Mitzi's Miscellany

Outsider Art 101

Have you heard the term "outsider art"?  It's synonymous with "amateur art" and similar to "folk art".  It describes artwork that's created by untrained individuals who aren't intentionally producing wacky creations, but that's pretty much how they turn out.  According to Outsider Art Info, it's "Art From Outside The Art World."

When I first learned about outsider art back in the 1980's, people were into collecting "prisoner art", an offshoot of outsider art.  Distasteful as it sounds, certain famous criminals like serial killer John Wayne Gacy were selling the paintings they created in prison.  Gacy's favorite subject was clowns, as if clown haters need another reason to dislike them.

Perhaps inspired by the movie "Harvey", I think this painting of a man and his bolo-tie wearing rabbit friend typifies "Outsider Art" perfectly:

 

 Image credit:  ShopGoodwill.com

I'd like to know the story behind this one.  Perhaps a man approached the woman and said "I'm an artist.  Have you ever thought of modeling?"  And before she knew it, she was nude modeling......

 

 

A monkey wearing a crown in a very regal frame:

 

 Photo Credit:  ShopGoodwill.com

 And the monkey is wearing a dress.  And earrings.....

 

Photo Credit:  ShopGoodwill.com

Someone really loved David Bowie, and spent some serious time creating this painting with unintentionally bizarre results:

 

Image Credit:  Insider Outsider Art

Why not have some little kids do artwork and call it outsider art?  Well, you can tell the difference because of the attempts at color mixing, brush work, and in the case of our nude model, (hopefully) the subject.  Little kid art isn't the same as outsider art.

Portraits are frequent topics for outsider artists and the probably the most popular for outsider art collectors.  Let's look at the example below.  It's just bad enough to be good, and that's the charm of it!

 

 

The artist of this pastel drawing was skilled enough to convey some emotion in his subject, yet the face is strangely contorted:

 

Photo Credit:  Americana  Auctions

There's definitely some emotion in this pastel portrait too.  This woman has a sly grin, doesn't she?

 

 

eBay seller Metrolux sells her own art, such as the painting below:

 

 

I have this "hobo jungle" painting for sale in my "Mantiques" booth at the Livingston Antique Outlet in Howell, Michigan.  It reminds me of the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain":

 

 

A charcoal rendering of Mark Twain that my picker found for me:

Values for outsider art would be based on whatever the buyer is willing to pay, pretty much.  If the item has a nice frame, that would add to the value as well.

Of course sculpture and other media could fall under "outsider art" too, and I've only shown wall art.  So far, what do you think? 

Mitzi

Ruby Flash Glass 101

Ruby Flash glass is also known as Ruby Stained glass.  It probably looks familiar, because just about any antique shop will have a couple pieces.  If they know what they're doing, they will display them in a window or near a light source:

 

 

Ruby Flash glass is basically decorated pattern glass.  It was popular from the 1890's to the late 1920's here in the U.S.  The glass was coated with a chemical solution containing copper sulfide and baked in a kiln, turning the coating bright red.  Sometimes entire sets of dinnerware were "flashed", occasionally with touches of gold.  Ruby Flash also became a popular souvenir glass sold at fairs and train stations.

The two upside down items below are both a "button arches" glass pattern.  The little mug that says "State Fair" is a variation of a thumbprint pattern: 

 

 

 

If sold at train stations or tourist attractions, souvenir glass would have the name of the city and state and the local landmark on it if applicable.  The souvenir items were personalized with the year, event, and buyer's name if sold at a fair:

 

 

The popularity of Ruby Flash glass began to wane right around 1929, probably due to the onset of the Great Depression.  You might find pieces dated much later than that, however.

The basket below is dated 1929, a souvenir from the Michigan State Fair:

 

 

This piece I purchased recently, a spooner, had the owner's note inside with the amount they spent on it.  Luckily, I bought it on the second day of the estate sale and I will be able to offer it to my customers in the sixty-something dollar range:

 

 

Individual Ruby Flash pieces are an affordable collectible.  You can find items in the eight to eighty dollar range for a single piece, and more for a two-piece item like a covered butter dish.

To get an idea of the current values of Ruby Flash glass, visit The Find for an extensive list of offerings.  You will learn the names of the glass patterns there too.

"King's Crown" is one of the most common patterns you will find.  Several different glass companies made a variation of King's Crown.  The name comes from the zig-zag design, like the top of a crown.  The goblet below is King's Crown and Thumbprint.  The little "cauldron" has a daisy and button pattern around the rim:

 

 

Photo Credit:  Atop The Table

 

 

Ruby Flash glass makes a beautiful and affordable collectible.  Isn't it better than "junk"?  I know junk is popular right now, and junk is fun, but junk won't have any value in the future.  A little collection of Ruby Flash glass would be nice to hand down to a grandchild someday, don't you agree?

