Saturday 26 March 2016

Angelica

I met Angelica at the tail-end of a flea market last Sunday. It was love at first sight. She's from Paris and quite elegant. We hit it off from the start so, as she was about my size, she came home with me. Her real name is Cléo, but she'd always been Angelica to me, even when she was still just a twinkle in my eye.



She was named Angelica after my paternal great-grandmother. Angelica, or "Zeleke" as she was popularly known, was an accomplished seamstress whom people came to from far and wide to have the latest fashions made.

She died in 1945 at 62 years of age, so all I know about her is what I was told by my dad. She had a son and two daughters, the eldest of which was my grandmother.







































This is Angelica with her family. The little girl is my grandmother, who was born in 1910, and this photo must have been taken just before the First World War.

I had been looking for a vintage dressmaker's dummy for ages, but the ones I came across until now were frightfully expensive. So, to finally have found one this late in the day at an otherwise not very exciting flea market and at a more than reasonable price, is nothing short of a miracle.

She's a bit older than me, probably dating from the 1950s, and she came with her own original metal stand. She is in perfect condition apart from some wear and tear in keeping with her age. The only thing she was missing was the wooden finial at her neck, but my handy husband has already arranged a replacement (though not yet when these photos were taken).


Here she is modelling the suit (or as Angelica herself would say, the "deux-pièces") I found at the charity shop last Saturday.  As you can see, we have another thing in common: she does not like ironing either!

What else did we find at the flea market? Well, surprisingly, we did find quite a few little things.


























There seems to be a French theme going on here, as I found a small stack of French magazines dating from the early 1950s (the oldest is from December 1951 while the most recent one is from July 1954). They don't really do magazine covers (signed, no less!) like this anymore, do they?

I also found some vintage buttons to add to my every-growing stash. This is being delved into regularly whenever I don't very much like the buttons on a vintage item, or whenever buttons are damaged or missing.

What else? A dark brown vinyl beauty case, which will join the others I have. They live on top of my wardrobe and are being put to good use storing socks, underwear, belts and the like.

There are also some cute vintage purses, two of them with Lucite closures, which I simply couldn't resist.


And finally, thee brooches, bought from an nice old lady who is selling her entire collection. I don't know how she can part with them, but at least some of them are going to a good home, where they will be cherished and worn. I usually buy a couple of brooches from her whenever I visit this particular flea market.

I'm ending this post with another picture featuring my great-grandmother Angelica. This one is helpfully labeled May 1930. Angelica is second from left, with her two daughters and (presumably) a neighbour. My grandmother is the girl on the right. Notice how the two girls are wearing identical dresses, probably made by Angelica herself.



















Wishing you all a great Easter weekend!

20 comments:

  1. I love Angelica! I have a modern version, but sadly am no good at naming things so she is nameless. Lovely purchases again, and those purse clasps are gorgeous. Happy Easter to you xx

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    1. I'm glad you love Angelica! Hope you are having a lovely Easter too. Are you visiting anywhere nice this weekend? I love reading about your excursions. xxx

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  2. Hello Ive popped over from my friend vintage vixens blog. I love the name of your blog and thought I must have a look. I could be the crimplene cousin or countess as I wear so much of it.
    I like your style very much and I just going to have a look at your other postings now.
    Best wishes from Lancashire, UK
    Lynn

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    1. Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Lynn! The Crimplene Countess would be great name too! xxx

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  3. Oh my word, what a treasure trove of incredible new (old) items. Your dress form is a thing of timeless beauty. I really like her sturdy metal base. The expression "they just don't make them like they used to anymore" really spring to mind there.

    Thank you for sharing your awesome scores with us!

    Big hugs & happy Easter weekend wishes,
    ♥ Jessica

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    1. Thank you Jessica! I can report that Angelica is already feeling very much at home here. She's a lucky thing as she gets to wear most of my new purchases first ... Hope you are enjoying the Easter weekend. xxx

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  4. Angelica was a lucky find, and it is lovely that you've named her for your Great Grandmother. I haven't named my dummy but now you have me thinking I should.

    Beautiful bags with the lucite handles, and in such nice condition too.

    Have a happy Easter.

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    1. For my dad's 80th birthday, I compiled a photo album for him, which is when I came across Angelica. Although I do not sew (yet), I'm drawn to sewing accessories, so I must have inherited some of her genes. xxx

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  5. Bags and brooches what more could a girl want?

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    1. True words, Miss Magpie, and I guess I am a bit of a magpie too when it comes to bags and brooches, as well as some other things ... xxx

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  6. I love Angelica/Cleo. The stand is just lovely, I like the industrial looks to it. Glad you've got a clever husband to replace the finial.
    You found some ace stuff. the magazines always fascinate me, especially the adverts.
    Loved the family photos. xxx

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    1. I have the same fascination for the adverts in old magazines. Some of them are "interesting" to say the least, especially the ones for "medicines" which claim to cure all. xxx

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  7. What a fantastic find! I love vintage dress forms, and Angelica is a great illustration of why. I don't really sew, beyond doing small repairs on my vintage pieces, but I would love to have one in the corner of a room, just to show off some of my favorite pieces!
    I do love that family photo, it's wonderful that you have such a great link to your family history.
    Cheers,
    Jessica, Zella Maybe

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    1. Thank you Jessica, and thanks for dropping in. I'm the same, I don't sew either beyond small repairs. When wearing vintage, you just have to. I'm following you now, by the way. xxx

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  8. The brooches are gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you! I've got quite a lot of brooches and, from what I've seen on your blog, you love your brooches too! xxx

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  9. Those are good finds - those magazines are beautiful.

    Re: the old lady selling her collection. My mother-in-law died last year and we had to clear out her house - obviously we kept sentimental items, but we wouldn't have had room for everything, and in the end a lot of things did go to charity shops. It made me realise just how hard it is for people in that situation. In the past, I've resisted elderly relatives trying to give me things, but now I see it from both angles, and perhaps like them the old lady just wants to see her treasures go to an appreciative home before she goes.

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    1. I'm going to take some photos of what's inside those magazines. There are some pretty amazing fashion plates. Clearing out your late mother-in-law's house must have been difficult. The lady selling the brooches says she is doing so because she'd rather give her children the money than burden them with a collection of brooches they are not remotely interested in. I've already bought quite a lot from her. xxx

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  10. Angelica is lovely, mine, modern though she is, is named Peggy. Lovely finds one and all x

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    1. I'm glad to hear you named yours as well. Peggy sounds quite right. xxx

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