Hello and Happy New Year to you all.  As I promised, we are going to start featuring vendors and booths in our blog posts this year.  The first booth that we will feature belongs to vendor #28.  This vendor is a knowledgeable pottery collector and the booth features a wide variety of fine pottery.  The first photo is an overall view of booth #28, showing cases and shelves overflowing.  The next photo features a large Stangl pitcher with a fruit design, in front of that is a Bauer Pottery butter dish.  In the right foreground is a Wade “Lady” figure from Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp”.  The creamers to the left of the butter dish are Pennsbury Pottery.  In the next (middle) photo, at the right rear of the shelf is a beautiful Doulton “Flambe” bowl. Next to the “Flambe” piece are two Royal Doulton figurines.  The eagle is Goebel.  In the foreground are JFK and Jackie salt & peppers, and the cat is Orrefors glass.  In the next picture, you can see a Maddux horse TV lamp, a 50′s lamp with a bird figure inside the open base.  Next is a Red Wing Art Pottery vase, an Alladin lamp, and finally a Waterford crystal boudoir lamp.  In the final picture you can see at upper right Franciscan “Apple” dinnerware, in the center a purple RumRill vase, and at the left are several pieces of Blue Ridge Pottery.  If you are at all interested in pottery, come to Mantorville Square for an educational experience.  You will see pieces in booth #28 that you may not see anywhere else in Minnesota.  Stop in when you can and let us know if you have seen us on our website. 

I grew up in the time before computers.  Then , when computers arrived,  I was one of  the people who tried to resist learning about them.  I guess that I still have a love/hate relationship with technology and even though I realize the importance of blogging as a way of communicating with the public,  it is really difficult for me to have the discipline to make regular posts on our website.  I know that there are so many interesting things that we could write about on our blog, and yet it is still hard to get these things down in words.  We have over 20 dealers at Mantorville Square and each one has their own particular specialties.  I hope to feature some of these dealers and their treasures this year here on the Mantorville Square website.  I also hope to use the website to keep people informed about special activities as they come up in Mantorville, Wasioja, and the surrounding area. 
Now for a few words about the pictures at the top of this posting.  These pictures are from the first booth you see as you enter Mantorville Square.  This booth features some really excellent primitives.  These pictures were taken a while ago, but you can get the flavor of what the booth has to offer.  You can see the wide variety of stoneware, advertising tins, crocks, and kitchenware  If you look closely at the pictures, you will see a cast iron threshing machine that was probably a little boy’s delight about 100 years ago.  It is just like taking a walk back in time to come into Mantorville Square and see what our dealers have to offer.  I am planning to take some detailed pictures in various booths and share them with you here, so be sure to bookmark the site and visit it occasionally and write a complaint if we aren’t posting often enough.  Happy New Year
 

  Even the shoppers were elegant!!

We had such a good time at the Ladies’ Shopping Night last week that we are going to have a Men’s Last Minute Shopping night this Thursday, December 23 from 5:00PM-9:00PM.  This is a time for last minute shoppers to come down to Mantorville Square and let us help you pick out last minute presents for your wife, your girlfriend, your wife and your girlfriend, your sister, your friends at work, or anybody else you need a present for.  Then while register for door prizes and sit and enjoy a snack and refreshments, we will gift wrap your presents.  Perhaps your significant other has already come in to Mantorville Square and registered with us to take the guesswork out of your shopping.  We have a wide variety of great gift ideas waiting for you.  Who says last minute shopping has to be stressful?  Come to Mantorville and enjoy relaxed shopping and free (and really close) parking.  See you Thursday.

