Circa62

LIFE. November 6, 1964

2011-06-17T15:03:00.005+10:00

Knowing my penchant for classic Bond movies, 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

2011-06-01T11:28:00.014+10:00

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

2011-05-20T12:10:00.019+10:00

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

2011-05-06T17:41:00.016+10:00

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!

2011-04-21T11:26:00.017+10:00

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

2011-04-12T10:55:00.004+10:00

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

2011-03-23T11:47:00.012+11:00

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

2011-03-04T15:41:00.006+11:00

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

2011-02-14T18:04:00.018+11:00

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

2011-02-04T10:50:00.011+11:00

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

2011-01-20T17:01:00.014+11:00

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!

2011-01-05T10:50:00.010+11:00

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)

Ghosts of Christmases past

2010-12-21T15:26:00.008+11:00

Hi, back from a blogging hiatus here's something for the holiday season. Children's Books and Annuals are an old-school Christmas staple, here's some from the 1950s seen recently at a local Op Shop.

While these are before my time, I do remember getting annuals myself like "The Thunderbirds" and "Shiver and Shake".

Stationery Pursuit

2010-08-27T10:14:00.011+10:00

I know someone that collects writing materials (letterheads, journals, pens, etc), so every time I travel I feed their obsession by souveniring the complimentary hotel stationery.

Here's what they got from my recent trip to Sydney.

Brief respite from the cold

2010-08-20T11:31:00.003+10:00

I don't often get to travel for work, but was sent to Sydney this week to enjoy some balmy weather at my employer's expense. After weeks of bitter cold in Ballarat a day of 22°C humid warmth was a pleasant change. With a busy round of flights, taxis, hotel, & meetings there was no time for leisurely pics of the city, but here's a few from the comfortable room at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth where I spent Wednesday night.

Colorfone 801

2010-08-13T17:06:00.014+10:00

My third vintage telephone purchase in less that 12 months, one of the first generation all new designer colour plastic handsets from the early 60s. A working Colorfone 801 for $20 from the Mill Market last weekend. Here it is with the later model Colorfone 802 I picked up last year.

Left: "Light Ivory" Colorfone 801 (c1962/3), Right: "Topaz Yellow" Colofone 802 (c1970). The familiar old telephones of my suburban childhood (thanks to the Mill Market staff for letting me crawl around under their desk in search of a phone socket to test it).

In Your Face!

2010-08-02T13:57:00.005+10:00

Lucky as we are to be home to the oldest and best regional Art Gallery in Australia, I'm always slow getting to the special exhibitions. The current "In Your Face! Cartoons about politics and society 1760 - 2010" exhibition closes this Sunday, 8 August 2010 ...so last chance this weekend to see it.

Gentlemen’s Valet Chair

2010-07-20T16:07:00.005+10:00

Elegant specialist gentlemen’s furniture has been around for centuries, sadly this is not an example of that.

Saw this (60s/70s?) men's valet chair at the Sebas Salvos the other week. Resplendent in it's black vinyl and fake brass finish, it looked more like a TV antenna than something to hang your suit on.

At only $10 it was tempting for it's bad taste value alone ... but not tempting enough.

One year on Blogger!

2010-07-08T11:31:00.005+10:00

It's 12 months ago today since I posted my first Circa62 blog entry. I've even met my personal goal of posting on average at least once per week (which turns out to be not as easy as it sounds).

In celebration here's a random postcard I picked up somewhere along the way, "Back to Ballarat - The City Beautiful" (a 1997 adaption of a 1927 Home to Ballarat poster).

Hula and Bakelite

2010-06-25T11:39:00.011+10:00

Had some nice pick-ups at the Mill Market last weekend. Also ran into Dear Prudence, who has moved into a bigger stall since I was last out there.

Firstly a cute little 16 cm souvenir Hula figurine by the Chiefly Co. of Hawaii (see right).

Secondly a fantastic 1950s style "Australian Post Office 400 Series Auto Table Handset" (see below).

I've actually wanted one of these old bakelite telephones for years, but they have always been too expensive. Not only has it been converted for a modern outlet, it's working perfectly (with a really loud and chunky bell ringer) and was less than half the price asked by most secondhand dealers ... sweet!

Pink Phones @ Portmans

2010-06-16T12:53:00.006+10:00

The cavernous Chadstone Shopping Center is not particularly high on my list of favorite places, however I came across a cute display in the Portmans store window there last weekend. Piles of pink painted vintage 60s/70s rotary dial telephones. The paint job was impressive, they looked like new phones in pink plastic (the old 800 series "Colorfones" never actually came in this colour). The shop assistant couldn't tell me much, except that they had come from a graphic design company.

