Etta's Etceteras

Vintage Art Deco, Gurley Candles and…Monkey Perfume?

Auction of the Weekend March 1 with 509 Lots

Lot #220, vintage Art Deco metal reverse painted “Jazz” cocktail serving tray

Every auction teaches me something.

While researching for a sale to feature as Etta’s Etceteras Auction of the Weekend, I discovered Gurley candles.

Turns out that these vintage candles were first produced in 1939 by candle maker Franklin Gurley. His Buffalo, New York, business was commissioned by Socony-Vacuum Oil Company (predecessor of ExxonMobil) to make use of the excess paraffin from the oil refinery process.

Kudos to Mr. Gurley for turning gunk into lovely home decor!

Sales of the candles peaked in the late ’60s and were in serious trouble by the 1970s.

Lot #460 in this weekend’s sale by Gehman Auctions (Ephrata, PA) is a sweet collection of vintage Easter and spring candles by Gurley.

It’s one of the total 509 lots available on Sunday, March 1. The auction begins closing at 3:00 pm EST, and the broker’s premium is 18%.

This one is a fun “variety auction” with a wide range of collectibles, including Art Deco, toys, fly fishing lures, Christopher Radko Christmas ornaments, World’s Fair souvenirs and, yes, an antique perfume holder in the shape of a monkey – complete with detachable head.

Enjoy exploring and best wishes if you bid!

Lot #460, vintage Gurley Easter and spring candles

Lot #471, antique Schuco monkey perfume bottle holder

Lot #471, antique Schuco monkey perfume bottle holder

Lot #473, Wham-O Dudley Doright toy figures (4-pack in box)

Lot #31, costume jewelry

NOTE: Sellers/ businesses mentioned here are selected by me. They have something that interests me and, hopefully, interests my readers. Etta’s Etceteras does not accept requests to be featured and does not accept revenue from advertising, affiliate links, etc.

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

The 10-Year-Old Dropout Bound for Inventor HOF

Bottle Machine Patented Feb. 26, 1895

Source: Library of Congress, “Ten-arm Owens automatic bottle machine,” photo by Lewis Hine, c. 1913. On Feb. 26, 1895, Michael Joseph Owens, who had dropped out of school at the age of 10 to start a glassware apprenticeship, filed a patent for an automated bottle machine.

Source: http://www.Invent.org, National Inventors Hall of Fame photo of Michael Joseph Owens.

Source: Etsy/ ImpossiBottlesByBrad

Source: HiBid/ Eshelman Auctions (Front Royal, VA)

Source: HiBid/ Gallery 33 (Lakeland, FL)

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

‘Towering, Flowering’

Surprising Prices of Vintage Platform Shoes

Source: http://www.Flashbak.com

Source: Etsy/ RocketsTreasures2

Source: HiBid/ Gehman Auctions (Ephrata, PA)

Source: HiBid/ Gehman Auctions (Ephrata, PA)

Source: Getty Images, George Clinton and members of Parliament Funkadelic perform (undated photo).

Source: http://www.MartinPopoff.com, “KISS ’76: Twelve Months That Defined the Hottest Band in the Land,” hardcover coffee table book released Feb. 24, 2026.

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

‘Lather Up with Leia’ Star Wars Shampoo?

Gen X Auction Feb. 25 Offers 525 Lots

Lot #2, Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Princess Leia action figure (not shampoo)

Lot #17, Star Trek 1976 prototype 14K gold insignia with two correspondence letters

Lot #58, Crash Dummies action figures (6)

Lot #124, Star Wars Record (45 RPM) Tote from 1982

Lot #137, 1959 Barbie Teenage Fashion doll with box

Lot #249, The Karate Kid Sato’s Cannery from 1987

Lot #408, Lost in Space autographed cast photos (7)

Lot #427, Batman Batcave 1984 toy MISB (Mint In Sealed Box)

Lot #522, Star Wars soaps (5 singles and 2 boxed sets of 4)

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

‘My Baby Just-a Wrote Me a Letter’

Vintage Stationery

Source: Library of Congress, stationery section of Sosnick-Thalheimer, a department store in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Photographed by Raymond Loewy Associates on Feb. 2, 1950.

