Collecting Buttons
If you want to be a collector and only have a small budget you might want to consider collecting buttons. Many households have a button bag or box where discarded buttons are kept. In thriftier times no garment would have been thrown out without removing the buttons first and keeping them for future use. On examination you might find that you have buttons that belonged to your grandmother or great-grandmother and your buttons do not only cover three or four generations, but they are also a fascinating insight into the history of fashion.
The first buttons in Britain were made in the Shaftesbury area of Dorset around 1620, they were made out of ram’s horn and covered with fabric and were then embroidered with undyed linen or cotton thread. The buttons were stitched onto cards and were exported to Europe and America between the late 18th century and the middle of the 19th century, it was a very lucrative business. Then, at the Great Exhibition in 1851, John Ashton exhibited a machine that could cheaply produce fabric-covered buttons and that was more or less the end of the demand for Dorset buttons. Continue reading »
Filed under Fashion | Tags: bimini, buttons, chanel, collecting, collecting buttons, dorset buttons, jasperware, lucie rie, the great exhibition, the victorians, wedgwood | Comment (0)Collecting Vintage Novelty Handbags
I can never understand why women these days are prepared to pay several thousand pounds for a high fashion handbag only to see thousands of other women with the same bag, when for a few hundred pounds they could have the most beautiful vintage novelty handbag. You could arrive at a party as a total stranger, but carry a 1950s vintage novelty handbag you would soon have lots of people to talk to. While nowadays the handbag is carried as a status symbol to flaunt your wealth the vintage novelty handbag expressed your personality. There was such a wealth of choice which meant that there was really a handbag to suit everyone.
The golden age of the novelty handbag was the 1950s and America lead the way. During the austerity of World War II fashion had to be functional rather than fun, but once it was over there was a demand for glamour and fun and the handbag designers did not disappoint. While French designers gave us the classic handbags from Hermes and Chanel American designers really let rip and their handbags were fabulous and great fun. They would make bags to match a particular flowery dress or, if you were going on vacation to the seaside, there would be bags decorated with shells and fish. Little wicker baskets were a favourite for the summer and if you are a collector of vintage novelty handbags you should look out for a Nantucket Lightship basket. They were handwoven in Massachusetts and are a great favourite with collectors. Prices depend on condition and on whether they are plain or decorated. You should expect to pay from £60 upwards -prices increase the better the condition and the more highly decorated they are. Continue reading »
Filed under Fashion | Tags: collecting vintage, collecting vintage novelty handbags, lucite, nantucket basket, novelty vintage handbags, poodle, vintage, vintage handbags, vintage novelty handbags | Comment (0)