buy it and make it your own

New Inventory Added

2012-01-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-12-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-11-28T21:23:00.001-08:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-11-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-11-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-11-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-10-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-10-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

2011-10-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Newly posted Auctions and also available at:

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall

Space #136

14034 Ventura Blvd

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

(818) 906-0338

Focus On Style: Art Deco

2011-08-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

Art Deco ‎is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and jewelry, as well as the visual arts such as painting, graphic arts and film. The term "art deco" was first used widely in 1966, after an exhibition in Paris, 'Les Années 25' sub-titled Art Deco, celebrating the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) that was the culmination of style moderne in Paris. At its best, art deco represented elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity.

Art Deco's linear symmetry was a distinct departure from the flowing asymmetrical organic curves of its predecessor style art nouveau; it embraced influences from many different styles of the early twentieth century, including neoclassical, constructivism, cubism, modernism and futurism and drew inspiration from ancient Egyptian and Aztec forms. Although many design movements have political or philosophical beginnings or intentions, art deco was purely decorative.

We have included some examples of how you may incorporate Art Deco into your aesthetic at the slideshow below.

Focus On Style: Steampunk

2011-08-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

Steampunk is the intersection of technology and romance. It's fashion, an aesthetic, a genre of fiction, a musical style, and a burgeoning sub-culture.

Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually the Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.

Other examples of steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace's Analytical engine.

Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.

We have included some examples of how you may incorporate Steampunk into your aesthetic at the slideshow below.

Decorating with Vignettes

2011-08-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

One of the easiest ways to add designer zing to your home is to arrange objects into vignettes, or groupings, atop tables and shelves. A vignette makes a room look more polished and pulled together. Think of it as creating a beautiful still life. You can make a vignette on top of any flat surface: a dresser, table, bookshelf, countertop or window ledge. You can use accessories like vases, mirrors, plants, greenery, photos or other personal belongings to create a mood, just like a movie set designer does for a film.

One good way to select items for a vignette is to visit your local Antique Mall and shop for items that fall within your color palate and theme. When it comes time to decide which items to purchase, simply place the items together on a flat surface and edit. The more pieces you initially start with, the better for you wil find in the editing process, some items you thought would work, dont.

Here are eight tips for creating striking vignettes in your home:

1. Build your vignette around a light source. If your arrangement of objects is in a dark corner, it won't be seen and the effect will be lost. Try building your vignette around a lamp.

2. Choose objects to support the style and theme of your room. If your room is formal, a symmetrical design works best. If the room is casual, asymmetrical groupings are better.

3. Use color in your vignette to coordinate a room. Use items in shades that complement the dominant color in a room. Silk flowers or artificial fruit are good ways to introduce color into a grouping of items.

4. Display objects in odd numbers. Place several objects of similar shape, size and color together in odd numbers for maximum impact. Groups of three or five work particularly well and are stronger visually than a group of two or four.

5. Vary the height of the objects. Use small pedestals to elevate items. Try stacking books to create a platform for smaller objects.

6. Stick to a theme. Group candles, for example, or family vacation photos. If the vacation photos are from the beach, add a seashell.

7. Create depth. Place objects from the back of the flat surface to the front instead of in a straight line the length of the surface. Placing objects atop a mirror, or leaning them against a mirror that's on the wall, is an easy way to create a sense of dimension.

8. Vary the textures of objects. Mix hard and shiny accessories with rough and natural. Use weathered wood or iron architectural elements to introduce an unexpected texture. Photo frames, which come in finishes from shiny enamel to beaded, offer an array of texture options.

Cleopatrea 1963 Movie Set Piece

2011-08-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been going through a closet of mine and ran across this lovely carving which is said to be part of the 1963 "Cleopatra" movie set. With neither the patience to sit through the movie nor a mark, I purchased the piece based on its artistic merits. I was wondering if someone could verify that it was used in the movie and provide me a film still to verify.

Some information about the movie:

Cleopatra is a 1963 British-American-Swiss epic drama film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The screenplay was adapted by Sidney Buchman, Ben Hecht, Ranald MacDougall, and Mankiewicz from a book by Carlo Maria Franzero. The film starred Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Landau. The music score was by Alex North. It was photographed in 70 mm Todd-AO by Leon Shamroy and an uncredited Jack Hildyard.

Cleopatra chronicles the struggles of Cleopatra VII, the young Queen of Egypt, to resist the imperialist ambitions of Rome.

Despite being a critical failure, it won four Academy Awards. It was the highest grossing film of 1963, earning US $26 million ($57.7 million total), yet made a loss due to its cost of $44 million, the only film ever to be the highest grossing film of the year yet to run at a loss.

The film is infamous for nearly bankrupting 20th Century Fox. Originally budgeted at $2 million^, the budget eventually totaled up to $44 million — the equivalent of $320 million in 2010 dollars (see the List of most expensive films to produce), making the movie the third-most costly ever produced worldwide and the second most expensive in the United States after Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which had a budget of US$300 million (accounting for inflation in each case). This was partly due to the fact that the film's elaborate, complicated sets, costumes and props had to be constructed twice, once during a botched shoot in London and once more when the production relocated to Rome.

Filming began in London in 1960. Mankiewicz was brought into the production after the departure of the first director, Rouben Mamoulian; in the early stages of the project, before the casting of Elizabeth Taylor, Mamoulian is said to have favored African-American actress Dorothy Dandridge for the lead role. Mankiewicz inherited a film which was already $5 million over budget and had no usable footage to show for it. This was in part because the actors originally hired to play Julius Caesar (Peter Finch) and Mark Antony (Stephen Boyd) left due to other commitments. Mankiewicz was later fired during the editing phase, only to be rehired when no one else could piece the film together.

Elizabeth Taylor was awarded a record-setting contract of $1 million. This amount eventually swelled to $7 million due to the delays of the production, equivalent to over $47 million today. Taylor became very ill during the early filming and was rushed to an emergency room where a tracheotomy had to be performed to save her life. The resulting scar can be seen in some shots. All of this resulted in the film being shut down. The production was moved to Rome after six months as the English weather proved detrimental to her recovery, as well as being responsible for the constant deterioration of the costly sets and exotic plants required for the production. (The English sets were utilised for the spoof Carry On Cleo.) During filming, Taylor met Richard Burton and the two began a very public affair, which made headlines worldwide. Moral outrage over the scandal brought bad publicity to an already troubled production.

The cut of the film which Mankiewicz screened for the studio was six hours long. This was cut to four hours for its initial premiere, but the studio demanded (over the objections of Mankiewicz) that the film be cut once more, this time to just barely over three hours to allow theaters to increase the number of showings per day. As a result, certain details are left out of the film, such as Rufio's death and the recurring theme of Cleopatra's interaction with the gods of Egypt. Mankiewicz unsuccessfully attempted to convince the studio to split the film in two in order to preserve the original cut. These were to be released separately as Caesar and Cleopatra followed by Antony and Cleopatra. The studio wanted to capitalize on the publicity that the intense press coverage the Taylor-Burton romance was generating, and felt that pushing Antony and Cleopatra to a later release date was too risky. The film has been released to home video formats in its 243-minute premiere version, and efforts are under way to locate the missing footage (some of which has been recovered).

