retro-the-best....: Mar 10, 2011

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Latest articles from Retro To Go

eBay watch: Pashley Princess bicycle
For sale: Four-bedroom 1920s art deco house in Truro, Cornwall
Vintage Fashion Sourcebook by Cleo and Mark Butterfield
Red Bird Hook from Joy
Dwell Mushroom table lamp
Three Potato Four and Urban Outfitters 3-P4 range
Lace Bell Sleeve Tunic from New Look
Echino Camera Cushion Covers
Retro Desk Lamp

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 10:53 AM PST

This retails for around £550 when sold new, so right now, this Pashley Princess bicycle is a potential bargain.

It's a decent example of this vintage-styled gem too, not perfect, but perfectly serviceable. It's a three-speed in Regency Green with a 20-inch frame size, hub brakes, ding dong bell, Brooks Saddle and recent Michelin World Tour Amber Wall Tyres.

On the downside, the frame is scratched in quite a few places and the outer black plastic covers on the various cables are damaged. Aside from that, it's just fine. Right now, it's at £69.

Find out more at the eBay website

For sale: Four-bedroom 1920s art deco house in Truro, Cornwall

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 09:31 AM PST

If you fancy relocating yourself down to Cornwall, we might have the perfect house for you - this four-bedroom art deco house in Truro, Cornwall.

Originally built in the 1920s as a single-story property, the house was enlarged over two floors and to four bedrooms by the current owners. Not that you would notice unless you were familiar with the original - the ground floor keeps much of the architectural detail, while the upper floor has been designed to reflect the original design.

For your money, you get those four bedrooms, as well as a ground floor sitting room and dining area, with views of the countryside, as well as a kitchen, an en-suite and dressing room for the master bedroom, a curved staircase and a rather cool outside study/studio at the bottom of the garden which has been built above the garage. There's also a summerhouse outside.

Full details are on the agent's website, with a guide price of £550,000, should you fancy it.

Find out more at the Stratton Creber website

Vintage Fashion Sourcebook by Cleo and Mark Butterfield

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:54 AM PST

Not out yet, but you can now pre-order the forthcoming Vintage Fashion Sourcebook by Cleo and Mark Butterfield, which is published by Carlton Books on 12th May.

The people behind the book are the owners of C20 Vintage Fashion, which both hires out and advises on vintage fashion. The book itself, covering a fairly modest 64 pages, claims to offer a 'decade by decade look' at 20th century clothing, as well as pointers on sourcing and caring for original vintage pieces. The book also covers 'key looks' from the different eras.

Probably not the most in-depth book around, but certainly sounding like a good introductory guide, with a budget price of just £4.49.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Red Bird Hook from Joy

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:40 AM PST

This lovely red bird hook from Joy is a handy tool for your home and will add a quirky element to a kitchen as a home for your keys or hook for your coats.

You can choose from red or pink and the polkadot print and cute bird design combines 1950s classic colours with a modern twist.

They are a real bargain and the perfect way to treat yourself for only £3 from Joy online.

Dwell Mushroom table lamp

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:59 AM PST

It was only earlier this year that we showed you BHS' take on 70s lighting style with their Mason lamp, now Dwell are also offering a budget version of the look with their mushroom table lamp.

It's made from white glass and, as the name might suggest, is in the shape of a mushroom. It's not dissimilar in looks to the Artemide Onfale lamp, or many other Space Age 70s designs. This design definitely plays up the cute factor though, as it's only 21cm high.

The best news is that the lamp is currently on sale, reduced to just under half price at £11.95.

Buy it online

Three Potato Four and Urban Outfitters 3-P4 range

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:05 AM PST

The name Three Potato Four may sound familiar as we featured their collaboration with Pedlars last year. They specialise in American, industrial-style vintage that's carefully collected, presented and sold through their website. They've teamed up with Urban Outfitters in the US (though sadly not the UK) to produce the 3-P4 range.

The eight piece collection reproduces some of Three Potato Four's favourite vintage pieces, such as the chalkboard pictured above. With its retro typography, the chalkboard echoes the style of a found piece. The other objects in the collection share the same look, so you get patterned milk bottles, planters in the shape of old filing drawers and an industrial-looking clock.

Prices start at $9, with this chalkboard costing $39.

See the range online

Lace Bell Sleeve Tunic from New Look

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:40 AM PST

This dress really belongs back on the fields of woodstock and wearing the lace bell sleeve tunic is likely to send you running for the great outdoors and blasting Bob Dylan from your stereo.

It's a beautiful dress and although the colour is bold, it's perfect for early spring and making a statement but can also be dressed down with a denim shirt. A little warning: the bell sleeves are likely to bring on swishing arm movements.

The chunky lace overlay is a nice touch and for only £26.99 from New Look online it's a perfect salute to the 1970s.

Echino Camera Cushion Covers

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 02:26 AM PST

Etsy seller, Mod Diva has created a range of Echino Camera Cushion Covers, which feature one of our favourite motifs, a vintage camera.

repeat pattern has been screen-printed onto the fabric on both the back and front of the cushion. The design is available in either bright blue, purple or black, all with contrasting white cameras. The cushion cover measures 18 inches square and is supplied without a cushion pad, but that at least keeps the shipping costs to a reasonable level.

Buy the cushion covers from Mod Diva on Etsy for about £16.