Gladys has been with me for over 40 years. She travelled to Devon in our old Cortina and to France and back. Sadly she has been consigned to the loft lately because there is nowhere in this little house for her to live, but she was brought down this week because my usual model for my makes is growing a bump!
She, Gladys that is, not my usual model, was rescued from a skip. Where I was brought up in East London our road was next to one of London's best street markets and there was a receptacle at the end of the road for all the trader to dump their waste - glamorous eh! We used to stop at the receptacle every time we passed to grab the fruit boxes that would be chopped into kindling, and one day there she was. This was in the 60's so I'm afraid Gladys was definitely out of vogue, the fashion then for mannequins that looked like Sandie Shaw and dress forms to be of the new adjustable kind. I believe she's quite valuable now and I notice that her kind is now being reproduced. La plus ca change..............
I'm delighted that the carboot season is once again upon us. Our little one around the corner has given up a few bargains already. I've decided to concentrate on glass this year . That's not to say that if anything else comes up I won't buy it , but I have been finding some lovely quality items at silly prices.
The large crystal dish on the left was £2 and the rest were £1 each. Oooh I do love a bargain.
11 comments:
I have vaguely always wanted a Gladys, not to make clothes against, but to hang mine on overnight. At the moment my Gladys is sort of the floor. Note to self: must get organised. I dare not go to boot sales. It's a chain reaction thing, it's fine until I make the first purchase, and then the floodgates open. Safest not to. Haven't a wise bone in my body.
I have always wanted a Gladys too. Love carboots Toady though ours don't seem as good the last year or so. Maybe things will change this summer.
hi toady, i've still not been to any bootsales this year can't wait though. I've got a modern Gladys in the shop window, i always remember seeing a really old one with A "bustle" i would love to have owned that xx
I have 'Amelia Stockman' who also wears a pinny! and my tape measures so that I always know where they - as long as I put them back there anyway.....
Not sure when mine started off Dad appeared with it years and years ago so probably a theatre as that is where he worked. She came to me via their barn, a bit dusty and with a couple of swallow poops, but cleaned up she is great.
Fortunatel no carboots near here, thanks goodness, although I could do with a clear out I suspect that I would come away with more than I sold!!
CKx
I have three 'Gladys's' although mine are called Collette, Fiona and Mildred.
Collette is a flapper - no bust and rather slim.
Fiona is a regular size 12 and Mildred a more buxom lady.
I use them for making my theatrical costumes on - padding them out where they are deficient for the character concerned. Afterwards I use them to display the costume sometimes in an exhibition or more usually my house.
They are all worth a pound or two but to me they are invaluable and I treasure them.
They can be seen clothed in various guises on my blogsite.
How d'you do, Gladys. Very pleased to meet you. It's nice to know that someone has preserved her womanly figure!
Good luck at all your sales - I love the term 'car boot' - so much nicer than flea market!
Your Gladys reminds me of Miss Blossom in I Capture the Castle. What a lucky find. I lifted a whole load of dressing up clothes from a skip a while back and sold them on ebay! - stuff in skips technically belongs to the skip owner though - even the person who put the stuff in is not legally allowed to take it out - silly!
Toady, so glad that you've got Gladys out and about.
You know how much I continue to hope that some day I might have the pleasure of going to a car boot with you. Your eye is perfection!
xo
Love the pretty glass Toady. I( have been to our local car boot today and had a few bargains, mirrors seem to be appearing in large quantities, but I walk, so I am not tempted to buy anything I cannot carry home. The word verification is faton!
I would like a Gladys too same reason as Milla or a hatstand, always wanted one of those, same reason. I love your blue teddies. What part of East London did you grow up in?
Love your "Gladys"
Not much of a dress maker, but always liked the thought of having a "Gladys"
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