Good Old Days!

So much lately, I find myself thinking of the "good old days".  I think it's because there's just too much going on around us, people are in such a hurry and it seems like not enough people have the time just to smile or wave to someone anymore.

I remember shortly after my father passed, the family was sitting around and I mentioned how funny my dad was when he took us to the shore each year.  He'd walk across the hot sand, picking his feet up high with each step and going ouch, ow, ouch, ow, which made us laugh.  My sister looked at me and said "How I hated the shore".  Me, too, I said!  My mother looked at us and said "You did?  He only took you there because he thought you loved it, he hated it too".  Those were the good old days!  I remember vividly the hotels we stayed in, those wonderful old smelly places that are long gone.

I thought I'd look up what I could find on old hotels/motels.  Pull up a chair and put up your feet while we take a look back!

This web site is awesome, not just for the Caribbean Motel in New Jersey, but for other posts, too.  Fab Vintage Vacation! Caribbean Motel, Wildwood NJ « RetroRoadmap.com

Another fun site:  LILEKS (James) :: The American Motel

And oh, how I'd love to stay here:  Teepee Motel         Wharton, Texas         Vintage Motels         Retro Motels         Wigwam Motels         Cozy Cone Motel  

A few years back, I was at an auction and while waiting for it to start, a bunch of us sitting around started talking.  One man mentioned he wanted to buy a town.  A Town??  He went on to say, the whole entire town would be like the old times.  He'd have a 5 & 10 cent store, a wonderful diner, drive-in movie theater and a hotel.  The hotel would have no air conditioning, no TV sets, no phones, everything would move slow and everyone would know everyone else.  Sure wonder where that man is now!

Do you have any stories you want to share?

Have a great day!

RWS

What's This Worth?

I get several emails a week from people asking me the value pieces they have. I thought this would be a great place to talk a little bit about that.

First, and foremost, I'm not an antiques appraiser, so I can't supply the value of something. Which brings me to this...

How does one find out the value of an antique or vintage item?

• No matter what information you find regarding the value of your antique or collectible, it is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay you for it. Perhaps you watched the Antiques Road Show and saw a piece valued at a certain amount. That only applies unless you have a buyer.
  
  
• Supply and demand. When the supply is low, collectors will pay a higher amount for an item just so they can own it. When the market is flush with goods, the value of those items goes down.
  
  
  
• Take for example, hotel silver, something I specialize in. How do you put value on it? Not an easy answer. The more scarce of a piece--for example, a sought-after hotel such as the Plaza or Waldorf in New York City is generally worth more than a piece from a Hilton or Sheraton.
  
  
• Condition. In most cases, the better condition of a piece, the greater its overall value. Not with hotel silver. Sometimes the most pitted or tarnished piece can be a real treasure because of its provenance and design.
  
  
• Generally, if you have an item that you'd like to sell, you shouldn't expect to get much more than half of its value. That’s because dealers need to mark the item up to make a profit. Unless, however, you have a retail venue to sell it.
  
  
• My recommendation is to do the most you can to investigate it. Scour the internet for similar items, visit auctions and eBay to find out what people are buying and what prices are being paid. You can also contact auction houses or consignment shops to sell your items. Good luck!
  

images: parishotelboutique.com

My Latest Treasure

A few years ago I blogged about Lesley M. M. Blume, (a gal after my own heart) and her fabulous Huffington Post column, "Let's Bring Back."

Well, good news for you lovers of nostalgia, she's released a book; Let's Bring Back: An Encyclopedia of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious, and Otherwise Commendable Things from Times Gone By.

This treasure trove of a book is filled with hundreds of forgotten objects, pastimes, recipes, toddies, riddles, proverbs, (all in alphabetical order) that definitely need to make a comeback. It's whimsical, witty and elegantly written. And if you happen to be in a down mood, it's the best "pick me up!"

I just had to share a tidbit of Lesley's fabulous quips:

ORGAN GRINDERS: Just so we can see the monkeys in those cute little vests and fezzes again.

GLAMOUR SLIPPERS: The ultimate house show: a befeathered silken, froufrou alternative to slapping, schlumpy flip-flops.

PHONE CONVERSATIONS: Supplanted by e-mails and texting, they're becoming as archaic as handwritten letters.

BUSTLES: A history-minded way to hide a large derriere.

HOTEL LIVING: This used to be a common practice in hotels of grandeur and disrepute; you would simply move into and and "take rooms." One advantage to hotel living; If you die there, you're more likely to be found in a timely manner.

GOLD TEETH: So festive. Also; handy assets in a recession.


MAHOGANY TELEPHONE BOOTHS IN HOTEL LOBBIES: They carried a surreptitious allure; it was practically mandatory to look around furtively when you were making a call inside.

PICTURE: As in "We're going to see the Bette Davis picture." Equally wonderful: "talkie."

DRESSING UP: For casinos: Lady luck is attracted to those who look the part.

For dinner: People used to do it every night: dinner jackets and evening gowns. Now showing up to dinner can be like getting slopped at a trough, and people often dress accordingly.

For flying: These days, airport attire is an assault on beauty--and often decency. Flying used to be considered a glamorous event, as did arriving; people wore their Sunday best for the occasion.

author, Lesley M. M. Blume (above)

This book is just the "cat's pajama's." You cannot put it down. A "must buy" here.

images from Booklover here

Gasp.

Yesterday my friend Karen came over to share two of her latest purchases; the newly released limited-edition books, “De Vera Objects” and “De Vera Jewelry,” by Federico de Vera. Needless to say, they are filled with the most beautiful eye-candy I've ever seen!

De Vera, a merchant, collector, and jewelry designer, had shops in San Francisco for over two decades, and has now moved to a two-level cabinet of curiosities on Crosby Street in New York City. He also has a second location on East 81st Street. His work is nothing less than exquisite.

De Vera's jewelry is museum-like in nature. He transforms antique elements (irregular fragments of gemstones, rose-cut diamonds, baroque pearls, coral branches, intaglios, amulets, Georgian shoe buckles and more) into marvelous new adornments that he likes best “when you almost cannot wear them."

Federico de Vera at home in Manhattan with his portrait collection {via NY Times, Tina Tyrell}

Each volume of de Vera's new books include some of the best objects and jewelry he has designed, collected and sold over the years. The photography and styling is staggering.

A single book is $165. A boxed set of both volumes, including one original artwork by de Vera, costs $500. Limited edition of 2,500. Prices may be a little steep, but well worth the amazing "oohs & aahs" that you will experience while flipping through them.

To purchase, click here.

I am just about to press the purchase button...I just can't help myself!

images: Anita Calero for de Vera