Whiter Shades of Pale...

"And so it was that later as the miller told his tale

That her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale"...Procol Harum

I was asked after the post with the antique lamp doll, if she had been in a bad accident in her lifetime and seen a "hack" that set her arm poorly, as it appears to be disjointed.  No, that's just the way she is - she is whole and original (though the dress was replaced, probably sometime in the 40's or 50's, from the look of it - it is all hand sewn), but too old and tender for me to want to move the arm at this point...don't pity her - she has learned to compensate with her wicked womanly wiles, for miscalculated anatomical proportions of a hurried lamp/doll maker.

These 1920's dolls housed light bulbs under their wire framework and silk dresses...how they didn't burn down more houses, is beyond me.  Several I have seen, and one I purchased, did have evidence of catching fire at some time.  The bodies are a heavy plaster (not chalkware, however), with a large threaded bolt under the torso, for attaching to a metal framework (much like an upside down tomato cage).  The upper arms are wires that lead from the shoulders, down to a hollow metal forearm/hand, filled with a cork.  This one is a "Munzerlite" - the other probably has a tattoo somewhere under that dress that would tell me what or who she is but, like her arm, that will remain a mystery for now.

She's surrounded by more pale beauties...treasured, antique finds from this past year.  A beautiful Bakelite and celluloid cameo brooch (it's about 2-1/2" long, if size matters) that someone was selling for "steampunk" salvage (in other words, to be ripped apart and "pieced out" to make other jewelry, because it is missing the pin part of the brooch backing - an easy fix - and I guess it's true...one man's trash is another man's treasure); a stunning green and cream celluloid cameo brooch, marked Czechoslovakia on the back; and a white floral pin (it's slightly heavier than celluloid, but I'm not really sure as to what it is, other than it's OLD) - whiter shades of pale, all...and all out of fashion after Labor Day, so I'd better get to wearing!

A White Wednesday "shout out" to Kathleen at fadedcharmcottage - short of Billy Idol, you will find every "pale" imagineable there - drop by and check out the fun!