{MADE}:: Puffins that look like penguins

I mentioned briefly that a friend and I wanted to start making things again and so we are holding each other accountable for this. Well, we decided on making FIVE things this week. This is my first of the five... it's going to be a loooong week!

I decided to play around in Illustrator today and this is what came out of my head... 

Hunted:: Gathered: 06/25/11

I wasn't planning on having a themed thrifting week but in the end it turned out to be PLASTICS. I'll start off with my grumpy old man, who isn't plastic, but had so much character that I had to bring him home to join my circus of wooden figurines.

I also found a nice little stepping stool (in the form of dice) because he is a wee fellow. I'm thinking he'll be the ringmaster for my circus of wooden toys.

If you haven't done so already, take a look at the highlight of my week here. After finding the chair I continued to one more thrift where I found a large stash of Heller-ware. It was just one of those great thrifting days.

One of the Heller pieces is a cleverly designed pitcher. I had to take a picture of the top so you could really appreciate the design.

The lid is notched at the top so that you can slip your finger in when pouring so that the lid doesn't fall. I love how it continues the groove of the handle.

... and then here is the rest of the blue stash of Heller. A platter, dinner plates, lunch plates, bowls and cups!

That's not all. Earlier in the week I found a few more dinner plates as well. Sitting atop the plates is a set of espresso cups and saucers designed by LaGardo Tackett for Schmid.

I found a mixing bowl or dough rising bowl designed by Arne Darnell for Perstorp. I love the sinuous shape of the handles...

...and a large Rosti mixing bowl.

I also caved in this week and bought some Pyrex. I was trying really hard not to add another set of items to collect but I couldn't resist. They reminded me of the Copco dutch ovens which I really really love. I was surprised when I turned them over and found that they were Pyrex! So here are my Pyrex Hostess Casseroles.

One of the things I loved the most about this weeks finds were all of the bright colors. They are just perfect for summer! They certainly bring cheer to my home.

I tried to keep it short and sweet this week. I have so many things I need to work on and a friend and I have also decided to hold each other accountable for some design projects. I'll let you know how those go!

Don't worry though, I'll still be popping by to take a peek at your finds!

Pairing up this week with Sophie and Selena and

I hope you do too!

It's Aloha Friday... {DoD}

TIME TO GET THOSE FEET DIRTY! ( OR JUST PLAY IN THE SAND)

I also had to make these little guys to attend Dwell on Design...

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Eye of the Tiger...

It was a friday afternoon. I was running some errands for the boy (buying bike food) while he was at work and decided to swing by the nearby thrifts. I only happen to go to these thrifts when he needs bike food because they are located on the far side of town. I also hadn't been having much luck at them recently.

It just so happened that it was 50% day. Alright time to find some goodies! I made my way around the furniture section out front and saw a really fabulous rustic coffee table... already SOLD. Oh well. I was walking around the housewares section, always keeping an eye out for some Ulthima Thule. No luck. I went through the plastics section and found one thing which I'll reveal in the week's roundup. *This post is dedicated to a solitary find. *

I continued making my way around the store and ended up at the back, where the books are along with the large exercise equipment. There, next to the exercise machines, I saw a chair. It was low lying, made of teak and very much in a Danish style. I went to take a closer look but it didn't have a price tag. Oh no, someone in this store has beat me to it! I waited around (like a tiger stalking his prey) and saw an employee walking towards the chair along with a couple. He was going to help them with the purchase... did they buy it? Turns out they bought the exercise machine next to it. Phew. I continued waiting around to see if someone would take the chair but alas nobody did. I asked an employee if he knew about the chair and why it didn't have a price tag. What a helpful fellow, he asked his manager and then he got on the loud speaker and asked if anyone had the price tag for the chair. Nobody did! Yay! The manager then came by and told me the price tag was taken off since the time they brought the chair out the night before. That's odd. In any case, since nobody bought it he told me the price of the chair was $50, since it was 50% off Friday it would end up being $25. "Was I interested? ", he asked. Heck yeah!

