LIFE. November 6, 1964

Knowing my penchant for the classic Bond movies (1962-2002), a buddy brought me back this little gem from the Clunes Writers Festival. An original edition of LIFE magazine from November 1964, featuring the iconic Bond "Golden Girl" Shirley Eaton on the cover.

Goldfinger (1964) is number 3 in the original series of 20 films, and was the first to encompass the complete classic Bond formula.  IMHO it's one of Connery's best, and one of my favorites in the series.

Top Right: Cover, from Google images (my photo wasn't good enough),
Above: The Goldfinger article pages from my copy of the mag. Thanks DJ :)

Takin' care of business, 60s style

Vintage suit hat-trick! Been on a lucky streak of late with vintage suits. Without trying I now have a set covering the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Found this business suit by HyTone of Melbourne at Joyce's Junkatique (38 Main Rd) for $25. Dating from around 1960 it's straight out of Mad Men. Given the trend back to 60's style narrow lapels over the past few years, this is one vintage outfit I can actually wear to work.

The narrow tie was also a nice $3 pick-up from last year, late 50s/early 60s silk featuring a bullfight scene. While I don't support bullfighting in any way, it's still an interesting artifact of the time.

Above right: c1960, Grey pure wool 3 button business suit by HyTone of Melbourne. The quality of your average modern off-the-rack suit doesn't compare to this 50yo classic.


Above left: HyTone suit label.
Above right: Late50s/early60s Bullfighter scene silk tie by "Cresta Cravat" marked "Rhodia - Woven in France".

Locals worth a visit

Happy to say I've finally managed to catch up on a couple of newish local Ballarat venues after months of well meaning intentions.

Firstly the Red Brick Gallery (on the last day of Jessica Bellman's show). Nice gallery & good art, congrats to owners Steph Wallace & Marcia King, hope it goes well.

Secondly the Babushka Bar, where local artist & musician Garth Horsfield has taken over & enhanced this intimate watering hole (formerly the Saloon Bar), to provide a venue for art, alternative music and performance. Congratulations to Garth, here's hoping the venue has a bright future.

Creepy 90s Nanna Decore

Came across an example of that creepy decorating fad from the mid to late 1990s the other weekend, a "Time-out Doll". I mean, who wouldn't find the faceless doppelganger of a toddler being subjected to domestic discipline utterly delightful?

Like crying child and clown prints, I've always found these little replica child victims (and the people they appeal too) faintly disturbing.

Above right: 1990s "Timeout doll" (also known as "pouting dolls", "tantrum tots", "corner kids", etc) seen at the Ballarat Mill Market

Vintage Gold!

Possibly one of the best finds I've had in many years of op-shopping, an original and complete "Golden Era" Men's 3 piece suit from the late 40s/early 50s.

Last year I saw a 3 piece like this at Circa going for $550, ..this one cost me just $35!

Talk about dumb luck, I picked it up only 2 weeks after finding a complete 1970s Safari Suit at the same place. Coincidentally they are both by Roger David.


Above: Men's 1940s/50s wool pinstripe double-breasted 3 piece suit, by Roger David. Found at the Sebas Salvos.

More disturbing clowns

I've previous blogged my feelings on clowns and the decorative arts, but this particular op-shop print has "mildly disturbing" stamped all over it. Titled "Friendship" we have a darkly brooding clown, comforting a frightened (or sneaky?) dwarf clown, seated on a cloud of smug elderly faces.

Googling the signature finds the website of "World renowned clown artist" Robert Owen. Apparently "he has been delighting people with his clowns" for 30 years ....hmmmm.

Classic 70s Polyester

Had an amazing find over the Labour Day long weekend a few weeks ago. I've previously said if I ever saw a Safari Suit cheap I'd grab it, well I finally stumbled on one.

Feast your eyes on this classic and complete 1970s powder blue men's polyester safari suit by Roger David. Big collar, flared pants, the whole deal. Roll on the next bad taste dress-up event!

Above: 1970s Men's Polyester Safari Suit, by Roger David. $25 Sebas Salvos.
Right: Note the male symbol in the old Roger David logo, soooo Disco.

Classic Bristolite Deco

Here's a lovely old pair of Art Deco Bakelite kitchen canisters by "Bristolite", found about six month ago. Originally from a larger set, this lonely pair have luckily survived with no chips or cracks.

Above left: Art Deco Bakelite canisters by "Bristolite", marked "Cat No.311" on base. Probably late 1940s. $12 the pair from the Sebas Salvos.

Groovy Glo-Weave

Another recent find, a vintage Australian made Glo-Weave body shirt. These big-collared body-hugging bad boys were popular from the late 60s well into the 70s disco era. This one's a survivor from the time when Australian shirt brands like Gloweave and Pelaco were still being made locally.

Above: Peach coloured stretch poly/cotton body shirt by Glo-Weave, c1970. $6 from the Sebas Salvos.
Right: note the dual imperial/metric sizing on the tag (Australia started going metric in 1970).

Chunky time

Found last weekend, a working SEIKO "Transistor" battery powered wall clock from the 1970s. A predecessor to the ubiquitous modern Quartz wall clock, it dates from a time when Seiko was enjoying huge success (even James Bond wore a Seiko in the 70s).

Seiko "Transistor" electromechanical movement wall clock, $14.95 from the Wendouree Salvos.

Big eyed waifs & breezy women

Some retro kitsch prints encountered at Op Shops over the past few months. While not precisely my thing they were interesting enough to snap some pictures of:



Above left: Big eyed waifs of the 1960s by F. Idylle. There seems to have been quite a market for images of disadvantaged or suffering children back then, and the whole vintage "Big Eyed" genre is quite collectible today.

Above right: "Jaqueline" 1977, by Sara Moon. These breezy women (frequently in hats) first appeared in 1976, and marked a shift from the bold and bright decor of the early 70s, to a more subdued look in general by the end of the decade. The original Sara Moon was actually a male commercial artist named Bijan. The line continued being produced into the 1990s, with some in the early 80s also done by another artist called Christian.

Happy New Year!

2011 has started well for me, with these recent finds over the holiday period. A vintage Titoni Airmaster Automatic watch and cigarette case, both from the 50s/60s.

Left: Mens 25j Swiss Titoni Airmaster watch ($30 eBay) and West German made chrome cigarette case ($5 St Vincents Op Shop Daylesford)