Wednesday, October 28, 2009

VTT - a glass heart, 102 year old blouse and carved bed

Thanks for visiting and thank you to Coloradolady for hosting Vintage Thingies Thursday. Today I am showing a few things that belonged to my grandmother (paternal). I remember the two glass and silver pieces always sitting on her vanity in her bedroom. It was kidney shaped with a pink shirred fabric below. The fabric was shirred onto an arm rod that swung out and I remember it was a great hiding place. My grandfather's initials were "ECW" which is engraved onto the top of the sweet little heart shaped container.



My grandmother bought the heart box from an antique dealer who was a friend of hers. It already had ECW engraved on it and when my grandmother saw it, she knew she had to have it. The sides of the heart container look like sandwich glass but I'm not sure. The little demitesse cup and saucer were hers also along with the other glass vanity piece.


She and my grandfather also used this bed. My grandfather worked at a lumber yard at one time. He cut down several huge Black Walnut trees on his property, dried and cut them into lumber. A friend of his, Kenneth Axtel, of Jackson, Mississippi carved the headboard along with the rest of the full sized bed. My husband and I use it still.


My grandmother found the pattern of the grapes she wanted carved into the headboard.


He also carved each of the four posts.


Below is a blouse that was made by my grandmother's mother. My grandmother was born in 1897 and her mother died when she was 10 (1907) so the blouse was made sometime before then. I have her old treadle sewing machine that this blouse was made on, although I can't get it to sew anymore.


The blouse is made out of a very thin organza, I think. I hung it up on a hanger in the window to show you how sheer it is. She sewed tiny, tiny pleats on the bodice. The sleeves are very long, I guess she had long arms, unlike me.


Here is a close-up of the pleats on the bodice. I remember my grandmother telling me that her mother would make clothes without a pattern. There are a lot of pleats on the back of the blouse and near the cuffs as well.


The sleeves puff where they attach to the shoulder and I'm sure there meant to be a band at the bottom of the blouse, but she never got the opportunity to finish it. She taught my grandmother how to sew and this is the only garmet my grandmother saved that belonged to her mother. It is sad to think that my grandmother was left motherless at 10 years old but sweet that she kept her mother's blouse all of her 94 years! Now I would like to preserve it and display it for my family. Any suggestions?
Thanks for stopping by my VTT and be sure to check out all of the other wonderful vintage items on Coloradolady's blog.

18 comments:

Postcardy said...

I like all your things but am most impressed by the bed. It would be special even if it weren't made from your grandfather's own trees.

★Carol★ said...

What beautiful things you're sharing for VTT, and what great pictures you've taken of them too! That blouse is absolutely gorgeous! Your great grandma was obviously a very talented seamstress. And that bed. Oh my, that is a work of art! Lovely silver containers too, especially the initialed one. That was definitely meant to be your grandma's!
Happy VTT!
Carol

Lisa said...

Wow, Kathi....love that bed! Also the vanity jars and blouse...what treasures! I've seen items of clothing under UV glass hanging in a frame.

Unknown said...

How cool that you have the machine that blouse was made on. It is so intricately made. I don't know how those women got so much done in a day!

Lindy said...

That bed is awesome! My daughter has her grandmother's wedding suit on a vintage hanger hanging from a doorknob mounted on a piece of wood. It looks great in her spare bedroom, although not really protected, as I imagine your blouse should be.

Have a great week!

Maureen said...

Your VTT items are just gorgeous. Love it all. Each special in their own right. The carving on the bed is unbelievable. Lucky girl.

Jane said...

Family vintage pieces are my favorite and you've got some fabulous heirlooms. The bed is beautiful and I love that you know the story behind it. I love the blouse...wonderful collection...thanks for sharing your family treasures.
Jane

Janet, said...

the blouse is beautiful, I'm not sure how you could display it. I love the bed also, very talented people in your post.

Diann said...

Wow! you have some truely wonderful things! How great to have all this from your grandparents and great grandparents!

Happy VTT!

Jocelyn said...

Oh my goodness what treasures! You are certainly fortunate to still have your grandmothers lovely things. What a sweet heritage to pass on to future generations.

Jocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

oh wow, what beautiful things! i cant imaging doing all of that, let alone any of that...people were so skilled back than...

Coloradolady said...

What an amazing bed, and how wonderful it belonged to your grandparents. It is amazing, and such wonderful talent to be able to create something so beautiful. I love the blouse too, and how great to have something your family made so many years ago. Have a great VTT! and a great weekend.

Becky said...

OH my! What treasures! Wonderful that you can have and use them all.

For your Treadle machine there are several tutorials online to help you fix your machine and probably you can find an old fashioned sewing machine repair person who could help too.

I would frame the blouse too. Find someone who deals with antique artifacts. They will use acid free paper and the proper glass.

Such beauties!

concretenprimroses said...

How wonderful to have the blouse and the sewing machine. Its too bad the machine doesn't work now.
My mom who doesn't sew a stitch has her grandmothers old treadle sewing machine. I need to get it! It worked when I was young, don't know now.
I also enjoyed looking at your blog and the halloween posts in particular.
Kathy

Anonymous said...

what gorgeous heirlooms!!..i love the jars with the beautiful silver lids & that blouse is delightful!

Roslyn said...

Wonderful treasures and great provenance. I suggest that you have the blouse preserved in an archival shadow box. I have family pics. of the women in my family wearing such blouses so it must have been the fashion then!
I hope you show us the finished product after you have the blouse preserved.

Debbie said...

You are so lucky to have so many things from your grandmother. The bed is beautiful and to know the history of it is amazing.

Carrie said...

Wow, how fortunate you are to have such wonderful items from your grandparents! The bed carving is amazing...the blouse is such a sweet and tender remembrance. Thank you for sharing.
Carrie