Any help identifying the provenance of this piece would be greatly appreciated.

Cowan Pottery Waylande Gregory "The Beaten Dog"

2011-08-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been going through a closet of mine and ran across this lovely sculpture by Waylande Gregory for Cowan Pottery. I was wondering if someone could tell me a good insurance value to place on this piece.

The "Beaten Dog" by Waylande Gregory; is based on a stray dog that the artist tried to nurse back to health, and it's believed that there are only three in existence. (The Cleveland Museum of Art and Western Reserve Historical Society each have one.) This find would bring the count to four.

One piece of Cowan Pottery that any collector would snatch up if money were no object is the famous "Jazz Bowl" by Viktor Schreckengost. Experts believe that there are about 50 bowls in existence with three different designs. In December of 2004, one of the bowls went for more than $250,000 at Sotheby's auction house. Being that there are only four of these dog's accounted for, I have a feeling that this piece may surpass the value of the "Jazz Bowl".

I have contacted Carol Jacobs who is the Curator of the Cowan Pottery Museum who stated the following in correspondence:

"According to the "Bible" of Cowan Pottery, Cowan Pottery and the Cleveland Schoolby Mark Bassett & Victoria Naumann (1997), the Beaten Dog was Gregory's most important animal sculpture. It was based on a stray dog that he owned and tried, unsuccessfully, to nourish back to health. It was created ca. 1931, and in fact won first place in ceramic sculpture at the Cleveland Museum of Art's annual May Show in 1931. It's original name was "The Waif," but it came to be known as "The Beaten Dog." I do not have any recent auction figures, so cannot give you any idea of valuation. But I do know that it is a fairly rare piece, and probably has significant value."

I have also contacted Mark Bassett who expressed interested in purchasing the piece and therefore would not be the appropriate person to ask about values.

Some information about the artist:

Waylande Desantis Gregory (1905 Baxter Springs, Kansas – 1971, New Jersey) was one of the most innovative and prolific American art-deco ceramics sculptors of the early twentieth century. His groundbreaking techniques enabled him to create monumental ceramic sculpture, such as the Fountain of the Atoms and Light Dispelling Darkness, which had hitherto not been possible. He was also an early seminal figure in the studio glass movement.

Waylande Gregory is one of the most influential ceramic sculptors of the 20th century, who had helped to shape the Art Deco period in America. Artistically, he had developed much of the art-deco sculptural visual vocabulary in American art. In one of his more notable pieces, Salome, the horror of the decapitated St. John the Baptist is secondary to the lyricism of the near linear rhythm of Salome’s dance of the seven veils, expressive of pure form and motion. He combines both the erotic dance of the seven veils simultaneously with the decapitated head of St. John on a silver platter. Unlike his contemporaries at Cowan studios who followed in the footsteps of Austrian modern pottery exemplified by the Wiener Werkstätte, Waylande Gregory sought to create a distinctly American form, for instance, his second sculpture of Henry Fonda, capturing in essence what he felt were the best American traits.

Technically, his most direct contributions include development of methods for the creation of monumental ceramic sculptural works, and the development of revolutionary glazing and processing methods. After he had moved to New Jersey and begun to work with the large kilns at Atlantic Terra Cotta, he began to develop new techniques which made monumental ceramic sculpture possible. Prior to Waylande Gregory, ceramic sculpture was limited in size due to the tendency for clay to slump after being formed without being supported by an armature of metal or wood. Other methods included sculpting the entire piece in clay and then going back and hollowing out the clay on the inside. This would lead to problems with sagging during firing, and tendency to crack. As a result, there were many limitations to the prior two techniques. By using a honeycomb method of building up the ceramic sculpture from the inside out, similar to the way that wasps build up their nests, he was able to form the sculpture as a self-supporting whole prior to firing, and his sculptures would go through the firing process successfully without cracking. Unlike other ceramicists, who would fire the sculpture to bisque, and then glaze, he would form, glaze and then fire the sculpture only once for the finished art work.

He never used factory-made glazes, grinding and mixing all of the glazes himself, carefully controlling firing temperatures as well as kiln atmosphere to achieve the effects that he desired. Among his innovations are compressing of glaze powder into a crayon for sfograffito, and a patented process for fusing glass and ceramic together in a crackle pattern

Any help identifying a value on this piece would be greatly appreciated.

DH Chiparus Art Deco Nude Wall Plaques

2011-08-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been going through a closet of mine and ran across these lovely Art Deco plaques and was wondering if someone could tell me a good insurance value to place on these.

DH Chaparus is very collectible and have no problem finding values for his figural statues online but am having difficulty pricing these wall plaques out. Because they were not sold on the free market and primarily used as building emblems, I feel they are rare.

Some information about the artist:

Demetre Haralamb Chiparus (also known as Dumitru Chipăruş; 16 September 1886, Dorohoi, Romania - 22 January 1947, Paris, France) was a Romanian Art Deco era sculptor who lived and worked in Paris.

Sculptures of Dimitri Chiparus represent the classical manifestation of Art Deco style in decorative bronze ivory sculpture. Traditionally, four factors of influence over the creative activity of the artist can be distinguished: Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, ancient Egyptian art, and French theatre. Early motion pictures were among his more notable subjects and were typified by figures with a long, slender, stylized appearance. Some of his sculptures were directly inspired by Russian dancers. For example, faces of “Persian Dance” figures reveal the likenesses of Vaslav Nijinsky and Ida Rubinstein, and the dress in “Starfish” exactly reproduces the sketch for Goldfish’s dress from the ballet “Underwater kingdom” by Lev Annensky. Chiparus could have been influenced by Russian ballets indirectly, through the performances of French music halls and cabarets which bore traces of the strong impact of Russian ballet. Quite often, Chiparus used the photos of Russian and French dancers, vedettes and models from fashion magazines of his time.

After the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in 1922, the art of ancient Egypt and the East came to French fashion and is also reflected in the creative activity of Chiparus. Several sculptures by Dimitri Chiparus and Claire Colinet represent queen Cleopatra and Egyptian dancers. The sculptures of Chiparus reflect his time and 1920-1930s sentiment of “folle”. Coming from the oldest French tradition of high-quality and extra-artistic decorative arts, the sculptures of Dimitri Chiparus combine elegance and luxury, embodying the spirit of the Art Deco epoch.

Collector interest in the work of Chiparus appeared in the 1970s and has flourished since the 1990s.

Any help identifying a value on these pieces would be greatly appreciated.

Reach a broader audience with Music

2011-08-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Want to reach a younger, broader customer base

while retaining that which you allready have?

I am tired of hearing the latest Oldies Station everyime I walk into an Antique or Thrift store. There are only so many times I can be inundated with The Beatles or Blondie. I have created a FREE jukebox below that is easy to install to your retail soundscape. Simply attatch speakers to your PC and click any track below to start playback. There are over 4 hours of tracks represented with no repeats or advertisements. Playback will depend upon your Bandwith size. I have tested this tool in several markets with nothing but praise.

So please spare us the repetition by connecting this tool and you will find your customers lingering longer and piurchasing more.

click any track below to listen

Car-mageddon Sale

2011-07-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of our participation
in the Annual Summer Sale with 15% OFF all items for those visiting

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall starting July 15th for a limited time.

