The generosity of strangers :)

St. Lucy's Day - December 13th in Advent

One of my favorite things in my reselling/dealing work is in unexpected emails from strangers sharing information about my items. To me, the above item was a pretty Christmas hanging, possibly of Scandinavian origin. But to someone more knowledgeable than I, it was a lovely homage to St. Lucy's day, a festival of light celebrated in countries around the globe on December 13th, often featuring young girls dressed as angels.

I've benefited from the kindness of strangers countless times. Yes, I occasionally post things on my blog (e.g. milk saver of not so long ago), but most of the time these things go unnoticed. I misspell Cathrineholm and someone lets me know, and tells me more about the lotus design and its designer, Grete Prytz Kittelsen. I have no idea what a painting is, and someone sends me an eBay message letting me know it's a famous landmark in Canada. What a gift!

Funny thing is, I saw a painting on eBay over the holidays of Notre Dame in Paris, France. I recognized it, and was so excited to be able to tell the seller something that might help them sell the painting for more! But I got no response, and the item went for very little :(

Of course I can't possibly know everything about everything (though I typically think I should - le sigh). I love being able to share what I love with other people who also love it. It's a hidden web of vintage lovers around the world :)