Ruby vintage begins here
June 2014
Published by
Best-selling author and photographer Mary Randolph Carter offers a solution in this month’s issue. Her latest book Never Stop to Think...Do I Have a Place for This (Rizzoli, May 2014) delves into the philosophy of “our universal desire to acquire” and suggests a variety of creative ways to integrate our passions into the décor of our homes. As a longtime Creative Director of Ralph Lauren, she has a knack for discovering and using flea market and antique finds (readers will also enjoy her books For the Love of the Old and Junk series) and how to live creatively with both collections and clutter. After reading her interview with writer Candace Ord Manroe, I realize summer is the ideal time to pull my boxes out of storage and rearrange my collections. June is also the perfect time for weddings and we are thrilled to feature Lauren Kay, Style Editor of the popular wedding website The Knot.com. Sharing her insights with writer Elizabeth Betts Hickman on the perfect vintage wedding, it is evident the trend is still going strong. I have already attended two barn-style weddings this year and they are a delightful departure from the expected. Here’s to the start of a wonderful summer! Happy Collecting! Cathy Whitlock Editor-in-Chief cathy@rubylane.com
Letter from the Editor
Photo credit: Russ Harrington
The urban dictionary describes the term pack rat as “a person who stores anything they acquire and will discard none of it,” and can easily apply to those of us who fall into the category of collector. Whether your cherished items are by design, inherited or gifted, the challenge of where to display and find a home for them remains a constant.
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Table of Contents
6 Thomas Johnson Publisher and Founder
Cathy Whitlock Editor-in-Chief cathy@rubylane.com
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Marcia Sherrill Creative Director
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Jeff Shotwell
Imagine It! Media, Inc Art Director
Art Escobedo
Imagine It! Media, Inc Graphic Design/Layout
Palmer Pekarek
Advertising Sales palmer@rubylane.com
Elizabeth Betts Hickman Candace Ord Manroe Courtney Sconza Contributing Writers
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Ruby Lane is the premier online community of over 2,500 individually-owned shops from around the world offering antiques & art, vintage collectibles and jewelry. Š Ruby Lane 2014 | Š Ruby Read 2014 Copyright Notice All written content and photo images are the property of Ruby Lane unless otherwise noted and credited. Kindly do not copy or reuse in print form unless you have written consent.
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3 6
Letter from the Editor Honor Thy Father Father’s Day Finds
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Marcia Sherrill
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Vintage Interior Design
Must Haves
Mary Randolph Carter
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Wedding Style
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Vintage Entertaining
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Summer Entertaining
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Shop Owner Spotlight
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Vintage Lighting
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The Calendar
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Finis
Vintage Wedding
The Wedding Table
A Picnicking We Go
Preservation Station
Let There Be Light
Upcoming Events
A Tisket A Tasket
Father’s Day Finds
HONOR THY
FATHER
Celebrate this Father’s Day on Sunday, June 15th with something your dad or grandfather will love - the gift of vintage. Forget the standard tool or electronic item - think out of the box and select an unusual item from our shops.
©iStock.com/4774344sean
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Fine 14K Men’s Hamilton Wristwatch, circa 1960s
Men’s Three-piece Suit 1970s
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Men’s Toiletry Box
Lucky Elephant Sterling Silver Belt Buckle
Vintage c 1900 KNOX Straw Mens Boater Hat 8
1930s - 40s Vintage Beau Brummel “Silk” Scarf
1948 Longines 14K Gold Men’s Vintage Watch
Hampden Chronometer 21 Jewel Railroad Pocket Watch 9
Marcia’s Must Haves
The
LIST
Ruby Read Brand Advisor and Creative Director, Marcia Sherrill, is both a fashion and interior designer. A member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, she sells her accessories and home furnishings lines worldwide. Marcia shares with us her absolute Must Haves from the shops of Ruby Lane.
1 Wonderful Vintage 1950s Tomato Red Felt Poodle Skirt I am digging this 1950s red felt poodle skirt and it even has poodles prancing all around the hem. I would prefer a French bulldog but I love that the poodles are prancing about which adds to its whimsy. This one I may save and wear when I appear on QVC in China.
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Chatelaine Cut Glass Perfume Bottle Ruby Red 1880s
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Simply WOW! I can wear this chatelaine faceted perfume bottle as a ring on my finger or dangling from my belt or just stash it in my purse and bring it out for maximum effect. Now how do I break open a Hermès perfume bottle and pour the fragrance in?
