San Francisco's Palace of the Legion of Honor has been host to some incredible decorative arts exhibits over the past decade.  Starting with the Victoria & Albert Museum's collection - A Grand Design - in 1999, to the fabulous Art Deco, 1910-1939 in 2004, then Masterpieces of French Jewelry in 2007 and Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique earlier in 2009, the Legion of Honor has earned a place as America's premiere decorative arts venue.  Now the museum has pulled together over 200 pieces of glitz, glamour and grandeur to present the recently opened Cartier and America . The House of Cartier started in Paris back in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier.  His grandson, Louis Cartier expanded the business further in the late 19th century and into the 20th century.  He led the firm in new directions and conceived new inventions in clocks, watches and jewelry.  By the early 1900s, it was clear that Cartier's clientele were worldwide, including European r...

Vintages will be open DAILY during the remainder of the Christmas Holiday season.  Here is our Holiday schedule: Through Christmas Eve we are open DAILY: Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm (or later if needed) and Sundays 11am to 5pm (or later if needed). Christmas Eve 10am until late afternoon (4pm or 5pm or so). Closed on Christmas Day. We will resume normal hours after Christmas. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday.

What a great weekend in Los Gatos!  Friday night the tall 70 year old cypress tree in the Town Plaza was lit up, as it has been for decades, kicking off the official Holiday season in Los Gatos.  Santa Claus dropped by as well to greet children of all ages! Saturday morning was chilly and clear.  Fine weather for the 53rd Annual Los Gatos Children's Holiday & Christmas Parade.  We love Los Gatos because of events like this.  This annual community gathering has come a long way from that Friday night in 1956 when a small group of fathers marched up Santa Cruz Avenue with their sons.  Little did they know the tradition they would start.  Here's a gallery of snapshots from in front of Vintages.  As you can see, we had a front row view of the parade! The parade watchers start arriving early on Saturday morning.  The spaces in front of Vintages were all "reserved" by 9 am, a full two hours before the start of the parade.  Here's wha...

One our very nice customers, Patricia, brought us this cute little miniature cyclamen yesterday, Just Because!   Thanks, Patricia.  

We save out of print and out of copyright images for use in craft projects, as many of you do.  Here I have put together a little gallery of some of my favorite Christmas images, plus a few interesting Christmas cards. The anticipation of Christmas morning is always so exciting ... no matter what age you are.  "Stockings hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ..." These next two are one-of-a-kind Christmas cards from a couple of famous artist-illustrators.  The first is from Howard Brodie, American Illustrator Hall of Fame member, famous for his sketches of soldiers in three wars (WW2, Korea & Vietnam) as well as courtroom sketches of some very high profile cases.  The second is from Jean Charlot, a protege of Diego Rivera who studied in France and Mexico before settling in Hawaii.  He has won the Caldecott award for his children's book illustrations. Have a Happy Holiday Season. And being from the Hawaiian Is...