Déjà Vu Industries

10/01/2024

An advertising mailer for Haband ties featuring their Spring 1944 collection. Including a material sample. One of my favorite pieces of vintage ephemera in my collection. Especially as it was originally mailed to a Clara J. Grimm of Sodus, N.Y. who seems to have been a schoolteacher at the Joy School House in 1942. Typically these mailers were sent to shopkeepers and haberdashers. A little peek into someone’s everyday life of 80 years ago.

06/12/2023

I have a weakness for vintage travel books. Reading them is like visiting a world that once existed but now only lives in these pages. Or in the memories of our ancestors. This collection is “On a boat down the Rhine in 1906.”

25/10/2023

Just listed this gorgeous art deco style 1936 Westclox "Ben Franklin" electric clock. Wouldn't it look great on your vintage desk?

This Clocks item is sold by DejaVuIndustries. Ships from Stephens City, VA. Listed on Oct 25, 2023

10/08/2023

A perambulation through the hotel lounge, circa 1919.

10/08/2023

It’s green screen and tripod time again. A few “behind the scenes” tests of lighting and wardrobe to share with you. These are the “outtakes.”

05/08/2023

More from today’s car show. A gorgeous 1936 Plymouth. My favorite year for art deco / art moderne styling!

05/08/2023

A few highlights from my local town car show today. Here’s a very rare 1926 Paige four door sedan. With its original grey mohair interior!

19/07/2023

Hi everyone! I'm excited to share that I've just created my first post on Substack.

Please take a look — and if you are interested — subscribe to my Substack feed for more.
It's free. It will always be free.

Thanks!
Michael Hennessey

It's not science. It's not even a secret.

29/06/2023

Telephone in place. Now, if I can just decide which desk lamp to use.

26/05/2023

Getting ready for the season!

28/04/2023

Just got these late 30s early 40s DIY woodworking plan booklets today. Which piece should I try to build first?

17/03/2023

Just got this yesterday! I’ve been looking for a complete copy of this 1933 “Balanced Recipes” aluminum encased, ultra deco moderne recipe book by . Can’t wait to dive into some of these! #1933

21/01/2023

Once, these components literally reverberated with the sound of words and music of an era gone by. Glass, wire, metal, and phenolic resin all carefully crafted to allow the expressions of life to be received by those people who lived here before us. Aged now with strata layers of dust marking decades of stillness. I will make these base elements hum and crackle with life once again.

14/01/2023

Just finished this refurbishment of a 1937 Readrite Model 430 vacuum tube tester. Works like a treat!

05/01/2023

Feast your eyes on what may be one of the last functional coin operated pay telephones in North America.

20/12/2022

A surprise in the parking lot of the local grocery store! Nice 1938 Packard “Junior” sedan. Didn’t get to meet the owner unfortunately.

02/12/2022

While recently picking up a 1935 Philco radio project I was offered an Atwater Kent model 38 radio basically for free. The Model E2 speaker I sourced separately. This radio was the iPod of its day, wireless radio in the comfort of your 1927 living room with “one dial” control. That was a big deal in an era when home radio was still pretty new. Right now, this radio chassis is a mess. Should be fun!

07/11/2022

Amazing what a little hot water, dish soap, and perseverance can do. Here’s that 1937 Philco radio cabinet again after a good scrubbing. Removing the dial bezel showed what the original finish looked like. These are notoriously difficult to restore since the face is not veneer, but a “photo finish” of burl woods. It’s easy to go too far with chemicals and take the finish off permanently! I finally realized what the pin holes in the speaker area were. They’re holes from tacks - someone put up photos over the speaker grille. Perhaps a favorite crooner? Or a swing band?

05/11/2022

Just arrived today! A 1937 Philco radio “shell” that will house my Sonos One speaker very nicely. I will restore the cabinet first, then place the speaker inside. Plenty of room and easily removable should I find a chassis to restore the radio completely. Stay tuned!

30/09/2022

Thought I’d share a few labels from part of my 1930s-1940s tie collection. I love the vintage brands, old haberdashery shops, and long lost department store names. I also seem to own a lot of rayon.

29/09/2022

So much of what I love about vintage attire are in the little details. Bold socks paired with neutrals are one I especially like to wear.

11/09/2022

She turns 75 today! My 1947 Studebaker Champion convertible rolled off the assembly line in South Bend, Indiana on September 11, 1947. Happy Birthday!

19/08/2022

Finding great mid century inspiration in vintage theme music. I find it a great way to get into the mood of the past. This one from 1955, “The Man with Two Heads” completely evokes that society pushing boundaries with a Hitchcock-esque, Saul Bass title sequence design feel. #1955

25/07/2022

Your great-grandfather wanted you to have this… when you were old enough. But what is it? An early lightsaber? An electric cake knife? A high-voltage fly swatter? Feel free to comment with your guesses. Stumped? Keep an eye out for the answer in my “Objects of Mystery” video series coming soon!

15/07/2022

Announcing the "How To" Instructional Film series, presented by Déjà Vu Industries in cooperation with the Vintage Life Society's Institute of Arcane and Obsolete Skills.
This first film demonstrates "How To" Use A Fountain Pen.

Déjà Vu Industries presents, "How To," a series of instructional films that feature everyday skills and knowledge of the early to mid-20th century.Instructio...

28/05/2022

Got my favorite shirt on today. Ready to take the Studebaker out to the local car show.

01/03/2022

Celebrating this first day of in 2022 with a tribute to all the women who make up the foundation of my own ancestry and identity. It is with a sense of pride and honor that I recognize and share the history and unique lives of these women - along with women everywhere.

23/12/2021

Time to bring out the finery for a clean and polish! These “Little Forks” circa 1960 are my holiday favorites for charcuterie, olives, sugar plums, or what have you.

20/12/2021

Brought another vintage watch back to life! Here’s a 1930s “Para” tank watch with an NOS leather strap. This watch has fixed lugs, so you need a one piece strap. Keeps pretty good time, too! Gained only 1 minute in 12 hours!

10/12/2021

A few Edwardian rarities from my collection. These are Silk Shield Bow ties from circa 1910. Worn with a turn-down collar, these are silk bows with a wire backing that clip onto your collar button. The Sears Roebuck Spring 1910 Catalog shows them at 5 cents each. Just the thing when you must dress in a hurry!