Aunt Maisie was parting with her dearly beloved Keith's ties after his death. His cupboard bulged with the vintage retro ties from a life time of passionate collecting. The ties range from the cool retro to the outrageous vintage. Broad and bright to staid and formal. He had them all. The Vintage ties have opened to me yet another fascinating journey of discovery. I wonder where he wore them? What did he wear with them? Which were his favourites? Are they the ones slightly worn on the ends? Vintage can mean many things to each of us. I tend to believe the Wiki meaning which  is of a generic term for new or second hand clothing originating from a previous era.  Generally speaking anything before the 1920s is considered antique and anything between the 1920s to 1980 is termed vintage. Retro or retrospective, relates to specific eras. Opinions vary widely but generally my mind pictures are of the radical 60's 70's eras. I tend to relate the 80's to more of the disco time but that era can also sneak in there. But as stated, opinions vary considerably.

Most vintage clothing is preloved. Hence my growing fascination with not only ties but dresses and hats as well. Maisie also had a beautiful wardrobe which I am busy getting ready to put up for auction. There are some really treasures there and she delighted in telling me the stories of each. A small percentage of pieces are new as is the case with some of her clothings. These can be old warehouse, or shop stock as well.  These items are usually referred to by dealers as "dead stock", "old stock" or "new-old stock" and can be more sought after and valuable than those that have been worn, especially if they have their original tags. So keep your eyes open on Aunt Maisies for vintage ties, dresses and hats as well as a few pairs of amazing shoes for large men.