Monday 16 July 2012

Hidden treasures - vintage brooches

Can it really be Monday?  When the alarm went off this morning at 5.50am, I was certain that it was Sunday - don't you just hate it when that happens?? 

This weekend was a busy one and I'm shattered!  The rain put pay to the event we were doing so instead we got round to doing some much needed decorating.

Decorating =  moving furniture (obviously!), moving furniture = discovery of hidden treasures (well, those that have been put away for safety) and discovery of hidden treasures = time spent looking at them and therefore less decorating being done than I had hoped - oops!  Summer holiday's are nearly here though so Mr Y can always do it when he breaks up from school :o)


It may appear that I don't care about the treasures I found.  I mean, stashed under the bed doesn't seem the best place for things of such beauty.  They were stored when my youngest came along because they are quite impractical to wear with a little one in tow.  These are proper vintage items, not delicate in that they'll break if I breathe on them but certainly delicate enough not to withstand the tugging of a 2 year old. 

In fact, the things that I found mean a lot to me.  Silly as it may well be to get attached to a piece of jewellery but many have been given to me by someone near and dear. 

First up, found under the bed (along with a whole heap of dust!!), is this little pair.  I wore the large red one when my little lovelies were Christened.  The lady walking the dog, although a little tatty with some paint loss, was the most expensive coming in at £40.  I bought it with some of the money left to me by my Nan when she passed away.  I haven't ever worn it, which seems a shame, I know, but it's very fragile and I think, well know, I'd sob should I break it! :o)


Next, these two, the one on the left being on it's original card (can't say I'm certain it's the original card but it's what I was told).  The one on the right was given to me by my parents.  By the level of paint loss, it's clearly been loved but I must admit that I've never worn it - I don't like the demonic eyes.


These following two are, I think, from the 1930's purely because of the decoration on the bar.  The tiny one is very annoying to wear because it keeps turning round!


Next up, the dangling ones!  I get the one on the left, dogs with a dog kennel and all that but dogs and an umbrella?? 


Finally, my two favourites.  Both given to me by Mr Y they are rather special, if I do say so myself.  The one of the right has a head that turns from side to side.  It's a little stiff and I'm not sure whether it has always been like that or whether the years have taken their toll and things have seized a bit.  The pretty little one on the left is unusual too.  If you move the left hand bit of the scarf, his eyes move.  Dog with attitude! :o)


Now I'm not really a dog person, well, not in my house anyway.  We used to have a black Labrador who was like Digby and just kept growing.  In the end, when I was expecting 2nd little Y, he took a never ending holiday to Cornwall to live with a friend of ours.  I can now love him from a distance - suits me fine :o)  

Although I don't like dogs in my house, there is something quite sweet about some of the brooches from the 1930's and 1940's that caught my eye.  As to what they are made of, Bakelite, celluloid of just plain old plastic, I don't know and ,in all honesty, I don't really care.  I don't collect them for value, I have them because they are beautiful and I adore them :o)

Now they have been photographed, they have been returned to safety.  It seems a pity that they don't see the light of day more often.  I sometimes wonder whether I should display them somewhere, on a board or in a frame perhaps, but I worry about them fading in the sunshine (no chance of that at the moment, I know!!)  Maybe on "child free" outings they will get an airing.

Do you have a collection squirrelled away in a cupboard or under the bed??

9 comments:

  1. Wow, what a great collection!
    I have a very similar one to your black doggy with the moving head, except mine has a friend too and are white/grey! I wear all my jewellery, well, except the really delicate ones- it’s how I got into wearing and collecting vintage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have such beautiful jewellery, the little double bullet you showed on Facebook - amazing :o)
      I've seen those little double brooches 0 I'd love to add one to my collection one day but I'm not prepared to say the mad prices I've seen them for on eBay.
      I started out collecting jewellery too - funny how a collection can grow into an obsession!! xx

      Delete
  2. I love how you rediscovered your brooches! Such great finds too! I think my favorites are the first two! Along with dust I think what collects under my beds and sofas are toys from my three lil ones...wish I found a brooch though heheh xox

    http://www.themusingsandadventuresofapinupmama.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Bunny,
    Thank you for commenting :o) All I find under my sofas are toys too - I'm never sure how so many get under there!!!
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. They're lovely, shame to be packed away.... I like the idea of displaying them in a frame, have you somewhere away from the sunshine? (when it comes!!) x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow these brooches are gorgeous, such a great collection! XxxX http://thesecondhandrose.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great collection! I love brooches, and I love scotty dogs (I may post some of these to my pin interest page if that's ok). My collection of vintage compacts is in a drawer. I would love to create a glass top table to display them one day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Pin away, happy for them to be shared. Great idea about a glass top table - that would look brilliant!

      Delete
  7. I have a brooch collection and wear a different brooch almost every day. I am a school teacher and can say that my students really seem to enjoy seeing which brooch I have worn each day. I really love the collection that you have shown above. I would really like to find and buy a brooch like the one that you have with the bow tie and moving eyes as I am particularly interested in articulated brooches. Have you ever seen any the same elsewhere?

    ReplyDelete