I was impressed enough to take some mobile phone pics, but felt in two minds about it: (1) enjoyed it as a pop art installation, but (2) was a little disturbed they destroyed so many vintage phones to create it. Either way it was interesting.

More local tallent

2010-06-08T11:45:00.007+10:00

I don't often hear local bloggers on the radio, so was surprised to hear one of them on ABC Ballarat last week. Ben Sanders is a Ballarat based commercial illustrator, who's blog showcasing his retro inspired work only popped into existence last month. There's lots of creative talent in this town, and our ever expanding little part of the bloggerverse is testament to that.

A sample from Ben's blog.

Bearded A-lister challenge

2010-05-28T10:14:00.004+10:00

Yours truly has been invited to an A-list themed costume party in a couple of weeks. This poses a problem though, as being goateed and middle aged seriously narrows my possibilities. Google has thrown up some candidates, but you really would have to actually look like these guys to pull it off, eg:

Not being able to match these looks (with the exception perhaps of poor old derelict Brad), my fall-back position is "actor as their famous character". With inspiration from old 80s action movies, and blogs 'Top 10 beards in film' and 'Top 10 Bearded Movie Characters', here's some possibilities:

I'll be hitting the op shops & $2 shops this weekend to see what's possible vis-à-vis costume bits & pieces ... hope I'm in luck.

Happy Lucky Waving Cat

2010-05-21T10:16:00.005+10:00

As I always commented on these wacky cat statues whenever we saw them in Asian shops, Ms C62 decided to buy me one of my own. Known as 'Maneki Neko' he is apparently beckoning, not waving, and originates in Japan. Being ignorant of the cultural significance, I just found them delightfully random objects d'kitsch.

Right: My cheerful gold plastic Maneki Neko currently lives on the lounge room mantelpiece.

Quietly into the Night

2010-05-13T13:27:00.005+10:00

A bit of local music history will be made at the Karova Lounge later this month. After a career spanning 10 years Ballarat band Epicure are playing their last ever gig, concluding their "Quietly into the Night" tour on May 29. Demand for tickets has been so huge a second show has been added.

For more on the band see epicuretheband.com, their Myspace page and entry on Wikipedia. For gig tickets and details see the Karova Lounge website.

Ballarat Heritage Weekend, 2010

2010-05-04T15:36:00.007+10:00

Unfortunately I'm not in town this weekend, so I'll be missing out on the annual Ballarat Heritage Weekend. Looks like there's lots worth seeing (much of it free), checkout the website for more info.

Nb. I also see Circa Vintage Clothing are amongst the exhibitors this year.

WWII Vintage

2010-04-29T09:35:00.012+10:00

As it was ANZAC Day last weekend I've dragged out what is most likely my oldest complete vintage outfit, a (68yo) WWII Australian 2nd AIF Army uniform. Put together from various thrifted sources about a decade ago, everything dates to the period except the hat and boots, which are later but virtually identical to the wartime ones. It's rare to find vintage WWII items like these cheaply nowadays.

WWII Australian Army Winter SD uniform:
- 1942 Wool Tunic & 1966 Army Slouch Hat [Op Shops]
- 1942 Wool Trousers, P-37 webb belt and gaiters [Disposal Stores]
- WWII badges, buttons and 1958 hobnail army boots [Secondhand shops]
Note: Boots were originally tan coloured, but have been blackened by someone since.

Clowns, hideous clowns

2010-04-20T09:51:00.005+10:00

Old kitsch decorative art can be fun, but one thing I draw the line at is clowns. Case in point, these old prints at seen at the Wendouree Salvos recently *shudder*.

My thoughts on clowns as decoration is neatly summed up in this YouTube clip from "Poltergeist".

"Visit Ballarat, the City Beautiful"

2010-04-13T11:42:00.012+10:00

In the 1990s the PTC released a series of 8 reproduction vintage Victorian Railways travel posters from the 1920s & 30s. I was commuting daily to Melbourne at the time and they featured prominently in the Ballarat and Spencer Street railway stations. In the early 2000s I tracked down a signed limited edition of the Ballarat poster, which now hangs on my wall at home.

Interestingly the original 1929 "Visit Ballarat" poster was painted by Percy Trompf, who had his training at the Ballarat Technical Art School, and went on to be a very successful commercial artist and art teacher.

