I’m back after a wee Fashion Week break – more on that later – with A Week of Modern (part II). I was a tad ambitious trying to squeeze so many posts (and research) into one week, so I’m looking forward to bringing you more of my mid-century modern finds. Which brings me to this week’s birdy pick: Danish architect Kristian Vedel’s family of classic wooden birds.
As with the Eames house bird, I’ve avoided Vedel’s birds in the past because they’ve enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, and I always try to choose something new and a wee bit different. But since we’re celebrating all things mid-century, I think it’s time we have a closer look at these delightful little birds.
Vedel designed an entire family of wooden birds in 1959, including grandparents, parents and babies. The heads can be moved to convey different expressions – curious, downcast, perky and alert – and it’s astonishing just how much character is revealed with just a slight tilt of their beaks. The bodies of the birds can also be inverted to represent both male and females.
Vedel’s birds continue to be handmade in Denmark in either natural or smoaked oak that has been aged for 15 years. They’re available in three different sizes – small, tall and chubby, and start at AU$100 from Great Dane Furniture in Australia, or from the Lollipop Shoppe in the UK from £33.
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Yesterday I picked out my top 12 Etsy shops for original mid-century clobber. But there are also loads of designers on Etsy making vintage-inspired fashion. And some of them are custom-made. Here are my top five shops for ’50s-inspired frocks:
Soho Mode (pictured above)
You can still order frocks via Soho Mode’s Etsy shop, but all of the off-the-rack frocks are available from the new website. Either way, check it out for the most adorable ‘50s-style tea dresses in gorgeous floral fabrics.
Morningstar84
Mad Men fans fashion alert! This Etsy shop sells vintage-inspired clothing, including reproductions of Joan Holloway’s wiggle dresses.
Heart my closet (pictured above)
A really lovely range of made-to-measure frocks that are inspired by the ‘50s and ‘60s. If you like super-flattering frocks with sleeves, check them out.
Michelle Tan
Michelle makes a range of girlish ‘50s-inspired frocks and skirts with sweet details, such as Peter Pan collars, bows and button embellishments.
Dig for Victory (pictured above)
This UK-based Etsy shop sells limited-edition and one-off pieces ‘50s-style frocks made from vintage fabric. They are also opening a bricks and mortar shop in Brighton, so keep an eye out for it if you’re in the area. I love the elbow-length Audrey dress (above left).
It’s a Week of Modern on Wee Birdy! Click here for more mid-century goodness.
And don’t miss my Top 12 Etsy shops for vintage mid-century fashion.
Here, I’ve trawled over 100 pages in my Etsy Favourites folder to bring you my top 12 shops that specialise in fashion from the ’50s and ’60s.
1. Wear it Again
An excellent resource for the most exquisite ‘50s party frocks in organzas, chiffons, satins, tulles and taffetas. Keep an eye out for classic Alfred Shaheen frocks.
2. Jumblelaya
An impeccable collection of vintage dresses, with an impressive line-up of the prettiest ‘50s full-skirted frocks I’ve seen.
3. Dear Golden
This Michegan-based Etsy shop specialises in superbly-preserved frocks from the 20th century. Keep an eye out for magnificent ‘50s party and evening gowns.
4. Travern 7
A small but perfectly formed collection of unusual mid-century day and evening dresses, as well as suits and ensembles.
5. Hollie Point
A fantastic Etsy shop boasting an impressive range of day and evening dresses from the ‘50s and ‘60s, as well as an immaculately curated collection of jewellery and accessories. I love the floral enamel floral broches.
6. Swanee Grace
This New York-based shops stocks a great line-up of day dresses from the ‘50s and ‘60s, as well as separates and accessories.
7. Quirk Vintage Clothing
Based in LA, this Etsy shop specialises in mid-century day dresses, with a scattering of evening gowns, bridal, tops, sweaters, hats and coats for good measure. I spotted a Christian Dior ’50s dress here.
8. Capricious Traveller
A great collection of mostly day frocks from the twentieth century, with some interesting jewellery pieces as well.
9. Nod to Mod Vintage
This shop stocks a large range of frocks spanning the twentieth century, with some really fabulous pieces from the ‘50s and ‘60s.
10. Thrush
One of the few really fab vintage shops on Etsy to sort by size, which is kinda important as a lot of vintage frocks are very tiny indeed.
11. My Favorite Vintage
An excellent shop for vintage shoes, as well as some rather incredible mid-century evening wear.
12. Simplicity is Bliss
Lots of fabulous ‘50s day frocks here, but I’ve also spotted some really lovely black cocktail numbers as well.
Coming up: more of my favourite Etsy shops for vintage fashion and accessories.
It’s A Week of Modern on Wee Birdy. Click here for more mid-century modern goodness.
Etsy is an excellent source for original mid-century decor and furniture, but it’s sometimes hard to know where to find the good stuff. I’ve gone through hundreds of Etsy vintage shops and collated my top 10:
1. Hindsvik
This Canadian shop stocks mid-century furniture, textiles, and decor, including a good range of Danish wooden objects and German ceramics.
2. bitofbutter
This Seattle-based shop sells an extensive range of mid-century and Scandinavian homewares, textiles and furniture, boasting pieces by Cathrineholme, Arabia of Finland and Royal Copenhagen.
3. 1001vintage
Based in Amsterdam, this shop offers a large collection of vintage home décor including an impressive range of West German vases. I’ve also spotted some rather sweet Abraham Palatnik figurines as well as pieces by Royal Copenhagen.
4. pillowsophi
Pillowsophi specialises in Scandinavian ceramics, English stoneware, vintage brass and French glass. Look out for pieces by Denby, Royal Copenhagen, Soholm Stentoj and Arabia.
