Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Early 1900's Salesman's Samples - Silk Ribbon Rosettes

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As many of you know I have a passion for beautiful ribbon art from the early 1900's so I am always looking for beautiful examples. To my astonishment I found these two salesman's sample cards of some breathtaking ribbon rosette work in a booth at an antique show. Furniture dominated the booth so I was so surprised to find these cards so seemingly out of place. Not that I shouldn't have found them but it seemed to be more unlikely.

The cards are made up of some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces as well as ones I see more frequently. Large rosettes measuring 5" or more in diameter to the ones about 1". And of course, all in the delectable colors of this time period. These were cards a salesman would have carried and shown to his potential customer. A small tag is attached to the card along side of each rosette (although some of those tags have disappeared over time) with the number and cost of each item. The customer could then place the order with the salesman.

Don't you wish we could place our order right now for these?

Friday, January 25, 2008

Brussels, Brugges, Honiton vs Tape Lace ~ Which is it?

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When in doubt ask an expert!

The study of lace is a vast field and one that requires much diligence to sort out. Sometimes I think I might have it right only to find I don't. Case in point was the identification of this lovely piece of lace of what I thought tape is actually hand Brussels.

My lace guru was only to obliging to give me this concise detail of the difference between hand Brussels, Brugges & Honiton vs tape lace. Below is her definition. I find this information invaluable and hope you will, too. By studying the photo and her text below the difference will become apparent. ~~~~~~~~

