Where My Whimsy Takes Me

09/30/2017

05/06/2017

This week at the Old Strathcona Antique Mall you will find loads of lovely treasures for Mother's Day. There are beautiful pieces of china, funky button bracelets, collectible dolls and many other wonderful items!

New in our booth is a large clay poodle decorated with extruded clay and with hand painted features. This beautiful poodle is about eight inches high and flawless.

Poodles were very popular ornaments during the period from the late 1949's through to the middle of the 1960's. This extruded decoration is often referred to as "spaghetti".

This wonderful spaghetti poodle needs a new home... could you be her new master?

Booth 35 at The Old Strathcona Antique Mall, 10323-78th Avenue, Edmonton.

05/06/2017

Come see us today!

05/06/2017

Margarete Steiff was born in 1847 in the picturesque town of Giengen an der Brenz, Germany. She was a victim of polio at 18 months of age and was confined to a wheel chair.

It was difficult for women to support themselves in the mid 1800's. It was expected that women would marry and have a family, a career was unheard of.

Because of her infirmities her family feared for her future. Margarete was determined to get an education and finished her schooling before taking a sewing course which would qualify her as a seamstress.

Her two older sisters started a sewing business where Margarete worked. When they married and moved away, Margarete kept the business going.

In 1879 Margarete saw a pattern in a magazine for a stuffed elephant. She adapted the pattern and made the elephant into a pincushion...it was an instant hit!

A year later Steiff was founded. In 1892 the first catalogue was issued showing a variety of stuffed animals. The company was registered a year later and already employed four full time seamstresses and had ten part time employees who worked from home.

Margarete herself did not design the teddy bear, that was the brain child of her favourite nephew Richard who had entered the company in 1897.

Margarete Steiff was skeptical of Richard's design but made up the samples and allowed him to take them as part of her company's display at the Leipzig toy trade fair.

An American buyer was impressed with them and placed an order for 3000, this securing the future of one of the world's most iconic toymakers as well as what has become one of childhood's most classic toys, the teddy bear.

Steiff has continued to honour Margarete's motto: "Fur kinder ist nur das beste gut genug" (For children, only the best is good enough").

Right now we have a good selection of Steiff pieces in the shop. We have wonderful vintage animals and some beautiful modern plush as well.

We even have a wonderful 1950's wooden circus cage trailer. This very rare piece has the Steiff name and logo on one end.

Drop in and see what we have to offer, Booth 35 in the Old Strathcona Antique Mall, 10323-78th Avenue, Edmonton.

04/30/2017

Mother's Day is just a couple weeks away! Don't wait until the last moment, find her something beautiful to say "I love you".

We have a great selection of cup and saucer sets from makers such as Paragon and Royal Albert. One of the most unusual is this Royal Albert "John Peel" set resplendid with beautiful English flowers and a traditional English hunting scene.

We also have sparkling crystal, fabulous dolls and funky, retro button bracelets!

Booth 35, 10323-78th Ave, Edmonton.

04/28/2017

Garden show this Saturday at the Old Strathcona Antique Mall. Not into gardening? There are many other decor items and collectibles just waiting to be discovered! Visit us at Booth 35, 10323-78th Ave, Edmonton.

04/28/2017

04/22/2017

Today is the 91st birthday of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926.

In honour of the occasion Buckinham Palace released a photo of the Queen on the occasion of her christening, May 1, 1926. With her are her parents, The Duke and Duchess of York, later to become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

Royalty items commemorating marriages, births and occasions such as coronations have long been popular collectibles. We have a number of them right now. Pop by this weekend and take a look; Booth 35 at the Old Strathcona Antique Mall, 10323-78 Ave, Edmonton, AB.

04/18/2017

Hello Dolly! We've got lots of great collector and play dolls in the booth right now. If you're into vintage dolls we have some of the 1960-61 Whimsies by American Doll and Toy Co., dolls by Canadian companies such as Earle Pullan and Reliable as well as many others. There are also some wonderful modern collector dolls by Robert Tonner and Helen Kish as well as a Limited Edition Tiny Terri Lee and the award winning Finn by Arklu. Drop in and see us and take home a new friend! Booth 35 at the Old Strathcona Antique Mall, 10323-78 Ave, Edmonton, AB

04/14/2017

Calling all Oilers fans, come down to the Old Strathcona Antique Mall and check out the Oilers collectibles.

If you are planning on watching the Oilers tonight as they come back to tie up their playoff series, what better than some vintage gear and collectibles to show your support!

We have an awesome vintage Roots Scarf that's in great shape along with some other unique items including a pair of glasses that feature the front page of the Edmonton Journal during the merger of the NHL & WHA. Come and take a look, you'll be glad that you did. Booth 35 at The Old Strathcona Antique Mall, 10323-78th Ave., Edmonton.

04/14/2017

Looking for family fun activities for this Easter weekend? The Old Strathcona Antique Mall is hosting two Easter egg hunts on Saturday. The first goes at 10 am and the second at one in the afternoon.

While you are there, stop by our booth and grab some vintage Easter items. We have vintage paper Easter eggs made in Germany, a pair of lovely snow baby bunnies, egg cups and vintage bunny candles. We also have lots of great and reasonably priced ideas for basket stuffers. Booth 35 at The Old Strathcona Antique Mall, 10323-78th Ave., Edmonton.