Blog Feed: Inherited Values

Striking Legs!

Published on 2012-05-24 16:42:59

More hot legs in the form of matches; this time, a vintage matchbook promoting an “all girl floor show” at a burlesque club. Image via Burlesk As You Like It!. > read more

Vintage Tee-Vee Howdy Doody Toys

Published on 2012-05-23 05:18:11

When I first discovered this little plastic man with a movable mouth in an auction lot of winnings, I thought the was Uncle Sam or something because of his red, white, and blue coloring — and the hat. Well, he’s red, pinkish, and blue… And the hat wasn’t your typical Uncle Sam hat, but that’s [...] > read more

Why Do You Collect?

Published on 2012-05-22 00:10:10

Recently, a North Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) publication, Northside magazine, asked a “few locals” why they collect the things they do. Academic and psychologist Mark McKinley, thinks that collectors are actually “supreme consumers”. While being called a “consumer”, supreme or otherwise, in the USA is often akin to an insult (even if my 2008 [...] > read more

Inviting Yourself Inside

Published on 2012-05-18 08:35:18

Pickers aren’t the only ones bold enough to invite themselves onto your property, into your homes; Jessica Saia was so charmed by the Painted Ladies (the Victorian houses around Alamo Square park you see in many shots of San Francisco, including TV’s Full House), that she sent letters to the folks living in them so [...] > read more

Syfy Channel Announces New Collectible Shows

Published on 2012-05-17 17:56:21

Elyse Luray of History Detectives fame will have her own show on the the Syfy channel. The new series is named Collection Intervention and according to the press release she’ll be helping couples at odds with their overwhelming collections: Collection Intervention follows Elyse Luray, a sharp and to-the-point collectibles expert as she helps couples who [...] > read more

A Vintage Space Adventurer By Any Other Name…

Published on 2012-05-16 07:08:53

Mr. Rock Space Adventurer from Another Planet. Clearly this vintage action figure, which includes Ray Gun and Space Communicator, is a knock-off of Star Trek’s Spock. The pointy ears and slanted eyebrows give it away. This vintage space age toy was made by Lincoln International, a New Zealand toy company. Fun Ho says that Lincoln [...] > read more

OMG, I Used To Have A Scarf In The Same Ballerina Print As This Vintage Lingerie!

Published on 2012-05-15 19:06:57

I still might have the vintage scarf, packed away someplace… If I knew for certain, I’d snap-up this vintage lingerie set in the same ballerina print! This vintage nightgown and peignoir robe in a pretty ballerina print is made of rayon; tips on caring for vintage rayon fashions can be found here. Images via Andapanda’s [...] > read more

Bid On Abraham Lincoln’s Hair

Published on 2012-05-11 11:34:19

Also part of the Americana Signature Auction, is an antique photographic case containing a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair opposite an albumen portrait of the president. Upon Lincoln’s death, apparently a number of locks of the President’s hair were removed as mourning keepsakes. This lock of Lincoln’s hair is approximate 3″ long and ranges in [...] > read more

Hidden Values In Antique Collecting & Genealogy In The News

Published on 2012-05-11 05:06:22

Spending time with my collectibles is a huge part of why I collect — and I don’t mean the dusting! In fact, one of the reasons I blog is because I love the time to spend examining and researching each object. I truly believe this is a huge part of the value of collecting as [...] > read more

Antique Smiling G.O.P. Elephant

Published on 2012-05-11 00:06:18

Heritage’s Americana Signature Auction contains over 700 American history and political artifacts, among them a rare political pinback from the 1908 Taft & Sherman political campaign. Called a jugate for the two side-by-side portraits of William Howard Taft and his running mate James Sherman, and called “Elephant Ears” for the portrait placement, this 1 and [...] > read more

Minimalistic Chic Modern & Contemporary Art Auction From The Estate Of Fashionista Janet Brown

Published on 2012-05-10 11:42:32

While many are excited about the Schiaparelli and Prada showing, there’s an upcoming auction at Freeman’s that fashionistas may also wish to know about. On Saturday, May 12, 2012, the Modern and Contemporary Art auction contains works from the estate of Janet Brown. Brown was an influential fashion retailer, she and her boutique in Port [...] > read more

Vintage Schiaparelli Stockings — Shocking!

