A 1935 Wedding

I have been enjoying PINTREST what a great site to find out what new ideas are out in this world and to share with others things of interest.  I posted this picture of my mother as a bridesmaid in Selkirk Manitoba in 1935, and it was well received by the members of Pintrest. with many views and likes so I thought I might add it to my blog.  The original cardboard frame remains with the original picture.

Weddings through the ages

On April 27th I presented a Vintage Fashion Show "Vintage Evening Elegance"with all proceeds to the Salvation Army. I received great response from those attending.  I do not normally keep many wedding dresses offered to me, but if a dress is older than 1970 and I am able to get the picture of the original owner in that dress than I am truly interested.  I found that many folks asked to see wedding dresses so I made the Finale  a bridal Parade.  Dresses were from a 1929 silk flapper style to a 1980 ruffled organza.

What is a Vesta?

This lovely 1-1/2 inch silver case on silver chain with a small charm attached lay for many years in my display showcase.  Many guests asked me what it was and all that I did reply was that it held tiny wax matches.   One fashion show I had a guest who hailed from England and she said "Oh I see you have a Vesta"  she went on to say that this was probably from the late 20's or the 30's when women who chose to smoke must do so discreetly.  The match striker is on the bottom.  If anyone recognized the symbol of the charm please let me know. I have just finished another successful Charity Vintage Fashion Show with proceed to the Salvation Army.  I hope that I now will have a tad more free time to post more regularity.

Port-side or Starboard Red or Green

This post follows upon My post of Captain George Elliott, the pipe smoking Captain.  During the war Captain Elliott was pulled ashore and made the Marine Superintendent for Imperial Oil out of Dartmouth Nova Scotia, it was the early 1940's. During the war an oil tanker was torpedoed and it was brought to McNabbs Island at the entrance to Halifax Harbour where it was to be eventually beached.   Captian Elliott set a salvage crew to reclaim any items that were worth saving.   The two copper and brass oil lamps that provided direction from the deck of the ship and the ships clock he maintained.  The lamp in the picture bears the number 684.  After Captain George Elliott's retirement he kept the lamp and the ships clock for souvenirs of his years at sea. He spent many hours painstakingly removing ever bit of battleship grey and had the clock mounted in a small grandfather clock case.  We have many things in this house that I have begged the grandchildren to take but unfortunately they don't want most of it, but somehow I feel that there will be no problem getting a taker for these.

Here are some interesting pipe paraphernalia.  To-day is is hard to find a dedicated pipe smoker but some of these did belong to my husband but most of the interesting pipes were used by my husband's father who was  Captain George Elliott and he was Captain of a ship for Imperial Oil during the Second World war. As one would expect this Ship's Captain was a pipe smoker and most pictures of the hardy captain standing on deck with his pipe in his hand.  I wonder if they allow smoking on board naval ships today????

Why I am keeping these and I guess it is the old story that everything has a memory and a tale to tell.
I suspect that as the years go on and time goes further down the road the memories become faint and eventually no one will know the stories or who they even belong to, and that will be their final demise.

Tying the knot in 1954

This wonderful typical 1950's gown was worn by Marguerite Dey of Collingwood Ontario when she married Mr. John Dance.  The dress with the exception of the veil is in remarkable condition and could be worn again if one is as tiny and petit as marguerite.  the skirt is accordion pleated tulle with lace bodice.  The original slip remains with the dress as well as the headpiece of tiny seed pearls and rhinestones.

All the years the dress was preserved so was the grooms suit with it's two pairs of trousers.  I seek out the photos of the original brides when I am offered a vintage wedding dress for I feel that the picture give more meaning to the day and the type of wedding held in 1954.

Three Generations of Bracelets

These great little dust collectors hang on the wall to my bedroom.  Some bracelets from my mother'  (only the orange baklite remains)  my daughter did collect the others which I was glad to see since that indicated to me that they meant a lot to her as well. There are bracelets that I wore and bracelets that my daughter wore in the 70′s and early 80′s. My father made this shadow box inserted dowels with glass door knobs on the ends and a mirror at the back and it works perfectly for displaying bracelets.

When I was growing up in Toronto we lived on Niagara street from there my grandfather walked to work at the ”Coro Jewellery Factory” which was on King street east of Bathurst in the late 1940 and early 1950′s and many broken trinkets destined for the trash came home in his lunch box. My mother I remembered spent much time piecing together odds and sods to complete pieces for us to wear.   I think now it is time to have another box built to accommodate the cast off bracelets that my two grown granddaughter’s have put aside.  They know the rule “what you don’t wear you give to grandma”.  The only thing I wish I could do is have my father here to build me another shadow box.  Thanks Dad, yours is the best.