Hunted:: Gathered: 06/10/12

Yikes! Since I missed posting last week I have a backlog of items to share with you. Trust me, I'm not complaining because the thrifting has finally picked up in my neck of the woods. I was beginning to think that 2011 was an anomaly and that my thrift luck had just about run out. Boy was I wrong.

For some reason or another, there haven't been many estate sales in my area. Whether it was because of a holiday weekend or because some of the local companies just don't have clients. I don't know. However, this item is from an estate sale as are the next two. This is a beautiful Finnish glass vase designed by Tamara Aladin.

I love these mod wire/ mesh racks. I don't know if it's the simplicity of the design that I like but what I do know is that if I see one, I more oft than not have to pick it up.

I found this great little paper clip letter holder at the same estate. It's kitschy, mod and fantastic.

On my way back from the estate sale I passed by a thrift that I hadn't been to in several months. I usually don't have much luck at this particular one but this time I did. I found this stunning woodblock print by Shodo Kawarazaki. It has several marks in the margins and Bryan from Alamodern was kind enough to help decipher some of them. There are marks from the publisher, the date, as well as the artist's name.

In keeping with the Japanese theme, I found this cute Japanese Cedar bear figurine. He is also signed on one side. I know I referred to this figurine as a bear but I am wondering if this creature has a special meaning because I've seen several similar iterations. Anyone know?

This was one of last week's finds but it has a story that goes along with it. I was doing a usual thrift loop of mine (one I hadn't done in a while because of a transitional car situation) and I stopped by a thrift that is typically hit or miss. I've been at this thrift when they bring out carts of new stuff and the 'regulars' that usually sit by the back waiting for said carts are surely a sight. I stay away from the carts while they push, pull, and trip over each other. This day was no exception. I was in one of the aisles and the commotion had died down so I started making my way to them and then I saw the bowl. My heart sank. It was still sitting there unclaimed and just as I was about to reach for it a little girl put her hand on it to show to her mom. "Dangit", I thought, I just missed out on this bowl by a few seconds! But then, like music to my ears, the mom told her not to touch it and leave it behind. So goes the story of my first Finel bowl find in the wild. I hesitated to put it in the shop and I thought it would sit a bit longer but I listed it and it sold within a couple of days. Goodbye beautiful bowl.

Another first for me is this Ultima Thule sugar bowl. I've always coveted the Ultima Thule finds from other thrifters and for once I found my own! Can you believe this is the first time I've found one of these in the wild?

Lastly, I am finally sharing a piece that I collect. I purchased it from another reseller because sometimes that's what you have to do.

It's a set of salad utensils designed by Michael Lax for Raymor Capri. They are a combination of porcelain and walnut. They are 14" long! It's hard to determine the scale without any objects paired with it so...

I decided to show you how big the ceramic portions are by setting one of my Toikka birds in it. They're huge and I find the scale to be a bit garish but it is what it is. Scale is always a bit tricky when you just have online pictures for reference.

I have plenty more goodies to share with you, but they'll have to wait till next week. What did you find this week? Please do share at Sophie's.

Hunted:: Gathered: 09/04/11

Hey all! I'm a bit late to join the party but I was pooped yesterday and didn't get around to taking photos of my goodies. Yesterday was a pretty good thrifting day... so good that I made two thrift runs! I had planned on only going to one thrift in the morning and then catching up on other things... well, I was so happy with my finds that I decided to push my luck and see if it would continue elsewhere. So here are my goodies from yesterday...

Take a close look at this bowl, at first glance it looks like Cathrineholm. However, it is plastic. This bowl was manufactured by Deka Plastics in New Jersey in the popular lotus pattern for Cathrineholm. It matches my Cathrineholm Dutch oven find from months back. I also picked it up because I wanted to learn more about it. I was completely unaware of a plastic version.

Yesterday I decided to go through the utensil bins and I found a cool cheese planer. It is vintage but in great shape. It was made in Sweden by Karlsson and Nilsson.

This vase has a funny story. Yesterday was not the first time I saw it. The first time I saw it I thought it might be Scandinavian but I wasn't sure. As usual, I snapped a picture of it on my phone and forgot about it. I decided to look through my pictures when I was at home and did a little research. I found out that it was scandinavian... now if I could only remember which thrift I saw it at. Well, we were reunited yesterday. It was half off too! In case you're wondering, this is a Piippu vase and it was designed by Aimo Okkolin for Riihimaki.

How about this cute Vera scarf... I thought the subject matter was too cute.

These are a set of crystal votives that were also around last week at the thrift. I had to snag them up this week. My self- restraint only goes so far! They are in the Sunflower pattern made by Kosta Boda.

I don't know about you but I often overlook items at the thrift. I bring some things home but everyday is a learning experience where one thing gets added into my design vocabulary. For instance, the bowl above had a tag dating it to July. It's been sitting at the thrift all this time... being overlooked by collectors and casual thrifters. I had this bowl along with another one and in my gut I thought they were Iittala. I started looking at the outside of the bowl for a clue from its manufacturing process. This one seemed similar to the Festivo candlesticks that I have. My gut was right! It is the Solaris design by Iittala designed by Tapio Wirkkala. It is no longer in production. Yea!

I like that the pattern looks like radiating rays of light... now if only I could get my hands on some Ultima Thule... I may have to resort to bartering.

Now for my favorite find of the week... just look at that lip for a clue. I saw that lip out of the corner of my eye sitting at the back of the bottom shelf. Luckily for me I was kneeling down to take a look at another item. I knew right away what it was but to be sure I had to turn it over.

