Vintage finds for your valentine

Editorial Staff Art

A Fisher-WifeThe soonest mended, nothing said;And help may rise from east or west;But my two hands are lumps of lead,My heart sits leaden in my breast. O north wind swoop not from the north,O south wind linger in the south,Oh come not raving raging forth,To bring my heart into my mouth; For I’ve a husband out at sea,Afloat on feeble …

Vintage finds for the holiday season

Editorial Staff Opinion

Who can forget the excitement of seeing Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker as a child? The magical “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” in Act II left an indelible mark on me that still stirs up fond memories from my childhood. First performed in 1892 in St. Petersburg (illustrated above), the ballet’s popularity did not spread to the United States until …

Vintage finds for the Thanksgiving table

Editorial Staff Furniture & Decorative Arts

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already upon us. While certain side dishes go in and out of fashion, the turkey and its gravy remain a constant; and with that, its vessel, the gravy boat, is a mainstay of any traditional table setting. The term “gravy” appears in several medieval French cookbooks referring to the natural cooking juices, or …

Vintage finds for football season

Editorial Staff Art

For many, fall’s crisp air beckons the arrival of one very important ritual—watching the game. The glare of the television can be seen, and shouts and cheers can be heard as friends and family gather in living rooms across the country to enjoy America’s time-honored tradition of football. September to January, the season for watching tackles, fumbles, throws, and touchdowns, …

Vintage finds for the cocktail hour

Editorial Staff Books

In her manners manual Etiquette (1955), Emily Post suggests throwing a cocktail party in an effort to maximize socialization using minimal space. She advises that serving cocktails at home—unlike throwing a dinner party—frees one up for time better spent mingling with guests. Still today, with space at a premium, this gesture remains a popular  alternative that undoubtedly can be done …