Found part of a midcentury Seam-Guide cardboard store display, featuring a nice pink color scheme, great lettering, and some really cute leggy illustrations. See how the line runs up the back of the stocking? It's revolutionary, --and worn by nurses and movie stars! I spent some time online trying to find an example of what the complete display looked like (and with the slots filled in), but came up empty. Notable mention: Seam-Guide was based in my old hometown of STL MO!
I meant to show you the antique perpetual desk calendar that goes with the old time clock that I found last week. This handy contraption is a bit older than the clock, and apparently produced around the early 1900's. And like any type of calendar worth its weight in gold, it contains the name of the month, day of the week, and the essential numeral date, all of which you can easily manipulate into place by simply turning the roller dials located on both sides of the main body (--as you can see below, I have already preset mine on my favorite day of the year!) It is indeed a fine piece of old fashioned craftsmanship, nearly 5 inches tall, and covered in some type of leathery embossed paper which is glued to the wood frame. It will eventually look amazing on my desk, as I continue onward with the slow re-vamping of my not-so-new, but greatly improved office space.
I found this gorgeously illustrated, unused 1930's memory scrapbook, coincidentally enough, the same week my son started back to school. These were obviously in fashion long ago, waaaay before we could psychotically document every single second of our lives on a social media platform. I have to admit, this old timey approach has much more appeal to me these days, and as you scroll below, you'll understand how everything is greatly enhanced by the shapely silhouette figures illustrated by M. Farin (?) on each and every page within. What were the snappiest scenes and sayings of the day? What was your motto? Who'd you love? Hate? Did you join any secret societies? Any big moments occur? (Keep it clean, please!) I'm actually kind of bummed this scrapbook is unused, because seeing a stranger's handwritten thoughts from nearly 100 years ago can be just as interesting as long, silhouetted legs reaching into the air. Hey, why not print these out, bind 'em up, and 23 skidoo your own memories for this 2023-24 school year!
While I was out on my porch photographing the Guild Mini-Vuer (see previous post), I went ahead and took some pix of this amazing, 110 year old mantle clock that I found recently as well. Produced around the tail end of the art nouveau era in 1913 by A. Schadow & Son, NY., this beautifully designed, antique time keeper no longer works, but it still looks mighty impressive in all of its heavy-duty, deco fonted, golden tombstone style. The bottom of the clock (see photo) suggests it was possibly a Republic Building & Loan Assn. promotion as the clock itself equally doubles as a key lock bank to store your spare change in (see slots on the back side photo below.) Further googling the company name of A. Schadow & Son for more info, I noticed they had quite a variety of different styled clocks, including a truly beautiful (and very nouveau looking) clock / lamp combo complete with an attractively sculpted nymph. I also wonder if "A. Schadow & Son" was actually a real father and son duo, or merely a clever name play on the concept of the original, ancient method of telling time-- the sundial (shadow and sun.)
Picked up a nice 'n clean 60's Guild Mini-Vuer the other day, complete with the box. I totally love how this thing is designed with a retro-future style spyglass appearence-- and now I have a place to store that random Raquel Welch slide I've had in my collection forever too!
I found a vinyl Marky Maypo figure the other day and couldn't pass him up! With his ten gallon hat and unpainted tongue hanging out of his grinning mouth, he sure does look happier here at my house than at the dusty old antique mall. (Collector note: this is the rare vinyl figure, NOT the much more common bank which apparently came out afterwards at some point.) Marky Maypo was one of the earliest animated examples of a great product mascot, and this time being the kooky kiddy personality of Maypo Oat Cereal, originally produced by Maltex Co. You can read more about the incredibly interesting history of everything Marky related HERE, --and just as importantly, be sure to see the cute and very clever old John Hubley animated TV commercials from the 50's and 60's collected HERE! My cat and I thank you!
We're getting close to back-to-school days again, and what's the most important thing a kid needs on those first few, impressionable weeks of daily drudgery whilst making new friends in the mid 70's? That's right-- iron-on tee decals! How else are you gonna let that cute new girl two lockers over know that you're into monsters, hot rods, kung fu, or streaking?! Yep, you need an "in", aka the perfecto conversation starter, --something that really shows 'em all just who and what you're all about! Are you hot stuff? Or are you revolting? Topps knew the score by dishing out the grooviest idea next to non-sport trading cards-- The Far-Out Iron-Ons series! There were two sets in all, (12 diff designs each) and I've managed to acquire 18 of the 24 from both the red and blue packs combined. But woe is me, so close, yet still so far-- arghh!! And hey, does anyone recognize some of the artists here? Don't be a chicken, or a jive turkey now, --tell us who you think!