The modern reproductions were done by Melbourne illustrator Fay Plamka in 1993, a founding member of Illustrators Australia, and now a well known Melbourne Court artist for the ABC and 7 Network. Here's the entire set from recent auctions on ebay:

The Party leads us on ...

2010-03-31T10:15:00.005+11:00

One of the delights of op shopping are the unusual things you sometimes turn up, like this 1970s vinyl album by the Military Band of the Chinese People's Liberation Army "The Party Leads us on to Victory", found at the Sebas Salvos in the early 2000s.

I don't think I've seen a more happy and determined bunch of people. Check out the track listing on the back cover to see the titles that inspire this level of excitement!

Golden Era Vintage

2010-03-23T10:36:00.013+11:00

The 1930s-1950s is considered the Golden Era of classic 20th Century style, and I unexpectedly obtained my own piece of it from Ruby Rouge last weekend, an original 40s/50s men's double breasted jacket. I've seen complete Golden Era suits recently ranging from $250 (2 piece @ Lost & Found) to $550 (3 piece @ Circa) so I thought $30 was a pretty good deal for an original jacket (pictured above with vintage shirt, modern vintage style tie and pocket square, the jacket is in great condition for a 60+ year old garment). For more original suits of the period see The Houndstooth Kid's vintage (US) menswear blog.

Also picked up a few more vintage style ties ($1-2 ea), including a wonderfully gaudy brown and orange paisley number from the Brace Bargain Browser.

Left: A late 60s look, the paisley tie with my recently thrifted 70s dress shirt.

"A Night at the Opera"

2010-03-17T09:45:00.011+11:00

"Queen - the Unseen Archive" is currently on at the Ballarat Art Gallery, which has prompted me to go through my stuff and bring out these old treasures from my adolescence.

1975 Queen "A Night at the Opera" 12 inch vinyl LP (bought secondhand in 1977)

1976 Queen "A Night at the Opera" glam belt buckle (by Pacific Mfg. thrifted around 1980).

Labour Day Long Weekend

2010-03-10T09:55:00.007+11:00

Being in Ballarat over the long weekend we did the usual rounds plus the Antiques Fair. I have to admit though I didn't enjoy the fair as much as previous years. Plenty of beautiful (highly priced) objects, but maybe my collecting focus is more grounded in 20th century vintage & thrift markets these days. The best find for the weekend was a 70s dress shirt for $1 from the St John's Op shop (Lydiard St N) last Friday.

While it was wet in Ballarat, it was nowhere near as stormy as other parts of the state. This didn't dampen our appetites though, as we also enjoyed the hosptality of Sweet Decadence, Nicks and Cafe Bibo over what was a restfully pleasant holiday weekend.

Left: 1970s (big collar) "Nevarda - Mr Silk" Australian made pale orange poly/cotton dress shirt. Now I need some big chunky 70s gold cuff links to go with it :)

Rob Olston

2010-03-03T11:03:00.011+11:00

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Rob Olston recently after a long illness. A well known and long serving teacher at my old school, Rob was one of the most cheerful and genuine men I have ever met. He had a great sense of humor, and would frequently digress from the lesson to tell tall tales of his early days in the outback. He also had an incredible memory for ex-students, remembering me instantly when I ran into him at a Collectibles fair last June, even thought it had been several decades since we'd last met. A great man, held in high regard by all that knew him, he will be fondly remembered by his colleagues and many former students (Picture of Rob from the Ballarat Courier).

Postscript March 11, 2010: Attended Rob's memorial service with over a thousand other people yesterday. A fitting tribute to a great teacher, historian & family man. Rob had the last word with his open letter published posthumously last Monday.

Ballarat Antique Fair 2010

2010-03-01T10:40:00.006+11:00

It's the Labour Day long weekend in Victoria this weekend, which means it's Moomba in Melbourne, and the Begonia Festival in Ballarat. It's also the time for Ballarat's Annual Antique Fair, now in it's 40th year, and always worth a look if you're in town.

Vintage "spear point" shirt

2010-02-24T10:13:00.012+11:00

Had a major stroke of luck last weekend with a vintage shirt from the Light Lounge Op Shop. A turn-down "spear point" collar formal shirt, a style fashionable from the 1930s to the 1950s, for just $2!

Vintage poly/cotton formal dinner shirt by " Welmar".
The difference between these and modern business shirt collars is more obvious with a side-by-side comparison:

Vintage vs Modern (Target business shirt)

See this Fedora Lounge post for more on vintage "spear point" shirts, and these US, NZ and UK (1 & 2) sellers of new made replicas.

