Fresh to Market Vintage: 2/18/2024

You know how sometimes a piece of vintage hits hard? The yellow bangle in this week’s fresh to market vintage slapped us right in our winter blues, which came early this year. Some of Team VU live up in the northern tier of the US. By March, we are usually crawling up the walls on webbed feet, yearning for spring. This year we are craving the explosion of vintage spring florals and colors early. It’s mid February. There is a reason we were not named Patience.

Unlike bricks and mortar retailers, online sellers are not strictly bound to release seasonal merchandise by a retailing calendar. (And yes, we DID notice that THE DAY AFTER VALENTINE’S DAY, THE GROCERY STORE UNLEASHED BINS OF CADBURY EGGS. It’s not a problem like Halloween candy being slopped out in August is because CADBURY EGGS ARE A SEASONAL DELICACY and candy corn is not. But still, give it a week next time, Wegman’s! Let us exhale before you plunge us into another candy season.) Back to our topic: seasonal vintage sells year round. So, though we plump up our shops around the appropriate holiday, we don’t hesitate to list menorahs in July or heart-patterned sweaters in November. There are sprightly spring options in shops now, but we know that within a few weeks, Instagram will be popping with posts of fresh spring offerings and we are ready for our eyeballs to be bathed in color and flowers and all things vintage spring.

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Chunky Lemon Yellow Bangle

Is it spring yet? This big and bold lemon yellow bangle makes me yearn for warmer weather, blooming flowers, and longer days ahead. If you hadn’t noticed, spring is my favorite time of year. This fun and chunky asymmetrical bangle bracelet reminds me of springtime. Stacked up with other bright colors or worn on its own as a statement piece, either way, it’s an attention getter.

Asymmetrical Yellow Bangle, $32.95

-Pam, Vintage Renude

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Fish Shaped Trays

Add a spot of retro color to your table with these cheery pink fish platters. They are unmarked but clearly date to the 1950s – 60s and feature an embossed fish design inside them. In excellent vintage condition, likely unused, they are perfect for the Pisces in your life.

MCM Pink Ceramic Fish Trays – a Pair, $55

-Linda, Selective Salvage

Political & Cultural Pinback Buttons

I remember our high school and college days. I had a white felt peace symbol on my coat and wore these types of buttons that were sold at the campus store as well as at events and rallies. My husband wore that very “boycott grapes” pin and was protesting in front of a grocery store along with some other students. The police picked them up and brought them back to the station. The students told them they were not breaking the law and after a conversation with the state’s attorney general, they were released.

1970s Political and Cultural Pins, Group of 17, $79.99

-Mary Ellen, Aunt Hatties Attic

K+E jet-log Duplex Decitrig Slide Rule

I have no idea how to use one, but I do know how to sell one. I learned a few years ago that there are slide rule collectors and haven’t let one slip through my fingers since. They are not all highly sought after and I’ll be honest, I have no idea what makes some hot and some meh in terms of resale. This K+E dazzled me instantly because 1) original box (or parts there of) 2) orange leather case and 3) LOOP TO ATTACH CASE TO YOUR BELT.

Vintage K+E jet-log Duplex Decitrig Slide Rule, $35.

-Laurie, NextStage Vintage

That’s this week’s fresh to market vintage. Can you use a slide rule to calculate the number of days until spring? How much fish can a fish dish fish if a fish dish could dish fish? And are buttons like earrings, can they put the finishing touch on any outfit?

We won’t promise to answer those questions, but we do promise to send you one email a week with links to all the posts from the previous week if you subscribe to our email newsletter.

Did you know Vintage Unscripted has a glossary page? It’s hardly comprehensive, consisting mostly of terms we learn in our research. We would love some suggestions for terms to add.