Adventures on eBay

Today's Treasure - Vintage Scrap Art 1950's Scrapbooking Die-Cuts for Children

2012-01-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

I found this scrap art by chance here. I bought it some years ago at the old Lakewood Antiques Show at Lakewood Fairgrounds (much missed!) and tucked it away to sell. This is a package of unused vintage scrapbooking die-cuts with two sheets included. There are die-cuts featuring teddy bears, Halloween, anthropomorphic tree and moon, and old fashioned children. The die-cuts are by MLP in England, and they are just lovely! These sheets would be so cute to frame for a baby or child's bedroom. They would also be great for scrapbooking, decoupage, altered art, or card making. You'll find them here: Vintage Scrap Art at Birdhouse Books.

Baby Boomer Vintage Valentines

2012-01-16T10:22:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things to list is baby boomer Valentine cards for children. These cards are die-cuts. The colors are bright and crisp. The children featured in these cards are typically participating in fun activities, and are often accompanied by cute cats or dogs. I love the way these cards evoke an earlier time; they are so sweet and nostalgic. You'll find these cards, and more, here: Vintage Valentines at Birdhouse Books

A little girl writes on a slate. She is accompanied by her Dachshund dog.

A little girl roller skates - along with her white kitten:

A little cowgirl walks her parti-color Cocker Spaniel dog:

A girl rides on a Vespa style motor scooter along with her white kitten:

Vintage Whitney Made Valentines

2012-01-10T20:00:00.000-05:00

1920's to 1930's vintage Whitney Made Valentines are so pretty, with a very distinctive look. They have vivid colors, often featuring children (sometimes along with dolls, dogs, cats). They are die-cut in various shapes (hearts, rectangles, octagons, squares). They have an elaborate border design. Inside the card you will find another little black and white illustration, with a short, sweet verse. Some of the cards are marked Whitney Made on the back, and some have a second design on the back of the card. These unique cards date from the 1920's to 1930's. The company, founded by George C. Whitney, started in 1886 and went out of business in 1942 due to World War II paper shortages. I have many Whitney Made cards in my store at Birdhouse Books. I've included a few photos that you may enjoy!

Vintage Card Lots - Postcards and Greeting Cards

2012-01-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

I had a lot of fun putting these vintage card lots together, and wanted to share them with you! They would be so much fun for anyone who collects vintage cards, sells vintage cards, scrapbooks, or does retro crafting. I currently have some great BIG lots online at Birdhouse Books, including:

53 celebrity postcards
55 vintage postcards - mostly Roadside Americana - USA travel
31 vintage holiday greeting cards including Christmas, Easter, and Valentine's Day
63 vintage postcards - both Roadside Americana and early 1900's holidays
32 die-cut Valentine cards for children

Item of the Day: Vintage Celebrity Postcards

2012-01-05T08:51:00.001-05:00

I really love this big lot of vintage celebrity postcards! They are unused, and are the type of postcards you would have seen at a drugstore or dimestore in a display rack during the 1970's or early 1980's. This lot would be fun for a collector, for someone who scrapbooks, or for a seller. They are all here: Vintage Celebrity Postcards at Birdhouse Books. These are the celebrities featured:

Alan Alda
Barbara Mandrell
Bette Midler
Betty Grable
Charlie Chaplin
Cher
Debbie Reynolds
Diana Ross
Dolly Parton
Dustin Hoffman
Elizabeth Taylor
Emmylou Harris
Gene Autry
George Burns
Ginger Rogers
Goldie Hawn
Grace Kelly
Groucho Marx
Henry Fonda
Henry Winkler
Jack Lemmon
Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor
Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
Julie Andrews
Kenny Rogers
Linda Gray and Larry Hagman from Dallas
Loni Anderson
Margaux Hemingway
Marie Conte
Marilyn Monroe
Mary Pickford
Miss Piggy
Morgan Fairchild
Mork and Mindy - Robin Williams & Pam Dawber
Myrna Loy
Nancy and Ronald Reagan with the Beach Boys
Neil Diamond
Paul Newman
Phyllis Diller
Raquel Welch
Robert Redford with his Academy Award
Robert Urich
Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers from Hart to Hart
Ronald Reagan
Shelley Winters
Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca from Your Show of Shows
Sissy Spacek
Telly Savalas
Valerie Bertinelli
Victoria Principal
Will Rogers
William Holden
Willie Nelson

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:54:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year -- wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2012! If you like vintage New Year's cards, you might enjoy browsing the ones I have in my shop: Vintage New Year cards at Birdhouse Books

Newly Arrived - Vintage Valentines

2011-12-29T22:24:00.000-05:00

I'm excited about the fabulous range of vintage Valentines that I just added to my store, Birdhouse Books on eBay, and wanted to share a few of them with you.

This mechanical Valentine features a cabaret singer. I think she looks like Mae West, but my friend suggested she looks like Jean Harlow. This is a 1930's vintage card. As you move the feather in the singer's cap, her eyes also move. Very unique!

An adorable Beagle guards this combination safe. The safe door opens!

This cute little Cocker Spaniel is an artist. The card is easel back, so it stands for display. The painting on the little artist's easel lifts, with another picture of a little boy underneath.

This is a 1940's lollipop card by Rosen. It was designed to tuck a lollipop into the slots. The old guy looks like a comic strip character, but I have not been able to place him. Any info on character or artist? Thanks!

This is a really especially nice mechanical card. As you pull the tab, the little boy's whole face and expression changes. I would date this as 1930's to 1940's.

One of my personal favorites, this little boy roller skates in a field of poppies. This is also a mechanical card, and as you move the boy's arm, the Valentine he carries also changes.

You'll find all these cards and more at Birdhouse Books on eBay.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T11:06:00.002-05:00

Just wishing my eBay and vintage friends a very Merry Christmas!

Vintage Red Stocking Fund Donation Collection Folder from New York Methodist Hospital

2011-12-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

This is such an interesting and unique vintage Christmas ephemera collectible. This little red Christmas stocking is actually a donation folder. As you open the folder, you will see slots for dimes and also for bills. I found this in an estate lot of (mostly Victorian) Christmas ephemera. I wanted to date this ephemera. After doing some research, I found that Robert Diedendorf (mentioned on the folder) was the President of New York Methodist Hospital in the 1950's, so that helps to date this unique piece. With the Red Stocking Fund Soiree recently being held by New York Methodist, I think this is a particularly unique and interesting item. You'll find it here: Red Stocking Fund Ephemera at Birdhouse Books

Christmas! by Peter Spier

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

My item of the day is the children's picture book Peter Spier's Christmas! It has the most beautiful, detailed pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations throughout, and is a hard to find Christmas book. I am a great fan of Peter Spier's work. He is a Dutch author and illustrator (born 1927) and the lovely detailed, intricate illustrations seen in this book are typical of his work. You can see more photos and details here: Peter Spier's Christmas! at Birdhouse Books.

Dog Theme World War II 1940's Vintage Christmas Cards

2011-12-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share some fabulous World War II vintage Christmas cards. They all have the patriotic red, white, and blue colors - marked "Made in USA." Two of these cards feature Terrier dogs (one dressed up as Santa Claus and about to climb down a chimney), and another features a Borzoi dog (especially nice!). They are all at Birdhouse Books - Vintage Christmas Card Department at Birdhouse Books.

Don't you want to keep the neat vintage cards?

2011-12-01T15:56:00.001-05:00

Friends often ask me this question: "Don't you want to keep the neat vintage cards?" The longer I sell vintage items, the fewer items I keep. At a certain point you just have less of a desire to collect. That said -- there are a few special cards that I keep! Usually it is because they have a special interest to me, like a favorite vacation spot or one of my favorite dog breeds. These vintage Christmas cards are a perfect example -- they remind me of my own pups, and they are staying here! The little red Dachshund puppy is so sweet (1960's vintage) and the little Terrier mix is 1940's vintage, and die-cut against a colorful background.

