Collecting Vintage – An Interview with Keepsies 11

It is always interesting to talk to people who collect vintage treasures.  In this interview, we find out more about Sue, the owner of the vintage shop Keepsies on Etsy.

Why and when did you start collecting?

I’ve always liked to decorate my home with Victoriana or period items – always preferred living in an old house, in fact – something with some history, that others have enjoyed before me (our current house is over 200 years old, and I love it). About 15 years ago, needing to earn some money and not really being in a fit state to go out to work, I thought of buying and selling antiques online, and after a little research, decided to try art nouveau and art deco pieces as I loved those styles. One of my earliest purchases was an unsigned Clarice Cliff wall mask, bought for £25 on (dare I mention it?) Ebay – as it was misspelled – which sold for over £1000 at auction. I was hooked.

Who or what was your influence for collecting?

Originally, my granny’s house, and a batty friend whose collection of Victorian clutter I admired! But my influences change all the time… the more I research, the more wonderful things I find – over the years I’ve developed a love of Art and Craft Movement and Aesthetic design in Britain (especially anything by Dr Christopher Dresser), early 19th and 18th century ceramics, Bohemian art nouveau glass, and Wiener Werkstatte/Bauhaus modernist design… but equally I adore kitsch stuff from the 50s and 60s – my growing up years – and just about anything high art deco still really floats my boat! So – pretty eclectic really.

What is one of your favorite pieces and why?

That’s a difficult one – given the wide range of ‘likes’ I’ve just quoted! I think one of my favourite pieces currently in my shop is a gorgeous art deco trio by Forester called Autumn, appropriately! Love the warm autumn colours together with the aqua/teal – a really great contrast, and such a funky deco shape. And if I can sneak another one in, it would have to be the Mabel Lucie Atwell Needle Gauge… just love those cute Atwell characters used on such a functional craft tool, and its such a delight to hold!

What tips can you give us about collecting?

Most important: the three Rs – Research, research and more research – most of it online. Does it for me every time. I look for things that aren’t easy to identify, and make myself an expert in recognising obscure backstamps, styles or trademarks. I found a little bisque porcelain bowl shaped like a bucket once, and bought it for £5. It was unmarked, very delicate, unglazed with just a few tiny sprigs of leaves and a neat little handle. Took me ages researching it – turned out to be a Bow Porcelain ‘Piggin’ from around 1750 – and I sold it for over £1500. (I wish they were all like that…)

I rarely bother with the big names that everyone looks for, there’s no point – you’re never going to find anything reasonable enough to make a profit on. (Unless you’re a collector buying for your own pleasure and not for resale of course – then – go for it.) If you want to resell at a good price, being able to attribute a piece to the correct maker can really make a huge difference.

What would be your holy grail piece and why?

Ooh – another tough one. Obscure, but it would have to be a Tremaen Pottery grotesque ‘Head’ Toothbrush Holder – because this I collect – it was my Uncle’s studio pottery in Cornwall from the 1960s-80s, and this is one piece I am missing!

Where do you look for new items to add to your shop / collection?

Anywhere and everywhere – antiques auctions, car boot sales, charity shops, junk shops. And online too – Sales/Wants ads on Facebook, and I have loads of regular searches set up on Ebay for obscure things I know I can sell – sometimes just searching for something like ‘old jug’ will turn up a lost treasure! (Be prepared to de-clutter your Inbox every once in a while, tho!)

How has collecting changed or affected your life?

You mean apart from having one room so full of stock that I can barely get in? I think it’s taught me a lot, and given me a huge interest in how peoples’ lives have changed in the last 200 years. I love wandering around historic buildings and discovering the social history of a place – and I appreciate good craftsmanship and design now much more than I did before. And amazingly, it does help out my pension!

Where can we find you?

Etsy Shop – Keepsies

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/keepsies/i-m-selling/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Keepsies-on-etsy/227820427269568?sk=app_308775552519993

Online – http://www.brendawootton.eu/

(That last is a little online shop I run to sell the albums produced by my mother, the singer Brenda Wootton, and a book I produced on Collective Nouns called Gallimaufry!)

And, this is a Tremaen Pottery lampbase – you can see why I love them! You can view the full range here – not my site, but an excellent one – http://www.tremaen.com/index.html

(NB The Mask and the piggin are not the original ones I sold, but are almost identical)

Sue

Keepsies.etsy.com