Featured Finds Thread

Sure looks like! I'd have been on those too.

 

Many thanks Komokwa for the clarification.


I may have overpaid for this piece, but so what! I wanted it!

It's a Chinese gilt-brass and enameled (cloisonné-like) one thousand butterfly piece. I've never seen one constructed like this before, nor in this color palette; famille rose on a lime green ground (I assume they were trying to capture the celadon famille rose medallion look, similar to what's found on their export porcelains???).

The four feet are butterfly-shaped and both locking brackets are etched with butterflies. I love how they added the two etched stilts at rear so when the piece opens up, it doesn't tip over.

(***does anyone know how to get the greenies off the brass without damaging the enamel or gilt? I heard Ketchup works ???***)

(sorry about the poor images...)

 

Hi,
Ketchup and toothpicks
greg

 

I love it, love it, love it. Oh that is so pretty (and useful too).

 

That's really cool; I'd have jumped on it too at the right price.
And yes, ketchup works.

 

Nuff that is a beautiful looking piece!

 

Ketchup would only work because of the vinegar in it

Vinegar has more vinegar in it

But I don't have the patience for that

33-1/3% muriatic works wonders on brass and copper

 

Nice finds everyone!
Found these at a family run estate sale.
A 1940's wedding dress, vail and beaded purse, worn by grandma in 1943 on her wedding day. 2 Pairs of 14K pearl earrings. $10.50 for everything.

 

Ty, not sure the best place to sell the dress, but I just saw a bride's magazine somewhere and on the cover was the main article about the new trend of wearing "Vintage Bridal Gowns". Very pretty.

 

Beautiful! And what a bargain!

 

Thanks lucille.b and bakers! Very kind
Yes, I like it too. It's been well kept, but there are some rust spots near the bottom. I'll take it by my dry cleaners today, and see if they can get them out. When I search eBay for 40's wedding dress, there is quite a few out there So lots of competition
I like though, that it still has the vail, and the purse she used. Wish I had a picture of her wearing it.
Just got the earrings cleaned and identified, and they are a pretty good maker too, IPS Imperial Pearl Syndicate. Not quite Mikimoto, but pretty close in quality, and a heck of a deal for .25 cents each.

 

Thats gorgeous!!! If I had a extra dime or whatever it cost I woulda bit too, surely worth some mula

 

Tyeldom, I'll be interested to hear what the drycleaners say. I have a satin evening dress that might be from the 1930s... a friend gave it to me a long time ago, and it had belonged to her grandmother. However, it was on the floor in a basement somewhere, I heard. As I recall it has some rust and possibly water stains. Long ago I asked a drycleaner about it and they wouldn't touch it due to the chance of damage.

 

Hi fig, I'll let you know what they say.

 

Those kinds of garments are a bear to get cleaned; it usually requires someplace used to handling them. Dry cleaning fluid could eat some of the old clothes. If you have a local museum with a clothing department, I'd call and ask who they use.

 

Hi,
Back in 1980s I was in Chinatown NYC and there were a lot of second stores and "antique" shops. I found a wonderful 1920s silk satin wedding gown. The material was so superb and still shiny but had several brown stains. It was 30 bucks, I bought it and my wife tried it on. It fit her to a tee. A week later she wore it to a halloween party. A few weeks later a friend of ours who is a well known mens clothing designer called and wanted to come over. While we were visiting he let us know that he was getting married. Over the shock of that was the next request. He and his bride to be wanted to buy the wedding dress. I asked why in the world would they want the used "rag" and he responded that the cut, material could not be duplicated today. I said it has some rust stains and two missing buttons. he took it to the school where they train dry cleaners. The dress looked fabulous except for the missing buttons. The back had 35 tiny fabric buttons running down. His Mom who sewed found two buttons that size and cut a square inch out of the hem and covered and replaced the buttons. They got married and there were at least 40 clothing designers at the wedding, everyone gushed over the dress. I was so amused.
greg

 

Wedding dresses should be replaced with bikinis. Not only would everybody be able to get a better idea of what was on offer, but the 'dress' could then have a long and useful life as underwear or swimming gear, instead of being merely an instance of conspicuous consumption.

It would also be a great help to gossips, estimating the exact stage of the pregnancy and might help to deter the genetically undesirable mating of barrage balloons.
To cope with cold stone church floors I would have no objection to a pair of fur lined boots, with optional high heels.

Extension of this uniform to bridesmaids would be welcomed by all 'best men' for the tradition of 'get off with a bridesmaid' .

I can envisage some minor objections to this plan from the women concerned, since in general they do not pay for the redundant finery, but the wiser counsels of thier menfolk should prevail.

 

Score!(LOL) I don't have my grandmother's gown, it fell apart years ago, but the veil is here someplace. I always hoped if I got married that I'd be able to wear it. The head piece is made of wax flowers - and dates to 1921. They literally don't make 'em like they used to.

 

Hi Evelyb30,
My Gram's wedding dress was a size -2, no one could fit in it. My Aunt cut it up and made 9 scarves one for each grandchild. I still have mine and use it.
greg

 

LOL That's the problem with vintage wedding gowns; women were so darned TINY back then. One more reason to just wear the veil; I can fit into the veil! Some designers are adapting some of the older designs so that modern women can wear the clothes.