Bucilla Vintage Christmas Craft Kits

2011-11-30T20:19:00.001-05:00

As a fan of vintage Christmas decorations and retro crafts, I absolutely love vintage Bucilla craft kits. The Christmas kits (with felt ornaments and decorations) are especially valued by collectors. I found a nice stack of them recently, from the old Rich's and Davison's department stores in Atlanta. Anyone else remember when department stores sold craft kits, toys, books, records, etc.? I do! Just wanted to share a photo and a link: Vintage Bucilla Craft Kits at Birdhouse Books

New Arrivals at Birdhouse Books Vintage Store

2011-11-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

Just a preview of new arrivals at Birdhouse Books vintage store. Lots of variety here! There is a vintage dimestore toy The Big Red Barn by K-Kids. It is a 1960's to early 1970's vintage toy farm playset - still in package and SUPER cute!

This carnival glass bowl is Indiana Glass Loganberry and it is 1950's vintage, Marigold color.

I have a big lot of these new beaded snowflake ornaments - they are REALLY pretty and beautifully crafted.

This Hallmark ornament is the New Home Hinged Box.

This Hallmark Keepsake ornament is called Snow Buddies. It has a Snowman and a cute little bunny rabbit. This is the first ornament in the Snow Buddies series, from 1998, and very collectible.

This Hallmark Keepsake Collection ornament is called Elegance On Ice. It features a figure skater who resembles Dorothy Hamill.

Some time ago, I purchased a big box of vintage Christmas cards. When I got them home, I discovered they were cut. I've broken them down into several VERY LARGE LOTS (25 - 30 cards each) for someone who is interested in purchasing for gift tags, scrapbooking, altered art, or a small framed gift. They are all 1950's to 1960's Mid-Century in vintage. There are some beauties here! Note the reindeer in this photo, and the child looking at a shadow of Santa Claus:

In this photo I especially love the Snowman family, the duet by Santa Claus and a snowman, and the adorable white kitten peeking out of a hat box:

And this lot has my very favorite card! Check out the old fashioned station wagon with little boy in the back, riding alongside the family Christmas tree. It has glitter and is an amazing card!

I have Shelia houses! These houses, crafted by Shelia's, feature historic homes. This wooden house features the Red Castle in Nevada City, California:

For Gone With the Wind fans, this house features Frank Kennedy Company general store from GWTW:

Again, these goodies and much, much more await at Birdhouse Books vintage store online.

Huge 25% Off Storewide Sale at Birdhouse Books - ending Cyber Monday 11/28

2011-11-25T08:58:00.001-05:00

Hi, friends!

Just a short note to let you know I'm running a huge 25% off storewide sale at Birdhouse Books all Thanksgiving weekend, ending midnight on Cyber Monday (11/28). You'll find:

Christmas ornaments
vintage Christmas cards
vintage children's books
cookbooks including community cookbooks from all over the USA
roadside Americana postcards (great framed!)
and lots of unique, one-of-a-kind vintage gift ideas!

Hope you'll stop by -- it's a HUGE weekend sale at Birdhouse Books!

Vintage Christmas Books for Children 1930's to 1960's

2011-11-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

Just sharing some photos today of Christmas themed books for children (1930's to 1960's). I've been photographing and researching these, and there are some really sweet ones here! You will find them all in my vintage store.

Pom-Pom's Christmas - vintage picture book about an adorable white Poodle looking for a home for Christmas - 1960 - Jon Whitcomb. This is my personal favorite of the books I'm researching. The illustrations are absolutely amazing, especially for anyone who loves dogs!

The Story of Christmas by Margaret W. Tarrant

If I'd Been Born in Bethlehem by Joan Gale Thomas - 1954

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May (1939)

Tizz Plays Santa Claus - horse themed book for Christmas - 1957 Elisa Bialk book with illustrations by Dwight Mutchler

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) by Valentine Davies -- inspiration for the classic Christmas movie

O. Henry Christmas Stories (Steck edition -- hard to find) - 1954 with illustrations by Theresa Kalab Smith

The Santa Claus Book - a Golden Shape Book - 1977 - Eileen Daly, with illustrations by Florence Sarah Winship. I fondly remember these Golden Shape books from my childhood!

You'll find these Christmas books (and many more!) at Birdhouse Books on eBay.

Never Discard a Vintage Christmas Card!

2011-11-11T08:55:00.001-05:00

I absolutely adore vintage greeting cards, and love listing them on eBay -- especially vintage Christmas cards and Valentines. This charming Molly Brett greeting card (1940's to 1950's) just sold in my store for $41.00 - link to sold Molly Brett greeting card. It's a charmer! Molly Brett was a British artist and illustrator (1902 - 1990) who was most famous for her anthropomorphic animal illustrations. Her work has always reminded me of Beatrix Potter! This little card is especially sweet, with a family of mice hanging Christmas stockings and getting ready for the holidays.

Mittens by Clare Turlay Newberry

2011-11-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

I have a special soft spot in my heart for vintage children's books featuring cats and kittens! Mittens by Clare Turlay Newberry is one of my personal favorites. The illustrations are so detailed and beautiful, and truly capture the daily life of a kitten at play or rest! Clare Turlay Newberry was an author and illustrator of children's books. She was from Oregon, and lived 1903 - 1970. As well as Mittens, a few of her other titles included: Barkis, Babette, April's Kittens, Smudge, and Marshmallow. You'll find this beautiful 1936 vintage cat picture book, and other great vintage picture books featuring cats, here: Vintage Cat Books at Birdhouse Books

Gordon Fraser Victorian Christmas Gift Tags

2011-11-02T20:37:00.001-04:00

I love Gordon Fraser stationery, and just had to share these lovely Christmas tags. They are imported from England, and are all Victorian reproductions. They are so unique, and would be the perfect Christmas trim on a special gift! I have a number of new packages of these lovely tags in my store: Gordon Fraser Christmas tags at Birdhouse Books

Mid-Century Christmas Cards

2011-10-27T09:23:00.001-04:00

Mid-Century design is my favorite. I love the vintage, the lines, the colors! I love Mid-Century Christmas, especially. It just evokes the nostalgia and sweetness of the holiday so well. Wanted to share these Mid-Century vintage Christmas cards with you ... they are located here: Mid-Century Christmas cards at Birdhouse Books. Couldn't you just picture these cards lined up on Don and Betty Drapers' fireplace mantle on Mad Men?

Item of the Day: Dune Rides at Glen Haven C2798 Michigan RPPC

2011-09-27T14:15:00.000-04:00

I love Real Photo Postcards. These are postcards that are made, as the name indicates, from a photograph. They have a glossy finish, like a picture. This RPPC is from Glen Haven, Michigan -- a beautiful beach / shore scene. It is titled: Dune Rides at Glen Haven C2798. The card is printed by EKC, which dates it as 1939 to 1950. I think it's an especially nice card, and it would look great framed! You'll find it here: RPPC from Glen Haven, Michigan

Vintage Cat Postcards are the Cat's Meow

2011-09-26T09:46:00.000-04:00

I love vintage cat postcards, and wanted to share some pictures with you! There are some real cuties here. They are in my store at Birdhouse Books.

1909 RPPC - photo postcard. Captioned: Cat on the Warpath.

Especially cute (my favorite cat card). Four kittens sit on a tree branch - Greetings from the Catskills:

1906 signed cat photo postcard captioned Innocence.

1911 Tabby Cat illustration. The cat puts his paw in an inkwell in order to send a message.

Again, these great cat cards (and more!) are located in my store at Birdhouse Books.

Vintage Dog Postcards at Birdhouse Books

2011-09-21T22:00:00.000-04:00

I'm delighted to add these vintage dog postcards to my store, Birdhouse Books. Just wanted to share some great vintage dog images with you!