Crying Girl print

2010-02-16T13:22:00.012+11:00

Here's another vintage print I picked up at the Sebas Salvos some time ago, a "Crying Girl" by Bragolin. These prints always disturbed me a little as a kid, and I have wondered since what kind of people made these pictures of traumatized children so popular in the first place(?!). However at $5 I couldn't pass up this classic piece of vintage kitsch, even if it's not something I'd put on my own wall. This is only one of a series of crying boys and girls by the same artist, and interestingly in the UK there's an urban myth that the prints are cursed.

The small things

2010-02-05T10:58:00.006+11:00

Lately I've been gathering some accessories to compliment my meager collection of men's vintage ware. I already had a pair of vintage cuff-links from Circa, but I've added two more pairs (new with tie clips) from eBay ($8.27 ea. delivered).

Also from eBay a pair of faux Ray-Ban Wayfarers ($16.49 delivered). These work for 1950s/60s and 80s looks ....plus are popular again these days with Hipsters.

The Saloon Bar

2010-01-27T14:39:00.014+11:00

Thanks to a tip-off from the delightful Julie of BVS, discovered the new Saloon Bar (59 Humffray St Nth) last Sunday arvo. Nestled between shops across the road from the Ballarat Leagues Club, this little venue has boutique beers, tapas, a touch of retro (old armchairs/couches) and live music a couple of nights a week. We took our drinks in the shady & secluded beer garden out back.

Mobile phone pics of the beer garden, wish I'd taken some shots of the inside.

Update: Feb 15, 2011. Driving past last week I noticed the Saloon Bar has closed, however a sign in the window said "Babushka, Bar Cafe Lounge Gallery" will be opening there soon (see also their Facebook page). I'll be interested to see what they do with the place.

Peter Blizzard - A Retrospective

2010-01-27T11:34:00.006+11:00

Caught this exhibition at the Ballarat Art Gallery last weekend, prior to its close on Jan 26. Peter was my 1st year sculpture lecturer at Art School in the early 80s, and as one of our few Australian sculptors to gain international recognition I was interested to see a deeper view of the man and his work. Sadly he passed away earlier this month. The retrospective catalog is available from the gallery shop, and much of his impressive body of work can also be seen at peterblizzard.com.

"Whalesong moon halo" 2008, by Peter Blizzard (mobile pic from the retrospective)

The Safari Suit Group

2010-01-22T13:03:00.007+11:00

Found this group from South Australia a couple of years ago when researching Safari Suits. Their about page explains ".. a group of friends have been getting together every year to celebrate the safari suit and dress up in safari suits and other 1970’s fashion including accessories. We celebrate by visiting various establishments around Adelaide. Our aim has been, and continues to be, to celebrate the safari suit in all its glory".

Their annual "Safari Night" has grown steadily since its official beginning in 1992, as shown by this recent picture from their blog:

Safari Suits (Leisure Suits in the US) are Op Shop gold these days, so if I ever find one cheap I'll be grabbing it for sure.

Mad Men Yourself!

2010-01-14T10:46:00.004+11:00

Stumbled across this while surfing the askandyaboutclothes forums, a fun little utility from the 'Mad Men' official website where you can create a cartoon version of yourself as a 'suit' or 'skirt' from 1960. My best effort is posted below.

NB. tweaked to get both goatee & moustache in one pic.

The high life

2010-01-11T13:11:00.010+11:00

I can't complain about my start to the year (and decade!), being sent to Melbourne for a conference at my Employer's expense, staying at the Crown Promenade Hotel. As luck would have it my room was on the 22nd floor with a wonderful view of the CBD and river, the mobile phone pics below don't do it justice.

The Casino itself didn't hold much appeal, so when Ms C62 dropped me off we took the short walk across the river to see one of my fav parts of the city, the old arcades and laneways between Flinders & Bourke Streets. On Wednesday evening we caught up again for dinner at Tutto Bene, Ms C62's fav South Bank restaurant.

The view from Tutto Bene (panorama from 2 pics spliced together)

If only every year could start so swish! But that's not all, back in Ballarat on the weekend we saw "Avatar" in 3D at the Regent Cinema (visually brilliant!) followed by pizza at the Main Bar ...all in all a very pleasant week :)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T14:57:00.004+11:00

It's been a restful week-off being a tourist in my own town, doing the rounds of the local secondhand & antique shops (Salvos, Vinnies, Junkatique & Main Rd Shops, A&C Centre, Antique Effects, etc.) as well as checking out the new Mill Market. Also met Dear Prudence & sussed out her Sturt St shop for the first time.

