The Belt Revival

Whenever I have a piece of vintage that is no longer in it's useable condition, I like to offer it up to designers and crafters to use for their inspired designs.   It's always interesting to see how other's eyes interpret and vision.    

A wonderful Victorian belt I kept stored for many years had lost pieces making it no longer suitable as a belt.  The fretwork of the metal however is mystical, detailed and just lovely.  Such a high end fashion accessory would have been a costly item in it's time! 

Well, Grandma is proud again!  That's just how I feel. I'm happy to say the belt is no longer lost to time.  The saga of this antique piece continues to live on thanks to the keen eye and talented hands of a modern day designer, Denise Hagood, Artist and owner of Blue Flax Studio

Here is one necklace she created.  It totally retains the feeling of the original belt while at the same time making it modern for any woman to wear!   I can't wait to see her future projects!  

You can find Denise on Facebook - you'll want to Like her page and watch the treasures that come forth!  I know I will.

1920s Fabric Terminology

While deciding which publications to release from my fashion history library, I have been browsing through a myriad of great bits and pieces of information on early 20th century clothing (and back!). 

One of the projects I've had in mind for this blog is to create sections of terminology common to vintage clothing and textiles.  So to start things off, I'm posting this Table [of] Common Domestic Materials which is found in the booklet:  Plain Dressmaking by Mary Brooks Picken 1921 published by the Woman's Institute of  Domestic Arts & Sciences. During the teens era and into the 1920s this series of instruction manuals was available for the home sewers, aka dressmakers.   Each booklet covered a different aspect and was profusely illustrated.   Anyone who sews modern clothing, re-creates period costumes or just loves vintage clothes will benefit from collecting these booklets! 

This Table is a great quick reference period guide to fabric names and descriptions!  Although there are no fabric pictures, just having a quick reference glossary can be very helpful. 

Click image for full size

Pg 1: Batiste, Bedford cord, Bobbinet, Buckram, Calico, Cambric, Canvas, Chambray, Cheesecloth

Pg 2: Chintz, Cotton challis, Cotton crepe, Cotton or Canton flannel, Cretonne, Crinoline, Damask, Denim, Dimity, Drilling, Duck, Flannelette, Galatea

 

Pg 3:  Gingham, Grenadine, Huckaback, Khaki, Lawn, Linon, Long cloth, Madras, Mull, Muslin, Nainsook, Organdie / Organdy

 Pg 4:  Outing flannel, Percale, Percaline, Pique, Sateen, Scrim, Seersucker, Silesia, Silkaline, Soisette, Swiss, Tarlatan, Ticking, Velveteen, Voile

Small Business Giants!

Saturday, 11/30, is dedicated to small business owners around the country.  Nice.  But what does that really mean?  I've worked as a sole proprietress for over 35 years and it boggles me that this "small business" has survived at all!   Here's a few of the things I've come to know and I bet I'm not alone:

♥ you've gotta be nuts to start- or so full of passion you just can't resist
♥ you will work with a load you never thought you could possibly carry - and yet you do
♥ if you work from home, you have the best CEO PJ wardrobe on earth
♥ your hat rack includes at least 10 caps to survive, 20 to really thrive
♥ the office fairy rarely shows up to clean
♥ if you have family - you know they come first - even when they don't think they do
♥ a buying trip or show trip can be the best vacation ever
♥ the gal Friday rarely shows up for the bookkeeping
♥ the process of mental creativity knows no time clock
♥ you probably never thought you'd become a professional photographer
♥ you laugh when the business surveys ask how many employees the business has and start with 1--4
♥ you know more about social networking and marketing than most
♥ the best bottom line for my financial statement is a smile
♥ you will never go hungry because you've learned how to survive
♥ flexibility means more than bending
♥ the cleaning lady is underpaid
♥ friends around the world are as close as a keyboard ~ anytime
♥ small business people always care and support each other.

Yeah - Happy Small Business Day!!

Researching Francis: fhb

Doing research on a mystery item mark is perhaps one of the most educational processes to engage in in the antiques business!  I am always in awe of how much you can discover with just one little starting point.

For me, the lastest adventure revolves around a jewelry purchase last year that included a darling little sterling silver pin and drop earrings set.  The only mark is on the circles of the earrings: fhb Sterling. Sterling is also marked on the back of the screw knobs.   The set definitely has that Modernist late 50s vintage appeal.  I decided to see what I could find out.

Well, thanks to the 21st century and internet research capabilities I quickly discovered this mark belongs to Francis Holmes Boothby!  She is a well known and listed Modernist jewelry maker active in the 1950s / 1960s.  Her work pulls designs from nature and includes whimsical birds and owls as well as items using a unique convex elliptical form.    A quick search of "fhb elliptical" using Images on Google will give you more great peeks at her style. 

There is an excellent research article, The Wearable Art Movement Part II , by Marbeth Shon, at Modern Silver.com   There is a short piece about Francis Homes Boothby confirming her participation in the 3rd Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Jewelry at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis in 1955.  If you love Modernist jewelry - this is a great article to review!

Although only the earrings are marked in this set, it sure seems that the pin is an unsigned fhb as well.  It is actually very small at only 29mm L x 22mm W.  The ends have her characteristic "flattened" twist changing the form from circle to ellipical.  This wonderful shape is seen in pendant and bracelet designs that she did.  But alas there is not one image on the web to make 100% confirmation --so the mystery still continues.   Is it a one of a kind?  That would be fun.