Monday, December 31, 2012

ROWR!!!!

said the faux leopard,

As he beheld these faux leopardskin coats...


Metal marvelous-ity, pre-1920 edition


 Three sides with birds, one with ad copy

 A copper basket!  COPPER!!

circa 1900 might-be-an-ashtray 
then again, might not.

superbly awesome candlestick with bride and groom and angels

Thursday, December 27, 2012

The find of the month!

Last month.

At least, I think it was last month.  

As you may recall from an earlier post, I'm somewhat lacking in merch management ability.

Then again, does it matter all that much,

when the find is...



A REAL crocodile briefcase!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Found -- get this -- at Salvation Army.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas to all!!

This is my favorite Christmas carol (even though it always makes me cry...)

Thursday, December 20, 2012

jewels! jewels!

Like this 'un...

circa 1920 Arts & Crafts style brooch


               and this 'un
 
FAB. U. LOUS. 1940s owl brooch


and this 'un

An absolutely GORGEOUS 1950s Kramer rhinestone necklace, the centerpiece of which can also be worn as a brooch!                                                             

And this 'un
 An exquisite WWI-era bracelet

                 
And, lastly, this 'un...
A super-neato circa 1960 copper brooch.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Get dressed!!

And do it in the neat vintage dresses available from my Etsy ladies' vintage shop: www.etsy.com/shop/friskyvintage

First up, this Depression era charmer WITH ITS ORIGINAL TAG FROM MONTGOMERY WARD!!!
Never worn, and perfect for channeling your inner Early Career Joan Crawford or Barbara Stanwyck.

Fast-forwarding about 30 years, we have this insanely yummy Little Black Dress in silk shantung, which I could swear I saw worn in a movie by... well, I forget who exactly, but she looked mahvelous.


Next up, a dress from roughly the same period, styled not for Cafe Society, but for the preppy college gal or typing pool denizen:

While this circa 1966 silk shantung gown may look like nothing special in this picture, it is mindbogglingly gorgeous in person.  
 PERFECT for when you feel the need to channel your inner Darling-era Julie Christie.

 And now for another demographic, the ladies who lunch.  This is an Arnold Scaasi dress with jacket.  Vintage catalogs call these combinations 'suits,' but to me a suit is a jacket and skirt, not a jacket and dress.  
  I know I'm right.

Moving along, we have what is generally considered a 1960s 'scooter girl' dress.
Excellent for scootering purposes and/or for the aspiring manic pixie dream girl.

Here's a shout-out from Hawaii, the one and only bestest Hawaiian-made dress EVER.
The dress is covered with pretty Japanese ladies, which appear to have been painted onto the black fabric.  They weren't, but it's just as neat as if they were.

Now on to the early Seventies, where we find this hot hot hot charmer that no doubt was originally worn with sky-high chunky heels.

Here's a beauty from someone's Caribbean vacation circa 1972:
In the early 1970s, long dresses were worn for practically every event, including but not limited to bowling league banquets.  (Honest.)  The above is sooooooooooo much more attractive than what was commonly worn, especially to bowling league banquets.

This utter charmer may have appeared at a bowling league banquet, but I doubt it.
It's more like something that would have been worn to a garden party or a bar mitzvah with an arty-er than average crowd.


From a little later in the Seventies, we have this rather sophisticated jersey print frock.
 Proof-positive that not all mid-to-late Seventies fashion was ghastly.

Arriving in the early 1980s, we have this high-end designer charmer (so high-end, in fact, that the maker-designer is anonymous).  Perfect for high-kicking dance and party purposes, on account of the top half actually being a bodysuit.

Everyone seems to have a fondness for 1980s secretary dresses.
 

I would, but I actually WAS a secretary back then.  What I remember most were dresses with black and blue prints, i.e. not black prints and blue prints, but prints having both colors at the same time.  Oddly, these almost never turn up in thrift shops.

This was the type of thing I would wear.  Lightweight cotton, pretty print, demure as all get out.
In fact, this would probably fit me, so if it doesn't make the trip to someone else's closet, it might just end up in mine.

Friday, December 14, 2012

I'm not lion

when I say that this is just about the most adorable thing I've ever seen.
 A Steiff item, has his Knopf im Ohr and everything.  I am VERY tempted to keep him.  

After all, It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

English bone china

and maybe a little boneless china!

First up, a yummy flow blue example of the Doulton 'Watteau' pattern, circa 1895
 After taking that picture, I took my camera outside to photograph the rest of what I have.  This task was made more difficult by the appearance of...
the young gentleman shown above, who often visits to socialize with me, distract me, and (mostly) to steal the food I put out for...
this sad little guy.  While I'm pretty certain that the one who wants to steal his food has a home -- he's very clean, and very friendly -- sad little guy, who I've named Victor, is homeless and bears the scars of a rough life on the streets.  I'd like to trap him, and at least get him fixed.  I would also try to socialize him, which I don't expect to be easy.  Even after having been fed by me for months now, he is still careful to keep his distance.  I am aware, however, that prayer works miracles, and not just for people.

Now onto more china!

Scary dragons marching around the rim of a low compote made by Dunn Bennett


A very pretty example of the Shelley 'Blue Rock' pattern

Three plates depicting Mr. and Mrs. Peacock of Flappingly-on-Tyne, made by Grafton before it became Royal Grafton

And, lastly, a full set of eight plates in the Spode Bermuda Flowers pattern