Antique campaign bed… my latest Craigslist SCORE!
After I missed out on the urns/meaning of life… I was CONSUMED by loss.
I have not been so bereft since Mark Markson moved to Florida when I was fourteen. It was MEANT TO BE; and then I never saw him again.
It would seem that all life’s crushing blows come in the same format.
However. It turns out that ALSO, just like life’s crushing blows: if you can look past the fog of disappointment and certainty that you will never recover, you might learn something valuable.
Do you see it? Look past the urns… that’s a campaign bed.
After being on the losing end of mortal combat against silent assailant, I was left frantically covetous for a pair of medium-sized antique garden urns.
In the ensuing months of bitter urn-regret, I kicked up my search-terms on craigslist.
Eventually I found these urns and the urn troll was pacified… They weren’t really big enough. But they resolved the mania; plus I was tired of searching every combination of iron/garden/planter.
Weirdly, I never searched for a campaign bed… why? I don’t know. It’s useless and fancy, so I should have been all over that.
I don’t even remember what this pair sold for at auction, although apparently I liked them enough to take a photo.
Fast forward to now… I haven’t even been looking on Craigslist. Which is sacrilege and alarming, and the extent of my inertia and cement brain; and also to do with acquisition of Cleveland Bookcase/having everything I ever wanted.
But I got on Craigslist on Saturday, because Paul and I have been talking about buying a large chest freezer for kale armageddon… and I refuse to pay money for something boring and unfancy if I can get it on Craigslist for free.
I’m positive that you understand my strategic financial planning, but it was too sophisticated for Paul, who was saying something about killowats per hour.
I was like, um… no. Let me help you with this simple math:
Crap freezer = oohlala ballgown skirt.
Priorities.
Then he revised his original pitch for improved energy efficiency by pointing out that a free freezer on Craigslist has likely held either Bambi’s murdered mother, or a dismembered human body… possibly both.
At which point I was like— you know what? You are right. Let’s buy a new one… and clicked over to antiques.
I was just absently scrolling when the bed troll was like— HALT.
HALT!!!
Then I did that thing where you squint at the computer screen. Because logically you know that what you think you are seeing cannot be what you are ACTUALLY seeing because there is only one photo in the listing and it somehow provides no clarity at all.
Then I got a campaign bed for $60.
For comparison, here is (the only) one on eBay. (And also a fancy campaign lounge! And a folding chair.)
If you Google “campaign furniture” your results will mostly show you results from the British officer class. Reproductions of British campaign furniture are plentiful… but not really my style.
furniture designed expressly to approximate all the refinement of a proper British household inside the canvas tents of ranking officers afar, but also to break down and fold up fast for easy, compact transport (hence campaign furniture’s other appellation, “knock-down” furniture). — Elegance Under Canvas, 1740-1914
My bed is probably French. It’s iron. And HEAVY. Because I guess the French were like – we COULD make our camp furniture lightweight and portable, OR we could make it giant, fancy, unwieldy, and heavy as hell.
“Mobility was much less a concern than keeping up appearances.” — Elegance Under Canvas, 1740-1914
Which makes perfect sense if you think about it: what better way to defeat an enemy army than to BE FANCIER THAN THEM?
p.s.— Elvis is still here!
I have zero idea of what her plan is.
If you had asked me a year ago – if I thought that the thoughts/love/prayers/whatever you want to call it/of strangers on the internet would impact the lifespan of my most precious animal, I would have given you a very strange look.
But I am completely convinced that the reason she is still hanging out is because of this very thing. So, thank you. xoxo.
Her eating has gone further downhill… but she seems comfortable and still herself. She still enjoys a petting-induced coma, and sitting out on the front porch with us, so I’m just trying to enjoy this time… the in-home vet reminded me this is Elvis’s timeline to complete as she sees fit, and it is outside of my control.
I plan to hire him to advise me on all aspects of life, because he is very wise.
see all my favorite Craigslist scores!
July 12, 2016 @ 3:17 pm
Congrats on satisfying the Bed Troll. I knew nothing of campaign furniture, so I learned something new. So glad that Elvis is still here ruling us all; hugs to her. Your In-home Vet sounds like a real gem.
July 12, 2016 @ 3:18 pm
I’m new to your blog but I absolutely love it, my first encounter had me reading for an hour! You exemplify my brain’s voice, something that I too often keep hidden but when it does come out, I get raised eyebrows. I too am a GFT lover. Thank you for the afternoon uplift and continued prayers for Elvis!
July 12, 2016 @ 5:27 pm
I am so happy for Elvis’s tenacity and congrats on that lovely bed. I’m sure your excellent taste will find the perfect spot to display its grace and charm.
