Sunday, September 13, 2015

Certificate of Baptism 1906

Every once in a while I will purchase some antique books from people in the US. I came across this certificate in one of those books. It is the baptism certificate for Gladys Eleanor DeRodes who was born on March 10th, 1905 and was baptised on February 25th, 1906. It has been folded several times and is nearly ripping into two. It's so lovely, a little piece of history and family keepsake that should be cherished. Even if not by the family. One of those huge life milestones you look forward to and can't believe has passed so quickly when you are raising your own children.

This Guy

I have looked up the name on this card in many variations so many times I am convinced that he was a figment of someones imagination. Ha, alright probably not, but I still give up. If anyone out there has any ideas, I am open to suggestions. Hand painted, and not so well, I might add, this little beauty fell out of a Danish book that was published in the 1908. It didn't seem to belong in the book it was found it, but the back does suggest it may have been glued into another book or pamphlet at one time. Any tales of yellow faced, white bearded men who had a thing for mice and books ring a bell?  That could make for a very interesting, if not freaky, idea for a book.

A Girl in a Toga

First thought that comes to mind is this girl was conned into doing a dramatic role for some old Shakespearean play and is donning the toga, ferns, and the headband completely against her will.  Well, it would be against my will. She is holding her arms in a bit of a defensive way, shy perhaps. The dress not covering all the bits she had hoped that it would? This photo has no date on it, rotten, but it looks early 1900's to me.

Doesn't this remind you of a Jane Austen type thing to do? Or like Little Women when they would all dress up and put on plays just for fun? It's a pretty cool and unique picture to be hanging out in a book for who knows how long. Our girl here is married, so let's suggest that her husband just loved the photo and tucked it away to keep it safe. Isn't that a lovely thought.

Shaggy Haired Boys

There's no date on this little piece of paper and the back has nothing on it that helps either. I am guessing these boys might have been known to the person who left this in a book, or perhaps they were famous! Anyone look familiar? A boy band from Denmark? The hair makes me think the 60's or 70's, but they are dressed so indistinct to a time period, could be now. Someone had a crush!
 I remember cutting out pictures and articles about people I had a crush on when I was young. I had this serious infatuation with Mikhail Baryshnikov , the dancer. He is, was, and always will be my crush boy. If you don't know him, look him up on YouTube, or you can see him as The Russian that Carrie dates on Sex and The City. Still so very swoon worthy.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Insurance Congress Magazine May 1928

This is a full sheet of paper from May of 1928. It says its the Nordic Body for International Insurance Interests. So, not really sure what it means. I can tell you that one head line is this word, brandforsikringsselskabet and it translates as fire insurance.Seriously, have you ever seen such a long word??? I cannot even fathom attempting to pronounce it. Anyway, I am assuming the paper is talking about all the different types of insurance out there and what the latest trends are. I just love that it's from 1928. Before WWII, before the Great Depression, an interesting time in history. A fun find.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

W. Somerset Maugham

A little history first. William Somerset Maugham, born in 1874 and died in 1965, was a British playwright, novelist and short story writer.He lost both parents by the age of 10 and was raise by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. Not wanting to become a lawyer like other men in his family, he eventually trained and qualified as a doctor. The first run of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth, sold out so quickly that he gave up medicine to write full time.

During WWI he served with the Red Cross and in the ambulance corps before being recruited in 1916 into the British Secret Intelligence Service. During and after the war, he travelled in India and Southeast Asia. All of these experiences were reflected in later short stories and novels.

First of all, wow! I had no idea he led such a crazy and cool life. This fell out of a book of his, I assume it was pasted in the back of the book. Many older books do the paste in the author thing. Kind of odd, right? I mean, it's not like the author of this book will change. It will always be his novel. You'd think he'd get a permanent place in the book. Anyway, I read The Painted Veil and fell instantly in love with Maugham. I then rented the movie with Edward Norton and fell instantly in love with the movie. But now, whenever I see or hear Somerset Maugham's name, I see Edward Norton. And oddly enough, not his character in The Painted Veil, it's totally his character from The Illusionist. Oh, I can't not think of him in that long coat, sporting the goatee, my goodness. My goodness, indeed.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Mystery Woman in Furs

Usually when someone cuts out a picture from a newspaper they keep the description of what we are seeing intact. This one leaves us to our own imagination to figure things out.

 It must be fairly old. Look at the door of the vehicle she is exiting from. Tall windows, plush leather seating. It could almost be a Cinderella type horse drawn carriage, but I imagine it has an engine.

Is she really that cold? And what's with the guy helping her out? Turkish hat, long beard, and robes. She can see the photographer, looking straight at him. Possibly resignation. Her picture might get taken often. But who is she? This sounds like the opening of a book. A mystery. And we'll make sure to write into our story the cute boy in the cap in the background. I like it. Solid start.