It's not on too many products that you find "authentic small dents and scratches" listed as a selling point and a good thing, but the case of these Vintage Airline Food Carts is one of the few exceptions. Available in several fun exterior finishes, the interiors all feature a retractable serving tray and 14 racks to hold drawers and shelves (which you can buy separately). The doors close with standard latches and each has a magnetic catch to help it stay open while you're using the cart, plus of course all the carts come equipped with the handy pedal-locking wheel brakes flight attendants rely on so dearly. $1450
I love vintage Chanel bags, truly timeless, they never go out of style, if anything they seem to get more fabulous with each passing year! However they always sell out at vintage shops so it can be quite hard to get your hands on one, thankfully with the Internet, haute purse collecting has gotten easier. This black shoulder bag in patent leather crocodile print is one of the nicest collectible bags I've seen. Details include two outside pockets and a top zipper closure. It's available online for $4639! Pricey but well worth every penny.
Bordeaux chateaux are starting to release their prices for the 2007 vintage but there is already bad news. The emperor of wine, famed wine critic Robert Parker has slammed the latest vintage handing out low scores and branding the vintage as overpriced. Wine buyers often look to Parker's scores to see if they should buy wine futures which are sold two years before a vintage's release. In his vintage review titled "2007 Bordeaux: Who Will Buy Them and at What Price?" he has basically told buyers not to bother unless prices are lowered dramatically.
The news is devastating for some Bordeaux producers for whom Parker's scores may mean less sales. Certainly his advice carries considerable weight and may influence wine dealers not to purchase simply because they are afraid they won't be able to sell to wine collectors in the long run. Should any one man have this much power?
Parker gave only three of his coveted 100 point scores this year and all three were for whites, Chateau Pape Clement white and Haut-Brion, were both marked 96-100, and Chateau Climens, a sweet white tasted by Parker's British sidekick Neal Martin, got 98-100. Even Bordeaux's top five, first growth wines didn't even hit 95 with Chateau Margaux earning a 92-94, Chateau Haut-Brion a 91-94, and Mouton-Rothschild a 90-94. Chateau Lafite and Chateau Latour both got a 90-93.
Leona Helmsley's furnishings and art have hit Christie's but what about her fabulous wardrobe? The Queen of Mean had quite a couture collection that ranged from Ferragamo shoes, Yves Saint Laurent ballgowns and fur coats. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago will sell nearly her entire wardrobe, thousands of items, on May 18. Helmsley's wardobe won't earn as much as her Tiffany silver, the whole shebang, right down to the Chanel skirt suit she wore to prison, is only expected to earn around $100,000. The proceeds will be donated to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Parties aren't easy on fashion. This past September Kate Moss wore a vintage Thirties Christian Dior gown to a party at the Victoria & Albert Museum in celebration of a new Dior exhibit, and although the dress wasn't exactly in new condition when she first put it on by the time the night was over it was practically in shreds. Somebody stepped on the satin at one point, causing a rip to appear up on the shoulder, and later in the evening a huge tear appeared across the back and another one almost directly over her butt.
Kate won't be wearing the dress again (for obvious reasons) but instead has donated it to the charity Cancer Research UK. It's one of many dresses donated by celebrities, other famous names including Dita Von Teese, Kelly Osbourne, Meg Mathews, Peaches Geldorf, and Lily Allen. Half the items will be auctioned off on The James Brown eBay store (starting Friday) and half will be on display and available for bidding at the Cancer Research UK shop in Marylebone High Street at the end of this week.
It seems that Christie's is seeking a new way to connect with the younger collector and decorator. It have rebranded its House Sales (which are often an intriguing mix of a variety of objects, often at lower price points than other sales) as a new feature called Christie's Interiors. The Interiors sales will be held at the New York, London and Paris salerooms beginning in 2008, and will give decorators, collectors and newcomers the chance to acquire one-of-a-kind objects and collectibles, offering attractive price points and an ever-changing repertoire of fine and decorative arts. All will be available via online bidding. Each sale will also have a large scale magazine-style catalogue, and Christie's specialists will be available to advise buyers and sellers.
I suspect that Christie's has stepped up its game in order to compete with popular antiques/design sites like 1st Dibs which help people easily access a world full of vintage design finds without combing through antique stores.
Dom Perignon champagne bottles are going for 1.26 million yen (about $11,005) a bottle in Nagoya's Sakae-ku at the Matsuzakaya Department Store. The store started selling them this past Wednesday and the reason these particular Dom Perignon's are so expensive is that they're part of a limited group of 100 bottles available worldwide that are vintage 1995, which is considered a good year. 20 of the bottles are slotted to be sold in Japan, with the first 5 being sold at Matsuzakaya. Of course the bottles are not only numbered, but are also "elaborately wrapped" to help attract customers, and so far 1 bottle has been sold.
