Pickle? Ferment? Or just decorate?

Stoneware Crocks have many uses…

Stoneware Crocks and Jugs available at Bahoukas

The word “pickle” comes from a Dutch word ‘pekel’ or northern German ‘pókel’ meaning “salt” or “brine,” two components that are essential in the pickling process. Pickling in America is largely synonymous with the act of submerging cucumbers (or other fruits or vegetables) into a salty brine or acidic solution along with various spices to create an environment where no unhealthy bacteria can survive and your vegetable is preserved.

from Almanac.com

Stoneware crocks were used for pickling and fermenting foods for centuries! The process also gives you an easy and effortless way to make probiotic-rich fermented foods a part of your life. And if you remember pickles or sauerkraut from your grandmother’s pantry, you probably remember the flavor being much more complex and tasty than those you buy in a jar today.

Historically, the process of pickling was a necessity and an invaluable way to preserve foods for sailors and travelers. It provided families with food through the colder months.

from Almanac.com

If you’re interested in an easy-to-read introduction to pickling/fermenting, CLICK HERE for a great blog post and answers to the many questions you might have. And one more site that may be of interest in choosing and caring for a crock, CLICK HERE.

More stoneware crocks and jugs available at Bahoukas Antique Mall

But maybe you just love, love, love these old crocks and jugs. Visit this page for photos of great ways to decorate with crock pots – 36 ways, in fact.

Maybe you’ve found a container that you’d like to make it ‘look’ like an old crock. Here’s a great do-it-yourself solution.

CLICK HERE

Here are the before and after photos…

So, as you can see, we have the crocks and jugs. You can decide which ones you like and how you might use them. Stop in soon and choose your favorites. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

2 Handled Bowls?

Soup? Tea? Here’s the ‘scoop.’

Vintage Double-Handled Soup Bowls

Did you know there was a time when picking up your soup bowl and sipping was proper? That’s right!

If it looks like a teacup with two handles and it fits nicely into a matching saucer, then this item is a soup bowl. It was once considered polite to gently sip one’s soup. Quietly using a spoon came later and now soups are considered one of the “naturally” messier foods out there.

from: DustyOldThing.com

As winter temps settle in, we all look forward to savoring a wonderful warm bowl of soup. What’s more wonderful than enjoying that soup from a bowl designed to pick up and sip!

Beautiful Vintage Double-Handled Soup Bowls

Stop into Bahoukas Antique Mall soon and choose a couple for your home! MMMMmmmmmmmm… I can spell that soup now! Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Beautiful Serving Dishes

Just in time for the Holidays!

Gravy boat and small tureen in blue and white add wonderful accents to your holiday dining. Available at Bahoukas in Havre de Grace
Gravy Boat and Small Tureen

Looking for a beautiful piece to add a bit of class to your holiday table?

We have a wonderful selection of serving pieces. Oh, you say they don’t match what you have? Well, put on your creative decorating hat and use them as ‘accent pieces’ rather than ‘matching pieces.’

Beautiful blue and white platter, pitcher, and square covered serving dish at Bahoukas.
Platters and Tureen

Upcycling is not only practical but can truly be beautiful.

When you find a perfect serving piece to accent your table and to show off that favorite side dish, you’ll have the perfect match!

Glass chip and dip set (or a beautiful salad dish) has just a hint of holiday red!
Chips and Dip? Or maybe a beautiful salad bowl!

This lovely glass serving dish will add a bit of color to your buffet table and has just a touch of holiday hue!

beautiful covered butter dishes and a small flowered tureen at Bahoukas in Havre de Grace
Butter Dishes and Small Tureen

Beautiful covered butter dishes are so much nicer than a plastic tub.

From simple lines to beautiful cut glass, we have a wonderful selection. Did you notice the beautiful small tureen? It’s a gorgeous piece for serving that yummy side dish.

These are just a few of the beautiful pieces we have that will add a touch of color, class, and even conversation to your holiday meals. Stop in soon and pick out one or two for YOUR decorating.

In the meantime, you can be sure that we’ll be here and we’re watchin’ for ya!

