Period Features

To Polish Or Not To Polish?

From some of the letters we get in our postbag, it has become apparent that while half the population is trying to polish their brassware and keep it shiny, the other half is equally busy trying to make it look old! And some wierd and wonderful methods have come to light...

Making new brassware look old: apparently you can bury it in a dung heap (we haven't tried that one). A blowtorch works wonders, but as with all the methods you have to have unlacquered brassware for it to work. If the item is lacquered, you'll need to strip it back to the bare metal first, using Nitromors or a similar suitable product. Other people have suggested ammonia or the antiquing fluid produced by Liberon (it's called Tourmaline). I know this works as I have used it myself, but it's pretty unpleasant stuff!

Making old brassware look shiny again: fine wire wool and Autosol metal polish (available from car parts retailers) works really well on highly tarnished metal. More exotic solutions (I haven't tried any of them though!) include tomato ketchup - leave till dry and then scrub with a toothbrush and rinse off. The same is said to be true for Worcestershire sauce or toothpaste!

Paints, Trains And Automobiles

Somebody told me about this great site which was launched fairly recently, and it's a tremendous resource if you're doing up an old car, bus, tractor, steam engine.... you name it, you'll probably find some useful information there. It lists suppliers, places of interest, events and also has a forum where you can post requests. The site was launched in association with The Vintage Paint Company, who themselves are very handy as they manufacture and supply specialist paint for the restoration and preservation of every kind of vintage item. Visit the site at www.perfectrestoration.com

The Patter Of Tiny Paws...

This morning (at 2 am, so we are a bit bleary-eyed) our little cat Lily had two gorgeous kittens. We have named them Bertie and Boris, for what it's worth, although we haven't yet established what gender they are! It was a wonderful experience watching them being born, quite magical, and although she was never supposed to get pregnant in the first place we are quite delighted!

Win Very Special British Bed & Breakfast Books!

The lovely people at Alastair Sawday, who publish the excellent Special Places To Stay series, have very kindly given us four copies of their latest British Bed & Breakfast book (worth £14.99 each) as competition prizes. You will discover 700 remarkable places to stay, from castles, cottages and lighthouses to manors and mills, many of them at prices which won't break the bank. Just answer one simple question to enter. After the closing date of 30 April 2006, we will pick four winners at random from all the correct entries received. Click here to enter: Read more »

Fancy A Red Phone Box?

When Carl Burge, the owner of a company called Remember When, got in touch with me earlier this month, I had a look at his site and really liked it. They specialise in popular items of nostalgia, such as early British collectables & memorabilia, ranging from enamel signs to original red letterboxes and phone boxes! Click here to visit their website at Remember When UK.

Why Not Visit Our New Links Page?

I've been meaning to have a Period Features Links Page for ages and have finally got round to it! It contains an eclectic range of websites; some because they are relevant to the world of period houses or small business owners like me - others because they're just interesting or quirky. They're all there just because we like them, and I hope you find them as useful as we do! Please do feel free to suggest new websites which you think ought to be featured. Email me at enquiries@periodfeatures.net.

Bricks & Brass Website

I thought some of our readers might like Bricks and Brass, a unique website which provides comprehensive information for people who are looking for an older house, own one, or who (like me) just love them. It focuses on homes from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods in the UK. The website also features a handy House Dating Tool.

There are lots of articles on the site, but I've picked Styling For Your Period Home. It features a guide to paint and wallpaper, fabrics and furniture, lighting, clocks and other decorative objects. One thing I like about it is that it is quite realistic - helping you to recreate a period look to your house that is sympathetic to your chosen period and to the 21st century owner's desire for central heating and space for a TV. After all, not many people these days can realistically live in a museum. Read more »