With all of that I still only managed to come home with a few early 1960's mens "skinny" neckties, increasing my collection of these from one to four. I especially like the the olive one on the end, with it's "space age" atom symbol.

Early 1960s (late 50s?) 2 inch mens ties, $3-4 ea. from the Salvos & Junkatique

Seasons greetings

2009-12-24T11:11:00.006+11:00

To lovers of the baby cheeses everywhere!

Seriously ...wishing all a safe & happy holiday season :)

Woodland Goddess

2009-12-18T11:13:00.005+11:00

The prints of J.H. Lynch were a ubiquitous part of the 60s/70s. Strangely though, for an artist who's work was reproduced by the thousands, his identity remained a mystery. That was until Mario Klingemann set up www.jhlynch.org, and managed to track him down. His site remains one of the best sources of information on Lynch prints to-date.

As luck would have it, I manged to pick up my "Woodland Goddess" in Ballarat for $30 back when Lynch prints were selling for $80 in Melb. Last I saw (Lost & Found Market) they're up around $200 now!

"Woodland Goddess" by Joseph Henry Lynch, pre-1965

More Ballarat blogs!

2009-12-16T17:19:00.003+11:00

Thanks to a lead provided by Ro over at DBE, I've stumbled onto another swag of Ballarat blogs that I'd not seen before. Up til now I've searched Blogger on location "Ballarat, Victoria, Australia", but there are also another 80 blogs listed under "Ballarat, VIC, Australia", cool!

iPod of the 60s

2009-12-11T10:34:00.008+11:00

Here's an unexpected bonus I found in the draw of some secondhand furniture I bought a few years ago, a nice AM pocket transistor radio from the early 1960s. This Toshiba model 6P-10 still works, and even has it's original leather cover and earphone.

As a kid I had something similar (c1970), we used to call them "Trannys", but that term seems to have shifted in meaning since.....

Historical note: Transistor radios have been commercially available since the mid 1950s, but did not achieve mass popularity until they became more affordable in the early 60s. For more on classic transistor radios (1954-65) see jamesbutters.com

Nearly a month since my last entry!

2009-11-27T16:00:00.007+11:00

Hmm, when I began this blog thing I made an unspoken commitment to try and post at least one entry per week. Seems that lasted about 16 weeks, oh well ....

Picked up an interesting curio recently in a budget gift & bric-a-brac store on Smith Street (Fitzroy). This life size wooden articulated artist's hand model appealed to two of my loves, art and sci-fi (robots). It was also a good deal, at half the price of the ones I've seen on eBay!

The well dressed man of the 21st Century

2009-10-30T11:18:00.007+11:00

Behold the man of the future ...today! According to Vogue magazine (1939), this is what the well dressed man would be wearing in the year 2000. This and many other past visions of the futute can be found on Matt Novak's Paleo-future blog, a wonderful collection of images and articles dating back to the 1870s, showing how previous generations imagined the future. As for this particular fashion, I may not have the coveralls, electric vest and antenna hat, but I do favor slip on boots and facial hair :)

The North Britain Hotel

2009-10-19T16:24:00.008+11:00

There really are some unique local dining experiences, and last Saturday night we enjoyed one of them, the North Britain Hotel in Doveton St Nth. A quaint locals pub with a mock Olde English theme surviving from a late 60s/early 70s make-over. Complete with fake exposed Tudor beams and Victorian taxidermy, it's cosy and endearingly kitsch. You can enjoy pub standards like steaks, schnitzels & seafood, as well as traditional delicacies like lambs fry, crumbed brains and sago or bread & butter pudding! The lounge is small so bookings are essential. I just love this pub, and usually drop in a couple of times a year for a good honest meal. Here's a pic from their website plus a couple from my mobile:

Tip: Deer heads hang over tables 6 and 7, so if the idea of a large dead thing looming over you while you eat disturbs you, better avoid these tables.

"Funny picture" blogs

2009-10-14T12:41:00.004+11:00

Ever wondered where all those "funny picture" emails get their pictures? Well, I haven't, but thanks to an article from AdAge.com (via Crikey.com), now I know. Apparently a lot come from blogs on the "Cheezburger Network" of Seattle. Not every one is super funny, but there is an occasional gem. Here's some of them:

icanhascheezburger.com (Lolcats) - Captioned cats
ihasahotdog.com (Loldogs) - Captioned dogs
failblog.org - Epic fails
engrishfunny.com - Bad translations
thereifixedit.com - Bad DIY

Black and White Portraits

2009-10-08T13:23:00.005+11:00

Went to the opening of this little exhibition last week in Ballarat. The daughter of one of my old art school buddies (how old am I feeling now!), her work will be on display throughout October at the Yummy Patisserie in Sturt Street. Nice to see so many good pieces from a young artist.

