Vintage Illustration & Design
Typography, packaging design, etc, from the good ol’ days
Film Noir Typography
I love old movies, particularly Film Noir. Here are some screenshots from DVDs in my collection – all of these are great films. In other news… I’ve finally succumbed to the inevitable – yes, Facebook… Read the full story…
Ladies Home Journal: January 1949
Fabulous vintage advertising & typography from 63 years ago… Read the full story…
From the Archives: Children’s Dictionary
I went to a secondhand book sale yesterday with Mark & Stevie, & this is one of the treasures I bought – a children’s pictorial dictionary from about the late 1940s-early 1950s. I love that it’s Australian & features some familiar images… Read the full story…
I Love…Golden Books
Before I get started singing the praises of Golden Books, I’m happy to announce that my contact page has just been freshly installed on my site! Come & help me test that everything’s working & in order, by sending me an email. Just come & say hi, & I’ll say hi back! Read the full story…
From the Archives: Art & Industry
I couldn’t find much information about Art & Industry, but I can tell you it was a British commercial art magazine that was in circulation pre-WW2, at least until the 1950s. I own twenty-one issues spanning from 1937 through to 1941. With the onset of war… Read the full story…
From the Archives: 1970
Here are some of the gorgeous illustrations from my favourite book when I was three: Nurseryland Annual 1970. I loved poetry when I was a young’un, & loved this book in particular because of the beautiful pictures. Google hasn’t been very enlightening… Read the full story…
BOO!
Did I scare you? Heehee! I decided to write a big bumper blog post in honour of Halloween this year, packed full of spooky, spine-tingling fun. I’m actually a wee bit scared as I sit here writing this, because my sister Cass just Skyped me this Jezebel article… Read the full story…
Some of My Favourite Script Fonts
Some of you might already know about my sister Josella’s wonderful site Tack-O-Rama, but for those who don’t, it’s a treasure trove of retro fonts, design & clipart, & you must visit it at once! She not only has free samples of her clipart for y’all… Read the full story…
From the Archives: Mirror Writing
I thought you might like to see this fabulous example of mirror writing on a postcard I have from 1908. People used to find ingenious ways to make their correspondence difficult for the postman to take a peek at, including writing backwards… Read the full story…
Memory Lane: Stationery & Office Supplies
Who doesn’t love office supplies & stationery? Tell me – who??!! Read the full story…
Memory Lane: Fireworks Typography
Here’s some more fireworks fun – this time, a little something for lovers of vintage typography… Read the full story…
Memory Lane: Make Do and Mend
We’ve all seen the Keep Calm and Carry On British wartime propaganda poster (& the countless modern variations) – 70 years later, that’s still a great message to live by, isn’t it? No wonder that poster is so popular! I have a big collection… Read the full story…
My Vintage Postcard Collection #1
I have a big collection of Victorian & Edwardian postcards, mainly collected in the ’80s when they were cheap & plentiful. They’re so pretty! I keep them in vintage postcard albums & nice boxes & take them out of the cupboard every so often… Read the full story…
Memory Lane: It’s Cracker Night!
After Christmas & birthdays, there was nothing so exciting to my younger self as Cracker Night, when the suburbs were aglow with catherine wheels, sparklers, roman candles & bonfires. Cracker Night was held in late-autumn here in Australia… Read the full story…
My Favourite Circus Fonts: Round #2
A long time ago I posted a list of some of my favourite typefaces of the circus/carnival/sideshow/wild west persuasion. They proved so popular I thought I’d post some more for your typographic pleasure! The fonts marked with an asterisk… Read the full story…
Paper Chase Continued…
Wow!!! The Paper Chase Project has exceeded my wildest expectations – not that I actually had any expectations really, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing. So far, I have 44 people (from 5 different countries)… Read the full story…
Rummaging Pays Off Yet Again!
Well, I set my alarm for an indecently early hour on Saturday morning (& promptly snoozed through it) because it was the opening day of an annual secondhand book sale, held every June long weekend, that I never miss… Read the full story…
Brimful of Interest, Excitement & Skill
Look at this great board game my friend Mark brought home for me from a secondhand market a few weeks ago. You’re all invited to come around to my place on a rainy Sunday afternoon & we can sit on the floor & play Fairyland… Read the full story…
My Favourite Circus Fonts
I collect fonts of the Circus/Sideshow/Carnival/Wild West ilk. I tirelessly trawl the depths of the internet to find them. Here are 12 of my favourites, & I’ve spared you the trouble of searching for them… Read the full story…
End of Summer Already?!
Yep, one more week & we’re into autumn…it feels like only yesterday that I was “celebrating” the New Year with a poorly-timed bout of the flu (is there a good time to get the flu?) Anyway, I thought I’d better dust off my blog… Read the full story…