Taking Cake To Dinner?

Bahoukas offers some help!

Cake carrier and serving dishes at Bahoukas Antique Mall
Cake Carriers and Serving Dishes

As you head into the holidays, plans are being made for “what should we take with us to dinner!” Here at Bahoukas, we can offer a bit of help by sharing a number of collectibles to give that dish extra special attention. In this post, we’re sharing cake trays and carriers.

Cake Trays - spoon holder

Beautiful glass Cake Trays and unique ceramic spoon holder

Bahoukas has beautiful glass trays and plates for presenting your beautiful cake in all its splendor. We also have metal carriers to help you get it to the party all in one piece!

Glass Cake Trays and metal cake carriers

So whether you’re presenting in a beautiful covered glass dish in your own home or you need a carrier to take it to a dinner party, we just might have what you need.

A beautiful glass Cake Tray with Cover

Recycling and Upcycling make shopping at Bahoukas the best ‘first stop’ on your agenda. You may just find the perfect item and unique while adding a bit of color and story to your gift and/or presentation. All while saving a perfectly sound item from our landfill. Seems like a perfect match for the upcoming “THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY!”

You bet … we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

While the boss was away…

the wife would play!

Well, that’s not exactly how it works. While George visited family in Montana, Barbara put her ‘shoulder to the wheel’ and began to clean and organize. The following photos don’t do the items justice (glassware is a bit challenging):

pink depression glass

Betty (one of our steady ‘volunteers’) wanted a bit of ‘pink’ near the counter. The above pink depression glass is much more beautiful when you stop by the shop to see it. We also had a great suggestion from one of our ‘regulars’ – the pink depression glass is stunning on a navy blue tablecloth!

beautiful leaded and art glass

These wonderful shades of green are absolutely stunning. There are some amazing pieces that are waiting for you! Just one could add a dash of class to your holiday decor.

glass serving trays and more

These glass plates can be used to serve nearly everything from delectable chocolates to a vegetable and dip. Wonderful macarons from Les Petits Bisous would be perfect!

Covered serving dishes and other items for your holiday decor
plus some mixers to help in the preparation.

The white covered serving dishes above would make a great dish for those yummy and much anticipated holiday dishes – mashed potatoes or a green bean casserole. YUM! There are many fine items throughout the shop to add a bit of eye appeal to your holiday festivities. Add your favorite recipes to fill the dishes and you’ll have some very happy family and visitors.

Stop by and see how many items have been brought to life with the elbow grease and determination of Barbara. She loves showing off the great collections at Bahoukas Antique Mall. of course, there’s no end to this task. So we encourage you to stop in frequently as more items are cleaned, shined, organized and readied for your holidays!

Be sure to stop by and say “hi” to George. Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya.

Ship Models at Bahoukas

Come by and peek in our front window. We have a beautiful display of model ships at Bahoukas Antique Mall.

Sailing ships and more…

No matter what you’re looking for, we have some fine ship models available.
Another view from inside the window.
Someone’s collection would love one of these ship models.

These ship models are just a taste of what we have in our store. We have some very LARGE models as well. Love ships? Stop in and see if we have the perfect model to add to your own decor or possibly to give as a gift. Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Yes, we have ‘critters’

Well, we’re not the Farm Fair but …

This little piggy … is CAST IRON

We have some wonderful critters to decorate your home or even your office! This piggy bank is cast iron and probably at least a foot long. What a great way to keep that door open and let the cool breeze in while having a great place to put all that loose change!

Mary had a little lamb… and so did Bahoukas!
Lifesize kitty cat … don’t you just love it!

The lamb, geese, and cat are ceramic. But oh, so cute! Surely there’s a special little space that one or two would work perfectly!

The dog is cast iron. We have a wide variety of cast iron pieces for shelf or floor, as well as some doorstoppers.

The cast iron heron is perfecting for our area. But, then again, anyone who loves herons will find the perfect spot for it. Have a water view from your home? This would be a wonderful addition to your decor. Wish you had a water view? This wonderful statue could help remind you of the joy you feel when you’re near the water.

