All posts by Beth

Another Wool Stash Surprise!

I blogged a while ago about buying a vintage wool stash at auction. Given that there was so much it filled the back of a Mini, it has taken some time to work through the boxes to find out what I had actually got.

I’ve already been surprised by an unworn mink and velvet hat tucked into the wool, this week it was the turn of a grubby little bag to yield a surprise:

A Strange Little Bag

A Strange Little Bag

Inside were two pairs of stockings, beautifully knitted in complex patterns and very fine wool:

Two Pairs of Knitted Stockings

Two Pairs of Knitted Stockings

They have been very well worn, darned and then worn through to holes in places, so there’s no monetary value to them, just their significance as part of domestic/fashion history.

The brown stockings have a leaf like pattern

The Top of the Brown Stockings

The Top of the Brown Stockings

The (much darned) foot of the stocking

The (much darned) foot of the stocking

The grey stockings have a more geometric pattern

The Top of the Grey Stockings

The Top of the Grey Stockings

I think that they date from the forties, when nylons were in short supply, silk stockings would have been the norm for ‘smart’ wear, and ladies would have knitted their own stockings to keep their legs warm, tights not being part of the regular wardrobe at that time:

I can only imagine how much time it would have taken to knit a pair of this complexity, the patterns I have been able to find certainly look time consuming, which may explain why darning rather than replacement was so important.

Lace Stocking Pattern

Lace Stocking Pattern

If you’re interested in trying, you can find knitting patterns at: http://www.vintagepurls.co.nz/womenspatterns.html and http://knitting.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-vintage-hand-knitted-stockings/2010/11/12/

You can imagine how they would have looked with a smart forties suit like this one, modelled on the Mariposa Chronicles:

Lovely Vintage Forties Suit

Lovely Vintage Forties Suit

The back of the suit

The back of the suit

This suit is currently for sale on etsy, but I couldn’t find any stockings to go with it – you will have to knit your own!

As for my stockings, I’m not sure what to do with them. I feel that they should be preserved as a part of fashion history but have no idea where they would be appreciated. Does anyone have any suggestions?

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by Beth on December 10, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Auction Finds, May I Introduce You To...?
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Posted by Beth on December 10, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/12/10/another-wool-stash-surprise/

Vintage in Redruth

Redruth is not the first place you think of visiting if you visit Cornwall. It was once a hub of the Cornish mining industry, and is full of faded grand Victorian buildings, but since the decline of the mines a hundred years ago, it has suffered from a loss of direction and a lack of investment. But in the five years I have been visiting, it has been re-inventing itself and the low rents mean that among the high street regulars you can find a number of vintage and other individual shops.

I went to visit Daisy Rain, a family run vintage business based in Redruth’s Old Steam Bakery, tucked between a florist and the Post Office on the main street:

Who would guess this is the entrance to a vintage emporium?

Who would guess this is the entrance to a vintage emporium?

Down the alleyway, is a complex of buildings that used to form the bakery, and now make up the shop, stores and workshop.

The family found the Old Steam Bakery over 20 years ago, and have kept the character of the building while building a thriving vintage business.

As you go in, you’re greeted by a treasure trove of vintage clothes, furniture and ornaments:

A rack of vintage hats:

A rack of hats, ready for next summer

A rack of hats, ready for next summer

This is the main room of the shop – chock full of goodies!

Everywhere you look, there's something of interest in this room!

Everywhere you look, there’s something of interest in this room!

I loved the way they’ve used parasols to cover the ceiling.

The old steam ovens can still be seen in the main part of the shop. These were heated by steam filled pipes – these and the fire places to stoke them are still in place (although you can’t see them):

One of the two steam ovens visible in the shop.

One of the two steam ovens visible in the shop.

These original (rickety) stairs lead to a second room, stuffed with vintage furniture and other goodies

Stairs to the First Floor

Stairs to the First Floor

Again, this is full of treasures

Upstairs at Daisy Rayne

Upstairs at Daisy Rain

I liked this unusual compote dish, I’ve seen plenty of cabbage leaf plates, but never one with grapes and vine leaves.

Grape Compote Dish

Grape Compote Dish

Downstairs they were preparing for Christmas, with vintage party clothes and heavy winter coats;

Racks and racks of vintage clothes, including Christmas party clothes

Racks and racks of vintage clothes, including Christmas party clothes

Lots of vintage christmas baubles:

A cabinet of Christmas decorations

A cabinet of Christmas decorations

More Christmas baubles

Even more Christmas Baubles

Even more Christmas Baubles

I love the baubles and had great fun spotting the ones we had on the family Christmas tree when I was growing up!

I left with two coats and the intention to return soon, and I’d recommend it as a place to visit if you’re in the area.