A beautiful Wirehair Fox Terrier dog resting in a horseshoe - illustration by Taylor - 1940.

A Patient Playmate - a beautiful Jack Russell dog meets a cat peacefully. 1910 postmark.

A Dachshund wraps himself around a palm tree - unusual Art Deco design card.

An English Springer Spaniel dog watches some beautiful cats drink milk.

A hound dog watches a romantic couple kiss in silhouette. 1911 postmark. Illustration by F.R. Morgan.

You'll find these vintage dog postcards, and more, at Birdhouse Books - just click here!

Vintage Variety at Birdhouse Books

2011-09-13T22:00:00.000-04:00

I've had so much fun putting together a really varied selection of new vintage listings today at Birdhouse Books. They are so unique and interesting that I wanted to share with you!

1920's to 1930's vintage Valentine of a little girl walking a Cocker Spaniel puppy dog:

Wish You Were Here vintage travel postcard from the 1964 - 1965 New York World's Fair -- love the Mid Century design!

The Captain John Smith Motor Lodge - a great retro motel in Williamsburg, Virginia:

Love vintage shopping malls, and this interior photo is wonderful! Midland Mall in Warwick, Rhode Island (open 1967 - 1994, but I would date this card as 1960's to 1970's):

A vintage cookbook from George Neely's Lamplighter Restaurant of Tuscaloosa, Alabama:

A charming World War II vintage school reader for children -- 1941 -- Rides and Slides in the Alice and Jerry school reader series:

A 1967 picture book by Margaret Wise Brown, The Noisy Book:

The Book of Bed Jackets by Bernat -- hard to find and fabulous fun to knit and crochet!

These little treasures are all at Birdhouse Books on eBay - click here to see these and more!

An Unusual Vintage Motel Postcard - the Monarch Motel in St. Charles, Missouri

2011-08-30T20:35:00.001-04:00

This card is too unusual not to share! It's from the Monarch Motel in St. Charles, Missouri. What makes it unusual? Check out the sign? It says ZEPHYR MOTEL with a small little Monarch Motel sign underneath. I think there is a story there! Maybe the motel was called the Zephyr Motel before, and the new owners added their own name. What do you think? It makes this card really neat and unique! It's at Birdhouse Books here: Monarch Motel Postcard at Birdhouse Books

Item of the Day: Baby Boomer Vintage Plastic Baby Blocks

2011-08-15T09:31:00.002-04:00

These 1950's - 1960's Baby Boomer vintage plastic building blocks for baby are so sweet! They have a picture of an animal on the base of each block, and they stack. You'll find them at Birdhouse Books: Vintage Baby Building Blocks

Vintage Dog Trading Cards - Single Swap Playing Cards

2011-08-08T21:30:00.001-04:00

I really have come to love vintage single swap playing cards and trading cards (blank on back). As a dog person, of course I particularly love the vintage dog cards. I'm adding lots more to my store tonight -- from 1940's to 1960's vintage. Children used to trade these and swap them with friends. They are really so incredibly cute. My personal favorites are two Standard Poodle cards that show a New York City skyline in the background. One of these cards shows Central Park, with a number of notable buildings in the background - The Plaza Hotel, The Empire State Building, and the Sherry-Netherland Hotel. Equally cute is a sweet little Cairn Terrier (1940's vintage) lounging in her dog bed. And -- I can't resist mentioning the adorable Wirehair Fox Terrier pictured here, an illustration by Morgan Dennis. Here are just a few photos - you'll find them all here -- Vintage Dog Single Swap Playing Cards and Trading Cards at Birdhouse Books.

A Vintage Postcard Tour of Old Atlanta, Early 1900's

2011-07-27T17:00:00.003-04:00

These postcards are too fascinating not to share! They are all located in my store at Birdhouse Books.

Above, Atlanta by Night - early 1900's vintage. The Flatiron Building is in the foreground. This is the intersection of Peachtree and Broad.

Below, Hotel Ansley in Atlanta.

Above, Walton Office Building, Atlanta. 1911 postmark.

Below, Piedmont Hotel, Atlanta. 1920 postmark.

Below, "Just a Word From Atlanta - Hope to See You Soon." Central Congregational Church, Atlanta. 1918 postmark.

Below, U.S. Post Office, Atlanta. Early 1900's.

Particularly interesting to me - I had no idea this place ever existed! Grant Park Skating Rink, Atlanta. 1911 postmark. This is in the area where you now will find the Cyclorama and Zoo Atlanta.

You'll find these vintage postcards and more vintage Georgia (Atlanta, Savannah, more) items at Birdhouse Books.

Playland at the Beach Amusement Park in San Francisco

2011-07-21T10:36:00.000-04:00

Have I mentioned how much I love Roadside Americana postcards? I especially love older amusement park cards. I am so happy to have collected a huge box of amusement park postcards, and I'm going through them and listing them individually on eBay. It is neat to read about the history of the different amusement parks and theme parks. This beautiful card is called Shooting the Chutes, San Francisco, California. I did some research and found out this card was from Playland amusement park. This old amusement park was started in the early 1900's and was torn down in 1972. Shoot the Chutes, the ride pictured in this card, was a bit like a log flume ride. This ride began in the early 1900's (and the card pictured is early 1900's vintage as well) and was demolished in 1950.

I'll admit to you, dear reader, that I'm a just a little bit obsessive about 20th century American social history and popular culture history -- most especially Roadside Americana. I went on a search for links about Playland amusement park, and have some great ones to share with you:

Playland at the Beach - San Francisco Public Library - old photos

San Francisco's Playland at the Beach - HistorySmith

The Dark Side of San Francisco's Playland Amusement Park - Laff in the Dark - about dark rides at the park

Playland at the Beach - PDXHistory site

Playland - Western Neighborhood Project - includes a message board

Musee Mechanique - current museum in San Francisco, featuring mechanical amusements from the original Playland, including Laffing Sal

Laffing Sal at Musee Mecanique - a Youtube video (just a little bit spooky!)

Sewing to the Dogs at Birdhouse Books

2011-07-09T09:42:00.001-04:00

I love dogs (most especially small dogs) and also enjoy sewing, so these cute sewing patterns really appeal to me. One - McCall's M5677 - is for dog beds, pet beds, cat beds - including a FABULOUS little canopy bed for your small dog or cat. It is so cute and so unusual! The other pattern, McCall's Crafts M4686, has patterns to sew a matching coat, leash, and dog mat for your little pal. So cute! You'll find these goods at: Dog Patterns at Birdhouse Books

Savannah Cookbooks

2011-07-07T09:36:00.000-04:00

I love Southern cooking, and especially love cookbooks from Savannah. I just added three special Savannah cookbooks - all hard to find - in my store:

A Musical Feast Savannah Symphony Cookbook 1990 Georgia
A Symphony of Sweets Savannah Georgia Cookbook 1993
Savannah a la Carte Symphony Cookbook 1999 Georgia

Johnny Harris Onion Soup, Champagne Salad, Honey Glazed Baby Carrots, Savannah Red Rice (note -- one of my favorite recipes -- delicious!), Mrs. Wilkes Sweet Potato Souffle, Chicken Breast with Tarragon, Lulu's Fettucini, Cherry Pudding, Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes, Applesauce Cake, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Walnut Cookies, Peach Custard Pie, Cranberry Ice, Butternut Sweet Potato Pie, Carrot Raisin Muffins, Johnny Harris Mud Pie, Brunswick Stew, Vincent Russo's Deviled Crab, Picnic Crawfish Salad, Savannah Brittle Bread, Blueberry Pineapple Crisp, Pecan Pralines, White Bean and Shrimp Salad, Chutney and Walnut Chicken Salad, Apricot Rum Cake, Philip's Apple Tart, more.

