August 28, 2013

you had me at vintage

We went antiquing on Saturday! We were on the hunt for an armoire for my sewing supplies but came up empty in that department- womp, womp. We did find a couple really fun things though!

We hit up Hole in the Wall Antiques in Cincinnati and ended up buying a really great atlas, printed in 1948.
The atlas is all in German which I think adds to the charm. The colors are fantastic in it and all of the pages are made from high quality paper. We're going to mat and frame pages from countries that we've visited to display in our home- maybe in the hallway. A steal for $10!

I also saw these guys there and I'm  not even gonna lie, it was SO tempting. But what's a grown woman need with California Raisins, right?
I heaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard it through the grapeviiiiiiiiiiiiiine!

I bet I could've found a use for them.

Anywho, after the great atlas score we headed back to the KY to continue our armoire search in Newport. I couldn't find anything that I fell in love with and was starting to feel discouraged when I found THIS GUY.
This vintage sewing machine was in the last booth I looked in at Monmouth Street Antique Gallery. I immediately fell in love but remembered that we're downsizing (my sewing room will be no more- hence the armoire) so I walked away. As soon as we pulled away, I had immediate regret. Heather said that we could use it as a pretty display piece in the living room and that was all the convincing I needed- I called the antique store and had them hold it for me until we could back the next day. Hooray!!!

Well, wouldn't you know that when we went back the next day it was Rides on Monmouth- the annual vintage car show in Newport where the main street is shut down for traffic and there are hundreds of pretty cars parked to ogle. So, I bought my new machine and had a photo shoot! Ye-ah!


She was made for the camera!



I took these two close up shots while we were eating lunch at an outside eatery. Let me tell you, if you ever want to make new friends, just take a sewing machine to lunch. It's quite the conversation starter!


I had never heard of Morse sewing machines before and it doesn't look like there's a heck of a lot of information about them on the Internet. From what I could find, they're industrial travel sewing machines (not sure how the traveling would work out because this gal weighs a TON) and were made in Tokyo by Toyota- mine has a Toyota stamp on the bottom. The founder of Toyota, Mr. Kiichiro Toyoda, "had a strong belief that home-use products must be 'functional yet beautiful'". (source) I like that Mr. Toyoda. :)


Heather has started cleaning this up for me; once it shines like the top of the Chrysler building (name that movie), I think it'll look great on a shelf in the living room. Maybe with some vintage spools of thread with it?

So, that's how two girls went from going out in search of an armoire to downsize their sewing supplies to buying another sewing machine. OY. At least it's pretty. ;)

xo, Kara

6 comments:

  1. It's so beautiful! Congrats on such a fun find. And we totally need to go antiquing together soon!

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  2. I have an older sewing machine on display in my living room too (but yours is prettier.) Congrats on your new find.

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  3. Congrats on the new purchase!! But what is with the downsizing? :(

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  4. I have a Howe sewing machine about that color! Non-functional, but very pretty, very heavy, and a gift from the husband. He is a direct descendent of Elias Howe so it was clearly more a gift for himself, but it's pretty anyway.

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