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Editor’s Note
by David Moore . Q-Notes staff
Things Tve picked up along the way
In this issue of Q-Notes our Q-Living section
includes a collection of artides focusing on vin
tage and antique collecting — a pastime
enjoyed by many in the LGBT community. That
statement may be somewhat of a cliche —
something akin to a gay hairstylist or a lesbian
mechanic — but it is an an obvious observance:
just check out how many gay and lesbian cou
ples you see operating booths or shopping at flea
markets and antique malls. Ever wonder why?
“There are a number of reasons behind
that phenomenon,” says Rich Montgomery, an
antique collector from Norwood, N.C.“As gays
and lesbians, a lot of us live outside the main
stream, so it’s not unreasonable that we would
develop a taste for things that are unique or
perhaps a bit edectic.
“I also think we have an inherent apprecia
tion for history — our community certainly
has a rich one — and filling our lives with
things that reflect our interests.”
Then there’s another school of thought:
antiques are a connection to the past
— and that’s terribly romantic and
mysterious. Who coifld resist?
I have to admit I’ve always had a
penchant for vintage collectibles and
antiques. And not dways the most
conventional kind, either.
For as long as I can remember. I’ve
always loved vintage autos. I’ve owned
quite a few in my lifetime. My current
vintage rider — which I’ve mentioned
here before — is a 1962 Ford Falcon.
It’s not just the car itself that’s
interesting — but the journey it took
to get to where it is and the things that
happened in the world along the way.
It was originally rescued after having
been abandoned in a Georgia corn
field for several years. Whenever I
drive it — I think about the places it
might have gone or the people that
might have taken a ride. I feel like I’m driving
a piece of history every time I get behind the
wheel.
Beyond the car, things from the past have
eeked their way into many facets of my life.
Vintage commercial art
Ads for long defunct products like Ipana
Toothpaste or Phillip Morris cigarettes often
feature cutting-edge (for the time) commer
cial art style and sometimes celebrity
endorsements, too. Rita Hayworth pushing
Lustre Creme Shampoo or Joan Crawford
endorsing RC Cola make great decorative
prints for your bathroom or kitchen and they
add a bit of history without too much effort.
Classic and camp retro movie posters
Another person^ favorite. You can pick
them up at flea markets, antique malls and
online. Artwork on the posters prior to the
1980s is generally a bit more intersting, but also
a bit harder to come by — unless you opt for
reproductions. Not worth much more than the
price you pay — somewhere around $15-$25.
Searching for the originals though, can be more
than half the fun. Pick a favorite film: in this
case I chose an old sci-fi camp classic called
“Green Slime.” There aren’t any vintage poster
shops in the Charlotte area — so I simply went
to Google and typed in the name of the film
and found an origi
nal for sale in
excellent condition
on ebay. $80 and
two weeks later it
was hanging on my
oflScew^.
Matchbook covers
I don’t really go in for these so much any
more, but as a kid I collected them like crazy.
The best thing — they were free. I would pick
them up when my family would take vacation
trips and friends and relatives from all over
would pick them up and send them to me via
post. About a year ago I was in a thrift store
here in Charlotte and came across eight scrap
books that were filled with matchbook covers
from around the world, mostly dating from
the‘40s and ’50s. At eight bucks a pop I could
n’t pass them up. They make great coffee table
conversational pieces.
Old radios
Vintage and classic radios can be like a
beautiful piece of art. Earlier ones are often
constructed from rich oak and pine. By the ’40s
and ’50s bakelite came into fashion. Brighdy lit
dials in blue and green with chrome and gold
trim can be a visual pop feast. In working con
dition you can expect
to pay anywhere from
$50 - $300. For a non
working case that still
makes a great counter
piece, they’ll come as
low as $5-$25.
Obscure music
formats: 78s and
Eight-Tracks
There’s something
fun and funny about
78 speed 10” records
and eight track tapes.
Listening to the pop,
CTackle,hissofasteel
needle on an acetate
pressed disc as Billie
Holiday sings “Strange
Fruit,” you’re hearing it
the same way they did
Vintage movie posters make
great frameable art that can
add a touch of history to
any room.
over 60 years ago. Eight track tapes belong to a
different generation: the ’60s and ’70s. There’s
nothing like Shirley Bassey trilling “I Capricorn,”
only to be interupted by that ka-thunk sound of
one track changing to fhe next. Listen carefully
— it’s the sound of history.
Vintage furniture
This is a no-brainer here. Fun and easy to
pick up at flea markets and antique stores, the
best deals come from yard sales and estate sales.
Even on a budget you can find rare and unique
pieces. My person^ favorite is a brown leather
1940s bomber chair I was going to buy from
Goodwill for $40. When the salesperson helped
move it to the car, he inadverdantly broke the
right rear leg. I was about to turn it back over to
them but the price suddenly dropped to $5. A lit
tle bit of wood glue fixed it right up.
Retro pop knick knacks
A Shoney’s Big Boy bank, an old Charles
Chip can from the ’60s and mustard and
ketchup squeeze bottles from the ’50s. The
artwork on these babies gets a chuckle every
time and they’re great noveau art objects for
the kitchen.
Old documents
Vintage magazines and newspapers give you
a hands-on look at what was happening in the
see editor's on 5
4 AUGUST 11 .2007 • Q-NOTES