Contentment Farm

1920s Lamé and Fur Child's Bonnet

A rare find! This period child's hat from the 1920s is as elaborate as any mother might have worn. The peach silk fabric is woven with floral sprigs and a lattice pattern of metallic thread. The hat is further trimmed with silver metallic lace and dark mink, then edged with delicate floral hand made lace which is also used as a chin strap to keep the hat from falling off. It snaps to one side.

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What's Cookin'?

I've been spending a lot of time lately reading the blog of The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.  I particularly like her cooking page and am inspired by her recipies.  This one for Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet is particularly enticing and I just know I'll be making it before the week is out.

  If you have never visited Ree's site you should do so at your earliest convenience.  She's witty and insightful and just plain fun to hang out with.  And, she posts great recipies for everything from calf nuts to apple cake.

Thanks for the mention!

Yesterday I received an email from the adorable Solanah of Vixen Vintage.  I just love her style and really enjoyed her refreshing blog and thought you might too.

Here's a photo of Solanah and her husband Sam from their beautiful wedding in July.

Aren't they a darling couple?

If you have time do check out her blog as well as her Etsy store, Solanah!

Just Smashing!

Just to get back into the swing of things I thought I'd post this scan of this "Atom Smashed" cape and gown by Gilbert Adrian.  This ad for the American Bemberg Corporation was found in a 1946- 1947 Original Ballet Russe program.

The Gift of Friendship

Here's something that most people don't know about me.  I love books!  Not just current books for reading but, antique books with beautiful bindings and illustrations.  I've never been able to resist them.  But recently I found that my library is overflowing and I need to pare it down to something closer to "under control". 

Since my reference library on clothing and textiles is essential and current books are both shared and borrowed I've come to the conclusion that most of the antique books must go.  So, with that in mind, I've listed some on eBay.  But I also wanted to share some of my favorites here.

The Gift of Friendship: A Token of Rememberance was published in 1848 and is full of illustrated verse and stories.  Similarly is another of my favorites that also has an embossed and gilt binding, Songs of the Heart.  To find such detail and craftsmanship on a book today you would be looking at a price tag in the thousands of dollars.

 

This book has wonderful illustrations and verse.  Below are a couple of my favorites.

 

 

Another category that I have always enjoyed, not just for the beautiful bindings but for the detailed and whimsical illustrations too, are children's books, especially from the late Victorian era.

 

 

Ernest's Golden Thread and Our Animal Friends.

 

See what I mean about the whimsical illustrations?  If you'd like to see more please visit my eBay auctions.  Who knows, maybe you'll be hooked too!

Am I Blue?

Not really, I just wanted to include this for the fun of it.

Hoagy Carmichael sings in To Have And Have Not.

Am I Blue?
by rl666st

Weiner Werkstätte

When studying early 20th century fashions we tend to concentrate on French and Italian design houses like Poiret, Chanel, Lanvin and Fortuny.  Without a doubt, these design houses were outstanding and always leaders of the industry.  Poiret and Fortuny pioneered unstructured clothing with Fortuny developing methods of pleating and stenciling that are still unrivaled today.  Chanel was responsible for the little black dress and sportswear as well as incomparable evening wear and Lanvin for the Robe du Style, children's clothing and her romantic clothing.

Still, there are many designers and houses that are overlooked including Wiener Werkstätte in Vienna.  Founded by architect Josef Hoffmann and painter Kolo Moser in 1903.  The company consisted of artists and craftsmen and is better know for their furniture, accessories, fabrics and interior design than for their fashions.  In fact their fashion house, established in 1910, was an offshoot of the hand-painted and hand-printed textiles that had been produced for many years.  The fabric designs were so original that they attracted the attention of the Paris designers and even the great Poiret bought their fabrics, beginning in 1911.

 

Above is a photograph of the dining room in the Palais Stoclet designed by Josef Hoffmann with a frieze painted by Gustav Klimt.

And, here is an illustration by Mela Koehler that I own, of a wonderful gym or exercise outfit that probably dates to the late teens or early 1920s.  Though there is no description with the illustration you can see the matching printed knickers peeking out from below the skirt that falls just above the knee.  Both the dress and knickers are trimmed in solid black with print fabric at the yoke, short sleeves, encircling the waist on on the knickers.  And, don't you just love those shoes with the wrap ties?  What I wouldn't give to find the outfit to go along with my illustration!

Antique Chantilly Lace & Horsehair Wide Brim Flapper Cloche

This elegant 1920's wide brimmed ladies hat is made of horsehair crinoline with an overlay of black Chantilly lace. The deep fitted cloche style crown is encircled with a wide black satin ribbon band and is lined with a delicate layer of black tulle.

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1920s Gold Lamé Chemise Style Evening Gown

The discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922 sparked a craze for all things Egyptian. The influence of Egyptomania was reflected in interior design and fashion, not the least of which was the design of fabrics for both uses. This gold lame features a woven pattern of lotus blossoms, the Egyptian symbol of the sun and re-birth.

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Opulent Vintage 1920s Orientalist Lamé Tunic Dress

In the first quarter of the 20th century many of the most sought after fashion designers were influenced by orientalism, a movement to adapt the exotic flavor of the east to western fashions. Embellishment was at its height and textile arts were heavily influenced as seen in this gold lamé tunic dress dating to the mid 1920's.

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