Your thought that perhaps all of the loving waves of love and good wishes for Elvis may also offer a hint as to your frequent interception of objects of sublime beauty. Perhaps they are drawn to you knowing that Mr. Paul has a magicians touch when disassembling and reassembling them and you always combine them with other lovelies in such beautiful vignettes that any other Manse just wouldn’t do.
If I had a choice between living with you and yours or some Mansion where I would be ignored once the glee of acquisition had worn off I would take your house every day.
I mean flowers and mountains of Kale and handsome couple dancing through the rooms by the spangled glow of Disco Balls…….JackPot!
July 12, 2016 @ 5:34 pm
Yes we love Elvis, love the bed, and so so happy she is holding her own. Sending all of you hugs and a big comma induced petting for your pretty girl!
July 12, 2016 @ 6:10 pm
Elvis we love you and pray for you!
July 12, 2016 @ 6:37 pm
That’s a truly epic score! Congrats! I can think of a hundred ways to decorate that!
July 12, 2016 @ 6:58 pm
I’m so glad to hear about Elvis. She’s such a beautiful kitty. Also, I wish I lived in an area where you could find campaign beds on Craigslist, but I’ll settle for living vicariously through you.
July 12, 2016 @ 9:27 pm
Gosh I have an upright freezer that works great. I describe it as an ugly garage freezer because it has spots of rust on the outside, poor baby. But it works just great and it’s yours free if you want to visit the wonderful historic town of Williamsburg, VA any time at all.
July 12, 2016 @ 10:00 pm
I love the wisdom about winning wars by being fancier. Maybe you apply for a diplomatic position as Consiglieri Extraordinaire to our government. Love to you and Elvis and her sagacious doctor.
July 13, 2016 @ 3:08 pm
Wow, I did it!! I found your bog a few days ago and started at the beginning and am now completely up to speed on all things regarding your fab renovation project! What a labor of love!! Also….just labour!!! You make me laugh out loud and you are truly lucky to have found your Mr. Right! Plus as a magpie myself and a lover of shiny things your style really appeals to me. Also you have an amazing creative brain. In the words of my daughter’s favorite childhood book heroine ( Junie B Jones, ” a little glitter can make your whole day!!”). All the best to you and your beautiful Elvis!!!
PS. If you haven’t already seen this movie I highly recommend Strictly Ballroom by Baz Lurhman. Very light and funny and maybe the right thing right now…..
July 15, 2016 @ 1:00 pm
I’m finally up to date! I’m so glad to be around (in some way) for Elvis. She is a very sweet kitty. I’m making some end of life decisions for my own little pet. My mother has bought me a piece of chihuahua shaped statuary.
July 16, 2016 @ 5:12 pm
You are so thin and have such a feminine figure. Even thought this is not a fitness, diet, or meal planner blog, Please tell us EXACTLY what you eat every day!
July 19, 2016 @ 5:38 pm
Love the campaign bed, I have a campaign chair from the civil war, it is oak, but very cool.
I’m going to write this in all caps because it is important
FEED ELVIS STARKIST PEOPLE TUNA, SOLID LIGHT TUNA PACKED IN SPRING WATER, SHE WILL EAT IT AND LIVE LONGER. Your vet will tell you its not nutritionally complete, but SHE WILL EAT IT AND LIVE LONGER. I had a cat, Mr. Widget, with Feline AIDS, who lived to be 17 because I fed him Starkist light tuna in springwater, the kind in the can, give her the water part also.She will eat it. She will live longer because she is eating.
July 19, 2016 @ 10:16 pm
http://thehousewifeonfire.blogspot.com/2016/07/remenants-of-summer.html
Big fan girlie….You might like my big fancy Victorian find, I thought of you, however warn the troll- NFS
July 20, 2016 @ 10:17 am
Making our own end of life decisions for a beloved pet here, too. Thought about your Elvis as we painted a little piece of statuary for Senor’s memorial. While it’s very weird watching him check out his own memorial (clearly considering if he should pee on it) I’m hopeful it will make it a sweeter piece in the garden when I can easily picture him nose to nose with it.
My sister says that the day you get a pet it is heartbreak waiting to happen. You know that certainly you will outlive them. They’re totally worth it, though.
July 20, 2016 @ 1:39 pm
https://youtu.be/HTt-XE0XYMM
for the dancing wonder couple
July 24, 2016 @ 5:22 pm
I am so glad to hear about Elvis! Prayers coming your way.
July 26, 2016 @ 9:40 pm
I searched for your latest blog post just to check in on Elvis. Happy to read about your latest acquisition. Campaign furniture, yet another reason the French lose every war.
August 15, 2016 @ 8:02 am
I just recently scored a full sized campaign bed for $15 at an auction. I didn’t know what it was at the time but it was fancy and caught my eye 🙂 Congrats on your score
P.S. I had the same thoughts about the weight of the bed!
September 14, 2016 @ 11:24 am
I have one of these beds too. I was my first big girl bed when I was young. My mom picked it up in an anti