Mitzi

Meet the Ribbon Ladies

If you've visited an antique mall, you're probably familiar with the charming framed "ribbon ladies" that were a popular hobby/craft during the 1920's.  Just about every antique mall will have a couple of them if you look hard enough.

Here is a typical Southern belle ribbon art lady with some real hair, priced at $35 because it's a common pattern.  My friend Tina Gross at the Antiques Market of Williamston (Michigan) has a nice selection of them for sale right now.  Other dealers, including me, have one or two as well.

 

 

These were little kits that came with pre-printed faces and body parts.  The crafty part was completed by the purchaser, who would sew the ruffles, ribbon, and lace, which was glued into place, (along with real hair sometimes), and framed.

 

 

If you pay attention to "ribbon lady art", you'll notice certain patterns are very common, and some are unusual.  This one isn't super rare, but I haven't seen it a lot, either.  I like the ringlet curls and the layered ruffles on the dress.  This example was found on eBay:

 

 

This ribbon lady has a pretty pink dress, real hair, and a nice frame, but no facial features showing.  It's priced at $28:

 

 

I've seen this version with the flower petal dress quite a few times over the years.  It's priced at $35:

 

 

Collectors covet the smoking flapper girls, figures with a pet, and those with real hair.

 

 

The nice examples above and below came from Tina's booth at the Antiques Market of Williamston.  These are very desirable examples, and probably won't be around very long.  The flapper girl below is rather risque, with her see-through clothing.  The price is $158:

 

 

Some ribbon art ladies will have faded over time, but this one hasn't:

 

 

 

 A very pretty example, but more common, would be priced in the $35 to $45 range:

 

 

I think these would make a fun collection for a little girl's room (the non-smoking examples) or a lady's boudoir, don't you?

Mitzi

Spooners & Celery Vases 101

Today I'd like to introduce you to celery vases and spooners (sometimes called spoonholders), if you haven't met them already.  Quaint reminders of the past, yet useful today for display, they also make a fun collection.  Because glass is the most frequently used material for spooners and celery vases, we're going to focus on glass. 

Below we have one tall celery vase and two spooners:

Most glass spooners and celery vases were produced with company designed "patterns" that were named, and that's why you might see them referred to as "pattern glass".  "Daisy and Button" is a common glass pattern.  The names can be fanciful and descriptive, such as "Eyewinker", which refers to orbs that look like winking eyes in the glass.  The amber glass spooner below is called "Thousand Eye and Panel":

Celery vases were a fixture on the table in the late 1800's.  They would hold fresh celery in water so people could snack on the celery throughout the day.  Spooners were popular during the Victorian era as well.  They provided a way to display the household silver and were a sign of hospitality.  By the 1930's both celery vases and spooners were out of favor in the modern household, like most Victorian conventions.

The picture below shows a recent grouping I purchased at an estate sale.  All are spooners except for the middle vessel in the foreground with the scalloped top, which is a celery vase:

 

Celery vases will have straight sides to hold the celery upright.  A flower vase might have a curvaceous shape or have a narrowing at the top.  That's one way to tell the difference between a celery vase and flower vase.

Telling the difference between a celery vase and spooner is fairly simple.  Celery vases will be much taller, usually 6" to 9", and if you put a spoon in one the spoon probably won't stick out of the top.  Spooners will display your spoon handles nicely, and usually measure 4" to 6", depending on whether or not they have a stemmed base or "foot".  The three examples below are all spooners:

Sometimes, spooners can be confused with open sugar bowls and goblets.  This is where the line gets a little blurry.  A goblet wouldn't have a scalloped top like many spooners have.  Open sugar bowls might be smaller than spooners, but not always.  Sometimes, you just have to guess!

If you have a pattern glass collector's book/price guide, you might be able to make an ID by finding the specific pattern in the book.  Collector books can also be a great source of additional information such as which glass companies produced the various patterns, and when.  The book below helps one identify celery vases:

You'll find that some patterns are rare, and some are common, such as "Daisy and Button".  I'm going to have to look up the pattern below because I don't know it offhand:

While doing a little online research for this post, I came across the Victorian Pattern Glass Spooner Store, which is fun to peruse as well as educational.

In the grouping below, one of the spooners has begun to turn lavender (left).  This is a chemical reaction from glass being in the sun, and an indication of age.

For a long time, celery vases and spooners weren't being reproduced.  But several years ago the Dept. 56 gift wares company produced some, so be aware of that.

The example on the left, below, is called "popcorn".  The spooner on the right is the "Daisy and  Diamond" pattern.

Besides a lavender coloration that won't be present on all old glass pieces, signs of age include scratches on the foot from normal use and bubbles and imperfections in the glass.