Published on 2012-05-10 07:08:02

Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations, the joint retrospective of fashion opens today at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum. Which means you can understand what a miracle it seemed to me to find not one, not two, but three pairs of vintage Schiaparelli stockings at a local garage sale this weekend! And for just [...] > read more

Following The Signals To Authentic Vintage McCoy Pottery

Published on 2012-05-08 21:32:16

Over the weekend I found another yellow-glazed vintage pottery cookie jar: a figural traffic light cookie jar. There’s no maker’s mark; just the number “351″ and “U.S.A.” embossed on the bottom. However, research proves that this vintage pottery traffic light cookie jar was made by McCoy, and has not been reproduced — or, to be [...] > read more

Nothing To Write Home About? Letters From WWII

Published on 2012-05-01 14:38:01

In my post at Collectors Quest today, I share my disc-overy of WWII voice mail: audio letters sent during the war. While I encourage you to read that history, I have two other items to share regarding that story. First, in the January, 1946 issue of Audio Record (published by Audio Devices Inc., a manufacturer [...] > read more

A Question On Collecting Antique Photographs

Published on 2012-04-26 12:44:36

My folks, Antiquips, recently listed this antique photograph of two ladies with their backs to the camera. Aside from just being an odd pose (especially when photography was more of an event than it is today), and so a way to define or refine your photograph collection, does anyone know if the pose has any [...] > read more

Collecting Is Like… Comfort Food

Published on 2012-04-23 15:35:53

I just love this story of a college student who de-stresses from her college exams by going to antique stores. I saw a young girl with long, brown hair sitting in a corner with a small teddy bear she had found in the store. I saw myself in that little girl. My father collected antiques [...] > read more

Vintage Tobacciana: The Smoking Cannon

Published on 2012-04-22 19:05:06

This vintage ceramic ashtray is kinda kitschy-cool; when you place the light cigarette in it’s place, the smoke comes out of the cannon! I just priced it and put in in the case at Fargo’s Antiques On Broadway. > read more

The Top Three Online Content Curation Sites For Collectors

Published on 2012-04-20 13:10:25

Most collectors are aware that they are curating their collections — or at least they should be! But now, there’s online curation, or more specifically, online content curation. Unlike blogging or writing on the web (called “content creation”), content curation is the process of sorting through the created content on the web and presenting it [...] > read more

Collecting Coffee Makers

Published on 2012-04-14 23:06:16

I have an unplanned collection of coffee makers. I even have a couple which are old enough to be considered vintage. The pot I use most often is the French press. I’ve got three of them now. One is the well-known Bodum brand. The others are brands I don’t remember any more, one was no-name. [...] > read more

Join The International Bookmark Collectors Exchange

Published on 2012-03-22 05:22:54

Bookmark collectors may wish to take note of this list of bookmark collectors who are interested in trading bookmarks — worldwide! > read more

Classic Car Prices Music To Milhous Brothers’ Ears

Published on 2012-03-20 15:31:32

Last month The Milhous Collection went up for auction, with the two days of bidding on the 550 lots coming in just shy of the auction estimate of $40 million, reaching $38.3 million in sales. The huge custom-build merry-go-round, considered the collection’s center piece, reached the estimated price range of old $1,000,000 – $1,500,000, selling [...] > read more

The Grimm Realities Of Antique & Vintage Watches

Published on 2012-03-19 19:50:19

The Wall Street Journal reports on the “attractive proposition” vintage watches hold for investors, especially when compared to other alternative investments. Wine, for example, needs special care and can spoil. To enjoy it, it must be consumed. Vintage cars need space and maintenance. Real estate fluctuates too wildly. But watches? They take up no space, [...] > read more

Vintage Saint Patrick’s Day Seals

Published on 2012-03-17 08:49:59

A packet of vintage St. Patrick seals by Dennison Mfg. Co., Framingham, Mass., U.S.A., No. 80-924. The cover boasts of 36 seals in six different designs, but some are missing from my thrift store find. In fact, the missing ones are what charm me… It’s the plain old shamrock seals or stickers which are missing. [...] > read more

Vintage Chalkware Baby Statue With Removable Diapers

Published on 2012-03-13 11:58:08

This vintage chalkware piece isn’t as creepy (or racist) as these vintage chalkware babies, but there’s still something creepy about the “hair” spray-painted on it… It reminds me of the old bowl-haircuts mom used to give us. *wink* The baby’s diaper is cloth and even has old (rusty) safety pins holding them up. This I [...] > read more

