Sunday, July 27, 2008

Tiny Diamond Pairs -- Thirties

Here's the other thirties era tie that I picked up while on vacation. It's amazing to me how many of the ties from that era I have that are basically some variation on maroon. The one this resembles the most closely is my entry from just a few weeks ago, titled Thirties Polka Dots.

This one isn't quite the same, of course, just similar. This one has pairs of dot-like objects, except that when viewed closely, they aren't really dots. They're more diamond shaped. The pairs alternate two colors, shiny silver, and shiny maroon, of a lighter hue than the background. And the background fabric itself is covered in little tiny dots of the same silver color as half the diamonds.

Here are the other thirties ties with maroon as their primary color focus:
Although that last one in the list was previously labeled as the last from the thirties, I think this entry really is, at least for now, or until I find another for my collection. So what to scan and blog next week? Luckily I don't have to decide now. So until then . . .

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Black and Silver

My vacation in Santa Cruz, California, did have a positive side to it from the standpoint of this blog, to kind of match the negative side of causing a hiatus in posting. That positive side was our expedition one afternoon into several vintage clothing and antique shops, plus a visit to the local Goodwill.

The result? This tie, and another, both of thirties vintage, plus one forties specimen, and one skinny fifties/sixties tie that I decided to buy. None of those skinny ties have been featured on the blog as yet, but one of these days I'll get around to them, perhaps when I've exhausted my collection of the wider ones I prefer.

This is quite a nice thirties example, fairly striking in its monochromatic color and design. That is, the color scheme is monochromatic, not necessarily the design. What would that mean, monochromatic design, anyway?

What's nice about the design is that while it features sort of a traditional striped pattern, the stripes themselves are not all that typical. Instead, they are kind of wavy, looking like ripples in water or ice, or something. The fabric is so typical of thirties ties, with the pattern and design brocaded directly into it, creating a richly ornamental effect.

The tie has two labels sewn into the small end of the tie, and shown in the scan, although I suspect they are almost impossible to read. Frankly, the store label is almost impossible to read with the tie held in the hand. The letters have are faded and worn with age. the font is a little ornate, making it more difficult to make out. It appears to say "Ziecrach's." Under that, the city is plain: "Watsonville, Ca."

The second label, the manufacturer's label, reads "Hollyvogue" and "Registered." Which presumably means that "Hollyvogue" is a registered trademark. I have posted three previous Hollyvogue ties. You can use the search box at the top of the blog to locate them, but I can provide links here, as well. They are dated November 12, 2006; August 6, 2006; and May 28, 2006. It's obviously a California brand.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Dark Green and Black

First off, I should probably apologize for my three weeks of absence here on the vintage tie blog. But everyone has to have a vacation once in a while. Even though only one of the weeks I was gone was really vacation.

So, for anyone interested enough to read this entry, the weekend of June 22 I was back in Tillamook, Oregon, where I lived for several years in the first part of the current decade. I played an organ dedication recital at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, where I served as organist from 2002-2004. That was fun, but also a lot of hard work.

The following weekend, June 29, found us in Anaheim, California, attending the American Library Association's annual conference for a week. The week following that, which included last Sunday, July 6, was the only "real" vacation in there. We spent that week in the Santa Cruz area, in California, visiting Arline's sister Kathy and husband Ken.

Relaxing, sleeping in, walking along the beach, and among the redwoods, making music with Kathy, who is an accomplished pianist and harpist--these were some of the vacation activities we indulged in. But now I'm back.

So what about this tie. I suspect it won't show up very well on computer monitor screens. It is a very rich fabric, dark dark green and black. It appears to be of 1930's vintage, as the construction is very like all of my other ties from that era. Off-centered seaming in the back, and with the patterning woven into the fabric itself.

There is one label sewn into the small end of the tie, and visible in the scan. The label reads:
Wembley
Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.