Crimson, vermillion, cardinal, poppy, apple, scarlet, garnet, turkey, brick, burgundy, maroon. There are more than 50 shades of red, like there are of most colors, varying in intensity and brightness like all of the picks in this week’s fresh to market vintage. Take a trip to the paint store and take in all the shades of red. You might wave off the subtle differences between colors on a tiny paint chip, but that color difference can make an eye popping “holy cow” when you see it all over the side of your house. When we vintage sellers are writing our product descriptions, we might add a shade descriptor to help buyers see what we see. But shade names like cardinal and crimson do not mean the same thing to everyone.
When you’re a seller, sometimes the world feels like it’s conspiring to keep you from putting your best color foot forward. Things that might effect the color start with the lighting you use to light your product shot. If you use natural light, morning light casts a different hue than afternoon light does. Studio lighting, ugh, don’t get us started on what it can do. The background you use effects how the camera/smart phone sees the color. Editing apps can change the color. The monitor/phone you edit the photo on effects how you might tweak the photo. And finally, the device a buyer views the image on can also change the color.
So what’s a buyer or seller to do? Do your best. That’s all we can do. The seller needs to put their best effort into getting the closest color image onto each listing. And the buyer needs to understand that it might be slightly different when it arrives than when they looked at it on their device. You can and should ask the seller for clarification if it’s super important to you. That’s one of the benefits of shopping small and shopping personal–a big box isn’t going to answer your question, but a vintage seller will.
What color name would you use for the reds in this week’s fresh to market vintage? Here’s the line up. Are you ready for it?
Set of Vintage Kitchen Curtain Tie Backs
Try as I might, I cannot remember seeing those sweet umbrella girl tacks holding back any curtains in my childhood. At one time, kitchen curtains were sheer or semi sheer or bright checked or even cherry-patterned. They had bands of fabric to hold the curtains open and great pains were taken to gather the sides to attractive, soft curved billows. Let the sun shine in to make the kitchen a happy place for Mom and Grandma.
Vintage Kitchen Curtain Tie Backs, $38.99
-Mary Ellen, Aunt Hatties Attic
Lorillard “Tiger Sweet Tobacco” Tin c 1930s
Founded in 1760 in the Jersey City district of NYC, P. Lorillard Co. is the oldest tobacco manufacturer in the United States. In 1883, the company reported over $83 million in sales from 4000 workers who produced 25 million pounds of tobacco-related products. This is a staggering thought considering the typical working conditions in that timeframe. I was pleased to learn in researching this tin that, in addition to a unique approach to advertising, the Lorillard team was focused on fair hiring practices and educating their employees, as evidenced by this article on the New Jersey City University website. A major corporation that was way ahead of its time.
Lorillard “Tiger Tobacco” Lunch Box Tin, $45
-Linda, Selective Salvage
NOS Linen Kitchen Towel
One of the easiest ways I know to be mindful of our environmental impact is by buying less disposable items. Vintage linen kitchen towels and napkins are one of my go to items. Not only are they money savers, but they feel much more luxurious to use than paper towels and napkins. With the holidays around the corner, this vintage Czechoslovakian linen kitchen towel would make a great gift for an environmentally conscience friend or relative. Still retaining its original labels, and in a beautiful burnt orange shade with large cabbage roses.
Czechoslovakian Linen Towel, $24.95
-Pam, Vintage Renude
Shabby Painted Glass Coffeepot Ornament
I’m a little coffee pot…not short and only sort of stout. This vintage glass tree ornament with painted decorations and added mica for sparkle would delight your favorite coffee snob. Hang it on the tree or display it solo to let it shine in all its shabby glory.
Shabby Glass Coffee Pot Ornament, $15.
-Laurie, NextStage Vintage
That’s this week’s line up. If we were naming names, we would name on the red on the curtain tacks tomato, the red on the tobacco tin cardinal, we’d call the red in the kitchen towel vermillion and we’d call the ornament dark cerise. Does that seem right to you? What would you call each of those colors?
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