Nana's Cottage House Antiques

10/21/2026

Some of the best recipes never came from famous chefs!

They came from church kitchens, neighborhood gatherings, and women who knew exactly how to make something delicious without a fancy ingredient in sight.

I recently added a 1970 Beta Sigma Phi cookbook featuring salads and appetizers to Nana's Cottage House Antiques.

These old community cookbooks are wonderful little pieces of social history. They preserve the dishes people actually served, shared, and brought to gatherings.

And sometimes, tucked among the recipes, you'll discover an old favorite you'd almost forgotten.

Do you still have a cookbook handed down from your mother or grandmother?

10/19/2026

Whatever happened to all those little keys?

One of the things I love about antiques is finding objects that make you wonder about their past.

I've recently been sorting through a collection of 14 old winding keys. Some are brass, some silver-colored, and one has a wonderful little folding handle.

They remind me of a time when clocks, toys, and all sorts of mechanical treasures needed a key to bring them to life.

Of course, the trick is finding the right key for the right treasure!

These are available individually in my Nana's Cottage House Antiques Etsy shop.

Do you have an old clock or wind-up treasure that's missing its key?

10/17/2026

Whatever happened to furniture with keys?

I love the little details on antique furniture. A beautifully shaped brass keyhole on an old secretary desk, a tiny lock on a jewelry box, or a dresser drawer that once held someone's most treasured possessions.

And finding a piece that still has its original key? That's always a special treat!

There was a time when even ordinary household furniture was made with such thoughtful details. It's one of the reasons I love antiques.

Do you have an old piece of furniture that still has its original key? I'd love to hear about it!

Nana's Cottage House Antiques

10/15/2026

Oh, the stories this old mirror could tell!

More than 100 years ago, a lovely piece like this might have graced a lady's dressing table, reflecting her favorite perfume bottles, silver hairbrush, and treasured keepsakes.

Made by the Forbes Silver Company in the early 1900s, this beautiful 10-inch mirror features scalloped beveled glass surrounded by a silver-plated frame.

I love finding these wonderful little pieces of history and imagining the homes they've graced over the years.

Just added to my Etsy shop, Nana's Cottage House Antiques. Come have a look! To find this mirror, search Etsy for nanascottagehouse—all one word—then search for Forbes mirror inside my shop.

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10/08/2026

I ran across this today and had to share it.

This tiny piece of jewelry is called a “Lover’s Eye.”

For a brief period beginning in the late 1700s, people had miniature portraits painted of just one eye belonging to someone they loved. The fashion is said to have begun when the future King George IV sent a miniature of his own eye to the woman he loved.

This one is English, dates to the early 1800s, and is surrounded by pearls and set in gold.

And here’s the part that really got me — the entire brooch is only about 5/8 of an inch wide.

More than 200 years later, we can see the eye perfectly.

Antiques really do tell the best stories.

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain

10/05/2026

A little Old Hollywood sparkle just arrived in the shop.

This wonderful late-1940s Eisenberg set includes a dramatic clear rhinestone brooch, matching clip earrings, and its original “by Eisenberg” presentation box. The brooch measures 2½ inches, so it has real presence—beautiful for a bride, a special occasion, or anyone who loves vintage jewelry with a little glamour.

This Jewelry Sets item is sold by nanascottagehouse. Ships from Yakima, WA. Listed on Sep 30, 2026

10/02/2026

Estate-sale days are always a treasure hunt. You never know whether you’ll come home with a little piece of history, something beautiful, or an object that sends you straight down a research rabbit hole.

That is half the fun around here. What is the best thing you have found at an estate sale lately?

09/30/2026

One of the things I love most about old things is that they were made to be used, enjoyed, and kept.

A book with somebody’s name written inside. A little vase that held flowers on a kitchen table. Jewelry saved for special occasions. They carry a bit of ordinary life with them—and that is part of what makes them so wonderful.

What is one old thing in your house that you would never part with?

09/30/2026

https://www.etsy.com/listing/4585887332/vintage-eisenberg-rhinestone-brooch-clip?sr_prefetch=1&pf_from=shop_home&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1&logging_key=8db35647f17647ea33aad362ac2336fef5f1fcf3%3A4585887332
Just listed: a beautiful vintage signed Eisenberg rhinestone brooch and clip-on earring set.

This is the kind of jewelry that makes a statement without needing anything else—bright, clear stones, a graceful curling design, and wonderful sparkle. A truly special mid-century set, perfect for a bride, a collector, or anyone who loves old-fashioned glamour.

Available now in my Etsy shop for $175.

This Jewelry Sets item is sold by nanascottagehouse. Ships from Yakima, WA. Listed on Sep 30, 2026

09/28/2026

Just listed: *How to Grow Roses*, a 1937 gardening book by J. Horace McFarland and Robert Pyle.

A wonderful old guide for rose lovers, with practical growing advice and color plates—full of vintage garden charm. $12, plus shipping.