People can leave a lasting impression on their possessions, one which survives long after they have passed. Some years ago I stood in a shop, desperately trying to ignore the call of an antique porcelain cup n saucer. I could clearly picture the woman who once drank from it and I felt it was my duty to restore her to her former respectable status, especially as she was of the 'delicate' Victorian era. But it is also my duty to look after my living family, not just rescue stray essences of another's forgotten beings. So I left her there, surrounded and alarmed by bland bric a brac, factory foreign bodies, tea-ringed coasters and slightly greasy Tupperware from Wilkinson.
I still wonder about her now. And where she ended up. Not in sad shatters I hope. Perhaps I will write a poem for her one day. Do you think me morbid? I certainly won't deny it, but there is also no denying that objects have their own history, and thus, to some degree, a soul.
Speaking of honour, the 1930s 'dead man's suit' (feat above) is an absolute favourite in my personal collection. The wool is honest (scratchy), the tailoring is to the point (no corners cut) and the history strong (but thankfully not pungent). I may literally be rubbing shoulders with the previous owner, but I am strangely comfortable with that. In many ways life is more terrifying, more tragic than death. I am happy to breathe new life into an old suit and thereby honour and pay my respects to the 'ordinary' life that once stirred within its fibres.
Unsurprisingly there is a strong collector's market for dead people's personal possessions. In 2011 the black & red leather jacket Michael Jackson wore in 'Thriller' sold for $1.8m. The better the story and sensational the end, the higher the auction value. Needless to say that Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley would have done well on ebay! Seeing as they are all deceased, it is Julien Auctions in LA that does well. They sold Marilyn's gold Jean Louis dress for a record $4.81m. 'Sung Happy Birthday to JFK' and 'contains Monroe molicules' are USPs few of us can add to our listings! If you want a slice of a dead celebrity, I hear that William Shatner's kidney stone is a snip at just a few thousand $! No joke!
I hope you enjoy my Gif. I could get into these naive animations, but they are time intensive, especially for a beginner. I'm sorry I can't promise you a new one every week!
Don't forget to head over to the Rebellishment shop for the latest vintage finds, where I can promise you new stock every Friday
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