I always wanted a Danish style lounge chair and for $25 it couldn't be beat. I failed to mention that the chair was wrapped in plastic so I couldn't thoroughly inspect it. I looked underneath and everywhere you could think of to find a mark but didn't find one. I figured it was a chair reproduction from Plummer's because the wood seemed to be in pretty good shape. The upholstery didn't look original and needed to be replaced too. It was also really light which I found odd. However, it was $25... what more could I ask for. I paid for the chair, had someone put it in my car and off I went.

The boy called me to see where I was and what I was up to. I told him I found a chair. A chair, that in my mind made up for an amazing mid-century sale that I was going to miss the following day. You see, we had already committed to a father's day bike ride. Even though the boy isn't a father yet we wanted to go. 

When I got home I started unwrapping the chair. I took off the bottom cushion and found a mark. No Way! That's always a good sign. However, I didn't recognize the mark. Blasphemous, I know! So off I went searching on the interwebs for France + Teak + Mark. What do I find? It is the manufacturer France & Sons of Denmark. Sweet, an authentic Danish chair! So I continued searching with my new bit of information and what did I find... the chair that I thought was a reproduction is actually a chair designed by one of the most notable Danish designers, Finn Juhl! Holy smokes!!

This certainly makes up for missing the sale the following day (the boy actually wanted me to go but due to the high publicity of the sale I didn't want to fight off any hardcore dealers). 

Lo and behold my find: (sorry for the bad pics but I'll re-photograph when I have the new upholstered cushions)

These folks found two of them 3 years ago, at $10 each!!

Just look at the thoughtful detail at the end of the armrest.

... and look at the soft curves and the beautiful color of the teak.

 

You see where the mark is? It was hidden underneath the cushions! Since I love anything teak, MCM or Scandinavian this is like finding the Holy Grail. Unfortunately the boy wants me to sell it as does la familia. The only way I would even *think* about selling it is if it was to have money for my papa bear chair. Wouldn't you agree?

As far as the cushions are concerned, I'd like to get some distressed leather upholstery like so...

 

What do you think?

Lessons Learned: 
1. Don't assume that a large item is sold because it doesn't have a price tag.
2. It doesn't matter at what time of day you go to a thrift store, you may just be lucky that day!
3. Maybe there is such a thing as Good Karma.
4. There are still GREAT deals to be had.

Good Karma... maybe. Luck... definitely!

For those who read my Good Deals post, you may recall the Russel Wright tumbler set that I had mentioned. Well, the following morning I contacted the seller and told them what they had. Later in the day I found an item that even I couldn't believe. I am working on telling you the whole story but for now I'll just include a little teaser since I know you love them so.

Clue 1: It's a piece of furniture.

Clue 2: It's made in Denmark.

Clue 3: The name of the manufacturer rhymes with Trance & Nuns (you make part of it out from the label)

Hunted:: Gathered: 06/12/11 Part II

Hey thrifting friends, this is part II of my finds for last week. I decided to (try to) take a week off from thrifting but that didn't last the whole week. My poor little apartment needed a break. The boy needed a break too but in the end I am glad I went out! I'll be sharing that next week! I used the time earlier in the week to work on some of the lingering projects that I have. Status on those... still working on them.

Without much ado, here are the rest of my finds:

I found this wonderful abstract exhibition poster for Esteban Vicente printed by the Andre Emmerich Gallery. Andre Emmerich hosted several exhibitions for Esteban Vicente and this one was held in 1965. He was a big proponent of abstract art in New York City and apparently had one of the most extensive archives of the pieces that went through his gallery.

I found a Mid-Century Danish game called Roll-ette. It was designed by Skjode Knudsen. I am missing the rosewood balls that are used to score points for the game but I didn't know what it was at the time. You can read the instructions here. Short end... you spin the rosewood top and score points according to the where the balls fall into.

