A Vintage Story...

Hello my darlings!! Happy Wednesday to you...a couple of days ago I came across this story & I found it really interesting and thought to share it with you. It's the story of a Vervia Todd, who passed away last November and what was discovered in her home was more than they expected. Seriously, for anyone who loves vintage, antiques or any of that kind of thing...this is for you! Getting back to the story, what they found in her home was a treasure trove of over £100,000 of designer clothes that spanned over 70 years and had never been worn. 

Vervia started collecting these fine clothes after the death of her fiance during the second world war. She travelled each year abroad and her collection developed. Vervia was 92 when she passed away, she never married after the loss of her fiance in her early twenties, something to me told of deep sadness of a broken heart. Each year, she would by a new suitcase, take a trip, fill it with treasures, return home and stash the unpacked suitcase away in her home. Many of the treasures remained hidden away for over half a century, they even found some stuffed up the chimney. She closed off rooms of her three-story townhouse to hoard her vast collection for over 70 years. The house bit by bit fell into disarray and remained unchanged for decades. This is the home she had lived in since the age of one with her father, Sam Todd until he passed away and from then on, by herself. 

{Top photo of Vervia on her retirement day, above at aged 10 & below, with her mother and father on holiday}

Vervia never told her friends or relatives about her style stash, many of them only found out about it when they came to help in clearing out her home after her passing. Now that this amazing collection has been uncovered, it is set to sell for a staggering six figure sum. Which is some ways saddens me, she spent all this time building it up because there was something inside that needed healing, so I hope that in some way these clothes bring happiness to someone new, so that maybe her spirit will feel the happiness to. I know many will read this story and only see the clothes or other items left behind, but I wanted to highlight Vervia...a person who seemed to be trying to fill a hole that wasn't able to be filled. She loved beautiful things and I hope for even a moment they did bring her the happiness she wanted. We'll never know exactly why she bought all the items and never used them, we can only guess. But, I'd like to imagine this fine lady to be someone I would have very much enjoyed talking to...full of stories and adventures. Talking about the things she had experienced while browsing her collection over tea. At least in my mind, that's how I'd like to see this. 

After taking a hard-labouring year to get everything cleaned and ready, the items will go on sale, December 7, 2013 at an event in Vervia's house in Houghton le Spring, County Durham. I very much hope all the items will go to a great home and be taken care of. Special rare items may go to a museum, it never says where the money will go to after that. I hope some will go to charity at least. This may seem a sad story to share, but I think it would be even sadder if Vervia's story never got told, her clothes will go to homes & maybe a museum, but she'll most likely be forgotten and I didn't want that!

Well, I hope you enjoyed & wish you a marvellous day dolls,

loves & loves

xoxoxoxoxox

To see original article for more pictures & info, see here

{Whole rooms in her home had been blocked off and unopened for years} 

{Journalist Emma Pearson wearing a 1940's Fred Howard satin cocktail dress with a 1920's fur & diamante clutch & 1950's shoes}

{Vintage dealer, Paula Donaldson looking through the collection that spans over numerous changing fashions}

{1940's satin dress, never worn}

{Cotton Day Dress from the 1950's}

{Above:1950's Day dress featuring a hunting scene. Below: silk printed 1930's dress. Pristine condition.}

♥