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Red! Bob Mackie Designer Jeweled Halter Party Evening Dress I LOVED Bob Mackie and still grieving over his passing but what better way to celebrate this extraordinary designer’s life than by wearing this iconic dress? I adore the jeweled racer back haltertop and can wiggle my way right into it. Bob designed for Judy Garland and daughter Liza Minnelli as well as most famously for Cher. He is missed. 11
4 Amazing 1930s Red Milan Straw Vintage Cartwheel Hat For Royal Ascot, I will be sporting this amazing gem of a hat. With its wide brim and 4-streamer ribbon, this 1930s jewel is in perfect condition and it rivals the best of our milliners. Move over ladies who wear Phillip Treacy hats - this one is a star.
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1960s Red & White Taffeta Evening Gown With Sash And Beaded Bodice This is the perfect dress for a southern (and I mean Alabama for me) summer soirÊe. The taffeta, beading and sash all combine for an opulent but still highly wearable piece that is in amazing condition. Now to get invited somewhere‌and lose a little weight.
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Vintage Red and Black Beaded Flapper Style Purse Now, I never wear anything but my own bags, but I draw the line at vintage and this beaded knit evening bag is sure to turn heads. With its red glass bugle beads - all miraculously intact - even I can justify wearing this stunner and not my red alligator clutch.
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Gorgeous Victorian Scarlet Red Voided And Brocaded Silk Velvet Bustle Skirt Be still my heart. This Victorian bustle, brocaded in silk velvet is perfect year round. I am thinking of wearing it to a family wedding. Who cares about that “don’t outshine the bride” nonsense?
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Vintage Interior Design
A PLACE FOR YOUR
COLLECTIONS Mary Randolph Carter By Candace Ord Manroe
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Photography By Carter Berg
Mary Randolph Carter’s latest book, Never Stop to Think…Do I Have a Place for This (Rizzoli, 2014), is one part inspiration, the remainder validation. For those of us with a compulsion to roam Ruby Lane’s richly stocked one-ofa-kind shops for our favorite vintage pieces, it’s permission. At last: a pass to indulge our passion to collect, guilt-free. “If there’s a place for it in your heart, there’s a place for it in your home,” the author contends. Known to friends, fans, and her colleagues at Ralph Lauren, where she’s a creative director, simply as “Carter,” she lives the collecting lifestyle she advocates so eloquently and boldly in her books. (Her previous book’s title expresses an equally strong point of view she lives by: A Perfectly Kept House Is the Sign of a Misspent Life: How to live creatively with collections, clutter, work, kids, pets, art, etc. and stop worrying about everything being perfectly in its place.) Proof that Carter “walks the talk” is visible in the first chapter of her new book, which showcases the collections in her country house.
“What can I say? I’m just happy in clutter. I love to surround myself with the things I love,” says Carter. Thrift-shop paintings climb her walls, vintage white tuxedo shirts decorate her armoires, and old family photographs personalize her tabletops. There’s no end to the oddities that appeal to Carter, like the cluster of swizzel sticks massed in a piece of pottery. “I confess I bought them all at once, for $10,” she says. Though Carter embraces her inner antiquer—“it is an addiction of sorts; my heart starts beating faster when I’m headed for a flea market”— she draws a line at hoarding. “I’m not a totally undisciplined person. I don’t go off and gobble up everything! Hoarding and collecting are two different things. Hoarding is a disease,” she distinguishes. Nor does she live in disarray. Her collections are organized. A large collection of Infants of Prague, for example, “are corralled behind glass in an old green cupboard,” she notes. “I also use my bookshelves to display a wide array of objects I love, and I may even hang some pictures in between them.”