I went to a local rummage sale where all of the household items were 25 cents unless otherwise marked. There I found this Dansk decanter... and walked out without the teak stopper. The cashier forgot to pack it when she was wrapping up the glass. :( Since it was close to home I went back and they were holding it for me. :)

... and this beautiful combination Salt and Pepper shaker designed by Dan Droz. I originally thought this was just a pepper grinder but luckily one of the ladies behind the pay table exclaimed that it was a combination shaker that was 'very popular in the '70s'.The top piece (that looks like a button at this angle) pops off so you can pour in the salt. The knob on the front pops off for the pepper and voila...

... and this cute little 'feeder' (for people). It was such a charming hand blown piece that I couldn't just let it sit there. I did not know what it was at first but I imagined putting a cute little terrarium in there or even using it as a creamer. Well, after some research I found that it is 'the feeder' (for people). They suggested using it for candy, sugar, peanuts or even as a desk organizer. It was manufactured by the M.E. Duncan Co. You can see the box and other uses for it here. If I had the larger one I would love to use it as a creamer and sugar set. For now it works perfectly with my pistachios, you get the perfect handful.

I hadn't found any more bisque porcelain items in a while so I was pretty excited when I saw this. It is from the Do Not Litter line for Rosenthal. The line also includes ceramic crumpled bags and milk cartons. I think it's pretty clever and the boy happens to like this one too.

... and this sweet little hand painted trinket box that was made in Mexico.

What better than to find a mod brooch to go in the little trinket box. This is a sterling silver brooch by Orb (Otto Robert Bade).

That wraps up my goodies... What did YOU find?

Check out all of the amazing finds at Sophie's !

New link up this week with: 

It's Aloha Friday...

In the spirit of Aloha, I did a good deed today. After all, do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.

I HOPE YOU DO TOO. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Good Deals

During my scouring of ebay I think I've found a hidden gem. If anyone liked the hippos from my recent finds then you should check this link out! For only one day left the price is low and the number of views is low too. If you bid, let me know how it goes!

and on etsy... I've found a sweet set of what look to be Russel Wright eclipse tumblers. A set of 7 for $40... I think it's pretty good.  I couldn't take the guilt... I told the seller what they had. After all, we all continue to learn in this biz. Sorry folks!

via oldluxe

check it out here!

{ MADE }:: When in Rome ...

experimenting with lines

...angel on the bridge leading to castel s. angelo in Rome

Hunted:: Gathered: 06/12/11 Part I

IT'S A DOGGY-DOG WORLD  (love Modern Family)


Hey fellow thifters! I hope everyone had a great week this week. My week's adventures were like that of a comedy film. It all started early on a Saturday morning. I had planned a route of garage sales. Well, I happened to find one just around in my neighborhood as I was headed to the first place. Of course I had to stop by. I didn't find anything there but as I was leaving I found a little white fluffy dog wandering the streets. She looked lost. I pulled over and got out of my car. I walked over to her, close enough for her to be curious but far enough as to not scare her away. I kneeled down and called to her. She hesitated and then walked over to me. She was a friendly little thing. She didn't have a collar and her coat was heavily matted.

I picked her up and put her in my car. What was I going to do with her? I hadn't figured that out yet. Since it was early I decided to go to a couple of the sales I had planned out. I drive a HondaFit and the backseats were folded down so she had free reign over the entire back of the car. I arrived at the first place which happened to be a hoarder's estate sale. There were tons of vintage furniture, lamps, suitcases and other housewares. I saw a few things but didn't get them because I was worried about the furry little girl. I made my way back to my car only to find her sitting in the driver's seat!

As I drove around I had the back windows open. I love seeing dogs sticking their heads out the window enjoying the ride and this little girl was no different. It warmed my heart. I went to another estate sale and this one was filled with promise. The lady who lived here loved crafting and hippos, and I thought I loved hippos. There were several tables filled with all of the possible hippo figurines you could ever imagine. The walls were riddled with hippo prints, cartoons and paintings. Hippos were everywhere! I was tempted by a couple of the figurines but ultimately decided to leave them.