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by Beth on December 4, 2012  •  Aside  •  Permalink
Posted in Out and About
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Posted by Beth on December 4, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/12/04/302/

Vintage Bakes – Date and Banana Cake

Baking your Cake and Eating it

Baking your Cake and Eating it

Despite its title, this little book has a host of recipes from savoury pies to biscuits, all designed to be economical so quite appropriate for today’s austerity diets!

I was taken with the recipe for ‘Date with a Banana Cake’:

Date with a Banana Cake Recipe

Date with a Banana Cake Recipe

It was very easy to make. I needed 3 bananas to make up the weight. I chopped my dates using scissors, but you can buy ready chopped dates at supermarkets. And, finally, I used an 8 inch long loaf tin which I lined with baking parchment.

And here’s the result:

The finished cake

The finished cake

And finally, tucking in!

Cake sliced and ready to eat

Cake sliced and ready to eat

 

The cake turned out beautifully moist. The banana wasn’t overpowering and mixed well with the dates to give a fruity, not too sweet,  flavour. It has kept well in the fridge for a few days, but I think it will be gone before it goes stale! The recipe suggests icing the cake, but I would be inclined to butter the slices instead, but then I’m not a fan of overly sweet things.

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by Beth on November 27, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Beth on November 27, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/11/27/vintage-bakes-date-and-banana-cake/

Today I am an Etsy fan!

Since I began to dream of making a living from vintage, I have been following the ‘Quit your day job’ posts on Etsy. These stories of ordinary people, who have been able to make a living following their dreams, have helped me believe that it might be possible for me to do something similar, and have influenced my decision to try and make a living through vintage.

I set out my stall on Etsy a few months ago (LadyBVintage if you’re interested) and today *dances round room in excitement* made my first sale!

I know that one sale doesn’t mean quitting my day job just yet. But, just for a few moments, I had a sense of what might be possible. And I like it!

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by Beth on November 26, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Beth on November 26, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/11/26/today-i-am-an-etsy-fan/

End of an Era

Yesterday, Brother announced that the last typewriter had been made in Britain.  I can’t help feeling that we have seen the end of an era.

I grew up with typewriters, carbon paper and white-out fluid. My university assignments were written on a portable manual typewriter at a time when most of my contemporaries were writing theirs manually, and I still use the touch typing skills I learnt then.

SALE - Vintage manual typewriter turquoise / aqua blue - Imperial

If you saw an office on TV or in a film, the sound of typewriters would have been as much a part of the background as the fug of cigarette smoke.

Of course, the advent of the computer has given us so much more than a replacement for the typewriter and it would be churlish to want to return to the days of a manual keyboard. But I wonder how long it will be before any form of keyboard is replaced by tablets, smart gloves and gesture technology? To our grandkids, a PC may need explaining in the same way today’s parents have had to explain what this model typewriter is for when I’ve shown it at vintage fairs.

Vintage Typewriter Toy

Vintage Typewriter Toy

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by Beth on November 22, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Beth on November 22, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/11/22/end-of-an-era/

A Nice Surprise

It’s been a busy few weeks auction-wise. Instead of leaving my other half to do the weekday sales, a gap between jobs means that I’ve been able to attend all of them. Unfortunately, I haven’t quite got the dispassionate approach off pat yet and I still buy with my heart as well as my head.

This was probably not a good idea last week when I got carried away at a sale of the contents of a house in St Ives. By the time I’d finished, it was a struggle to fit everything I’d bought into the car:

Looking through the car window

Looking through the car window

You can see my haul of vintage shoes  – still in their original boxes!

Looking into the boot (trunk)

The boot (trunk) was jammed full – this is with the seats down!

The eagle eyed among you will spot rugs, clothes, shoe boxes, material, and lots and lots of knitting wool.

I have to confess that I have always been a crafter, and I’m particularly fond of knitting and sewing. So when I found some of the auction lots were vintage wool and fabrics I went a bit over the top.

I’ll post more on my finds from the auction later, but I wanted to share what was sitting in the bottom of the box of knitting wool:

Velvet and mink hat

A ‘brand new’, vintage, never been worn velvet and mink hat!

I was so excited to find this hat, wrapped carefully in tissue paper amongst the packets of wool.

Front view, the fur is mink

Front view, the fur is mink

The label is sewn in, so it clearly hasn’t been worn.

Side view - look at the lovely sweeping curve of the mink

Side view – look at the lovely sweeping curve of the mink

Why would someone buy such (for the time) a lovely hat and then never wear it? I can’t help wondering if its original owner smuggled it home and hid it in her wool stash meaning to bring it out as ‘This old thing, I’ve had it for ages’.

I’ll never know, but at least now it’s out of hiding and will go to a new home where it will be seen and appreciated.