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall
Space 136
14034 Ventura Boulevard
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-906-0338

Hours Of Operation:
Monday through Saturday: 11:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Antique Mall of West Seattle Basement

2011-07-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

Upon a recent visit to our space in the Basement od West Seattle's Antique Mall,

we have received information that many of you are having a hard time finding us.

We have met with the staff who assured us that they are available to direct you.

We understand that this is a challenge for the stairwell is somewhat hidden

and have always struggled with it as a challenge.

We want to remind you that you are more than welcome to stop at the front counter

and ask the staff to direct you to our hidden treasure trove

in the basement.

We want to apologize to those of you who have had difficulty finding us

and we are working on solutions to correct that.

Antique Mall of West Seattle

2011-07-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

New Items Added To Our Inventory.

Space 21 in the Basement

4516 California Avenue Southwest

Seattle, WA 98116-4111

(206) 935-9774

4 Hans Brattrud Hove Mobler Mid-Century Scandia Chairs

2011-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

4 Hans Brattrud for Hove Mobler Scandia Chairs
view item specifics HERE

Vintage and Antique Jewelry Added

2011-06-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

Mid Century Cubist Sculpture

2011-03-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

Mod Cubist Sculpture
view item specifics HERE

Folk Art Fertility Santos

2011-03-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Folk Art Fertility Totem
view item specifics HERE

Wood Industrial Artists Lay Form

2011-03-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Industrial Artists Form
view item specifics HERE

Medical Anatomy Models

2011-02-27T09:49:00.000-08:00

While botanical and zoological drawings and prints have long been celebrated as elegant and often attainable artworks, these days trendsetters are getting to the heart of the matter—literally. Designers are hanging medical charts in well-turned-out spaces and discerning shopkeepers are elevating anatomical models to objets d’art.

purchase Medical Objects HERE

Annual Holiday Open House

2010-12-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of our participation
in the Annual Holiday House Party with 15% OFF all items for those visiting

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall from the 3rd to 5th of December, 2010.

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall
Space 136
14034 Ventura Boulevard
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-906-0338

Hours Of Operation:
Monday through Saturday: 11:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Antique Mall West Seattle New Hours

2010-12-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of our new hours
for those wishing to shop our physical location at the Antique Mall Of West Seattle.

Antique Mall Of West Seattle
Space 21 in the Basement
4516 California Avenue Southwest
Seattle, WA 98116
206-935-9774

New Hours Of Operation:
Monday through Saturday: 11:00am to 7:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am to 6:00pm
* hours are subject to change without notice and encourage you to call in advance

Thank You

2010-11-24T08:19:00.000-08:00

As a special "Thank You" to those who have patronized us and one of our retail locations either in Sherman Oaks, California or Seattle, Washington, we are offering special savings on all on-line product for one-day only starting today.

shop us HERE

2010-11-24T08:00:00.001-08:00

Grading A Shopping Experience On e-bay

2010-11-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

We find that in most cases, buyers do not know the specifics on how to properly grade a members service. We have provided a guide below at the link provided to help you in providing the proper grade to the service you receive.

If there is a case in which you feel a seller has not provided 5 Star service in any of the categories noted below, please contact the seller prior to leaving a grade or feedback so that they may have the opportunity to rectify or explain any problems
you may have experienced.

View the Feedback Guide HERE

Antique Mall of West Seattle: No Bargaining

2010-11-01T13:29:00.001-07:00

In the past, we have always had a policy that we will always accept offers from patrons to our space in West Seattle Antique Mall. Recently Management of the Mall had made a decision to re-write the policy to one which no longer accepts offers for any items within the mall. Because we have received a large amount of feedback regarding this, we thought we should clarify that we had no say in the re-write of this policy and would like to apologize to our patrons who have enjoyed the option of haggeling for a price in the past. We hope this does not affect your decision to shop our space in the Basement of The Antique Mall of West Seattle for it does not necessarily reflect the opinions of ourselves as dealers. We will do our best to consider this new change in policy when pricing our items and encourage you to offer your complaints to the Management Staff of the mall.

More NEW Items Up For Auction

2010-11-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

More NEW Items Up For Auction

2010-10-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

Selling to the European Union via e-bay

2010-10-22T18:23:00.000-07:00

I have recently had a discussion with e-bay regarding a law that apparently exists in the European Union. Here is how the law breaks down:

Online shopping / Returning unwanted goods
7 days to cancel purchase for non-faulty goods
In the EU, you have the right to cancel your online purchase within seven working days. This seven-day "cooling off" period begins on the day when you receive your purchase. You can choose to cancel your order for any reason within this timeframe - even if you simply changed your mind. The seller must give you a refund within 30 days. This refund must include any shipping charges you paid when you made your purchase. This applies whenever you buy goods outside a shop (for example by phone, fax, or mail order, as well as on the internet). Although you have a right of refund, you will have to pay the postage costs of shipping goods bought online back to the seller.

Certain products excluded The seven-day "cooling off" period does not apply to: plane, train or concert tickets, or hotel booking , food and drink delivered to you by regular delivery (such as a milkman or supermarket delivery). . Private sales also excluded If you are purchasing goods from a private individual rather than a company, the transaction is not covered by the same consumer legislation. You do not have the legal right to change your mind within seven days of your order.

I relayed this information found HERE to the e-bay representative who stated the following:

"I have checked my resources, I have confirmed that since this site is not from our site, this cannot be applied to eBay policies.. We have our set of policies that we follow and since this site is not related to our site, this is not applicable to us."

She also referred me to the following:

United States User Agreement

United Kingdom User Agreement

What I was trying to find out from ebay was whether this law did exist and if I can proceed with a non-paying buyer claim without repercussion to the legal rights of anyone residing in the European Union. The way I read this general law is that if I sell something to someone residing within the European Union, they can change their mind on any purchase made within 7 days upon receipt and I would be out the shipping cost and fees associated with the purchasew such as those associated with listing the item and its final value which is generally 10% of the purchase price. Because I do not feel comfortable with the response given me and feel it is very vague and sounds like a legal response as to defer any responsibility in making a decision, I would like you to post your opinions regarding this.

More NEW Items Up For Auction

2010-10-15T10:07:00.001-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

Objects D'Art: Key To My Heart

2010-10-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Even though they are rarely used today, skeleton keys are plentiful at almost any flea market I have ever attended. Along with the keys pictured here, keyhole covers were mounted and framed to create a collection of graphic wall decor that seems to unlock at least one idea of what to do with these common vintage finds.

purchase completed frame sets HERE

The Basement at Antique Mall of West Seattle

2010-09-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

We have just added many new wonderful items
to our space in the basement at
The Antique Mall of West Seattle

Antique Mall of West Seattle
4516 Californa Way Southwest
Seattle, WA 98116

MORE New Items Up For Auction

2010-09-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

New Items Up For Auction

2010-09-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

New Items Up For Auction

2010-08-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

Mission Santa Barbara

2010-08-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

Mission Santa Barbara, also known as Santa Barbara Mission, is a Spanish Franciscan mission near present day Santa Barbara, California. It was founded December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, for the religious conversion of the indigenous local Chumash—Barbareño tribe of Native American people. The Mission grounds occupy a rise between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, and were consecrated by Father Fermín Lasuén, who had taken over the presidency of the California mission chain upon the death of Father Presidénte Junípero Serra. Mission Santa Barbara is the only mission to remain under the leadership of the Franciscan Friars since the day of its founding.