Just a sampling of the fun items you’ll find at Bahoukas Antique Mall & Beer MuZeum in Havre de Grace, MD. Stop in and discover a perfect collectible from the ‘Collector of Collections.’ Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Collecting Food Tins

These days, people of means tend to dismiss canned or “processed” food as something people without access to fresh food eat. But in the late 1800s, food in tins was highly desirable. It was considered much more sanitary, and therefore healthier, than food offered in bins or barrels. That’s when branding became particularly important; customers learned they could expect a certain level of quality from, say, Kellogg’s.

from Collectors Weekly

We find it interesting that history really does come full circle. Folks again find fresh food in bins and barrels – especially if organic – to be preferable to canned or frozen. Ah yes, the circle of life.

We wrote about this a couple of years ago. But we still have a wonderful variety of vintage and collectible tins. Whether you like the advertising on them, or just old tins, we probably have a couple you’d like to add to your decor or collection.

Very collectible tins at Bahoukas Antique Mall

Yes, you’ll notice a few others that are NOT food tins (like the Gulf oil tin). Stop by and say ‘hi’ while you browse the shop. Yessireeee… we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Victorian Washbowl Set

3 pc Victorian Washbowl Set (Partial set)

Whether you love it just because they’re beautifully painted pieces or you love Victorian, this partial Victorian Washbowl Set is gorgeous.

They can add to your decor, or would be beautiful to display your garden flowers. You could even store your pencil/pen collection or those fancy little drink stirrers in them. You decide!

Stop by and see them today at Bahoukas Antique Mall.

Of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya and George loves to share his “Collection of Collections!” See you soon!

Wednesday Surprise #13

Bust of David, a Camel, and a Decorative Pitcher

Bust of David available at Bahoukas Antiques

Sitting high on a shelf, we discovered this bust of David. Possibly there’s a shelf in your home or office that’s perfect for this piece.

Our wood carved camel is another beautiful and unusual piece available in our shop. Maybe it would be perfect for your collection?

This chalk, decorative pitcher is beautiful. Do you have a special spot in your home or office for this unique piece?

You know that there are many items tucked up high on a shelf or maybe in a box. We encourage you to stop in to Bahoukas Antique Mall to discover a perfect collectible for your home or office – or maybe as a gift. Yep, we’re here and we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Collectibles and Flowers…

a perfect combination

Create a setting with a few flowers and an old pitcher.

Then sit down and enjoy…

A tiny pitcher with a sprig of tiny flowers makes a wonderful collectible arrangement.

Now you can sit down and begin your novel…

Inspiration…

Noticing these shelves with a mix and match of old vases and pitchers are what inspired this post. With summer fast approaching, flowers from your garden or picked while walking a country path make a wonderful arrangement in an old, collectible vase.

What collections do you have?

A simple bouquet of flowers from your garden and “VOILA!” – a perfect bit of summer on your table, bookshelf, or window sill.

This beautiful swan vase looks absolutely stunning with these flowers.

Stop in to Bahoukas Antique Mall today. You’ll find a dizzying array of collectibles to display your summer flowers. Pitchers, bowls, glass jars, vases, and so much more are waiting for you to choose a couple to take home! And of course, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Wednesday Surprise #10

Pianos!?!?

Do you have a player piano? We have the music rolls!

Well… not exactly!

Looking for unusual, and often forgotten, items, we found these up on a shelf. We have quite a selection of old Player Piano Music Rolls.

First, let me explain what a player piano is. According to Wikipedia:

player piano (also known as pianola) is a self-playing piano, containing a pneumatic or electro-mechanical mechanism that operates the piano action via pre-programmed music recorded on perforated paper, or in rare instances, metallic rolls, with more modern implementations using MIDI. The rise of the player piano grew with the rise of the mass-produced piano for the home in the late 19th and early 20th century.[1] Sales peaked in 1924, then declined as the improvement in phonograph recordings due to electrical recording methods developed in the mid-1920s. The advent of electrical amplification in home music reproduction via radio in the same period helped cause their eventual decline in popularity, and the stock market crash of 1929 virtually wiped out production.

