Lil'Paisley~The Vixen of Vintage Blog

Bettie Page - My Favorite Vixen - RIP 1923-2008

As some of you may have heard, Bettie Page passed away on Thursday. She was 85. If you have ever been in my shop, you would know that Bettie was a favorite of mine. This picture was the cornerstone of my website for about 2 years.

 

She lived an interesting and complicated life...especially what happens after the movie The Notorious Bettie Page ends. From multiple marriages to mental institutions...her life got more complicated after she quite modeling.

Bettie had numerous nicknames like The Queen of Curves, Dark Angel, and Garbo of Bondage. And her work has inspired so many. From Ditta Von Teese to Katy Perry, they all have looks based on Bettie's. You see her influence all over todays media. I've even been accused of it myself.  Bettie had the ability to walk that thin line between wholesome and risque with ease... I think this is where a large part of her appeal comes from.

So it's with heavy heart that I bid Godspeed to Bettie. I know there will never be another.

Cyd Charisse - Dancing Vintage Vixen

 Cyd Charisse passed away on June 17. She was 87. Cyd was a vixen of another type. She was best known for her dancing and singing roles opposite stars like Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. She stared in many classic movies, including Singin' in the Rain, The Band Wagon, Ziegfield Follies, and Words and Music, she also appeared on many TV shows, including Hawaii Five-O, The Love Boat, The Fall Guy, Medical Center, Burke's Law, Checkmate, and Arthur Godfrey and Friends.

Cyd, for me, has a little extra spot in my heart. My Mom looks a little like her and had the same short hairstyle she often wore for many years. My parents both love to dance and I could always picture her as my mom dancing around the dance floor in her movies. I think I'll have to go rent Band Wagon tonight.

Spring Ads

Spring is here! We actually seen the sun a few times here in Seattle....I know, it's a shock. So to celebrate I thought I'd post a few vintage jewelry ads with a spring theme. Enjoy!

Napier Easter pins 1964

Trifari Flowers 1955

Vendome Flowers 1966

Trifari Gold 1966

Malia Nurmi - Vampira 1922 - 2008

Malia Nurmi was a cult icon. She passed away today at 85. She is best known for her character Vampira, the B-movie host on a local LA TV station in 1954. Even though the show only lasted 1 year it was enough for her to gain a cult following. Classic horror movies are my favorite. They are the only movies I collect on DVD, so she holds a special place in my heart. God speed to one of the original Vintage Vixens.

Common Necklace Lengths - A Guide

When searching the web or a jeweler for that perfect necklace it often helps to know the correct terms for different lengths of necklaces. I decided to make a little guide for the most common lengths. I would like to thank Christie Romero's book Warman's Jewelry for assistance in this guide. This is in no way complete, there are many style variations that have additional names, but this is a great basic guide to indicate the length desired for the necklace you are looking for.

Choker  A necklace that fits snugly around the neck. It is normally 13 to 15 inches.
 

Princess A single strand necklace that is 17- 19 inches long.
 

Matinee  A single strand necklace that is 20 - 26 inches long.
 

Opera A single strand necklace that is 27-34 inches long.

Sautoir A very long necklace, usually made of small beads, often ending with a tassel or pendant.

Trifari Christmas Advertising

One of the best ways to help date a piece of vintage jewelry is to find an old advertisement. I love to search through old magazines at Thrift store, estate sales, garage sales, etc to see if I can spot an old ad or 2. I've had pretty good luck finding ads from makers like Coro, Trifari, and Sarah Coventry. The prizes of my collection are 2 highly stylized Harry Winston ads. They are from Life magazines and don't fit on my scanner....so I'll have to figure out how to post them on here sometime.

To put everyone in the Holiday mood. I'm featuring a few Trifari Christmas ads from the 1950s.

This ad is from 1949

This great ad is from 1951

1952. I have some of these pieces myself.

And last, but not least...from 1953

A Woman's Face - Joan Crawford

I know that Joan Crawford gets a bad rap due to the whole "Mommy Dearest" thing, but you'll really be missing allot of great work by her if you can't overlook that.

