The elegance that was Modern Star (Status: Last post of 2011... maybe)

I went exploring, on the day after Christmas, in the area surrounding my home town and reeled in a set of Homer Laughlin Modern Star china.

Cold lampin' (Status: the people have spoken)

You all just can't get enough of the lamps and won't even give a spoon a chance; I guess it wasn't really a fair fight, poor little spoon, when you're up against a light.  

Which post do you want (Status:sort of a contest)

What do you want to see me post about-

1. lamp (oh, geez another lamp...c'mon)

or

2. Spoon (really, how good could a spoon be) 

Hmmm, there must be something special about each of these but that's all I'm saying right now.

Mmmmm, hot bean juice, mud, caffe, joe (Status: Positively percolating post)

One of those new fangled drip coffee makers just doesn't cut it for the person with mid mod sensibilities.  No, that's when you've got to find a classy, mod, hot bean juice percolating machine like this beaut!

Merry Christmas from my home town thrifts (Status: Santa brought me chairs)

I'm in my home town for the holiday so, of course, I have to do a little thrifting on Christmas Eve.  Thrift store Santa brought me a Danish style lounge chair and an Eames shell chair knock off.  Thanks thrift store Santa!

The furniture's so bright I gotta wear lamp shades (Status: no offense to Timbuk 3)

Lamps and lamp shades seem to be a hot topic on the ol' mid mod blogs so here I am contributing these fab, huge, wood slatted shades I found at Goodwill a few months ago, to the discussions.

Fifth and final orgy of birthday thrifting (Status: until next year)

This is it, I promise, the last week of birthday thrifting posts.  Sadly, the thrifting gods did not give me a big signature item for this year's birthday; oh well, here is a nice set of three stacking tables.

Fourth post on birthday orgy of thrifting (Status: ceramic goodness)

Today's b o of t (birthday orgy of thrifting) post is for the ceramics and one piece of melamine ware.  Please welcome the Pyrex, the platter, the ashtrays and the Boonton.

Third part of Birthday thrifting orgy (Status: third time's the charm)

So, for todays birthday week thrifting orgy post I'm showing off the kitchen and serving finds- vintage mixer, hot tray, Mirro Medallion serving tray and glass meat platter with warming stand.

Birthday week thrifting orgy- part deux (Status: 2nd year for Paul McCobb)

Last year Paul McCobb stopped by for my birthday and now he has stopped by for my birthday, this year! He is in a different guise than last year's furniture and is accompanied by his pals Ben Seibel and Russel Wright plus seven Jacks.

Birthday week thrifting orgy, part the first (status: keep on lookin' to see)

So last year I found two Paul McCobb chairs and an awesome Baumritter Danish style lounger on my birthday.  This year I did not find anything on my birthday because I was at the vet with a sick kitten (when I say "my birthday was poop", I mean that one of my kittens had some baaaaad diarrhea).  I decided to do some hardcore thrifting over one week, and hit 34 stores in 5 towns and 3 counties- that's why I call this my birthday thrift orgy; I will present my finds in several parts.

Today we view the lamps:

Last year the thrifting gods gave me 3 gifts on my birthday (Status: what about this year?)

I already posted about the two Paul McCobb chairs that the Thrifting gods provided last year, but they also gave me this super nice Baumritter lounger.

vintage fireplace set from Goodwill (Status: Firplace poker? I didn't even know...nevermind)

A recent trip up to Delaware Ohio yielded this nice mid century fireplace set.  I've looked around the interwebz but nobody seems to know the maker.

Shaw Walker drafting stool (Status: I gots yer "industrial chic" riiiiight here)

About two years ago I was doing the Hamburger America (hamburgeramerica@blogspot.com) tour of historic hamburger places in Ohio, which took me to Findley Ohio for the restaurant that inspired Dave Thomas to create Wendys- Wilson's Sandwich Shop.  While poking around in a used furniture store in the downtown, I spoted this awesome Shaw Walker drafting stool that was tucked in the back of a dark hallway.

small haul from Thursday (Status: clocks, radios and pyrex-oh my!)

