Vintage Brass Tea Strainers

Recently, a colleague and I had the happy task of taking two out-of-town businesswomen to our local "ladies who lunch" place, which is located at a huge antique mall (housed in what looks like a huge, cheery yellow Victorian style house that is about the size of three such houses put together). It is always a good place to shop, so our visitors were thrilled with both the lunch site we chose AND the shopping opportunities.

While they scoured downstairs for gifts to take home with them, I ran upstairs for a quick scan of the booths I like, the ones with vintage china and such. And there they were: these two sweet little vintage brass tea strainers. They were very inexpensive, so I got both for The Collection. (If I capitalize it, does that justify it?)

Because the holes are rather large I bought these for "looks" more than for serious use, but I'm intrigued by the cherub on the handle of the strainer with the shell-shaped bowl and the roses that ring the other one. Both could use some serious cleaning, but I haven't had a piece of brass in years and will have to go in search of brass cleaner. Still, I might pull these out at Christmas or some other sparkly golden holiday. A nice and unexpected find, I thought, during what was really a business lunch!