Saturday, November 6, 2010

Channeling Dorothy Parker

It's just 10:30 a.m. and I've already got martinis on my mind.  My darling sister Mary turns 50 this coming week (sorry M - guess the cat's out of the bag now) and five of the six sisters (and a couple of nieces) are celebrating today with an afternoon of shopping fun - and then a sleepover at a nearby Hampton Inn.

It's during the sleepover part that the martinis will come into play.   And play is exactly what I need after a particularly looong week at the office.  (It's hard to go back to work after a week's vacation!  I'm ready for another one...)

courtesy of Mind Bling

Dorothy Parker and martinis somehow led me to think of Helga von Trollop.  Have any of you had the pleasure of meeting Helga or visiting her delightful blog


Helga is one of the queens of cheeky quips.  Her motto (borrowed from Mae West - or is it the other way around?) is...
 "Better to be looked over than overlooked."

That sounds like something Dorothy Parker would have said.
Are you familiar with Mrs. Parker?




Witty Dorothy Parker (1895 - 1967) was a poet, short story writer, literary and theatre critic - and was the darling of the New York literary scene in the 1920's and 30's.

Parker was the best known female member of the Algonquin Round Table.  Each day at a 44th Street Manhatten hotel a collection of journalists, actors, writers, and other artists gathered around this famed table.
"Algonquin Roundtable" cartoon by Al Hirschfeld

Dorothy Parker is perhaps most famous for her tart sayings and playful turns of phrase - like the drinking quote (...four, I'm under my host) above.   She had a reputation during her lifetime as being one of the wittiest women in America.

"If all the girls who attended the Yale prom
 were laid end to end,
I wouldn't be a bit surprised." - Dorothy Parker 

I was first introduced to "Dottie" through the rather grim (warning!) but still fabulous 1994 film "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle." 

The cast includes some of my favorites: Jennifer Jason Leigh (who won a Golden Globe for her performance), Campbell Scott, Matthew Broderick, Andrew McCarthy, Jennifer Beals, Sam Robards, and Gwyneth Paltrow. 



If you're intrigued with the arts and literary scene of the 1920's and 30's - and adore fashions from that era as much as I do, you'll enjoy this film.  (Tip: the entire film is available in a series of 13 videos on YouTube!)


courtesy of Paikov

Here's more fun from Mrs. Parker...

photo courtesy of frogsmoke
"Brevity is the soul of lingerie."  - D.P.







"Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses." - D. P.

photo courtesy of Heartaches and Handbags

"It serves me right to put all my eggs in one bastard."
                                                             - Dorothy Parker


I would like to have seen Helga and Dorothy Parker sharing a table back in the 1920's.  Better yet, add witty British bloggers Vix and Ivy Black to the mix.  Now that would have been a hoot of a conversation to listen to.

Admittedly, I tend to be a bit on the prim and proper side sometimes.  (My German Catholic upbringing, perhaps?)  And I can always use a little help from martinis and such to loosen up a bit.  So before I head over to meet my sisters today, I'm going to be channeling Dorothy Parker and all my lighthearted blogging friends to lift my spirits. 

Here's to blogging, to friendship - and a drink that warms the soul!

As Dorothy Parker once said: 

"I'd rather have a bottle in front me than a frontal lobotomy."

Yes, this is Greta Garbo...

Cheers!
Have a wonderful weekend -
Susan

Thursday, November 4, 2010

1920's-1930's Composition Dolls: Ain't They Sweet!

There she is! There she is!
There's what keeps me up at night
Oh, gee whiz! Oh, gee whiz!
That's why I can't eat a bite


Those flaming eyes! That flaming youth!
Oh, mister
Oh, sister
Tell me the truth...


Ain't she sweet?
See her walking down the street.
Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she sweet?


Ain't she nice
Look her over once or twice.
Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she nice?


