A Happy Halloween From South Coast Antiques and Fluffy the Cat

Fluffy the Cat Wishes everyone an exceptionally creepy Halloween!

Our shop South Coast Antiques in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, has been closed for well over two years now.  It seem like it was just yesterday.  

The town of Ocean Springs closes the main roads in the center of the old part of town and has all the trick or treater's go around in the shopping area. It was a great "safe zone."  The shops all give out candy and there are usually some type of a zombie street show.  It is  always a lot of fun for both the children and the adults

I loved setting up with a bunch of our friends giving out the candy in front of the shop.  On a number of occasions, I would dress up in a costume and sit beside the candy that we were giving out to the kids and I would be oh, so very still and not move a muscle until the right kid came up and needed a good Halloween scare!  I wouldn't just jump and yell, because usually I would just move the slightest bit and the young treater would scream and run.  They thought I was a mannequin, but they thought wrong!

It was always so funny, the little children would look at me and smile and not be frightened usually, it was mainly the older kids and adults that would actually scream and run. Halloween at South Coast Antiques... it's one of the things that I truly miss from the shop -- community interaction.

I hope that you and yours have a really good Halloween this year!

Michael W. Moses

South Coast Antiques

Ocean Springs, MS

A Happy New Year Wish From South Coast Antiques

A Happy New Year wish from 

South Coast Antiques, 

at Centuries Antique Mall

 in D'Iberville, Mississippi

.

South Coast Antiques Wishes All a Very Merry Christmas

Wishing all the friends of South Coast Antiques a very merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season to all!

 

The Move is Complete. For South Coast Antiques and the Ceramic Art Pottery of Michael W. Moses.

I am pleased to announce that South Coast Antiques' move is absolutely complete.  We moved the majority of the shop over to Centuries Antique Mall in D'Iberville a while back and now my pottery has a home as well.  It will be hosted at Antiques Plus at 10340 D'Iberville Blvd Ste D,D'Iberville MS..  Joan Skinner has been a collector of my pottery for a number of years now and she offered to host my pottery at her shop, making her the sole source for my pottery here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

A number of my piece have been displayed in a high-profile mirrored case right inside the main entrance.  The hours for Antiques Plus are 10 to 5 Monday through Saturday, which means all of you out-of-towners who need something to do on a Monday, can go over to her shop and look at my pottery, and of course her antiques.  Joan is enthusiastic about being my sole source here on the Gulf Coast and you can ask her any time to open the case to have a better look, or to touch my ceramic art pottery.  Antiques Plus telephone number: (228) 396-2005.

South Coast Antiques has Chicken Fried Steak on OLD STRASBOURG Pattern Plates.

Chicken Fried Steak on OLD STRASBOURG plate

One of the most common things that we hear at South Coast Antiques is people saying that they would love to have antique china, but that they just would not want to waste the money on something that they can not use.  I always ask them what would prevent them from using antique china? I usually get things like it's just to expensive, it's to fragile ,or I might Break a piece. Well, in many cases antique china can be way less expensive than new china. Antique china is no more or no less fragile than modern china, and lastly both old and new break the same.

OLD STRASBOURG pattern by K&G, Lunéville

 

Keller & Guérin Lunéville, France

I have a set of OLD STRASBOURG pattern by K&G (Keller & Guérin)Lunéville, France. My set dates from 1888. It has 88 on the back stamp and I am safe in my belief that this is the date. The back mark is from that time period.

I use my set almost every day. Using nice hand painted china like this makes a good meal just a little bit better. This evening I used them to serve homemade chicken fried steak with mushroom sauce, sesame oil fried green beans, and Greek style roasted baby Yukon gold potatoes.

I always wash them by hand and never use anything abrasive on them as the colors are hand applied over glazed enamel. I treat them the same way that I would treat anything good, but I use and enjoy them as often as I can. There is really not much point in having things like this and just putting them back for others to have later. My plates have been around for about 124 years and I am sure barring a major calamity they will possibly be around for a lot longer.