The Wonder Of Collecting

Published on 2012-03-06 16:42:13

On shows like Oddities there’s much talk about cabinets of curiosities, but you needn’t have a fancy cabinet — or anything morbid, or even Victorian, to display in it — to arouse curiosity. In fact, I consider my entire home a display and I thrill when anyone stops and looks in wonder. It’s like a [...] > read more

This Week’s Antiques & Vintage Collectibles Link Round-Up

Published on 2012-03-02 09:38:46

Derek sheds light on a ghost ad for the Harold Lloyd film Grandma’s Boy which was unearthed in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Our very own Pickin’ of Antiquips, aka Val Ubell, weighs in on the scale and shape of collectibles. I cover the record number of record collections and obsessively research the history of the Jay [...] > read more

Vintage Camera & Photography Ephemera Garland

Published on 2012-03-01 03:21:36

Whether or not you an add another camera to your collection, you may want to consider this Vintage Camera Garland from Christine of Flapper Girl: This garland celebrates the beauty of vintage cameras with a Wardette, Starflash, Brownie Hawkeye, a handful of retro lightfilter boxes, and two photos documenting what fun can be had with [...] > read more

Prohibition In Film (A Little Help Needed)

Published on 2012-02-29 05:39:50

I was drawn to this vintage 8 by 10 photograph for the old bar ware featured in it; I love the prohibition era. (And I highly recommend the PBS Prohibition documentary series by Ken Burns.) But upon a closer look, I’m rather stumped by the actress and the film it’s promoting. The seller’s description simply [...] > read more

How Does The Deal Measure Up?

Published on 2012-02-28 04:36:04

Frank Fritz of American Pickers calls it “the bundle” when he groups multiple items into a single sale to negotiate for a lower price. I think as collectors we’ve all done that… You spy a few records you want in the box and decide to make an offer on the whole box so you can [...] > read more

Mercury Stamps: Then and Now

Published on 2012-02-27 15:36:50

Fifty years ago last week, John Glenn orbited the Earth three times and splashed down five hours later…which was the signal for the US Post Office to release their commemorative stamp.  When the stamp was announced, Will Black got his mom to drive to the post office to get some of his own, and that [...] > read more

Books On Film That Bibliophiles Will Approve Of

Published on 2012-02-23 14:04:41

Whether you’re a member of the Hollywood elite with a book addiction or a less notable bibliophile, you’ve probably desired to see the insides of a book up for auction but haven’t had the time or money to fly to the auction location to inspect it. While many auction houses have made it easier for [...] > read more

Girl Scouts Centennial

Published on 2012-02-23 03:50:52

The Girl Scouts were founded on March 12, 1912, so this year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts. (Yes, there’s a Girl Scout patch for that!) Along with a national event to be held March 10-11 at the Mall of America, many troops are planning celebrations. For example, Girl Scouts from across southeast [...] > read more

Of Valentino, Mineralava Beauty Pageants & Pink Powder Puffs

Published on 2012-02-22 17:29:56

As a feminist, I have a complicated, conflicted, relationship with beauty pageants. But this vintage booklet from the 1923 Mineralava Beauty Pageant fascinates me because of the man involved: Rudolph Valentino. Not just some master of ceremonies, Valentino was both the star and the prize of this contest: “The Most Beautiful Woman In America May [...] > read more

“As Fascinating As Chess; As Easy As Checkers”

Published on 2012-02-21 15:49:27

I love board games, especially vintage ones. Bonus points for awesome graphics on game boards and boxes. And this unused, like new straight out of the 1930s, board game sure gets the bonus points! Made by American Toy Works (ATWO) Products,  this vintage game box contains two games: Checkers and Avion, and aviation themed game. [...] > read more

Whitney Houston Auction Raises The Question: Is Collecting Movie Memorabilia Morbid?