As I tried to quickly make my way around the house I got stuck in your usual estate sale traffic jam and was next to a bookshelf. That is where I found these two lovely teak hippos. 

I had seen the Zoo-line hippos before and I thought these were them but I didn't see a mark. I loved them regardless. I had seen the lady hippo before but I had never paid attention to her pearl earrings. How fun are they? Upon further inspection at home I found that the lady hippo has the Zoo-line copyright and the male one has a J.V. Orel copyright. The Zoo-line hippos don't typically have the drilled holes in them like my male one does. I'm assuming that it is J.V. Orel's contribution to the line since I've seen other adapted figurines by him that hold cocktail utensils/ desk accessories. There was a third hippo but she was in bad shape so I left her behind. After buying these I went back to the car to check on the little girl and she was in the driver's seat... AGAIN!

It was getting close to the time that most businesses open so I needed to find a way to take her to the local no-kill animal shelter. The problem was that I didn't remember how to get there! The boy was on a bike-ride so I couldn't call him to tell him to look it up. Well, I did what any thrifter would do. I went to the local Goodwill and asked one of the ladies at the register. Luckily one of them knew where it was and I wasn't too far from it. Phew.

I arrived at the shelter and asked them to check her for a microchip. No Microchip. I then told them the story and they proceeded to tell me that they don't take dogs in until Tuesday. That is when she would be checked out by a Vet. and Behavioral Specialist. I start to panic because I never thought I'd be bringing her home with me. They ask me if I can keep her till then and I say yes even though I am trying to figure out how I am going to get away with it. (My apartment complex has a strict pet deposit and monthly pet rent.) What else was I supposed to do? Luckily they were more than willing to provide me with a pet kennel, dog food and a leash. Off she goes with me again, this time in the kennel.

I was on my way home when the boy called me and asked me what I was up to and where I was. How am I going to explain this one?! I tell him where I am and that I've picked up a dog. I heard the shock and disbelief in his voice when he asked "You did what?". I told him that I was on my way to the other no-kill shelter to see if they could take her and he breathed a sigh of relief. Turned out they didn't want to take her. Home we went. The boy was there as he had just gotten back from his bike ride. He saw that I didn't have the dog with me and asked if the shelter took her in. I told him that she was in the car. I grabbed a really quick snack because by that point I was starving. He walked down with me to take a look at her and I could tell that he liked her. She jumped all over him and gave him kisses. I briefly imagined the time when we would get one of our own. As a final resort I decided to drive by the area where I found her. A few kids were playing outside and I asked them if they recognized her. One of them said "yes, I think that's princess". He pointed me in the direction of her home and I knocked on the door. It turned out the owners didn't even know she was missing. They thanked me and I left. Meanwhile I was left wondering if I did the right thing. She was matted, she didn't have a microchip or collar, they didn't know she was missing and who knows if she is up to date with her shots. I tried to be positive and reasoned that she did seem like a happy little girl and that she was better off there than at the shelter.

Sorry about the doggy story but I haven't had a doggy in years and so I treasured those few chaotic hours with Princess. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

I ended up going back to the hoarder estate sale and brought home a rocker and ottoman set that was designed by Takeshi Nii in 1958. Since the chair was outside I had no idea of the smell that it had until I drove around with it. It was the 'my cats have done their business all over it' smell. I picked it up as a restoration project. I thought it just needed some deep cleaning and conditioning but boy is it turning out to be complicated. Some of the screws need to be replaced but I can't even find them online! I've taken the chair apart and scrubbed the canvas over and over and still can't manage to eliminate some of the stains. Does anyone have any suggestions? Does Oxyclean work miracles?

I also bought a HUGE painting and a couple of vintage suitcases. That's my queen headboard at the bottom for reference.

