Demolition, a Surprise and a Trip to Newark

Garett started demolition at the house on Tuesday.  He managed to take down some lathe and horsehair plaster walls on the top floor.  It was very dusty.  Meanwhile, there was another discovery under the stairs on the ground floor.  The previous owners left behind a metal trunk filled with tiles.  Each tile was individually wrapped in a newspaper from 1954 or 1955. We think the tiles came from the fireplace in the second reception room.  I did some research on the tiles and they are quite collectible because they were made by William De Morgan in the late 1800's during the aesthetic movement.  Suffice it to say that some museums have examples of these tiles in their collection. I'm thinking this discovery could potentially pay for the bathtub Garett doesn't think I'll use (£££)!

Later in the week we took a trip up to the Newark Antiques Fair.  On the way, we stopped at Audley End House and then we stayed in Cambridge before continuing on to Newark.  My main purchase  from the antiques fair was a very heavy cement lion for the back garden.  Mom bought a promotional-sized British red phone booth.  Unfortunately, we don't have any pictures of either the lion or the phone booth.  Both were unique finds.

Garett begins demo on the house - he's standing where my bathtub will go in the master bath

A "before" picture of the kitchen

Looking at the kitchen from the front hallway (Mom in background)

William De Morgan "BBB" tiles

Garett posing by the trunk and our cache of tiles

The tiles are called "lustre" tiles because of their iridescent effect

Garett and Ryan on the top floor - Garett looks like a pro!

The wall between the future master bedroom and master bath

Garett and Marilyn at Audley End House

Ryan in front of the cloud hedge at Audley End House

Ryan at King's College, Cambridge (future scholar?)

Ryan and Shelly in Cambridge

Garett and Ryan at the Newark Antiques Fair