About three years ago I went on an estate call, to a large but plain looking two-floor home in a somewhat posh neighborhood. Downstairs, the home featured a large kitchen, formal dining room, sizeable family room with a built-in wet bar, and a gorgeous sunken living room carpeted in white shag with one of those cone-shaped wood stoves, plus three bedrooms, two baths. Upstairs there was a very large his & hers bedroom suite. His side had a big wall-to-wall closet and a half bath, hers was a full bath with a sunken tub (and a small chandelier,) and one of the largest walk-in closets I've seen.
The owner was elderly and moving into assisted living. She'd been alone in this enormous house for many years but her health and mobility were declining, so a distant nephew flew out to help liquidate her estate.
When I first arrived at the house, the closets were virtually untouched and full of amazing, gorgeous clothing from the 50s to modern, with the modern being of the elderly lady polyester variety. There was a cedar chest filled with 50s & 60s cashmere and beaded sweaters, a faux leopard swing coat, a huge stack of cashmere men's sweaters, drawers full of vintage lingerie and scarves. In the back of the closet I spied the most fantastic two-tone leather 60s boots! However, the nephew said that there were a few female cousins who were still coming out to take items they wanted, so I had to walk away with nothing that day. It's my policy only to take items from an estate when all family members have what they want, even though it sometimes kills me!
When I was invited back a few weeks later, about half of the clothing was gone, including all of the cashmere sweaters (gasp!) However, I did walk away with a van full of amazing clothing and accessories, including two Gucci purses, one Cartier purse, one full-length mink coat, some wonderful vintage lingerie, and (joy!) these boots:
They look like caramel dripping on a chocolate sundae! There's no maker's tag or mark anywhere. I asked the nephew, and he asked a cousin, and the story is that the owner saw these in a shop window in Italy and had to have them so she had them custom made in her size.
I wish I'd met this woman so I could tell her how much I appreciate her taste, and assure her that her things have now mostly all gone to very good homes. The funny thing is, I loved these boots so much that I kept them at home in my own closet even though they are not at all my size. Then just a few months ago I was cleaning and decided to finally take them in to the store and list them on the site. Just a few weeks later, our house burned down. Call it fate, or just luck, but I think these boots want to do a bit more walking.
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