Published on 2012-02-21 08:14:33

While some folks (who, themselves, live in glass houses) cry, “Beyond Tacky!”, Julien’s Auctions is going ahead with plans to auction off Whitney Houston items at their 2012 Hollywood Legends auction to be held on Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 1 in Beverly Hills, California. Among the over 800 items of Hollywood memorabilia and [...] > read more

Little Easels To Display Your Small Collectibles, Miniature Works Of Art

Published on 2012-02-21 01:19:01

These little button easels are a great way to display your vintage and antique buttons on shelves, in shadowboxes and antique printer’s trays, you vanity — anyplace, really! Each is hand made by happyhoarder66, who says that each little wire easel is made of “very workable metal so if you need to bend one slightly [...] > read more

Gone With The Wind, Ashes To Ashes

Published on 2012-02-20 17:02:21

The first scene filmed for Gone With The Wind (1939) was the burning of the Atlanta Depot. And it remains some of the most iconic film images of all time. Shot on December 10, 1938, using some nine cameras — including all seven of Hollywood’s then-existing Technicolor cameras, the 40 acre set was actually many [...] > read more

Button, Button, Who’s Got The Button?

Published on 2012-02-14 17:17:52

If you collect vintage fashions, you tend to end up with a lot of heartbreakers — not only items which won’t fit, but garments which are in such poor shape, all you can do is salvage pieces of fabric, buttons and other trims. And if you collect vintage sewing items and notions, you typically end [...] > read more

Harping On Valentine’s Day

Published on 2012-02-14 06:27:18

Another one of those vintage valentines with the circled numbers on them, this one has three angelic baby cupids with a large harp. The hot pink is quite vibrant! There are no marks for maker or anything — but like this vintage valentine with soda pop bottles, this one has red printing or stamps on [...] > read more

Airspun In Central Park

Published on 2012-02-12 18:03:42

This photo, titled Makeup, Central Park, was taken by Frank Paulin 1955. The photograph itself is a 20 x 16 inches gelatin silver print, signed and dated on verso. But what’s most fascinating to me is the powder compact, clearly from Coty. The Coty Airspun powder-puff design debuted in 1939 and now has been around [...] > read more

The Witching Hour Draws Nigh For Rare Anne Rice Work

Published on 2012-02-07 07:08:59

Absentee bidding ends tonight at Heritage Auctions for an unpublished screenplay of Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour. Dated June 13, 1995, this unpublished and unproduced script combines two of her novels, The Witching Hour and Lasher. The Witching Hour being one of my favorite Rice books aside, this work is spectacular for other reasons. Along [...] > read more

Beasts Of Burden: Recycling Plastic Toys Into Planters

Published on 2012-02-06 09:44:38

I found this idea for novelty planters at The Daily Telecraft: Brainstorm: What to do with plastic animals! [Large & small]. Just Dremel out a section on the beast’s back, spray paint them, fill them with dirt and add a small plant or cactus. It’s a great way to recycle those plastic animal toys the [...] > read more

History Teaching Moments For Families

Published on 2012-02-05 14:27:47

In the latest issue of Jet Magazine (February 6, 2012), Iman Jefferson gets six tips from Ronda Racha Penrice, author of African American History For Dummies, on ways to educate and entertain children with history. These tips are specific to Black History Month — that doesn’t mean you have to be an African-American to learn [...] > read more

2011: The Year In Antiques & Collectibles

Published on 2012-02-04 06:45:17

Last year was an excellent year for collectors. A plethora of television shows debuted on the subject, along the new seasons of the established favorites. I haven’t seem them all, but here are few mini-reviews of what I haven’t yet covered in full reviews here at Inherited Values: It’s Worth What? managed to make it [...] > read more

My First Storage Auction

Published on 2012-02-03 09:54:38

It’s easy today to snap photos anywhere and everywhere with virtually any cell phone, but keeping track of them is no different than those old rolls of film… My surprise today at discovering these photos taken at a storage auction we went to here in Fargo last fall was akin to getting a roll of [...] > read more

Naughty Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens

Published on 2012-02-03 03:41:23

Would you trust them to mind your coats and hats? What about your children’s belongings? I spotted this vintage wooden novelty coat rack in an antique mall. Painted blue and white, the cat tails are the pegs to hold your children’s clothing. > read more

I’ve Got Your Number, Valentine

Published on 2012-01-31 11:47:26

I recently acquired a small lot of vintage valentines. Most of them were the type kids passed out at school, and each of them has a number penciled on the front, placed in a circle. While this may detract from their value, I find the idea of a youngster implementing some sort of ranking or [...] > read more

Miss Dolly on the Shelf

Published on 2011-06-29 02:43:41

Do you remember this doll? I spotted this poor girl in a GoodWill thrift store this week. She was not in great shape, some hair had caught on something and pulled loose from her updo. Her dress was torn and she was a little dirty. Not things I couldn > read more