An old friend finally retires

2009-09-29T10:59:00.014+10:00

Given to me brand new in 1983 for my 21st birthday, my reliable old 26 inch AWA Thorn Colour TV has finally been retired. Although still working fine, the ravages of time had taken their toll. The stunning plastic imitation woodgrain veneer started to lift from the chipboard cabinet within the first 10 years, and the channel selector knob fell victim to the rough and tumble of family life (kids!). By the early 2000s it was apparent no amount of sticky tape and blu-tack was going to keep the curling veneer in place, so I peeled it all off and gave the cabinet a few coats of "monitor style" coal grey. Surviving more than 2 decades, a family and 4 house moves, the poor old thing has finally been overtaken by picture aspect ratio changes and the impending switch to Digital TV.

So here's my tribute to you dear old TV, thanks for your 26 years of faithful service. I only hope my new LCD TV can last even half as long as you.

Trivia: With only a single coax aerial input and no RCA jacks it was a challenge using this old CRT TV with modern devices. The suitably 80's picture of Madonna appears on screen thanks to a DVD player connected via an RF Video Modulator from DSE.

Back from the west

2009-09-21T14:04:00.014+10:00

In spite of the changeable weather we had lots of fun in WA. First up 4 nights in Perth CBD seeing the city, dining out, museum/art gallery, Northbridge, Leederville, Perth Mint plus a Day in Fremantle (River cruise, Markets, Old Gaol, etc.). Then hired a car and drove south west, staying 2 nights in Busselton and seeing the Margaret River region (Mammoth Cave, the township, wineries, Chocolate Co., and back up through Cape Naturaliste). Returned via Fremantle and Cottesloe on the last day.

Dining out ranged from fine to fun, with Miss Maud's in Perth worthy of note for it's sheer quirkiness (a Swedish themed Smorgasbord right out of the 1970s, complete with live accordion music!). The free Perth "CAT" bus services were also great, making it very easy to get around. Managed to visit a few vintage shops too, with "Off the Wall" in Fremantle being my Fav (for more on vintage shopping in Perth/Freo see these posts by B'rat Bloggers BVS and CR&VT).

Here's some random holiday snaps (cam & mobile):

Part 1. Perth: City from river, Mall (CBA building), Mint, Museum (3 pics), Cottesloe beach.

Part 2. Fremantle: Stree cafe, Markets (2 pics), Prison (2 pics).

Part 3. South West: Busselton pier, Mammoth Cave, Margaret River vinyards, Margaret River Hotel, Cape Naturaliste (2 pics).

Westward bound

2009-09-10T11:41:00.007+10:00

Following what seems to be a bit of a local trend, Ms C62 and myself are heading off to Western Australia for a week. We'll be exploring Perth and Fremantle, with a side trip via the coast to the Margaret River region. Fingers crossed for some good weather.

Pic: Perth City from the Swan River

This however means we'll be away for the ARMAGEDDON Expo on Oct 17-18 in Melb, but strangely Ms C62 doesn't seem too upset by this.

A colourful weekend

2009-09-08T10:11:00.014+10:00

Picked up a nice old PMG/Telecom rotary dial 'ColorFone' at the Sebas Salvos on Saturday, and went to the Hans Heysen travelling exhibition at the Ballarat Art Gallery on Sunday. With inspired use of light and colour, Heysen is part of the first generation of painters to realistically capture the essence of the Australian landscape. The first major retrospective of his work in three decades, it's an exhibition well worth seeing.

Below: the ColorFone 802 range, mine is the 'Topaz Yellow' model

Trivia: The PMG introduced the 800 series ACF (Automatic ColorFone) in 1962/63, with the previously unheard-of choice of 6 designer colours! They were standard issue throughout Australia in the 60s & 70s, and are becoming quite collectable now. Some fully reconditioned models are being sold online for more than $300.

A tribute to Joyce

2009-09-03T11:30:00.009+10:00

Driving home last night I was surprised and saddened to see Joyce’s Junkatique in Main Road draped with black balloons, streamers and floral tributes. A true Ballarat Icon of second hand treasures and collecting has left us.

I came to know Joyce though my Mother and Auntie’s avid op-shopping expeditions (which I had no choice but to join from a young age during school holidays). Since the late 70’s I’ve been an occasional regular, seeking her assistance in the search for many an odd item for High School and Uni dress up days, costume parties, and on into adulthood as a collector in general. Always cheerful and happy to help, she will be fondly remembered.

