RARE beauties: VotePalantine, GTS fork, Redoodle, LillaRose

**-Aithne-** · June 7th, 2023, 03:51 PM

Congratulations on the unicorn, too, Calaelen! That's so cool you managed to find it!

...please tell us about it! I don't know anything about VotePalantines...and you know so much...and I love reading what you write about hair toys *wide eyes and big smile* I tried to look up what a "palantine" was but couldn't figure it out.

**Calaelen** · June 7th, 2023, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by -Aithne-

Congratulations on the unicorn, too, Calaelen! That's so cool you managed to find it!

...please tell us about it! I don't know anything about VotePalantines...and you know so much...and I love reading what you write about hair toys *wide eyes and big smile* I tried to look up what a "palantine" was but couldn't figure it out.

I am not sure of the meaning of the name either. I thought it was a star wars reference for some time, but discovered that's Palpatine.. lmao. (Do not like Star Wars movies. I have tried NUMEROUS times over the years. It's a definite nope. Boring to the point that I am unable to pay attention.)

The shop was active in 2010 ish time period for not a very long time. A year? Two maximum. I was active here at the time, and lucky enough to see the shop active, and full of this glorious stuff. I purchased one stick directly from the shop, with the intention of getting MORE. She was hugely popular because she chose such highly grained, beautiful woods, and used them to their full advantage in very unique designs that were hers. I don't think I have ever seen an artist who worked wood as she did. Every piece looked like the most perfect cuts to enhance the grain were worked into it. No one imagined she'd be going anywhere, because she was so popular, and the shop thriving, so I let my one stick go(the shop was still active at the time), probably to fund some other hairtoy I wanted more, at that moment

(I had a big turnover for some time.) I regretted letting it go almost as soon as I'd shipped it, though, and I was not able to get my hands on another piece that would fit properly, until now!!

The design for this particular style (fork in the listing) was copied exactly by a shop that seems to have some sort of multi production line going on. I am not sure of the exact situation, but multiple people make the items in larger quantities, with lower quality woods, and they're sold cheaply. This shop still sells them...

When the artist behind VotePalantine, who was the creator of the design, discovered this, she made a single post about it, and closed her shop permanently. To my knowledge she has never returned to making hair accessories.

After a couple of years, it became very rare to see one available here, and their value shot up by a large margin, becoming a unicorn piece, or highly coveted/collected by many.

**lakhesis** · June 8th, 2023, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by Calaelen

I am not sure of the meaning of the name either. I thought it was a star wars reference for some time, but discovered that's Palpatine.. lmao. (Do not like Star Wars movies. I have tried NUMEROUS times over the years. It's a definite nope. Boring to the point that I am unable to pay attention.)

The shop was active in 2010 ish time period for not a very long time. A year? Two maximum. I was active here at the time, and lucky enough to see the shop active and full of this glorious stuff. I purchased one stick directly from the shop, with the intention of getting MORE. She was hugely popular because she chose such highly grained, beautiful woods, and used them to their full advantage in very unique designs that were hers. I don't think I have ever seen an artist who worked wood as she did, every piece looked like the most perfect cuts to enhance the grain were worked into it. No one imagined she'd be going anywhere because she was so popular and the shop thriving, so I let my one stick go(the shop was still active at the time), probably to fund some other hairtoy I wanted more that moments.9 of of

(I had a big turnover for some time.) I regretted letting it go almost as soon as I'd shipped it though, and I was not able to get my hands on another piece that would fit properly, until now!!

The design for this particular style (fork in the listing) was copied exactly by a shop that seems to have some sort of multi production line going on. I am not sure of the exact situation, but multiple people make the items in larger quantities, with lower quality woods, and they're sold cheaply. This shop still sells them...

When the artist behind VotePalantine, who was the creator of the design, discovered this, she made a single post about it, and closed her shop permanently. To my knowledge she has never returned to making hair accessories.

After a couple of years it became very rare to see one available here, and their value shot up by a large margin, becoming a unicorn piece or highly coveted/collected by many.

I didnt know about the story of the shop at all, interesting. I love that the piece found its way to you Calaelen!

**KokotheHen** · June 8th, 2023, 02:35 PM

Congrats Calaelen, I’m so happy that you got one of your unicorns!!!

I wasn’t around into hair care yet when the shop was active, but it sure was interesting to read the story behind it!

**-Aithne-** · June 9th, 2023, 10:57 AM

*waves at Calaelen and KokotheHen* I haven't "seen" you guys since the swap *smilies* Thank you for writing about it, Calaelen! I find LHC and hairtoy history so cool! It's so sad that the lady's stuff is so beautiful and different but she closed shop so quickly. I understand that it hurts to have her stuff ripped off, though. I like the way you write. It sounds so mystical at the end "never returned" and "after a couple of years it became very rare to see one..."*dreamy sigh* Like "LHC Lore"...

I did find her shop, though. Thanks to people who left reviews, I can drool over her stuff. I had never seen Spalted Elm Wood or Sugar Elm Wood before and it looks really cool! I have just learned that I love cold colored white wood with lines XD Can you just imagine a Gothic arch made out of one of those with greenish blue inlay *dreamy sigh* Oh *wakes from reverie* I mean, I can see what you mean by "perfect cuts"!

The top looks like the top of a slime from Final Fantasy

It's super cute. The off centered middle of the top of the prongs design she uses is very stylish, too. Maybe she'll see these posts and come back...*daydreams*

**KokotheHen** · June 9th, 2023, 12:57 PM

*Waves and smiles back* Its so nice seeing you too, Aithne! I took a break from posting here for a while but I’m glad to see my internet friends from the winter swap!!

**lunasea** · June 9th, 2023, 07:07 PM

Hi Calaelen! I have been ridiculously busy and haven't been on this site forever. It is so good to see that you are still around and that you got something that you really wanted. I got really happy when I read that. This thread makes me feel hugely guilty though. I have at least a half dozen of her pieces that I never wear these days 'cause they are two big for my hair. A couple of them are really early pieces that were altered because her first stuff had no head curve and was very thick. One additional piece you wouldn't even know it was hers but I found the listing in her shop ages ago so I know it is. Plus a pair of matching forks. Anyway, if I had a hot minute in my life I would list them, but doing things like packing stuff up and getting to the post office is just impossible for me these days.

**Willowyn** · June 9th, 2023, 08:27 PM

Hi Calaelen!! I read through this thread as fast as I could, hoping you'd be the lucky one. Such a gorgeous fork, and to know it's going to someone who knows the background and will treasure it....well, that's just perfect. Congratulations!!

(Also, hello to Lunasea and everyone else out here. So nice to see some familiar names.)

**Calaelen** · June 12th, 2023, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Willowyn

Hi Calaelen!! I read through this thread as fast as I could, hoping you'd be the lucky one. Such a gorgeous fork, and to know it's going to someone who knows the background and will treasure it....well, that's just perfect. Congratulations!!

(Also, hello to Lunasea and everyone else out here. So nice to see some familiar names.)

Hiya Willowyn!
Thank you for thinking of me, and for the congrats

so many have been so kind, first AspenSong, for messaging me through Facebook with a heads up (otherwise I wouldn't be the lucky one), and then everyone who has popped in with congratulations that I managed to get it.

I promise action shots with these pretties once they arrive!

I hope you're well Willowyn