the motherlode

Check out this motherlode of amazing old photos. They are all part of Roger Vaughan's personal collection.

I could look at these all day.

Here are a few choice examples...

hair receivers

So, I've seen things like this at antique shops in the past, but I never realized until now what they ARE: hair receivers! To quote hairarchives.com:

"During the Victorian Period, the hair receiver was commonly found on a woman’s vanity. After brushing her hair, she would remove the hair from the brush and place it through the opening of the receiver for storage. Once enough hair had accumulated, it could be used to construct rats, or could be woven or plaited and put into lockets, left visible through cut-glass windows of a brooch or even made into watch chains, bracelets or jewelry."

I'm enthralled. And to think we let all that perfectly good old hair go to waste. I certainly could have used a real homemade rat to hold up my hair last halloween.

autochromes

I can't stop dreaming about autochromes. So eery and yet oddly modern. Not to mention I'm reading Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern, so it segues nicely into the time period I'm currently obsessing over.

Here are some gems...

Maurice Rambert (Swiss, 1866-1941) / Family Group at Chalet / circa 1907

Unidentified Photographer (France) / Among the Irises / May 28, 1924

Mervyn Joseph Pius O'Gorman (1871-1958) / Christina / 1913

Unidentified / Woman wearing red dress with houses in background / ca. 1915

Mrs. Benjamin F. Russell / Children in medieval costume / ca. 1910

Check out that last one. See? People have always been into D&D. :P

Props to Liebemarlene Vintage for posting pics of the Mervyn O'Gorman shots and getting my interest.

first step: a corset

I haven't yet made the decision between 1860 and 1880, but either way I have some corset making in my future. And since I'm not sure where I'll find proper boning and busks around Boston, I have placed an order for this handy corset making kit for Simplicity 9769 from corsetmaking.com:


Next stop, buying the pattern itself and some fabric. Fabric-wise, I'm planning to go for something cheap and standard, rather than buying corset coutil. Perhaps if I ever try this again, I'll do it more legitimately. By the time I finish this piece, hopefully I'll have figured out what I want to go over it.

my next crazy sewing project

I am torn between two prospective sewing projects, each equally insane for me to attempt.

1) Civil War era, ala Scarlett Ohara

photos from Dr. Macro's awesome site

2) Victorian Era /bustle /1880's style


Any votes? Stay tuned as I get this underway...