Picture from the Ballarat Courier, 02/09/2009.

A nice example of how well regarded she was is Schmookie's post about Joyce’s Exhibition at the Learmonth Art Hall in 2008.

Happy birthday, internets!

2009-09-02T17:21:00.006+10:00

From an article by Ruth Brown @ Crikey.com.au .....

"Today is the internet’s 40th birthday. Well, maybe: 2 September marks 40 years since a bunch of geeks gathered in a lab at UCLA and successfully sent some data between two primitive computers through a five-metre cable. Some will probably celebrate the date of 29 October the same year, when the US Department of Defence hooked up the first two nodes of the ARPANET and the Stanford Research Institute."

.... keep reading at crikey.com.au/../happy-birthday-internets

pic from Crikey

Millers & Wranglers

2009-08-31T14:09:00.008+10:00

Picking up a pair of vintage Rollers reminded me of that other iconic fashion item of the 1970s, the nylon plaid western shirt with press-studs. It appears everything old is new again, as after an absence of a few decades, retro style western shirts are back in the 2000s. As for the originals, the top 70s brand in Australia was "Miller", followed by others like "Wrangler" and "Golden Breed". I haven't seen vintage Millers in op shops much these days, and they are fetching $60+ on eBay.au! Undaunted I managed to pick up a vintage Wrangler on eBay for around $25 delivered.

Left: 16yo me in a Miller (note "pilot" sunglasses & high-waist jeans), Right: My eBay Wrangler

Millers are remembered for the shiny metallic threads woven through the fabric and imitation mother of pearl press-studs. Wrangler's only gimmick was to make the pocket flaps in the shape of "W"s.

Rock'n Rollers

2009-08-26T09:50:00.004+10:00

If you were an Aussie teen in the late 70s (guy or girl) you just HAD to have a pair of desert boots. When I saw this pair of DBs for $8 at the Sebas Salvos a year or so ago, they just HAD to come home with me. They are the one-and-only original "Rollers" brand too, and not one of the many knockoffs from the time. A very lucky find in such good condition :)

Footnote: I haven't seen Rollers like these in the shops for years and assumed the style went extinct in the 1980s, I found however there is still a company in Australia selling old school style DBs! advancefootwear.com.au carries new made versions of the classic high and low cut Rollers styles in their "M sprint" range (the "Custom" $69.99 and "Superlight" $79.99).

Manifest 2009 – Melbourne Anime Festival

2009-08-18T10:45:00.010+10:00

Yes, the Manifest Anime Festival is on at the Melbourne Showgrounds this weekend (Aug 21-23)! Being a bit of a fanboy I've always wanted to check out a full on sci-fi or anime convention, the costumed fans, traders stalls, collectibles, special events etc, but alas I can't make it down to Melb this weekend. Oh well, there's always next year I suppose.

On the local front it's interesting to note that BAKA (Ballarat Awesome Klub for Anime) held their first cosplay event back in July. For more on that see Kirri-Joy's blog here & here.

A Day in Pompeii

2009-08-10T13:35:00.008+10:00

After Sunday breakfast at the tiny and delightful Cafe Rosamond in Charles St Fitzroy (just off Smith St), went to "A Day in Pompeii" at the Melbourne Museum. A great exhibition, nothing brings history to life more than the actual physical artefacts of the time. Bronzes, jewellery, glassware, frescos and items of daily life. There are also the eerie body casts of the poor unfortunates that didn't escape. Too much to describe here, you just have to see it for yourself. Some good pictures of the artefacts on the museum website , some mobile phone pics below.

No Rest for the Wicked

2009-08-07T15:14:00.005+10:00

Retro greeting card from a (now closed) boutique in Johnston St. Collingwood, so cute just had to buy it. Features "No rest for the Wicked" 1935, by William Barribal. Card published by Visoni UK

Vintage Time

2009-08-03T12:03:00.016+10:00

Been interest in getting a vintage mechanical watch for some time. Found this one at the Williamstown Vintage Fashion Fair in June, Swiss made, still running, case and bracelet ok, but with badly scratched glass and in need of a service. At $10 thought I'd take a chance. A newbie to vintage watches, was a little surprised to find servicing started at $99, but as I've had my fair share of thrifting savings till now decided to go ahead with it. Now my 1950s timepiece has new glass and is keeping perfect time. It was fashionable for men’s wristwatches to be small and elegant up until the 1960s, the case on this one is only 31mm across, so I think it wouldn't look out of place with outfits from the 1930s on.

