Sunday 27 April 2008

Imperfections

I went to Horncastle yesterday. The town has a huge number of antique and junk shops. I'm quite the fan of the junk shop, so I can't go to Horncastle and not visit The Old Co-op. Junk is piled literally to the ceiling. I am always drawn to all the old crockery and all the bits and pieces. I wanted some tablespoons to go with my recent re-introduction to cookery. So I picked up some spoons, for the princely sum of 50 pence. For five. A bargain was had.

The thing is, I love those old things. They're imperfect. I like it when they have some imperfections. A small crack, or chip, maybe a dent. There's a story behind every one of those marks.
I like Ikea, I do, I love the storage and I love the marketplace and fabric. But for furniture? It's not really me. I want something that has been here for decades already. Maybe a century. I want it to be imperfect and most likely desperately unfashionable.

I love the trunks that sit in my conservatory, they sport a few dents, a little bit of rust on the outside. But where have they been? What made the dents, when did they get damp to become rusty? So many stories.
The chairs in my lounge, who sat there before me?
My display cabinet; before it was home to my Droopy memorabilia obsession what was displayed in there?
Which books lived in my book slide?
What was in the vintage suitcases that form my bedside 'table'?

All of these items carry a little bit of damage and I love them all the more for it.

5 comments:

alfa female said...

My dopey ex husband (you recall the one, Flib) used to call it 'dead mens cutlery' and refuse to use it. My old bone handled Newark market knives are still going strong and better than any of the dodgy wedding present crap he preferred. There you go - some things were meant to last!

Domster1974 said...

". . . carry a little bit of damage and I love them all the more for it."

You know that I think we all carry a little bit of damage, and thats what makes us all unique and who we are ;op

Domster1974 said...

Our imperfections make us perfect

Flibbertigibbet said...

TW: Oh I recall him well. I'll never forget the dead men's shoes tale. I like to believe that boiling water removes the soul of the dead that used my spoons.
I don't have conventional beliefs.

Domster: I really do love imperfections. Where would we be without something to talk about? And what is there to say about perfection? Nothing, maybe I could raise a yawn.

Domster1974 said...

You know imperfection is perfection in my book ;op