COLLECTION #189: Toy Chairs

I've often mentioned on this blog, that many of my collections are accidental, or not really collections at all. If someone on the street were to ask me what I collect, I'd probably say vintage toys, school books, and perhaps musical instruments. I don't really think of myself as a collector of postcards, pottery or Depression glass, but I've managed to put together enough of these things to span several days worth of collections. In addition to those categories, I actively add to my vintage Valentine collection, postcards, and vintage table linens. Those are things I love and want to  search out and share. The things I consider accidental are those things that I look at, and say to myself, "Hey! I have a few of those, maybe I should put them in my blog!" but they are not things that I would search out, or deliberately purchase to 'add' to my collection.  They are just there! 
Today's small collection of toy chairs falls into that category. I have a dear friend who does collect toy chairs. I love how she has them on display in her home: she has an entire wall filled with them- not on shelves, but actually attached to the walls. What an adorable grouping! I'm so envious! (I won't even mention her fantastic collection of toy sewing machines and vintage beaded evening bags, two other categories I don't collect!)

So, without further ado, chairs!

Vintage kindergarten school chair, repainted by someone

Fun retro metal doll chair and replica Craftsman style chair

Unfinished chair designed & decorated by me about 10 years ago

Antique rush seat child's chair with replica doll chair

Seat detail

Winnie the Pooh playset chair designed by me for Mattel, Goldilocks chairs from my childhood. You can read all about it here.

COLLECTION #188: Vintage Childcraft Books

We had these wonderful Childcraft books in our home when I was a child. Our family's edition were either the 1949 or 1954 books, which look much like the earlier 1940s editions, but inside are much different. (The major revisions to the books seems to have occurred between the 1947 and 1949 editions).  My brother (who is a rat, a thief, a great guy), has our family books. I am left to scrounge around for individual volumes that I've picked up through the years at thrift stores and flea markets.

These "orange cover" books, seem to be the coveted editions, although my research hasn't led me to which of these copyright years is the most desirable. I suppose it is the ones you like the best! I have several of all of the editions, and two different editions of volume 6. The copyright dates of these 'orange' books are 1942, 1947, 1949, and 1954.

I LOVED these books as a child. I pored through each one until I'm sure the print was entirely rubbed off. (I slightly exaggerate), but the illustrations are burned into my memory in many happy ways.  I have to laugh... one story I loved to death, was Peter Rabbit.  I don't recall reading the original Beatrix Potter book as a child. When I started collecting her books in my twenties, the illustrations were only vaguely familiar. But when I looked at the Peter Rabbit story in my Childcraft book, the illustrations brought back a flood of memories! I thought I'd add it here, to show you how scary Old Mr. MacGregor was!

The earliest Childcraft books had twelve volumes, of which 9 were instructional and 4 were parent guides;  the later editions had 15 volumes.  There were also two oversized volumes: one on art and music, and the other on science and industry.

The oversized Art and Music, and Science and Industry books

An illustration from the Art and Music volume

Here are some further photos of these wonderful books!

This is one of those illustrations that brings back so many memories! I loved these illustrations!

This is the title page of my 1954 Volume 5, Life in Many Lands. It's the one I remember best.

These are the endpapers of the same volume 5 from 1947, but it is called Our Own Country and Foreign Lands

One of my favorite stories, Locked In, by Elizabeth Enright from Thimble Summer.

An example of the earlier, more simple illustrations from the 1947 edition.

THE WEEKEND COLLECTOR: Vi's Spoons

I'd like to introduce you to the fabulous, amazing collector, Vi Clark. Vi is 100 years old, and collects souvenir spoons. Ms. Clark has a lovely assortment of decorative spoons, from Abu Dhabi to Wales (Sorry, none from Zanzibar!) Her collection tops off at around 70, and includes spoons from more than half of the US states, nearly 20 foreign countries, a score of cities, and such interesting places as the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London and Peggy Sue's Diner in Yermo, California. Vi's first spoon was purchased in her home town of Twin Falls, Idaho in the 1930s, and her most recent spoon is probably one from Italy, brought to her by her granddaughter.

Many of Vi's spoons were purchased in her travels across the US and Europe. She made 3 or 4 trips to Europe and Great Britain from the 1970s to just a few years ago. Many others were purchased by her children and grandchildren or friends, as they picked up spoons for her on their various trips.

By now you might have figured out that Vi Clark is my own sweet Mom. She has her spoon collection prominently displayed in her kitchen in Moorpark, CA. I found the rack for her a few years ago, at an antique mall. The rack she had before only held 48 or so spoons, and she had them spilling out of drawers and cupboards. Even this one isn't big enough, as she has to tuck a few of them on the shelves behind the displayed spoons, or on a nearby baker's rack.  Perhaps someday this collection will hang proudly in my own home, or in the home of one of her grandchildren. Who knows? Mom is still busy enjoying her spoon collection, and I hope she continues to do so for many years to come!

