A Mansion and An Abbey

Today I dragged G to a book sale at an estate.  Everything there (pretty much) was for sale.  It was held at an currently empty mansion (it went up for sale this summer, but no takers), a beautiful estate with the main sitting room area twice the size of my friend's apartment.  Huge rooms, beautiful stairway with the wood worn gently from hands gliding down it.  Honestly if we weren't already in this house, and if we by chance had a spare $1.5 million lying around, I'd be eager to buy it.  Ahem.  (perhaps we can play the lottery?)

We ended up with 11 books, which they were selling for a dollar a piece, including 3 Bobsey Twin novels from the 1930's and an old copy of A.A. Milne's "Now We Are Six."  I also picked up a lovely leather bound book about the French Revolution.

In one of the rooms I saw a huge tray, and immediately asked them how much it was.  They said they'd have to wait for the guy running the thing to determine, but finally later told me that the lowest they could go was $20.  Um, sold!  I brought it home, tightened the screws on the handles and used beeswax polish on it to protect it.  It's approx. 21x32 and has both inlaid wood in the center of the top (with the four pieces of the tray lying in a way where the wood grain forms a diamond), and design cut wood on the sides.

We're currently using it to drink tea as we watch Downton Abbey Season 2 on PBS, and the thing is as wide as our stairway so it caused G to laugh at me as I walked sideways up the stairs.  He joked that our future maid will need to be at least 6 feet tall to hold it above the railing, and I reminded him that the mansion's stairways are twice as wide so that would be unnecessary.

I think we're headed back in the morning to look at another piece of furniture that I was debating, but was unsure where to put it.  Now I've figured out where we want it, so it's just back to discuss and haggle.

Do you love antiques, or do you prefer a more modern look? 

P.S. Did I mention the mansion sits on over 8 acres that has walnut and apple trees along with an orchard?  I'm imagining pies and wine. 

P.P.S. This was written last night before we experienced a power outtage.  We went back.  We got the piece.  It's already in place and beautiful!  We've named it Hemingway.  Pics to come once the room is more finished.