Sea Shell Folk Art

With the great weather we have been having, rated a 10 by my calculations, it is time to hit the shoreline to gather shells I will  use throughout the year to make a variety of folk art items.

In the world of antiques folk art has a special place.  Folk art is created by average folks, in earlier times such folks were sometimes called peasants. The items produced by peasants were decorative and utilitarian. The rules of fine art which led to creating masterpieces were ignored because the items were not created for purely artistic purpose.

Folk artists did not attend the great art schools, or follow the techniques of the great schools of art who produced the artists featured in art history books.  Folk artists learned from each other in the community in which they lived and created their art.

Folk art has also been called tramp art. Tramp art was made by the artist whittling wood from cigar boxes and packing crates. There is much variety to Tramp Art which has become greatly desired in recent times.

Folk art created from shells has included decorating mirrors, boxes,  picture frames.  The mirror that hangs in my side hallway is a piece of shell folk art made by a relative.  It is a treasure to me for several reasons.

Folk art dolls made of seashells have delighted children and adults for years.  Souvenir shops have commercialized the art form.  Still shells gathered by your family can become a family heirloom and family tradition as each summer a new shell doll is created for the collection.

Being a doll collector, shell dolls hold special meaning for me.


Another favorite of mine is make a miniature picture album using a clam shell.

 Drilling a tiny hole at the top of each shell allows you to connect the shells with ribbon, I prefer silk tied in a bow.  Trace and cut several pieces of decorative paper or fabric to use as the pages of the album.  I then glue photos of dolls taken from magazines onto the pages.  Decorate the shell covers and frame the pictures inside using ribbon, lace, or decorative paper. Adding tiny buttons and flowers are other special finishing touches you can add to your folk art picture albums.

Some folk artists create pictures made entirely of shells.

Links

http://www.bhg.com/decorating/seasonal/summer/seashell-crafts/

www.marthastewart.com/275561/shell-crafts

Till next time, stay well, stay happy

www.antiquesattheirongate.com
 auctionmom80@gmail.com    

  http://www.threadflip.com/Threads

Defining Antiques and Collectibles

While antiquing, the buyer is often assaulted with a confusing and misleading antique lingo.  Antique, vintage, retro, and authentic are words often used to describe an item a seller uses to hook the buyer of an item they appear interested in.  To close a sale the buyer may mirror and emphasize the language the buyer uses.

There are, of course other sellers, and buyers more often
found at back yard sales and flea markets, who themselves truly do not know what qualifies as an antiques or collectible. And yes, some items have been reproduced so well that they take an professionally trained expert to identify the authenticity of an item.




  The larger and well established auction houses are unlikely to misrepresent and item.  They are bound by a code of ethics and have a responsibility to the public to represent as accurately as possible the items they are auctioning.  An auctioneer will look for provenance, documentation that the item in question has a history that can be traced, often to famous family lineage.


The formal definition of an antique comes from the US Customs.  Their regulations require an item be 100 years old to qualify as an antique.

Vintage and collectible items may describe the same item although there are distinctions.  Usually a vintage item is one that is at least 50 years old, often referring to items from the 1950s and 1960s. Collectible items can span the decades, depression glass from the early 1900s is highly collectible as are American Girl Dolls to our young children.





Whatever you call it, if you like an item do a bit of research before paying a price that seems higher than
expected.  There are still bargains and treasures to discover.  For me, whatever it is called if I like it I buy it, at a price the oftentimes is negotiated.

For my business the criteria is stricter and the ethics of the profession are followed.

Till next time, stay well, stay happy 

auctionmom80@gmail.com

antiquesattheirongate.com

everyplaceIsell.com

http://www.threadflip.com/Threads