5 questions with Joseph from CarnivalOfTheManiac on etsy | Antiques & Vintage Collectibles | Scoop.it

Creatively conjured and vintage paraphernalia with a heavy lean towards mens suits and blazers, thick plastic eyeglasses and sunglasses, boots boots and more boots, oddball and kitsch housewares, mid century modern treasures, and various forms of travel and utility bags. 

 

1. How did you get into vintage?

It was a combination of many things. A love of fashion, of course. A love of the past to the point of pathological nostalgia. A love of a time when things that were made better, made with more care, etc. On top of all of that, I grew up in a flea market going/selling family, so I was aware of and OK with second hand wares. And of course, it's always about a girl. It was a girlfriend I had when I was 16 that first got me going to thrift stores. 

 

2. What is your favourite vintage item and how did you acquire it?
Isn't that like asking a parent to pick their favorite son or daughter? I could list at least 20 things off the top of my head, but the first that came to mind is a 1930s custom made tuxedo jacket that fits me like a glove and will never be for sale. 


3. How did you come by the shop name? And is there a meaning to it?
The shop name was born out of my photographic experiments with self portraiture, documentation, and exploitation. Long before I was a peddler of vintage goods, I was an avid photographer, using mainly my Flickr account to showcase whatever it was that I was doing. This is the photo that started it all. NSFW.

www.flickr.com/photos/boristheblade/133171055/

If you look through my photos, you will see much mania, many maniacs, and certainly a strong connection to the carnies of the past.


4. Your shop has a very distinct atmosphere and presentation. How do you go about creating that environment for your customers?

Again, it is all an extension of the photography. I can't really explain it - it's just who I am. For better and for worse, I couldn't do it any other way. I am an apprehensive showman with a penchant for the absurd and the dramatic.

5. What is it about Etsy?

It's easy, it's cheap, it's massive, and it's not eBay!

 

Make sure to spread the love and check out Joseph´s links:

 

website // flickr