scour all the radio stations off.  I KNOW, I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE IT MYSELF!!!  I came in at that moment and asked in a calm, high pitched strangulated voice what he was doing to which he replied that he was 'cleaning it up for me'  He had already decided to take off the slightly grubby covering of the speaker and was now proceeding to scour away any value what so ever.  I can't quite remember how this ended but no doubt there was plenty of deep breathing on my part and a mantra going round in my head, 'he was only trying to help',  'he was only trying to help.'
Needless to say Mark is not allowed to 'restore' anything of mine ever again!

1930s french peach mirrored chest of drawers

Staying on the mirrored theme, my 4th most favourite find is my 1930s french mirrored chest of drawers.  Now these really are like hen's teeth and I have never seen one like this here in the UK so I know how lucky I was to find it.  Mark and I had been away just after Christmas and were driving home on New Years day when I asked him if we could drive past my favourite shop Three Angels.  I used to just drive past when it was closed so I could get my fill of french loveliness without being tempted to buy anything.  This strategy DOES NOT work!  I have bought so many pieces when its been closed because I see them in the window and go straight down there the next day to buy them.

The chest I actually saw before we had even parked the car.  I literally saw it as we were driving to the shop from about 100 yards away.  I am very eagle eyed when I want to be. As the shop was shut, I went in the next day, slapped down my deposit and fell in love.  The colour is perfect, I love the etched flowers, its so pretty and glamorous, the list could go on and on.

Gorgeous green cabinet

My third favourite find is this green cabinet that I found in Brighton.  I saw it in the shop window and fell in love, the green is exactly my colour and I wanted it.  Then I saw the price tag.........I wasn't going to be having it (I think my eyes actually started watering!)  A few weeks went by and it was still on my mind so next time I went into town I thought I'd take a detour to the shop just to see if it was still there.  It was and not only that but it had also been heavily discounted and I knew then that it was mine.

It has the original leaded glass and is perfect for holding all my most precious objects.  It is absolutely solid and the shelves are solid wood, it can hold a lot of weight.  I think it is late 1800s, early 1900s although I'm not sure.  It came out of an old farmhouse and the thing I love most about it is..........

........these scratch marks where the naughty farm cat decided to use it as a scratching post!  They are exactly the same on both sides so he obviously scratched on whichever side took his fancy!
This piece is very precious to me and one that I look at daily especially as it has my favourite photos of my mum and dad in pride of place.

My second favourite pieces aren't vintage finds but they are handmade and I think you'll agree, are very special indeed.

Wally and Sasha

My mum and I had 5 cats, Sasha, Fleur, Katie, Chloe and Wally.  They were our family and I used to get a birthday and Christmas card every year from them (obviously my mum wrote them as cats can't write, right?).  When I was at University and used to ring home, my mum would even get me to say hello to Sasha who used to respond with a miaow!  I loved these cats so much but unfortunately when my mum got very ill and could no longer stay at home I had to find new homes for all the cats.  We couldn't have them as Mark is very allergic and suffers from asthma and it wouldn't have been fair on them to be in such a small environment.  Sasha was the oldest and was 22/23.  I managed to find him an old cats home where I hope he enjoyed his last days, I often think about him as he was my favourite and we'd had him since I was a little girl.  Wally was the baby and was so funny.  He was actually named Orlando, shortened to Olly and then renamed Wally because he was! 
Anyway just before Mark and I got married, I discovered James Cochrane and his papier mache pets.  It was a no brainer, I had to get him to make me a model of my beautiful cats and so Wally was the first to be created and I received him as a wedding present from my lovely husband.

Wally is on the left, a funny fluffy thing!

Then when I turned 30, Mark commissioned James to make Sasha, the best birthday present I could have had.

Sasha, a big old tabby with huge paws

Wally

Mum and sasha

Baby Sasha and my mum

These would definitely be what I saved in a fire and I love them with all my heart.  I think James did an amazing job and really captured Sasha and Wally.

So what's my favourite find of all time?  Well its got to be these

An old bakerlite radio and a vintage set of eyelashes.  Whats so special about these I hear you ask, well shortly after my mum moved into a nursing home, Mark and I were at a collectibles fair at Hove town hall.  I bought a few bits and pieces when I stumbled upon these eyelashes.  My name is Fiona so obviously I had to buy them.  They even have the original glue and attacher thing.  I have never seen any before or since and actually think its a bit random to call them Fiona!  So we carried on going round the fair when I found this

I really liked it and thought it was unusual but it wasn't until I turned it round that I realised why I had been so drawn to it

The sticker on the back said that it played the song Goodnight Irene and my mum's name is Irene.  It was absolutely fate that I would find both these items at the same fair especially during such an emotional time.  My mum and I together for always in whatever capacity.
I have never seen either of these items since and I have looked for them.  I was definitely meant to find them, they were destined to be mine and I will never ever let them go.

So there you have it, my top finds.  None of them have any particular monetary value but that it isn't the point.  These are the items that give me so much pleasure and that I have a real emotional attachment too especially my cats, radio and eyelashes, I wouldn't be without them!