Listia Auctions: Your New Addiction

Published on 2011-06-24 10:33:42

If you haven’t already heard of Listia, let me introduce you to your next obsession. Listia is a relatively new kind of online auction site — where you bid on other people’s stuff using credits instead of real money. We make it easy > read more

Vintage Flocked Hallmark Birthday Card

Published on 2011-06-21 06:24:23

Today is my birthday, so here’s one of my favorite vintage greeting cards to celebrate. I seriously have a thing for flocked vintage cards — and horses. So this red flocked card of a stuffed toy horse quickly caught my eye. The inside rea > read more

Collecting Frankoma & Some Mysterious Vintage Pottery (Can You Help?)

Published on 2011-06-17 13:56:09

An interview about collecting Frankoma and other vintage decorative pottery with Molly Ives Brower, aka The Vintage Reader. How and why did you start collecting Frankoma pottery? Was it, at first, just part of decorating the house? When I was in high > read more

Great Way To Display Collectible Travel Postcards & Souvenirs

Published on 2011-06-15 10:37:19

I spotted this clever display at an antique mall and I thought it would be great for use in the home too: a simple vintage wall shelf, with the vintage postcards in the little spaces for knick knacks — the vases and glassware keep the postcards > read more

Antique Memorial Book Of Victorian Mourning Hair Braids

Published on 2011-06-14 11:51:58

At an estate sale I recently was lucky enough to get this little, unassuming, antique book… Plain brown boards, penciled notes and a math problem… A slim 6 and one-half inches 3 and one-half by inches. � It may not seem appealing to > read more

Myths & Misinformation About Suffrage Jewelry

Published on 2011-06-14 07:22:19

As a proud feminist, the suffrage movement is near and dear to my heart; as a girlie lover of glam, jewelry with stones, especially sparkly stones, appeals to me.  So naturally I am drawn to suffrage jewelry.  However, all that glitters in antique > read more

Collecting Antique & Vintage Bookmarks With Lauren Roberts

Published on 2011-06-13 11:42:17

Lauren Roberts is a bookmark collector I met when we were both presenters at the first Bookmark Collectors Virtual Convention. I’ve admired her bookmark collection — and collecting habits — so much I’ve been waiting for us bot > read more

Using Collectibles To Teach

Published on 2011-06-13 07:18:43

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about antiques, vintage collectibles, and why I collect… This is the first, of quite a few, posts about these thoughts. Which, I suppose, is my way of warning you that a number of “pondering postsR > read more

Haunted Collector Has Me Screaming Into The Night

Published on 2011-06-11 05:24:55

SyFy added another collectibles show to it’s lineup. Sorta. Haunted Collector is a marriage of sorts between SyFy’s Ghost Hunter franchise and the ever-increasing television line-up of shows for collectors.  It sounded like a marriage ma > read more

Collecting Movie Star Memorabila With The Drewseum

Published on 2011-06-06 18:58:13

Normally Inherited Values is all about antiques and vintage collectibles, but when I met Anne Olivares & Ashley Lampton, dedicated collectors of all things Drew Barrymore and curators of the The Drewseum, I thought it would be interesting to take > read more

Collecting Cookbooks, Magazines & Ephemera While Losing Weight: An Interview With Retro Mimi

Published on 2011-05-31 16:28:15

When I stumbled upon Mimi and her Retro Weight Watchers Experiment, I couldn’t take my eyes away… I wanted to; but I couldn’t. *wink* You know what they say, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” so I deci > read more

Vintage Film Stars Fit Swimmingly Poolside (Silent Film News)

Published on 2011-05-25 04:56:56

Because I’m rather well connected to Kellerman on the Internet, I was contacted by Nick Bannikoff, a graphic designer in Sydney, Australia, who had recently worked on the refurbished Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre in Marrickville. The centre is n > read more

Early Postmarks Of Haiti

Published on 2011-05-20 08:52:38

Some of the early postmarks from the feature article on the postal history and stamps of Haiti, by Clarence W. Hennan, found in The American Philatelist, Vol 66 No 8, Whole No 627, May 1953. The scan is from the vintage copy I have listed for sale at > read more

Is Your Collection Museum Worthy?