Celery vases can be used for celery, of course, or for flowers:

Pattern glass spooners and celery vases were made in molds, not hand blown.  There are "art glass" spooners and celery vases, and cut glass, but by far the most common glass spooners and celery vases will be pattern glass. 

Once you "train" your eye to look for them, spooners and celery vases will seem to come out of the woodwork at estate sales and vintage retail establishments.

Yes, I've had a lot of spooners and celery vases pass through my hands!

I hope you learned a bit about celery vases and spooners today.  Perhaps you can add one or two to your household for a nice reminder of times gone by.

Mitzi

Mercury Glass 101

Everyone has seen mercury glass the last several years, because Pottery Barn has been cranking it out like crazy, especially around the holidays.  But vintage mercury glass from the Victorian-era is something that warrants your attention, and that's what I want to focus on today.  It's much more interesting than the stuff that's being made in China, but that's no surprise, is it?

My picker recently scored a box full of of gorgeous antique mercury glass at an auction.  Just look at the array of shapes and sizes!  I feel like I've won the lottery!

 

 

Mercury glass was originally created as a replacement for sterling silver.  In fact, it was sometimes called "poor man's silver".  It could be made cheaply, by blowing double-walled glass and coating the interior walls of the glass with a metallic coating (not actual mercury) to give it the silver appearance.  The opening at the bottom, called a "pontil",  was sealed with wax or a cork to prevent air from attacking the silver coating.

 

 

More often than not, the seal at the bottom will be missing, and the silver will have started to corrode.  Because of this, you shouldn't submerge a piece of mercury glass in water:

 

The most common forms of mercury glass are vases, candle holders, curtain tie-backs, salt dips, gazing balls for the garden, and compotes.  Not all mercury glass is silver.  I've seen examples tinted gold, pink, green, and blue, but silver is the most common.  Many of the silver vases, urns and compotes will have a golden interior.

The decoration on the outside is often quite stunning.  Typically, there is a cold painted decoration or delicate frosted motif, often with natural themes that were popular during Victorian times.

 

 

Besides the painted details, I love the elaborate silhouettes the vases make:

 

 

How can you tell if a mercury glass item is old or new?  If it is single-walled, like the votive holders below, you can be sure it's new.  These are for sale all over eBay, and the chain stores like Pottery Barn:

 

The piece below is double-walled and is also offered on eBay. It's described as "Antiqued Mercury Glass", not "Antique".  It's a fine point, but one that should be noted.  It's pretty darn cute, I have to admit.....

 

One thing I noticed about the piece above is the uniformity of the aging.  The speckles are spread out all over the piece.  The old mercury glass doesn't age in this manner.  The silvering will usually disappear from the base first, then work its way upwards.

Another way to tell if mercury glass is old or new is to look at the shape.  Old glass is hand blown.  New glass is either blown-molded or just molded, and will be very uniformly shaped.  Look how wonky this older glass is:

 

 

One more tip:  I've noticed the new candle holders have a metal insert to hold the candles.  I haven't seen an old example with a metal insert, so I would be suspicious of any "old" candle holder with that feature.

And now for pricing.  A couple years ago, a price guide was published and mercury glass values shot up.  It was selling like hotcakes, and it's been really hard for me to keep in stock at the antique malls.  I usually price a 10" vase around $100, a 5" vase about $50, and so on.  A rare color, like pink, would be more expensive.  Many of the vases and candle holders were created in pairs, so if you have an actual matching pair that's something special.  Prices on the East and West coast would most likely be more.  Michigan is where you get the bargains, folks!

 

I hope you can add some authentic 130-year old mercury glass to your collection some day if you haven't already.  It's a true treasure with an interesting history that will only increase in value over time.

Mitzi

Antique Malls 101

Most of you are aware that I'm an antique dealer, but may not know some of the specifics. Right now I have two rented "booths" at the Antiques Market of Williamston (we'll call it AMW for brevity), and two booths at the Livingston Antique Outlet (LAO) in Howell, Michigan.  I'd love for you to visit sometime, and I guarantee it will be interesting and fun.  On March 26, the AMW is having a March Madness sale.  That would be a great time to come, as we are offtering a total mall sale (15% off all merchandise) and free refreshments.  And for even more of an incentive, the mall will be open extended hours, till 8:00, and from 6:00 to 8:00 the discount will go up to 20%! 

When I spend time out and about, I'm surprised at how many folks haven't been to an antique mall, and don't understand what antique malls are.  Maybe they are into "thrifting" or  going to flea markets, but haven't made the leap to antique malls yet.  I'll bet you can think of some people that haven't had the pleasure of the antique mall experience.  Will you help me by taking them by the hand, literally if need be, and walking them through it?  Or, (gasp), maybe you haven't had your own antique mall adventure.  Let's go!  We'll start at the AMW.

