Classic Style Using Authentic Treasures

It's all about living an AUTHENTIC life, being true to who we are and finding beauty and inspiration in our daily surroundings. Decorating our homes with found items and antique and vintage treasures, we create a personal ~ classic style ~ that defines who we are!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Atlanta Antique Porcelain Marbles

Atlanta, Georgia was an exciting place
to be during the planning stages of the 1996 Olympics.

So much construction went on around town,
it was hard to keep up with it all.

While removing masonry remnants 
of an early 19th Century building,
crews uncovered thousands 
of pre-civil war era marbles
from an old cistern 
located in what remained 
of the building's basement.


 After researching the location,
they found that the building had been a
marble factory from 1820-1837.

 

They are solid marble
 with a porcelain coat. 
Handmade from marble chunks, 
they were dropped down a brick column resembling a shot tower.
The action of rolling and bouncing 
against the sides of the tower 
 shaped them into rough symmetrical spheres.
They were covered in kaolin clay, 
painted,and then some 
were glazed, then fired.
 
No two are alike. 
Some have a glazed sheen
and many have a flat finish.

The green and cobalt blue
marbles are the rarest!
In fact, variation is part of their charm.





Remaining marble stock
 was stored in the basement
of the building after the business closed.

 The building was burned
just before Christmas, 1864
by Sherman's troops 
immediately following the battle of Atlanta, 
during the Civil War.



 A series of other buildings were
later erected over the basement and foundation
where the marbles were stored.


And stayed there ~ 
until they were discovered in 1995,
by a Mr. J. Kirkland of Harriman, Tennessee,
during Olympic construction
and sold to Georgians and tourists during
the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Mr. Harriman sold batches
of marbles to several antique
shops in Atlanta and around Georgia.

My mother, at the time,
managed an antique
shop here in Dahlonega, Georgia
and was lucky enough to 
purchase several jars of the marbles
from the shop inventory.

She gave a jar to each one of her children.

Between 1996 and 1997, 
the remaining stock was sold 
in its entirety,
to Mr. Charles Stewart of
Attic Treasures Antiques 
of Watkinsville, Georgia.

In fact, Mr. Stewart traveled
around Georgia and purchased 
all of what was left from the
other antique shops.

He is now the only source
of what remains.

I had the pleasure of
speaking with Mr. Stewart
this morning and hearing his story!

He still has some in stock
and sells them 
if you are interested! 

The price is based on 
quantity purchased!

You may reach him at
1-706-769-2818
or attictreasures1@aol.com.

He sends them all over the world! 



You never know what surprise 
you might find
on a picking excursion!

Keep your eyes open! 

There have been thousands of
Atlanta Marbles sold for years,
or you can just visit 
Attic Treasures 
and buy a piece of Atlanta history!!

Live Authentically! ~ Be the Real You!
Blessings,
Martha

Monday, March 19, 2012

Beauty of the Cherry Blossom

Beautiful Blooms
Humming of Bees
Butterflies flit from tree to tree.

Blossoms of lace
pink and white
laden with fragrance in the moonlight.

Beauty beyond belief
falling petals like snow
One of God's gifts, a precious show.

 
 






























 

























































May you blossom with Joy this day!
Live Authentically!
Blessings,

Martha

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Water's Edge at Cane Creek Falls


Drop a Pebble in the Water,
 just a splash, and it is gone;



But there's half-a-hundred ripples 
circling on and on and on,




Spreading, spreading from the center, 
flowing on out to the sea.





And there is no way of telling 
where the end is going to be.

 

 
Drop a pebble in the water; 
in a minute you forget,




But there's little wave a-flowing, 
and there's ripples circling yet,




And those little wave a-flowing 
to a great big wave have grown;



 
You've disturbed a mighty river 
just by dropping in a stone.

 



 Drop an unkind word, or careless; 
in a minute it is gone,
But there's half a-hundred ripples 
circling on and on and on.

 


 They keep spreading, spreading, 
spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, 
once you've started them to flow.





Drop an unkind word or careless; 
in a minute you forget;
But there's little wave a-flowing, 
and there's ripples circling yet,

 


And perhaps in some sad heart, 
a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy 
ere you dropped that unkind word.


 
  

Drop a word of cheer and kindness; 
just a flash and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples 
circling on and on and on,

  
  
Bearing hope and joy and comfort 
on each splashing, dashing wave;



 Till you wouldn't believe the volume 
of the one kind word you gave.

 
 Drop a word of cheer and kindness; 
in a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a-swelling, 
and there's joy a-circling yet,

 
 
And you've rolled a wave of comfort 
whose sweet music can be heard,

 

Over miles and miles of water, 
just by dropping one kind word!
~ James W. Foley






Live your Authentic Life ~ Be the Real You!

Blessings,

Martha