100 Points from Gryffindor

I don't really deal in high end antique furniture because its typically too expensive to buy at a price I can have fun reselling it at, and I generally can't afford to keep it for myself. So when it comes to furniture, I stick to fun and funky utilitarian pieces - like hand made shelves, mission style desks, and Hoosier cabinets. Besides, the supremely high end stuff typically doesn't have the pizazz I'm looking for anyway, though I do love it. But every now and again, I find something I can buy at a price I like that hits all the marks for what I look for in antiques, like this little number I picked up in Connecticut today:

I gasped when I saw this gryffin-based-beauty staring at me through my phone while scrolling an online auction I had never bid at before. Look at the detail on these carvings:

The auction house described this luxurious table as being late Victorian (around 1900) and American made. Solid oak with carved details, it glistens like it walked off the showroom floor yesterday. I really admire these spindly supports that make the table extra sturdy, but also are highly decorative:

The table measures 47" squared and includes four 12" leaves that expand this puppy to a whopping eight feet long. If you've got a big family coming over for Thanksgiving, this can surely accommodate them.

This table is for sale, though at $1750 currently, its a bit out of the price range of my normal items. But I didn't buy it strictly to sell. I know that growing up we learn not to place value on material things, but my livelihood deals in material culture, and I have learned to embrace that. There are some items that bring joy and meaning to my life, little pops of detail in my daily routine that remind me how ingenious and artistic people have been throughout history. This table is a prime example of that - the oddity of its form inspires me, and if I have it in my home for years to come while I search for a buyer, I'll enjoy every day I get to look at it.

- Ryan