~Happy Turkey Day~

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving! The weather is beautiful in Downieville today and expected to stay the same for the weekend. The sun is shining, the trees are still gorgeous-perfect weather for a nice drive up Highway 49!  Escape the frenzy of Black Friday shopping and enjoy the peacefulness of our little town.  The Lions Club is selling Christmas Trees, and as always, there is a great selection of beautiful locally grown trees!  Vintage Gal Antiques will be open Friday and Saturday of this Thanksgiving weekend.  Hope to see you!

~So Charming!~

Today I wore my charm bracelet to the shop. I've had the bracelet since I was about 10 years old and all the charms have a special meaning to me.  But...I haven't worn the bracelet on my wrist for years...I've found a new way to wear it.  Several ladies came in to the shop today and commented on my "necklace". When I told them it was my old charm bracelet, they were excited, and said they couldn't wait to get home and do the same to their bracelets!  One lady even said she hadn't worn her bracelet in years, but for some reason, decided to wear it today!  Fate-I tell you!  What I've done is just attach my bracelet to another sterling silver chain (about 16 or 18 inches) and turned it into a necklace.  Since the charms on my bracelet were soldered on, it would be too hard to remove them,  so, voila!  I just turned the bracelet into a necklace!  A great conversation piece and not as "noisy' to wear!  Thinking outside the box! Give it a try!

~The Language of Fans~

During the 18th century, fans were used by ladies for more than keeping cool; they were used as a form of expression. More than any other article of fashion, the fan became part of a lady's body language. Supposedly, there even existed a 'language of the fan' whereby ladies could send messages across a room without saying a word. To use this language, it was essential to know your right from your left!

To hold it in the upright hand facing the face: Follow me.
To hold it in the left hand facing the face: I desire a discussion.
To put it against the left ear: I desire that you left me quiet.
To slip it on the forehead: You changed.
To let it slip in the hand: I hate you.
To whirl in the upright hand: I like someone of other.
To cause to slip on the cheek and to bear on it the chin: I like you.
To present it closed: Do you like me?
To do it to slip in front of the eyes: I am grieved.
Touch the extremity of the finger: I desire to speak you!
To put it motionless on the upright cheek: Yes.
To put it motionless on the left cheek: No.
Open it slowly: I am married.
Open it quickly: I am engaged.
To bear on it the lips: Kiss me.
To carry it open in the left hand: Come to speak me.
To place it behind the head: Do not forget me.

Valentine's Greeting and 1903 Advertising Calendar Fans

Awesome Autumn

Country Kitchen

Fall is in the air and it is one of the prettiest times of the year here in Downieville.  Weekends are still busy, but in a less frenzied way!  Come up and view the beautiful fall foliage and enjoy a relaxed shopping experience in historic Downieville!  Vintage Gal Antiques is open Thursday through Sunday; 10am -4pm during September and October.


Unusual Victorian Vanity Mirror

 


Bevy of Bakelite!

Old Style Candy Counter and Store Tins & Bins

Bottles, Bottles! Getting Ready for the Downieville Bottles & Collectibles Show!

Beautiful Collection of Glass!

Just a few photos to get geared up for Downieville's Show! Hope to see you here!
Sept. 8, Saturday in the Downieville School Gym.





Fun Labels on these!







Razzle, Dazzle~Hand decorated vintage bottles!

 



Downieville Antique Bottles & Collectibles Show

 

(Rick's Grandfather on Right!)

Step Right Up……
to the 2012 Downieville Antique Bottles & Collectibles Show and Sale!

A bottle collector’s paradise!  Coming to Downieville on Saturday, September 8 is the annual antique bottles and collectibles show at the Downieville School Gym!  Early Lookers are welcome at 8:00am-10:00am for a $10 donation.  The show is free to the public from 10am-3pm. 

This show has gained much popularity over the years as one of the west coast’s favorite shows!  Known for its small town hospitality and friendliness, the Downieville Antique Bottle Show has attracted buyers and sellers from Utah, Texas, Oregon, Nevada and Washington states.  Many desirable bottles have changed hands at the Downieville Show and lots of great treasures have gone home to happy buyers.  

