Friday 18 November 2011

Best before...


I wonder who decides when something is no longer useful?
What criteria? When it is no longer fashionable perhaps, wear and tear, no longer fit for purpose, health and safety (aaarghhhhh!)
I find myself marvelling at the things people have thrown away - we live in a terrifyingly disposable age.
I know that many of you feel the way that I do - a treasure found in a junk shop or car-boot makes my heart soar, knowing that you will re-purpose it and give it another life beyond it's original.One man's junk is another man's treasure...
Yesterday Mr.Lane decided it was an "away-day". (Unexpected day out - impromptu, impulsive mission!). Our destination - Salvage Yards. Now this is all a little more ambitious than my usual charity shop rummages! But Oh! I had the best time.... I am such a romantic at heart, I found myself creating life stories for all the tired old objects, imagining grand former lives for them all...the patina and flaked paint on these Victorian columns had me twirling.


Here we are in action...
Tee hee - I am humming the theme tune as we speak!
Love Steptoe and son xXx

18 comments:

  1. There are some real treasures here. I sometimes see things like this and imagine what wonders can be created with them but sadly lack carpentry or bricklaying skills. Walcot Reclamation in Bath do a roaring trade in items like these. Where there's muck, there's brass.

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  2. Oh dear, I'd better not tell Mr HH, those columns look suspiciously like they are from a railway station! I love rooting at these places too. Have you been watching the programme about Sarah Beeny's restoration of her manor house? The best bits are those where she goes off salvaging things and looking into the past.
    Hen x

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  3. As an American, I can tell you that these are treasures! Taking these things and restoring them to their former glory would be such a wonderful thing to do. Most people don't know that our American show, "Sanford and Son" was based on the English show, "Steptoe and Son".
    Hey, I just did a post on England...let me know what you think.
    Kay xx

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  4. I remember seeing 'Steptoe' in a cafe in theatreland in London once - and he seemed to be exactly as he was on the TV!

    All that peeling paint and patina - bliss! Did you take a horse and cartload home?!

    Pomona x

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  5. Oh they look fab.....I love a good salvo yard!
    Old stained glass windows are lovely.....I like the arched one!

    Have a super weekend!xx

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  6. That looks like the best place ever! And I love the windows.

    Have a fab weekend - hope you picked up some bargains?

    Nina x

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  7. just imagine all of the life those things have seen...

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  8. A day out to a reclamation yard is one of our favourite things. We decide what we are going to buy, how we are going to decorate our mansion, we ummm and ahhh over copper and brass, pine and oak, and then we trundle back home to our two-up, two-down! M x

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  9. Oh what fabulous things! Makes my heart beat faster.

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  10. What an exciting day, I love to find old pieces I can give a new life to. Have a lovely weekend, Catherine x

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  11. Ha. yes, i think about what the old piece would say if it could talk. Would we have liked the person who had it before us. Were they happy. It connects us with a whole new realm and thoughts of wonder. have a lovely weekend. Jane x

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  12. Oh yes, I do love a bit of reclamation. Very hard to resist, I'm sure.

    Happy weekend to you.
    x

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  13. I wonder if those columns were from a railway station? What did you bring home with you?
    Lisa x

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  14. What a great day out, love you photos, did you pick up anything to bring home?

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  15. Wow...lots of joy there today...love the old faded colours...I love going to those places. xoxoxo Happy new week to you my friend.

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  16. I love this post. I adored the photos, I have a thing for anything chipped and battered but I also love the discussiona about who decides when something is useless or past it's best.

    One man's junk and all that..

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  17. I would have been in heaven there! I loved every picture....they had a real magical feel about them.

    Lou xxx

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  18. If I ever need a tonic.. I know that I'll always find one here at SJDTL.. Oh give me junk any day over the glittery sparkly new. The colours in your photos are sublime.. and there is definite heart flutter when I see a 'salvage' yard sign. The Steptoe ethos is definitely in my blood!

    Michele xx

    P.s Thank you thank you for all of your crossed digits. I hope their magic will give us the outcome we are hoping for next week.

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