"Tape laces are made of "tape" or ribbon... straight sides, no shift of dimension, no bursting into flowers without lots of gathers and folds. Watch the flow of the threads. If the threads actually turn when the vine turns, and portions get wider and thinner to go with the design... its likely not tape. Check the clover leaves. There are no folds or gathers. The threads curve beside each other as they are laid, some threads longer than others. There is a ridge of cabled threads going across the sprig to give dimension to the leaflets. This also puts the center vein of the leaves slightly off center. Check the big flowers. Their edges that are on the outside border of the lace have picots, the rest of the same petals do not, because they are not touching the edge of the lace. Had they been tape, there would have been identical picots all around the whole petal. Check out the little flowers at the edge. Same thing. Picots where they are the outside edge, and no picots where the petals are inside the lace. The sprig that looks like three lumpy bits is continuation of the straight stem. Same threads, not cut and new work added. The flowers that meet the top straight edge have clothstitch threads going outside of the petals to meet the straight edge ONLY where the petals meet the straight edge. Yardage tape cannot predict when this might happen. Check the junction of the big flower and the three stems. The stems taper to fit into the space of the petals. The edge stitch outlines disappear when the stems are too close together to have room for that. They aren't just cut off. In the big flower, the petals are built from the center circle, not added on. Honiton, Brussels, and Brugges, have nearly identical motifs except for scale and density of threads. They are all made in pieces, but sometimes the pieces are made for a specific item such as this yardage, so joinings are made as the petals progress, not later additions. There are fill-in brides, but they are bobbin made and joined to each motif as they work the pattern, not skinny yardage sewn on later.All use nice square talleys like this one. Honiton doesn't miss an opportunity to fill in with them. It is tighter work and smaller. Brussels is often airy, quite small, and uses a variety of fillings... talleys, x's, spiders, smushes, blanks.... Brugges is large in comparison and uses whatever fills it likes. Scale, density, fillings decide which it is, and quality adds to the mix. There is good, splendid, and wretched, of all of them. Find a piece of known Battenburg with flowers, leaves and scrolls in your collection, and take a lens to both of these. The battenburg is trying to copy this and does a fair job, but the clues are in the construction. In this lace, every thread is deliberately laid to be this pattern the first time. In Battenburg the ribbon is made straight by the yard first, and forced into curves in a later life. This piece is a better quality due to the motifs being made FOR this yardage, not a yardage assembled of stockpiled finished bits. "

~~~~~~Please read further her clever analogy of the study of these laces.....

"You guessed it. I REEEEally want you to see the differences of the laces :)) They are like a stadium full of children. All of them look "like children", till you figure out that one is your niece. Another is your neighbor's son. Then they start to look quite different. Of 600 blonde children you can pick out your own in a flash. The eyes are different, the hair, the curve of the chin, the curious bend of eyebrow that everyone in your family has..... Laces are like this. They are thread.. mostly, and lots of air, a simple enough definition. The neighbor's twins are an instant recognition, but which is John and which is Jack, takes a close and thoughtful look. The rest of the kids are like the rest of the laces. Eventually you can name them all. " ~~~~~~~~

I only have the highest regard and recommendation for this lady. If you need help in identification of any lace please contact her as she would be most happy to give you her appraisal fees for her service. Furthermore, I have found her service invaluable as not only am I having the lace identified but I am also being taught how to identify... in other words, a teaching lesson. Contact her here dankate@xvi.net

Monday, January 21, 2008

1920's Tulle Net Lace Embroidery Tablecloth ~ Oh, A Beauty!

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I am always intrigued by the beautiful antique & vintage linens that seem to be discovered in cedar chest, cupboards and other storage pieces. Many of these pieces have been lovingly cared for from one generation to the next, family to family and so forth. At other times these treasures find themselves temporarily without a home and are offered for sale on the open market. Dealers of antique & vintage textiles fill that gap between the item and the next owner, offering for sale & hoping to find the right buyer to again lovingly care for & preserve these treasures from the past.

Here is one such item and quite a beauty. It is an estate find! I was told this lovely tulle lace and hand embroidery tablecloth was given as a wedding gift in the 1920's and had never been used. Was it so lovely someone wanted to preserve its beauty rather than see if fall into ruin by being used? We will never know the thoughts of the original owner but only conjecture our own?

As you can see by the photo it is a lovely thing...hand embroidered of thick padded daisies. Even though the tablecloth is round in shape measuring 53"diameter it does have a squarish look. In fact, a very interesting shape. The daisies encircle the cloth with embroidery & filled needlework forming petals to make the border. The very center of the tablecloth is of embroidery & filled needle work stitches. Most all areas of the tablecloth is filled with some type of needle work.

Still another photo of this lovely cloth.

Please visit The Gatherings Antique Vintage for further details regarding this tablecloth as well as other estate table & bed linens.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Woodgraining ~ My Other Hat!

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I wear many hats as probably many of us do. Not only do I buy and sell antique textiles and related treasures but I also have another job aside from my antiquing business. I have been involved with my husband for over 30 years of providing a service to the vintage & classic automotive industry. My husband has always been interested and collected Fords from the years 1933 through 1940, mainly. He always dreamed of running a business in conjunction with his hobby and one day 37 years ago by accident it fell into place.

