Guest Curator: Kitsune Noir

kitsunenoir

Story by kitsunenoir

Published on Oct 07, 2009 in Shop

Photo by Kitsune Noir

Untitled-2.jpgBobby Solomon is the creator of Kitsune Noir, a culture blog that focuses on art and design but dabbles in a little bit of everything. Located in Los Angeles, Bobby works from his apartment and posts daily about the things he finds enjoyable. Recently he got rid of his car and has decided to exclusively bike and take public transportation around L.A., so he might have some kind of death wish.

Not too long ago, handmade items weren’t considered a luxury, they were the only option. Okay, maybe that was before most of us can even remember, but it seems like handmade is definitely having a revival. After the plastic craze of the 60′s and 70′s, people are over mass-production and want something unique and well-crafted. Not that mass-production is going anywhere soon, but it’s certainly nice to have some alternatives.

My list of Etsy picks, as well as my personal style, is a mixture of vintage and contemporary things. I definitely have a love for both the new and the classic, so finding items that mesh well together is the challenge. The list also journeys not only into items for the home but personal accessories as well. I hope you enjoy my choices, I had a lot of fun putting them all together.

Antique New York subway rollsign

I found this beautiful New York Subway Rollsign and fell in love immediately. I love the boldness of this and the faded white font on the deep black looks amazing. It’s also double-sided, so you can pick your favorite side.
 From luckylittledot, $335.

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Deerman in Profile

I already own a piece by melabo, a squirrel body with the head of a girl, and I bought my friend a six-legged lamb, so obviously I’m a big fan of her work. The piece above is called Deerman in Profile, and is the combination of two casting molds. I love how totally weird this is, but then the fact that it’s made of porcelain seems to lessen the weirdness for me. She’s always creating new stuff, so be sure to visit her shop regularly. 
By melabo, $40.

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Nenjuu leather bag

While this isn’t a vintage bag, its inspiration is definitely taken from the kind of utilitarian bags you’d find in the first and second World Wars. This bag is made of oiled bull hide and has stainless steel hardware to keep it together. It has a nice zipper on top to keep your belongings where they belong and the rain out, as well as pouches on the side and front for your phone and items you want to access easily.
 By JMBCanada, $450.

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Monster Barbershop Digital Print 18 X 36

This awesome print by kickatruck is one of my favorites. In one panel he’s a grumpy, shaggy beast, and the next he’s a well coiffed man about town. It’s not only cute and fun, but it’s also huge, measuring in at 18″ x 36″, and for only $25 it would definitely fill a wall quite nicely.

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PROPER CRIMINALS brown leather wrapped HANDCUFF key ring ITEM 006

When I first came across this one, I thought it was some kind of kinky bracelet, but then I realized that it was a key ring and thought, “Huh, that’s pretty cool.” propercriminals, a very apt name, have decided to take the iconic handcuff, wrap it in brown leather that will age with time, and make a fancy little keychain out of it. It’s an out-of-the-box idea that’s really clever and well executed.
 $31.

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Dancing. 13 x 19 print limited edition

I covered this one on my blog a couple weeks ago and still think it’s an amazing piece. matteart does an incredible job of creating retro illustrations that feel so fun and lively. This one is my favorite, I love that the men are getting down with pipes in their mouths.
 $60.

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A5 Print – Cat Mart

I’m a huge fan of Gemma Correll’s artwork, and she shares a ton of her hysterical prints in her shop, gemmabear. Cat Mart above is one of my favorites; there’s something about it that just makes me laugh so hard. Look at the face of the cat in her backpack, the look is hysterical!
 $10.

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black beauty

I came across mobilosity‘s shop and fell in love with all the different kinds of mobiles they create. They remind me of something that Calder would make, but you know, at one tenth of the price. Black Beauty (shown above) is my favorite though. I’m really digging the sharp, black, leaf looking pieces. The fact that it’s nearly 2 feet tall is also a bonus.
 $69.

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Splat Kendo Bamboo Modern Wall Clock

I wish this clock were made out of real wood instead of MDF, but nonetheless it’s still a beautiful clock. The bamboo has a nice depth to it, and the cut out rad starburst gives this a very classy look. They also have a ton of other clocks in this same design but in different colorways if this doesn’t quite do it for you.
 By pilotdesign, $49.

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Dear You, Mister Fox – Mini Print

Seeing that my blog means “black fox,” it’s only fitting that I throw something fox related into the mix. I found these lovely prints by blackoutwell who seems to have quite an affinity for foxes and cats, which is cool, if you ask me. Dear You, Mister Fox is my favorite of the bunch, with his hand drawn frame and the yellow flower pattern behind him, just overall wonderful.
 $9.

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STATES UNITED

This is one of the most clever posters I’ve seen in a while, and must have really taken some ingenuity to do. beauchamping has taken all of the 50 states and mashed them together into a big heart. Originally it was going to be called Heartland, but then it was changed to States United, which seems a little better to me. The states have a sketchy feel to them that I really like, which I think is a byproduct of the xylene transfer that was used to print them. Really nice and simple. $75.

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Mozart Bust

To finish things off, I have to include this amazing Mozart bust, something that I think is silly and classic all at once. I’ve always wanted one of these for some reason, I bet I saw it in a movie once, but it would look great on the shelf over my desk. He was a master of his craft and hopefully he can give me some of this wisdom! From coventgardenvintage, $12.

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