WIKIPEDIA
How a player piano works

Now we’ll add a video to actually show you how it works. The first minute or so shows it before it’s fully repaired. About half-way through, you can see and hear it working. Pretty cool, huh?

So, what DO we do with these piano rolls?

Well, if you don’t have a player piano, you might want to consider a craft or two where these would be amazing. If you search Pinterest, you’ll find hundreds of ways to incorporate these rolls.

On the other hand, are you an artist who loves working with paper? Then you may already see a dozen uses. I’m wondering if those folks who sculpt using old books might find these of interest. Hmmmm….

CLICK HERE for just one blog post I found that’s pretty interesting. There are lots more.

If you’re still trying to picture using these rolls in a craft, view this blog post we found.

from twopurplecouches.com

Of course, now that you realize how beautiful these piano player rolls really are, you might want to stop in and grab a couple for yourself. Want a dozen or more, or even all of them, talk to George for a deal. Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Wednesday Surprise Box #9

Pennants!

Come peek in our Box of Pennants – hey, you never know what you’ll find.

Besides looking for your favorite college, sports team, or vacation spot, pennants also offer a fun way to add a bit of your character and flair to your decorating. Attached is a great post that gives some really fun ideas.

Enjoy the ideas from Studio McGee

https://www.studio-mcgee.com/studioblog/2017/7/6/pennants

Click on the link if it doesn’t open. Then stop in and visit us at Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum. You never know what ‘surprises’ you’ll discover. And yep, we’ re always watchin’ for ya!

Salt Cellars

early to mid-1900s Cut Glass & Crystal

An array of cut glass and crystal salt cellars at Bahoukas

Do you use Himalayan Salt and possibly buy it in a bulk bag? We have a wonderful selection of salt cellars to use on your table setting with your Himalayan Salt.

These pieces also make great candle holders, excess coin collectors, and even for toothpicks. What might you be able to use one or two of these beautiful, tiny dishes for?

Wondering how to tell the difference between cut glass and crystal? It can be a challenge. But CLICK HERE for a post that might help when you’re shopping your favorite antique stores. Of course, the top of your list is Bahoukas, right?

Stop by Bahoukas Antique Mall & Beer MuZeum soon. Yep, we’re always watchin’ for ya!

Vintage Easter

…a few beautiful items for the collector in you

vintage Easter items including vintage paper

We have a few very special vintage collectibles that you might want to add to a collection…

Easter Eggs and Little Lamps

Here we have a couple glass/porcelain eggs and lamb decorations. Collectible and so cute!

Decorative Eggs Come in all Sizes

These very collectible decorative eggs might just be the perfect addition to a very special Easter basket or a unique Easter decoration.

So come on in and see if one or two of these wonderful vintage Easter collectibles is perfect for your celebration. Yep, you know we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Deviled Egg Plates

… from Roman Days to Southern Tradition

Serving deviled eggs at picnics and cocktail parties may have been de rigueur in post-World War II America, but these classic creamy concoctions did not originate in the United States. Although they weren’t prepared the same way, the roots of modern-day deviled eggs can be traced back to ancient Rome, where eggs were boiled, seasoned with spicy sauces and then typically served at the beginning of a meal—as a first course known as gustatio—for wealthy patricians.

from HISTORY.com
beautiful egg plates just in time for Easter
Just a few of our beautiful egg plates in time for Easter celebrations.

We have a nice variety of egg plates to serve those delicious deviled eggs after they’re all discovered from their hiding places on Easter Sunday. Knowing that the deviled egg goes back to Roman Days, you’ll be proud to serve this wonderful tradition on these gorgeous plates.

By the 13th century…

… stuffed eggs began to appear in Andalusia, in what is now Spain. An anonymous cookbook from this time period instructs the reader to pound boiled egg yolks with cilantro, onion juice, pepper and coriander and then beat them with murri (a sauce made of fermented barley or fish), oil and salt. After stuffing the mixture into the hollowed egg whites, the two halves were then fastened together with a small stick and peppered.


from HISTORY.com

But history is one thing. How we love deviled eggs and the beautiful plates we serve them on… well, that’s another thing!