Mom's first spoon.... her home town of Twin Falls, Idaho. Purchased in the 1930s

A later Twin Falls spoon, showing an image of Mom's high school, since demolished.

One of Mom's early spoons, purchased on a trip to Los Angeles in the early 1940s.

COLLECTION #187: Vintage Heath & Company Readers

As you might have gathered, many companies produced and published elementary readers during the 'golden years' of the 1940s and 1950s. One of these companies was Heath and Company. They produced a delightful series of readers called "Reading for Interest". I have quite a few of these readers, but not all. These readers were all published in the 1940s, some are the 1940 edition, others are 1947. One of the things that I love about them, is their sweet covers. Each one has a unique color combination and graphic elements, with a universal design, font, frame, and decorative pattern. I particularly love the cute scalloped edge and the silhouette illustrations.  You can see some of the covers close up in the following photos.

Two different editions of A Home for Sandy- the one on the left from 1940, the one on the right from 1947. 

I have one of the pre-reader "See and Do" books, it has the most delightful illustrations!

Each of the earlier readers' stories centered around a set of twins, one boy and one girl. But unlike other reader series, these twins were different children in each book. Also, each book was illustrated by a different artist. I'm sure the decision to use different children was based on the fact that it would be very difficult to keep the children looking consistent from book to book with different illustrators.  It's fun to see the different looking children in each book!

In this book, the twins are Molly and Jack. Note how much they look alike.

This book features two sets of twins: two little girls who look alike, and boy/girl twins Jean and Tony who have different hair color.

I'm totally in love with jaunty Father, who, unlike in other readers, is shown in jeans and shoes without socks, enjoying a life of leisure.

In this book (Bigger and Bigger) the twins are unnamed.

COLLECTION #186: Vintage Foreign Postcards

Paris! Torino! Algiers! Baghdad! (Ok, University of Chicago via Iraq), Scotland! Romance! Mystery! Puppies! Just a few of my foreign postcards, most from circa World War II. My late Father-in-law Henry served during the war, and a few of these cards are from his files. The others I picked up through the years, I don't actively collect foreign postcards. If I did, I would have a heck of a lot more than seven, that's for sure!  My favorites are the two of Paris... the Eiffel Tower, and the lovely dancers of the Allied Officers Nightclub. Isn't it romantic?

Oui oui, je suis serieux! Regardez les chiennes!

This postcard shows the famous winged bull, representing my husband's Assyrian heritage.

Isn't this fabulous? 

A bonnie postcard if ever I did see one!

COLLECTION #185: Vintage Singer Sewing Machine

Ever since I've been posting my collections, researching, and learning more about collectibles on Collector's Weekly, I've been amazed at the new horizons that have been opened for me. In addition to finding the vast majority of my featured Weekend Collector websites and blogs, I've also learned quite a bit about a variety of categories of antiques and collectibles. A naturally curious sort, occasionally my incuriosity strikes me as odd. And now that my eyes have been opened, I'm finding myself, as Alice said, 'curiouser and curiouser'. (Although she didn't mean it that way!)  So, today's orphan item, is a perfect example. Bruce and I purchased this antique Singer sewing machine literally off the street. It was sitting curbside near my (then) office in East Aurora, NY back in 1992.  It had a for sale sign on it, so we stopped to see how much it was. I believe we paid $100 for it then, which was quite a sum for us.  So, by my count, we've had the sewing machine just a little shy of 20 years, and yet, I didn't really know a thing about it until last week. Frankly, I leave the cover on it all the time, and so I really hadn't taken the time to even look at it properly.  But, as usual, Collector's Weekly had some interesting sewing machine postings and information, and I started to do a little cursory investigation. I was impressed to discover that the Singer Co, which has been making sewing machines for over 160 years, has a wonderful tool on their corporate website, with all of the serial numbers listed with year of production. This little tool, plus a bit of Googling, helped me FINALLY identify my Singer as being manufactured in 1891. Honestly, I had no idea it was that old. I figured it was about the same vintage as my other ancient sewing machine- my Mom's old Wheeler Rotary from the late 1930s.  (Obviously, I'm not a seamstress!) I mean, they were both black, same general shape, with some curlycues on the body! (Shame is turning my face red!)

Sew, here it is, in all its glory, beautiful, if a bit dusty and worn.  Now stop needling me!

It's a five drawer treadle machine.

Close-up, showing serial number

Close-up of foot plate, showing patent numbers.

Shown with cover. Notice the Singer puzzle attachment case.

Here's a layout I did featuring my Mom's vintage Wheeler Rotary sewing machine, which is also in my possession. It's obvious these were decades apart in manufacture! (Next time I'll be more observant!)