Who is Jake?

Hello! This has nothing to do with vintage, or fashion, or etsy, but I just had to share this video of my little, grumpy, old dog. 

A bit of history: We're from Arizona, but haven't lived there for years. Every winter, it's more and more clear that Jake knows where he's from and is pretty angry that our current location (Albany, NY) is so chilly. I'd say we keep the house cool/comfortable, because we try to be aware of our energy consumption, but Jake is apparently anti-green and demands his own space heater. This is what happens when I do not turn the space heater on . . . in less than a minute, you'll see all of Jakey's tactics for convincing the space heater to turn on: gently nudging it, licking it, biting it, and eventually, the takedown.

To answer the original question: Jake is our dachshund, rescued from an abusive home 9 years ago. He'll turn 10 this December, and enjoys warmth, sweaters, walks, sleeping, digging, playing fetch, and cuddling. Though his name is in our shop name, he is not committed to vintage shopping!

Estate Jewelry: 925 CW Italy

This weekend, I came into an amazing set of vintage rings (and 1 necklace) from a local estate sale. The lady told me that they were her grandmother's, and that she started collecting jewelry in the 1920's. I bought it all! Of the 6 pieces, all are sterling silver, and three are signed CW 925 (and one of those also has ITALY stamped on it). My initial online research points me in the direction of Charles Winston, who used the CW mark in the 70s - 80s, but he's an American jewelry designer (so why is one stamped Italy?) and these piece look much older than that (to me). Opinions? I'd love to hear any suggestions you have!

Signed: CW, 925

Marcasite & Abalone Ring

Signed: CW, 925

               Marcasite & (faux) Sapphire Ring

Signed: CW, 925, Italy

(faux) Diamond Filigree Necklace

Signed: UC, 925

'love' wedding band. The UC mark is a very script style writing with the U above the C -- almost looks like a fancy 4.

Signed: JI, 925 ©

Filigree Wedding Band, The JI is very script-y, and may also say JZ.

No maker's mark, stamped 925: 

All will be listed soon!

xo

Sneaky Sneaks, part 2

None of these are listed (yet!). My autumnal sneaky sneak peeks:

Look for all of these here, very soon!

My House = Etsy Blog

I'm very excited about my little home being selected for the Get the Look Decor article, this week on Etsy. Here are some of the photos selected:

See the full interview here: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/get-the-look-decor-creative-comforts

I've added a few home decor pieces to the shop, that I've decided to part with

(after many years!). All of these can be found in my home decor section:

Sneaky Sneaks, part 1

None of these are listed (yet!). My autumnal sneaky sneak peeks:

1940: Keep Trim ... Keep Slim ...

From the same source as my previous post (Life, September 1940), I'm sharing 

my favorite body image ads of the time. Although most of these are

targeted specifically at women, the above ad includes the entire family.

"Want Hollywood measurements? Then do as Hollywood does . . . ride a bike! Pedal your way to a slim, trim figure . . . to good looks and good health! Bicycling is good fun for everyone . . . the young, and all who want to stay young. Why not see your neighborhood dealer in bicycles at once? Buy a bike"

-Cycle Traders of America, NYC, 1940.

"I'm a smoothie if there ever was one . . . a band panty that blends my lines with yours. My silky-smooth texture defies all chafing for I'm made of Celanese rayon, guaranteed not to run, shrink, or sag. And my NO-BELT WAISTBAND, a miracle of comfort, actually breathes with you!"

-Blue Swan Mill, NYC, 1940.

Beauty naps are passe . . . Beauty rides the Vogue!

(with a fabulous comic, which ends with the father saying, "Say, Mother, since you started riding a bike a few weeks ago, I can hardly tell you from daughter.")

The Majorette by Venus came with a "free figure analysis" if you simply sent in your bust, waist and hip measurements, and included your length from waist to knee and weight. Yikes!

Munsingwear's Half-Pint Pants were found only at "better stores" and "nipped off fullness" with their unique blend of silk and rayon.

Which shall I upload for next week?

The liquor ads.

The cigarette ads.

The food ads.

1940: College Girls in Men's Clothing

Loved this article so much, I scanned it in for you to enjoy.

The above photo has this caption, "Jumper dresses are outstanding non-masculine style in fall college wardrobes. The one at left, however, retains a masculine affinity in fabric i.e., men's-wear gray flannel. Although all plaids are popular, newest are the plaids with white grounds."

My favorite photo of the bunch reads, "Visor cap resembles those worn by baseball players, is made of corduroy in numerous colors. Wood bracelet has a dangling penknife for carving dates, initials, etc."

These pictures are of a "mannish jacket . . . purposely loose-fitting," as well as men's moccasins 

and a man's raincoat. The red rubber boots are an adaption of boy's boots.

Left: Men's slacks, pictured on women who attend Eastern college.

Right: Men's jackets, the real thing, not tailored for women. Right buttoning, and first made news when worn by female students at the Smith College.

Here's my source: Life, September 1940.