Small wood framed mirror

Despite being quite small I really like this wood framed mirror. It reminds me of the type of mirror that would have been in the toilet of an old SA Railways train. There’s a bit of wear to the varnish on the wooden frame, and some slight marks on the mirror, but no serious damage. The back of the mirror is very naively finished so I’m assuming that there would have been something covering the back at some point. This is a nice simple piece that would look great hung in a small bathroom or dressing room.

Dimensions: 37cm long x 27cm wide x 2.5cm deep

Price: R170

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Back of small wood framed mirror

Detail of wooden frame

Detail of wear to wooden frame

Set of 6 Midwinter Alpine Blue cups & saucers

Can you see now why I’m such a big fan of Jessie Tait? This is another fabulous design by Ms Tait for Midwinter – very striking, but also very different to the Ming Tree pattern that I featured yesterday. I think that this design is probably a bit later – most sites date it to the 1960s, but looking at the style of the cups and saucers I’d guess that it must have been the late ’60s – the shape has a definite ’70s feel to it. A great set in excellent condition for the most part – there is a bit of wear to the milk jug. A fantastic design that still packs a punch some forty years later!

P.S. A single Alpine Blue trio is selling on Etsy for $20 and a lone milk jug is for sale in the UK for 18 quid!

Dimensions: Cups – 7cm tall x 7cmin diameter; Saucers – 14.5cm in diameter; Milk jug – 7cm tall x 8cm in diameter; Sugar bowl – 5.5cm tall x 8cm in diameter

Price: R230 for the set

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Back view of Midwinter Alpine Blue cups & saucers

Top view of Midwinter Alpine Blue cups & saucers

Detail of pattern

Detail of wear and tear to rim of milk jug

Midwinter Alpine Blue milk jug & sugar bowl with matchbox

Midwinter Alpine Blue cup & saucer with matchbox

Large vintage glass bowl

I think that this bowl is quite wonderful! While the shape’s a little bit old fashioned, the red coloured glass really stands out and saves it from being too granny! This bowl would look fantastic sitting in a clean modern kitchen filled with fruit.

Note: There are no chips or cracks, but the inside base of the bowl is a bit scratched from use.

Dimensions: 29cm in diameter x 9cm tall

Price: R140

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Top view of large vintage glass bowl

Large vintage glass bowl with matchbox

Retro Pineware bread slicer

I have to say this isn’t the most attractive bread slicer that I’ve had for sale – I’m not a massive fan of the brown enamel, but I do like the boxiness of the shape, and in terms of functionality it works just fine! The metal is a bit dull and scratched from use and there are some small areas where the enamel paint has peeled away, but that’s so often the case with these bread slicers. A practical kitchen accessory for anyone who’s into their cured meats or has a love for baking bread.

Dimensions: 33cm long x 20cm wide x 21cm tall

Price: R130

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Back of retro Pineware bread slicer

Detail of wear and tear

Detail of wear and tear

Retro Pineware bread slicer with matchbox

Vintage Teppaz Pirouett portable record player

These portable record players really are like hens teeth to find, and often when I do eventually come across one it’s not in working order and the seller still wants and arm and a leg for it! Cheeky monkies! This 1950s French record player is a similar story – it wasn’t working, it was pretty grubby and it wasn’t cheap (for something that was broken)! But savvy Justin had a look at it and quietly whispered into my ear that he was pretty sure that he could fix it – and he did! Whoop! He gave it a clean (he wouldn’t let me or Happiness near it) and a service and now it’s working fine! Obviously being 50-plus years old there’s some wear – the piece of plastic that you use to lift the arm has broken off, but the arm’s still pretty easy to move around, and the case has quite a few scuffs and scratches, but the wear is in keeping with its age and doesn’t detract too much from the overall look of the player. A great find (thank you Justin!) that will hopefully provide hours of entertainment at your next cocktail party!

P.S. The record player takes six D cell batteries.

P.P.S. I took the video below at night so it’s  bit grainy…

Dimensions: 34cm long x 26cm wide x 14cm tall (dimensions of record player when case is closed)

Price: R650

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Vintage Teppaz Pirouett portable record player

Detail of turntable

Detail of speaker

Back of Teppaz Pirouett portable record player

Detail of damage to arm

Detail of wear and tear to locks

Detail of wear and tear to case

Maker’s mark

Pair of Midwinter ‘Ming Tree’ serving dishes

I’ve been after these 1950s serving dishes for quite some time, but they were just a bit out of my price range. But finally the other day the seller and I met in the middle, and while I still paid more for them than I normally would, I’m so glad that I got to take them home! They were manufactured by Midwinter (my favourite name in English pottery) and were designed by the fabulous Jessie Tait (my favourite English ceramic designer) and are in the famous Stylecraft shape (my favourite of the Midwinter shapes) – need I say more?! And while there’s some wear to the dishes (see pics under ‘more’) they’re not in bad condition for bowls that are nearly 60 years old. A beautiful pair of bowls by one of England’s most respected names in pottery.