In addition to antique bottles, shoppers will find a great selection of trade cards, advertising tins and signs, ephemera, and so much more.  There is something for almost every kind of collector!  And don’t forget to buy your raffle ticket for some great prizes! 
This year’s show will feature displays of “The Silver Seventies”.  Bottles and related items from the 1870’s; whiskies, sodas, medicines and drug stores will be on display.  This was an important time in history, resulting in the discovery of silver as prospectors rushed to the Nevada area, scrambling to stake their claims.

Downieville is located on historic Highway 49 in the northern gold country.  If it’s your first time attending the Downieville Show, expect to slow down and step back into time in this quaint little gold rush community.  You can park and walk to the bottle show, museums, shops, restaurants, saloon and wine bar.  For dealer or show information, please call Rick & Cherry Simi (530) 289-3659 or email: ricksimi@att.net.  We hope to see you here in Downieville!

Great Show in Reno!

You could feel the excitement building on Thursday evening;  everyone getting geared up for the FOHBC Reno Expo Bottle Show opening on Friday afternoon.  When the doors opened for dealers and “Early Lookers” at 1:00 pm, there was a huge rush of bodies into the show room.  Over 350 tables filled with bottles, advertising, and go-withs!  A collector’s paradise!  Many rare and desirable bottles changed hands.  The displays featured so many incredible examples of glass.  Even though I’m a novice in the bottle world (Rick is the knowledgeable one in our family) I truly appreciate the beauty of the glass and the history of the bottle collecting hobby.  Traffic was brisk for the entire show; Friday through Sunday.  Buyers were on a hunt, searching for their special treasure to take home.
On my table, I had mostly advertising items; tins, porcelain thermometers, signs, etc. and happy to say, did very well at the show.  Of course, I also did my share of buying, so I guess it about evens itself out between  profit and loss!
It was fun to get together with friends from around the country, too. Dealer friends from Texas, Utah, Oregon, Wisconsin, and several other states were among those that we visited with.  Everyone agreed….the 2012 Reno Bottle Expo was a very successful event!

Beautiful display of rare bottles

Display of miniatures

Me!  Selling my advertising items!

Yes, that's right!  47K for that bottle! Wow!

Bev S. from Santa Rosa with her granddaughter at their table.

Exciting Reno FOHBC Expo 2012!

It's almost time for the 2012 Reno Antique Bottles and Collectibles Expo at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino.  This huge 3-day show is presented by the FOHBC (Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors) and promises to be an amazing show! There will be bottles, of course, but many other types of antiques and collectibles, as well.  Advertising, gold rush memoriblila, jewelry, country store items, and much more.  Over 300 vendors selling many wonderful and unique treasures! I'll be there selling, too--so if  you're coming to check out the show, please stop by my table and say hello!

Happy 4th of July!

Come on up to Downieville for a small town fun-filled, family holiday! Our parade is so much fun and the Downieville "Fireless Fireworks" are pretty cool!  Since we're located in Tahoe National Forest, real fireworks are not allowed, but we've got a fun alternative!! As huge rolls of bubblewrap are rolled down the street, kids and adults jump into the parade to stomp on the bubblewrap!  POP, POP, POP and voila-Fireless Fireworks!! The parade is ALWAYS on the 4th of July along with the Foot Races. This year-Wednesday is the 4th.  On Saturday, July 7 the other events are happening-Fireman's Muster, BBQ and Street Dance.

Vintage Gal Antiques will be open Wed.-Sunday from 10am-4pm (or later).  I am happy to open for appointments; please call 530-289-3659.  Have a wonderful holiday!


Folk Art style Barber Pole

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Red, white and blue advertising sign.

Vintage Gal all gussied up for the 4th of July!

~Farm Style, Country Style~

Graniteware, made from a variety of metals with enamel coating derives its name from its appearance. The speckled, swirled, or mottled effect of the various colored enamel resembles the patterns of granite.

Graniteware's many virtues made it a popular and economical choice for cooking in the 19th century. It was "colorful, easy to clean, durable, and did not rust."

