Vintage News, Links & Inspiration Of The Week

Thank you for the positive feedback on last week's installment of Vintage News, Links & Inspiration of The Week. I hope you enjoy this week's post and as always feel free to send any tips to thriftaholic (at) yahoo.com

Who says libraries aren't hip? The Los Angeles public library shares some of its visual collections via its Pinterest account. Check out the Ansel Adams photographs of LA landmarks like the Brown Derby, scans of menus from iconic LA-area restaurants, maps of Southern California dating from the 1870s to the 1940s and illustrated bookplates from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras.
Lost Hollywood Treasure Trove Uncovered in Burbank Warehouse: A Collectors Weekly reporter got the chance to view and try on some of the most famous jewels in cinematic history at the original shop of Joseff, the renown jeweler of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Costume jewelry worn by stars like Marily Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Greta Garbo in their most famous films are now tucked away in an undisclosed location in Burbank.
"A Laguna Beach Craftsman Has a Passion For Clocks": The Los Angeles Times reports the story of a craftsman who has been repairing clocks and timepieces for over 40 years out of his Orange County shop.
"On Location: Shoe Repair Shop Makes a Footprint in Hollywood": The 29-year-old owner of Willie's Shoe Service carries on the legacy of the Los Angeles shoe repair shop that has been providing made-to-order footwear to the movie and TV industry since 1956.
"The Vintage Hunter" is a new TV show in Singapore that chronicles the junking journeys of Dominic Johnson-Hill, the owner of a Beijing-based t-shirt company and a self described flea market connoisseur. He crisscrosses Asia in search of vintage treasure and hits the oldest flea market in Tokyo, travels through Vietnam with a pack of vintage scooter fanatics and discovers a multi-million dollar ruby ring in Beijing. Unfortunately the show is not available to view in the U.S. yet, but an interview with Johnson-Hill is available to read online.
I'm a fan of quirky roadside museums dedicated to Americana so was pleased to discover two I'd never heard of before-- this week the Poppy Talk blog explored the Lucky Juju Pinball Museum in Alameda, California and The Vintage South visited The Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans, Louisiana.
$3 Goodwill Store Purchase Earns $190K At Auction: A Life-long collector and former antiques dealer scored big when he purchased a 17th century oil painting at his local Good Will store.
If you're feeling inspired by the above story, Katherine Raz shares tips on how to find your very own treasure at the thrift on The Vintage Bazaar blog.
"Life's Glam For Vintage Pinups": See the winner of the Miss Pinup Australia pageant in Sydney and watch the accompany video to see the contestants' vintage costumes and period-authentic makeup,
The World's Top Vintage Stores: MSNBC picks the top 10 places to shop for vintage clothing and accessories in the U.S. and abroad including stores in Paris, Sydney and Des Moines, Iowa.
"Vintage Digs: 3 Spaces That Take Us 'Far Out' to the 70's": The DiggersList Blog explores the 1970s trend in home decor and how three home owners interpreted it in their own spaces.
Spring is only a few weeks away and with the warmer weather bloggers are thinking about growing plants and flowers. Strawberry Moth posted a step-by-step guide on how to make and care for a terrarium. A Living Space blog, co-authored by Christopher and Julia, share their new collection of terrariums. They revive the trend that thrived in the 1970s in a contemporary way-- they've repurposed a variety of containers like glass tea kettles and a sun tea jar as a new home for plants.