The Antiques Market of Williamston is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 

Before we enter the antique mall, let me clear up one misconception.  You don't need to know anything about antiques to enter.  Don't be afraid that one of the Keno brothers from the Antiques Roadshow is going to run up and start quizzing you about furniture characteristics of the Greek Revival period.  You can just walk around and look at stuff, and I guarantee it will only be a matter of minutes before you see something that reminds you of your Grandma, and you'll exclaim to your shopping partner:  "My grandma had one of these!".  You've now become a "Grammahadit".  Grammahadits and the similar Mommahadits are just as welcome in the antique mall as anyone else, so let's keep walking, OK?

Check out this awesome space at AMW that Christie and Richard have created.  I love the sign in the upper right corner that has the cow portrait and "Bovinol Spray Drives Flies Away":

 

An antique "mall" is a shopping mall devoted to antiques and collectibles. The owner of the business and/or building rents out space within the building to antique dealers, usually by renting out the space in square feet.  A typical booth might be 12' x 12', and cost $250 per month.  Often, there is an additional fee such as a percentage of total sales ( 10% is common), or a work requirement (working as a clerk in the store several times per month).  The various dealers price all of their own things, asking whatever they wish, and mark the tags with their own assigned dealer number.  At the end of the pay period, the mall owner issues each dealer a check with their sales total.

I refer to this booth as my "Pink Booth" in Williamston:

 

For those of you into "thrifting", may I suggest you "thrift" your way through the antique malls too?  Contrary to what some may believe, antique malls don't just sell expensive antiques.  You will find deals and bargains in just about any antique mall.  I always do, and I'm looking to buy things at a wholesale price!  Many dealers price their goods according to how much they paid for the items, so if they got a deal on something, you get a deal too!  And these folks have experience, connections, and the knowledge to dig up great stuff from many sources. 

Dealers Rich and Denny have their space at AMW filled with cool mid-century objects,  like these aluminum drinking glasses:

 

The beauty of antique malls, for dealers, is that we don't have to be there for our things to sell. There is staff on duty every day, waiting on customers and writing up sales.  The beauty for buyers, besides clean restrooms, ample parking, and sometimes a cafe or refreshments, is that you will find a huge collection of antiques and collectibles under one roof.  The sellers might offer the gamut from vintage clothing and accessories to sports collectibles, from jewelry to man stuff like vintage tools, from porcelain and glass table ware to furniture representing each decade since the mid-1800's.

This old wagon with blue paint is offered by Sally Arnold:

 

This booth is my second space at the Antiques Market of Williamston.  I want shoppers to find affordabe things they can use to add flair to their decor.  I don't have anything really rare or outrageously expensive in this booth.  Just good stuff for good people:

 

I loved this heavily embossed toffee tin, and it sold right away.  This is an example of something you might want to buy just because you like the way it looks, not because you are an expert in the collecting category of advertising tins:

 

Another fabulous find at the AMW is this rubber band store display:

 
 
Visiting a book dealer is an education in itself.  At AMW, this dealer has a collection of "Oz" stories, some written by L. Frank Baum, the originator and author of the Wizard of Oz, and some by other authors, like this "Scalawagons of Oz", by John R. Neal.  I love the fanciful cover art on "Scalawagons":

 

Mall owner Bob Rogers has a general store setup where he sells all sorts of vintage household products, tools, advertising, and old store goods:

 

Now let's look around the Livingston Antiques Outlet, located on Burkhart Road in Howell, Michigan.

 

I was attracted to this colorful tin full of thread at LAO:

 

I'm pretty sure I had a shovel like this when I was a kid.  The handle kept coming off during shoveling, as I recall, sending the metal part flying.  I almost decapitated my dog with it!  Tin litho toys and tools for kids were often left in the damp garage or outside and rusted, making some of these things quite valuable now:

 

This LAO dealer is on the ball, removing Valentine stuff and bringing in fresh green goodies in preparation for St. Patrick's Day:

 

Many dealers have created a completly unique look in their booths, and you can get "free" decorating ideas from them.  Here's a very beautiful, feminine booth at LAO:

 

Colorful tin litho tops are affordable and make a fun collection:

 

I love the droll expression on these space man syrup bottles:

 

I was so intent on taking pictures around LAO, I forgot to photograph my own booths!  I guess I'll show you one I took last summer:

  

Let's wrap up our antique mall visits here in my LAO booth, which happens to be right by the restrooms.  This is prime real estate.  The restrooms are the busiest space in any antique mall, at least that's what I've observed.  Thanks for taking a tour of the malls, y'all!