Are you already tired of going to the big malls and looking for presents? Do you need a break from high-stress shopping? If so, please keep reading.  If you have been meaning to come to Mantorville to check out our store, then this is the perfect time.  This Thursday, December 16, we will be hosting a Ladies’ Shopping Night at Mantorville Square from 6:00 – 9:00 PM.  Our knowledgeable and tuxedo-clad staff will be available to serve you wine and cheese and assist you as you shop for presents for your significant other, your friends, or for yourself.  Choose from our wide selection of antiques, collectibles, decor, garden items, candles, Hagen-Renaker figurines, vintage jewelry, pottery, pictures, vintage clothing, vintage dollhouse furniture, Scandinavian items, beer pitchers, barware collecibles, sports memorabilia, vintage Christmas ornaments and decorations, books of all kinds from baseball and Tom Clancy to the Kama Sutra.  We will have gift wish-list sheets where you can sign up and persuade your significant other to attend our Men’s Last Minute Shopping Night on Thursday, December 23.  We accept Visa and Mastercard.  Sign up for door prizes. There is lots of free parking.  We will even carry your purchases to your car (see if you can find that at a big mall).  We are looking forward to seeing you on Thursday.  Bring your friends!!

We are into the bright part of Winter, the days are starting to get longer, and everyone is getting restless to get out of the house.  Why not come out to Mantorville?  Our window is filled with Mission and Prairie Style antiques.  We try to feature different themes in our window to give you an idea of what is inside the Square.  Right now, we are featuring this grand cylinder desk at the reduced price of $3,500!! It is well over 100 years old and comes with interesting provenance.  Also pictured are a number of Indian artifacts from Rice County, MN.  We have a wide selection of antiques and gifts.  We have a wide selection of vintage clothing and also a lot of interesting and unusual books on hand.  One of my favorites is “With the Tibetans in Tent and Temple”, a vintage 1906 book by missionary Susie Rijnhart.  Come down and browse, it is warm inside our spacious store, with wide aisles and places to sit.  Be sure to leave enough time to visit the other shops and restaurants in Mantorville.

Make plans now to come to Mantorville on Saturday, December 5 and join the festivities of our “Olde Fashioned Christmas”.  There will be horse-drawn wagon rides from 11 am - 3 pm.  Children’s Arts & Crafts from 11am – 3pm at the Art Guild.  Visit with Santa in the Opera House from 11am-3pm.  Cider at the Welcome Center.  Caroling throughout the day.  Home tours from 12:30pm-5pm ($6 tickets available at any Mantorville Business).  Yuletide on the Hill from 2:00pm-4:30pm. Lighting of the Christmas tree at 6:00pm at Riverside Park.  Theater performance of “A Rented Christmas” at 7:30pm at the Opera House.  Come and enjoy the day!  Eat at one of Mantorville’s three restaurants.  Shop at the oldest antique store in Dodge County.  Browse in the largest antique mall in Dodge County.  Enjoy some hand made candy at the Chocolate Shoppe.  Visit the Art Guild and all the other shops.  Plan to spend the day with us.  Stop in at Mantorville Square and say hello.

Come to Mantorville this weekend and join us for the Halloween festivities. 

Saturday:  Hay wagon rides, farmer’s market, pet costume contest, and book signing by Chris Larsen who has written “Ghost Stories of Southeastern Minnesota”. All this is followed by the Third Annual Halloween Bash for kids from 6-10 PM.  The family friendly Haunted House will be open at 520 Main Street on Saturday and Sunday from 4-7:30 PM.  On Sunday, there will be again be hay wagon rides and pumpkin painting.  Of course all the shops and restaurants will be open.  County Seat Coffeehouse will  featue pumpkin spice pancakes, pumpkin spice lattes, and pumpkin chai on Saturday.  School house cafe will be open until 8:00 PM on Saturday.  Chocolate Shoppe will be open both Saturday and Sunday, featuring pumpkin ice cream.  Hubbell House will feature Caramel Apple Crisp and Hot Bread Pudding.  Mantorville Theatre Company will present the play “Wedding Belles” on Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30 and with a Sunday matinee at 2:00 PM.  Mantorville Brewing Company will be open Saturday from 2:00 PM – 4 PM, featuring the “Growler” of Amber Ale and offering free samples and tours.  Mantorville Saloon will have Saturday afternoon wine tasting from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.  Mantorville Art Guild will be the site for free Sunday afternoon pumpkin painting (pumpkins will be supplied) Be sure to stop at all the shops; Riverside Gifts, Memorabilia, Jim’s Little Shop of Art, Chocolate Shoppe, and of course be sure to stop in at Mantorville Square.  We are the largest antique mall in Dodge County, and we have a great selection of antiques and gifts for all tastes.  We are always adding something different.  You probably know about our vintage clothing, and perhaps you have seen our “blue and white” booth, but you probably haven’t seen our selection of vintage magazines and paper ephemera.  Be sure to stop in and visit with us this weekend.

