Recycled Charm

Genuine Whatman Filter Paper :: Abbie // C-Type Plate // No flashOver the years I have collected lots of little vintage packaging items. I don’t merely put them on display (dustcatchers, I call those collections) – I actually use them, and find them much more charming for it.

This little cardboard box originally held 100 circles of chemically prepared filter paper; some kind of photographic consumable presumably, but I’m not sure exactly what it was used for. I used a darkroom in high school and art college, but can’t recall using this kind of filter then either.

Today it resides in the top left drawer of my vintage wooden desk, and holds paper clips – as well as a whole lot of charm. Much nicer than some kind of plastic modern equivalent.

Drawing Cards

A while ago I purchased some reproduction vintage playing cards on Etsy (from a store since closed down). The first set is Victorian, circa 1888, while the second is a collection of 1940s pinups. They certainly all have a unique charm, but I adore the Victorian set in particular. I especially love the fact that the suit icons are part of their costume – how cute are the ace of hearts, and the six and eight of clubs?

And note the difference in the figures of these ladies. Some of those Victorian demimondaine would squash their daintier counterparts! It’s just a pity that the seller didn’t have full sets of either – what a treat it would be to play a game of cards in the company of these risqué ladies.

Check them all out in the Vintage Playing Cards gallery.

To Know Her Was to Burn and Be Burned

Of late I have been researching pulp fiction book covers in preparation for a photoshoot on the theme. HOW some of these ridiculous or over-the-top sexpots on these covers make me laugh! ‘To know her was to burn and be burned … but when you are dealing with drug traffickers you must keep cool … and alive.’ Or, ‘She was gorgeous – and her curves spelt death!’ They’re like the bodice rippers aimed at women. There is a thesis in here somewhere, but I’m sure it’s been done already. I also love these pulp fiction reimaginings of modern tales: Blade Runner, The Matrix and George Orwell’s 1984. 

The Disgruntled Elf

The Disgruntled Elf :: Loftus // C-Type Plate // No flash Q. When is an elf disgruntled? A. When he is a gnome on a donkey entertaining delusions of grandeur.

Just look at this kitsch ceramic little figure. Even the donkey looks put-upon.  Tolkien never wrote about anything so comically adorable, although this pair does resemble a couple of reluctant adventurers.

I don’t recall how I stumbled upon this figurine on Etsy, but it sure tickled my fancy. I already owned a small stone carving of a donkey/mule/horse that I had bought in the Rif Mountains of Morocco, and decided this little pair would look darling sitting nose to nose with it on my windowsill: a study in contrasts.

A Vintage Touch :: Loftus // C-Type Plate // No flashThey came from the quaint Etsy store Betty And Dot, named after the owner’s two grandmothers. The lovely owner Sherri, surmises the figurine is most probably of 1960s Japanese origin. She very carefully packaged it for a long journey over the ocean, and the figurine arrived safely, tied up with blue ribbon and cushioned amongst the bubble wrap. Sherri included a lovely handmade note (I loved the vintage rainforest photograph) and a vintage posy of berries –a personal touch that makes all the difference with impersonal online shopping. She also has a second Etsy store, Sew Betty And Dot, specialising in vintage sewing supplies.

Here are the donkeys on my windowsill, becoming acquainted. Hee-haw!

Getting Acquainted :: Loftus // C-Type Plate // No flash

Vintage Mum

Ooo, wait, this is the wrong kind of Mum, isn’t it? How embarrassing …Someone told me a little while back that Hallmark had invented Mother’s Day. He was not consciously being cynical or facetious, but thus challenged, I immediately turned to Wikipedia for the facts.

There I learned that the modern holiday was first celebrated in 1908 by a woman in West Virginia, USA, who held a memorial for her mother. It was she who campaigned to have it recognised as a holiday, and though she was successful in 1914, she was disappointed by its commercialisation in the 1920s. I guess that must be round about the time Hallmark took a hand.

Regardless of the day’s origins, there’s nothing wrong with honouring a beloved mother, right? Happy Mother’s Day! This one’s for you, mum.

That’s better …1920s advertisement from Melissa Brady King. Click image for a larger version to read the copy and have a giggle. Victorian diecut from The Vintage Moth.