Vintage this and that: May 8, 2013

Hard as it may be to believe, six months have already whizzed past since the introductory edition of vintage this and that. If you ask me, that means it's high we delve into another!





While archaeological digs routinely turn up artifacts that have been buried for hundreds or even thousands of years, given the relative recentness of the mid-twentieth century, it's often headline news when something interesting from the 20-50s is forgotten about and then unearthed (though, really, most of us vintage fans do this in our own lives all the time!).

One of the most famous in recent years was the Parisian time capsule apartment that was discovered some seventy years after it last saw occupants, and though, to my mind that is even more of an amazing find (than the one discussed below), another recent discovery of something long forgotten was a collection of 1950s film negatives that an amateur photographer shot, then tucked into his attic, and which were forgotten about after the man passed away in 1964.

Frank Oscar Larson, the aforementioned shutterbug, took a wonderful series of photos documenting various New York street and business scenes during the 1950s, which his grandson discovered one day while poking about his aunt's attic. The man subsequently had them developed and later brought them to Queens Museum of Art, where they were then put on exhibit.

{Image source}

NBC News recently ran a piece on this story, putting several of Mr. Larson's wonderful images up on their website, the one above (showing a group of superbly stylish teenage girls from 1953) being by far my favourite. All of them are terrific though, and definitely worth taking a minute to flip through if you're a fan of mid-century photography and/or New York City.



In the first vintage this and that post, I discussed how Tony and I had recently become devoted fans of the Boardwalk Empire, and in response one a lovely reader asked if I watched the TV show Murdoch Mysteries. Though I'd caught a couple before, I really couldn't call myself a frequent viewer and really didn't know too much about the program.

Interestingly, this commenter wasn't the first person to suggest that I might enjoy the show if I got into it (my mom, for example, has long been a fan and she'd asked me before as well if I was watching it). I'm the kind of gal who knows when to take a hint, so spurred on my this most recent comment, I began to watch (usually in the wee hours of the night) episodes of Murdoch Mysteries. Well, needless to say, I'm hooked and now absolutely adore this charming Canadian drama.

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For those who aren't familiar with it, the premise centers around the crime solving adventures of Detective William Murdoch, and is set in 1890s Toronto, Ontario. The show first aired in 2008 and is currently in its sixth season. I've long been a fan of whodunits and crime stories, but think that a few intense years of watching series like CSI, Criminal Minds, and Law and Order had sort of given me my fill of such dramas for a good long while - or at least I did until Murdoch Mysteries came along.

Far from being a graphic, (overly) brutal, or especially hard hitting detective series, Murdoch Mysteries are more in the same vein as classic Sherlock Holmes tales, but with a charmingly Canadian spin. The acting is wonderful, the late Victorian era costumes delightful, and the stories diverse and so easy to get into, that I'm kicking myself for not starting to watch years ago. Oh well, no time like the present, and one of the perks of starting to watch a few years in is that I now have oodles of episodes shown in repeat to enjoy. So my thanks definitely go out to all those who suggested I start watching this great mystery show, I'm really happy you tipped me off about it!


Like many of us, I'm a huge fan of wearing stockings (chiefly classic seamed, Cuban heeled stockings - but most types of hosiery are fair game), and always like looking at vintage stocking ads and images (some of which I pin to my Pinterest board Put Your Best Vintage Foot Forward), as well as learning more about the history of this classic garment.

{Image via Tuppence Ha'penny Vintage}

One of the loveliest histories I've come across in a good long time on the subject was that written by Charlotte of the stellar vintage and sewing blog, Tuppence Ha'penny Vintage. If you didn't get a chance to read Charlotte's history of stockings last December, I highly recommend checking it out now, as it's chocked full of fun facts pertaining to, and great yesteryear images of, stockings (such as the wonderful 1940s Hanes ad pictured above for seamless stockings).


You may recall a post I wrote last September about a super fun online pin-up doll generator that I'd discovered that lets you great pin-up style dolls from various twentieth century decades. It's splendidly fun and well worth spending a few minutes (or hours!) playing around with.

{Image via Eclectic Ephemera}

A couple of weeks after my post, Bruce Partington-Plans, a dapper vintage loving gent behind the blog Eclectic Ephemera posted about how he'd unearthed a Dandy Maker that allows you to create well dressed, dignified male dolls.

I adore the fact that chaps everywhere now a way to create vintage sporting dolls of their own, too, and likewise highly recommend that you spend a spell creating some dolls of your own with (the example above was created by Mr. Partington-Plans and is so dashing there's no way I could write about this topic without sharing it with all of you here).



Forties fans everywhere, get ready to swoon! Here's a short video clip that's sure to make one and all go weak in this knees, especially if you've ever daydreamed about hopping in a time machine and going clothes shopping at a mid-century department store (and really, who amongst us hasn't done that?).

Care of the wonderful Youtube channel Glamour Daze, this one minute and eighteen second long clip is pure style inspiration heaven for all those who adore sporting forties hair and fashions.



And last but not least, because every day deserves a spot of vintage cuteness of the highest calibre, may I present this darling 1950s illustration by artist Margaret Webbe of three cheerful kitties sharing a branch with a group of chirping birdies. Awww!

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I hope you enjoyed this fun peak through some of the various vintage related stories and images that have caught my eye lately. Chances are, when the next edition in this (completely randomly occurring) series comes out, we'll be into summer or, who knows, maybe even fall again - as distantly far off as that prospect seems while there's still new blossoms appearing on the tree outside my living room window today!