Seen on eBay: this set of maracas with a letter of provenance to Desi Arnaz Sr
Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/I-LOVE-LUCY-GENUINE-MOVIE-PROP-DESI-ARNEZ-SCREEN-USED-SET-OF-MARRACAS-/391884810439
Tag Archives: Desi Arnaz
Ricardo’s Bookshelf: Whistle Stop
Here is another book from the Arnaz home, possibly the Chatsworth Ranch home. This book was a bestseller in the 1940’s, Whistle Stop By Maritta M Wolff. Winner of the major prize in the Avery Hopwood Award for 1940, and written during Wolff’s final year at the University of Michigan, this novel became the basis for the film starring George Raft and Ava Gardner. It received immediate critical praise, including that of Sinclair Lewis, quoted on the rear panel: “I suspect that in Whistle Stop we may have the most important first novel of the year.”
Ricardo’s Bookshelf: How to Sing for Money
Here is an interesting career related book from the Lucille and Desi Arnaz bookshelf at their home in the early years. How to Sing for Money: The Art and Business of Singing Popular Songs Professionally by Charles Henderson
SKU: 1452537577NAT
Title: How to Sing for Money: The Art and Business of Singing Popular Songs Professionally
Author: Henderson, Charles
Book binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Nelson-Hall company
Year of publication: 1945
Lucy & Desi’s China Wall Plates
In the 1940’s publicity photo of Lucy and Desi at home we have another look at the Ansonia Royal Bonn porcelain clock we identified in a previous post. Here we get a better view of the porcelain china plates on the wall of the chimney breast. On either side over the mantel are vertical rows of three plates with a fruit design and fluted border. They appear to be a good match for KPM Porcelain Germany fruit plates. I see a similar set of six 8 1/4 inch plates currently for sale on eBay. To hang them on the wall you would need the appropriate sized plate hangers such as this set on Amazon.
Click HERE to find more KPM fruit plates on eBay.
Desi’s 49er Plaid Shirt Jacket
Not an exact match but vintage and similar in style jackets can be found in the vintage clothing section on eBay See this one on eBay
If you are looking for a vintage Pendleton 49er jacket check the label to tell you whether it is a man’s size or woman’s, the womenswear label is always white, and the menswear label is blue. Later era Pendleton labels have the Woolmark symbol, which was not added until the mid 1960s
See Pendleton 49er jackets on eBay
Ricky Ricardo’s Cocktail Shaker
In the 4th episode of season 1 “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her” Lucy (Lucille Ball) sees Ricky (Desi Arnaz) mixing something into her drink and thinks he is trying to do away with her.
Ricky is seen using a cocktail shaker set that would look good in a mid-century style home bar, and was a popular item for 1950’s home entertaining. The picture above came from an ebay auction for a similar cocktail shaker, it is not an original Desilu prop but it is vintage and in fine condition, and exactly like the one on the shelf in the screen capture below from “I love Lucy” Season One, Episode 4.
