Found in Barn

[Anianna]

Quote:
That's in Northumberland County, isn't it? Is that east of the Rappahanock? We're just a touch west of the Rappahancok near the Mattaponi (which I never can pronounce quite right, but people around here are pretty particular about the pronunciation; it's "mat u pone I" with the accent on the I).

 

[Anianna]

So, I was out exploring the barn again, figuring I had already found anything good and there was this wooden box with nylon straps and buckles in it I pulled out the straps figuring I would keep the box (the straps are in poor shape) and under all that carp I found a collection of porcelain bells!! No pics yet, but I'll get some. Any idea the best way to clean these? Some of them have three dimensional decorations and some of them seem to have gotten some rust from the buckles on them.

Also, if the guy helping us clean up doesn't want the horse tac, you guys think anybody here might be willing to come get it? Where would I put a post advertising it? I don't plan on charging anything for it as long as somebody takes the whole pile, good and bad. Most of the leather looks like it just needs some TLC. I can take pics of the pile, but I'm afraid I don't know enough about it to say whats in there. At least a few things look to me to be relatively high quality. There are some yokes, too, but I don't know if they can be restored, as the leather has cracked on some of those.

 

[ebwy]

clean them very carefully, don't use soap or detergent! (I know someone who scrubbed the pattern off antique china by accident - oops)

 

[al6517]

Treasure hunting in old barns is one of my favorite things to do, good for you on your find.

AL

 

[Anianna]

Quote:
What do you recommend? I was thinking a little bit of Dawn dishsoap and Qtips, but I was worried about the patterns coming off. I could probably get the rust off with vinegar, do you think that would be hard on the patterns?

 

[ebwy]

I would use just water and sift cloths, q-tips etc...

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

I would see if you can very softly message the dirt off with a damp SOFT cloth.

Can you post a picture of the leather? I can probably help you figure out whats in there.

You could put the leather stuff you dont want on Craigslist.

 

[Anianna]

Quote:
I'll try to get some pics in a bit. I don't want to get in the way of the guy hauling junk off of our property with his tractor.


Sure, I'll put it on Freecycle first and Craigslist and find somebody who'll be able to use it. Of course, I am fighting with myself about it because I say now I won't get a horse but years from now we'll end up with a horse and I'll probably lament getting rid of this stuff. No point in it just sitting here, though, and if I leave it in the barn whatever goats we get will probably chew it up.

 

[Anianna]

Here are the pictures of the horse tack. This is how we found it. I would really appreciate advice on what to say about it when I advertise it. Leather is cracked and may be beyond repair on some of it, but for a lot of it, the leather is just stiff and can probably be restored relatively easily.

 

[AHappychick]

oh that is awesome. I would find a tack shop owned by a nice and knowledgeable person and being in what you can to get opinions on it. I have a friend in AZ who owns a western tack shop. He frequents yard and barn sales and got a saddle that was old and very dirty that was actually all carved with intricate designs in the saddle leather and it turned out to be very old and valuable. The leather really can be restored in most cases. in 2000 he got $37,000 for the saddle and it was featured in a magazine and on the cover of an auction booklet where it sold for that amount.

You never know

How cool I wish someone would let me search their old barns