What is the difference between graniteware and enamelware? Graniteware is a form of enamelware. It is made by applying a paper with an oxidized pattern on it to a piece of enamelware that was not yet dry. This process gives graniteware a pattern resembling granite. Enamelware is made from an old process of coating metal with porcelain. It became popular during the 1800s. Graniteware was featured in 1876 at the Philadelphia Expo.

Some of the more unusual and rarer colors include cobalt blue and white, green and white; especially the “chrysolite” variety, brown and white and red and white swirled items. Decorated items are uncommon; as well as children’s pieces and salesman’s samples.

I purchased a wonderful collection of graniteware and enamelware~many are unusual pieces in hard-to find colors. Please stop by Vintage Gal Antiques and check it out!

Colorful selection including rare brown/white colander and some nice examples of Chrysolite pieces.

Variety of grey graniteware, mottled, speckled and swirl patterns.  Unusual teapot and flask on middle shelf. On lower shelf, an example of Manning Bowman teapot with metal breast and lid rest on handle-extremely rare.

Enticing Advertising!

I love old advertising items.  The colorful lithographs are certainly an art from yesterday; so much detail went into each design.  And the enticing label descriptions!  Probably many bordering on false advertising, but they were so creative and entertaining!  Imagine the hopeful woman using “Facial Youth” with promises to restore her fading beauty.  Or how about Ramon’s Brownie Pills, a Diuretic Stimulant to the Kidneys.  “The Little Doctor Brings Happy Days”!  Two of my favorite antique bottles have wonderful embossed writing on them.  One is Hamlin’s Wizard Oil, not an expensive bottle, but sounds so Harry Potterish!  It’s from 1906 and is $6.00.   The other is an 1890’s medicine that is embossed with “Pain Killing Magic Oil” that “Works Like a Charm”!  Big promises in little bottles of magic!

You’ll find some unique advertising pieces here in Vintage Gal Antiques!  From a large porcelain enameled buttermilk dispenser to a nice selection of advertising tip trays~there is something special here for every type of antique advertising collector!

Downieville is Alive and Well!

Weekends are getting busier, weather is mostly warm and sunny and businesses in Downieville are re-opening for the 2012 season!  Yea!  So happy to come out of hibernation!   It’s wonderful to have a full-service town again!  We’ve got some great restaurants, shops, and interesting places to visit here.  The Grubstake Saloon has reopened for lunches and dinner--always a popular place for a great steak dinner!  The Two Rivers Café has pizza, pastas, burgers and more; open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  La Cocina Del Oro is a favorite for authentic Mexican food.  Fun atmosphere and tasty fresh dishes!  Coyoteville has great breakfast and lunches, and Belle's Cafe has food/snacks to go!  Lots of choices now and all are WINNERS!  Fishing season has opened, although at this time of the year, the river is still running a bit high.  Great for the kayakers, though, and there are lots around!  This end of Highway 49 is a popular putt for motorcycle enthusiasts and there are always large groups of riders visiting during the weekends.
 
Check out some of the new “old finds” at Vintage Gal!  I’ve been shopping during the winter and brought in some great new items!  May hours are Friday-Sunday 10am to 4pm.  Extended days and hours starting in June.  You can always call me at 530-289-3659 for an appointment, too.  I’m always happy to open up for you!

So come on up to Downieville!  We may be small….but we have it all!!

Very desirable Cascade Beer tray!

Cute pine drawer table and lots of vintage pottery!

Lots of great advertising and country store antique items

As always... BLING!!

Not Good for Antique Collectors!!!

AB 391 could be devastating for antique shows and the collecting hobby!!  Please check out this link!!

http://www.peachridgeglass.com/2012/04/antique-collecting-hobby-is-under-attack/

~Happy Easter~

Vintage Gal Antiques will be open Saturday, April 7 from 10am-3pm. during Easter weekend.  "Hop" on over and say hello! 

Open, Open, Open!!