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In addition to her own home, Never Stop to Think allows a glimpse inside the homes of 19 other avid collectors. The color photographs snapped by Carter’s son, Sam Berg, whose own home is featured in the book’s final chapter, capture the energy and soulfulness of each collector. The vibrant orange kitchen walls of Janet West, “the poetess of pickers,” come alive with happy faces—six rows of potholder faces splashed across the range wall. “Janet does some of the most creative displays,” says Carter. “She had all of these old photos, postcards, and keychains stored in drawers in her Westchester home. She took them out and started displaying small collections on the backs of her doors, not inside closets.” One photograph in the book shows six sock monkeys hanging out across the width of a beautiful old wooden door. 18
“You can make a collection of anything,” notes Carter. “One rusty key is just a key. But three rusty keys is a collection.” For Carter’s brand of collecting, money is beside the point. “I don’t go to Sotheby’s and bid on Picassos,” she says. “I have a whole wall of ‘Picassos’ I spent $10 to $15 on. I also love collecting old chairs. Money is not an issue if you don’t indulge in buying Shaker furniture,” she notes. Carter’s commitment to collecting is her birthright. “My parents’ fondness for old things is in my blood.” Born and raised in Virginia, Carter and her family survived their first two homes burning to the ground. “When my parents bought another home built in 1680, our immediate family were shocked. My mother said, ‘What did you think we would do? Move into a concrete box?’ All the pictures of our ancestors were destroyed in the fires, so we began filling in with the pictures of other people’s ancestors. I was definitely influenced by that. You cherish what you have, what’s old, though in the end, you realize that having each other is what matters most.” 19
Wedding Style 20
Photo By Melanie Duerkopp
VINTAGE
WEDDING
S
STYLE By Elizabeth Betts Hickman
‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’ may be standard bridal advice, but for those who love vintage style, it’s a mantra. “When it comes to vintage wedding decor, less is more,” says Lauren Kay, Style Editor of TheKnot.com. “Muted colors, candles and a glittery chandelier go a long way in creating a romantic vibe.” Norma Lammont, an antiques dealer, authority on vintage hair and costume accessories and owner of The Spanish Comb, a shop selling on Ruby Lane, adds that brides are often looking for something “different” from the conventional rhinestone tiara. “For example I get many requests for Spanish-style mantilla combs from brides who are of Spanish descent. Or they may simply like the idea of a lace veil draped over a comb because it creates a very special effect. With these brides 1950s Spanishstyle combs in white or mother-of-pearl effect (either with or without rhinestones) are the ornaments of choice.” 21
Fashion
Tabletop
The Duchess of Cambridge sparked a significant trend for lace when she married Prince William in a stunning lace gown with sleeves, so it’s not surprising that lace fits into a lot of different vintage themes yet also looks totally current.
“I have seen some wonderful tables set with mismatched vintage china and chairs which, when done well, look very complementary,” says Billings, with the Vintage Genie.
Lace is a great accent, agrees TheKnot.com’s Kay. “It gives everything a vintage touch. For a fresher take, try it in unexpected places, like the fondant icing of your cake.” Whether your tastes run more toward the 19th century or the 20th, there’s a lace option. “I have a fondness for 1970s fashion and I think that the beautiful flowing lace wedding gowns of the 70s are breathtaking,” says Gina Billings, with The Vintage Genie, who sells on Ruby Lane. “Another trend I am seeing is for brides who have entirely abandoned the idea of a conventional white wedding dress and are looking for something unique,” says The Spanish Comb’s Lammont. “I have sold a number of vintage Indonesian wedding tiaras which comprise a series of rhinestone or gilt metal flowers or leaves set on a flexible head band. When the wearer moves, the rhinestone elements quiver and catch the light. Very unusual, but not for the faint-hearted as the larger ones can be heavy!”
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One idea is to consider using a particular vintage item at the wedding and then using the pieces as gifts for bridesmaids or as an item in the newlyweds’ home. Vintage silver or ironstone tureens can be filled with fruit or flowers as table centerpieces and then used as gifts. “In general I think that all brides are looking for essentially the same things,” says Billings. “First and foremost a wonderful dress that makes them feel beautiful and a decor that speaks to the bride and groom and creates an enjoyable and memorable atmosphere for themselves and their guests.
Advice for brides “The important aspect about vintage items is that they are, per se, “used” and will therefore have a certain patina as opposed to the sparkling perfection of “new” items,” says Lammont. “For those of us who love vintage this is part of their charm. However, when selecting vintage clothing, jewelry or other items that may be combined with newer ones, care must be taken that there is not an unfortunate clash. For example, aged rhinestone
jewelry has a softer appearance than the bright white look of modern rhinestone ornaments. So it might not be a good idea for a bride to attempt to combine, say, a modern rhinestone tiara with another vintage piece as part of her ensemble.” She also notes that similar attention needs to be paid to the background for a bride’s vintage jewelry or vintage accessories. “If the bride selects a gown in dazzling white, it can make that ‘something borrowed’ antique diamond or pearl necklace look dingy. A more sympathetic choice would be cream or ivory, or a fabric with an ‘aged’ appearance to suit the patina of older jewelry.” “Vintage style weddings have this sweet, nostalgic connotation,” says TheKnot.com’s Kay. “Maybe the bride always admired her grandmother’s cake topper or maybe she envisioned tin cans tied to her dad’s old Chevy. Or perhaps she’s a flea market fanatic that’s hoping to bring some of her found treasures into the mix. It’s about tapping into that fondness.”