Are you hungry yet?

You'll find these cookbooks here: Savannah cookbooks at Birdhouse Books

Christmas in July at Birdhouse Books

2011-07-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

It's Christmas in July at Birdhouse Books! I just got in a fabulous estate collection of antique and vintage Christmas ornaments. They were so much fun to photograph and list - and I wanted to share them with you! Newly listed ornaments include:

Santa Claus ornament -- clip-on -- 1950's to 1960's vintage
Tiny metal bell with candy cane decal -- Mid-Century vintage
Tiny molded plastic Santa Claus ornament -- just over 1" high -- probably 1940's -- older ornament
Lot of red plastic Santa Claus boot ornaments -- ready to fill with candy or treats
My personal favorite! Lot of hard molded plastic Snowman ornaments -- ready to fill with candy canes or lollipops

These ornaments are all located at Birdhouse Books on eBay - hope you'll take a look!

Huge Lots of Vintage Cards & Ephemera at Birdhouse Books

2011-06-26T09:48:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I've listed several HUGE lots of vintage cards in my store. These lots are inexpensive (starting between $6.00 - $9.99) and would be a great way to find lots of ephemera for scrapbooking or art projects. Lots that I currently have listed include:

Vintage Valentine Cards Lot of 50 Die-Cut for Children
Vintage Postcards Lot of 22 Motels Roadside Americana
Vintage Greeting Cards Lot of 53 Dogs Children Birthday
Vintage Christmas Greeting Cards Huge Lot of 34
Vintage Postcards Lot of 43 Holidays Greetings Children
Victorian Scrapbook Cards Lot of 5 Trade Advertising

You'll find these cards at Birdhouse Books - Vintage card and postcard links at Birdhouse Books. They end this evening, and I will probably run any lots that don't list just ONE MORE TIME at auction ... so please check them out if you like vintage paper!

Unusual caption on postcard -- Eva's Truck Stop

2011-06-24T21:00:00.004-04:00

This card depicts a Pan-Am truck stop, Eva's Truck Stop in Attalla, Alabama. I would date it as 1930's to 1940's. It has the most unusual caption on the back of the card that I've seen:

"Clean rooms, showers, Pan-Am Service, home-cooked foods, 'Patronizing us is like making love to a widow - you can't overdo it.'"

Retro Motel -- A Nice Place For Nice People

2011-06-23T15:44:00.000-04:00

Had to share this vintage motel postcard from Colonial Court Cottages in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Captioned at bottom of card: "A nice place for nice people." Sort of makes you want to pay a visit, doesn't it?

Let's take a retro vacation in Florida!

2011-06-18T15:48:00.000-04:00

These vintage Florida motels remind me so much of summer vacations from my childhood. I thought you might enjoy them too! Vintage Florida postcards at Birdhouse Books - please click here.

Antique Matchbook Collection

2011-06-07T19:41:00.002-04:00

My friend Dave, who collects vintage ephemera and photos (his vintage New Orleans flickr page is here) has a knack for finding the most unusual items when we are out yard saling! On our last yard sale jaunt, he found an AMAZING 1920's - 1940's matchbox collection -- over 600 matchbooks for just $2.00! The collection includes matchbooks related to: cars, soft drinks, food, beverages, restaurants, bars, hotels, motels, and stores. What a great find! He is keeping the collection, but sent me some photos to post here. The matchbooks are so fabulous that I wanted to share them with you.

Peanuts Cross Stitch Books

2011-06-02T21:00:00.001-04:00

I love Peanuts! I have two great, hard to find Peanuts cross stitch books in my store: Peanuts in Cross Stitch and Peanuts All Year Long. They are both in great condition and full of characters like Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, and more. Fun!! Click here for Peanuts cross stitch books at Birdhouse Books.

Vintage Valentine Lollipop Cards

2011-06-01T10:36:00.003-04:00

I love, love, love these vintage Valentine lollipop cards. The earliest ones I have are from the 1940's to 1950's, and the others are 1960's vintage. They are all printed by Rosen and they have little slots for a child to tuck a lollipop into the card. So cute! This 1940's vintage pirate card is especially nice. Vintage Lollipop Cards at Birdhouse Books.

Vintage Hotels 1900's - 1960's -- Postcards and Travel Brochures

2011-05-26T08:26:00.000-04:00

Hi all!

I've been having so much fun scanning, researching, and listing vintage hotel postcards. The earliest date back to the very early 1900's, and the "newest" are from the 1960's. In my store, Birdhouse Books, I have vintage items from:

Fort Sumter Hotel, Charleston, South Carolina
Gideon Putnam Hotel, Saratoga Springs, New York
Belmont Hotel, New York City
Broadmoor Hotel, Pikes Peak, Colorado
Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California
Chalfonte Hotel, Cape May, New Jersey
Chittendon Hotel, Columbus, Ohio
Everett House, New York City (hotel demolished in 1908)
Villa Roma Hotel, San Francisco, California
Hotel Hayne, Walterboro, South Carolina
Gibson Hotel, Miami, Florida - Art Deco
Hotel Annapolis, Washington, D.C.
Hotel Ben McGehee, Little Rock, Arkansas
Pick Congress Hotel, Chicago, Illinois
Hotel Cleveland and Terminal Tower, Ohio
Hotel Deermont, St. Petersburg, Florida
Hotel Del Monte, California
Hotel Flanders, Ocean City, New Jersey
Hotel New Yorker, Manhattan
The Charleston Hotel, South Carolina
Hotel Governor Clinton, New York
Hotel Green, Pasadena, California
Hotel Henry, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Hotel Virginia, Stafford, Virginia
Hotel Washington, D.C.
The Sherman Hotel, Chicago, Illinois
Hotel Westlake and Rocky River Bridge, Rocky River, Ohio
Plaza Hotel, Corpus Christi, Texas
Cloister Hotel, Sea Island, Georgia
Richford Hotel, Erie, Pennsylvania
Surf Hotel, Miami, Florida -- Art Deco
The Pantiland Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Sheraton Cadillac Hotel, Detroit, Michigan

All these hotel cards and brochures are in my store: Vintage Hotel Ephemera at Birdhouse Books - click here

Betsy, Tacy, and Tib

2011-05-21T20:31:00.000-04:00

My all-time favorite book? I can't name just one, but instead offer a series of books -- Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace. This charming series of books spans time from 1897 - 1917, and tells the story of the friendship of three girls in Mankato, Minnesota. When we first meet Betsy and Tacy, they are five years old. Betsy is extroverted and wants to be a writer. Tacy is shy and sweet-natured. They are soon joined on their childhood adventures by Tib, who is pragmatic and bright. Over the series of books (series order here), the girls go to high school, graduate, travel, find romance and marriage ... and generally enchant readers as they have since the books were first published in the 1940's and 1950's.

As a lifelong Maud Hart Lovelace fan, I believe that Betsy-Tacy fans are a different sort of reader. We are reminded of the books in many places. I have several items in my store that remind me of Betsy-Tacy.

This card has always reminded me of Carney's House Party:

The little girl in this postcard reminds me of Tib!

I have a copy of This Fabulous Century 1900 - 1910, and it is a wonderful reference about life in America during the years of my favorite books.

And of course there are the books themselves! Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown is perhaps my favorite book in the series, about the adventures the girls have as they go downtown together. I love the Lois Lenski illustration on this cover!

If you love vintage children's books, or if you know a young reader who would enjoy this series, I cannot recommend it highly enough. The books build over time, and it is important to read them chronologically. Betsy Tacy is the first book in the series. Here's a link to the first book, and you'll find more titles on the right side of this web page.

