crinolinegirl
Alumni
As the year is winding down and I am looking forward to a nice short break? from vintage over Christmas (yeah right!), I was just reflecting over the last major vintage- related things I did this week for 2006.
Last Sunday, I had a stall at the Hammersmith fair and what a waste of time and money. I was one of the lucky ones who broke even and made a tiny profit but there was NUMEROUS dealers who lost a load of money. The customers just weren't there and those who were buying wanted £5 items or wanted furs (REAL fur not faux) or designer labels from the 80's. No one was touching early things so all my fun 50's things didn't even get a look at. Sold a lot of 1920's celluloid hair accessories though.
It was an expensive show to have a stall at and for the distance I had to travel and all the work I put into it for the return I got, I don't think I will do that one again although everyone's quality of stock was very high and in excellent condition.
This was my stall and if I were a customer, I'd buy from me!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/hammersmith.jpg">
On the plus side, I did find some things for my collection and to resell. This lovely pink silk spoon busk corset from the first half of the 1880's will be going into my antique corset collection. Buying that made my whole day worth while although Gary did complain that I was there to sell and not to spend all my money buying!!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/pinkspoon.jpg">
Well, after a crap start to the week, it was time to go to auction and spend money that I was supposed to have made on Sunday but thankfully Mastercard bailed me out!:D It was a very <B>POSH</b> auction and I was out of my league bidding for most things. At all the auctions I have ever been to, the attendant walks around holding up each lot while the auctioneer rattles the bids away. With this one, you looked in the room beforehand which was then closed off once the auction began. You then you went into another room to bid and had to relay on your notes and catalog to remember what to bid on. This meant you were kind of force to spend £8 on the auction catalog (which I found shocking as I NEVER pay for my auction catalogs, the auction houses always give them to me for free as they know I always buy).
Sorry if I don't mention the name of the auction house I went to but I already had competition there for the things I wanted and don't want to get anymore there!
Anyways, managed to get the most of the lots I wanted including some sidesaddle riding habits and a lot of 3 spoon busk corsets for my collection! All three are in good condition.
The first one is from c. 1890 and is a knock off the of the <a href="http://museums.leics.gov.uk/collections-on-line/GetObjectAction.do?objectKey=272166">Pretty Housemaid Corset</a> made by Symington. It has no boning except at the bacl near the eyelet holes and a busk protector behind the spoon busk. It'a ll corded and lined in white cotton:
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/spoon1.jpg">
The second one is from c. 1895 and is a summer spoon busk corset made from olive colored cotton mesh with drab colored sateen bone casings. It has olive colored lace trim with pink (now faded) ribbon going through it along with pink flossing. It's boned with spring steel..
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/spoon2.jpg">
The third spoon busk corset is from the late 1880's- 1895 and is made from grey jean material. It's boned with whalebone and lined in white cotton. It's exactly the thing a working class woman would have worn...
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/spoon3.jpg">
After the auction when I was waiting for Gary to pick me up, everyone kept coming up to me asking about the corsets and what I was going to do with them. I told them that I collect and do exhibits with them and plan on writing a book on the subject one of these days!
Then today it was the Victorian Christmas day at <href="http://www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk/museums/belgravehall.html">Belgrave Hall</a>. We go there every year to their Victorian events and it's supposed to be haunted although I've never seen or felt anything there but good vibes when I've done my corset exhibits or gone to the events there.
It's possibly one of my FAV 18th century houses here in the UK, it feels like a home away from home.
This is the inside of <a href="http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/leicester/news/ART26863.html?ixsid=">Belgrave Hall</a>
I wore an original mid 1860's straw hat (bought 2 years ago from a fellow VFG'er), a repro Garibaldi blouse, an original c. 1840- 1860 printed wool shawl, an original mid 1860's taffeta walking length skirt, repro striped stockings (exactly what fashionable ladies wore in the 1860's) and a pair of repro 1860's Robert Land boots (these are like <a href="http://www.robertlandhistoricshoes.com/servlet/Detail?no=27">
mine</a> but I got my in Oxblood leather with black toe caps.)
