things of another time ~ antique warship drawing

{inspiration...}

An original sketch of a warship with ink description on a period envelope dated 1855. Writing details an engagement in the Crimean War written by an observer who witnessed the first use of ironclads in warfare. {here}

things of another time ~ conjoined twins

{Amazingness! this is a pamphlet from Honduran conjoined twins, Mary & Anna's US circus tour in the early 1900's....Pretty fantastic, there are tons more weird photos in this etsy shop.}

travels + adventures ~ heritage square

More pictures from the Victorian Halloween festivities at Heritage Square..... you know those crazy old little houses off the 110 freeway entering South Pasadena. The best part was the staged Victorian funeral/mourning ceremony. I can never get enough hair filled mourning jewelry and post-mortem mourning photographs. These photographs served less as a reminder of mortality than as a keepsake to remember the deceased as photographs were rare and especially with children this might be the only photograph you had of them.

{more here}

the black cloth with the white ribbon covering handle is the Victorian sign of mourning for the loss of a young person & the wheat in the wreath represent the circle of life.

things of another time ~ spirit photographs

These are photographs of spirits taken by medium William Hope, who in 1905 became interested in spirit photography after capturing the supposed image of a ghost while photographing a friend (sorry to bust your bubble this soon in, but turns out it was just a well positioned slip of glass plates) He even incorporated and founded the Crewe Circle – a group of spirit photographers led by Hope, who following World War I provided grieving relatives of those lost to the war a means of contacting their loved ones. Seems a lot like the ghost hunting and other luring paranormal shows I watched the whole plane ride back from Boston.

I want to believe..so very very bad, but this one killed it for me, just as the slow motion playbacks of the ghosts speaking on the TV shows did, either way I can't stop watching, hoping & grasping.

things of another time ~ racing pigeons

My latest treasure is from an antique fair we stumbled across at Grange Hall during my recent trip to Martha's Vineyard. It's a very special book all the way back from 1913 called, The Racing Pigeon News Annual. Filled with pictures of pigeons, beautiful fonts, and hand written notes on the successes and fails of pigeon, Priscilla, I couldn't pass it up.

This book has instilled in me a new appreciation for our fine feathered sky rats. I have been doing some research and it has left me intrigued with the plethora of antique and modern possibilities to expand my racing pigeon collection. Trophies, taxidermy, medallions, clocks- all things I love come in the form of racing pigeon! Who knew me and pigeons shared so much, I have often over looked these critters, until now. You are on currently my radar pigeons- watch out.

{german racing pigeon medallion, antique racing pigeon timing clock, alex randall taxidermy pigeon lamp}

cats.

{antique photograph of cat & bird, antique photograph of a man & his undeniably handsome cat, Victorian brass pet collar, cat pillow photo by Eric Weidt for L'Officiel}

♥

{vulture print, tokens, letter, bill stamps}

things of another time ~ vintage photographs

found at an estate sale.

{I love the beaded butterfly pillow next to little Helen Libby on the right}

things i want ~ birthday countdown .+*14*+.

2 weeks until my birthday! eeek! So I would like to take some time to showcase what my needs & desires to my friends & family over the next 14 days {wink*wink}! I am going to start with the fantasy gift of a dreamer, a deteriorated & super creepy Victorian buggy. It would be perfect if I had a mansion with an extra room. A possible gift for the me of the future? So, maybe you can just take some notes for now & file this one away. But, if I ever do end up in a mansion I would dedicate a room to this antique buggy & get it 2 taxidermy miniature ponies. Or maybe the taxidermy ponies could be included in the gift?

{via deteriorated decrepit victorian buggy}

things of another time ~ vintage photographs

These are some great industrial antique photographs I got at an estate sale about a year ago. They are all so elegant yet, dark & creepy in a lovely way!

things of another time ~ humphrey family heirlooms

finally! Here are more of my grandfather's & great grandfather's pocket watches back from the repair shop. I love them all. They are all so different! The two gold ones were my great grandfather's that he gave to my grandfather just before he died. The silver Waltham I found in a kitchen drawer when cleaning out my grandfather's house (sadly I will never know the story of it's history). Of course there is still my favorite the radium painted pocket watch that I have blogged about in the past.

There is still one in the repair shop that my brother inherited. It's the oldest. My grandfather would slowly pull it out of the secretary he built (page 13), carefully take it out of it's glass dome & tell me it's story.....every time I visited! So I know it well and will share it when it is repaired!

{view them all on flickr}

Things of Another Time

This weeks vintage treasure is an old photograph I got at the estate sale of a photographer married to a JPL scientist. This weird drunk (notice the tiny bottle or tequila) taxidermy deer head still-life in the desert is just amazing! This photo is actually quite large in real life. I know you are super jealous. right?

{Don't Forget to Enter our Giveaway for a SEAHORSE NECKLACE}

Things of Another Time {continued}...

More amazing antique Victorian photographs I unearthed at a recent estate sale. I am now officially obsessed with Victorian parlors, not that I wasn't before, but now its an official obsession! And kitties of any era claw their way into my heart, but this little Victorian fellow is extra handsome in his regal chair, don't you think?

This woman with the camera gives me the impression of being a forward thinker, ahead of her time a little. Do you also start filling in the blanks & create stories when looking at old photographs? I sure do!

Things of Another Time

I found a treasure trove! I got these vintage Victorian photographs & funeral card at an estate sale a while back. I love the one of the old parlor photograph with the Victorian couple in rocking chairs. I wish that was my living room today!

World's Fair Walnut Treasure

I have been obsessed with the World's Fair since I saw the story of an incubator baby on History Detectives.The incubators are amazing! So stylish with the Queen Anne Legs don't you think?
I was browsing etsy and I found this vintage walnut souvenir from the World's Fair.
Amazing. I want it so bad!