I discovered Glenda Geis while browsing at Alison Nelson's Chocolate Bar, where they offer two of her limited edition bags filled with gourmet chocolates and teas. They are both lovely, as are all the other designs at Layla Grace, but it is this one that I love and must have. Typical of her bags, the Aqua Bella features a beautiful vintage fabric donning a simply styled frame bag. With a removable blue leather flower, very little hardware and a plain strap, the bag is spare and clean, yet still stunning. Even the interior of this bag is gorgeous, with a contrasting fabric in blue and brown and a single zip pocket. Because these bags are made from vintage fabrics, each one is a limited edition. $270.
Here's a unique take on reusing old wine glasses -- stick them together and make a lighting fixture! Created and handmade by designers Michael and Nora for Green with Glamour, the Cocktails and Lace Chandelier is beautiful and definitely draws the eye for more than just a quick glance. But something stresses me about seeing all those wine glasses strung up in mid-air in that haphazard way -- I can't help but imagine them all as tumbling down and about to shatter on the table or floor below (especially that last little one on the very end). Measures 35" x 15", $3250.
At first glance it looks like weathered multi-colored wood flooring, and at second glance maybe some kind of throw rug, but then by the third glance hopefully you've got it figured out: it's a floor mat made of vintage belts! I'm not usually one for leather accessories, but I'm all for recycling and reusing and this is pretty cool. Designed by Inqhua Ting, the Vintage Belt Floor Mat brings old leather belts new life by mounting them together on a backing of reconstituted leather and glue. Handmade, each mat is unique and will have it's own earthy warm feeling. 27.5" across, $648.
This set of Mechanical Watch Movement Cufflinks set in 18K gold is designed for timepiece collectors or creators, or just for lovers of history as they are created from gears, levers, and jewels taken from watches of the early to mid twentieth century. A mix of antique and modern appeal, each authentic vintage cuff link will have slight variations in shape and size. Gift boxed complete with authenticity certificate, set shown here in gold available for $1404. Also available in sterling silver, and if you like this look also check out the mechanical watch movement pendant and chain.
This delicate looking bag has a sweet, vintage look. Embellished only by subtle pleating, the crochet pattern gives the bag dimension and interest. There's not much more to this bag than meets the eye; it has a snap-flap closure and inside is a single patch pocket. It is simple and beautiful. $220.
Look and feel like an old fashioned movie star in these Oliver Goldsmith limited edition Norum 1958 crystal cotton acetate sunglasses. Worn by Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and other stars in movies like the Ipcress File and Breakfast at Tiffany's, the brand has been described as defining the 60s and "the inventors of fashion eyewear." The vintage design includes hand-carved yew tree temples by Brian McGinn, and is made exclusively for 20ltd in a limited edition of only 20 pairs. Buy your star attitude and bragging rights for £480.
This pair of French Bergere Arm Chairs from Pieces strikes me as a strange mix of understated and bold. Newly upholstered and freshly painted to look a bit worn, you can bring a bit of history and 1950s culture into a room as well as a dose of mood brightening color.
The pair isn't mass produced so you take the mandarin color as is or you don't take it at all. I'm not usually one for orange, but if it could always be in lighting like this then I might change my mind -- that chair is totally glowing! Get the pair for $3,360.
While they might not live up to the standard set by private bowling rooms, these handpainted vintage bowling pins make interesting accents - if not necessarily playable pieces - for the home or garden. Each of the pins is carved from solid mahogany and has been hand-painted with bold colors and designs with careful attention to detail. The pins are sold in a set of six, so if you are inspired to try playing with them, you'll have to order two sets. We recommend keeping these as decorations, and heading out to the real lanes if you want to bowl, though. Price: $190.
It's not on too many products that you find "authentic small dents and scratches" listed as a selling point and a good thing, but the case of these Vintage Airline Food Carts is one of the few exceptions. Available in several fun exterior finishes, the interiors all feature a retractable serving tray and 14 racks to hold drawers and shelves (which you can buy separately). The doors close with standard latches and each has a magnetic catch to help it stay open while you're using the cart, plus of course all the carts come equipped with the handy pedal-locking wheel brakes flight attendants rely on so dearly. $1450
Parties aren't easy on fashion. This past September Kate Moss wore a vintage Thirties Christian Dior gown to a party at the Victoria & Albert Museum in celebration of a new Dior exhibit, and although the dress wasn't exactly in new condition when she first put it on by the time the night was over it was practically in shreds. Somebody stepped on the satin at one point, causing a rip to appear up on the shoulder, and later in the evening a huge tear appeared across the back and another one almost directly over her butt. 
