The New Vintage

There's a saying that "everything old is new again" and when I first heard that many years ago I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  My initial reaction was "why would anyone want anything old, when they can have new"...well my friends, I eat my own words!  I have been bitten by the vintage bug and I can't get enough.  There's something magical about procuring an item that was previously loved, adorned or used from those days gone by.  What's even more delicious about these vintage goods is when you find one and purchase it for a steal and then come to realize its current value is ten times what you paid for it is truly a delight!


This has happened to me.  I was quite skeptical at first wandering through garage sales, antique shops and thrift stores looking at items that appeared vintage but I just wasn't entirely sure about the whole lure.  It took a couple of times going back to different places and those I've been in before until the bug bit me.  I'm hooked! someone call an intervention because I am going online and searching through the stacks and racks to find those vintage pieces that I adore...one thrill was when I found a vintage lucite and bakelite Majestic handbag for $6 at a local thrift shop and learned that it retailed online for upwards of $300!!  What a joy, and best of all is that I bought it because I fell in love with it and I'm going to use it.


Loving it is the key.  When you go out to scour the local swap meets and garage sales (the season is soon upon us) don't only pick up those things that you think would fetch you a pretty penny for only just pennies.  Make sure you're paying for pieces that you love and that you'll use.  It helps to have a good eye when looking through piles of old dishes to spot the one that strikes you and to know that the mark on the reverse could be something worth investigating.  But all in all, make sure that you walk away with pieces that you are going to give a second life to.


I've been looking mainly for pieces that I can incorporate into my home such as serving ware, glassware, pottery, etc.  Pieces that I can easily adapt with what I currently own to give it that shabby-chic vintage vibe without looking like I just walked out of the 1970s.  I have a preference for pieces that are from the 1950s (all thanks to Mad Men of course!) but items from the 60s-70s-80s or even earlier are all workable in the day-to-day or even for that special occasion.  Below is an example of a modern plain white china place setting from Wedgwood (Wedgwood White pattern), you'll find it outlined by the blue box:

As you can see I've found some fun/funky/retro vintage pieces online that could easily be incorporated with the everyday Wedgwood place setting.  Why not swap out the white lunch plates and opt for that bright vintage stoneware plate in yellow and orange (Stonehenge Midwinter Sun pattern).  But why stop there when you could easily add in those yummy yellow 1940s sherbet glasses made by Hazel Atlas (Moderntone Platonite) in place of a regular bowl or even re-purpose them as drinking glasses.  The possibilities and options are truly endless, you just need to keep an open mind and sometimes use some elbow grease to get those pieces into your collection.


Bowls and serving ware are always good investments because we can never have too many of those!  Decorative glass and crystal dishes, vases and bowls are beautiful on display in your home as well as silver plated trays and pottery which also make lovely additions.  Be sure to take your time and go to different locations to find those treasures, give them a look over and you'll be delighted when you get home, clean them up and display/use them...you'll start to wonder why you've never done this before!


Happy treasure hunting & shopping!


Courtesy of:
Wedgwood