5. Hueneme Vintage modern
This Amercian Etsy shop divides its stock into “early mid-century modern” and “late mid-century modern”, including Noritake, Heath Ceramics and glassware.
6. Vint
An eclectic collection of mid-century modern bric-a-brac with an extensive line-up of kitchenalia, ceramics, melamine and plastics.
7. GoGoBerlinette
This Berlin-based shop offers a wonderful range of West German mid-century modern pottery, white porcelain and bric-a-brac.
8. Pardon My Vintage
A good selection of ceramics and enamelware including Cathrineholm, Iittala and Arabia of Finland.
9. Monki Vintage
This Portland-based shop stocks an excellent collection of Scandinavian modern, industrial and vintage home décor. Look out for charming Jacob Jensen teak viking figures and Scandinavian wooden toy blocks.
10. Brooklyn Retro
Based in Brooklyn, this shop specialises in mint condition vintage typewriters in a range of gorgeous sorbet colours, as well as a rather unusual selection of bric-a-brac.
And there’s more! You might also like to add these shops to your Etsy favourites:
EYESandHANDS
(This shop is on vacation at the moment, but I’ve found some really great pieces in the past. Sign up for notification when they hopefully come back.)
Dacais
Modish Vintage
hazelhome
Bmodern
Jolly Polly Pickins
thehappymodernist
BirdinHandVTG
blueflowervintage
MisterTrue
luola
PastToPresentVintage
Vintage Galaxie 500
Kibster Vintage
The Garage Sale Archaeologist
The White Pepper
Barking Sands Vintage
A glimpse from the past
Elizabeth Wren Vintage
What’s New On The Mantel
jumpinacrater
MODhus Tacoma
Designopolis
Phew. So they’re all of my favourites – what about you? Do you collect mid-century modern decor? Have I missed any of your favourite Etsy shops? Let me know in the comments below.
It’s ‘A Week of Modern’ on Wee Birdy. Click here to read the other stories.
Australia loves Georg Jensen. In fact, we’re so enamoured by the Danish jewellery and homewares company, we’re the biggest market outside of Scandinavia. And evidently, Georg Jensen likes Australia, as they kicked off the tour of their heritage sterling silver “Ambassador Collection” at Sydney’s designer furniture store Corporate Culture, and invited me along for an exclusive presentation with their head of silver, Anne Mette Müller-Krogstrup (below, left).
I was already a Georg Jensen fan, and had visited the basement museum at the flagship store in Copenhagen a few years ago. Even so, I’m more familiar with the modern collections and their distinctive mercurial quality and organic shapes. I’ve collected a few pieces over the years, including my beloved Arne Jacobsen steel cutlery set as well as a few bowls and dishes.
But the Ambassador Collection was really something else. The carefully selected pieces not only provided an instant ‘snapshot’ of the brand’s history, it also beautifully illustrated the emergence of modern design in the 20th century – and how Scandinavian design, in particular, made a significant contribution on a global scale.
But this was no standard exhibition – the magic began when we were invited to don a pair of white cotton gloves. As Anne Mette gave us the potted history of Georg Jensen, she passed around the very first piece he made over 100 years ago: a highly detailed Art Nouveau silver necklace. I held it in my (gloved) hands (below, right) and the design nerd in me silently OMGeeed. The necklace was followed by the exquisite Magnolia collection (circa 1905, above), which features organic forms and highly stylised buds and leaves. I couldn’t help but be transported back to Glasgow and the work of another early proponent of the Art Nouveau movement, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Japonism was evidently a major influence for both of these designers in the early years of the twentieth century.
I was equally fascinated by the highly decorative Grape collection in 1918, which was clearly influenced by the British Arts & Crafts movement (William Morris et al). Harald Neilsen’s stunning Pyramid Collection (circa 1927, below), also caught my eye. The geometric forms were apparently inspired by the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb, and make it an outstanding example of Art Deco at its finest.
The time, talent and craftmanship that goes into each piece is evident throughout the collection. The finely hammered Champagne bowl (below) designed by Georg Jensen in 1926 is testament to this, and absolutely mind-blowing.You can actually see and appreciate each strike of the hammer against the steel, which became a hallmark of Jensen’s style.
One of Georg Jensen’s head silversmiths was also on hand to demonstrate some of the techniques he has finely honed over many years. He had an impressive line-up of tools, one of which – a rather dainty hammer with a fine wooden handle – he handed me for inspection. I turned it over in my hand and had a bit of an air-whack, when he mentioned that it had once belonged to Georg Jensen himself. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that sent my inner geek into another silent round of OMG.
Perhaps the most impressive piece that resonated was Henning Koppel’s Fish Dish 1026, which not only marked a turning point in design, it contributed to the success of mid-century Danish design, which became an international sensation.
Moving from table to table was like moving through the history of 20th century design, and it was enhanced by dramatic draped and twisted black fabric backdrops created by stylist Steve Cordony. To complete the scene, magnificent floral arrangements by Sydney’s premier florist Grandiflora added bursts of vibrant colour and greenery to the gleaming array of sterling silver. It was all thoroughly, and rather splendidly, modern.
FYI, in case you’ve ever wondered, the correct pronunciation is Gayor Yensen. (Definitely NOT Yorge Jensen, which I’ve heard more than a few times.) But apparently they’re quite happy if we just call him George. Just pronounce the ‘J’ in ‘Jenson’ with a Scandi ‘Y’.
Pieces from the Georg Jensen archive are available by special order.
Georg Jensen Sydney flagship store
60 Castlereagh Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel. +61 2 9221 7419
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 9.30am-6pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday 11am-4pm
p.s. thought you might like to see these photos of the George Jensen smithy, circa 1920, below, and 1918, bottom:
It’s ‘ A Week of Modern‘ on Wee Birdy – have a look at the other posts so far this week.
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