6h ago
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From the thrill of discovery, making bids, the buzz of a score or anguish of a could-have-been, a random box showing up that has been packed by some dude in Minnesota… I love it. The best way to shop is either setting a hyper-specific alert for something and finding it five years from now or by typing in all the potential typos it could have, or either searching for a vague combinations of names and details and seeing what comes up. Embellished pearl sweaters? Art deco servewear? Plastic organizers? There’s probably also something good about reuse and sustainability here too. The only thing I don’t love is that my saved searches and watchlist are full so I have to keep deleting and replacing, but never change, eBay.
Jan 26, 2024
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Sometimes it’s cool to just type something ridiculous in the search bar, just to see if someone is selling it. The things people sell on there man.
Feb 15, 2024
Feb 25, 2024
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Lately I've been spending too much time scouring every corner of eBay I can for the cheapest and most delightful soviet era porcelain figurines available
I didn't even realize it until diving head first into this rabbit hole, but I have had soviet era porcelain figurines my whole life (a bunny and a bull for those curious), so I guess I was always destined to develop a fondness for the form, and eventually dig a little deeper into it.
There is something so incredibly charming and also incredibly interesting about these porcelain pieces! These little guys!
There's a lot of history to dig into that I've barely scratched the surface of AT ALL, but I'm fascinated by how porcelain reflected the common sentiments* of the times, the economic conditions, the artistic movements and ideas of the day, and also the ability (or lack thereof) of people to stay in one place and hold onto something so "useless" and easily broken.
I have very, very few things from any of my ancestors. Figurines like these make me think about the way history and art are passed down to us, forgotten, broken, left behind, sold in thrift stores and online, if they survive at all.
Figurine collections are kind of a barometer of safety and stability, or at least how dedicated to the illusion of it you might be.
They also make me think about how useful "useless" things can be. How even art that is purely decorative can be thought-provoking (by for example valorizing "folks"), or just make you happy (via being very cute! Or expert use of color and form!).
Grannies collect this shit for many good reasons and I'm starting to catch on.
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* Notably the $$$ collectors type ones are the ethnographic figurines, something I NEED to read an academic paper about.
Especially, because Ive noticed some of these figurines depicting "ethnic types" are inaccurate copies of earlier prints, which themselves should be placed under immense scrutiny! This is all extra interesting in the context of the porcelain industry transitioning from imperial rule to the soviet era. The ways of talking about ethnicity changed, (in addition obviously to y'know, everything!) but the products produced largely remained the same. Lots to think about!!!
Jan 31, 2025
Feb 8, 2025
Anders Zorn is beloved for good reason. His work was so skillfully made. Zorn's sense of form in particular is really lovely (and often on display because he loved a nude).
I've seen some of his work irl, but not this piece. Zorn's paintings have a lot of presence in person, so I imagine this one is even more cozy and lively when seen in the flesh. I love the diagonal composition and the use of light, as well as her cute cheeks and socks ♡
Feb 18, 2025