At the time he was working & building a 1934 Ford Victoria & was looking for someone to restore the dashboard & window garnishes to the original woodgrained finished. Many cars of this vintage have metal dashes & window mouldings that were made to look like wood ~ a faux finish, in other words. Not being able to locate someone to do this type of work for this particular graining style we started to experimenting on weekends in the back yard. In time our expertise showed some sign of promise and we set to perfecting our art. And of course, being proud of our accomplishment we began to show the woodgraining to others. And a business was born. Today, we are still following the art of our trade and still providing a service to the automotive collector, restorer, and builder.

This will give you a little sample of our woodgraining. This is a dash from a 1932 Ford. The raised areas are in a burled grain while the flat portions of the dash are straight. All our work is done by hand brush work. No stencils or rollers are involved in our process.

Our customers comes from all over the U.S.. The parts are removed from the car and shipped to us for reburnishing. We then return ship upon completion of the job.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Early 1900's Illustrated & Signed Hamilton King Valentine Pillow Top

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When I received this pillow top I thought it absolutely charming and the timing so perfect to Valentine's Day. Pretty girls and valentines ...what could be better! In looking at the top closely I discovered it was artist signed. I was even more elated with my prize. It is a printed cotton pillow top from the early 1900's, artist signed by Hamilton King, a prestigous illustrator of his day. (1871-1952) Girls such as the ones illustrated on the pillow top became known as the Hamilton King Girls. This top is definitely for the man that loved sports. Sports included are rowing, fencing, golf, polo, basket ball, horse showing, skating & yachting. Each of the valentine sweethearts are dress in relation to the sport. Surely, a woman of the day would have loved to present her Sweetheart with this wonderful Valentine tribute.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Entreprener Of The Month Contest Winner

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A winner here!! Drum roll please!!

I have been announced as the winner of the Entreprener of the Month contest for the Marketplace , a gathering of the small business community. I am so excited to have won and I consider it a prize that was worth capturing. A wonderful award of promotional spots for my business, The Gatherings Antique Vintage on both Jewelry Collectibles Small Business Forum & The Marketplace was part of the prize. Additionally to the above prize please read first hand the "about me" interview conducted by Maureen of Jewelry Collectibles for the Marketplace.

You can read more about The Marketplace and the Entreprener of the Month contest in our small business forum as you, too, could win this prize!

What is Jewelry Collectibles Small Business Forum? Its a forum for all small business owners to share ideas & promote their business. We, not only have a friendly forum, but members willing to go one step beyond to help answer questions and give support. Here is a great opportunity to join Jewelry Collectibles Small Business Forum...and as a highlight it gives members an opportunity to participate in the both the forum and Marketplace contest.

Hope to see you there!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Ohio Star/ Variable Star Quilt Blocks ~ Red & White Calico

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Searching through a couple of quilt books I have did not turn up the name of these photographed early 20th C quilt blocks but in the course of time I was able to ascertain they are called Ohio Star or Variable Star. Discovering the name of these blocks also set into motion a thought process of wondering how many names of star quilt patterns there might be? I didn't have any trouble remembering at least 10 patterns right off in my head. With a little further research I also found dates of when some star patterned quilts were being produced. A couple as early as 1815 with one of them being the Ohio Star & Eight Pointed Star. In 1839 a few more were added to the list. Feathered Star, Lone Star, & Star of Bethlehem. By 1834 - 1859 LeMoyne Star, Texas Star as well as Blazing Star was appearing. Other known names are Evening Star & Star Of The East. Some even have a very patriotic theme such as Star-Splanged Banner. There are also variations of patterns of some of these popular names. In reading further it is said there may well be over 100 star patterned quilts. The stars are as varied, too. There are big stars, little stars, mixed stars of big and little, one large single star, four stars that touch on each block. Many times the stars will also be incorporated in other motifs.

There is much interest in star quilts and probably stars do belong to one of the most sought after quilt groups.

Ohio Star or Variable Star ~~~~~~

These are a pieced fabric blocks with the stars done in red calico. The remainder of the fabrics are of black & white calico, blue & white calico & other assorted prints. For more details and purchasing information please read here . Also available for purchase at The Gatherings Antique Vintage are quilts, other quilt blocks & old fabric for repairing qults or making new quilts.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

A 19th C Storage Cupboard

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I have started the new year off right by at last finding a storage cupboard to fit my needs. I have been searching for about 2 years for an early cupboard in paint to use in my office/bedroom. Well, my search is over with a purchase today of nice 19thC square nailed, paneled door cupboard in dry red paint. With the blind door I can keep out of sight and still keep track of merchandise / inventory. It even has a peg rack around the inside top so will be perfect for hanging antique & vintage children's clothing. The size of the cupboard is perfect, too, measuring 38" wide x 16" deep x 73" high.

Of course, moving it into the house & then on to the bedroom was a bit of a chore but the biggest part was moving everything so we could even get it in!! Does that sound like an antique dealer's quarters?? Now that it is finally in its resting place & I stand back to admire, I am truly in love with it.

And now I wonder about its history..... the family and the home it was from?