Here's the latest rundown on what we have in the shop for all you crafters out there. Whether you scrapbook or make hats, delve into mixed media, create altered art and books, or just love to doodle, Vintages probably has something to make your project stand out and be unique. Take a little tour below. Art glitter, miniature bottles, vintage letters, die-cuts and crafting images, watch parts, and a variety of doo-dads Vintage candy and pharmacy boxes and packaged jewelry making, scrap booking and mixed media trinkets Transfer artist paper, eyelets, vintage BINGO and game pieces, and vintage French order forms Crafting packages, thank you notes, hand decorated journals, and notebooks Wonderful glass and brass display or storage boxes These display cases are lined with vintage wallpaper, paper from an old encyclopedia and sheet music Old ledgers sold by the book and some by the page Wrinkle paper garland perfect for all kinds of special effects Rubber...

Patent drawing for the Sholes, Glidden & Soule Typewriter 1868 144 years ago on June 23, 1868, American inventor Christopher Sholes, and two partners Samuel Soule and Carlos Glidden, patented the “Type-Writer.” There were other mechanical writing machines before this, but the " Sholes and Glidden Type-Writer " became the first commercially successful model. The rights to the typewriter were purchased by E. Remington & Sons in 1873. Remington (later Remington Arms Co.) marketed a commercially viable version the next year.  During its development, the typewriter evolved from a crude curiosity into a practical device, the basic form of which became the industry standard. The machine incorporated elements which became fundamental to typewriter design, including a cylindrical platen and a four-rowed QWERTY keyboard. The first commercially viable typewriter A female typist operates a Sholes and Glidden typewriter...

We recently found a stash of old Life magazines from the early 1900s. These are from a time when Life was a satirical-humor publication, throwing barbs at politicians, world leaders, high society, industrial moguls and intellectuals. From the earliest that we have, which have simple, but noteworthy, line drawings on the covers, to the nineteen teens with stunning color covers, these are real-time statements about the issues important to Americans. The issues between 1910 and 1919 are especially interesting as they are a commentary on the war, women's rights and suffrage. We have these priced between $20 and 29 each. We also have an excellent selection of issues of the Illustrated London News (New York Edition) from 1894-1896. These are available in the shop, but I will answer inquiries about issues we may have and will send photos as well. Phone 408-399-9090 or email us .

One of our customers, Sue Bianchi, made this marvelous wedding bouquet from a variety of items she got from Vintages, including silk ribbon, vintage millinery flowers and some simple (and a few "distressed") vintage jewelry pieces. Beautiful bouquet, Sue, and thanks for sharing it with us. Here is a photo of the wedding bouquet I made for a friend's May wedding .  It was made with several items from your wonderful store!  The centers of the fabric "peonies" are bits and pieces of broken rhinestone jewelry purchased from your store. The small flowers are from a small bunch of millinery flowers also purchased at Vintages, along with the tinted ribbon which was the foundation of the entire bouquet, as well as  the green leaf ribbon that finished it off.  The bouquet is approximately 8-9 inches in diameter.  I'm so glad your store exists! Thanks, Sue Bianchi Close-up of a round pearl brooch at the center of a flower Close-up of a vintage millinery ...

We found this fantastic velvet Victorian album filled with photographs of children, wedding couples and gentle-ladies. The album is a special type for two reasons. Firstly, it is a stand-up album, placed on a stand to make it easy to view the photos. Secondly, it has a print of a Spanish American War & WWI US Navy cruiser, the USS Columbia. The USS Columbia was launched in 1892, commissioned in 1894 and sold in 1922. To find an old photo album with a naval vessel on the cover is truly rare. Victorian Photo Album ($175.00) Inside we found many wonderful cabinet card photos, all from the 1890s. One great attribute of cabinet cards, and their smaller brethren the carte-de-visite (CDV), is that many have the name of the photographer on the front and back as well. These photos are from the Chicago area. There was also one fantastic tintype of three dapper gentlemen in white caps. These photos, and many others, are available in our Los Gatos shop. Prices range fr...

For millennia the presence of a seal on a document signified authenticity and insured privacy. Seals of one form or another were used by royalty, government officials, religious entities and military officers. Seals have been around since biblical times, with cylindrical seals being found in southern Mesopotamia in 3500BC.  Clay Cylinder Seals from Mesopotamia Official seals have been generated on documents by embossing, attaching a seal, using an ink stamp or impressing the seal into wax. Letters that were written before the advent of the gummed envelope were normally sealed with wax and the initials, armory or symbol of the writer was impressed into the wax using a ring, a watch chain fob or other type of matrix or die. Official Seal of the Town of Nachod c1570 The first document to have the Great Seal of the United States applied to it - Sept 1782 Gold-filled watch chain with wax seal fob ($95.00) Gold-filled watch chain with wax seal fob ($75.00) We often th...

Queen Elizabeth II in Coronation Robes 1953 I remember Queen Elizabeth's coronation back on June 2, 1953. It was shown on television (via a delayed broadcast in black & white). Our teacher at Our Lady of the Angels elementary in San Diego brought a TV into the room for us to watch. Fascinating then - after all, she was the Queen - and a great memory today. There will be lots of hoopla over the coming months as the British celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee, 60 years of her reign, starting with a gala performance broadcast tomorrow evening. Should be fun to follow along! Beautiful Diamond Tiara from the exhibit Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration One event that would be great to see is the exhibition in the state rooms of Buckingham palace this summer - Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration . This spectacular exhibition at Buckingham Palace will display the many diamonds enjoyed by British monarchs over the last 200 years. The exhibition includes an unprecede...

Fathers' Day is swiftly approaching and we have some great stuff for Dad! We have desk and den items from magnifiers and telescopes to old books and games. In our jewelry selection for men we have some nifty key chain knives and money clips, plus cufflinks and tie pins. Desk accessories for Dad Key chain knives and money clips -- great gifts! ($22.50 to $75.00) We have a nice variety of desk and wine accessories for Dad. We love gadgets and we have some cool gadgets for Dad. A vintage drafting set, a pair of wooden dumb bells, several old cigarette silks from Ivy League universities, a wonderful 19th century humidor, bottle tags and decanters for the bar, vintage cameras and more. Wooden dumb bells and Indian clubs , plus other toys. The toy accordian is wonderful. So is the student's microscope . A variety of gadgets ... always fun! Beautiful crystal decanter with a silver bottle tag on a silver tray. Antiquarian books make a super gift. Vintage...