5 Antique Garden Finds That Could Seriously Pad Your Nest Egg
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There are many distinct garden styles. Maybe you skew to a classic French Countryside look, an orderly British garden, or a loose and free cottage style. Whatever you prefer, there is an antique garden ornament or curio, whether practical or purely ornamental, to fit your style. And maybe you already have one of these items sitting around and didn’t know it was worth a pretty penny–time for a trip to Antiques Road Show!
Garden Table and Chairs
We can’t imagine a better place to sit and relax with a book on a sunny day or to enjoy an al fresco meal than at an antique outdoor table and chair set. Set up a strand of string lights, and the night will be magical.
French Iron Garden Set by Francois Carre
This stunning set from the 1930s by designer Francois Carre is in the Sunburst or Pinwheel pattern.
Antique Birdcage
While not recommended for housing birds (they are often too small and contain harmful materials, like lead paint), a stunning antique birdcage adds a ton of flair to any outdoor space. It’s advisable to put them under a covered space or inside a greenhouse as water can cause them to rot.
French 19th Century Medieval Château Birdcage
This stunning example looks like a medieval chateau and has a spectacular pewter roof and amazing rust-colored paint.
Antique Garden Cloche
This is one of those beautiful yet practical garden items. If you’ve planted early and one last spring frost is threatening, then pop a glass cloche over your spring lettuces to keep them safe. Bell-shaped glass cloches were invented in Italy in the 1600s. The French and British made them shortly thereafter, and even Thomas Jefferson was a huge fan.
Antique Glass Garden Cloche
$638.50 at gardenandwood.co.uk
This example of a framed cloche is like a mini greenhouse with its metal bars and side door. These were cheaper to manufacture as glass was quite expensive.
Faux Bois Bird Bath
Faux Bois Bird Bath
$2400.00 at modernantiquarian.com
Anything faux bois (meaning false wood) strikes our fancy. Faux bois was invented in France in the 1800s and is made by sculpting cement onto metal armatures and giving it the illusion of free-flowing branches and trees. At its height of popularity, everything from bridges, to fences, and balconies was given the faux bois treatment. We love benches, table and chair sets, and especially bird baths. Nestle a bird bath among established perennials or alongside a garden path to create a lovely focal point.
This lovely example features a wood-slab looking top set on a nicely patinaed stump.
Olive Jars
Antique Spanish Pottery Jar
These striking earthenware pots can be used as planters or as a focal point in the garden. Used for centuries (the earliest example dates back to around 3500 BCE) to store and transport both olives and olive oil. They are commonly unglazed and have handles for carrying.
This example has a lovely striped pattern, lovely color variation, and a classic shape.
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