Just cast an eye in her direction
Oh me, oh my, ain't that perfection


I repeat
Don't you think she's kind of neat
Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she sweet?


Tell me where, tell me where
Have you seen one just like that.
I declare, I declare
That sure is worth looking at.



Oh, boy!  how sweet
Those lips must be.
Gaze on it, doggonit!
Now answer me...


Ain't she sweet?
See her coming down the street.
Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she sweet?


Ain't she nice?
Look her over once or twice



Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she nice?


Just cast an eye in her direction
Oh me, oh my, ain't that perfection


I repeat -
Don't you think that's kind of neat.
Now I ask you very confidentially
Ain't she sweet?

            -- "Ain't She Sweet" by Milton Ager (music) and Jack Yellen (lyrics). Published in 1927 by Edwin H. Morris & Co., Inc./Warner Bros., Inc.

15" comp. head Bye-Lo doll, marked "Grace Storey Putnam". 19" unmarked comp doll.  14" Effanbee "Patsy" all-composition doll, poseable head/arms/legs. 21" Horsman Doll, mohair wig, marked E.I.H.Co. Inc.


13" Mama Doll, comp. head/arms, cloth body/legs, marked "Ideal Doll, Made in USA".  Large 25" comp. doll, open mouth/teeth, unmarked.

Video courtesy of RReady555

This charming early version of "Ain't She Sweet" was recorded in 1927 by Gene Austin (1900 - 1972).  Austin is often proclaimed the singer who gave birth to the singing form "crooning"

Hope you enjoyed the song...
...and my humble
but definitely sweet!
collection of dolls.

If you'd like to see another fun and eclectic collection of "little friends" from the same era - take a peek at Mitzi's Collectibles latest blog post. 

I fell in love with her adorable Kewpie (below) and her sweet handmade flapper girl figurines!


Mitzi feels that "every room should have something with a face in it." 
I most definitely agree.

Hugs,
"Sarsaparilla" Susan

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Antiqua, the Goddess of Lost Vintage Items

I have been a terrible bloggerette this past week.  I just realized that my entire "vacation" has slipped away without a single post all week long. 

"Vacation" is in quotes because it hasn't exactly been a week of lounging on a sofa and eating bon-bons.  I've been sticking with my goal of getting all my antiques organized and my house back into company-ready shape.  And so for seven days straight I have been cleaning (& organizing) cleaning (& organizing) like a good little Suzy Homemaker!

While going through all of my vintage/antique things, I had some items in mind that had gone missing at some point and I was hopeful that I would find them in one of the boxes or piles.

When I was a little girl, whenever one of us lost something my mother would say, "Let's say a prayer to St. Anthony." 

If you grew up Catholic, you probably remember that St. Anthony of Padua is known as the Patron Saint of Lost Articles.  He was pretty good at finding things for me most of time.  But I have lost so many things lately, I decided I'd better summon assistance from another source...

Have you heard of Antiqua? 


She is the Goddess of Lost Vintage Items.
You don't believe me?  Well, just look at what she found this week...

For the longest time, I've been missing a pretty little gray button from this vintage 1940's wool jacket, but I discovered it earlier this week buried in a drawer full of coins.  I was so happy, I sewed it back on right away...



This jacket is one of my favorites because it has a label from a popular downtown St. Paul, Minn. department store that dates back to the 1920's...



Antiqua also helped me find Charmin' Chatty's shoe under my bedroom radiator...


It was missing from this 1963 Whitman puzzle...

Any other Charmin' Chatty or Chatty Cathy fans out there?  I always liked Charmin' Chatty best because me and Charmin' both had to wear nerdy glasses at a young age.

Antiqua came to my rescue again when she helped me find this Hood's Sarsaparilla 1889 Calendar top that disappeared shortly after I bought it on eBay earlier this summer...

She led me right to the Sear's catalog where it had been absent mindedly tucked inside.