Mission Santa Barbara's name comes from the legend of Saint Barbara, a girl who was supposedly beheaded by her father for following the Christian Faith. The early missionaries built three different chapels during the first few years, each larger than the previous one. It was only after the great Santa Barbara Earthquake on December 21, 1812, which destroyed the existing buildings, that the construction on the current Mission was begun. It was completed and then dedicated in 1820. The towers were considerably damaged in the June 29, 1925 earthquake,[11] but were subsequently rebuilt in 1927. The appearance of the inside of the church has not been altered significantly since 1820.

Many elements of the Mission's extensive water treatment system, all built by Chumash Indians' labor (including aqueducts, two reservoirs, and a filter house) remain to this day, as does a grain mill; the larger reservoir, which was built in 1806 by the expedient of damming a canyon, has been incorporated into the City's water system. The original fountain and lavadero are also intact near the entrance to the Mission. A dam constructed in 1807 is situated in the current Santa Barbara Botanic Garden up "Mission Canyon." The Mission's tanning vats, pottery kiln, and guard house are all in ruins to this day.

In 1818, two Argentine ships under the command of the French privateer Hipólito Bouchard approached the coast and threatened the young town of Santa Barbara. The padres armed and trained 150 of the neophytes to prepare for attack. With their help, the Presidio soldiers confronted Bouchard, who sailed out of the harbor without attacking.

After the Mexican Congress passed An Act for the Secularization of the Missions of California on August 17, 1833 Father Presidente Narciso Durán transferred the missions' headquarters to Santa Barbara, thereby making Mission Santa Barbara the repository of some 3,000 original documents that had been scattered through the California missions. The Mission archive is the oldest library in the State of California that still remains in the hands of its founders, the Franciscans. Beginning with the writings of Hubert Howe Bancroft, the library has served as a center for historical study of the missions for more than a century.

Mission Saint Ines

2010-08-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

Mission Santa Inés (sometimes spelled Santa Ynez) was founded on September 17, 1804 by Father Estévan Tapís, who had succeeded Father Fermín Lasuén as President of the California mission chain. The Mission site was chosen as a midway point between Mission Santa Barbara and Mission La Purísima Concepción, and was designed to relieve overcrowding at those two missions and to serve the Indians living east of the Coast Range . Despite its name, the Mission is located at 1760 Mission Drive, Solvang, California.

The Mission was home to the first learning institution in Alta California. Most of the original church was destroyed on December 21, 1812 in an earthquake centered near Santa Barbara that damaged or destroyed most of California's missions. The quake also severely damaged other Mission buildings, but the complex was not abandoned. A new church, constructed with 5- to 6-foot thick walls and great pine beams brought from nearby Figueroa Mountain, was dedicated on July 4, 1817.

On February 21, 1824 a soldier beat a young Chumash Indian and sparked a revolt. Some of the Indians went to get the Indians from Missions Santa Barbara and La Purísima to help in the fight. When the fighting was over, the Indians themselves put out the fire that had started at the Mission. Many of the Indians left to join other tribes in the mountains; only a few Indians remained at the Mission. In 1833 the missions in California were secularized, and their land given in land grants to settlers.

Highwayman Jack Powers briefly took over Mission Santa Inés and the adjacent Rancho San Marcos in 1853, intending to rustle the cattle belonging to rancher Nicolas A. Den, but he was defeated in a bloodless armed confrontation. He was not to be ousted from the Santa Barbara area until 1855.

In 1843, California's Mexican governor granted 34,499 acres of Santa Ynez Valley land to the first Bishop of California, who established at the Mission the College of Our Lady of Refuge, the first seminary in California. The college was abandoned in 1881; by then the Mission was disintegrating. A family lived there in the 1890s and did some repairs, but much of the complex collapsed in 1894. The Danish town of Solvang was built up around the Mission proper in the early 1900s. It was through the efforts of Father Alexander Buckler in 1904 that reconstruction of the Mission was undertaken, though major restoration was not possible until 1947 when the Hearst Foundation donated money to pay the for project. The restoration continues to this day, and the Capuchin Franciscan Fathers take excellent care of the Mission. Today the Mission is an active parish; there is also a museum, gift shop and information center.

Universal Studios Los Angeles

2010-08-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

Universal Pictures (sometimes called Universal City Studios or Universal Studios for short), a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the six major movie studios.

Founded in 1912 by Carl Laemmle, it is one of the oldest American movie studios still in continuous production. On May 11, 2004, the controlling stake in the company was sold by Vivendi Universal to General Electric, parent of NBC. The resulting media super-conglomerate was renamed NBC Universal, while Universal Studios Inc. remained the name of the production subsidiary. In addition to owning a sizable film library spanning the earliest decades of cinema to more contemporary works, it also owns a sizable collection of TV shows through its subsidiary NBC Universal Television Distribution. It also acquired rights to several prominent filmmakers' works originally released by other studios through its subsidiaries over the years.

Carl Laemmle's entry into the motion picture production began in the industry's infancy. In 1905, while Laemmle searched for a place to open a clothing store in Chicago, he stumbled onto a line of people waiting to see a nickelodeon. Intrigued by the popularity of moving pictures, Laemmle changed careers and opened The White Front Theater. In one month Laemmle recouped his investment and opened a second theater with Robert Cochrane, a business associate. Laemmle expanded further with the Laemmle Film Service, which became the largest movie distributor in the country. By 1909 Laemmle and Cochrane were grossing $10,000 a week doing business in the Midwest and in Canada.

Laemmle and Cochrane's production of motion pictures stemmed from a dispute with the Motion Picture Patents Company, which had attained monopolistic power at the time. Finding himself with no motion pictures to exhibit, due to the rift with the patent company, Laemmle decided to make movies himself. The first effort of the Independent Motion Picture Company (IMP) involved a one-reel film entitled Hiawatha. Eventually, production would increase to an average of one film per week. The Universal Film Manufacturing Company was formed in 1912 when IMP merged with five other companies; Laemmle became president and Cochrane vice-president of the new concern.

Universal offered a variety of motion picture packages which allowed an exhibitor to show a different film every day. The Complete Service Plan, for example, included a two-reel comedy, a serial, and a feature film. In 1913 the company began to offer a regular newsreel titled The Universal Animated Weekly. Universal's first full-length feature film, Traffic In Souls (1913), grossed $0.5 million; the movie's real significance was in innovative editing and plot lines which gave the impression of simultaneously occurring events, a concept never before conveyed in film.

Universal expanded its movie making capacity with the opening of Universal City in 1914. Laemmle acquired the 230-acre Taylor Ranch north of the Hollywood Hills for $165,000, envisioning a studio as a city. Laemmle's promotion of the grand opening of Universal City, aimed primarily at theater owners, attracted thousands of people from the general public as well. The promotion stated that everyone should come to see how movies are made 'to make the people laugh or cry or sit on the edge of their chairs the world over.' The public was so fascinated with film making that Universal City offered organized tours for 25 cents apiece, which included a box lunch, and the company erected bleachers near the sets. About 500 people visited Universal City daily until the advent of sound movies required enclosed stages.