My hoop is vintage 1950's and my corset is the pink <a href="http://www.laceembrace.com/custom.shtml">Stephanie</a> corset shown at the bottom of the page which Melanie made for me 5 years ago (it's still going stong although it's now a bit big for me). The chemise I wore under the corset is an original 1860's off the shoulder one with Ayrshire work and pin tucking all on it.
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall1.jpg">
Jake wore an original late 1870's- 1880's brown 3 piece velvet boy's suit with a pair of Edwardian lace up boots. He's skinny with very narrow feet so things fit him easy but he's tall so he outgrows everything quickly!!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall2.jpg">
These are the original 18th century gardens of Belgrave Hall where we get to "play"..
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall3.jpg">
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall4.jpg">
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall5.jpg">
Me showing off my boots and stripey stockings..
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall6.jpg">
The atmosphere and setting of this photo reminds me of some of the less formal 19th century photographs that were taken at home that I have come across. It was taken in the stable yard of Belgrave hall and this is the mounting block that the ladies would have used to get on their horses sidesaddle. I could do with one of these!!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall7.jpg">
This one was taken outside the stables of <a href="http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/ep/land--premises/propertyshop/belgrave-house">Belgrave House</a> which is on the other side of the road of Belgrave Hall.
Belgrave House is currently for sale and it comes with the original stables and coach house which you are still allowed to keep horses in. Here in the UK, you don't have zoning like you do in North America so even if you are in the middle of the city, as long as you have enough land to do so and to keep a horse humanely, you can do so. So even though Belgrave House is in the middle of Leicester city and backs right onto a public park and garden, you can keep horses there!!!
If you click on the PDF link there, it will open up a PDF file where you can see photos of the inside of Belgrave House.
The house needs MAJOR restoration but if I had loads of cash, I'd buy it and fix it up. I'd turn it into my house, business and corset museum with my stable of horses at the side :D Perfect, just perfect!
The road that we are standing on where the stable and coach house is, is still cobbled and looks like it did 200 years ago with the old church beside it, gas lamp and a narrow lane.
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall8.jpg">
And that was my week!!
Lei
Last Sunday, I had a stall at the Hammersmith fair and what a waste of time and money. I was one of the lucky ones who broke even and made a tiny profit but there was NUMEROUS dealers who lost a load of money. The customers just weren't there and those who were buying wanted £5 items or wanted furs (REAL fur not faux) or designer labels from the 80's. No one was touching early things so all my fun 50's things didn't even get a look at. Sold a lot of 1920's celluloid hair accessories though.
It was an expensive show to have a stall at and for the distance I had to travel and all the work I put into it for the return I got, I don't think I will do that one again although everyone's quality of stock was very high and in excellent condition.
This was my stall and if I were a customer, I'd buy from me!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/hammersmith.jpg">
On the plus side, I did find some things for my collection and to resell. This lovely pink silk spoon busk corset from the first half of the 1880's will be going into my antique corset collection. Buying that made my whole day worth while although Gary did complain that I was there to sell and not to spend all my money buying!!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/pinkspoon.jpg">
Well, after a crap start to the week, it was time to go to auction and spend money that I was supposed to have made on Sunday but thankfully Mastercard bailed me out!:D It was a very <B>POSH</b> auction and I was out of my league bidding for most things. At all the auctions I have ever been to, the attendant walks around holding up each lot while the auctioneer rattles the bids away. With this one, you looked in the room beforehand which was then closed off once the auction began. You then you went into another room to bid and had to relay on your notes and catalog to remember what to bid on. This meant you were kind of force to spend £8 on the auction catalog (which I found shocking as I NEVER pay for my auction catalogs, the auction houses always give them to me for free as they know I always buy).
Sorry if I don't mention the name of the auction house I went to but I already had competition there for the things I wanted and don't want to get anymore there!
Anyways, managed to get the most of the lots I wanted including some sidesaddle riding habits and a lot of 3 spoon busk corsets for my collection! All three are in good condition.