Did you know that Hood's Sarsaparilla not only purifies the blood and helps invigorate the liver...but it also cures Scrofula, Rheumatism, Billiousness, Dyspepsia and just about any other disease that you can think of!

You don't believe these claims?  Oh, yea of little faith...

Let me share one final bit of evidence of the goddess Antiqua's powers.  Not only does she help find lost vintage items, but she is also a good luck charm at estate sales too!

On Friday I spotted this lovely antique ledger book at an estate/moving sale in my neighborhood. 




Now I love beautiful old books almost as much as I love beautful vintage clothing - but I'm also very frugal. And I just couldn't bring myself to pay $10.00 for the book. 

Since everything was going to be 50% off today, the second day, I decided to take my chances and plan to be one of the first in the door this morning when the sale opened and quickly grab it - if it hadn't already sold.

Oh, I didn't tell you the best part of the book.  Mr. Chas. D. Freeman was apparently a pharmacist (or doctor?) or was studying to be one - and the first 43 pages are filled with his handwritten notes. 

Here are a couple of "recipes" for Liquid Soap and Boeckmann's Eye Water...

...and here are his notes on Floating Bodies in the eye.

Last night I kept thinking about the book.  How foolish of me to easily spend $10 for a couple of drinks at a bar, yet pass up the opportunity to buy this ledger book which has historical value!

Well, I'll bet you've already figured out that this story has a happy ending.  This morning when I arrived at the sale, the book was still there waiting for me in the very same spot on the bedroom floor where I had found it the day before.  And I got it for $5.00!


Hail to Antiqua! 


She's a great gal to have on your side. 

Saturday, October 23, 2010

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

Happy Saturday morning to you!  It's 6:00 a.m. and I am already on my second latte, hoping to get a little life going in these tired bones.

I need to put on a Shirley Temple smile and positive attitude - because I've got a big day ahead of me.

 
"On the Good Ship Lollipop" was the trademark song of child actress, Shirley Temple. Here she is, singing it for the first time in the 1934 movie "Bright Eyes."  Contrary to popular belief, the ship in the song is an aircraft.
In the song, the "Good Ship Lollipop" travels to a candy land. 


Today is Homecoming and Reunion Weekend at the college where I work.  I'll be helping out with some of the booths/events on campus.  No, I won't have to do a song-and-dance routine - but it sure will help if I'm light on my feet!  I'll need to fly to get everything done in time... 

Our college's heritage society (for donors of estate gifts) is sponsoring an "Antiques Roadshow" type event for our alumni.  Doesn't that sound fun?  It's the first year of this event, and I've been asked to bring tons of things in to display around the room - to give it a warm, antiquey feel.  

I expect to be on the go until about 6 pm tonight - but then after that I'm on vacation for a whole week! 

And guess what I'll be doing on my vacation?  Remember my goal of restoring Beauty and Order to my home? Well, this will be my week to get it done!  It feels a little overwhelming to me because I have so much that I'd like to accomplish.

But I think I can do it.   No...I know I can do it.  But encouragement from you, my dear blogging friends, will help too!


I ran across this charming film of the "The Little Engine that Could" from 1963. Maybe it's so charming to me because I have a foggy memory of watching this when I was about 5 or 6 (on TV? in kindergarten class?).   

It seems like the perfect inspiration for this coming week.  Wanna watch it with me?
(The first little bit of the film is a little shaky, but it's fine after that.)

Video courtesy of YouTube's WhosBobThomas


Oh my, and now it's 6:20.  I'd better get moving! I'm excited to share with my colleagues some of the fun old things that I'm bringing to our campus antiques show.

I would share them with you too, but I haven't taken any pictures of them...yet.   But I do have lots of other vintage things that I've collected and photographed over the years that I can show you.  Here are just a few. 

Because time is running short (!) this will be a purely visual and very random display.  Hope you enjoy...

























Okay, enough of this nonsense...I had better get to work!!
Have a wonderful day! 
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