My latest favourite purchase is not an item of clothing. Would you like to meet her?
She doesn't have a name yet - maybe you can help?
She look 1950s to me, and she's gorgeous!
I think she's off for a weekend away with some unsuitable man, hence the cheeky twinkle in her eye. They will be driving to the coast in a convertible, so the headscarf will keep her hair in place. She obviously likes her make up and accessories so she needs that vanity case, and she's keen to show off her mean backhand on the tennis court. And naturally she selects her suitcase, handbag and coat to matchy-match!
I've looked on Ebay and had a little trawl round the many vintage doll sites which exist on the internet, but can't find anything which resembles her. Any ideas about her history?
Does she remind you of Doris Day?
Or Grace Kelly?
Maybe June Allyson?
Or Deborah Kerr?
Or me? Hahaha!
No, I didn't really go out in this, I was playing dressing up. I look like my mother did when I was little. And not in a good way. Note to self; head scarves should really only be worn by the Queen.
So what other non-clothing items have I found recently?
A very cute 1960s kids' height chart. It's a cotton wall hanging made in Austria and it cost £1.
More EPNS. I know they aren't worth anything but I love the shapes and they are usually so cheap in charity shops. The teapot and bowl were £2 apiece, the spoon and forks 20p each.
I like researching the maker's marks on the bottom, especially if I discover they were made in Sheffield. The bowl and spoon were. Everything needs a good clean!
Knitted nanna coat hangers! 50p each. I always need more vintage coat hangers.
Style advice from the Daily Mail Annual for Girls. There's no date anywhere in this book, but I'm guessing late 1950s/early 1960s. Possibly contemporary with Doris/Grace/June/Deborah?
I love this quirky edition of Pinocchio from 1931 with both colour and black and white illustrations.
And an amazing Das Rheingold score and libretto, with beautiful frontispieces in gold and an inscription dated 1919.
I have a dilemma over these pictures. Other Half loves Wagner's Ring Cycle with a passion (can't be doing with it myself...) so I had thought of removing these pages from the book and getting them framed for his birthday.
Is that a heinous crime against books? Probably. But these fabulous illustrations will never be seen if they are in the score, just sitting on a shelf. What would you do?
That's the joy of charity/op/thrift shopping. You never know what you might find, and what you might do with it. Keep treasure hunting, my treasures!
xxxxxx
25 comments:
you could make really good copies of the pages and frame them???
Oh, so much fun! Now I'm REALLY itching to get to the second hand stores. Thanks to you vintage-loving ladies, I now have a new thrill: trolling through the second hand shops, especially in the housewares aisle! I just forced my sister out last week, and there's another place around the corner we'll be going to THIS week.
Love the doll. I feel like googling her and seeing what I come up with...
I would make sure the book itself isn't worth something before I dismantle it, but I understand the thought. A cool idea.
I love the doll--a cool mascot for YOU. I have the very scarf she's wearing.
My husband generally shops with me and he purchases everything from baskets to books to massagers to organs. You should do an entire post around that annual for girls.
**fainting** What a hell of a lot of glorious loot you've picked up Curtise!!! I am ready to ravish the doll, oh the cheeky bint with those glorious eyebrows and lips!!!! How is it possible to fall, deeply, madly and passionately with a doll? Oh well I did at age four so I guess anything's possible. I will call her Barbara the Bombshell Blond - after all, she's planning on being seen everywhere on her dirty weekend and she's ready for anything - thus the hatbox and oversized suitcase! So many wonderful prosti baubles!!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!! Yay for Sheffield steel and I say YES to beautiful, thoughtful framed gifts for hubby - you are such a darling!!! xoxoxox
Box frame the whole book, open at the appropriate page? Seriously gorgeous finds, that doll is hilarious, I want to be her best mate, can you imagine the gossip?!!
this doll has the crazy look going OMG how can you not love how weird she is. I think it's more liking she has a body stuffed in that suitcase! I think her name should be Vera. I do dig that bright blue skirt you had on and tat tartan's da bomb!
I think you should totally frame parts of the book, you will get to enjoy them so much more that way. I love the mermaids!