Dimensions: Each dish measures 22cm wide x 22cm long x 11cm tall (with lid on)

Price: R170 each

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Top view of Midwinter ‘Ming Tree’ serving dishes

Inside of Midwinter ‘Ming Tree’ serving dishes

Detail of pattern

Detail of wear and tear to rim

Detail of wear and tear to base

Maker’s mark

Midwinter ‘Ming Tree’ serving dish with matchbox

c Set of 6 pyrex espresso c&s

I’ve sold a few full sized sets of these pyrex cups over the years, but I’ve never come across the smaller espresso version before – aren’t they just lovely? I  love how pretty they are with their scalloped cups and saucers, and how this contrasts with the practicality of the pyrex which is a pretty tough material. This is a very dear set and in excellent condition. I hope it goes to someone who really appreciates a good strong cup of espresso!

Dimensions: Cups – 5cm tall x 6cm in diameter (at their widest); Saucers – 11cm in diameter

Price: R120 for the set

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Top view of pyrex espresso c&s

Pyrex espresso c&s with matchbox

Large glass ashtray

Despite having great style I think that this ashtray was fairly cheaply produced – I couldn’t pick up the detail in the photos, but the underside of the ashtray has what looks like a ‘seam’ which is normally the telltale sign of moulded glass (versus hand blown). But it really doesn’t matter as it’s a very attractive piece of glass, and the seam (if that’s what it is) is only noticeable if you pick up the ashtray and have a look underneath. What’s also difficult to see in the photos is how glorious the green glass really is – quite fantastic! Plus I love the unevenness of the shape – so retro! A very attractive piece at a very attractive price!

Dimensions: 13cm wide x 13cm long x 5.5cm tall

Price: R130

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Large glass ashtray

Large glass ashtray with matchbox

Retro Ranleigh drinks trolley

Doesn’t this mirrored drinks trolley just shriek of vintage Hollywood glamour?! Bizarrely though, it was actually made in Australia by a company called Ranleigh who seem to have produced some incredible drinks trollies, including a version of this very same trolley, but with black glass – absolutely fantastic! There’s a bit of wear to the mirrors and the chrome frame, but all in all the trolley is in pretty good nick, and what minor wear there is is easily overshadowed by its great design – honestly this has to be the coolest drinks trolley I’ve ever come across! What do I love about it? Practically everything! From the curved metal frame, to the angled mirrored trays, right down to the metal covers that hide the castors – everything about this trolley was thought through, with attention to functionality and aesthetics. The crème de la crème of drinks trolley – this is going to look amazing in the right home!

P.S. I’ve seen versions of this trolley for sale for close to R4000

Dimensions: 78cm tall x 45cm wide x 78cm long

Price: R1400

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Retro Ranleigh drinks trolley

Retro Ranleigh drinks trolley

Detail of chrome frame

Retro Ranleigh drinks trolley with removable tray

Detail of mirror

Detail of wear and tear to frame

Detail of wear and tear to metal support

Detail of castor covers

Maker’s mark

Vintage English teapot with metal spout

I try to avoid buying anything that’s damaged, but this teapot was just too unusual to pass up! There’s a small chip on the rim of the pot, but fortunately it’s only noticeable when you lift the lid. The inside of the teapot is also quite badly crazed and bits of the glaze have lifted on the lid, but for all its faults it’s still a very special piece! In fact I don’t think that I’ve ever seen another teapot quite like it! Sadly I can’t seem to find any information of the maker – the bottom of the pot is marked with the initials CMG, along with a ‘Made in England’ stamp, but there doesn’t seem to be any record of this pottery house online, or if there is it’s very well hidden! Going on the amount of wear though, and the unusual style of the piece, I’d say that it probably dates to the early part of the Twentieth Century – it’s definitely one of the older pieces that I’ve had for sale on Mint. And even with all the wear it’s still useable as a teapot, which is pretty cool! A seriously quirky teapot for all those tea lovers out there!

Dimensions: 11cm tall x 12cm wide x 19cm long

Price: R145

Note: Mint puts up four new items every weekday. The first post goes up at 07h00, the second at 08h00 and the third and fourth at 08h30. You can subscribe to our daily email which goes out at around 09h00 by clicking on the pink envelope on the right hand side of the blog

Detail of metal spout

Detail of wear and tear to lid

Detail of wear and tear to inside of pot/damage to rim

Maker’s mark

Vintage English teapot with matchbox