A Short History About Kirk’s Suede Life Leather Coats
The history of some clothing can be most fascinating.
This is what I learned about the history of Kirk’s Suede Life, the maker and label on this vintage leather coat that I just sold:
Jessica Murray
16mm home video film about The San Diego Zoo in the 1950s
This was my first time attempting to digitize film with my iPhone and run a 16mm film projector. To test it, I bought the cheapest 16mm film that I could, which was labeled “16mm Film – Car Stunt Driving San Diego Zoo 1950s? Found Footage Incredible Rare”. Enjoy this old zoo and family vacation film footage, and let me know any info in the comments… or tips on running a 16mm projector and digitizing the films (I’ve since bought another one, a vintage Bell and Howell Specialist 550 Filmosound projector).
Vintage clothing blog on December 20 – I am SOOO overwhelmed!
I stopped updating with new vintage fashions for sale earlier this year because I had the chance to further my career at another job, and then my boyfriend moved in… 2021 was pretty awesome, but now that I’m getting back to “dealing” with my huge collection of vintage inventory that’s left from when I sold vintage full time (2011-2016)… I’m very overwhelmed by all the clothing that I need to list for sale in my vintage shop!
Lucille Ball and Marie Wilson were Successful Pinups on TV
This next article includes plenty of scantily clad pictures of Lucille Ball and Marie Wilson (as Irma, the dumbest blonde on TV). Irma in the “My Friend Irma” show, especially, is mentioned as stretching television’s strict Code with risque outfits and comedic innuendos. Lucille Ball is mentioned as being the pretty woman with brains and wit behind the top ten rated show “I Love Lucy”.
Totally steampunk looking Civil War era photo album (#2)
Here are exterior scans of an embossed leather Civil War era photo album that had metal clasps and gold accents. It was such a decadent, old, feeling to hold this and go thru the pictures long forgotten strangers that were inside.
Spring 2021 was a false re-start, but it had a serious upside
Revisiting and posting an update to my 2021 vintage selling journey. I’ve continued to make vintage sales and I really truly cannot stay away from vintage clothing, I saw my last blog about relaunching from back in March 2021. Since it’s winter, and I can’t go walk all the time, and I’m more or less settled in my new job, it is legitimately time to reboot my vintage… or clean the house (but working on this fun hobby is so much less of a chore)! I think… That is, if I am over being burned out of my self.
1920s Christmas gift buying tips and fashions
Here’s a 1920s article on gifts to give at Christmas. Because it’s from a fashion magazine, ofcourse the gifts are all wearable. Flapper hats and purses and accessories. A friend of mine scanned these pages from his personal collection, or had them scanned, and then died. I’m sorry.
The American Photograph Album with civil war photos inside: cover, sides, etc.
I had just 3 days to scan two Civil War era photo albums! Here are the front, back, and sides. I’m officially kicking off the digital downloads section of my shop with these high res scans. Inside were dozens of pictures of women, children, and Confederate soldiers… but that’ll be my next post!
Pictures of the Gateway Arch under construction
These photos show the Arch under various stages of construction, from just two legs, to the final keystone about to be placed into the nearly complete monument… fascinating historic slide scans of the Gateway Arch under construction in 1965.
Early 1900s drugstore photos
I have no idea what South St. Louis pharmacy or drugstore is pictured here, but these pictures that I scanned are fascinating! You can see all the glass bottles and vials of medicine neatly on shelves behind the counter, and signs saying: “Frog in your throat? 10 cents – the Greatest Cough ??? on Earth”, Adams Black Jack Gum, Humphrey’s Specifics, Abbey’s ?? Salt… and more.
Early 1900s band photos street photography
Here are 2 pictures of Seymour’s Regiment Band, from the early 1900s. Charles Seymour was a famed conductor and soloist in St. Louis at the time, and I wonder if this was the band he led.
Busieks Baseball team and the Central Rowing Team
Pictures of the 1911 Central Rowing Club and the Busiek’s BaseBall team of St. Louis! How fun. I think the picture of the Busieks Baseball team is probably from the early 30s, looking at it closer…
Civil War or Spanish War Veterans Photos
These pictures were labeled “Civil War or Spanish War Veterans”. They’re actually slides from the 1960s, when someone had tried to copy or preserve the originals. Pretty interesting to see the elderly soldiers standing in formation. I wonder what event this was for?
Turn of the century firefighter pictures
Here are pictures of firemen, a hose cart, and the Carondelet Heights Fire Association at the turn of the century.It looks like they’re showing off the new fire hose cart and maybe the fire hose, since the men are posed holding the hose unwound, on ladders against the next door building. The fire fighters are also shown acting like they’re pulling the fire cart, and there are no horses.
Old Sinclair Gas Station Photos
I think that these photos of a Sinclair Gas Station are from the late 1930s. Gas was only 18 cents! There are signs on the shop for “tire vulcanizing”, Sinclair Gasoline, auto storage (cost $1 for a week), and inside I can make out an ad for Ponds skin cream. It appears that there was a car wash behind the building, or maybe that’s a picture of a different building.
A bakery shop in 1917
These pictures of a bakery shop had the note “c. 1917 or 1918” and the names of the husband and wife who owned it. Â I think it’s interesting to see how bakery shops were arranged, and there are pictures of the racks and “behind the counter” at this shop.
St. Louis City and Industry Photos from Glass Slides
I’m not sure what building was being built, or torn down, but here are some interesting construction, street scene, and architecture photos. One is obviously of the Old Rock House Saloon & Restaurant, and there are photos of two plaques: The Nichols-Howard Building – Landmark of the Great Fire of 1849, and The Old Rock House.
Early 1900s St. Louis Riverfront Photos
What did the St. Louis riverfront look like before the Arch was built? These pictures include riverboats on the Mississippi, the St. Louis skyline and riverfront, and laborers taking breaks from working.
Early 1900s St. Louis Photos
These were in a mixed album of early 1900s St. Louis photos that I scanned. One of these shows the civil courts building under construction, with just the steel beams up, which was completed in 1930 (so this picture would have been c. 1929). Another old photo is dated 1910 and appears to be a group photo of men in the Teamsters Union.
Pictures from the 1927 St. Louis Tornado
Here is evidence in pictures of the destruction wrought by the huge tornado that devastated parts of downtown St. Louis on September 29, 1927. These pictures of the tornado damage were taken at approximately 1:15pm, and are the property of the Carondelet Historical Society (who kindly let me scan and post them here).
History of Beauty Contests and the Ideal Female Measurements of the 1950s
Did you know that the first Miss America was 5 foot 1, weighed 108lbs, had a 30 inch bust, 25 inch waist, 32 inch hips and brown hair with blue eyes? In comparison, Evelyn Ay, the 1954 winner, measured: 5’8, 132lbs, 37-24-36. Here is a chart and a picture to demonstrate the perfect female form of the 1950s, as decided by Vincent Trotta, a Miss Universe judge. He claimed that it was proportion, so a woman could be taller or shorter, just proportional.