In 1915 Universal produced over 250 films, primarily two reel shows and serials, but also feature length films of over 70 minutes long. The company classified films according to budget and status. A Red Feather film and a Bluebird film received low and midrange budgets, respectively. A Jewel film involved a large budget and prestigious stars of the time, such as Harry Carey, Carmel Myers, and Rudolph Valentino, and directors such as Erich von Stroheim. John Ford helped to define the genre of American Westerns in the numerous films he directed after joining Universal in 1914.

New Items Up For Auction

2010-08-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

Newly Posted Auctions

2010-08-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

Apothecary	Sconce	Pedestal	Danish Table
Tibetan Statue	Cameras	Large Altar	Sculpted Bust
Candelabra	Globes	Entymology	Trunk
Primitives	Iconography	Art Pottery	Car Tags
Cock Art	Signs	Folk Art	Nautical
Folk Portrait	Grete Prytz	Sculpture	Carnival Glass

Focus On Style: Advertising Memorabilia

2010-08-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

Commercial or Graphic Art is generally produced for purposes such as advertising and packaging. An artist will generally illustrate or paint the original ad on paper only to be transferred to many surfaces such as paper, tin or wood once approved by the advertisor. Commercial art can include many genres of art and categories of art technique.

In the U.S., most outdoor signs made between 1890 and and 1950 were constructed of a base of heavy rolled iron, which was die cut into the desired shape, then coated with layers of colored powdered glass and fired in a kiln. This process made them durable and weather-resistant. Signs made this way were known as porcelain enamel signs or simply enamel signs.

Porcelain enamel signs originated in Germany and were imported into the U.S. They quickly became a staple of outdoor advertising across the country. Around 1900, designers experimented with bold colors and graphics on the signs and they were used to advertise everything from cigarettes and beer to farm equipment and tires. Early designs were stenciled, but American designers switched to silkscreens and started using a steel base instead of iron. Later, when porcelain enamel became too costly, tin bases were used instead of steel.

Now it is difficult to find antique porcelain enamel signs in excellent condition. Collectors pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars for each addition to their collections. Many of the signs were vandalized, discarded due to etching or crazing in the finish or melted down for the metal during World War II. After the war, the signs were too expensive to manufacture, so we are left with only the dazzling pieces that remain from the era.

Signs were later made of tin and other materials and painted with enamel paint. More of these types of signs remain, but they are often rusted, scratched and distressed. After WWII, “enamel” signs were simply enamel paint on a metal, usually tin, base.

There is a huge market for vintage signs and collectors must be wary of distressed reproductions. Often vintage signs are stamped with the date they were manufactured, while other times research and knowledge about antique signs may be required to discern a real antique from a knockoff.

More information available HERE

Focus On Style: Vintage Travel Posters

2010-08-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Art and Air travel are both meant to free human beings. One mentally, one physically. In best case of each form, we lose ourselves from the mundane reality. A 18th Dynasty Egyptian limestone statue may transform our mind of being into a remote ancient civilization; and an exotic place, with its unique smells, colors, and customs, invigorates our sense and sensibility. When the two comes together, we find the pleasure in the artistic quality of vintage airline posters.

If travel posters have seen a great surge in demand because of their sensual beauty of natural or urban scenes, airline posters, still affordable in the vintage poster market, may call for a more determined mindset who sees that the virtue of these pictures also reside in the instilled old-fashioned loyalty.

visit the poster gallery HERE

Focus On Style: Hollywood Regency

2010-08-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

When designers from Hollywood's Golden Age, like William Haines and Dorothy Draper, encouraged West Coast film luminaries to decorate their home with overtones of glitz and glamour, a new design style emerged. The 1930s Hollywood Regency style was a favorite of celebrities ranging from actress Joan Crawford to the future First Lady, Nancy Reagan.

Hollywood Regency design, however, is not a relic of the past. The over-the-top style is not just for the rich and famous; a modern version is surging in popularity, fueled by designers like Kelly Wearstler. Shawn Henderson, design director for the online auction site www.eBay.com, says there's no denying the high Hollywood style is back. "Hollywood Regency has spiked in sales," Henderson says. "Recently a William 'Billy' Haines cabinet sold on eBay for $7,500."

Not everyone can afford original Haines pieces, but elements of Hollywood Regency style are within reach for even the most budget-minded decorator. Here's how to adapt a few Hollywood Regency elements to your home decor.

Going Hollywood Regency is all about the details, says interior decorator and furniture designer Barclay Butera. "The wonderful fabrics, fringe on lampshades, chandeliers with crystals — Hollywood Regency style is about glamour, but so much is found in the wonderful details," he says.

Designer Kristan Cunningham, star of HGTV's Design on a Dime, says for those working on a budget, jazzing up thrift pieces is also about having an eye for detail. "If your grandma gave you an over-the-top brass chandelier, replace the flame-tip bulbs with mod opaque globe bulbs," she says. "It creates the juxtaposition of 'super clean with super fussy' that is so relevant in Hollywood Regency."

More information available HERE

Focus On Style: Pieces Of Flair

2010-08-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Pieces Of Flair are nothing more than a bunch of custom pinback buttons. Pinback buttons have seen a wide variety of uses in a number of different applications. One classic icon of political campaigns, for example, is the campaign button. Typically, campaign buttons are nothing more than a pinback button with a slogan or picture of the candidate seeking election.

Pinback buttons have been in use for a number of years and some are quite popular as collector’s items. A number of rock bands in the 70’s sold 1” inch pinback buttons with the band’s logo or name. This tradition has increased as more and more bands search for cheap ways to promote and advertise themselves. A visit to the local mall will inevitably bring someone face to face with a teenager who has festooned his or her hat or backpack with a number of pinback buttons supporting their favorite bands or offering an ironic comment.

Pinback buttons are easily the standard for novelty buttons, although there are some variances. According to Keith Brown of American Button Machines, one of the leading online wholesalers of button machines and related supplies, “Novelty buttons have a number of uses. They can be used as refrigerator magnets, key chains, ponytail holders, pocket mirrors, and bottle openers. Pinback buttons are available in various sizes, making them useful for a number of different applications.”

New Items Up For Auction

2010-08-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

New items up for auction HERE

Top 5 Antique Trends

2010-08-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

According to the Antique and Collectible index, these are the current trends in the market.

	Folk Art and Primitives Art typically created by people who have little or no formal artistic training who use techniques and styles that represent a particular region or culture.
	Fiesta Dinnerware Fiesta, or Fiestaware, is a line of open-stock ceramic dinnerware glazed in differing solid colors manufactured and marketed by the Homer Laughlin China Company of Newell, West Virginia.
	Betty Boop Memorabilia Betty Boop was the first truly feminine cartoon character appearing in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop series of films produced by Max Fleischer. With her overt sexuality,
	Vintage Dress/Suit Patterns Thanks to stylish shows like MAD MEN, both women and men handy with a needle and thread are picking up these patterns to re-create the style of Dick and Betty Draper at home and on a budget.
	Vintage Toys and Arcade Banks Tonka, Buddy L and Lionel... We all had them as kids and want to carry on the tradition with our children.