Voila! It's an Eva Zeisel platter for Hallcraft. The perfect addition to my current set. I didn't have this size platter so I HAD to have it. It has a chip on the bottom but since I haven't seen any Eva Zeisel in ages I bought it anyway, especially since it matches my existing set. So there you have it, my finds for the week.

I also wanted to thank Ruth Kelly at Dian's Timpanalley for awarding me a blog award. Stay tuned this week to learn seven things about me.

Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!

I'm linking up this week with Sophie and Selena.

Hunted:: Gathered: 07/09/11

Multi-Cultural finds

I don't know if you are all familiar with the show American Pickers, but my finds this week reminded me how much I love name of their shop, Antique Archaeology. It is dead-on. Thrifting (picking) allows us to explore and learn about the history of many cultures through the objects (artifacts) that we find (excavate).

This piece is by Mexican artisan Sigfredo Sigi Pineda. He is better known for his modern jewelry but his wall plaques are also quite stunning. I believe this is a piece from his "Zoomorphic" series and is made of different metals (brass and bronze) as well lapis lazuli (some sources also mention turquoise).

I also found a wee little pot from the Mexican potters of Mata Ortiz. Don't let the picture fool you. It is only 2" tall by 2" wide. Black on black, so subtle yet so captivating. I love it.

Remember studying the classics? ... This piece is of the goddess Athena on a horse and chariot also featuring an owl (the protector of Greek armies). These are often referred to as being in the style of Frederick Weinberg.

I wanted to feature a piece that I am not so sure about because sometimes you just have to take a gamble. Upon first sight it reminded me of the Iittala flora series by Oiva Toikka. I have not been able to find the shape and for all I know this may be a modern vase. It was still too sweet to leave behind.

**UPDATE: I believe it is a Handmade Boda vase for Kosta Boda of Sweden.**

However, this piece is most certainly Finnish and I recognized the shape because of this one I found previously. It is a design by Aimo Okkolin for Riihimaen Lasi Oy and still has the sticker as well as the stamp on the bottom.

Lastly, this piece is a special one and I dedicate it to my Aussie readers. It is a piece of Yarrabah pottery by Edwin Demeera from North Queensland. I particularly enjoyed this because I learned that the pottery provided jobs and training to Aboriginals. They also used aboriginal imagery for their pottery.

Well, that's it for me. What did you find this week?

Be sure to check out the rest of the goodies at Sophie's and Selena's.

Hunted:: Gathered: 03/07/11

This week I actually had an early start to my thrifting. Last monday I had an itch for some new clothes and mondays are THE DAY to buy clothes at my local Salv. A lot of clothing items were $2. Jeans were $4 and slacks were 2 for $1!! Needless to say I walked out with 4 pairs of slacks from The Limited, Polo, and Talbots. Despite my great finds I still can't convince the boy to let me buy him thrifted goods.

Later in the week I decided to take a look at a new thrift store that opened. They are a non-profit for one of our local animal shelters. I wound up finding this fabulous typewriter from the 1950's. Behold the Hermes 3000:

  

For the life of me I couldn't figure out how to make it work at the thrift. The keys would not reach the paper no matter what I did. I took it to the counter and the ladies and I fidgeted with it some more and still couldn't figure it out. As a result they sold it to me for $10 + tax (original price $15). They referred me to a local guy with a typewriter shop, I swung by and he figured it out. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, it was just set within the margins so it wouldn't type. Boy did I feel silly. Since I am an animal lover ( I wanted to be a Vet for at least half of my life) I returned to the thrift store and paid the difference since there was absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I also found the print pictured behind the typewriter this week. It is a P J Selby print of European BeeEaters. He was a contemporary of Audubon and made the illustrations for a large book titled Illustrations of British Ornithology. It has plate marks but I don't know if it is a reproduction. It was framed by Rudolf Zesch Fine Arts which was also known for their high-end reproductions. It's not my specialty and I don't really want to take it out of the frame. Here is another view. 

Over the weekend I went to a couple of garage sales. I arrived late to a highly advertised vintage sale and found nothing left that was of interest to me. Just down the road however there was a smaller garage sale. It was small and I was ready to head back into my car when I found two framed maps. They caught my attention because they were raised relief maps. Originally being from the flat state of Florida, I find relief maps to be really cool. One was of the entire state of California while the other one was of the LA area. Regrettably and against my own judgement I left the LA one behind only to come home to the boy who also made me feel bad about leaving it behind.

I actually bought this one with the intention of keeping it because the boy and I love maps. He is a meteorologist so he is always surrounded by them. However, he just wants me to sell everything!

On my way home I passed my a local garage sale and found some small bric-a-brac.

These were just .25 each. I was charmed by the duck with its handmade goodness because it was marked on the bottom by an Uncle Charlie. I wish I had an Uncle Charlie who made little things like that for me. 

At that same sale I found the amethyst glass vase. It screamed Mid-Century/ Scandinavian to me so I bought it. On the bottom it was etched with 1436. After some research I have found that it is a Riihimaen Lasi vase by Aimo Okkolin. After some intense searching of the bottom of the vase I also found the marking.

Part of the joy of thrifting/ junking for me is the research that I get to do afterwards. I enjoy learning about these items and their history. Maybe it was all of those art history classes in college, or maybe it's just me. In any case, I thrifted another book to help me decipher future items.

Pairing up with Selena's ATG Thrift Share again.

PS. If you enjoy collecting slides from others' family vacations check out my blog later on this week. I have some images I'd like to share that I think you'll enjoy.