Spring is here, and I’m really getting antsy to open again.  Things are looking good in Downieville; we’ve got a bigger grocery store, packed with a great selection of foods; the Grubstake Saloon and Restaurant is re-opening in May; the new Two Rivers Café is opening soon and several other businesses are starting up!  It will be great to have a busy little town again this summer!  My target date to re-open Vintage Gal Antiques is Saturday, April 7.  The Banff Mountain Film Festival will be at the Yuba Theatre on April 6  & 7 and Feather’s La Cocina Del Oro will be open for dinner.   For more information about Banff, visit the Yuba Theatre Facebook page.  In the meanwhile, check out some of the new treasures at Vintage Gal!

Retro Cool!

Crazy for Country!

Hand Painted Trays

Vintage Pearls and Beauty Potions

Showtime Again!

Hmmm, what should I take to Chico?

March is a busy month for Antique Shows.  Vintage Gal Antiques  has a sales table at the Chico Antique Bottle, Jar, Insulator and Collectables Show and Sale.  It is the 46^th Annual Show, held at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico on Friday, March 9 from 10 am – 7pm and Saturday, March 10, 9am – 4pm.  There is so much variety at this show!  I’ll be selling advertising signs and tins, vintage jewelry and, of course, antique bottles.  Stop by my table and say hello!

The San Luis Obispo Bottle Society’s 44^th Annual show and Sale is in Morro Bay at the Veteran’s Hall.  Dates are Friday, March 23, 1pm-6pm and Saturday, March 24, 9am-3pm.  Beautiful setting at Morro Bay and a great show!  Hope you’ll make it to these shows…you never know what treasures you’ll find!

Worm Candy?  What was it used for?

Paper Label Chief Nectar and Shinola Advertising

Great graphics on these two!

Sigh...I just can'd decide which pieces
 of vintage jewelry to take to the show!

~Happy Valentine's Day~

"Scentsational Glass!"

Floral, musky, woody, spicy…so many different scents of perfume.  There are over 30,000 fragrances available today!  But to a collector, the bottle the fragrance came in the most desirable element of perfume.

The following information about perfume bottles is from a portion of an article found on:  www.makeup.lovetoknow.com

“It all started as far back as 1500 BC when glass perfume bottles adorned the homes of the noble and wealthy. While early scents were designed to ward off bad spirits, grace the gods and disguise body odors, the bottles were a true symbol of luxury. In Greek and Roman times, scent bottle designs became increasingly more sophisticated, even imitating the shapes of birds, humans and other animals.

In 50 BC, glass blowing techniques were developed in Syria. This was a huge advancement in bottle construction. Expensive Roman scent bottles created from transparent glass adorned with colored glass decorations were widely acclaimed. Even though glass dominated as the material for perfume bottles, in the Middle Ages some metal and enamelware did appear in the perfume marketplace.

Then arrived the 18th century when the Chinese secret of manufacturing porcelain was revealed. A new fashion had been delivered; with little porcelain perfume bottles the rage all over Europe. The large variety of bottle production was due in part to the process of how perfume was sold. Until the end of the 19th Century, perfume was bought in plain containers and then transferred into these beautiful scent bottles at home. For these early times, there was a vast market of delicate bottles to match every personal taste.

While these varieties of materials created beautiful works of bottle art, they did not function as a container of perfume as nicely as glass. Glass ultimately became the main perfume bottle material because of its ability to resist reacting with the fragrance oils and ensuring a tight stopper seal. In addition, modern perfumery eventually led to factory production where the fragrance was packaged on site. Perfume manufactures were well aware of the attachment customers had to a desirable bottle; therefore, the factory-produced perfume containers still had to be attractive enough to enchant a purchaser.

 

These factories hired some of the most talented craftsman of the time to design and create the ideal bottles to match their highly crafted scents. Today, these original bottles demand the highest prices at auctions. Perfume manufacturers of the new millennium still appreciate the bottle as a vital factor in selling a perfume, so top bottle designers remain in high demand.”

In this article, there is also reference to another website:  www.perfumebottles.org where you will find some wonderful photographs of beautiful perfume bottles.

Beautiful Cut Glass Bottles

Lovely I W Rice Perfume

There are so many styles of perfumes bottles to collect!  Vintage Gal Antiques carries a nice selection of leaded cut glass perfume bottles, as well as some vintage “Toilet Water” labeled bottles.  Surely you will find a nice addition to your collection at Vintage Gal Antiques!