 Mitzi

Vintage Wallpaper 101

I'm passionate about vintage wallpaper.  If you've been reading my blog you've probably noticed. If I had to rank order my vintage obsessions, number one would be feedsack fabric yoyos, and number two would be vintage wallpaper.  Today I'd like you to get on board the vintage wallpaper bus with me, and we'll take a tour through the decades to get up to speed!

Our wallpaper tour begins with the papers popular during the Victorian era, when everything was over-the-top, lush, full of pattern upon pattern and color.  During the 1800's, wallpaper was printed with carved wooden blocks, some of which will still pop up in antique stores. I've never gotten my hands on actual paper from the 1800's, but I have acquired some of the printing blocks.

 

Designer William Morris had a huge influence on design during this time period.  Here is an example of a very stylized artichoke:

 
Even more complicated and elaborate designs were created as printing innovations came about.  Victorian homes required attention to every detail, and papers came in sections called "friezes",  the more familiar borders, ceiling medallions and more. To see examples of what I'm talking about, please take a detour to Bradbury and Bradbury Historical Wallpapers, and prepare to be amazed!  B & B also has a delightful blog that I just discovered.  One of their readers, Beverlee, submitted this photo of her incredible dining room she completed in an elaborate neoclassical B & B set of papers:

 
Photo credit:  Bradbury & Bradbury

American-made wallpaper circa 1910's was more readily available to the average Joe.  I have a nice example of paper from this era that I purchased from my friend Sharon that illustrates the artistry of early wallpaper (below).  Aren't the touches of gold metallic ink divine?  I love this paper so much I've had a hard time finding a use for it, because my hands start shaking if I even get near it with scissors!

 

The papers from the 1920's and 30's are also gorgeous, and still plentiful enough for us to acquire and use for various applications.  Marilyn Krehbiel, owner of Hannah's Treasures, a wonderful resource for a huge array of fantastic vintage papers from the 1920's through the 1970's, has generously allowed me to borrow some of her images to share with you.  Here is an example of one of Marilyn's offerings from the 1930's:

 

I've purchased a couple old wallpaper sample books that are really fun to peruse.  These pop up on eBay quite regularly, if you are interested.  I've taken my sample books to Staples and color copied my favorite patterns so I could use them in collage projects without tearing up the book.  The wallpaper sample books from the 1920's or 30's are much smaller that those huge, heavy books from later years that we are all familiar with.

This wallpaper book from 1926 is listed on eBay right now:

 

Look at the multiple layers of colors and pattern creating depth in this wonderful example:

 

Some of the borders available way-back-when:

 

This is what Grandma or Great Grandma wanted her living room to look like:

 

Styles changed with the times during the 1940's and 50's.  The colors during the 40's turned toward rather odd combinations such as gray, yellow, and maroon.  Exotic florals were introduced, such as large tropical flowers and huge palm fronds. Vinyl became a selling point for kitchen wallpaper during the late 1940's.  Homeowners were able to wallpaper every room in the house with specific papers designed for that room.  Angel fish in the bathroom, novelty paper with teapots in the kitchen, and florals in the bedroom. 

This example from Hannah's Treasures was undoubtedly intended for the powder room:

 

The 1950's homeowner wanted the all the modern appliances and wallpaper that represented the changing times.  During this era, more geometrics were used, including fun space-age designs. Pre-pasted wallpaper was a 1950's innovation and certainly convinced homeowners tired of stirring lumpy wheat paste to give wallpaper a try again.

This wallpaper sample book from the 1950's includes this abstract fish design.  It's for sale on eBay right now:

Near the tail end of the 1960's and into the 70's, the psychedelic era influenced wallpaper design, especially the colors.  Flocked wallpaper became popular, sometimes with "foil" or Mylar background.  Several years ago, I might have scoffed at these designs, thinking they were tacky. That might have been because I hadn't touched them and appreciated the craftsmanship that went into these wonderful papers. I've purchased several rolls of flocked papers, so I have quite a stash!  But I always want more.....

 

Let's take a look at a couple flocked paper samples, compliments of Hannah's Treasures, the go-to website to purchase vintage wallpaper at affordable prices.

First we have this devilishly red flocked paper for those that aren't afraid of color:

 

This bold plaid features flocked stripes on a silver Mylar background:

 

A little bit softer non-flocked floral pattern from the 1960's/70's with a sublime combination of colors:

 

What uses are people finding for vintage wallpaper?  One lovely example is Pressed Petal Designs, a new Etsy shop owned by Marilyn's daughter.  She creates note cards from authentic vintage papers.  Other uses include scrapbook projects, all sorts of decoupage applications, collages/mixed media, covered bandboxes, and even simply framing sections of the paper to use as wall decor. 

