Happy New Year greetings No fireworks or hats Just good wishes and Postcards from the past. These postcards date from 1909 to 1922. Times were different then, as can be seen in the images and greetings. Enjoy the cards and see you in the New Year. Bob & Susan

For millennia various cultures have assigned certain powers and blessings to gemstones, often relating them to birthdays, months and zodiac signs. Birthstones were even discussed in the Bible. The list of birthstones can be found in Revelation 21:19-20, where the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem are listed, in the order of the Roman calendar. Ancient birthstone designations were established in Tibet (the so-called Mystical birthstones) and India (Ayurvedic birthstones). Traditional birthstones have circulated in various societies for a few centuries, and there are a variety of combinations based on their origins. In 1912, the Jewelers of America published a standardized list that endures to today, known as the Modern Birthstone list. Combined Modern and Traditional Birthstones During 2011, starting in January, I will be featuring the month's birthstone in our Vintages Featured Product blog. I compiled the above list by combining traditional and modern lists. I think ...

Ever wonder how much it would cost to purchase all the gifts in the classic Holiday song The Twelve Days of Christmas ? Well the folks over at PNC Wealth Management just released their 27th annual PNC Christmas Price Index , which calculates the total cost of items gifted by a True Love who repeats all of the song's verses. This 2010 holiday season, very generous True Loves have to fork over $96,824 for all 364 gifts, an even more eye-popping 10.8 percent increase compared to last year. WOW! I did not realize that a partridge in a pear tree or seven swans a-swimming could cost so much! Check out the the PNC website for the details. But in reality, the twelve days of Christmas are now upon us. Vintages can assure you that a True Love can get by on much less in our shop ... and get much more relevant and wonderful gifts as well. On the twelfth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me ... Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dan...

We have always loved miniature boxes. Through the years we have collected little boxes from several countries and made from materials like wood, silver, pottery, glass, and our favorite, porcelain. The hand painted porcelain boxes from Limoges, France, are fascinating. The range of design and intricacy makes it possible to collect these miniatures for a long time and not tire of them. Plus, since they are small, they are easy to display and do not take up a lot of space. Our personal collection of wine related Limoges boxes. The Limousin district of France, about 200 miles south of Paris, was known for its intricate enamel work as far back as the 12th century. Pottery production began in the early 1700s, with the manufacture of simple, functional faience pieces. These two industries provided a good base of experience and skill for the introduction of hard-paste porcelain when kaolin clay was discovered in the area around 1770. Decorated hard-paste porcelain was known to the Chines...

Susan has made these marvelous ornaments for the Holidays. Each is made from a vintage Christmas or Holiday image and sealed inside a pair of 2x3 inch glass slides. The backs have a Holiday message or greeting. The edges are sealed using lead-free silver solder. Each has a bright ribbon for hanging and comes in a white box with a red ribbon and bow! These sell for $19.95 each and can be customized for a small additional charge. We do not have these in our online shop, but if you see one here that you like, or wish to have Susan make a custom ornament for you, please contact us.

Los Gatos was very festive these past few days. The Town celebrated the start of the Holiday Season on friday evening with the tree lighting ceremony in the Town Plaza. There was a great turnout. Lots of fun! Then we had the 54th Annual Children's Holiday Parade on Saturday morning. It was exciting and fun as well. Santa came along at the end of the parade. Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas to all ...