Late 1950s "Austral" men’s wristwatch, case by "Eloga", Swiss 17j movement.

Bing Crosby vs Immaculata

2009-07-28T14:33:00.011+10:00

After discovering Ballarat's own Goth/electro/pop band Immaculata was playing Saturday (11pm) at the Peter Lalor (thanks to Sophie's Ramblings), Ms C62 and I ended up just staying home watching "High Society" on cable. Went out to the Thai Pavilion earlier, but got sucked in by the movie when we came home. No disrespect to Immaculata, my loungeroom was just too cozy (& I was too slack) on a cold night after a nice meal. None-the-less, I'm happy to see RATSTOCK is running regular events for live bands in Ballarat, for coming events see their facebook page.

Left: Bing (pic from RAIN), Right: Garth (from Immaculata's MySpace page)

The Main Bar, Ballarat

2009-07-22T11:34:00.002+10:00

After weeks of good intentions Ms C62 and I finally made it to the Main Bar last Saturday night for dinner, and I'm very glad we did. The restaurant itself is small (bookings highly advisable) but tastefully decorated, with a mixture of booths and tables. There is also a forest of wooden chairs suspended from the ceiling, which adds some quirky visual interest. Downstairs there is a cozy room with a fireplace, suitable for a small group.

A woodfired pizza restaurant, the food itself was very nice. We had pizzas with drinks and good strong coffees to finish. Staff were friendly and the proprietor Glenn even came over for a chat. He is a busy man, already operating a separate daytime business, he also plans to open a new gallery two doors down from the restaurant. Good to see this part of Main Rd continuing to regenerate, a nice addition to the existing vintage clothing, antique and Op shops in the block.

40th anniversary, Apollo 11 moon landing.

2009-07-20T11:30:00.002+10:00

Well it's 40 years today since the moon landing, and yours truly was one of the millions across the world, who watched this event on TV in glorious black and white (at age 7).

It was big, so big in fact that the only televised event with more of a world wide impact since was the 9/11 World Trade Center Attacks in 2001. As big as this was however, public interest was fickle and moved on quickly, to the point that by the following year (1970) I remember there were those that initially thought the Apollo 13 drama was just NASA publicity stunt (which of course it wasn't).

It seems however suspicion of NASA is enduring, as there is still a crackpot minority that choose to believe the moon landings were faked, in spite of the fact that these conspiracy theories have been thoroughly debunked. In 2004 the US announced plans for a manned return to the moon by 2020. It will be interesting to see if these plans become reality, some 51 years after the original landing.

Hidden treasures

2009-07-14T14:42:00.001+10:00

Home renovations are always challenging, and sometimes quite surprising. Some time back I owned a Victorian house in Ballarat South, and during renovations unearthed a hidden cache of treasures behind the lounge room mantelpiece. The mantelpiece was installed during the 1890's, and over the years some of things placed on it had fallen down the small crack where it joined the wall. When I pulled the mantelpiece off for restoration, I found the space behind it packed with lost items. Many had been destroyed by years of heat or been eaten by insects, but quite a few were good enough to keep. Here are some of them.

From top left/right to bottom:
1. "Best wishes", postcard by Wildt & Kray, London. Printed in Bavaria.
2. Old postcard depicting a rose.
3. "My greeting", remains of an old Christmas card.
4. "May Christmas bells ring you happiness", Christmas card dated 1898 on the reverse.
5. Old postcard "Castle Street and Town Hall, Liverpool, England".
6 & 7. Old postcard "Methodist Church, Horsham, Victoria" (front & back)

Cafe Bibo

2009-07-10T14:57:00.000+10:00

One of my absolute favorite things in life is a late Sunday morning breakfast at Cafe Bibo in Sturt Street (usually Eggs Benedict and a pot of English breakfast tea). Atmosphere is as important to me as food, and I just love the feel of Bibo, from the retro collage decor to the great view of Ballarat out the front window … not to mention the great food and staff.

Here's some mobile phone pics that really don't do it justice, the interior (Nov 08) and a view out the front (Jun 09).

Update 13/07/09: I've added a pic of yesterday's brekkie (Benedict & Tea .... note the retro tableware).

Hi :)

2009-07-08T13:13:00.000+10:00

Not being a writer or 'citizen journalist' this blog is only intended as a personal record of objects, events and pursuits that I enjoy. Postings probably wont be that frequent, but I'm sure to find things to add from time to time. Cheerio P.