I recently caught a movie she made in 1941 called A Woman's Face. She plays a character, named Anna Holm aka Ingrid Paulson. Due to a horrible disfigurement she received in an accident in childhood she has a large chip on her shoulder. She has journeyed to the dark side of things until she is able to have her face restored in a miracle surgery.(And that's in the first 30 min or so!) After the surgery she teeters on the edge of a happy life and being drawn back into the darker side of life.

It's a fun movie to catch if you have the chance. Joan is really stunning even with 1/2 a face. And as always I just love the costumes from this period. Lots of tailored suits and fab hats, for both men and women. The movie is set in Europe and has some beautiful scenery...esp. the winter scenes. It may not be the best movie Joan made, but it is worth watching.

Deborah Kerr 1921 - 2007

I just heard that Deborah Kerr just passed away. She has always been a fav of mine. I know I'm not alone at needing half a box of Kleenex at the end of An Affair to Remember. She was also one half of the most famous movie kiss ever! We will truly miss her.

Movie Inspiration

OK.I can admit it...I am addicted to watching old films on Turner Classic Movies. I was up way too late last night glued to the TV. I caught a showing of the 1956 movie The Opposite Sex starring Joan Collins and June Allyson. The Opposite Sex is a remake of the 1939 hit The Women starring Joan Crawford and Norma Shearer. The movies are both great and I can watch them again and again, but the original is still my fav.

I love to catch the old flicks and study the fashion. I always seem to learn a new way to wear and piece of jewelry that didn't occur to me before. I have also seen a few pieces I've owned in the movies. A necklace that now belongs to my Boyfriend's Mother is similar to one seen on Ethel Merman in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. It's so much fun to say "Ethel Merman wore a necklace just like this."

The necklace

So next time you catch a old flick you love...watch the film with a whole new perspective...Fashionista! You'll never know if a piece you own was on the Silver Screen.

Bakelite

In my shop one of the most frequently asked about items is Bakelite. Many people have heard the term and are not quite sure what it is.  I'll try to give a brief history and  a few ideas for testing items for Bakelite.

Bakelite was patented in 1907 by Leo Baekeland. It is a formaldehyde resin and considered the first plastic made from synthetic components. Trough out it's history it has been used in manufacturing everything from jewelry, kitchenware, to guitars. Bakelite is a brand name, but is commonly used (mistakenly) for many resin products.

How can I tell if my item is Bakelite?

Testing in the field:
These tests are a few quick ones that can be performed when you are out searching. They require no special equipment. The more you handle Bakelite pieces, the quicker you will be able to identify its properties with these field tests. Listen for the "clunk" when two pieces of Bakelite are tapped together. Try tapping two pieces of another type of plastic together, and compare the sound to two pieces of true Bakelite. Consider the weight of a piece. Bakelite feels heavier, denser when compared to other types of plastics. Rub the item in question vigorously with your thumb until you feel the plastic heat up. Then, before it cools, take a whiff. A distinct chemical odor similar to formaldehyde will linger with most genuine Bakelite. This often takes a bit of practice. Look for wear scratches and patina that new pieces of plastic don't normally exhibit. Also look for tiny chips on the edges of carving. Examine the piece with a jeweler's loupe or another type of magnifier, if needed. Generally, an old piece of Bakelite will not be free of some minor scratching and wear, even though it is in excellent condition by a collector's standards.

Testing with Chemicals:

Simichrome Polish is a non-abrasive cream used to clean metals. You can also use it to test Bakelite for authenticity. Sparingly apply to a q-tip and gently rub a small spot on the inside or back of the item being tested. If it's Bakelite, the q-tip should turn yellow with ease. If a piece is lacquered, it may test negative. Black Bakelite pieces often fail this test as well. Use the other tests above to confirm authenticity if a piece you suspect to be Bakelite fails with Simichrome. You can also use Scrubbing Bubbles,it was once the standard cleaner to use for Bakelite testing, but experts now recommend Formula 409 instead. To use, dampen a q-tip with 409 and rub it gently on the inside of the item being tested. If it's Bakelite, the swab will turn yellow.

I have heard recently about a wave of 'fakelite' coming from Asia recently. It appears to pass many of the Bakelite tests. I have not seen one knowingly myself, but I have heard that it is heavier and the smell is different from real Bakelite. So beware when purchasing your Bakelite.