Published on 2011-05-18 09:55:01

I’ve long compared individual collectors and their collections to the work of professional curators managing museum collections, so I enjoy hearing how “real” museum curators approach their work. In What Does it Mean to be “Museum > read more

Antique & Vintage Camphor Glass Jewelry

Published on 2011-05-18 06:18:17

Over at My Humble Collection Rumblings, Stella Collector has a great article on collecting camphor glass jewelry — including fabulous photographs. Here’s a quick snippet to entice you to read the rest: Camphor Glass pieces started to be m > read more

Life Magazine Photo Hunt Contest

Published on 2011-05-11 14:39:40

Life announces a contest: Guess what? We are featuring another installment of FotoHunt this Thursday at 3 p.m. EST Not familiar with the game? FotoHunt is a photographic scavenger hunt through our galleries on LIFE.com. We will post a description of > read more

Vintage Camera Shops

Published on 2011-05-08 07:42:39

I was so thrilled when I spotted these vintage photos because it reminded me of this recent tweet by TheLarmy: All I have in the fridge is baking soda, camera film and boysenberry yogurt. Anyone got any recipes? I then knew it was the writing staff b > read more

When Roadside Food Stands Went To The Dogs

Published on 2011-05-04 17:12:44

So you and your family are driving down the road, on your way to some vacation destination spot, and suddenly a giant dog appears — I mean a huge building designed to look like a dog. A classic roadside attraction offering ice cream, coffee, sa > read more

The Value In Collecting & Reading Antique & Vintage Publications

Published on 2011-04-27 02:43:51

It’s funny how your perspective changes… I first wrote/posted about this November 1953 issue of Silhouette Magazine in July of 2008 — but when preparing to list it for sale on eBay, I found myself thumbing through the vintage public > read more

Racist Greeting Card Collecting

Published on 2011-04-26 04:52:06

George sent in this vintage greeting card… Along with the following information: I have a stereotype birthday card from Canada. It is approx. dated between 1916-1931 by William E. Coutts Co. Ltd. On the front printed: HAPPY BIRFDAY (with carica > read more

Vintage Ad For A Motel I Can’t Bear To Stay At

Published on 2011-04-23 18:02:31

I love bears. A lot. So I sure would have been lured into staying at this motel promoted by an ad featuring dancing bears — especially when the ad says, “You’ll feel like doing a dance too when you Visit Your Smokies!” But, un > read more

Vintage Central States Football League (CSFL) Yearbook

Published on 2011-04-22 13:48:20

As promised in the 1972 Central States Football League (CSFL) Yearbook post, scans from the pro-football league’s 1974 yearbook. This one is also from the Wisconsin team the West Allis Spartans. (Again, if you wish to post/share these images, p > read more

Vintage Flocked Hallmark Easter Card

Published on 2011-04-21 02:16:21

This vintage Easter greeting card features a blond toddler in a flocked bunny suit, exploring his Easter basket full of dyed eggs — the one in his hand has hatched and he’s surprised to meet the chick inside! On the back, the Hallmark sta > read more

Sweet Vintage Glass Storage Jars For The Nursery

Published on 2011-04-20 15:14:25

I spotted this charming set of glass storage jars with lids at a Minnesota antique mall. Obviously for the nursery, the frosted glass jars have white bunny rabbits. The jars are labeled with common-for-the-day items for baby: “Boric Acid,” > read more

Unique Way To Display Your Button Or Pinback Collection

Published on 2011-04-20 04:53:50

I spotted this clever display idea at a local antique mall: the dealer has put a selection of collectible pinbacks in a birdbath. At home, of course, this might present a dusting problem (always the bane of collectors!), but if you used a sturdy ceme > read more

Vintage Central States Football League Yearbook: 1972 West Allis Spartans

Published on 2011-04-11 05:01:06

Until I found these two pro-football yearbooks, I’d never heard of the Central States Football League or CSFL — and I come from real football country; Wisconsin, home of the Green Bay Packers! I still don’t know much about the leagu > read more

Vintage Standard Doll Co. Catalog Pages

Published on 2011-03-24 16:38:09

I don’t only dig through stacks of old magazines and papers; I go through them, page by page. How else would I find this page listing Virginia Lakin publications? (More scans from that booklet here.) Found inside this 1977 Standard Doll Co. cat > read more

Looking For Help Dating Your Vintage Pillsbury Collectibles?

