O HENRY

If you are thinking we are referring to poet William Sydney Porter by the title of our post, Oh Boy, do you have us wrong! Instead, when you say "O Henry" out loud, say it with a French accent and then you can catch our drift. We are referring to Henry, the collectible artistic jeweler designer who worked mutinously in a similar style of the legendary decorative artist Line Vautrin, creator of "Talosel" or cellulose acetate. We don't often find many pieces of Henry (or Line Vautrin, for that matter), but the hammered gilt metal pieces, often in Etruscan style are quite popular and special. The four necklaces below are all signed Henry and although information we have acquired about Henry is a bit erratic, we date these pieces to be circa the late 60s or early 1970s. These pendant necklaces are what we call "Bohemian Chic" and unusual for the lover of anything not ubiquitous. UPDATE: Our dear friend Sally Rosen sent us this 411 on Henry: Henry made jewelry around mid-century in Lyon…he used resin, metal and faux stones in most of his work.
He used neutral tones set off against jeweled colors. Some of his necklaces are made with chains…others use rope to intensify the earth tones. Some are signed on a tortoise like backing…others are not. But his style is very identifiable. He worked at the same time as Line Vautrin…but impossible to know how they might have influence each other.

Henry gilt necklace with green glass pendant, c. late 1960s. 20" chain + 4" pendant SOLD

Henry gilt necklace with long faux amethyst bead pendant, c. late 1960s. 18" chain + 6" pendant SOLD

Henry gilt necklace with split pendant on chain and smaller amethyst pendant, c. late 1960s. 18" chain + 5" pendant

Henry gilt necklace with intricate turquoise bead pendant, c. late 1960s. 22" chain + 4" pendant

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

MEET ME IN ST LOUIS!

Decades is doing a very special trunk show in St. Louis to benefit the Contemporary Art Museum of St, Louis on Saturday, February 13th. As some of you may know, Decades Proprietor Cameron Silver is an Honorary Chair the the museum's April 17th Dada ball, so get your get-up for the gala when Cameron is in St. Louis. This is by invitation only, so please contact daniel@decadesinc.com or phone Daneil @ Decades on + 1 323 655 - 0223 if you wish to attend. More information below:

HALF A LADY IN RED

There is the "Lady in Red" and then there is the "Half Lady in Red" (i.e., the Lady in the vintage Yves Saint Laurent red Rive Gauche blouse) who keeps her bottom half neutral. If you are that lady, then this is that blouse for you. A great red silk pleated blouse with full sleeves that can be worn casually with leggings or more professional chic tucked into a straight skirt or slim pants. The lipstick red is a very alluring color and as we all know the Lady in Red always gets a lot of attention, but rather than doing it head-to-toe, this time we offer it for your better half -- the top half!

Yves Saint Laurent red silk pleated bib front blouse, c. early 1980s. Marked 36, Modern 4 to 8 SOLD
For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

Baker Belts

This post is about the influence of one amazing artist upon another, in this case Josephine Baker upon Azzedine Alaia. Ms. Baker or "La Baker" as she was known in France, was an American expatriate entertainer and actress in the 20's and 30's. Most notably she starred in the Follies Bergere, was the first African American female to star in a motion picture and she was awarded the Croix de Guerre. The belts below are from Azzedine Alaia, in the style of and inspired by "La Baker." They are high waisted belts with long strips of leather dangling down in vertical lines. At the end are leather flowers each with a grommet in the center. The belts come in both white and black.

Azzedine Alaia white Josephine Baker belt, c.80's. Marked size 70, Approximatly 30" longSOLD

Azzedine Alaia black Josephine Baker belt, c.80's. Marked size 70, Approximatly 30" long SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

Sac de Fanny

An 80's classic has just arrived in three fabulous colors. The always fashionable Chanel fanny pack is shown below in electric blue, navy and camel quilted lambskin. All three are in great condition and have the three chain woven leather strap and a gold clover zipper pull. Get all three and you can use the camel for day, navy for evening and electric blue when feeling frisky.

Chanel electric blue fanny pack, c.late 80's. Measures 34" SOLD

Chanel navy fanny pack, c.late 80's. Measures 34" SOLD

Chanel camel fanny pack, c. late 80's. Measures 34"SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

In Celebration of . . .

Paris Couture we are posting a Madame Gres Haute Couture gown. It is a traditional column gown in navy taffeta, with substantial ruched and gathered material along the neckline and hemline. This is an entrance gown, one of those items that will get you noticed no matter what the competition is wearing. This may seem like a lot of material, but the gown is incredibly flattering. The silhouette created by the gathers is truly a sight to behold.