Photo By Justin DeMutiis 23
Top Tips for Vintage Weddings, from Lauren Kay, Style Editor of TheKnot.com •For centerpieces, consider old silver or gold urns filled with flowers in a muted palette. Julep cups work great for this too and bring a bit of understated glam to the table. •Don’t forget the music! Your favorite golden oldies can totally set the mood for this vintage affair. A modern twist: create a flash drive with a few select hits and package them in matchboxes as a parting favor. •If you’re a flea market frequenter, collect vintage brooches and pin them to escort cards for a sparkly touch. •Collect vintage handkerchiefs and have ushers pass them on silver trays before your I-do’s (I did this for my own wedding in November). •The dress! So many designers have created collections that are rooted in classics. Look for something with sleeves. 24
Photo By Erin Hearts Court
PICKS
FROM THE LANE Victorian Hair Comb with Rhinestone Arcaded Design
Victorian Celluloid Art Nouveau Hair Comb
White Bridal Purse Bugle Beads & Faux Pearls Beading
Princess 1950s Wedding Bridal Gown
Estate Platinum Diamond Engagement Ring
19th Century Tussy Mussy
White Beaded Gloves Vintage 1960s Van Raalte
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Vintage Entertaining 26
THE
WEDDING TABLE
Vintage items make a wonderful addition to the wedding table. Here are a few choices to make your table setting a special one.
Pickard 8 ¼” Salad Plate Hand Painted with Encrusted Diamond Rim Jefferson Pattern
©iStock.com/brebca
Vintage Sheffield Sterling Silver Handled Cake Knife Pie Server
Antique Sterling Silver 7� Vases - 1914
White Madeira Linen Tablecloth with Filet Lace Inserts
Beautiful Coin Silver Cake Server
19th Century Austro Hungarian Silver Candlesticks
Set of Six 22� Rose Design Damask Irish Linen Napkins
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Summer Entertaining 28
A
Picnicking We Go!
Make your picnics go from ordinary to extraordinary with these vintage items from the shops of Ruby Lane.
1. Set of 10 Royal Doulton Cabinet Plates 2. Ruby Red Crystal Wine Glasses Set of 4 Vintage Panel Optic Goblets Cranberry 3. French Wicker Picnic Basket 4. Veyrier: Spectacular 102 PC French Sterling Vermeil Flatware 5. Vintage Ice-Lip Tea / Beverage Pitcher 6. Art Deco Silver Champagne / Wine Cooler 7. Wonderful Vintage Wooden Banded Tole Painted Cheese Box
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Shop Owner Spotlight
PRESERVATION STATION By Courtney Sconza
Dive deeper into the Ruby Lane shop, Preservation Station, as shop owner Julia Petrova shares her love of architectural artifacts and chocolate! Â 30
When did you first fall in love with antiques and architectural salvage? I’ve always had an interest in antiques but didn’t delve into salvaged architectural pieces until my husband and I purchased our first home in a historic neighborhood. After that, we purchased several other properties to restore and were always on the lookout for unique pieces to include in the restoration. What do you love most about antiques and architectural salvage? I love the hunt and that moment when you come across something you’ve never seen before; there’s nothing like it! What is the most unusual item you’ve ever found? The most unusual item we have come across would have to be a wooden dog crate we procured by A. Backus, Jr. & Sons. It was patented back in 1902 and was designed for “shipping fine dogs and other valuable animals.” Which item in your collection could you never part with? The one item I could never part with would have to be our American counting machine. It came from the Hershey Chocolate Factory in Pennsylvania and was used to count boxes of chocolate that went through the production line. It has sentimental value since my husband’s whole family worked at Hershey Chocolate. 31
What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to buyers of antiques and architectural salvage? My best piece of advice would be this: If you see it and you like it, you better get it. I’ve seen too many people miss out on pieces that they walked from and they end up searching for the identical ones for years. What is your favorite/most inspiring time period for antiques or architecture? My favorite time period would have to be Art Nouveau. I love the organic and asymmetrical motifs used during that period.