Source: http://www.BestClassicBands.com, The Box Tops (pictured) released “The Letter” in 1967. Joe Cocker’s 1970 cover version was his first Top 10 single.

Source: Etsy/ PrettyPaperPicnic

Source: HiBid/ American Auctions and Estate Sales LLC (West Des Moines, IA)

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

George Washington Used Invisible Ink

Collectible Letters…or Not

Source: http://www.WorthPoint.com, letter from George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, Sept. 18, 1787, one day after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. The framed 8 1/2″ × 7 1/8″ document sold for $2,389,500 on Nov. 15, 2022. (Definitely not written with invisible ink.)

Source: Etsy/ MosswellMarket

Source: Etsy/ nicolewatsonart

Source: HiBid/ Bostwick Auctions (Candor, NY)

Source: HiBid/ Bostwick Auctions (Candor, NY)

Source: HiBid/ Hradil Auction Company (Sealy, TX)

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

‘I Wouldn’t Take Nothing to Leave Out of Here’

Cherokee Art

Source: http://www.WorthPoint.com, Amanda Swimmer (1921-2018), member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was a self-taught potter who crafted by hand rather than using a potter’s wheel. She was born in and died in Big Cove, North Carolina.

Source: HiBid/ B. Langston (Jacksonville, FL)

Source: HiBid/ B. Langston (Jacksonville, FL)

Source: Etsy/ CsherylsCloset

Source: Etsy/ NativeLadyz

Source: Etsy/ NativeLadyz

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

Snowflake Kaleidoscope, Buddy Lee Doll, Shawnee Puss ‘n’ Boots….

Auction of the Weekend Feb. 22

Lot #72, vintage Steven kaleidoscope

Perhaps $300+ for Buddy Lee? New one on me.

While researching the auction of the weekend, I was drawn to this happy-looking guy. Turns out it’s Buddy Lee, a marketing/ advertising doll for Lee Jeans. I don’t know the age of this one, but the Buddy Lee character dolls were manufactured 1920-1963.

According to http://www.BargainJohn.com, the first dolls were made of plaster. They were plastic after the late 1940s. I found resale prices ranging $300-$700.

HINT: Look for his hat band. Buddy Lee dolls with the original hat band fetch more.

As of press time, the high bid on this one is $16 with the next bid at $18.

Buddy Lee is one of 266 lots offered for sale by Wagenson Auction Service LLC in Mauston, WI. The auction starts closing Sunday, Feb. 22, at 4:00 pm. Broker’s premium is 15%.

All photos in this post are from HiBid/ Wagenson Auction Service LLC.

Good luck if you decide to bid!

Lot #71, vintage “Buddy Lee” advertising doll for Lee Jeans

Lot #130, vintage Shawnee Puss ‘n’ Boots salt and pepper shaker set (close-up, part of multi-item lot)

Lot #130, multi-item lot including vintage Shawnee Puss ‘n’ Boots salt and pepper shaker set

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

Elvis on the Bigger Screen

‘EPiC’ Concert Documentary at IMAX Theaters Starting Feb. 20

Source: http://www.EpicMovie.film, the documentary ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ opens Feb. 20 at IMAX theaters then at other theaters Feb. 27.

Source: Etsy/ TheElvisLady2345

Source: HiBid/ Maverick 13 Auctions (Hot Springs, SD)

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.

Retro Kitchen

Spearmint Selected as KitchenAid’s Color of the Year 2026

Source: http://www.Housewares.org, from Life Magazine by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt. KitchenAid first introduced stand mixer colors at the 1955 Atlantic City Housewares Show. (NOTE: Alfred Einenstaedt was the photographer who took the famous 1945 V-J Day Times Square shot of the U.S. Navy sailor kissing a random lady. Yes, that photo.)

Source: http://www.KitchenAid.com

Source: Etsy/ OuterDunes

Source: HiBid/ Backwoods Auction & Artifacts LLC (Altavista, VA)

I’d be honored if you drop by my Etsy vintage goods shop at http://www.EttasEtceteras.Etsy.com.

As always, thanks for reading.