28th March 2013 - Spring!

Spring is (sort of) in the air.  And we've got a spring in our step (see what I did there..?) because the latest issue came back from the printers and we LOVE it.  We are particularly proud of the cover. How cool is that guy?

We're also busy planning a few events that we have coming up.  The first one is the Midcentury Show at Lords on 13th May 2013.  Molecula and Vintagexplorer will be taking a stand and have some fantastic pieces of furniture.

We are also going to be at The Steampunk Extravaganza in Frome on May 18th and we have some great stuff to take to that.  We've been doing it for fun really.  Any excuse to make things and dress up basically.

Jez has been making stuff with all sorts of cogs and old lamps.  He picked up this brilliant 'gun' which the boys have enjoyed playing with...

 

BUT before then, there is a trip to Germany to go on the hunt for furniture and probably a trip to the largest annual flea market in Germany in Pforzheim.  No doubt the van will come back crammed with some amazing finds - then we just have to find some room to put it all...

Anyway - whatever you are up to this Easter Weekend then have a good time and try not to eat too much chocolate.  

26th March 2013 - Issue 9 - Hot off the press!

Issue 9 has literally just come back from the printer and will be sent out tomorrow.  If you want to buy a copy then head on over to our shop here.


It's a great issue with some fabulous articles:

Vintage Fashion Labels.
A Passion for Pastoe
Figgjo Flint
France and Søn
Demob Snappy
London Underground Posters

Get your copy now!

20th March 2013 - A Very Modern Weekend.

Well - we are back.

Picture a foggy, rainy Sunday morning in London. It's Midcentury Modern and Karyn, Jez and Woo were there, slaving away whilst Alan was back at the office frantically working on the April/May issue as deadline looms.  We're very hardworking here at VE.  It's why we like to reward ourselves once a week with Scotch Eggs from one of the best butchers around.  But anyway....back to the story.

If you like Midcentury, then it's like being let loose in a huge sweetshop.  But not just any old sweets. The very best sweets you can buy.  Enough Danish sideboards to dribble over for a year, chairs, sofas, beautiful chests of drawers, glass, ceramics and, Karyn and Woo's favourite - silver modernist jewellery.  After trying on several amazing Bjorn Weckstrom rings, it was all hands on deck to help the customers as they flocked through the door.

People were going crazy for our desk, which we could have sold ten times over, and in fact, the popularity has spurred on a trip to Germany to go desk hunting.  This is the desk that caused the excitement - an amazing Maquet steel doctor's desk from Germany - 1950's, in excellent condition.

If your craving for desks is still keen then we still have a couple available on the website.  A lovely 1940's Pohlschroder Bauhaus desk and a fully restored 1940s/50s "Art Metal" desk.

This time around we had a huge selection of beautiful smoked Czech glass, including a fantastic decanter and 8 glasses, sold to a very happy customer.

The Gerald Benney stainless steel and glass serving trays were also popular and didn't hang around long!  Danish stainless steel is also always popular, with salt and pepper pots being a good seller.

The venue of Dulwich College lends itself really well to midcentury style too.  Here is a photograph from the gallery into the main hall.

The nexy Midcentury Modern show we will be at will be Lords in May.  Come along and see us.  We also are working on a very exciting plan for a show, which will involve going to Europe, but more on that another time.

The April/May magazine is hurtling towards the finish line and will be sent out next week to all you lucky subscribers.  We have some fantastic articles on France & Søn, Figgjo Flint, Pastoe, 1940s men's clothing and vintage fashion labels.  So if you haven't already - then why not subscribe?  Just £21 for 6 issues. 

More blogging later, in the meantime don't forget you can find us on FaceBook and Twitter too!

14th March 2013 - Midcentury Mayhem!

This weekend we are going to the Midcentury Show in Dulwich.

Vintagexplorer in conjunction with Molecula will be taking a stand and have some fantastic midcentury furniture and accessories.

We will be there enjoying the ambience of Dulwich College, dribbling over the gorgeous furniture and hopefully going home with an emptier van in the evening.

If midcentury is your thing then it's well worth a visit as the standard really is top notch.

I'll be taking plenty of pictures and sharing them with you, so why not follow us on Twitter and Facebook?

Hope you have some great vintage things planned for the weekend?  Why not let us know what you are up to?

Woo

5th March 2013 - Dapper Dudes

Paul Stewart is suited and booted as usual for his regular 'men only' piece for VE's Mantiques section. And this time around he's demob-happy!

How will you be celebrating VE Day? No, not the day when you rush to seek out Britain's favourite magazine. May 8th is the 68th anniversary of Victory in Europe day. When, after six long years, the people of Britain no longer had to fear invasion or bombing - no wonder there was jitterbugging in the streets!

Why this isn't recognised as a public holiday is still hotly debated up and down the teashops of England. So, with spring approaching and the tidal wave of era-themed events start to appear in our inboxes and in lifestyle magazines with a penchant for the past, I think it's time to take a closer look at the 1940s, how a chap then made himself look sharp out of uniform - and how you can too.

Paul Stewart

Covering all aspects of being a dapper gent, it's a great article.  Next issue is out just before Easter.

1st March 2013 - Full Steampunk Ahead

Today, we've been getting all 'mad professor' in preparation for the Steampunk Extravaganza at the Cheese and Grain in Frome.

It's not until May but we are very excited about it, and have, in fact booked 2 tables!

Jez has been in the workshop, covered in cogs, nuts and bolts and all sorts of stuff and is currently working on his Victorian crazy inventors desk..........

We've got chemistry equipment, fans, crazy lamps and we will also be having boxes of bits for people to rummage through to steampunk their own stuff.

Steampunk sits between genres really.  It is heavily based on Victoriana but with a modern bent.  Is it 'vintage'? - well not really but it is very influenced by the past.

In fact Prada's last men's collection wasn't just nodding at steampunk, it was whole heartedly shaking it's entire body!  Have a look at this picture to see what we mean...

We'll be bringing you more news as we progress into the world of steampunk.