Need a Napkin?

Our unusual collectible today is:

Napkin Dolls

I know, in the old days they thought of everything. No roll of paper towels for these folks, nope a beautiful women whose skirt is made of napkins was the only thing that would do.

I own quite a few. They used to be fairly inexpensive and so I just picked them up when I found them. It wasn't just ladies, I have an umbrella one, a rooster one. They were ceramic or wood. But they all shared the same love of napkins.

The green lady holds napkins and is also a bell. I have no idea how that would work but obviously was a necessity at one time. Seriously, when you ring it, if you are not the one holding it, you will not hear it. Plus, she seems extremely peeved about something.

The pink set, is my favorite. First off, they are all decorated by the most garish rhinestones to be found. The two little girls, are salt and pepper shakers. But in a quest to be multi-functioning, the big lady actually holds napkins, the salt and pepper shakers, her head holds a candle, and her flat plate holds toothpicks for lovely appetizers. In the photo, the plate looks chipped but it is just camera glare. Ansel Adams I am not.
Amazing! Every night I rip off a paper towel and hope the kid actually uses it. I can't even imagine setting up one of these displays. You need to fold the napkin just so in order for it to slide into its slot. On the wood ones, you need to pull back this little rubber band. And in 9 cases out of 10, you accidentally release little rubber band before napkin is in place and it snaps the crap out of your finger. Jolly good time. It holds 15 napkins, which means 5 fingers are going to be in extra pain. So not worth it.

You can still find these around. The ones with the salt and pepper shakers are a little more difficult to find intact, as the shakers break pretty easily. They come in many colors and shapes, but I've yet to see a man napkin ring holder. I guess it wasn't in their job description.

They are pretty and a reminder of a different time. So I suggest you run, not walk, but run and find yourself a little napkin helper.

As if the dog world doesn't already judge us enough!

Collecting things used to play a big part of my life. Not so much anymore, mostly because I have run out of room. And until I start to downsize, I have taken a breather.

At first when I started collecting, I was all over the board and then I figured out I am just strange. I like strange collectibles. Goofy things that not many people would collect. Because really who would want them. So I needed strange and cheap. I didn't have a lot of money in my early days of stockpiling strange and unusual pieces of the past, so I had to be able to say "Hey, it only cost 1.00, what an awesome deal it was and instead of looking askew at me, you should be celebrating my ability to find a good deal."

So I started with lipsticks and compacts and small little purses, nice but not strange and not unusual. Then I walked into an antique store and found just what I needed.


POODLES WEARING GLASSES!

I know you are thinking "my gosh, there is such a thing!" Why, yes my Internet friends, there are. Lots and lots of them as it turns out. The '50's and '60's were a very clever time. I have no idea of their thought process back then and why the powers that be decided housewives would want poodles in glasses, I am just glad they did.

So on that fateful day, one came home with me. And then another. And then another. I own a poodle pack, a poodle herd, a poodle mob, or whatever you call a group of poodles. Especially a group all sporting glasses. I call them the perfect decorating accessory.

We have opera glasses. We have spectacles. We have glasses with rhinestones. We have glasses perched on the end of noses. We have glasses on top of berets. Glasses and more glasses.

The poodles come in many colors but the most popular it seems, were pink and blue. All have the funny spaghetti trim and most sport some outlandish dog collar. They all come in different poses. And they even made lovely poodle planters, so your African violets would never be lonely.
Very prim and proper these poodles are. Sporting such unusual color combinations would make most people cringe and question their ability to dress themselves but not these. Nope, turquoise, light purple with white rhinestones, and black with white rhinestones all flow together in perfect harmony. Add in a blue or pink body and we have a little slice of heaven right here on earth.

Now you might be thinking how many people could possible know about such a fantastic collectible. More than you can guess. If you look at the group photo, you will see a pink cow wearing glasses. I know, AWESOME. I received that for a gift a few years ago, so someone out there in the power that be position, knows about this strange group of dogs. Or, they are trying a new collectible, COWS WITH GLASSES.

Which just totally rocks!