Children's Fairyland - Vintage Story Book Land in Oakland, California

2011-05-18T22:00:00.002-04:00

Children's Fairyland in Oakland, California was a Story Book Land amusement park that opened in 1950. It was designed by architect William Russell Everitt, and inspired Storybook lands across the country. Although I never visited Children's Fairyland, I loved Story Book Lands as a child, and visited several of them on family vacations. They had tableaus and old fashioned rides inspired by Mother Goose nursery rhymes and fairy tales. I am delighted to offer several vintage postcards from this amusement park, with great Baby Boomer vintage scenes of the fun that was found there! At Birdhouse Books - Vintage Postcards from Children's Fairyland

Deer Park Petting Zoo - 1950's to 1960's Michigan

2011-05-15T22:00:00.002-04:00

Deer Park Story Book Lane in Michigan - between Muskegon and Whitehall - was an old fashioned petting zoo and small amusement park with a Story Book Lane for children. Story Book Lane had Mother Goose themed tableaus for children to explore. This Story Book Lane and petting zoo was open 1956 - 1968. The park then changed over to Michigan's Adventure. I have some truly fabulous vintage postcards from this long-ago amusement park on eBay. I love vintage Roadside Americana, and I'm excited about these! Deer Park postcards at Birdhouse Books

Item of the Day: 1962 Parker Brothers Board Games Book

2011-05-01T20:27:00.000-04:00

I love, love, love this fun book! It's Family Fun and Popular Parties by Parker Brothers Board Games, and it was published in 1962. It has fun retro party and game ideas, and then there is an 8 page section about popular 1962 Board Games, including lots of photos! Lots of games I've never heard of are featured, like Rich Uncle and Star Reporter. I had a lot of fun looking through this little book and wanted to share it with you. It's in my store at: Parker Brothers 1962 game book

Finding Vintage Books with eBay's Saved Search

2011-05-01T14:43:00.000-04:00

I love vintage children's books, and love finding favorites from my childhood. Two series that I loved growing up were The Golden Name Day series by Jennie Lindquist and The Keeping Days series by Norma Johnston. Several years ago I was able to find these books - affordably - through eBay's Saved Search feature.

Here's how it works. Search for a book you want to find. Then, when the search appears, click on ADVANCED SEARCH at the top of the screen. You can input price range you are looking for (recommended), and even choose to purchase from sellers in your own country (to save shipping costs).

Then you'll get an updated search with the features you've requested. Look at the search listing and you will see the option to save the search. Voila! Just click on that link and you can save your search, with price range you're looking for, and get daily email updates when the book becomes available.

This is particularly helpful with vintage books that tend to price high online ... if you wait with Saved Searches, you will find the book you are looking for -- in the price range you are looking for. It's a fun feature, and I can attest that it works great!

Video about my vintage store

2011-04-22T15:12:00.000-04:00

I was thrilled to receive a note that Kat Simpson of eCom Connections made this video about my store. It is great -- absolutely love it!!

New Easter Cards

2011-04-17T20:20:00.000-04:00

While vintage cards are still my first paper love, I occasionally find some really special new cards to add to my store. These boutique style Easter cards are so sweet (and I have more designs coming soon)! They would be so cute to send, gift, or frame. New Easter Cards at Birdhouse Books

Dressed Animal Valentines

2011-04-11T08:27:00.000-04:00

Dressed animal Valentines feature cute animals (usually cats, dogs, or bears) dressed in clothes. They are so nostalgic and sweet, and are a unique collecting category -- also of interest to cat collectors, dog collectors, etc. These little dressed cat Valentines are way too sweet not to share! The first card pictured (cat in blue bonnet) is 1920's vintage. The second card (cat in beanie cap and checked overalls) is 1930's - 1940's vintage. The colors in the second card are a giveaway to dating the card, as the vivid primary colors are indicative of cards from that time period. Here's a link to dressed animal cards in my store -- lots of photos there!

Item of the Day: Ukulele Vintage Valentine 1920's

2011-04-07T21:05:00.000-04:00

This little card is too cute not to share! With the Ukulele theme and the little boy's sailor suit outfit, I would date this as 1920's vintage. Uke music was very popular during this period -- and I don't think I've had a Ukulele themed card in my store before! It's very cute, and equally unique. Vintage Valentine Card Ukulele Boy Sailor Suit 1920's

Item of the Day: 1959 Mid Century Decorating Book with Great Photos

2011-04-05T21:10:00.006-04:00

I love, love, love the Mid Century - Eames Era decorating photos in this book. It is so much fun to look at and also has helpful "do it yourself" tips! 1001 Decorating Ideas - 1959 home decor book.. I couldn't resist sharing a few retro home decorating photos with you here!

Item of the Day: Vintage Donald Duck Holgate Puzzle

2011-04-03T20:08:00.001-04:00

Baby boomer vintage toys don't get cuter than this! This wooden frame tray puzzle for a small child was made by the Holgate toy company. I love vintage Holgate toys. It's an interesting company, founded in 1929, with many toys designed by Jarvis Rockwell, the brother of artist Norman Rockwell. This sweet puzzle features the Walt Disney character Donald Duck. The puzzle has 12 pieces, is perfect for a preschool age child, and would look so cute on display! Donald Duck puzzle at Birdhouse Books

Item of the Day: 1958 Chicken Little Tell-A-Tale Book

2011-04-02T18:27:00.000-04:00

My favorite of the day! This adorable little 1958 Whitman Tell-A-Tale book has the sweetest illustrations by Marjorie Hartwell. So cute - and the cute little chick is perfect for Spring time! Chicken Little at Birdhouse Books

Biggest Sale Ever at Birdhouse Books

2011-03-21T16:21:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Just a little note to let you know that I'm having the BIGGEST EVER sale in my store through Sunday 3/27 at midnight. Everything is 30% right now! This includes: vintage children's books, vintage cookbooks, ephemera (Christmas, Valentines, Easter, postcards, dog cards), Christmas ornaments, retro decorating books, vintage crafting, and more! I'm planning to make some huge store changes next week (and some items that are unsold will be pulled), so wanted to have a great big sale! As always, all ephemera is listed with free shipping. Hope you find some goodies! Click here to visit the 30% off storewide sale at Birdhouse Books

Vintage Easter Postcards Featuring Children & Angels

2011-03-19T21:34:00.000-04:00

Here comes Peter Cottontail ... and he's bringing lots of antique Easter cards! All of the cards featured today include children or angels, and they are so sweet. All date from the early 1900's. Here are just a few more new arrivals at my store -- Easter postcards at Birdhouse Books

Vintage Dachshund Book - Cat and Dog, 1960

2011-03-18T20:46:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love this vintage Dachshund book! One of the things I personally collect are vintage Dachshund items, especially children's books and ephemera. I have a copy of this book on my own shelves here and was happy to find another copy to share in my store. It's called Cat and Dog, and it's by Else Holmelund Minarik - with illustrations by Fritz Siebel. This sweet little picture book tells the story of a little girl and her cat and Dachshund dog -- a red smooth Dachshund. Charming illustrations throughout! It's in my store at: Cat and Dog - vintage Dachshund book

Early 1900's Easter Postcards

2011-03-10T21:02:00.002-05:00

Easter is coming soon - April 24 this year - and I'm enjoying scanning and listing vintage Easter postcards in my store. Most of the cards are from the very early 1900's, and they are lovely, with bunny rabbits, yellow chicks, colorful Easter eggs, children in Easter bonnets, and more. One very unusual card even features an Arts and Crafts / Mission style goldfish bowl! You'll find them at Birdhouse Books - Easter Postcards -- and here is a preview!

Carolyn Haywood Books

2011-03-03T11:57:00.000-05:00

My favorite item of the day is Carolyn Haywood books for children. Carolyn Haywood is one of my favorite vintage children's book writers. I remember checking these chapter books out over and over again as a little girl from the small library in my neighborhood. Even during my childhood (1960's - 1970's), these books were old fashioned and gave a nostalgic view of childhood during innocent baby boomer times. They always reminded me a bit of the TV show Leave It to Beaver, with stories of the children's neighborhood adventures. Carolyn Haywood grew up in Philadelphia and had a long life, from 1898 - 1990. Her major series were the Betsy series (which I love!) and the Eddie series (also great). She illustrated her own books. I have a couple of her books (later printings) in my store -- Carolyn Haywood children's books at Birdhouse Books. I highly recommend these books for anyone interested in vintage children's books.