Summer Sale Going On Now

2010-08-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

There is a lingering depth and undeniably majestic quality about summer. It’s often the boldest of seasons, the loudest of extremes. Summer is rarely pensive, preferring to embrace the upbeat and optimistic. Indeed, if one thinks back to the days of childhood summers, weeks of unbridled possibility at your feet, it seems as though anything could have taken place under the ever watchful eye of a glistening sun – and sometimes, if you were especially lucky, it seems as though it did.

In celebration of Summer, we are offering an extra 15% off our physical inventory at Space #136 in Sherman Oaks Antique Mall. Savings good now through August 15th.

So You Want To Be An Antique Dealer

2010-08-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

So what type of stock should you choose to sell as an antiques dealer? Firstly I would say choose to deal in what you are interested in, what you love and what you collect. You are going to spend a lot of time with your stock. To be successful you need to become an expert in your area, you need to have enthusiasm for your items to sell them. This would be quite difficult if you are trying to deal in something which you do not care for. When I first started I knew that I wanted to spend all day working with beautiful old things but was not sure what to specialise in. I had hear advice from long term dealers to learn about one or two areas and specialises but found it difficult to choose. I bought all kinds of stock from small furniture, textiles, glass, ceramics and even modern collectables. This gave me a great broad grounding which serves me well today however I would probably have been more successful sooner if I had specialised sooner. The choice is yours. Having said that specialisation is the best way to be successful as an antiques dealer there are many thousands of general antiques dealers who will just buy up any stock as long as it is cheap and then pass it on with a small profit. It can be great fun but it requires an awful lot of hard work and long hours to make a living.

When you are choosing your specialisation think about the requirements of the different types of stock. Furniture needs a lot of space and a Van, Ceramics need to be stored and moved careful so they dont break and high end Antique Jewellery requires a lot of capital and very good security. Paper ephemera needs to be kept somewhere damp free – just to give a few examples. On-line trading needs good computer skills and you need to be very organised if you are going to make a living that way . Think about the stock and how you are physically going to handle and store it and the special needs your stock might have.

The type of stock you deal in will also influence where you trade from. The average antiques and collectables fair tends to be full of stalls selling ceramics, glass, Jewellery, textiles and smaller furniture. High end antiques fairs which set up over several days have more furniture as do the larger trade fairs such as the Newark antiques fair. If you are selling small specialist items then the Internet is a good choice as you can reach a far wider international audience.

Seattle

2010-07-31T10:36:00.001-07:00

Seattle is the northernmost major city in the continental United States, and the largest city in the Pacific Northwest and in the state of Washington. A seaport situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound (an arm of the Pacific Ocean) and Lake Washington, about 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canada – United States border, it is named after Chief Seattle, of the Duwamish and Suquamish native tribes. Seattle is the center of the Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metropolitan statistical area, the 15th largest in the United States, and the largest in the northwestern United States. Seattle is the county seat of King County and is the major economic, cultural and educational center in the region. As of April 2009, the city's population was approximately 617,000 within a metropolitan area of 4,158,000. The Port of Seattle and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport are major gateways to Asia, Alaska, and the rest of the world.

Seattle is on the I-5 corridor, about 170 miles (270 km) north of Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington and 140 miles (230 km) south of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. The city of Victoria, British Columbia's capital, is about 110 miles (180 km) to the northwest (about 90 miles (140 km) by passenger ferry) while the eastern Washington hub city of Spokane lies 280 miles (450 km) to the east.

The Seattle area has been inhabited for at least 4,000 years, but white settlement began only in the mid-19th century. The first permanent European-descended settlers, Arthur A. Denny and those subsequently known as the Denny Party, arrived November 13, 1851. Early settlements in the area were called "New York-Alki" ("Alki" meaning "by and by" in Chinook Jargon) and "Duwamps". In 1853, Doc Maynard suggested that the main settlement be renamed "Seattle", an anglicized rendition of the name of Sealth, the chief of the two local tribes. From 1869 until 1982, Seattle was known as the "Queen City". Seattle's current official nickname is the "Emerald City", the result of a contest held in 1981; the reference is to the lush evergreen forests of the area. Seattle is also referred to informally as the "Gateway to Alaska", "Rain City", and "Jet City", the last from the local influence of Boeing. Seattle residents are known as Seattleites.

Seattle is the birthplace of rock legend Jimi Hendrix and the rock music style known as "grunge," which was made famous by local groups Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam. Bruce Lee and his son Brandon are both buried at Lakeview cemetery.

Seattle has a reputation for heavy coffee consumption; coffee companies founded or based in Seattle include Starbucks, Seattle's Best Coffee, and Tully's. There are also many successful independent artisanal espresso roasters and cafes.

San Francisco

2010-07-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,977. The only consolidated city-county in California, it encompasses a land area of 46.7 square miles (121 km2) on the northern end of the Sa...n Francisco Peninsula, giving it a density of 17,323 people/mi² (6,688.4 people/km²). It is the most densely-settled large city (population greater than 200,000) in California and the second-most densely populated large city in the United States. San Francisco is anchor to the 13th-largest metropolitan area in the country, containing 4.3 million, and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.4 million people.

In 1776, the Spanish established a fort at the Golden Gate and a mission named for Francis of Assisi on the site. The California Gold Rush in 1848 propelled the city into a period of rapid growth, increasing the population in one year from 1,000 to 25,000, and thus transforming it into the largest city on the West Coast at the time. After three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later. During World War II, San Francisco was the port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater. After the war, the confluence of returning servicemen, massive immigration, liberalizing attitudes, and other factors led to the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement, cementing San Francisco as a center of liberal activism in the United States.

Today, San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination, renowned for its chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture and its famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and Chinatown. The city is also a principal banking and finance center, and the home to more than 30 international financial institutions, helping to make San Francisco eighteenth place in the world's top producing cities, ninth in the United States, and fifteenth place in the top twenty Global Financial Centers.

Santa Monica Pier

2010-07-31T09:45:00.001-07:00

Santa Monica has had several piers over the years, however the current Santa Monica Pier is actually two adjoining piers that long had separate owners. The long, narrow Municipal Pier opened 9 September 1909, primarily to carry sewer pipes beyond the breakers, and had no amenities. The short, wide adjoining Pleasure Pi...er to the south, a.k.a. Newcomb Pier, was built in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff and his son Arthur, amusement park pioneers.

The Carousel was built in 1922 on the Pleasure Pier and features 44 hand-carved horses. It was rebuilt in 1990 inside the Looff Hippodrome. A calliope provides musical accompaniment.

The La Monica Ballroom opened in 1924 and closed in 1962. The La Monica Ballroom became home to Spade Cooley in the early fifties. From 1958 until 1962 it served as a roller skating rink, first as Skater's Ballroom and then Santa Monica Roller Rink. The speed skating club won many state and regional championships. The bridge to the pier and entry gate were built in 1938 by the federal Works Project Administration, and replaced the former grade connection.