No other Southern food, not barbecue, not fried chicken, elevates the dish upon which it is served.
But the deviled egg does.

from OurState.com

According to OurState.com – Since 2000 Fiesta Ware has introduced egg plates…

There are egg plates for anyone’s taste. They come in an Easter-egg array of colors: cobalt blue, marigold, persimmon, sunflower, plum, scarlet, tangerine. They’re made of milk, Carnival, or Depression glass. Trimmed in gold or silver. And shaped like Easter bunnies, Christmas trees, butterflies, watermelons, ladybugs, hearts, geese, wreaths, pigs, shamrocks.

from OurState.com

We invite you to stop in and see what we have in our collection. Make your deviled eggs the ‘talk of the party’ when you present your favorite deviled egg recipe on a beautiful plate. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Spring brings summer fabrics!

Need an iron?

Irons from this century

These irons might look familiar to you. Well, maybe to your mom and dad. Electric irons make your cotton clothes look sharp and pressed!

Although clothes made of ‘permanently pressed’ fabrics made needing an iron less necessary, there are still folks who like ‘that perfect crease.’

quite hard to date these slickers, sleekstones’, slickenstones, in german language, glättstein gniedelstein, gniddelstein, grindstein
these glass iron smoothers are believed to have served as a pressing iron. The earliest linen smoothers date from the Viking to the Middle Ages, and the latest were made in the 18th century.

from Roman Glass Makers

Do you know what this is? Is what they call a linen-smoother made from very slick stone. They were used from the days of the Vikings through the Middle Ages and into the 18th century. Who would have guessed!

The forebears to modern electric irons, these flat irons are often triangular or come to a point to make it easier to iron around buttons. The heft of a sad iron would help it hold heat, as well as to press the fabric flat. To protect fabric and surfaces from singeing, sad irons often came with metal trivets to rest on, and these are often-beautiful, intricate, and collectible examples of metalwork that were made in a myriad of designs.

The earliest metal flat irons were forged by blacksmiths in the Middle Ages. These were heated on an open fire or a stove, and the metal handles had to be grasped with a thick potholder, rag, or glove. Women had to be careful not to track soot or ash on the clothing they were ironing.

from Collectors Weekly
flat irons often filled with hot coals or heated on a coal or wood stovetop

Of course, they can be cleaned up and used as a bookend, a doorstop, or just a unique item for your decor that is most certain to be a ‘conversation piece!’

Stop in today and check these out (even if you have no intention of ironing your summer clothes)! We’ll be watchin’ for ya!

Cast Iron Door Knockers

and their interesting history

… the history of door knockers begins several thousand years ago in Ancient Greece.

Greeks were a bit picky about unannounced visits to their dwellings, and it was considered a breach of etiquette to enter without warning.


Where Spartans would simply shout their arrival, the more sophisticated Athenians preferred to use a door knocker.

from Five Minute History

Doors had replaced hangings to provide better safety and privacy, and upper-class Greeks had slaves whose sole purpose was to answer the door.


It’s a bit like having a butler, but one that was chained to the door to prevent them wandering off. If they didn’t die of boredom, they’d fall asleep, and so to wake them up, visitors rapped the door with a short bar of iron attached to a chain.


from Five Minute History

It wasn’t long before some Greeks realized the short bar made a good weapon with which to attack the householder. So property owners fought back with new technology.


The knocker evolved into a heavy ring fastened to the door by a plate—dual purpose knocker and handle!


from Five Minute History


One of the most enduring themes for knockers has been the lion’s head.
Traditionally regarded as the king of beasts, the lion’s head symbolizes bravery, nobility, strength, and valor.


Lion’s head knockers were popular in the American colonies up until the revolution when the Eagle took precedence.


from Five Minute History

So we encourage you to visit Bahoukas and take a peek at these wonderful cast iron door knockers.

They’re really fun and will most certainly have your guests stop and enjoy! Yep, we’ll be watchin’ for ya!

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