Vintage No Fume ashtray

Things we like

The "no-fume" ashtray

Photographing items for Etsy

We will be taking our time stocking our Etsy shelves between now and the official opening in January 2012, largely because we want to re-photograph much of our stuff. Having browsed Etsy before making our minds up whether to commit, we have noticed a difference in the style of photography presented by many established Etsy sellers, compared to other online selling venues.

Regarding other online listing sites, the notion has been drummed into us for years, by helpful bloggers and the like, the advantages of having a light-tent and off-camera flash (that is, an off-camera flash which you can easily trigger, without any front-light - to be discussed another time). While you can, with practice, produce some excellent images which really show off a product, using the light-tent and off-camera flash, the result can look a bit sterile; a bit stark perhaps.

Having done a little reading around, it would seem that there is a preference amongst the Etsy community to take the photos of their items in a more natural, soft, diffused light - this to me screams of "tripod", "low shutter speed, wide aperture" and the blasphemous notion of an ISO setting higher than 100. Hmmmm. It's not that I can't be bothered to set a tripod up, or that I can't keep a camera still, or that I detest a stupidly narrow depth of field. Or for that matter, that in the early days of digital photography anything over ISO100 meant ISO REALLYNOISY, so ISO80 to 100 is all I ever used. I've just got so used to plonking everything in a light tent, with a flash to the side (and my secret blend of diffusing materials), ISO100, 1/200th sec and f8-ish. Photographing (and editing the images of) items to be listed is quite time consuming, and we all want a bit of time at the end of the day for the good things in life. So, this is why I have been sticking with what I know. But, I will have to adapt.

Adapting to an Etsy style of photography will involve a little experimenting. Yay for digital photography! I can experiment forever, and not have to worry about all the woes of film. I like bright light in images. Where I am situated, I just can't get bright, but diffused sunlight through a window, so it will probably still be flash, but designed to look like natural light. That bright flash light still needs to be softened, which reduces the ultimate amount of light. It also needs to be evened out - I am considering a second side flash to give a little fill to the 'shadowy side'. I am going to have to play around with ISO speeds, shutter speeds and aperture settings (and so, consider depth of field issues). I actually should have dropped this fear of going above ISO100 ages ago, as I actually have a half-decent camera now.

Another side of Etsy-seller's images I have noticed, is that the item's being sold are given a context. Achieving this is probably more demanding than lighting the object. I've noticed, you have to have other objects, materials, bits and pieces relevant to the item for sale: you have to dress the image, if you like, in much the same way as you might dress a shop window. This takes a certain eye for composition and a cupboardful of props.

We are planning on being on Etsy 'proper' by January 2012 (although we are "filling up the shelves" between now and then - you are still welcome to buy). The priority will be on getting the items listed, but we will do our best to show images that show the items, maybe not in an Etsy style at first, but in a way you would like to see them, as if you were to pick them up in a shop and inspect them.

Hope we can show you some nice piccies of our nice things. Please feel free to comment.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/collectini

 

Our first etsy listing - Chance Glass pin tray

Although we are not officially opening our Etsy shop until January 2012, it will still take time to get the shelves filled, so between now and then you will see items appear in the shop. It is OK, you don't need to wait until January 2012 to buy, you can still go ahead as usual.

Not being used to Etsy, we found it took a little longer than it would to list on any of the other online retail sites. Sure we'll get used to it though! It seems you have to think in USD$ regarding the pricing of the item and postage, so if any of our prices seem erratic, please ask why. Anyway here is our very first Etsy offering, a cute little Chance Glass pin tray.

Vintage Lador ballet dancer vanity case music box plays Dr Zhivago

Wind her up and off she spins to the sound of Lara's theme. Close the box and you see a wonderfully patterned lid.

6 Vintage Toledo Spain Mini Cocktail Swords and Wooden Barrel Stand

These will look great on your vintage themed bar. Very stylish, some might say a little kitsch! Exact era they were manufactured is unknown, but we reckon  they could sit comfortably in a themed bar spanning 50s, 60s or 70s depending on just how 'modern' or otherwise you have set the tone. There are six swordpicks, and they are dispensed from a wooden barrel ornamental stand. The picks are clearly a metal, but I don't know which type?? There are minor signs of use and age though no apparent damage. Each pick is about 3 inches long. The barrel is about 3.5 inches long.

Vintage Lembird Lemon Squeezer

This little lad is no longer with us. He has gone home so to speak. The family of the chap who bought this from us, were involved in its manufacture, back in the mists of time. Nice to know they've been re-united.

Party season!! Vintage cocktail forks and wooden fish 1950s ? 1960s ? 1970s ?

Fabulous accessory to help set the vintage mood of your party. There are six forks here with wooden handles and they are dispensed from a stylish, if not a little kitsch, carved wooden fish.  The fish stands about 5 inches high - the forks are just under 4 inches long. 

Vintage gardening book: Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines and Melons

We love the look of old books, but what makes them even more enjoyable is if they are still of practical use. This one is probably 1940s, going by the style of the illustrations. It is a great guide to growing Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines and Melons. Outside, the jacket looks scruffy, and inside it is well-foxed, but don't you think that only adds to its vintage appeal?


Those of you who already know us, will know that we have oodles of books that are taking up far too much space, so it is time to move them on. With the new Etsy shop opening in January 2012, we will be very choosy about what we list there - at first, while we settle in, our books probably won't be listed. We will though be posting pictures and descriptions of them here, for all to see what we have, so if you see something you like, just ask via @collectini on Twitter.

Tall slender black cat very vintage, very 19V0s

This lovely little lady is now sitting happily, purring away on someone else's mantelpiece. Fortunately she left her sister and cousin with us, so keep a look out for them here.

With the party season warming up, here's something to keep things cool

Although it will keep things cool, this vintage Insulex ice bucket is just the right lovely warm colour for a Christmas party. Keep the drinks cool, but keep the atmos comforting and warm!

Mistress Kate Signed Artist's Proof Enid Elliott Linder

It is finding little goodies such as this which makes the hours trawling round car boots and charity shops worthwhile.

Vintage Kitsch print Dupont Paperboy

Typical of the images you would see on the walls of many British homes in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, along with others by JH Lynch, Tretchikoff, Dickens, Palmero etc.  This is a print by M. Dupont. I don't know anything of the artist, so any info would be welcome.

Knitting 20's and 30's originals by Nancy Vale

This is one we always look out for on our travels - when we find a copy it doesn't stay with us for very long - there is always someone who wants it. It is a 98 page book collection of original patterns, with other bits and pieces from the period peppered inbetween the patterns, such as period adverts etc.

Vintage Kenwood Mini A 361 food mixer

A must have in every kitchen of the latter part of the 'mid-century' period. These looked the part, did the job and were affordable. The same still applies, if you are wanting that themed look in your kitchen. This is a collectable that sells at a very affordable price.

Vintage Kay Football Bagatelle

Something for the boys. Would look smashing hanging up in a bar or a games room.

Etsy shop to launch in January 2012

We have decided to open an Etsy shop in January 2012. Follow blog for upcoming details.