I am enjoying and giggling at some of your answers. You've brightened my day! I forgot to provide my own answers.
About how many costume/fashion related books or magazines do you own? Between 3,000-4,000, maybe more. I just know their valve for the tax guy. Yes, I am a member of the h-costume bookolics! Mine are organized by topic. What was the first one you purchased? Where did you purchase it? My first book, a textbook, was Survey of Historic Costume by Tortora. I purchased it from the campus bookstore in 1995. What was your most recent purchase? I went on a sending spree on Abebooks one day. My confession... 1. The Springs Story: First 100 Years (History of South Carolina textile mills) excellent book! 2. A Stitch in Time : The Four Seasons of Baltimore's Needle Trades. Another excellent book! 3. International Tailoring Company, Menswear catalog, Fall and Winter 1904-5. 4. Proceedings Of The Southern Wholesale Dry Goods Assocaition In 8th Annual Convention, 1919. What do you think was the best deal that you have every made when purchasing a publication? An entire collection of Delineator Magazines from 1880-1909 from an opera company in Canada. I paid about $1 per issue. Another one, is an entire collection of La Art de Mode magazines from 1904-1919 from a lady in Paris. I paid about $3 per issue. About how many period photographs do you own just for the costuming? Period photos: I guess about 1,500-2,000. Photos of actual garments: well over 20,000. No joke, I just put online 30 photos of one antique dress! What book or magazine is your most treasured...if your house was on fire, you would take it with you. Mine is actually a collection and I can put it under one arm, leaving the other arm for my laptop. The collection is the actual water-colored plates by a Parisian illustrator who drew and painted the costume renderings for the Parisian theaters and top designers between 1890s-1900s. I purchased the entire lot of theater plates about 30 plates with 5-6 illustrations per plate. I purchased 5 designer plates. These were his proofs to be copied by magazines. These are the only original prints. They only see the light of day, when I show them to my college students. One day I will find a scanner with a large enough bed to scan them. What is the worse costume book that you own? I know Robin has a collection! I have actually listened to Robin bad book reviews over the years. So I don't have many bad books. But when I first started collecting, I did purchased a few Dovers, and a really bad James Laver book. Do you have a room devoted to your collection? I really do have an in-house library. It is the largest room in the house. I also have publications in two other rooms...over flow. When did you start collecting? I can blame h-costume for this...Fall 1995 when I joined h-costume. Do you consider your collection for business or pleasure? Business. But my work is a labor of love...so I get pleasure from it. What was the most price of you have ever paid for a book, collection of work, etc. Look at my most treasured...it was over $500. My husband approved of the purchase! I always pass big purchases by him. Optional questions: How many sewing machines do you own? What types and age? Hmmm...seems like I was asking about children as deductions for taxes. I have four and one half machines. 1/2: I have an antique sewing cabinet for one of the first electric White machines. My Dad bought the machine for me when I was 8 y.o. It broke down and I put it in the shop. The shop owner died and all his inventory was sold at auction; including my machine. I didn't know it was sold until after the fact. 1. A 1960s Kenmore that I purchased in 1978 when I married. 2. A new $200 Brothers machine. 3. 1887 Standard treadle in excellent condition. 4. 1920s electric Mercury with no case. How many sewing patterns do you own? Over 100. Most are from the late 1950s-1970s. Penny Ladnier, Owner, The Costume Gallery Websites www.costumegallery.com www.costumelibrary.com www.costumeclassroom.com www.costumeslideshows.com _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