The good thing about breaking a piece today is that one can usually find a replacement online at a moderately reasonable price if one shops around.

Wallace Silverplate flatware

I use a circa 1930 Wallace Silver plate set for my everyday flatware. now with flatware the date on the back is usually the date the company was founded(as in this case 1835), not when it was manufactured. Vintage and even antique silver plate flatware sets can be found for way less than many of the new stainless steel sets.

Wallace Silverplate flatware back mark

Went to an Estate Sale Today

We went to an estate sale this morning and picked up a pretty nice late world war two Japanese shin guntō    Officers sword type 3 with what looks to be a wooden surrender chit. We also found a really cool larger than life size(46 inches tall) bust of a woman that is done in and idealized Victorian era Renascence style that just reeks of quality. This massive sculpture is just awesome I must say.  The only thing about it is that it is made of fiber glass and is not circa 1870's-80's like it looks, but is more than likely late 1970's or 80's!  It is a spectacular piece that was made as either a garden ornament or a prop of some type. Either way it is a very appealing piece and will probably end up in my garden. This piece will be on display at South Coast Antiques & Gallery for a while before it will be moved to my garden, so if you want to stop by and see it, it will be on view.

Idealized Victorian era Renascence Style Bust 

New shop in D'Iberville "Antiques Plus" and My New Kutani sake cup

Today I went to visit a new shop called "Antiques Plus". It is located at 10340 D'Iberville Blvd. in D'Iberville, MS. I was quite surprised to walk in and find out that it is a new venture for a long time friend of mine Joan Skinner. I was even more surprised to find out that she had just opened this new shop this week!  Joan is a well known personage in the antique world here on this part of the Gulf Coast. Joan and I have been aquainted for many years and she has a very nice collection of my ceramic art pottery that she has purchased over the years.

When I first entered the shop I was very impressed with how well lit, and carefully everything in the shop is displayed. In the front part of the shop she has a nice selection of jewelry featuring sterling and better quality costume pieces. The shop has a fine variety of vintage and antique items. In the middle of the shop are smaller rooms on either side that have different consignment antiques, vintage, and collectable items. The back area has a good selection of furniture with everything from a large exuberant black Victorian fireplace mantle to an outrageous vintage, antiqued gilt Chinoiserie curio cabinet.

"Antiques Plus" is the kind of place where one can buy a lot of style at very good prices. I have to admit, I saw quite a number of items that would make really super holiday gifts for that special someone. I just can not understand going out the the mall and picking up some meaningless mass produced product when one can go to an antique shop like this and pick up something that will always be remembered. Antiques and vintage items can make a holiday gift truly special.  Also remember that when we purchase cool items from shops like this we are helping the local business person and our community.

Kutani sake cup circa. 1900

Detail of Falcon on Kutani sake cup circa. 1900

I try to buy local when I can. So I have to tell you. I bought a few really cool things at "Antiques Plus" myself. I found a nice little Japanese Kutani sake cup, circa. 1900, the late Meiji period(1868 - 1912. It features a very nice image of an armed archer that has a radiant golden bird(a falcon or a hawk?) in gold over his bow and an inscription around the outside. A lovely little sake cup to add to my collection. When I say little, I mean little. It is only 2 inches across by 1¼ inches tall! I just love the detail in these tiny sake cups. I also found a vintage ivory piece, a beautifully carved large mother of pearl shell, a small Victorian beveled glass and bronze jewel box and a gold overlay Edwardian style sterling bracelet with a central blue crystal.

Detail of inscription on Kutani sake cup circa. 1900

Mark on Bottom of Kutani sake cup circa. 1900

I will be doing a follow up post with pictures of Joan's shop shortly.  D'Iberville is an up and coming area here on the Gulf Coast. They are building a new aquarium and casinos and have just recently finished a new mall. I think Joan has chosen a great location, (right off of I-10) and that she will be having great success at this location. If you have a chance drop in and see her and tell Joan I said, "Hi"!

Happy Holidays from South Coast Antiques & Gallery

Happy Holidays from South Coast Antiques & Gallery in Ocean Springs, MS