Monday, October 19, 2009

All The Small Things...


A sale that I attended recently had been a little lacklustre on the vintage front for most of the morning, until I noticed a cardboard box under one of the stalls. It appeared to be full of old postcards, mostly views around Britain during the 1970's, but on delving a little deeper, I came across this little treasure.

It is a small pocket-sized diary from 1877.
Inside the front cover are useful snippets of information, such as how much you should expect to pay for a journey in a London cab, as well as a table of high water times at London Bridge!

OK, all useful stuff in its day, I'm sure, but the rest of the diary had been somewhat defaced...

It had been used to create a mini album for pretty little greetings cards of the time. Its a shame the old diary had been defaced, but it did mean that the cards stored inside had been pressed and kept so well, that they looked as fresh as the day that they had been printed...

And there were lots of them!

I love these Easter cards - The one on the right being my favourite...

Just look at those lovely snowdrops and forget-me-not flowers.

More Easter greetings - these ones printed with white lilies on a rich gold background.

And then there were these tiny cutout Christmas cards...

with a simple greeting on their reverse.

More shaped cards, pristine and unused.

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Beautiful sentimental keepsakes from a romantic era.

And, as if that wasn't enough, I also found this tiny embossed card needle case at the bottom of the box of postcards. Its embroidered front and back in silk threads
and fastens with the red ribbon.

This larger card opens up to reveal the fresh springtime posy inside.

And finally I also found these unused baptism and marriage certificates, probably from the early 1900's.

Just scraps of paper really, some might say, but they make me happy and are a joy to look at.
I am left wondering why the little cards were never sent, though, and kept so carefully in the one shilling diary.
Hope you enjoyed seeing them,
Niki x

20 comments:

  1. Well that sure was some great Treasure Hunting, I love your finds. And everything in such good condition. I'm sure you left with a smile on your face!
    Hugs, Diane

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  2. Oh they are quite the find. I love finding things like that. Don't you just wish you could visit back in time to see who this stuff belonged to.

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  3. unique and hard to come by! great buy!!

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  4. Wonderful finds, beautiful, just beautiful.

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  5. Well done Niki. You always seem to be able to ferret out the interesting and unusual in the most unlikely places!!

    Sue x

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  6. the colours in that little robin card are just wonderful - I have similar cards but so faded they are nothing like so special! clever you! what a special find! t.x

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  7. Even someone back in 1877 was obviously thrifty - I love it! ;)

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  8. They are so lovely you do find some amazing things Niki, and I hate to say I always feel very jealous...I remember having a babtisim card like that...only mine was 45 years old...not 1877...

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  9. Beautiful things seem to make their way to you, Niki. They know they will have a good home. xx

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  10. Dear Niki.such a speacial find deserves a response, it's a pease of someones life, makes you wonder what the person who kept it looks like.a beautiful find! your lucky.**from Holland.

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  11. What a wonderful find. That is the sort of thing I would have bought too. I wonder what people of the future will make of todays cards?

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  12. Oh, I am weak in the knees from all your wonderful treasures. I love ephemera! You found some beautiful things. You are very lucky. Have a nice day! Twyla

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  13. I just absolutely ADORE that little basket of flowers card, you were so lucky to find such a collection, but then you are well trained at finding these gems, i think you can smell them out.

    Not long til the fair !!

    best wishes Ginny xx

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  14. They are lovely Niki! I am also one for scrabbling about in forlorn looking boxes of papery stuff - I find ephemera so interesting.

    Jayne

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  15. Anonymous8:17 pm

    Hi Niki, I'm going treasure hunting with you as you always manage to find really beautiful and interesting objects and ephemera on your trips out. What wonderful "finds". Here's to more fruitful unearthings.............
    Best wishes, Pauline x

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  16. What wonderful treasures you found in a little book, you could dream for hours wondering where they all come from...Now why don't I ever find anything like that??? love Lucey x

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  17. Sue S7:26 pm

    what lovely treasures to find!! so beautiful and very special....thanks for sharing them with us.. Sue x

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  18. Hello Niki, I think you´ve found THE treasure my dear, how lovely!!!! I´d bet your heart was beating faster as you were looking to it...oh, what a pleasure!!
    Muchos cariños
    María Cecilia

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  19. Wow, what a find.
    Ruth x

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  20. they are quite the find. I love finding things like that. Don't you just wish you could visit back in time to see who this stuff belonged to. Work from home India

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Thank you for finding the time to visit me...
Niki xx