The blue and gray suitcase are the latest acquisitions. They are perfect for hoarding storing the goodies I bring home.

Would you have said no to this beautiful decanter? I really should have but I have high hopes for this baby.

That's it for this week. Now it's your turn and you can do so here if you haven't already:

It's Aloha Friday...

In tribute to the boy and I's time in Hawaii several years ago...

Driving Around The Big Island- Waimea (Paniolo Country)

... and if you've never heard the song.

  Have a great weekend!!

Designer Love... {Eva Zeisel}

I've been endlessly debating about starting a designer series that includes spotlights on some of my favorite designers. I figured I would at least do one and so I chose one of my absolute favorites... Eva Zeisel.

Eva Stricker (Zeisel) was born in Budapest in 1906. In 1923, she began her painting studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest. During her studies, her mother convinced her to learn a trade and so Eva began an apprenticeship with a traditional potter.

In 1928, she designed several dinnerware pieces for Schramberg. Pat Moore, a member of Modish (a great source) published a book on Zeisel's work for Schramberg.

In 1938, she moved to New York as a newlywed with husband Hans Zeisel. The following year she begins teaching at the Pratt Institute and creates a curriculum for Industrial Ceramics. She creates designs that are manufactured by Universal Potteries, Castleton China and Red Wing to name a few.

Town and Country Line via British Museum

The shmoo that I have is unmarked but the shape is so unique and recognizable that I knew what it was right away. I found it at an antique store for .50 because it was unmarked and didn't have its pair.

Town and Country shaker for Red Wing- shmoo (schmoo)

One of the lines that I haven't been able to gather much information on is the one for Monmouth Pottery. This blog features a 1954 article on some of her pieces for them. You can also see some of the pieces here at Modish.

Eva Zeisel for Monmouth Pottery

I found a shaker that has the form of her Pals line for monmouth but it does not look like the blueberry glaze to me. It actually looks like one of the glazes for Red Wing. I also found this one (at the same antique store as the shmoo shaker) for a mere .50! It took me ages to figure out what it was but I thought the shape was really neat and the price was just unbeatable.

Eva Zeisel- Hallcraft Classic Century

 

One of the lines that I've been lucky to get my hands on is the Classic Century Dinnerware for Hallcraft. It was originally designed in 1952. In 2004, it was re-launched by Royal Stafford and is carried by Crate & Barrel. That alone should be a testament to the beauty and understated elegance of the set.

Luckily for me, I found a 32 piece set in pristine condition at a local Goodwill. The thrifting gods were looking over me because I had never been to this Goodwill and the only reason I went that day was because I dropped the boy off for a bike ride. I was looking through the housewares section and I always look at the white dinnerware. I liked the shape of one of the serving bowls and so I picked it up. When I turned it over I almost fell over with excitement, not only because I read Eva Zeisel but because it also read set of 31! I momentarily panicked because I didn't have a basket. Well, somehow I managed to carry all (32 not 31) of them to the register.

Later in the year I came across a hard to find 4 part relish dish in the Sunglow Pattern. The line is Classic Century for Hallcraft. If you feel so inclined, I would take a gander at some of her patterns for Hallcraft. They are quite stunning. 

I love her work so much that when I was browsing craigslist for her stuff I found the large set above listed in the Bay Area. The price was unbelievable and I immediately sent an email to a dear friend of mine about the find. Luckily, she was in the market for a tableware set and snagged it right up!

She also made designs for the Riverside Ceramics Company, United China & Glass, Sears, Clover Box Co., Salisbury Artisans, Federal Glass Co. and so on. You can see a complete chronology of her life and work here.

I badly want to find this book at a thrift!

It is nearly impossible for me to cover all of her work because I haven't even seen most of it. She is one designer that I continuously pursue. She has an incredibly extensive body of work that continues to amaze me. She is over 100 years old and continues to work and inspire. As a result, she was awarded a lifetime achievement award in 2005 by the Cooper-Hewitt.