 

Are you still with me?  If so, let's stop at Second Hand Rose, a New York City store and another fabulous resource for vintage wallpaper. They also stock linoleum, which deserves its own blog post because it's so darn wonderful!  Although pricey, their selection of papers is simply fantastic, and their website is a work of art in itself. The collections of papers are organized by pattern for a visual feast of paper delicacies.  Think damask, floral, geometric, novelty and chinoiserie.  What's chinoiserie?  It's oriental scenic paper, with tranquil depictions of pagodas and Asian flora and fauna.  This style of paper seems to have increased in popularity lately. Can you see why?

 

If these beautiful wallpaper examples get your creative juices flowing, perhaps you should consider purchasing some vintage wallpaper to use in your winter craft projects.  As for me, I've been beavering away this month filling two large orders for my wallpaper cuff bracelets.  These are a great way to show appreciation for vintage wallpaper and will attract attention every time they are worn.  I've got several listed in my Etsy shop right now.  The examples below are for a customer that plans to give these as gifts to friends and family this year:

 

I hope you didn't mind a little sales pitch at the end of our bus tour.  Thanks for coming along with me, and as always, I appreciate you, my readers, for spending time visiting my blog!

Mitzi 

Feedsack Fabric and Yoyo Quilts 101

I've been crazy for yoyos for many years, ever since my parents bought me a gorgeous yoyo quilt as a Christmas gift.  I loved the colors and pattern so much, I displayed it on a wall in my apartment, then condo, then house.  Basically, it's been a backdrop throughout my adult life.  Maybe that's why I've taken on a mentor role to so many yoyo quilts, yoyo squares, and stray yoyos over the years.  I just can't get enough of them!  I use single yoyos for a variety of craft projects (such as the brooch pictured below), and sell yoyo squares and whole quilts in my antique mall booths.

 

Using the word "quilt" is kind of a misnomer, because yoyo quilts are more of a "spread" or even a "throw".  They don't contain quilt batting in between layers of fabric like a traditional quilt.  Most don't even include a backing fabric, so there are spaces in between the yoyos that make them more of a decorative item than something used for warmth.

Let me fill you in on the story of yoyos and feedsack fabrics.   Before the creation of heavy duty paper and plastic sacks, grains, animal feed, and pantry staples were sold in cloth sacks.  During the Great Depression (1929-1939), thrifty housewives would sew garments from the "feedsacks", sometimes going to great lengths to remove the sacks' printed-on labels.  The manufacturers of the products quickly caught on and began marketing their staples with pretty calico patterned cotton sacks with removable paper labels instead.  

 

Once a dress or other garment was worn out, parts could still be salvaged.  This is how the yoyo came to be.  Women and girls would cut circles from the fabric, and hand-stitch each yoyo until there were enough yoyos to put a quilt together.  A sewing machine wasn't necessary.  As the years went on, women continued making yoyos out of fabric scraps, transitioning from the feedsack fabrics to other fabric scraps, most commonly cotton prints or solids. 

 

If you want to purchase a yoyo quilt, there are quite a few of them out there in the world, so you should be able to find one to meet your needs.  Check your favorite antique mall, antique show, or eBay.  Prices are going to vary depending on the age, condition, size, and craftsmanship. 

The large yoyo quilt below recently sold on eBay for $150, with free shipping.  I think that's a good deal for a quilt of this size.  Think of all the work that went into this:

 

How will you know for sure if the quilt is made from feedsacks?  That can be hard to determine definitively.  After viewing some examples here, perhaps I can give you a framework to work with, based mostly on color.  A reader has also suggested the book "Feedsack Fabrics From the Farm" by Susan Miller for more information and lots of beautiful photos (thanks, Beth).

The bowl full of yoyos below show some very nice fabrics that I'm quite sure are feedsack fabrics, circa 1930's.  These are some of the best yoyos I've ever had.  Great mini-print fabric, well made, and flat (which makes them easy to use in craft projects).  Predominant colors from the 1930's included lavender, peach, and "institutional green", a shade of green that shows up in printed and solid fabrics and was a very popular paint color.

 

By comparison, look at the yoyos below.  Deeper jewel-tone colors, some pastel flannel fabric, and hardly any mini-print or calico fabrics give clues that these yoyos were made in the last 30 or 40 years:

 
 

Below we have a quilt made with feedsack yoyos on a pale peach colored cotton backing:

 

I purchased the yoyo quilt below on eBay.  I'm guessing the fabric is from the 1960's.  Notice how many solids there are, and the dark orange which was so popular in the 60's through 70's.  Although the yoyos were well-made, they were connected with very loose stitching.  I spent a lot of time reinforcing the loose stitches, which was very time-consuming.  That's one drawback to buying online.  I would have noticed the loose stitching right away if I had the chance to handle it and view it up close:

 

Below you can see some yoyos that are from the 1960's or even the 1970's.  That psychedelic fabric, hot lime green, and solid purple are my clues that these yoyos are from that time period.