The first one is from c. 1890 and is a knock off the of the <a href="http://museums.leics.gov.uk/collections-on-line/GetObjectAction.do?objectKey=272166">Pretty Housemaid Corset</a> made by Symington. It has no boning except at the bacl near the eyelet holes and a busk protector behind the spoon busk. It'a ll corded and lined in white cotton:
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/spoon1.jpg">
The second one is from c. 1895 and is a summer spoon busk corset made from olive colored cotton mesh with drab colored sateen bone casings. It has olive colored lace trim with pink (now faded) ribbon going through it along with pink flossing. It's boned with spring steel..
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/spoon2.jpg">
The third spoon busk corset is from the late 1880's- 1895 and is made from grey jean material. It's boned with whalebone and lined in white cotton. It's exactly the thing a working class woman would have worn...
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/spoon3.jpg">
After the auction when I was waiting for Gary to pick me up, everyone kept coming up to me asking about the corsets and what I was going to do with them. I told them that I collect and do exhibits with them and plan on writing a book on the subject one of these days!
Then today it was the Victorian Christmas day at <href="http://www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk/museums/belgravehall.html">Belgrave Hall</a>. We go there every year to their Victorian events and it's supposed to be haunted although I've never seen or felt anything there but good vibes when I've done my corset exhibits or gone to the events there.
It's possibly one of my FAV 18th century houses here in the UK, it feels like a home away from home.
This is the inside of <a href="http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/leicester/news/ART26863.html?ixsid=">Belgrave Hall</a>
I wore an original mid 1860's straw hat (bought 2 years ago from a fellow VFG'er), a repro Garibaldi blouse, an original c. 1840- 1860 printed wool shawl, an original mid 1860's taffeta walking length skirt, repro striped stockings (exactly what fashionable ladies wore in the 1860's) and a pair of repro 1860's Robert Land boots (these are like <a href="http://www.robertlandhistoricshoes.com/servlet/Detail?no=27">
mine</a> but I got my in Oxblood leather with black toe caps.)
My hoop is vintage 1950's and my corset is the pink <a href="http://www.laceembrace.com/custom.shtml">Stephanie</a> corset shown at the bottom of the page which Melanie made for me 5 years ago (it's still going stong although it's now a bit big for me). The chemise I wore under the corset is an original 1860's off the shoulder one with Ayrshire work and pin tucking all on it.
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall1.jpg">
Jake wore an original late 1870's- 1880's brown 3 piece velvet boy's suit with a pair of Edwardian lace up boots. He's skinny with very narrow feet so things fit him easy but he's tall so he outgrows everything quickly!!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall2.jpg">
These are the original 18th century gardens of Belgrave Hall where we get to "play"..
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall3.jpg">
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall4.jpg">
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall5.jpg">
Me showing off my boots and stripey stockings..
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall6.jpg">
The atmosphere and setting of this photo reminds me of some of the less formal 19th century photographs that were taken at home that I have come across. It was taken in the stable yard of Belgrave hall and this is the mounting block that the ladies would have used to get on their horses sidesaddle. I could do with one of these!!
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall7.jpg">
This one was taken outside the stables of <a href="http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/ep/land--premises/propertyshop/belgrave-house">Belgrave House</a> which is on the other side of the road of Belgrave Hall.
Belgrave House is currently for sale and it comes with the original stables and coach house which you are still allowed to keep horses in. Here in the UK, you don't have zoning like you do in North America so even if you are in the middle of the city, as long as you have enough land to do so and to keep a horse humanely, you can do so. So even though Belgrave House is in the middle of Leicester city and backs right onto a public park and garden, you can keep horses there!!!
If you click on the PDF link there, it will open up a PDF file where you can see photos of the inside of Belgrave House.
The house needs MAJOR restoration but if I had loads of cash, I'd buy it and fix it up. I'd turn it into my house, business and corset museum with my stable of horses at the side :D Perfect, just perfect!
The road that we are standing on where the stable and coach house is, is still cobbled and looks like it did 200 years ago with the old church beside it, gas lamp and a narrow lane.
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/example/belgravehall8.jpg">
And that was my week!!
Lei
Lei I just looked at the lease details. How cool! What you need is an investor!
