September 22, 2021

Kris Manty

Articles From This Author

"Branche de Pommier" Diadème: The influence of the naturalism of Japanese art can also be seen in this horn, diamonds and gold "Apple Tree" diadem, c. 1901-02. The elegant apple tree bough, characterized by its decorative simplicity, is another example of the wonderful and inexhaustible botanical repertoire that inspired so much of Lalique’s work throughout his career.
Jewelry

The Stunning Horn Hair Combs of René Lalique

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels

Comic Books Enter a Dazzling New Golden Age

A famous Cecil Beaton photo from 1948 of nine models, including Marilyn Ambrose, Dorry Adkins, Carmen Dell'Orefice, Andrea Johnson, Lily Carlson, and Dorian Leigh, wearing various gowns by Charles James while posing in French & Company's eighteenth century French paneled room.
Vintage Fashion

The Sculptural Mid-Century Ball Gowns of Charles James

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Blog

The Ice Gun: A Forgotten Space-Age Kitchen Gadget From 1935

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Collectibles

Tussie-Mussies: 10 Things You Didn't Know

An illustration from Robert Tyas’ The language of flowers: or, Floral emblems of thoughts, feelings, and sentiments (1869). This bouquet of moss rose, sweet scented violet and white jasmine suggests “your modesty and amiability inspire me with the warmest affection."
Features

Victorians Used Flowers to Send Secret Messages

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Feature Stories

Alphonse Mucha: Celebrated Art Nouveau artist

Lalique's "deux libellules" brooch in the form of two facing dragonflies in gold, plique-a-jour enamel, and aquamarines, c. 1903, 2-1/2” w; $75,600.
Jewelry

Dragonflies Enchanted Art Nouveau Jewelry Designers

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Furniture

George Nakashima’s Kinship with Trees Shines in His Furniture

This copy of the bible sold at Sotheby's in 2016 for $47,500.
Books

A Misprint in a Bible From 1631 Endorses Hanky-Panky

Elusive Inarco E-6210 head vase dubbed the “Ghost Girl” or “Ghost Sister” by collectors because of her light matte coloring and is a scarce find. Circa 1950s-60s, she has a medium-blue bodice with a deeper blue narrow collar topping a peek-a-boo V in the front of her gown, large pearl drop earrings, side-swept blonde hair, mark reads “Inarco® E6210” with an elliptical world map, 7” h, base is 4-1/4” x 2-3/4”; $275.
Ceramics

Lady Head Vases: 10 Things You Didn't Know

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Vintage Fashion

How the ‘Letty Lynton’ Dress Took Country By Storm

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Pottery

Weller Pottery's Whimsical Coppertone Line

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News

Cicadas Have Inspired Artists For Centuries

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News

National Doughnut Day Honors Special Heroines

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Vintage Fashion

The Story Behind Marilyn Monroe's 'Happy Birthday' Dress

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Vintage Fashion

How a Little Black Dress Scandalized Paris in 1884

One of Queen Victoria’s mourning pieces honoring her daughter, Alice: onyx, banded agate, enamel and diamond pendant circa 1878, centering on an onyx heart with Alice beneath a coronet, and a glazed compartment containing a lock of hair, shown below. This sold at auction for $34,821.
Jewelry

Queen Victoria's Mourning Jewelry

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Features

How Jell-O Salads Created a Culinary Sensation

Copper mold by Salvatore Firenze, Italy, circa 1900, has three tiers that give it the appearance of height, 5" dia, 4" h; $234.95.
Collectibles

Vintage Gelatin Molds

A 1973 Topps Wacky Packages Series 3 “Hungry Jerk” with tan back; sold on eBay for $4.99.
Pop Culture

Vintage Wacky Packages Nostalgic Collectibles for Adults

Poppies appear again on this taffeta cocktail dress, spring 1956, by Rocco Materay. This sold at auction for $960.
Vintage Fashion

Vintage Dresses Celebrate Spring

"The Rise of Aten" is the largest ancient city ever discovered in Egypt. The walls of the city are well preserved, allowing archaeologists to see where its different districts were located.
News

Archaeologists Find 3,000-Year-Old City in Egypt

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Vintage Fashion

Haute Heels: The Vintage Shoe Designs of Roger Vivier

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Art

10 Fabergé Eggs We'd Love to Find in Our Easter Basket

“Kiss of Death”: This 4.5 mm gun cleverly concealed inside a tube of lipstick was reportedly carried by KGB agents in the 1960s. Twisting the bottom of the lipstick would fire a single bullet. The weapon’s existence was first discovered in a border crossing in West Berlin.
Vintage Technology

Cold-War Spy Gadgets

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Vintage Fashion

The Phenomenal Peacock Dress of Lady Mary Curzon

Post knew about dressing to impress. She wore this tulle and taffeta for an evening in Palm Beach. It features a sweetheart neckline, a blue velvet bow, lace, and sequins.
Vintage Fashion