Published on 2011-03-22 03:23:55

I was looking for information to properly date this vintage Pillsbury cookbook so I could accurately list it on eBay and I found this fabulous guide to Pillsbury cookbooks and advertising pieces — I just had to share it! > read more

Cute Vintage Little Girls Gloves Inspires Idea

Published on 2011-02-25 16:57:30

An adorable pair of 1960s little girls gloves with cross-stitched floral details: When I saw them, I immediately thought this would be a great thing to do to jazz up a pair of cheap gloves (or mittens). And then I thought, “Wouldn’t that > read more

What I Dig Through

Published on 2011-02-25 03:24:04

As an antiques dealer, or picker, I spend my days digging through great volumes of stuff trying to find the things collectors want. � On any given day, I might be at an auction, sorting and sifting through the items and boxed lots and waiting fo > read more

Schiaparelli Glasses Are The Cat’s Meow

Published on 2011-02-24 06:27:32

Designer Elsa Schiaparelli made many fabulous things, but this pair of gold cat eye glasses with rhinestones and silver flower design are incredible. This pair, available from Vintage50sEyewear, are in excellent, unused, vintage condition because the > read more

Vintage Glass Chef S&Ps

Published on 2011-02-22 13:55:34

There are a lot of vintage shaker sets with chef designs, but I’ve never seen these clear glass ones with the chef’s face printed on them in black. Cute little salt and peppers — I wonder if they might even have been from a restaura > read more

Making A Tidbit Or Serving Tray Right Round Again

Published on 2011-02-22 08:21:46

Two things that are always plentiful at thrift shoppes… Partial tidbit trays or plate holders / servers… And unwanted vinyl records. (And by “unwanted” I mean they are either badly scratched or recordings so common, they are o > read more

Vintage Birthday Greetings From Goldilocks & The Three Bears

Published on 2011-02-16 08:55:26

This vintage greeting card has birthday wishes from Goldilocks and Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear, aka The Three Bears. Along with the cute illustrations (there are even three bowls of porridge on the back!), this card opens to reveal a four-pag > read more

Vintage Valentine’s Day Greeting Cards

Published on 2011-02-14 03:43:59

I’ve posted a lot of other cute, kitschy and even racist vintage Valentine’s Day cards at my other blogs, but it wouldn’t be fair not to show off some of my own vintage greeting cards for this holiday from my collection here, would > read more

Pawn Queens Becomes A Series

Published on 2011-02-14 00:31:16

Via Entertainment Weekly, news that TLC has picked-up episodes of Pawn Queens. Stating that the two episodes I reviewed, which aired back-to-back, was a “special,” TLC has committed to an eight-episode series order. I’m excited to s > read more

Adorable Vintage Childrens Wooden Hangers

Published on 2011-02-10 04:17:51

I don’t know where Joan “No More Wire Hangers, Ever!” Crawford stood on wooden hangers, but I’m guessing she wasn’t a fan. However, these cute vintage wooden hangers for the nursery might have made her at least think of > read more

Origins Of The Hanky

Published on 2011-02-07 03:35:05

In a 1940′s copy of Modern Woman magazine, this lore on the history of the handkerchief — attributing the hankie to Marie Antoinette. > read more

Vintage Lucite Tray & Luggage Rack, Forerunner Of The TV Tray

Published on 2011-02-05 22:37:07

A vintage advertorial announcing “what’s new” to ladies who read Modern Woman magazine (volume 17 number 1, 1948). In this case, “what’s new” was a Lucite tea tray and luggage rack. Since the photo was courtesy of > read more

DIY China Jewelry Display

Published on 2011-02-03 22:56:36

I have very mixed feelings about modifying or changing antique and vintage things, but when I saw this project converting plates (and a candlestick) into a jewelry holder I thought it would be a wonderful way to salvage china pieces, bring them out o > read more

Pick & Grin – Christmas Memories – Time to Tear Down the Tree

Published on 2011-02-02 15:46:51

Pick: I suppose it is time. Time to take down the tree, put all the ornaments in their boxes, until next year. We are the only ones in our ‘group’ who have a live tree. When the kids were small, we’d work on putting it up for a few > read more

Vintage Figural Plastic Kids Mitten Keepers

Published on 2011-02-01 05:26:32

How could anyone lose their mittens when they had these adorable vintage pink plastic duck-shaped mitten holders! Image via Red Lyon Country Treasures. > read more

