Toronto Antiques on King Celebrates Earth Day, Every Day!

The beautiful thing about antiques is that they are intrinsically green. Buying antiques helps us to consume less and reuse more, one of the most important pillars of the green movement.  The mass production of consumer goods over the last century has been filling our landfills with discarded packaging and products.  Many modern goods are manufactured to be disposable. Companies perform studies to determine how soon goods can breakdown without consumers losing faith in the product.  This ensures that you will replace a faulty and poorly crafted item without changing brands.  These are just some of the reasons why we choose antiques.

Our store is a stronghold for a lost age of craftsmanship and quality.  The artisans of earlier eras created phenomenal works in metal, pottery, ceramics, wood and precious & semi-precious jewels– all materials that are natural and beautiful.  When you buy an item that has already had an owner, a history and a purpose, you are choosing not to contribute to overconsumption.  You are choosing to make a difference.  Most products depreciate in value, when you purchase an antique item, you are being a financially smart consumer as well; many antique items gain value with age and are often an heirloom with a wonderful story.

Come to Toronto Antiques on King to explore our outstanding collection of antiques, estate and vintage items. Find something for your home that represents your values: craftsmanship, quality, and enduring usability and charm.

Green tips for Antiques: How to maintain the life of your precious objects

  1. Never wash or submerge antique glass or ceramics in harsh detergents or chemicals as it can harm the surface. Dust items first and then wash with a damp cloth with minimal soap.
  2. Silver does not need to be cleaned often and tarnishing is a natural process that does not harm the metal.  Polish silver carefully when necessary and do not use a bristle brush or steel wool as it will scratch the surface.  Maintaining the life of your silver objects helps to ensure that they will be around for generations.   We recommend Peek Polish.
  3. The patina (the deepening of colour, lines and marks) on brass, copper and silver is a thing of beauty, showing the age of the object and its unique history.
  4. Remove your antique rings or bracelets when doing dishes or completing any tasks that may rub or scratch your jewellery – especially high karat gold.
  5. Don’t wear fine antique or vintage jewellery to the gym, where you are using weights and machines.
  6. Wax antique wood objects and furniture with a beeswax based product, not a spray wax
  7. Keep fabrics and furniture out of direct sunlight to preserve the colour and lengthen their lifespan
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E.C. Woodley: Auguststrasse 25

We are proud to be a part of the Koffler Centre of the Arts’ latest exhibition, running at the Kiever Syangogue (25 Bellevue Avenue) in Kensington Market  from April 22 to May 30, 2010.  The exhibition, E.C. Woodley: Auguststrasse, is the recreation of a typical 1920s Jewish home in Germany.  Many of the items used in the recreation are from the extensive collection of antique housewares we have at Toronto Antiques on King and the Cynthia Findlay Collection.  The opening reception takes place on Thursday, April 22 from 7-9, which includes a talk with the artist, E.C. Woodley.  It should prove to be a very interesting interpretation of Jewish life in pre-Holocaust Berlin and we are thrilled and honoured to be involved in the exhibition.

Download the flyer here.

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Green Glazed Wedgwood Plates

Our green glazed Wedgwood plates are featured in the April issue of House and Home magazine.  Pick up an issue to have a look!  These bright plates with wicker, floral and leaf patterns will add a touch of Spring to any table.

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Good Luck Alex and Luke!

On March 20th Alex Sabine, a former employee and friend of the Toronto Antiques on King team, is embarking on an exciting adventure that involves using the power of social media to enable an exploration of North America.

Equipped with a small car, a trunk load of equipment and a website, Alex and her best friend Luke will attempt to travel through every province, state, and territory without any preconceived idea of what they will see, what they will do, where they will stay, or even where they will go!

They are using their follower’s on Twitter (@alexandluke), Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexandlukedotcom), YouTube, and Gowalla as their compass and guidebook inviting them to make suggestions and vote on all major aspects of the trip.

We are very excited about this project, and proud to know that Alex’s roots in social media began right here at Toronto Antiques on King.

Follow along with the alexandluke experiment at www.alexandluke.com!

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Winston Spencer Churchill

 

We’ve been pondering the legacy of Sir Winston Churchill after the death of his grandson, 27 year British Conservative MP Winston Spencer Churchill, on March 3rd. He was 69. The “British Bulldog” cast a long shadow over his descendants, one that time and death did not remove.  His grandson, as both fellow Politician and namesake of the famous wartime Prime Minister, seemed to choose to embrace the connection, for both the good and bad.  While we might not know as much about the younger Winston Churchill as we do about the elder, it is always sad to hear of a death that seems to bring a final close to a chapter of history.  At an antiques store, history follows us wherever we turn.  This cabinet, pictured above, is filled with commemorative figurines and mugs of the Bulldog himself.  Our thoughts are with his grandson’s family.

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Alice in Wonderland

Tim Burton’s magical adaptation of Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland is out in theatres tomorrow.  We decided to jump down the rabbit hole and join the Alice-mania by bringing out this spectacularly amusing Wonderland themed painting.  The Mad Hatter is front and centre with the White Rabbit, while Alice standing afar in the background.  Wish we could warn her of some of the unusual things that will befall her as her adventure unfolds!  Let us know: are you planning on seeing Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter and Anne Hathaway on this silver screen this weekend?
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International Week of Clowning, Laughter and Health Care

This week is the International Week of Clowning, Laughter and Health Care. Welcome to all the medical clowns gathering at The Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre for the workshops going on all week to promote the use of laughter therapy in health care.  It is scientifically proven that laughter improves the health of patients.  Laughter reduces stress levels, blood pressure and improves quality of life!

We think some of these comical and joyous pieces can’t help but bring a smile to our faces here at Toronto Antiques on King.  These Italian 1950s coloured glass decanters celebrate their absurdity with their wide grins and loud colours.  These classic Royal Doulton figurines and jug evoke memories of jovial clowns from fairs and circuses.  The subdued colours of this Lladro figurine remind us that clowning can be serious too.  To all the doctors out there practicing clowning, nothing is more serious than saving lives through laughter!

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