  

Here is an unusual combination of layered yoyos connected by crochet.  Perhaps you will notice the color palette of pastel pink and gray.  The fabrics appear to be from the 1950's at the earliest, so this would not be considered a feedsack fabric quilt, but it's definitely a wonderful creation:

 

I don't get too worried whether or not yoyos are made from feedsack fabric.  If a yoyo speaks to me, I listen to it.  I don't really care if it was made in 1934 or 1974.  My inspector seems unimpressed by this quilt, however:

 

Last spring I corralled a herd of wild yoyos and paired them with vintage buttons, colorful felt, and baker's twine to make these garlands:

 

When I saw this idea in Flea Market Style magazine I couldn't wait to try it.  I had so much fun making these yoyo flowers using knitting needles as the stems:

    

I took the yoyo flowers two steps further by gluing colorful buttons on the ends of the needles and making leaves with fabric stiffener:

 

Now I'm offering some of my yoyos for sale so you can make your own creations with them.  I've sorted them by size and packaged them up to sell on Etsy, including this package of seven-yoyo rounds that would look great sewed to a canvas tote or burlap pillow:

 

I'm also offering a dozen of these extra large yoyos made from groovy psychedelic fabrics:

 

There are bags of smaller size yoyos available too.  If you want a custom selection of crafting yoyos, you can e-mail me at [email protected] and I can put something together for you!

I hope you learned a little about yoyos in this post.  Do you think there might be room for a yoyo quilt in your life some time in the future?

Mitzi

Post-Mortem Collectibles 101 (My Halloween Post)

With Halloween here, I thought I would introduce the offbeat collecting category of post-mortem collectibles.  A little sad, a little gruesome, a little scary.  Besides the Halloween connection, I  want to generate interest in at least some aspect of post-mortem collectibles with my readers (you!) because when we are out and about, thrifting, attending auctions, and trolling estate sales, we all should be aware that death-related collectibles can be quite valuable.  A cabinet card with a group photo of a coffin with the family surrounding it is more valuable than a family portrait in which all members are alive.  If the deceased is posed in an unusual manner, the photo becomes even more valuable, and so on.

Sometimes one comes across a silverplate plaque that might say "My Darling", or "Dearest", or have a person's name and date of death.  These are coffin plaques, and were typically attached to a coffin before burial.

   

 
Did you know that furniture stores and department stores used to be the source for coffins?  It makes sense, because coffins of years ago were constructed of wood, not molded metal or fiberglass or whatever they're made of now. They were more like furniture.  I recall seeing a child's coffin for sale a while back at an antique mall in Saginaw.  It was very sad, as it had a little glass window right where the face would be, with a cover that one could slide to one side to view the deceased's face.

Last year I took this picture of the Owosso Casket Company factory in Owosso, Michigan.  It was owned by the Woodard Furniture Company, which was housed right next door:

Post-mortem collectibles can include anything related to death and dying.  As you can imagine, there are collectors for just about everything somewhere in the world, and death-related memorabilia is no exception.  And we're not just talking old photos and the occasional casket, but mortician's tools, embalming fluids, and makeup kits and cosmetics used to prepare bodies for viewing at the funeral home.  If you are interested, there is a collector book on this very topic, "Postmortem Collectibles" by C.L. Miller, published in 2001.

I recently purchased this print by Currier and Ives titled "A Woman's lIfe From the Cradle to the Grave".  I'll admit that my particular age group is represented by the woman at the tippy top of the pyramid.  You can see it's all downhill from there....

Apparently, Currier and Ives believed that if a woman reached the age of 100, she pretty much turned into a witch...

Once photography became popular, families often posed with the deceased loved one for a last portrait, or took a picture of the loved one in the bed or cradle having "one last sleep".  It was also customary to take a picture of the deceased in a typical pose inside the casket.  The little girl in the picture below shows her healthy in the first picture, and taken much too young in the heartbreaking second picture:

The shocking fact that I discovered while doing my "light research" for this post is that infant mortality (the percentage of infants 12 months and under that die) was 50 percent during the Victorian era (from about the mid-1800's to 1900).  Can you imagine? 

Isn't this next picture haunting?  These children, posing with the deceased baby, might be wondering who is next....