Vintage Easter Postcards

2011-03-02T08:45:00.000-05:00

Just sharing photos of some beautiful vintage Easter postcards! These are all in my store: Easter postcards at Birdhouse Books

Item of the Day: Little Swimmers 1960 Vintage Children's Book

2011-03-01T12:54:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love this book, Little Swimmers by Virginia Hunter with Dorothy Grider illustrations! It reminds me of my childhood, in both the style of illustration, and also the pictures of children learning to swim. Dorothy Grider is one of my personal favorite baby boomer era children's illustrators. She is not mentioned as often as some other illustrators this vintage, but I think she captures a time and place so perfectly. You'll find this book: Little Swimmers at Birdhouse Books

1920's Vintage Valentines

2011-02-28T11:00:00.002-05:00

If I had to play favorites, one of my favorite things is 1920's vintage Valentines. I love the beautifully detailed designs, the use of color, and the sweet themes of children, cats, dogs, and toys. I like the art of Mary Engelbreit, and have always thought she must find these cards inspiring too, as the colors and designs remind me so much of her work. I'm sharing just a few favorites today, but you will find many more at Birdhouse Books - 1920's vintage Valentine cards

Item of the Day: Leprechaun Wood Carving, Original Folk Art

2011-02-27T11:09:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share this really neat original folk art wood carving with you. It's signed by artist Robert Francis, # 1010, and it's a charming Leprechaun wood carving. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day! This is a different type of item for me to list, but it is so cute that I wanted to share.

Leprechaun Folk Art Wood Carving

Thanks, eCom Connections!

2011-02-27T11:04:00.000-05:00

What a nice surprise! eCom Connections has a nice blog article about my store, and I'm going to appear on their radio show to talk about vintage children's books and ephemera on Monday, 2/28. The show airs at 1:00 PM EST, and my segment begins around 1:40. Hope you'll join us!

eCom Connections article and website

Item of the Day: Victorian Angels & Miniature Church Christmas Card

2011-02-26T20:15:00.000-05:00

My favorite vintage item of the day: this beautiful Victorian Christmas card featuring two angels in front of a miniature, dollhouse size church. It is a front and back Victorian era card, on cardstock, with no signature (unsent). It is so beautiful and would be amazing framed! If you'd like to take a peek, it's in my store at: Victorian Angels & Church Christmas Card

Thinking Ahead Toward Spring!

2011-02-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

It's been warm and beautiful this past week here, and I'm thinking ahead toward Spring with listing some beautiful vintage Easter cards! Just wanted to share a few early 1900's vintage Easter postcards - more are found in my store. Vintage Easter cards and postcards at Birdhouse Books

More Mechanical Valentine Cards

2011-02-02T21:58:00.000-05:00

I have been having so much fun playing with vintage mechanical Valentines! I've even made a special category for them in my store. These are some really special cards -- some as old as the early 1900's, with the "newest" being 1940's in vintage. I just wanted to share a few favorites with you. I think my personal favorite is the cat with an old fashioned gas pump, but the monkey theatre is so unusual and interesting!

Vintage Valentines - Pete Hawley Illustrations

2011-01-27T21:16:00.000-05:00

Just sharing some vintage Valentine photos with you! Busy listing tons of vintage cards in my store -- many, many more up this week and next. I believe all the cards in this post have Pete Hawley illustrations. Pete Hawley was an illustrator who was very popular in the 1940's - 1960's; you may recognize his work from magazine illustrations of that time. His illustrations of children were especially charming. Very nice remembrance of the artist located here: blog article on Pete Hawley's life and art.

Mechanical Valentines

2011-01-19T20:51:00.000-05:00

I really love mechanical Valentines. They are vintage cards that have a moving piece that adds special character to the card. They were especially popular from the 1920's to 1940's. I listed a mechanical Valentine today that I absolutely love. It combines everything I like most about vintage Valentine cards. There is a cute dog (a Beagle howling), a sweet child (little 1940's vintage girl who reminds me of the girls in the Moffatt Family series of books by Eleanor Estes), and it is mechanical. You can raise the little girl's left arm to sit on the piano keys as she plays music along with her dog. It is so incredibly sweet! Right now it's located in my store at Piano themed mechanical Valentine here. And of course I have more mechanical Valentines (and many more on the way, the next couple of weeks) in my store: selection of mechanical Valentines at Birdhouse Books.

World War II Vintage Valentines for Children

2011-01-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

I love, love, love these 1940's vintage die-cut Valentines for children and just had to share them with you! They are all in my store -- 1940's Valentine cards at Birdhouse Books on eBay.

This is my personal favorite card in my store -- a sweet little girl with her Scottish Terrier by an old fashioned grandfather clock:

A cute little cat watches a goldfish in a fish bowl:

A dressed goat - almost in an Uncle Sam outfit - tips his top hat:

A precious little kitten wears a dress and flowered bonnet:

This is a very large card with unusual illustration -- Freixas ?? It depicts a girl juggling:

Another of my favorites -- a sweet little yellow Terrier - maybe a Jack Russell or JRT mix - waits at an old fashioned school house door:

New Clearance Section in My Store

2011-01-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all!

Just a note to let you know that I have a new clearance section in my vintage store -- Birdhouse Books on eBay. You'll find over 300 goodies at a low sale price -- for a limited time only, as these items are being discontinued in my store. They include vintage children's books like this cute 1960's vintage Wonder Book:

A great selection of CDs, like this Great American Songbook album by Tony Bennett:

Many vintage Roadside Americana postcards -- all with free shipping:

Vintage cookbooks like this cute retro recipe book from the 1960's featuring almonds:

... and lots of little surprises, like this vintage Pug dog figurine:

They're all waiting at this link: new clearance section at Birdhouse Books

Baby Boomer Vintage Valentines for Children

2011-01-06T14:14:00.000-05:00

Just sharing a few vintage Valentines for children (all unused die-cut cards) from my store. My favorite is the little girl who is painting a card with the help of her Dachshund. Which do you like best?

New Year's in Vintage Cards

2010-12-30T20:12:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I wanted to share a few vintage New Year cards from my store with you.

Vintage Valentines - 1950's to 1960's Die-Cut Cards

2010-12-28T21:34:00.000-05:00

Working on some sweet Valentine listings today -- just wanted to share a few pictures with you! These are all 1950's to 1960's die-cut cards for children (all unused). They are in my store - vintage Valentine cards at Birdhouse Books.

Here's a little Jack Russell Terrier dog who enjoys bowling:

Mary and her little lamb have gone to school:

The little girl's an angel, but the little boy's a devil:

Yackety-Yak, an old fashioned teenager talks on the phone. (This one reminds me of the telephone scene in Bye Bye Birdie!)

A cute little doll falls back into the arms of a brave toy soldier:

An adorable Terrier dog paints a message on a fence:

Snow Days Sale by the Great Sellers at OnlineBusinessSuccess

2010-12-27T18:02:00.001-05:00

If the weather outside is frightful where you live, enjoy some relaxing time browsing last-week-of-the-year sales by your trusted friends from Onlinebusinesssuccess. There's something for everyone here - and we hope you'll find exactly what you're looking for!

