A Delicate Romance.

     I don't know if it's their hands all curled up together, or the eyes that look so soulfully from the past, but this photo is one of my favorite items in the Love and Marriage collection. This is actually a daguerrotype - an example of the earliest form of photography. The image is printed on glass with a velveted background in the case behind the glass. If you've ever seen a daguerrotype, you know that the image can be seen through into the back of the case. This gives an over all ghostly appearance to the photograph.  It was probably taken around the time of the Civil War. And sometimes I wonder if he was getting ready to leave or had perhaps just returned.

    Also note the little gold embelishments in the image. Early photography was mind boggling! 

My dear friend, Barb Ifert, found this bride and groom, wedding cake topper for me, years ago. She was on one of her antiquing trips and came across this lovely couple. It's made of porcelan and is inscribed at the bottom "Our Wedding Day."

***************************

Starting All Over Again.

      In July, Phil and I took a trip to Columbus, Ohio to celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary. It was hot! The weather was warm too...ha,ha. Actually the temperatures centered around 100 degrees. We stayed at the Westin. At lunch time, we decided we'd walk to the restaurant - approximately 3 blocks from the hotel. Well, that was almost a mistake because by the time we walked back, after lunch, we were both wiped out! The heat was oppressive.

     When it came time to head home the next day, we decided to drive highway 40, back to Indiana. We figured that we could stop at yard sales as 40 is a more rural road.
    There weren't very many yard sales being offered in 100 degree heat. Yet we did find a yard sale being held in a giant barn near Springfield, Ohio which led me to this lovely folk art piece. It was sitting amidst plates, vases and bowls. I picked it up. A lot of thoughts came to my mind as I pondered  "never to part." I felt sure the man in the piece was a soldier because what he is wearing looks like a uniform and because 1944 was during World War 2. And I figured these two have been through a lot in the 67 years they've been together. They've both been cut off at the feet, he's been punched in the nose and their glossy covering is cracking and coming off in spots. They're still together - never to part. The owner didn't know anything about it's history.  I felt it had been made for or by the couple in the art piece. I had to have - Never To Part - for my collection and especially since it was our wedding anniversary.

_________________________________________________

Simple Discoveries

I came across this picture on Ebay. I find a lot of interesting things on that site. The thing that caught my eye was the tiny, pink purse in the hand of this substantial woman. And her face looks so peaceful - serene.. This portrait was colorized by the photographer to add a bit of contrast. I'm not sure of the technique but the effect to me is dream like.

This metal heart-shaped trivet came to me years ago. I search for items that look as if they've been made for someone special - the folk heart collection.  I was walking through Riley's Antique Store in Greenfield. I walked right past this heart and then it was as if I saw it in hindsight. I did a double take and stepped back. It hung just above eye level, on a display rack, almost out of sight. If it weren't for some weird, intuitive vision, I would have totally missed it. I assume that it was made to be a trivet. Yet, it might also be a love token from a gifted tinsmith, who put a lot of time in on this heart, for the one they love.

Words of Love.

Remember the story I wrote about earlier concerning that beautiful, Cuban, wedding blouse?  It was a gift from my thoroughly awesome, sister in law - Linda McKibben Johnson.  I failed to mention in that story how she also gave me this antique tapestry.  This tapestry came from an old trunk that had belonged the mother of her Grandma Mary. It measures about 3 foot square and dates back before 1918. Titled "Ode to the Bride," it offers a slew of witty, and sometimes, strange wedding advice. 

Ode to the Bride

Sail forth into the sea of life.

O gentle loving, trusting wife.

And safe from all adversity

Upon the bosom of that sea

Thy comings and thy goings be.

Surrounding the lovely bride - a group of interesting tips:

"Marriages are made in heaven."

"Young man when you marry, be sure that your wife can at least make bread,

and don't forget that it's up to you to furnish the dough."

"Domestic happiness, the only bliss of paradise that survived the fall."

"Before you marry, beware, for it is a knot difficult to untie."

"Before you marry have where to tarry."

"A man is not to be known until he takes a wife."

"A deaf husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple."

"If thou wouldst marry wisely, marry thy equal."

"The first bond of society is marriage."

"He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin."

"Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and half shut after."

"There is no paradise on earth equal to the union of love and innocence."

"Man's best possession is a sympathetic wife."

"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing."

"A spaniel, a woman, and a walnut tree - the more you beat 'em the better they be."

"Marry your son when you will, your daughter when you can."

"Can't get away to marry you today, my wife won't let me."

"Gee whiz I'm glad I'm free, no wedding bells for me." 

                    

**************

Remember my last post - the tiny wedding cup and saucer? I have a collection of wedding anniversary cup and saucers. And in the process of collecting those, someone gave me a love mug. Now, the collection of love mugs number around 65. The mugs shown here are two of my favorites. Especially the sixties -hippie influenced one with the dove. I found it at a yard sale, just sitting on a table amidst the minutia of yard sale items. Perfection in every way!

 

Old Timey Love

      I am always on the look out for sweet items for the museum. A picture, an art piece, love letters - memorabilia of love. I spotted the photo above on Ebay. The picture called to me. None of the people are named in the photo. Yet we know it's "wedding day" and a few close friends and family have gathered in celebration at some one's home. They are all dressed in their Sunday best and they have flowers!. And I am not sure if it's the couple that drew me to this photo or the darling, little children.
      I remember clearly the day I found this wedding day, cup and saucer souvenir. I was visiting family in North Carolina. I'd stopped at a little antiques store on the way to my sister's house. I browsed the store for the longest time, chose a few items to purchase and headed for the check out. As I stood there waiting for the shop keeper to ring me up, I happened to glance down into a case by the checkout. And there they sat - wedding day cup and saucer - calling to me through the Hallelujah Chorus that was ringing in my head! The two items together, are about the size of a ping-pong ball.  I picked them up and noted the price tag at $2.00. My heart was pounding in my chest. Why? I don't know. It was as if a fear ran through me. In my mind, the thought hit me that if I showed how absolutely thrilled I was to find this, the shop keeper might say "Oh wait, that's a typo, these are actually $20.00." And I would have to do one of two things - either leave them and be heart broken or buy them and be more broke. The world of the mind - what a world!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

WELCOME TO THE MUSEUM OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE.

VALENTINES - OLD AND NEW

I find it interesting to look at older valentines versus the newer valentines. Seems like the older ones had more sentiment, poetry, embossing, ribbons, graphics, etc. The newer ones look stamped out and full of cultural images. I can't deny it though, at any age or era, it's nice to get a valentine.

OLDER VALENTNES

Inside this card it reads:

I'm sending you this Valentine

And hope you will be glad

For if you do not like it

It will make me very sad.

Lovely flower basket valentine.

This poem was on the inside of the flower basket valentine.

Newer Valentines

                        

What does football have to do with Valentines Day?