Oh my, spring has really begun to turn to summer. The goslings are already half adult size and the air is thick with poplar fluff. You may have noticed I've been here less than frequently lately as I just can't bear to be inside these days. But I'm here now so I wanted to post some new items that have me squealing with excitement.

First up, this exquisite crystal stopper. Etched with a floral/leaf pattern, I believe it is likely a late 30s early 40s piece. There is so much spectacular detail in the carving on this one. I know you are probably thinking "what on earth does one do with a stopper?" but I can think of so many possibilities...It could be made into a doorknob, a centrepiece in a floral arrangement or even just as a decorative ornament, this beautiful piece of crystal will draw plenty of attention.

Next is this signed Kagami crystal sake glass. Kagame is Japan's royal brand, in existence since 1934.

They have crafted beautiful one of a kind pieces for Japanese Royalty, all their crystal is hand cut.

This glass is contemporary, I just love the shape and design.

Last is this gleaming silver plated alcohol burner for a chafing dish. I date it to the 40s since the knob is bakelite. The bottom is slightly dinged but the top is in good shape and the plate looks fabulous. 

Well that's it for today, the sunshine beckons... see you soon.

Stop Drop and Roll

As a hunter gatherer I know that some days are good and some are not so.. It only takes one good find to make a so so month turn into a WOW month but the good finds are getting increasingly harder to come by. A year ago I could shop one day a week and find enough to sell for several weeks. Now I'm lucky if I find enough to sell after shopping three or 4 days a week. But I'm not meaning to complain, just trying to set the stage for todays topic.

Earlier this week I set out on the hunt and left 3 or 4 places empty handed. I finally hit on what I thought was pay dirt when I found a Polaroid Pro Pack camera. (if you've been following along you know polaroid is a true love for me) I was thrilled, so thrilled in fact that I neglected to check the battery compartment, something I always do when buying pack cameras. Naturally after forking over 10 dollars I got home to discover that the batteries were left in the camera and had spewed their nasty acid. "No matter", I said to myself, "I will clean it up and it will be fine." It wasn't. Now you might be thinking "it's only 10 dollars", but to a hunter like me who's profit margin is very often thinner than a split hair, 10 dollars is a lot. Anyway, my point being that as buyers and re-sellers it behooves us to (as my good friend Perry would say)

Stop, Drop and Roll! 

In my profession excitement can be a job hazzard, I need to cultivate an attitude of calm when I'm out shopping so I don't end up with a cart full of "it's only x amount of dollars", purchases. Of course it's sometimes unavoidable and one can't be too hard on ones self, but it is a learned skill and I for one am determined to learn it. So next time I'm holding an object that makes my temperature rise I'll be sure to repeat my new mantra...

Stop, Drop and Roll!

And If that doesn't work I may be heading off  to the nearest ten step program, ;-).

Fantastic Plastic

One of my favourite items to sell is bakelite. Especially jewelry. I don't quite know what it is about bakelite that intrigues me so but I know whenever I find it I do the happy dance. Perhaps it's just one of those reminders, a nostalgia for the past, or maybe it's that it isn't made any more and I feel so happy about preserving it? When it comes to bakelite jewelry though I'm almost sure it's the colour.

Gorgeous reds, greens, yellows, and blues and several colours in between, shiny or matte carved or smooth as a baby's.... you get the picture. It's stunning and whimsical and oh so easy to wear. And depending on where you live it's very plentiful. 

Okay so, a little history; Bakelite is an early plastic, the official nomenclature for it is unpronounceable so I'll use it's other official name: Thermosettting phenol formaldehyde resin. Developed in New York in 1907 by Belgiun born chemist Leo Baekeland. It was used initially as an insulator in electrical items as it was prized for it's heat resistance and non conductivity. Insulators, radio and telephone casings, toys and jewelry were just a few of the many uses for this versatile plastic often referred to as "the material of a 1000 uses."

The use of bakelite for jewelry became popular in the 1930's. Figural brooches, and carved bangles being among the most desirable for collectors but many many plane bangles were made and can be purchased relatively cheaply on the bakelite jewelry market.  

Being a Canadian I'm unfortunately in the land of the few, the bakelite market is not strong here but I do find pieces like these simple bangles occasionally. I'm hoping for the day when a fabulous figural brooch comes my way, and when it does, I'm keeping it!

a cuppa joe

Recently I've begun selling vintage and collectible coffee mugs so I though it might be interesting to look at  the evolution of the mug and find out a bit about the coffee-splosion that has enveloped us over the last 20 years or so.

 Though coffee has been around for centuries cafe culture is relatively new especially to North America. The earliest known cafes/coffee houses in Turkey date to the 14th century. They began as social hubs where artists and philosophers gathered to exchange ideas. Since then we have been gathering around the bean for everything from social chit chat and heated political debate to making it our own personal work spaces.

 Walk into any cafe today and you'll find no less than ten people busilly typing away on their laptops. We write papers, blog, process photos, surf the internet, sell real estate, buy stocks,  and make untold number of other business deals all while supping a warm cup of coffee in a very public place. In some respects nothings's changed, it's still a social gathering place where the dark brew is consumed but one thing that has definitely changed is the size of that cup of brew.

When Bogart ordered a cup a coffee in 1942, it came in a mug about this size.

An 8 oz mug.

Order a  regular coffee today and it comes in mug like this

A 12oz mug.

I don't suppose any of us ever dreamed we'd be paying almost 5 dollars for 1 cup of the stuff but here we are.

Guess it's a good thing then that the size increased  though if it's an exponential kind of thing is this what a coffee cup will look like in 2045? 

Hmmm... I think it's coffee time :-)

Vintage Christmas Classics

 

 No christmas is complete without a Christmas Movie. So today I thought i'd make a list (and check it twice) of my all time favourite Christmas Movies and Shows. 

Numero Uno hands down is The Christmas Story, directed by Anne Wheeler. Who doesn't love the leg lamp! Here's a clip...

Next of course is the unforgettable Grinch that evil, so evil green piece of nastiness whose heart was two sizes too small.

And the inspiration for the green meanie Good Old Ebineezer Scrooge.

Thankfully they both bounced back from their Miserly Ways. I like the 1938 classic version best.

And last but not least, the classic Charlie Brown Christmas in which Charlie Brown discovers that the true meaning of Christmas lies in in the oldest story of all, the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

and so I bid you all A Very Merry Christmas!  May you spend it in the loving arms of family and friends, and if you can't may you be the family or friend of someone who has none.

I'll be taking a break over the next couple of weeks, See you in early January, HO, HO, HO!