Birdhouse Books - 25% off storewide (This is my store -- hope you'll visit!)
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Birdhouse-Books
Vintage children's books, collectible cookbooks, ephemera (especially holidays)

Bitz of Glitz - 15% off storewide
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bitzofglitz4u

Nicalucks - 25% off storewide
http://stores.ebay.com/NICALUCKS
Books--mostly rare and antiquarian

Depression Glass Warehouse - 15% off books
http://www.depressionglasswarehouse.com/

Janes Variety And Gift Shop - 10% off storewide
http://stores.ebay.com/Janes-Variety-And-Gift-Shop
New women's clothing and accesories, collectibles, flower seeds

Book Corner Cafe N More - 25% off storewide
http://stores.ebay.com/Book-Corner-Cafe-n-More
Vintage Collectibles including books, racing items, ephemera and more

FamilyNiteMovies - 3 separate stores! - 19% off through 12/31
http://stores.ebay.com/samican2 - Sweaters, coffee mugs, dishware and misc.
http://stores.ebay.com/familynitemovies - Family movies

FreelandEnterprises - 10% off storewide
http://stores.ebay.com/This-N-That-Freeland-Enterprises?refid=store
Jewelry, Makeup, Personal Care, Clothing, Hunting, as well as a little of THIS N' THAT......

KDMORE-CRAFTS-AND-MORE
10% on BLANKETS in Stock through JAN 10, 2011
http://stores.ebay.com/KDMORE-CRAFTS-AND-MORE

Stacey Kaye's Collection
http://stores.ebay.com/Staceykayes-Collection
Everything on sale $1.50 off
Magazines and Keychains

My Moms Books
20% off
http://www.mymomsbooksatebay.com/
Selling Books and Sewing Patterns

The Acquisatory
20-25% off Harmony Kingdom Limited Collectibles and some jewelry:
http://stores.ebay.com/The-Acquisatory

Vintage Christmas Greetings

2010-12-22T22:41:00.000-05:00

I hope your Christmas is magical! Thanks for reading my blog this year. I appreciate you all.

Girls in White Dresses With Blue Satin Sashes

2010-12-18T09:31:00.000-05:00

Okay, I've seen The Sound of Music more times than I can count, but this vintage Christmas postcard immediately reminded me of one of my favorite songs!

Free Shipping on Vintage Ephemera

2010-12-17T09:09:00.000-05:00

In honor of Free Shipping Friday, 12/17, I just wanted to send a reminder that I offer free shipping on over 1200 beautiful, frameable vintage cards in my store. They make great gifts! Christmas, Easter, Valentine's, postcards, dogs, cats, retro children - lots of sweet cards ready to gift, whether framed or on their own!

Click here to visit Birdhouse Books - Free Shipping on Ephemera!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas ... in Vintage Paper

2010-12-14T22:30:00.005-05:00

This has been a long - but fun - day of researching and listing vintage cards. I have Christmas postcards, Christmas cards, photo cards, and even Christmas seals. They're all going online tonight in my store: click here to visit the Christmas department at Birdhouse Books! I wanted to share a few photos with you.

This fabulous 1920's Art Deco card folds out into a parade. It reminds me a bit of the illustration style of John Held - absolutely lovely!

An old fashioned Santa Claus is ready to climb down the chimney with a sack of toys on this charming postcard:

A little girl on this Whitney postcard enjoys her sled:

I think this is my personal favorite. In this early 1900's vintage postcard, children play with their new toys including a hobby horse and a bugle by their beautiful, old fashioned Christmas tree. Santa Claus peeks in on the left bottom corner of card.

This Victorian era card features two angels decorating a little dollhouse sized church:

On this photo card, a little boy decorates the Mid Century fireplace mantle with a MERRY CHRISTMAS garland:

This charming 1960's vintage West German card features the Wise Men and their camels against a black background - very unusual design!

Another of my personal favorites! A glamorous Mid Century woman paints a greeting, while wearing a red flocked coat.

A sweet little angel is accompanied by lambs. The angel's wings are made of feathers. The picture inside the card shows the angel and lambs playing on the stars - lovely!

Remember old fashioned Christmas seals for Christmas card envelopes and packages? I have 2 separately listed packages of them available for crafting or holiday paper decorating:

This lovely three-dimensional card has a winter scene of a Christmas tree surrounded by old fashioned people. It stands up and is so pretty!

Vintage Christmas Card of the Day - CELLULOID CHRISTMAS TREE & Stamp

2010-12-12T21:07:00.001-05:00

I love this 1940's style card -- it features a celluloid "window" with a Christmas tree illustration. It's very unusual and such a great example of 1940's World War II vintage holiday art. My celluloid cards are located at this link.

Vintage Christmas Card - ANGELS ON MUSIC NOTES 1940s

2010-12-11T21:12:00.001-05:00

Just sharing a pic of this adorable angel card -- a sweet little 1940's Christmas card featuring angels sitting on music notes. It is so charming and vintage and unique!

Vintage Christmas Card of the Day - Vintage Christmas Card TERRIER DOG AND SLIPPER 1940s

2010-12-10T21:02:00.001-05:00

This 1940's card is so cute! It features a little terrier dog playing, while another sleeps in a slipper. Vintage dog cards are some of my favorites, and this is such a great example of 1940's vintage illustration.

Vintage Christmas Card of the Day - Scottie Dog and Grandfather Clock

2010-12-09T20:27:00.000-05:00

This card is absolutely adorable on so many levels. It's a slim card (collectible), it's embossed, it features a fabulous Grandfather Clock, and best of all, it features the most adorable Scottish Terrier. Oh - and it's unused! You can peek at: Christmas Scottie Dog Card, and here's a pic as well!

Vintage Christmas Card of the Day - Santa Claus with Jingle Bells

2010-12-08T12:26:00.000-05:00

Vintage Santa Claus themed Christmas cards are some of my favorites, and I always love adding them to my store. This jolly Santa has old fashioned, colorful jingle bells and so much vintage charm. I would date this as 1940's from the design.

Vintage Christmas Card of the Day - 1940's GIRL Die-Cut & Unique

2010-12-07T10:11:00.000-05:00

I love this one -- 1940's GIRL Die-Cut & Unique. It features a pretty die-cut 1940's young woman, with Christmas greetings on the front of card and New Year's inside. So stylized and WWII vintage!

Vintage Christmas Card of the Day: Wirehair Fox Terrier, 1940's, Flocked

2010-12-06T21:00:00.000-05:00

This adorable Whitman card was probably sent to a child long ago in the 1940's. It is die-cut and flocked, and my personal favorite vintage Christmas card of the day!

Vintage Christmas Cards

2010-12-05T21:00:00.001-05:00

I'm enjoying going through a huge crate of vintage Christmas cards here, scanning them and listing them on eBay. Most are Mid-Century / Eames Era and they are absolutely fabulous! Just wanted to share a few of my favorites here - the rest are in my store on eBay - please click here.

Retro Craft Freebie - Dachshund Ornament to Cut Out and Make

2010-11-30T12:57:00.000-05:00

My favorite things list definitely includes retro craft projects. They are so much fun, and a great way to recreate your own little artifacts from another time and place. These craft cut-out pages are Christmas ornaments to cut out and assemble. For sturdier ornaments, you may want to reinforce them with foam board, mat board, or cardboard. They look so cute when hung with ribbon from a vintage look Christmas tree! I'm including two pages from a 1967 children's magazine here for you to print or share with your favorite child or crafter. Included: a little red Dachshund dog, an angel, a bird, a snake, a Christmas stocking, and a church. Have fun!

