Vintage VERA Admidst the Summer Thrift Doldrums

[SeSo_Says_So]

Having things designed by Vera Neuman always make me feel wonderfully sophisticated. Like I said earlier, I got quite a few things from my aunt. She had Vera all over her home. My Aunt was a very "Auntie Mame" type person,  she was a "career girl" that never married and had a family, just had scandalous romances, she had over the top dinner parties, smoked with a cigarette holder, went on vacations by herself, took great joy in tossing around her Neiman Marcus charge account and drove a pink convertable cadillac. That's Vera in my mind. Vera would serve mimosas for brunch.

Sorry I just had to qualify WHAT KIND OF HAPPY I associate with Vera. I have always coveted the Paris street scene kitchen towels. I will find them someday.

I would have lovedlovedLOVED your aunt. What a role model.

Remember: "Life is banquet, and most poor bastards are starving"

xo

[DianneK]

My mom LOVES Vera Bradley.Way back when...my mom would buy what I thought were god awful ugly purses ,she said that women golfers carried them.I couldn't tell you if it was true or not. But I thought "who in their right mind would carry something as hideous?"
But as I am now more mature....thinking back to who would carry one of those god awful,ugly purses...I would.I love Vera.I guess my tastes have matured too.

[genuineimitation]

wait.. are vera, vera bradley, and vera neuman all the same designer? you guys are confusing me!

i remember vera "poppy" designs from the '60's - that is sooooo "california experience" to me!

[SeSo_Says_So]

VERA is the Vera Neumann of the 60s...scarves, napkins, linens, etc.

Vera Bradley is the current maker of all things quilted.

They are two VERY different people.

For VERA Neumann info, check out this link: 

http://www.sllab.net/arslonga/designers/veraneumann.html

It's from our own Scott's site. He's quite the VERA Neumann lover.

[valleythriftshopper]

I see Vera Scarves all the time at the SA.  The ones that are in good shape are usually ruined by the workers stabbing them with a price gun.  It is the most infuriating thing ever (or eva as one might say in MA).

[genuineimitation]

VERA is the Vera Neumann of the 60s...scarves, napkins, linens, etc.

Vera Bradley is the current maker of all things quilted.

They are two VERY different people.

For VERA Neumann info, check out this link: 

http://www.sllab.net/arslonga/designers/veraneumann.html

It's from our own Scott's site. He's quite the VERA Neumann lover.

vera neumann - she's my gal!
scott scored some fabulous tea towels - great photos on his site. still.. i didn't see the poppy design i am so familiar with. maybe it was only popular in california..

[nancydr2]

I think this thread brought me good luck.  I mentioned in a post that I used to find Vera stuff all the time, but haven't found anything for months.  Last weekend, I found six beautiful Vera napkins with a fruit print at my local Savers.  They are in pristine condition; they even have the hang tags.  Total price:  $2.97. 

I swear, when mixed in with the other inferior napkins on the rack, the Vera ones positively glow. 

Thanks for reviving my Vera mojo!

[Scott]

I LOVE me some Vera! I inherited a large part of what I have when my aunt moved into a nursing home, so I am lucky in that way. But a few years ago I got an adorable tablecloth (white with yellow daisies) at a Big Lots store for $1.It was still new in the bag. I am still a bit flummoxed about what it was doing there. It must have sat on a store room somewhere for a very very long time.  My favorite pieces are in a large blue and green floral pattern. I have a large (dining table size) round tablecloth with white deedly ball fringe and a matching set of bed sheets. It's always a good day when I dig up a set of Vera tea towels at the thrift! Those big bright graphics are great to perk up a bad mood. Congratulations on your finds!

The Vera Companies produced Vera Neumann's designs in her signature style all the way up until her death in 1993, so it isn't totally inconceivable your tablecloth sat hidden in a warehouse or storage room. Finding vintage Vera goods in their original packaging isn't a daily happening by any means, but they are out there for the picking if you're lucky. Great find!

[Scott]

Hey Scott, welcome back to the board! So happy to see you here again and thanks for the kind comments.

Everybody who hasn't done so already should take a peek at Scott's fabulous site of great MCM design, it's the LAST WORD on all things MCM      

I'm not so sure I should be considered the "last word" on MCM design (I'm far from it in fact), but thank you SeSo for your kind endorsement!