The Looff Pier, then known as Newcomb Pier, was acquired by the city in the 1953. In the 1960s various plans were proposed that would entail removal of the pier. The strangest one called for the construction of an artificial island with a 1500-room hotel. It was approved by the City Council, but citizens formed "Save the Santa Monica Bay" to preserve the pier. The outstanding order to raze the pier was revoked by the city council in 1973. That same year the Carousel and Hippodrome were memorable sets in the film The Sting, although the story was set in Chicago.

In the 1950’s Enid Newcomb suggested to family friend Morris “Pops” Gordon that his two sons, George and Eugene, purchase and operate the Pier’s arcade. It didn’t take much persuasion, for the Gordons instantly took to the Pier and ultimately made Playland Arcade into the Pier’s longest running enterprise offering the day’s contemporary games alongside those of yesterday, providing inexpensive entertainment to a diverse crowd. George’s daughters Marlene and Joanie have kept the business within the family, and the next generation of Gordons is already in training to maintain the family tradition.

Mexican Paper Mache Dolls

2010-07-31T08:51:00.000-07:00

I used the word “peculiar” to describe these dolls for several reasons. For one thing, they only seem to be available in the spring of the year around Easter time. There are several sizes but no matter what the size they all seem to have come from the same general mold or they were all modeled after the same person. Most have dark painted hair but some have light brown or blonde hair and they have moveable arms and legs. They all seem to have the same face which is painted to look like a woman wearing a lot of makeup. They appear to be wearing an old style one piece bathing suit which is usually either green or lavender or blue with a bright circular design painted on the chest and incorporating a lot of shiny glitter. They usually have a necklace made of glitter and painted-on earrings. Sometimes there is also a woman’s name painted on the chest. Many of the ladies that I talk to who are fifty and older look at these dolls with great nostalgia and fondness because they remember receiving one almost every year at Easter when they were little girls. Being made out of papier mâché they were fairly bedraggled by the end of a year and so they were replaced annually by a kind mother and father. I have also heard these dolls referred to at various times as “muñecas de Salamanca”, “muñecas de carnival”, “Las Lupitas”, “muñecas de cabaret”, and unfortunately “muñecas de puta”. I say unfortunately because the phrase “muñeca de puta” means “whore doll” or “prostitute doll”.

text courtesy: http://mexicobob.blogspot.com

Make It Yourself: Word Clock

2010-07-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

I saw a cool clock on the Make Blog the other day and thought 'Hey - I can make one of those', so here it is! There are two new photos of a completed clock kit, mounted in an enclosure, and hanging in my dining room. The clock module in the center is 150mm x 150mm, and the enclosure surround is 300mm x 300m craftwood, painted with automotive paint. I think that it looks really great! I am now able to sell all sorts of components, ranging from complete clocks, through to kits, through to individual modules and components. Please visit my web site www.dougswordclock.com for further information.

A Word Clock - More DIY How To Projects

Do It Yourself: Cleaning Old Cameras

2010-07-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

For those of you that use or collect old cameras, here is a lesson on how to keep them in great working order. When your camera shows dust and lenses get blurry, follow the simple guide below.

How to clean your old Kodak dualflex II - More DIY How To Projects

Make It Yourself: Plastic Mobile

2010-07-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

We use billions of plastic bottles every year, at a huge environmental expense. The folks at craftingagreenworld.com have compiled 10 things you can make from your plastic waste.

Divert plastic from the waste stream entirely by turning those old bottles into something new HERE.

Make It Yourself: Ink Blot T-Shirt

2010-07-31T08:11:00.000-07:00

Make a t-shirt in the style of a Rorschach ink-blot. The resulting design will be essentially random but laterally symmetrical.

Ink Blot T-shirt - More DIY How To Projects

Make It Yourself: Personal Applause Sign

2010-07-31T08:04:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, people have been neglecting to applaud my myriad accomplishments. I could not abide by this and henceforth set out to resolve this issue. The solution wasn't immediately obvious, but after mulling it over for a while, it suddenly hit me. People have been culturally conditioned to clap for light-up signs that read "APPLAUSE."From that moment on, it became clear to me that I had to make my own light up "APPLAUSE" sign that I could wirelessly trigger whenever the moment necessitated a round of admiration. And let me tell you, it works like a charm. You can get people to applaud you for almost anything.I feel that this notion is really catching on. People are always asking me how they can make their own applause sign. There is a much larger admiration deficit in this world than I had initially anticipated. So, as a community service, I am sharing how people can make their own personal applause sign and seek the blind adulation they so rightly deserve.

Personal Applause Sign - More DIY How To Projects

Antique 18th Century Wood Carved Religious Iconography

2010-03-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

Santos, or "bultos" as they are also known, are devotional statues which were generally carved from wood and embellished with gesso, polychrome and sometimes gold "estodfado." These figures were often vested in fine silk costumes with elaborately detailed embroideries. Much like retablos, santos were displayed and venerated in home altars and churches. The range in style is enormous, as broad as the myriad of Catholic saints which they represent. Our hand selected pieces are generally dated to the 18th and 19th centuries and demonstrate a historical relationship with an old world.

view and purchase our Wood Carved Religious Statuaries HERE

Vintage Medical Charts, Models and Apothecary

2010-03-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

Franz Frohse, of the University of Berlin, created a series of anatomical drawings which, because of their accuracy and clarity, were quickly adopted for instruction in this country. Commerce was interrupted at the outbreak of World War I, and these German illustrations, much in demand for medical instruction, were reproduced in the United States. The American Frohse Anatomical Charts were copyrighted in 1918 and became the classroom standard.

view and purchase our Medical Memorabilia HERE

Antiques and Collectibles For Sale

2010-03-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

New Items now available in our online marketplace.

view and purchase our items HERE

Elaborate Brass Lined Trinket Jewelry Box

2010-02-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

Elaborate Brass Lined Trinket Jewelry Box
view item specifics HERE

Graphic PHILIPS Porcelain Enamel Sign

2010-02-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Graphic PHILIPS Porcelain Enamel Sign
view item specifics HERE

Jain Carnival Glass Tumble-Up Juice Set

2010-02-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

Jain Tumble-Up Juice Set
view item specifics HERE

Murano Era Handblown Cased Glass Pitcher

2010-02-27T08:56:00.000-08:00

Murano Era Handblown Cased Glass Pitcher
view item specifics HERE

Industrial Chic

2010-02-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

I've been noticing a trend the last several months that is being labeled "Industrial Chic" - a design style that loves metal, wire, hardware, patina (including rust!), the colors black, white, brown and gray, and any item that brings an almost steampunk type of feeling to interior spaces. It's pretty int...eresting, being ...far far away from vintage kitsch, shabby chic, cottage style and other popular design trends, but borrowing from the more sparse mid-century modern decor that plays up clean (yet interesting) lines and shapes. I poked around to see what was out there being targeted toward this emerging trend.

