Who We Are

Vintage Virtue sells an eclectic range of vintage knick-knacks, costume jewelry, and collectibles, including the widest variety of owl-themed vintage items online.

Vintage Virtue originated when I inherited my grandmother's extensive collection of owls. She was passionate about collecting owls of every shape, size, and type, from owl salt and pepper shakers to owl light switch covers to owl brooches and everything in between. Her home was a celebration of all things owls. I was honored to become the caretaker of the collection she treasured. I became an owl convert as I cataloged and researched the items in her collection. The sheer breadth and scope of owl items and styles were overwhelming, and the iconic and whimsical nature of owls themselves was too much to resist.

I began collecting owl-themed items myself, and friends and family started buying me owl-related gifts; I had become "The Owl Lady." As my collection grew, I felt it become more than I could appreciate, and it seemed selfish to keep these beautiful treasures in storage, so I decided to share the love and pass on the gift my grandmother had bestowed upon me to the world. In 2009 I began selling a small selection of owl items on Etsy as "The Owl Lady," and the timing couldn't be better as owls started to make a trend comeback. The shop was an almost instant success, and in 2010 my mother-in-law asked if I could help her thin out her collection of 20th-century housewares and collectibles that had taken over her attic and basement, and a second Etsy shop called "Ruth's Attic" was born.

Both shops successfully ran on Etsy until 2014, when I decided it was time to consolidate the inventory and establish a single shop outside Etsy, officially rebranding as Vintage Virtue. While the shop has expanded beyond owl-only items, the core of Vintage Virtue will always be a love for anything owl-themed. As such, we have the widest selection of owl-related items available.

Today, we scour thrift shops, flea markets, garage sales, and estate sales and get referrals to find quality, unique pieces. Since we source our collectibles from various places, we can bring you a vast and remarkable range of items.

Welcome to Vintage Virtue!

Amy Mortensen
Founder, Vintage Virtue