Weekend Finds: Furs and Jewelry, Daaaahling (and a Couple Other Odds and Ends)

Good morning!

The things I do for this blog, I'm tellin' ya...this morning, just before setting out for the book factory, I was in my driveway, listening to the trash collectors' truck trundle down my narrow street at its usual breakneck speed, wearing a fur coat in the already-eighty degree heat, and getting my picture took. The good news, though, is I bought a fur coat this weekend! Take a look:

I think it's a mink, but I can't tell a fur just by looking at it...all I know is, my dad and I drove aaaaall the way to Gallatin on Friday and this was the only thing older than maybe 1980 in a smoky house way out in the outskirts of a town that is twenty miles outside of Nashville to begin with. It was hanging in a back bedroom where a large flat screen tv was blaring Tombstone on TNT, and just as they got to one of my favorite lines ("You die first, get it? Your friends might get me in a rush, but not before I make your head into a canoe, you understand me?" PS Kurt Russell, call me), this vision of loveliness appeared, hung on the outside of the closet door. Taped to the hanger was a letter sized piece of cardstock bearing the legend, "VINTAGE FUR COAT $35". And other than the smoke smell, which has already dissipated substantially after a day or two in the shade airing out, in mint condition. How could I resist!

The sales lady cornered me in the walk in bathroom as I was trying the coat on for a spin. "Oh, I knew someone would appreciate that fur coat. It looks like it was made for you!" I bet you say that to all the girls. I preened for a minute, tried to look disinterested, and felt a twinge of "Does this coat make me look broad? Was it made for a shorter woman?". Plus, you all know about my $20 cut off (which has gotten me into trouble with stoles...five. I'm like a mink hoarder). "And I'll make you a deal on it," the lady said, bringing back my interest. "What kind of deal are we talking here?" She looked at it, looked at me, "How about thirty dollars?" I already felt like thirty five was criminally low, and while I might have been able to dicker down another five dollars or so, I was feeling a little like a spendthrift and told her it was sold.

I am thinking of this in winter with a mink hat (got one) and a fitted forties' dress (got one), and some cute little heels. I am feeling an overall sense of satisfaction at this idea.

The coat is from Kramer's in New Haven, Connecticut. I was able to dig up this article and this article on Google Newspapers, and another that recounted a robbery that happened in 1924, but other than that, nada. Google Newspapers is really coming through on regional history, though, I couldn't find anything on regular Google other than other furs for sale (at much more than $30, thankfully). I love the typography on the tag, and that giant, swooping "K".

Best part though...this strange, pretty reverse embroidery of the owner's name, "Merita". I die.

One of my favorite sale companies was having another estate sale in Gallatin this weekend, where I swung over and picked up these baubles. None of them are marked, but jumpin' Jehoshaphat, the sheer drama of these earrings and the matched brooch and earring set! As I was checking out, an elderly lady leaned over to me and said, "You picked the exact ones I would have picked, out of all that jewelry!" Birds of a (n outrageous and opulent) feather. The set at bottom was $15, the large earrings on the right $5, and the smaller ones to the left $3. Can't beat prices like that, either!

"These earrings are soooo big..." "HOW BIG ARE THEY?" Take a look for yourself:

They match my dress and I almost wore them to work today, but decided for some less wild, but still purple rhinestone'd earbobs.

From Michael Taylor:

Taylor's sale was in a warehouse out in the farmlands of Franklin this weekend, and while I was just delighted by everything I saw, nothing was really in my price range (see these lamps I just instagrammed for example...oh, so beautiful!). Then, out of the blue, I came across the hat...and when I realized it was matched to the purse...well, hell.  The tag (below) indicates it's from Sears Fashion, and I wore it out on the town to Holland House with Emma and Tyler on Friday...didn't I feel like an Egyptian queen in this turban like pretty? Again, more evidence on instagram.

This Native American choker was at the same sale as the fur coat-- I also bought a Frederick's of Hollywood from the seventies' pair of stretch leopard print pants and matching halter...I forgot to photograph it but know the world is a better place for such a two-piece outfit to exist. I've been wanting a choker like this since I saw one at the flea market, but that one, being some kind of real-deal antique, was $50. This one, much more reasonably priced at $6. Now, to plan out what to wear this with...

Last but not least, I was on my way to drop my dad off in Madison when we came across a sign that said "ESTATE SALE" and pointed us towards a kind of sketchy part of said part of town. Always down for another sale, we tooled over kind of behind and to the right of the county clerk's office on Heritage Drive, where it was pretty much a yard sale with some estate items. My dad: "Ah, do you want to go? I'm good, we can just go home." Me: "We already drove all the way over here and I need to find out what is going on with that eagle." This is what is going on with that eagle:

Sooo...sequined, embroidered eagle majestically landing on a branch on a black velvet background? With one wing cut off by the inlaid frame? Of course I bought it. AND its twin. Yes, I have not one but two panels of this magnificent image. $7 for the pair, and they're like two feet high by a foot across. AMERICA.

I think that about covers everything I got this weekend. How about you? Make any crazy scores? Buy any insane wall hangings? Do you have a similar weakness for vintage furs at bargain basement prices? My mom this weekend was like, "What are you going to do with all these furs, make a teddy bear out of them?" (as people's grandma's sometimes do to repurpose old stoles) Me: "No, I'm going to wear them! All at once, too, one on top of the other. String 'em together with rhinestone brooches." Pappy: "All right, Cruella de Ville." (say it like it's a bad thing, daaaad). Go to any good estate sales? What would you wear this fur coat with? Tell me all about it!

That's all for today, but I'll catch you back here tomorrow for more vintage tchotchkes and tangents. Have a great Tuesday! See you then.