Vintage Industrial Eames Era Desk Lamp
view item specifics HERE

Deco Nude Male Atlas Statue

2010-02-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Deco Nude Male Atlas Statue
view item specifics HERE

Pair Chic Rustic Cabin Lamps

2010-02-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

Pair Chic Rustic Cabin Lamps
view item specifics HERE

Art Deco FrankArt Sarsaparilla Sconce Lamp

2010-02-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Art Deco FrankArt Sarsaparilla Sconce Lamp
view item specifics HERE

Black Modernist Perpetual Face Vase

2010-02-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

Black Modernist Perpetual Face Vase
view item specifics HERE

Large Vintage Dental Demonstration Model

2010-02-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

Large Vintage Dental Demonstration Model
view item specifics HERE

Vintage Optical Eye Optometry Model

2010-02-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

Vintage Optical Eye Optometry Model
view item specifics HERE

New Feature Added To Online Store

2009-11-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

Now you can easily keep track of new and recent additions to our inventory. We have added a "Featured" page to keep up on our latest offerings.

see how it works HERE

Focus On Style: Devotional Art

2009-11-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

Purchase Devotional Art HERE

Santos, or "bultos" as they are also known, are devotional statues which were generally carved from wood and embellished with gesso, polychrome and sometimes gold "estodfado." These figures were often vested in fine silk costumes with elaborately detailed embroideries. Much like retablos, santos were displayed and venerated in home altars and churches. The range in style is enormous, as broad as the myriad of Catholic saints which they represent Our hand selected pieces are generally dated to the 18th and 19th centuries and demonstrate a historical relationship with an old world. We appreciate the opportunity to provide enthusiasts and collectors a unique resource for one of a kind 18th and 19th century antiques from around the world.

Art Deco Convexed Enamel Sign

2009-11-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

Art Deco Convexed Enamel Sign
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Old Steel Railway Steamer Trunk Travel Storage Luggage

2009-11-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

Old Steel Railway Steamer Trunk
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Old 34" Carved Primitive Wood Santos Altar Relief

2009-11-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

Old 34" Carved Primitive Wood Santos Altar Relief
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Art Deco Machine Age Bahaus Dual Desk Lamp

2009-11-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

Art Deco Machine Age Bahaus Dual Desk Lamp
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1800s Lifesize Wood Carved Christ Icon

2009-10-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

1800s Lifesize Wood Carved Christ Icon
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Large Shawnee Salt/Pepper Shakers

2009-10-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Large Shawnee Salt/Pepper Shakers
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John L Sullivan Champion Folk Art Boxer Statue

2009-10-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

John L Sullivan Champion Folk Art Boxer Statue
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Wood Carved Folk Art Lion

2009-10-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Wood Carved Folk Art Lion
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Blenko Art Glass Decanter

2009-10-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

Blenko Art Glass Decanter
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World War Trench Art Frame

2009-10-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

World War Trench Art Frame
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Folk Art Bird Carved Relief

2009-10-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

Folk Art Bird Carved Relief
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Tall Rare Old Carved Wood Santos Saint St Sebastian

2009-10-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Tall Rare Old Carved Wood Santos Saint St Sebastian

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Large Wood Carved Altar Bouquets

2009-10-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

Large Wood Carved Altar Bouquets

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Rare Soda Thumbs Up Cola Enamel Sign

2009-10-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

Rare Soda Thumbs Up Cola Enamel Sign view item specifics HERE

Rare Soda Jaffe Orange Cola Tin Sign

2009-10-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

Rare Soda Jaffe Orange Cola Tin Sign

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Photography and Photojournalism

2009-09-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Purchase Art Photography HERE
Photography (pronounced /fәˈtɒɡrәfi/[1]) (from Greek φωτο and γραφία) is the process, activity and art of creating still or moving pictures by recording radiation on a sensitive medium, such as a photographic film, or an electronic sensor. Light patterns reflected or emitted from objects activate a sensitive chemical or electronic sensor during a timed exposure, usually through a photographic lens in a device known as a camera that also stores the resulting information chemically or electronically. Photography has many uses for business, science, art and pleasure.

Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast) that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, and in some cases to video used in broadcast journalism or for personal use. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (such as documentary photography, street photography or celebrity photography) by the qualities of:

Timeliness — the images have meaning in the context of a recently published record of events. Objectivity — the situation implied by the images is a fair and accurate representation of the events they depict in both content and tone. Narrative — the images combine with other news elements to make facts relatable to the viewer or reader on a cultural level.

Like a writer, a photojournalist is a reporter but he or she must often make decisions instantly and carry photographic equipment, often while exposed to significant obstacles (physical danger, weather, crowds).

Art Deco

2009-09-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Purchase Art Deco Design HERE
Art Deco was a popular international art design movement from 1925 until the 1940s, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts, and film. At the time, this style was seen as elegant, glamorous, functional, and modern.

The movement was a mixture of many different styles and movements of the early 20th century, including Neoclassical, Constructivism, Cubism, Modernism, Art Nouveau, and Futurism. Its popularity peaked in Europe during the Roaring Twenties and continued strongly in the United States through the 1930s. Although many design movements have political or philosophical roots or intentions, Art Deco was purely decorative.

Art Deco experienced a decline in popularity during the late 30s and early 40s, and soon fell out of public favor. It experienced a resurgence with the popularization of graphic design in the 1980s. Art Deco had a profound influence on many later artistic movements, such as Memphis and Pop art.

Surviving examples may still be seen in many different locations worldwide, in countries as diverse as the United Kingdom, Spain, Cuba, Indonesia, the Philippines, Romania, New Zealand, India and Brazil. Many classic examples still exist in the form of architecture in many major cities. The Empire State Building and The Chrysler Building, both in New York City, are two of the largest and best-known examples of the style.

Folk Art

2009-09-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

Purchase Folk Art HERE
Antique Folk Art is distinguished from traditional art in that while it is collected today based mostly on its artistic merit; it was never intended as a category to be art for art’s sake. Examples include: weathervanes, old store signs and carved figures, itinerant portraits, carousel horses, fire buckets, painted game boards, cast iron doorstops and many other similar lines of highly collectible "whimsical" antiques.

Mid-Century Modern

2009-09-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Purchase Mid-Century Design HERE

Mid-Century Modern is an architectural, interior and product design form that generally describes mid-20th century developments in modern design, architecture, and urban development from roughly 1933 to 1965. The term was coined in 1983 by Cara Greenberg for the title of her ground-breaking book, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s (Random House), celebrating the style which is now recognized by scholars and museums worldwide as a significant design movement. Mid-century architecture was a further development of Frank Lloyd Wright's principles of organic architecture combined with many elements reflected in the International and Bauhaus movements.

Mid-century modernism, however, was much more organic in form and less rectilinear than the International Style. Scandinavian designers and architects were very influential at this time, with a style characterized by simplicity, democratic design and natural shapes. Like many of Wright's designs, Mid-Century architecture was frequently employed in residential structures with the goal of bringing modernism into America's post-war suburbs. This style emphasized creating structures with ample windows and open floor-plans with the intention of opening up interior spaces and bringing the outdoors in. Many Mid-century houses utilized then-groundbreaking post and beam architectural design that eliminated bulky support walls in favor of walls seemingly made of glass. Function was as important as form in Mid-Century designs, with an emphasis placed specifically on targeting the needs of the average American family. Examples of residential Mid-Century modern architecture are frequently referred to as the California Modern style

Tin Diet Beer Advertisement Calendar

2009-09-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Tin Diet Beer Advertisement Calendar

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Early Folk Art Portrait Painting

2009-09-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Early Folk Art Portrait Painting view item specifics HERE

Native American Tribal Painting

2009-09-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Native American Tribal Painting view item specifics HERE