Tuesday, 5 February 2019

Nearly a Hikkety, and a What is this?


We couldn't resist buying this French door catch at the weekend.  It wasn't cheap - chap wouldn't budge below £20 - but as it's for us to keep and use, we paid up.  If it was made of wood, it would be a Hikkety (which is the Devon word for a wooden door catch on one side of a door).


For £3, I treated myself to this book as well, from the bookstall at the Fair we were attending on Sunday.  I find it fascinating, and have included a few photos for my loyal readers.


Milking cows outside, as it was done in Thomas Hardy's Tess's time.  I think this was about 1900.


A lost art I think - this chap is using horsehair to make a very sturdy rope.  There used to be a chap at Llanybydder horse sales (probably still there) making rope from twisting binder twine, so a similar skill using a waste product today.


I will leave this one with you - what on earth is piled up here?  Answers on a postcard please!!  (P.S.  I know, just testing you.)

18 comments:

  1. Please consider this a postcard; Are those piles of roof tiles? Sort of a way to dry them? It's a beautiful door catch you got - quite envious of your find :-)
    KJ

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    1. Nope - but a good try! The door catch will just have a wipe down with a dab of Briwax on a rag.

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  2. I forgot to ask; do you intend to leave the door catch like it is or do you "restore" it or otherwise treat it for safekeeping? I love it as it is but I also love learning about restoring things so I have been interested in seeing how you take a piece and make it beautiful again over the years following your blog.
    KJ

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    1. Some things need restoring, but this is just a little rusty and won't have much done to it. The coat of wax will prevent it deteriorating and getting more rust.

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  3. I love that door handle BB - it certainly doesn't need any restoration, just waxing as you suggest I would have thought.
    As to what is in that photograph no idea but it looks decidedly unsavoury.

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    1. Glad you like the catch Pat. As for unsavoury - nope,extremely practical and . . . also VERY green.

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  4. Love the catch. Are the piles shingles by any chance?

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    1. Nope, but I agree, they do look like shingles.

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  5. I think I have a couple of hikketys in my flat, will have to check

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  6. Love the door catch.

    God bless.

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    1. I don't know when - or where - we will get to use it!

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  7. I love the door catch and the book looks brilliant :) No idea what is stacked in the last photo but they look a bit like roof tiles?!

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    1. They do don't they (roof tiles), but clog bases they are.

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  8. Not going to guess until the right answer comes up ;)...

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