Thank You Aunt Alice

Published on 2011-01-30 14:09:47

It’s funny how things become vintage. I remember when my Aunt Alice (my Grandmother’s sister) came to visit me in the hospital and gave me my first pair of dangly earrings. They were not expensive made but they were gold and elegant looki > read more

Vintage Indianapolis 500 Ephemera

Published on 2011-01-28 17:56:15

Inside the February 1961 issue of Magic Circle, a publication of Perfect Circle Corporation, a contest to win tickets to the Indy 500 and/or a 1961 Thunderbird. I’m guessing the original owner of this vintage magazine never entered — beca > read more

Help Dating & Identifying WWII Fashions

Published on 2011-01-28 12:31:36

Another bit from that wartime issue of Modern Woman Magazine; this time War Production rules on clothing for children and women — including maternity fashions. > read more

Why WWII Homefront Photos Are So Scarce

Published on 2011-01-26 02:41:11

Magazines, like newspapers, provide context for periods of time — and that information provides great tips for collectors. In a wartime issue of Modern Woman Magazine, A Magazine Published By The Ice Industry (George M. Wessells, Publisher) a l > read more

American Pickers’ DVD Giveaway!

Published on 2011-01-25 01:16:34

In celebration of Season Two, and all things American Pickers, we’ve been given two copies of American Pickers: The Complete Season 1 to giveaway! American Pickers is the antiques and collectibles show on the History Channel, featuring childhoo > read more

Talk About Hot Legs!

Published on 2011-01-22 01:02:16

I’d love to add this vintage Gotham Gold Stripe stockings matchbook (circa 1930s) to my meager matchbook and advertising collection — the little stocking-covered leg matches would be nice sitting next to my lipstick matches, right? Vintag > read more

Antique Dutch Dollhouses Fit For A Czar?

Published on 2011-01-21 08:35:40

Below is a scan from the December 1923 issue of The Mentor; the page is an article by Vincent Starrett entitled A Doll’s House Built For The Czar Of Russia: As usual, the discovery of this article about an exquisite eight-foot tall, six feet wi > read more

The Stuff Collectors Nightmares Are Made Of

Published on 2011-01-18 11:49:31

Picture it… A vending machine filled with glassware, china, and porcelain figurines… You insert a coin, a piece of fragile china slowly moves forward — only to fall into the bottom of the machine, breaking. Calm down — it̵ > read more

End (Table) Of The Road For Industrial Americana

Published on 2011-01-15 14:24:37

Andrea Porter, an honors graduate from Fashion Institute of Technology, spent over 14 years working in the textile business until one day she found herself in need of a new coffee table. Unhappy with the current options available in today’s com > read more

HGTV’s Cash & Cari

Published on 2011-01-12 09:57:29

When I first heard about HGTV’s Cash and Cari, I got a little excited thinking this show might focus more on decorative collectibles, plus offer a splash of do-it-yourself (DIY) home decor creativity. While the show has all that potential, I re > read more

Collections In Old Shoeboxes

Published on 2011-01-11 09:58:09

I just put an empty shoebox in my son’s room. Why? Because every kid should have empy shoeboxes to fill. I remember as a kid all the services shoeboxes had. Some held saved greeting cards, playing cards and jokers, and other bits of ephemera gr > read more

Discover(y) The Oddities

Published on 2011-01-10 17:55:09

You might just think I’d be tired of watching and reviewing all these antique and collectible TV shows — so tired of them, in fact, that I’d be dreading yet one more. But if that’s what you were thinking, you’d be wrong; > read more

The Mentor Magazine

Published on 2011-01-10 15:36:02

The Mentor magazine is an obscure vintage magazine for several reasons: The creator’s intentions, its various incarnations, and rather shoddy historical record (it is not listed in the National Union Catalogue of Periodicals). The publication b > read more

Collecting Children’s Books: Lessons In Rabbit & Skunk

Published on 2010-12-31 21:06:44

Rabbit and Skunk and the Scary Rock, by Carla Stevens (illustrations by Robert Kraus) is one of my fondest childhood reading memories. Of course, I had completely forgotten about this book until I spotted it at one of those church rummage sales where > read more

Antique Milton Bradley Dollhouse Ad

Published on 2010-12-31 03:26:00

This antique Milton Bradley ad was posted in the LiveJournal Vintage Ads Community with simply the date of December 1891; no publication was cited.  I’m fascinated by the concept of another cardboard dollhouse — this one to be played wit > read more