Marigold Days is coming up soon in Mantorville.  It always falls on the first weekend after Labor Day  and this year it will be September 12 and 13.  Mantorville will be ready for you.  Flea market, Art Guild, antiques, crafts, gifts, food, entertainment, it will all be here.  Mantorville has the largest antique mall in Dodge County (Mantorville Square) as well as the oldest antique store in Dodge County (Memorabilia).  The pictures above are only a sample of what is available at Mantorville Square.  In the first row from left to right:  We have a booth where every item is blue and white decor; vintage clothing and hats; a wide assortment of better Red Wing pottery and crocks; fine china, glassware, and fishing lures; Indian artifacts; vintage 50′s western cowboy motif furniture.  In the second row: primitives and retro kitchen; green depression glass and Scandinavian items; pottery and dishes; Belleek and Caprice; furinture; elegant glassware. Third row: Vases and furniture; art glass and great carnival glass; numerous sets of good china; burled walnut cylinder desk; better primitives; assorted old pictures.  Fourth row: advertising tins, sports collectibles and sports cards, Van Briggle, candlewick, lace edge depression; jewelry; pincushions; glassware of all sorts.  Also books, vintage magazines, ephemera, gifts, decor, garden items, Park Design fabrics, Blossom Bucket, Milkhouse candles, and lots more.  Be sure to stop in and say hello when you are in Mantorville.

Spring is here and lots of things are going on in Mantorville.  Some of the upcoming events are:

 Mantorville Art Guild Victorian Tea – April 25

Company “C” 3rd MN Spring Muster at Wasioja – May 2 & 3

Spring Fling at Mantorville – May 14 -16

Blue and Gray Civil War Tea – Milton House  – June 27

Old Tyme Days – Tractor Pull, Theatre, Arts & More – June 28

Old Fashioned 4th of July – Food, Arts, Fast Draw and More – July 4 2009

Dodge County Free Fair – July 15 – 19 in Kasson – Minnnesota’s oldest County Fair

More fun than you can imagine awaits you this summer in Mantorville.  Watch this site from time to time.  I will try to do a better job of keeping up on what is happening in Mantorville and Dodge County.

 This Saturday is Old Fashioned Christmas in Mantorville.  Start with a tour of Mantorville on a horse drawn wagon ride.  Meet in front of the Opera House any time between 11:00 AM & 3 PM.  Make & Take activities (childrerns arts & crafts) at the Mantorville Arts Guild from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM (treats for the kids) Bake sale & cider at the Welcome Center from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM.  Go on the home tours from 12:30 PM until 5:00 PM and see the homes of John & Amy Ewing, Karl & Lynette Huppler, the historic 150 year old Doig house in Wasioja, the Wasioja Baptist church, and the Wasioja Creamery (recently featured in the Post Bulletin.  Yuletide on the hill from 5 -7 PM at the Historical Society, and finish up with an “O Henry Christmas” at 7:30 at the Opera House.  In between times, be sure to look for antiques at Mantorville Square and Memorabilia, treat your sweet tooth at the Chocolate Shoppe, visit the artist’s shops, look for gifts at Riverside, or have a bite to eat at one of Mantorville’s three restaurants.  Just be sure to come over and spend a relaxing day in Mantorville.  See you there on Saturday.