Fresh to market vintage this week runs from the historic to the sublime to the retro-hilarious. We’ll let you decide which is which.
It also raises an important fashion question: if you have pierced ears, should you consider clip on and screw back earrings? Clips and screw backs have some advantages. You can wear big, heavy clip and screw back earrings and not worry about stretching your lobes. Someone we know who is definitely not us had to have their ears re-pierced because they wore too many big 80s earrings and stretched their holes. If you’re a pierced absolutist, many clip and screw back earrings can be converted into pierced earrings by snipping off the clip/screw and gluing on a post. But this is a lot of work when you can wear them perfectly well as they are, so, to answer the original question, yes, people with pierced ears should definitely consider clip and screw back earrings.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s get on with the rest of this week’s fresh to market vintage.
Antique Receipt Clip, Lowell MA c 1920
This modest clip made around the 1920s speaks volumes on the history of Lowell, Massachusetts. The company was founded in the 1840s to provide life insurance for business people and mechanics (skilled mechanical engineers in present day terminology. The New Hampshire Historical Society has a receipt for a $25 insurance policy payable at death, registered in 1856. This company was in business for a very long time in Lowell, MA.
Lowell is the place to see if you appreciate industrial history. It is considered to be the “Cradle of the American Industrial Revolution.” It was created as an experiment to make money and as a social experimental community that was safe enough that nearby farm families might send their daughters to safely work and live in this mill area.
Hope you will put a visit to this great city in your history bucket list!
Antique Advertising Promotion from Lowell, MA, $34.99
-Mary Ellen, Aunt Hatties Attic
Miniature Handmade Wooden House c 1920s
This charming little OOAK house was constructed from a cigar box or something similar by an enterprising artist, probably in the ’20s or ’30s. The painting is wonderful…yellowish exterior walls, a green roof and a red porch and chimney. The patina is perfect.
My theory is it was a housewarming gift for a new bride and the fact that no one can argue that idea is what makes collecting vintage so much fun. Every piece has a story to tell.
OOAK Folk Art House, $175
-Linda, Selective Salvage
Reverse Carved Red Rose Earrings
My memory failed me when finding these earrings. I had always associated this style of jewelry with the 1960s. It actually is attributed to the 1940s when do-it-yourself kits were sold to hobbyists allowing them to create all manner of reverse carved and painted items. Everything from desk sets to jewelry. However, the practice continued into the 60s and beyond. I think these earrings are a great way to celebrate spring, don’t you?
Reverse Carved Lucite Earrings, $21.95
-Pam, Vintage Renude
1960s Barbecue Cookbook
There are vintage cookbooks that you need to relax with and thumb through to appreciate, and then there are vintage cookbooks that gobsmack you the second you lay eyes on the cover. It’s Fun to Barbecue…and Economical Too had me from the minute I laid eyes on cover boys Ralph and Morris in their matching personalized aprons. The inside does not disappoint. It’s stuffed with many styles of clip art from the era. I’m sure the recipes are delightful, but as an art resource, this is a gem. There’s a 100% chance I am going to regret selling it when I should have kept it for mine, mine, mine.
It’s Fun to Barbecue Cookbook, $15.
-Laurie, NextStage Vintage
The origin story of the little house being a gift for a bride is indeed a good tale. Vintage has lots of good tales to tell, we try and throw a few your way every week in this fresh to market vintage post and also in our other posts. The best way to never miss a post is to subscribe to our email newsletter. One email a week with links to all our posts. No fuss, no mess, no spam.
