Perhaps These Hats Would Go Well With Scarlett O’Hara’s Curtain Dress

Melinda’s napkin folding skills were so great, she was no longer content to confine her skills in the dining room.

Via.

Has The Narnia Lion Left Your Wardrobe Funky?

Fumigate it with one of the various fumigation products from Johnson & Johnson – circa the early 1900s, that is. Page from A Book With A Mission, copyright 1903, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, N.J., U.S.A.

book-with-mission-inside-wardrobe

“This old world has some d— funny things in it”

We spent yesterday working our monthly dealer day at Exit 55 Antiques, where we found this postcard.

funny things postcard

If interested, you can contact the shop at their official Facebook page — or call the store at (218) 998-3088, between 10 am and 5 pm (central time). Let them know this antique postcard was found in DT’s space, in a small wooden box (like a recipe box).

funny things 1912 postcard

Antique “I’d Like To Be Tied To You” Valentine

Tryin’ to keep this blog to a PG rating, so…

antique vintage tied to you valentine

This antique valentine is now available for sale at Exit 55 Antiques. You can call the store between 10 am and 5 pm (central time), any day, at (218) 998-3088. (Just let them know it can be found on EQ’s shelf in the case with the most vintage and antique Valentine’s Day cards.) Or contact us at our official business site, We Have Your Collectibles (home of Fair Oaks Antiques), or at the official Facebook page.

Butts In The Air, We Just Do Care

In response to this post about vintage ceramic animals, Butts In The Air, Like They Just Don’t Care, Nina writes:

Hi Deanna!

I came across an old blog post of yours when I was researching a vintage dog figurine for my Etsy shop. It has it’s butt up in the air and a hole where the tail should be. Ring any bells? Anyway, I thought I’d write you, firstly to ask if you ever found out what the use was for these kitschy creatures? And secondly, to let you know, in case you’re still collecting them that I just put one up in my shop.

Great blog! I’ll be back to check in, I do love the kitsch!

Nina

Here’s the vintage little dog Nina has:

vintage dog from thebakerandthebar

To answer your question, Nina, the fact is that hubby & I still debate this. He still thinks there was some sort of a “bobble” type tail. Butt However until I see one like that I remain unconvinced…

I often look for such items. So far, I have not found any (other than more modern plastic ones — which look quite different). However, you do see quite a number of dogs with spring tails. Most people are familiar with the antique postcards featuring dogs with metal spring tails.

1912 bulldog postcard metal spring tail

There are other examples too. Like these antique cast iron dogs with spring tails. You can see that the metal spring tails are attached to a “docked” nub of a tail on the dogs, which would not work on the vintage ceramic pieces we have.

antique metal dogs with spring tails

Today, however, I ran into this rather unusual version. This urinating dog is about six inches long, is marked ‘Germany’ on the bottom, and the seller calls it “Rockingham glazed.”

vintage Rockingham glazed ceramic dachshund dog

vintage Rockingham glazed ceramic dog made in germany

Aside from the dog lifting his leg to pee, this vintage ceramic dachshund is also a decanter of some sort.

urinating lifting leg to pee vintage dog

The metal spring of a tail is attached to a ceramic piece which holds a cork. The opening for the cork stopper has raised edges, so it is quite different from the vintage ceramic dogs that Nina and I have. Although, I could see that some sort of stopper is a possibility… But then what would these little ceramic dog decanters for?

cork tail with spring

container tail cork

raised hole for cork with spring tail

I’m wondering if this was some sort of inkwell for a dog-themed novelty desk set. (See also: Scotty The Pup Desk Accessory.) Perhaps it was a flask?

If you have any info on this dog — or any of these dogs — please let us know!

Image Credits: Antique postcard with bulldog with metal spring tail via Ernies Postcards; cast iron dogs with spring tails from Shusues Collectibles; and the photos of the urinating dog decanter from Orygun Trail Antiques.

FDR, What A Knitter

Long before Rosey Grier, FDR was sporting the needlecraft. Of course, FDR thought he was a cheeky little monkey, mocking men knitting. Or maybe he thought it was ironic. That FDR, what a hipster.

fdr-and-eleanor-in-hyde-park

Image via The National Archives:

Newly married Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt ham it up for the camera—he knits while she drinks from his cocktail glass. Hyde Park, New York, 1906. ARC Identifier 197222.

See also.