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What are 5 things in life that you couldn’t live without? Aside from my family, the other four things I couldn’t live without are my morning coffee, white chocolate, the Internet and a tape measure.
HOT ITEMS
FROM
PRESERVATION STATION
Industrial Wire Basket Pendant Lights Antique American Stained Glass Window, c. 1900s
Pair of Antique Sconces Polychrome Finish Cast Iron Elevator Floor Indicator with Bronze Numbers
Antique Molded Brick with Geometric Design
Antique Gothic Arch Window, Early 1900s
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Vintage Lighting 34
LET THERE
BE LIGHT With so many lighting styles available today, choosing the right fixture for your home can be a daunting process. Size, scale, function and “wow” factor are all important considerations. Here are a few vintage lighting ideas from the shops of Ruby Lane for some of the more important rooms of your home.
DINING ROOM Selecting a chandelier can be one of the most important investment pieces for your home. Take into account the size of your table and dining room. 36” is the normal chandelier size if your room is bigger than 15’ x 15’ (otherwise a good mid-size fixture would measure 20” x 36”). Also make sure you have enough chain for the ceiling height as standard chandeliers hang 30” above the table.
FRONT ENTRANCE Outdoor vintage lanterns are a welcoming touch and provide a great first impression of your house. Be sure to pay special attention to size and proportion as the fixture should not dominate or overpower your front door. The general rule of thumb is the height of the lantern should be approximately one-third the height of the door.
DINING ROOM SCONCES Decorative wall sconces can add additional mood lighting to your dining room (as well as the hallway and living room) and look great flanking a sideboard or chest. Again, choose a fixture that is in proportion to your wall and enhance the room’s design. 35
POWDER ROOM LIGHTING Often one of the most neglected rooms in the house, the powder room can be one of the most interesting to decorate. Look for unique chandeliers that can be both functional and a conversation piece.
ISLAND & BAR LIGHTING Lighting the island area of a kitchen is becoming increasingly important as the area is both one for food preparation and dining. Consider both the style and color of your cabinetry and countertops when making your selection. Pendants are also best in a trio and can make a dramatic statement.
BREAKFAST ROOM
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The breakfast room is another area that requires an interesting ceiling fixture. If the eat-in area is a part of the kitchen, try and tie in the fixture to the finish of the hardware and faucets. Think out of the norm and choose a chandelier out of the ordinary!
Calendar of Events
ONGOING ONGOING
Couture Show Through June 2, 2014 Las Vegas, NV www.thecoutureshow.com
ONGOING
Designer Showhouse of New York Through June 29, 2014 New York, NY www.dsony.org
Multiple Exposures: Jewelry and Photography Through September 14, 2014 Museum of Art and Design New York, NY www.madmuseum.org
June
13-15
ONGOING International Gem and Jewelry Show Denver, Colorado www.10times.com Charles James: Beyond Fashion Through August 10, 2014 Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY www.metmuseum.org
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June
13-19 June
28-29
Art Antiques London London, England www.haughton.com
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June
Artfest Midwest Des Moines, Iowa www.stookeyshows.com
Living In Style Through September 8, 2014 Metropolitan Museum of At New York, NY www.metmuseum.org
June
June
29
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Masterpiece London Through July 2, 2014 London, England www.masterpiecefair.com
Holiday House Hamptons Through August 10, 2014 Sag Harbor, Long Island www.holidayhousehamptons.com
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Finis
A Tisket A Tasket From the popular picnic basket purses of the 60s and 70s to tin lunch boxes, here are a few of the rare and unusual versions.
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1. 1960s Pogue’s Cara Signed Tennis-Inspired Painted Wood Basketweave Box Purse 2. Vintage 1970s Caro Nan Signed Hand Painted Basket Bag Pebble Beach Golf Course 3. Vintage Red Floral Picnic Tin with Handles 4. Enid Collins Wooden Flower Basket Handbag 5. Old Tin Lithograph Lunchbox Picnic Basket Style 6. 1980 Folk Art Hand Painted Yuki Sakaguchi Woven New Orleans LA Lunch Basket
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