I was running errands today, enjoying the 1,675% humidity courtesy of the light rain shower this morning. It’s Wednesday, which means local thrift stores have pulled all their hauls from the weekend for sale. Usually I can find something fun like a pretty glass or tea cup. Those items are pretty easy to recognize. But sometimes I am flabbergasted at how some stuff gets identified.
I was perusing a beautiful dry sink (identified as a “table with drawer”) that was way out of my price range when my eyes alighted on the item inside the bottom shelf.
Pretty, no? And I bet most of you can tell it is a chamber pot. To be precise, an antique Staffordshire porcelain chamber pot in almost perfect condition. No chips, no cracks, and the gilt is almost like new with very few exceptions.
I have a thing for orchids* and I loved the design. You can’t really tell, but the design is outlined in brown and filled in with gold. It hardly had any scratches inside. It was immaculate!
I took it to the front desk to check out and the lady running the register remarked on it. Hilarity ensued.
Cashier: Oh, so happy someone is taking this bowl home. It’s so pretty.
Me: Bowl?
Cashier: Yes, the owner called it a fruit and salad bowl.
Me: A salad bowl??
Cashier: Yes….why?
Me: This is a chamber pot.
Cashier: ………….
Me: ………….
*both of us burst out laughing*
So you see, it’s always a question of angles. One person saw the item in a different way, for a different use. And interpretation, like beauty, is always in the eye of the beholder.
I just hope the previous owner never served food in it. To anyone 😀
*I have a thing for most flowers, really, but orchids remind me of home.