You can see some of her pieces at UNICA, Klein Reid, The Rug Company, The Orange Chicken, Crate and Barrel and Design Within Reach.

My only hope is that after reading this you have added one more designer to your list of notable designers. You can continue learning about her through the various links that I've provided. If you have anything to add please feel free to comment below. If you want to share some insight on some of your favorite designers I would love to hear it!

Information was extracted from the Eva Zeisel Forum and MODish.

Hunted:: Gathered 06/05/11

THE ADVENTURES OF SHARK SCARF WEEK!

Hey lovelies, I hope you've had a great week. I know I did even though I spent a lot of my time preparing for an interview. I managed to do some thrifting earlier in the week and so I have some goodies to share. I hope you enjoy them!

I found these two beautiful cotton Vera Scarves. The red one has a silk? detailing/threading along the edges which is a nice subtle detail but I have to say that I just LOVE the black and white one. I don't know what it is about black and white and geometric patterns but they get me all the time! The dots gradate in sizes from one corner to the other.

I found another Vera Scarf that is a rayon/silk blend. This one still had the vintage Nordstrom price tag on it! The scarf was priced at $6.00 originally but was marked down to $2.90. Oh to buy scarves at those prices nowadays!

If you're curious, there is a fabulous blog post by the Vera Company that helps to date vintage Vera Neumann scarves. I believe mine are from the late '60s to early '70s.

Continuing with scarf week, I found a vintage Diane Von Furstenberg scarf that also has a gradated pattern. This one has green squares that expand to almost a solid fill pattern towards the middle. Look at that leopard that would be crawling up your back or side, how wild!

Last but not least (for scarves), I found a Richard Allan scarf with a beautiful flower pattern. The pattern reminds me a lot of Oh Joy!'s wallpaper design for Hygge & West. The colors are splendid and it feels oh so luxurious!

This week I acquired my first piece of Weller Pottery. It isn't nearly as 'valuable' as their typical pieces. It seems that a lot of the utilitarian pieces created by well-known potteries don't command the same prices as the 'art pottery' pieces do. It is something to keep in mind if you plan on reselling them. I must say though that I really enjoy the cradle on this casserole. I love the Art Nouveau Styling of the handles.

I'm excited to share this next piece because I love enamelware! Even though this piece has some damage on the lid I could not pass it up. Due to finding my first Finel piece, I knew what the bottom of their pans looked like so I had an idea of what it was even though it was not stamped. I also knew I had seen the same style of handle on the lid before. I had to do some research when I got home but it is always nice to have some idea of where to start. It turns out that this piece is designed by Seppo Mallat for Arabia/ Finel. I just love the teak handle on this baby!

In keeping with the enamelware, I found a couple of fun colored enamel bowls. One is in a bright yellow and the other in a great teal. Did you know that these bowls come with a detachable handle? Neither did I! Unfortunately mine did not have the handle and for the life of me I can't remember where I read about it so I can't even link to it. Don't you just hate it when that happens!

I also found some more LP's, I'm temporarily hooked! I just had to pick up The Cure's Quadpus there on the top left. The LP on the top right is another album with the cover design by S Neil Fujita. *(update) I believe the bottom two are designed by Sam Suliman.*

This last LP has a cover designed by Barbara Brown/Peters. Like Josef Albers and Gerry Olin, she designed album covers for Command Records under the direction of Charles E. Murphy. There was an Exhibition in New York at the end of 2009 which included several notable album covers by the aforementioned designers. You can take a look at them here.

Also, if you enjoy album cover designs then just take a look at this Flickr profile, they have so much eye candy... its incredible! I love Phillip Glass and I'd never seen his album covers. They are amazing as well!

*I know that I throw a lot of random names out there. I promise I will get around to making posts about particular designers with larger samples of their work. *

I'll be linking up with two lovely ladies again and I'll be popping around to see what you've found!