XOXO~Krista
She has such a wicked expression on her face! I think she is lovely with her arms piled with her possessions. I always have the same issue with books, if it's going to be appreciated more framed I'd go for it. xx
I love that doll - she's amazing and its so great the details have lasted through the years. I have to admit she does look very cheeky - bound to be up to no good!
I also love the book - I do agree with you it would look great framed:D
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh that doll is gorgeous i love her and would love to own her what a smasher i have never seen any like her before she really makes you smile. Full of glass and charm. Great finds i used to love Pinocchio when is was little. dee xxx
That doll is amazing what a great find Call her Doris I think lol
I am seriously loving your wee collection. That book and style bible look amazeballs.
xx
I really love the doll, she looks like a Dolores to me. How much was she?
Oh! Amazing finds!
The doll looks like Lucille Ball, she should be called Lucy!
What do you think?
About Sheffield...it was the ref in cutlery in Canada way back when
Leo the cat comes upstairs, i am so happy! He is such a god cat
Take care,
Love, Ariane
The doll is FAB! How tall is she? I agree with Ariane - call her Lucille.
So MUCH fabulous - that lovely height chart and the fabulous book and the lovely girls' annual... and if postage weren't so RIDICULOUS I would send you some of my enormous stash of vintage covered coathangers!
And I say go ahead, pull it apart and frame the pages - what a lovely idea, he'll appreciate it and it's only stuff!
And I think you look SMASHING! The headscarf is a little bit queenie but the rest of the outfit is perfection!
Love! Sarah xxx
Great doll - I'm not sure of a name for her, but I reckon she's leaving her bank clerk husband for a tennis-playing toyboy!
I would probably try and make copies of the book illustrations and keep chopping it up as a last resort. I always feel it's wrong to cut up a book, but I know what you mean about the illustrations not being seen.
Like the outfit, but I would personally forget the headscarf.
Oh yes! She has the look of Lucille Ball as someone said above.
I'm having the same dilemma as you re crimes against books or rather in my case it's the mag you sent me (I'm smitten with the adverts). If you can make a good copy then I'd try that first, I think.
Lordy, I remember my mum wearing heard scarves like that. xx
I also think your dolly is rather Lucille Ball-esque. Isn't she fab, I've never seen anything like her. I'd be in a quandary too with the book issue, do let us know your decision. You look very HRH in your headscarf but where's your corgi? Loving the handbag!
x
You always make me laugh: dress like your mum, hehehhee
I adore that doll. It does tell a story.
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That doll is (WAY TO DARN CUTE)
I would have totally had to buy her too.
Marvelous find Curtise!
I also like the growth chart it's so sweet.
I love to browse through the books for any oldies also. I love what you found.
Yes yes, I'm with Lucille, that just perfect for her!!! She really is fabulous.
I too love, covered hangers!! Have been a cheeky mouse a couple of times in a op-shop and begged the old ladies to buy one being used. Tee hee.
Love V
Flippin' 'eck Curtise, you know how to shop!
I'm very taken with Lucille, she reminds me of you a lot. I'd call her Curtise!
I like to dress up just for the hell of it, and have no qualms about dismantling books. None at all. Sometimes they need to be displayed by page.
I really need to blog.
Been loving your style choices lately.
Ooh, dolls really scare me, but actually your little story about this one made me warm to her... That and the fact that she reminds me of my Aunty Mary-Jo. I think you should call her Mary-Jo. You cannot beat a charity shop, I've uncovered many a hidden gem. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I'm loving yours too. I'll be stopping by again! X
She actually reminds me of Marilyn More and Grace kelly. She is super adorable
http://fashberries.blogspot.com/
LOVE the doll!!! I'd be framing the music thingys for hubby.xx.
Ooooh, that doll is FAB! I would have definitely taken her home with me had I seen her first. What a sassy dame she is! We rarely find anything that great here in thrift stores anymore, so I am seriously envying your shopping scores. I do believe I may have had the same edition of Pinocchio as I remember those illustrations.
Lucille is hysterical, it's am uncanny similarity to her namesake. You've clearly been on fire with the charity shopping lately, I've not found anything inspiring for ages. Boo.
I love the girls' annual (obviously), and have many that I'm almost tempted to frame pages from. I have a pretty good scanner though, maybe take the Ring cycle pages to a decent print shop and see what they can do?
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