Inside the Closet of Marjorie Merriweather Post

Ann Lowe, at 67, in her New York atelier, with a model posing in her one of her designs in Ebony Magazine, 1966. Every dress Lowe designed was hand-sewn and one-of- a- kind, tailor made to fit the wearer's exact measurements. Her superb work and attention to found an audience among New York City's most affluent social circles.
Vintage Fashion

Pioneering Fashion Designer Ann Lowe

Programme du Bal engagements card for January 11, 1887, published by M W & Co Ltd. Inside this dance card, which opens out in the shape of a fan, as shown below. After the event, the card was kept as a souvenir of the evening, perhaps finding a place in the lady’s drawing-room album.
Ephemera

The Lost Romance of Dance Cards

A radiant Marilyn Monroe in 1954.
Features

Marilyn Monroe's Beauty Secrets

A dapper gentleman, snow-covered cyclist, and at far left, a woman in a bustle packing a snowball.
Blog

Snowball Fight From 1896 is Joyful Mayhem

“Homely,” 1910-1920; $24: "Handsome is as handsome does, Which leaves a chance for you, Since in appearance you are like, A baboon in a zoo."
Ephemera

Vinegar Valentines: When Love Turns Sour

Augusta Savage posing with her sculpture Realization, created as part of the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project, circa 1938.
American Fine Art

Groundbreaking Artist Augusta Savage

Enigma I electromechanical cipher machine, 1935, featuring an ebonite Steckerbrett (plugboard) on the front, which was exclusive to the German armed forces and exponentially increased the complexity of the code. This version of the Enigma is sometimes referred to as the Heeres (Army) Enigma, Wehrmacht Enigma, or Luftwaffe Enigma due to its military-specific application. This particular example boasts rare characteristics found only on early production machines: metal extra Stecker cable holders in the lid, rotors with all-metal construction, and original metal badges and tags. It sold at RR Auction for $338,630.
World War II Collectibles

Enigma Machines

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Vintage Fashion

Elvis Presley Still a Style Icon

A Hungarian costume featuring a cambric blouse and velvet skirt, mid-17th century.
Vintage Fashion

Fashion Friday’s Top 10 for 2020

One of the most iconic pieces of Asian art in the world is Katsushika Hokusai’s 1831 woodblock print, Under the Wave Off Kanagawa. In September 2020, this set the world record for the print by the artist when it sold for $1.1 million at Christie’s, breaking its previous record set in 2017 when it fetched $943,500, also at Christie’s.
Art

Japanese Woodblock Prints

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Vintage Fashion

The Dazzling Costumes of White Christmas

A set of four brightly colored Shiny Brite double star flower indent glass ornaments, late 1940s to early 1950s, 2-1/4” h; $40.
Articles

Making Spirits 'Brite'

An Evergleam 94-branch stainless aluminum six-foot Christmas tree with tripod stand, 1960s, by Aluminum Specialty of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The Shiny Brite ornaments shown on tree were not included with the sale; $500.
Articles

Aluminum Trees Are Yuletide Cool

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Featured

Holiday Gift Ideas

Nature interpreted by Joseph Chaumet is an ode to the eternal cycle of the oak tree in this tiara, circa 1903.
Jewelry

Oak Trees and Tiaras

Children were a favorite subject of Rivera, as were calla lilies, reportedly his favorite flower. Niño con alcatraces, executed in 1950, combines both. This sold for $118,750 in 2018 at Christie’s.
Art

Diego Rivera's Work on the Rise

Swan-shaped ear trumpet made of brass, with an ivory earpiece, made by F C Rein and Son, London, circa 1865.
Vintage Technology

Ear Trumpets Sound Collectibles

From 1923: “Tis the night of spooks and witches, tis Halloween...And they will be at every party, offering plenty of merriment and creepy feelings on the night they duck for apples, light the pumpkin shells and celebrate Halloween.”
Features

Ghosts of Halloweens Past

“The world’s greatest painting of cats”: Carl Kahler’s “My Wife’s Lovers,” 1891, which sold at Sotheby's for $826,000 in 2015.
American Fine Art

A Meowsterpiece Revisited

Fan-favorite Sea Hag character from Popeye, Collegeville, 1960s, with flicker-eye attachments, mask only; $118.
Pop Culture

Vintage Halloween Costumes Scare Up Thrills ‘n’ Chills.

Orange evening dress with white embroidery, French, ca. 1865-67, by Charles Frederick Worth.
Vintage Fashion

Victorian Fashions Celebrate Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

"Open Fire Hydrant on a Hot Summer’s Day, Harlem, New York," 1963. Estimate: $2,500-$3,500.
Postcards & Photography

Black in White America