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by Beth on November 19, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Auction Finds
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Posted by Beth on November 19, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/11/19/a-nice-surprise/

Box of Delights

I was a little sceptical when my beloved came back from the auctions with this box:

He told me that it was extra to the auction catalogue and he’d been the only bidder. “Well”, I thought, “There’s probably a reason for that”, there’s a good market in jewellry down in Cornwall, whether costume, quality or vintage, and although he has a great taste in jewellery when it comes to buying for me (although I have been known to plant the odd seed of an idea of what might be appreciated) I wasn’t sure his ‘bargain’ would yield anything saleable.

A first look under the lid was promising! Certainly the volume was there, maybe there would be some value.

And then I spotted these:

And these:

Two of this unusual brooch (in black and brown) which I think is made of bakelite

These fun floral earrings

A paste ‘diamond’ bracelet

This lovely sparkling ‘jewelled’ brroch

And more costume jewellery that I haven’t cleaned up yet.

So, I think I owe him a huge apology! His bargain is a real treasure trove, and the bits I can’t sell I’ll be happy to wear, so a win win situation all round.

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by Beth on August 7, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Auction Finds
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Posted by Beth on August 7, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/08/07/box-of-delights/

A Weekend in Cardiff

While I love living in Cornwall, it is a long way from anywhere else; family, friends and of course, John Lewis, IKEA,and Hobbs. So it was lovely to get away for a long weekend in Cardiff. I’ve lived in Cardiff off and on for more than 15 years and still think it’s one of the nicest cities around.

Most of the weekend was taken up with family, but I did get to visit one of my favourite places for a vintage rummage.

Jacobs Market is housed in an old brick warehouse which is now surrounded by modern office buildings, a bit of an anachronism in a modern city centre, but delightful in its unexpectedness. http://jacobsmarket.co.uk/

Inside, there are three floors of stalls selling everything from furniture to vintage clothes and domestic kitchenalia.

I love this deco style clock, but wouldn’t it look better outside?

I loved these lights:

Doesn’t this one look beautiful against the dark background?

There was also loads of vintage clothing and accessories. I loved this peach flapper style dress, and the mannequin it’s displayed on.

And of course, there’s the unusual, like this old fruit machine.

Cardiff is well known for its Victorian Arcades, which house lots of individual and unique shops. You could easily spend a day exploring them, but we just popped into the Wyndham Arcade for a quick look.

It has been revamped as part of a city centre renewal project, but still keeps a lot of its original character.

We then went to Penarth, a Victorian seaside town just along the coast for an ice cream by the sea. I lived in Penarth for 15 years and still love its character.

Looking west along the seafront:

About halfway along the sea front is this award winning restaurant. When I lived in Penarth the building housing it was a Victorian Public Toilet! Just a bit of a change of use!

Looking east along the seafront you can see the Victorian pier.

Here’s a closer look at the decorative ironwork streetlamps on the promenade:

We bought icecreams and walked down the pier to enjoy them.

Looking back to the pier entrance.

It was a lovely way to spend a weekend, but as the weather changed to rain on Sunday, we were happy to come home.

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by Beth on July 30, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Out and About
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Posted by Beth on July 30, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/07/30/a-weekend-in-cardiff/

Time for Tin

Down to the auctions again this week, and this time what a treasure trove! The sale included some private collectors’ collections, always better than a general sale, but of course it does attract serious buyers.

Here’s what I wanted to take home:

The wings on this cute tin plate hen flap as it is pushed along:

Fancy a job in the Navy? I am assuming that this lovely enamel sign would have hung in a coastal town:

I love a cup of tea, and I can imagine this sign sitting in a tea rooms (then again, I can imagine it sitting in my kitchen as well!).

Or if you fancy something stronger, what about some pale ale?

This rather tired tin cake is actually a display stand for Tala icing nozzles and shows the effects each nozzle would produce:

And when you’ve iced your cakes, how about displaying the in this fantastic antique cabinet?

Sadly, my budget didn’t stretch to all the things I coveted, but I could have spent a fortune on the things I loved. Of course, the problem is that it is easy to buy the things you want for yourself, but if you’re trying to turn this into a business, you have to look at things in terms of saleability and profit margins. I have to admit it is something I’m still trying to master and I do find that my heart rules my head more than my bank manager would like, but I am getting there!

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by Beth on July 19, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Auction Finds
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Posted by Beth on July 19, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/07/19/time-for-tin/

May I Introduce You To….?

Miss Fleur de Guerre.

Fleur writes one of the blogs that I have been following since I started dabbling in vintage, and is proof that it is possible to make a living from a lifestyle that embraces vintage. She’s also a great writer and gets invited to the sort of metropolitain vintage events that we out here in the sticks can only dream of. I guess I rely on her blog to keep me up to date with the wider vintage world until I’m in a position to move in those circles myself.

You can find Fleur’s blog at: www.diaryofavintagegirl.com/

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by Beth on July 16, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in May I Introduce You To...?
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Posted by Beth on July 16, 2012

https://adventuresinvintage.org/2012/07/16/may-i-introduce-you-to/

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