Vintage Christmas at Birdhouse Books

2010-11-24T22:31:00.000-05:00

Getting ready for the holidays here with many fabulous vintage additions to my store! Just wanted to share a few vintage Christmas treasures with you:

Carrington kiddie Christmas card of a boy skiing:

Beautiful Arts and Crafts - Mission style Christmas card:

Lovely Old World style glass bluebird ornament:

Late 1960's - early 1970's vintage Shiny Brite ornaments, in original box -- old fashioned family scenes, little girl in bonnet, more:

Beautiful vintage Christmas ornaments with indents and glitter - made in Romania. Mint in original box:

Knee-hugger vintage Christmas tree elf - so cute and nostalgic:

Donegal Belleek Christmas ornament with Claddagh design - mint in box:

Santa Baby Christmas music compilation from Starbucks -- great music, fun for a Christmas party:

I Rode the Pink Pig -- photos and memories of the Pink Pig ride from Christmas time at Rich's Department Store in Atlanta:

Good Housekeeping's Christmas Cook Book from 1958:

1960's vintage Christmas stickers -- groovy! In Tune With the Times:

Vintage Christmas stickers from Hallmark and Norcross - 1960's vintage:

Fitz and Floyd Charming Tails ornament featuring a mouse flying on the wings of a dove - so cute!

One of my personal favorites -- an Eames Era candy dish in the shape of a Christmas tree -- possible California Original:

As always, you can find these vintage Christmas treasures and more in my store on eBay: Birdhouse Books

Vintage Frame Tray Puzzles for Children

2010-11-10T21:10:00.000-05:00

Love these vintage puzzles -- 1940's to 1950's. Just had to share the pics with you! They'll be in my store, with many other vintage frame tray puzzles for children, after tonight. Puzzles in my store here -- just click link.

Robert L. May illustration -- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (a Jaymar Puzzle):

Whitman puzzle featuring Santa Claus and a snowman.

J.F. Kernan illustration of a little boy with English Springer Spaniel puppies - really beautiful picture!

My personal favorite -- Art Frahm illustration of a little girl who finds her Cocker Spaniel puppy in her doll bed.

Mid Century Vintage Christmas Cards

2010-11-04T16:07:00.000-04:00

I'm getting in the holiday mood with a HUGE box of vintage Christmas cards here. I'm listing them as individual cards in my store -- perfect for framing (a great gift idea), scrapbooking, or art projects. Some of the Mid Century (1950's - 1960's) vintage cards are so great I just had to share them with you here. I'll be listing these over the next few days, so if you don't see them in my store right now -- click here for Birdhouse Books store -- please bookmark my store and visit again!

1930's - 1940's Boston Terrier Valentine

2010-10-20T13:30:00.000-04:00

I've been listing vintage Valentines in my store and absolutely love this 1930's - 1940's Boston Terrier Valentine. It's mechanical; if you lift the dog's paw, a message for recipient appears. So sweet!

The Golden Magazine for Boys and Girls, 1960s Vintage

2010-10-15T19:47:00.000-04:00

Growing up, I remember that my favorite magazine was Jack and Jill, which we subscribed to. I don't think I've ever seen The Golden Magazine for Boys and Girls before last week, when I found a box of these magazines in beautiful condition at an estate sale. This magazine was published by The Golden Press, the publisher of Little Golden Books, and the illustrations and stories have a lot of cross-over. They are so much fun to look through! I wanted to share a few of these 1960's vintage magazine pages with you. If you'd like to see the rest you will find them in my store - just click this link to visit Birdhouse Books. This is a Halloween cover from 1967 - gorgeous art work!

Lots of great stories and art work, like this Halloween story illustrated by George and Irma Wilde:

A glimpse at childhood in the 1960's, like these Beatles and Monkees coathangers. I want a Peter Tork clothes hanger!

Betty Crocker recipes for children -- great Mid Century illustrations:

Paper Dolls! These are so cute!

My favorite - activity page cutouts like these gorgeous Valentines!

Baby Boomer Vintage Die-Cut Valentines

2010-10-01T19:54:00.000-04:00

I love these cute die-cut baby boomer vintage Valentine cards for children so much that I wanted to share pics with you!

Vintage Sunday School Postcards

2010-09-27T11:18:00.000-04:00

These vintage Sunday School postcards have fabulous baby boomer vintage illustrations. They really capture a time and place so well. They have a linen finish, but from the style of illustrations, I would date them as 1950's to early 1960's. I'm adding Sunday School postcards at my store: Sunday School postcards at Birdhouse Books

With a Vintage Song in My Heart ...

2010-09-23T23:33:00.000-04:00

I grew up loving music from my parents' and grandparents' generations -- Great American Songbook, big band, Broadway, swing. I have always enjoyed vintage sheet music and old fashioned songbooks because they combine these old fashioned songs with great retro cover illustrations. I've sold vintage music for years in my store, but am clearing out this category as I focus more on vintage books and ephemera. I'm having a HUGE box lot sale that I'd love to share with you -- Vintage Sheet Music Lot HUGE 60+ Pieces 1910s to 1970s and Vintage Song Book Lot 16 Books BIG BAND Broadway POP.

Going out of the Sewing Pattern Business

2010-09-23T14:36:00.000-04:00

I've really enjoyed selling vintage sewing patterns, but have decided to focus my stock primarily on books and ephemera, so I'm having a huge box lot sale with three gigantic boxes of vintage patterns on eBay. If you'd like to peek, you'll find them at this link - just click here. If you'd like a preview, here are a few of the patterns included.

Mid-Century Modern Hotels - DC, San Francisco, Chicago

2010-09-20T22:10:00.000-04:00

I have 100's of mid-century vintage motel and hotel postcards to scan and list on eBay. Couldn't resist adding a few to my store today, and sharing them with you. This is the Executive Hotel in Washington, D.C. I love the retro cars featured in the foreground! Beautiful detail in this retro art work.

This is Villa Roma in San Francisco -- San Francisco's most elegant hotel and cocktail lounge. Gorgeous mid-century architectural design!

The air-conditioned Sherman, Chicago -- "Chicago's only loop hotel with drive-in garage." 1961 postmark.

1950's Vintage Modern Bedside Table

2010-09-20T10:11:00.000-04:00

I found this cute little vintage bedside table for $5.00 at a yard sale. It was in need of paint, and my friend (who loves to work with old furniture) kindly volunteered. He brought it over yesterday and I am delighted with it!

Labor Day Weekend Sale!

2010-09-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

Hi all!

I'm having a huge 20% off Labor Day weekend sale (through Tuesday night, 9/7, at midnight) in my store: Birdhouse Books. You'll find over 2400 vintage treasures like this lovely vintage Christmas card - Vintage Christmas Card BOY SKIING Carrington UNUSED.

Charming vintage dog cards like this one -- Vintage Postcard GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG Meggendorfer:

Many vintage Little Golden Books (my favorite!) like this charming book, Manni the Donkey 1959 Little Golden Book D75:

Vintage picture books for children like Little Lost Kitten 1962 Lois Lovett - Dale Maxey HC:

I have many estate boxes of vintage children's books, cookbooks, and ephemera to unpack and list in upcoming weeks, and I do hope you'll visit my store and return.

More Special Dachshund Auctions

2010-08-23T21:13:00.001-04:00

I am really happy to list some more beautiful Dachshund items from our dear friend Sabrina Su (Beanie Su). Wanted to share a little photo gallery with you.

This little red Dachshund sits on a pedestal marked "I Love My Dachshund:"

This figurine is vintage, and a lovely shade of gray, with such a smart-looking little Dachshund:

I love the beautiful detail on this red and brown vintage Dachshund figurine. Look at the Dachsie's tail tucked shyly underneath:

This sweet photo magnet has a red Dachshund and her black Dachshund buddy - so sweet!

A charming black and red Dachshund is made of beautifully crafted ceramic pottery, ready to hang on the Christmas tree:

New with Tags -- Dachshund hot dog socks by Cherokee in pale pink.

What cute Dachshund slippers in soft pale yellow! A little red Dachshund watches a butterfly at play.

And this is our adorable friend Sabrina Su (Beanie Su), who just celebrated her Sweet 16 birthday!

You can find all these great Dachshund items -- with many more -- in my store at: special Dachshund listings at Birdhouse Books.