This picture was for sale at the Antiques Market of Williamston.  It looks like these two brothers are holding up a one-dimensional picture, but it is actually the deceased brother in his casket, propped up for the photo:

I found this next image interesting because of the wallpaper in the room.  Not that the people aren't interesting, but I just happen to have a fetish for old wallpaper.  Postmortem photos taken inside the person's residence are more valuable than those taken off premises, primarily because they provide a historical view of the furnishings and architecture of the time.  The man in the casket appears to be clutching a picture, and looks to be quite young, possibly the father of the adorable children:

 

This next picture is from  Post Mortem Collectibles, showing the fascinating tombstone of George Blount,  who died at the age of five when he fell over the bannister at the American House Hotel in Columbus, Ohio on Valentine's Day, 1873.  Just think of his devastated parents, comissioning the live-size sculpture of their little boy so many years ago!  Mysteriously, the tombstone is continuosly dressed in season-appropriate attire, and gifts are left for little George.  Could it be his ghostly parents, dressing their son?  I suppose they wouldn't have selected an OSU cap, but still, it's mysterious.....

 

Last spring I blogged about the equally sad tale of Rose Etta Fuller, who died at age 22 after falling into a cistern (a water recepticle) next to her home.  I have a lock of her hair that some family member clipped from her and saved all of these years, along with the obituary, in a little homemade silk folder:

 
 

Clipping locks of hair from the deceased was customary around 100 years ago.  The hair could be saved in a special way, like inside a locket or woven into jewelry.  Sometimes highly skilled artisans would weave an entire "wreath" made from hair, preserved in a shadowbox.  These typically sell for several hundred dollars.  Mementos of this type are called "memento mori".

Well, in 15 minutes the trick or treaters will be here, and I have to get myself and my house ready.  I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

Hauntingly Yours,

Mitzi

Dionne Quintuplets 101

Welcome to another post within my 101 series, my way of keeping interest in antiques and collectibles alive, hopefully adding to your knowledge base, or maybe sparking interest in a reader who might start a new collection.  In the world of antiques, there is always something new to learn.....or should I say something "old" to learn?

Before John and Kate Plus 8, before Octo Mom, there were the Dionne Quintuplets.  Their story is a fascinating one, and could have served as a cautionary tale about exploitation of "multiples"  that the Gosselin parents and Octo Mom should have been apprised of before they went public with their broods.

The Dionne quints were born on May 28, 1934 in Corbeil, Ontario, Canada.  They were five identical girls (all from one energetic splitting egg!), and each weighed less than two pounds.  Not really expected to survive, they were kept next to a wood-buring stove in their impoverished parents' home to keep warm.  They were the world's first surviving quintuplets, and immediately caused a sensation during the good-news-depleted depression.

As the thriving babies grew, the physician that delivered them, Dr. Dafoe, became a celebrity, especially after the quints were made wards of the Ontario government (the parents were deemed unfit to raise them).  A hospital, eventually known as "Quintland" was built right across the street from the Dionne's home.  Nurses would bring them one at a time to a balcony to show them to the waiting crowd.

 
Quintland eventually became a theme park, and the girls were put on display for up to 6,000 people a day who watched their activities such as eating or playing behind a one-way screen.  Quintland souvenirs were sold by the thousands. The adorable quints and Dr. Dafoe became very lucrative to advertisers and endorsed hundreds of products.  Just do a search on eBay for "Dionne quintuplets" and you'll see all sorts of Dionne memorabilia, like this adorable basket of the five baby girls: 

Can you believe this bizarre story?  It gets worse.  The parents were made to feel unwelcome at Quintland, as the evil Dr. Dafoe ran the show.  They girls were studied scientifically, X-rayed, filmed, poked and prodded.  The quints, named Cecile, Emilie, Marie, Annette, and Yvonne, recalled being viewed behind a gauze screen as hordes of visitors were ushered through a corridor.  They lived at Quintland for nine years, after which their parents were able to regain custody.  The girls lived with their parents and siblings until they were 18, then moved out and severed contact with their parents, claiming their father abused them.

 

There's much more to the story, very worthy of exploring further if you are interested.  To wind things up here, there are only two quints alive today, Annette and Cecile.  Emilie and Marie died as young women, ages 20 and 34.  Yvonne died at age 64.  Annette and Cecile are 75 years old and, believe it or not, have had to negotiate with the Ontario government to claim some of the money generated at Quintland.

There is still a lot of Dionne quint memorabilia floating about.  I often come across postcard sets depicting the photogenic girls or scenes of Quintland.  Magazines from the 1930's and 40's will have the occasional ad for cake mix the girls liked or some product Dr. Dafoe was endorsing.  More valuable quint collectibles include sets of five dolls, paper doll sets, or this very unusual folk art painting that recently sold on eBay for $3.499.99:

 
Below is a calendar top with a typical artistic rendering of the girls at play:

I found this baggie full of Dionne quint newspaper clippings and pictures at an auction recently.  If you had never heard of the Dionne quints, wouldn't you probably pass this by at a sale?  Now that you know a little bit, would you like to open up this baggie and see what's in there?  If so, my little post is a success!

Happy hunting for treasures this weekend, everyone!

Mitzi