Madame Gres Haute Couture navy taffeta gown with gathering, c.70's. Contemporary size 4-slim 6. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

Homework

Cameron has just provided us with his latest reading assignment for all you aspiring Couture clients. Below are the links to his latest writings on Paris Couture. We will be having a test on Monday so be sure to take notes.

Reading #1

Reading #2

Don Jaune

The latest addition to the Decades Hermes collection is this lovely 28cm Kelly. The color is Jaune, a great bright shade of yellow. The leather is courchevel, which is no longer in production sadly, and just happens to be one of our favorite leathers. The bag is in good, but used condition and the price reflects that. There is no box and no raincover, but the lock and key are shown in the pictures below. It also has a shoudler strap.

Hermes courchevel leather 28cm Kelly in Jaune, V stamp for 1992. SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

From Paris, with Love

As most of you know by now our fabulous leader here at Decades is gallivanting around Paris for Couture. For the latest reports from Cameron Silver click on the links below and prepare to be transported to Paris Couture.

Fashion

Rules!

Cuffed

Chanel has was well known for producing amazing costume jewelry in the byzantine style. Here we have an excellent example of that in the form of a cuff. The design is a series of square gold tiles with the classic CC emblem in the center of each. A nice thick gold cuff is one of the easiest accessories to match an outfit to. Whether it be paired with a white sun dress and large brimmed hat or a chic long black gown and gold earrings, this cuff will fit in just fine.

Chanel gold tile motif byzantine cuff, c.80's. Measures 2" high by 8" around.SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

Couture Craving?

If you couldn't make it to Paris for couture this week not to worry, our very own Cameron Silver is there for you. From his eyes to your computer, Cameron will keep you abreast of everything Paris fashion has to offer. Just click on the link and be taken to the Fashion Week Daily blog by Cameron Silver.

NICOTINE FIT!

Yves Saint Laurent certainly made Le Smoking a de rigeur additon to a fashionable woman's closet when he introduced the look in 1966. Season after season, the incomparable YSL offered variations of his signature tuxedo for women. Thierry Mugler has always been inspired by a certain 1940s era old Hollywood vamp, so naturally Mugler has appropriated versions of Le Smoking in his collections, too.

Below we have two dresses that offer variations of a tuxedo dress for women. The first tuxedo dress is a Mugler dramatic slit-up-to-the-top-of-your-thigh number from the early 1990s. It's ultra sexy and would look amazing with a pair of Gareth Pugh tight leather pants for a decidedly 21st century look. The second dress is YSL from Winter 1993 and although it is from the same period of Mugler's tux take, YSL's version is a bit more demure. With classic satin collar and cuff details and large black jet buttons (YSL always uses the best buttons), this dress may not be provocative like the Mugler, but it is very appropriate for a myriad of situations and has details that keep it from being, dare we say, boring.

Either tux dress seems destined to be a dependable garment in a closet of a Decades client. Maybe the same woman will buy both and have the option of being "naughty" or "nice!"

Thierry Mugler tux dress (can be worn as a coat), c. early 1990s. Marked size 40, modern 4 to 6

Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche tux dress, Winter 1993, Marked size 38, modern 6.

(Forgive the lighting but lots of rain here in Los Angeles, so it's messing with our usual natural light. Tomorrow we pray for sun!) SOLD!

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.

THE PRICE OF SHOES

What does the price of shoes today have to do with an early 1970s Norman Norell plum mermaid dress? Let us explain. Shoes today cost a fortune. Several thousand dollars for a pair of shoes seemed impossible when this dress was made around forty years ago, but today a $2000 pair of shoes isn't out of question. Now, if you are plucking down four figures for a pair of shoes and wearing them with a floor length gown, we say "What's the point?" Yes, it is true luxury is all about hidden and personal decadence, but we suggest you show off your shoes that cost more than most monthly mortgages and wear them with a tea length dress. Hence, our shoe and Norell mermaid connection as this brown jersey long sleeve slim evening dress with purple plum paillettes is tea length and ready for your most jaw droopingly expensive shoes. We took some details of the unusual pattern the paillettes are hand sewn onto the jersey dress which we thought was particularly unique for a mermaid.

Norman Norell plum paillette tea length mermaid, c. early 1970 (according to the original owner). Modern 4 SOLD

For additional information, please email blog@decadesinc.com or call + 1 323 655-0223. You may also visit us in person at Decades 8214 1/2 Melrose Avenue (2nd Floor) at Harper Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Please reference the description above, if calling or emailing. For email requests, kindly include your full name and phone number plus City, State, and Country from which you are contacting, so may offer you a high level of personal service.