I got out and around to the thrifts (well, only 14 stores) on Thursday and came away with a small haul of goodies.  

Wtf, goodwill? (Status:annoyed)

Just a quick rant with a picture.  What is Goodwill thinking?  they have priced all silverware at 59 cents a piece!  People can get silverware cheaper at Target; it's stupid.  It only bugs me because there are a few patterns of stainless steel tableware that I collect, like Epic's "Prince" pattern.  Rant is now over, enjoy your day.

Russel Wright collection (Status: Iroquois, Stubenville, Morgantown-ceramic and glass, it's all good)

I don't have the biggest collection of Russel Wright dinnerware but I have some variety (wish I had some aluminum, silverware and furniture).  I broke my collection down, for this post, by Steubenville, Iroquois Casual, Serving pieces and finishing with the Morgantown glass pieces.

Road trip to Bowling Green Kentucky (Status: couple cool things and a couple of fails)

Hi all- Sorry to be away for a bit but I had a big second interview for a position as head of House Management at a new performing arts center in Bowling Green Kentucky.  I found a really cool vintage store/ art gallery and a neat building.  I'll start with the store.

Check out the rack on this magazine rack (status: watcha' readin'?)

I picked this nice teak folding magazine rack up in a junk furniture store about 6 months ago; folded it up and it promptly got buried under some boxes of subsequent thrift hauls.

Take a "teak" at these snack plates (Status: I love a pun)

I found this set of six tear drop (or maybe guitar pick) shaped snack plates at the Volunteers of America on Indianola, next to my gym.  

Nice set of atomic glasses (Status:Cordially cool)

Sorry for the short post before I dash off to work.  I found these five cordial (or as we men folk like to call them "double shot") glasses at the Volunteers of America a couple of weeks ago.

My home town hits a home run! (Status: this lights up my life)

I was in my hometown briefly this weekend (I drive my dad to and from the home Ohio State football games) and got a chance to hit my special spots.  I didn't find much, just one thing... but what a thing!

remember when phones had cords? (Status: leave me a message, with paper and a tack)

On the same day I found the Cathay pot; I found this 70's orange phone and message center.

Morganton side table (Status: Bubba approved)

I bought this side table about 3 months ago at a thrift store on the West side of town.  The first time I saw it I fell for it, HARD, but it was $80!  I kept visiting it every week or so and watched the price drop until it finally hit a suitably low price that my almost unemployed wallet could afford.

New bonus Cathay covered dish find yesterday (Status: Bubba not around to approve)

Ever since last Thursday, when I found the 19 pieces of Cathay, I have felt like I needed to go back to that Volunteers of America; yesterday I did and it paid off!

Cathay is another name for China and also for this 19 piece Taylorstone find from Thursday (Status: Dishin' with the Bopfish- Bubba approved)

 A couple of months ago I had the big score of the 90 piece Taylorstone Jamaica Bay; well, late Thursday I hit a small 19 piece score of the similar Taylor Stone Cathay pattern.

Blending the old with... Okay, they are all old blenders (Status: smoothies anyone?)

I don't really know how I ended up with a collection of blenders, it's certainly not that I set out to collect them.  I really dig the control panels (ohhhhh, look at all the buttons) and there is all of the chrome (mmmmm, shiny), plus they are pretty cheap- I didn't pay more than $10 for any of these.

Pickin's are slim but I've managed to find a few fish in the sea (Status: Peckin' & Pawin')

Sorry for the paucity of postings lately; work has been taking up a lot of time plus I have to shuttle my dad back and forth from my hometown to Columbus for OSU football games and the weather has been lousy for taking sun dappled pics of my pickin's (rain).  This is actually about TWO WEEKS worth of mid mod goodness (I estimate 30 to 40 trips to the thrifts and fleas- A LOT of sad, empty, fishing nets).

You'll flip over this (Status: flip clock-o-rama)

I've had a few posts with a couple of flip clocks as part of a haul and I always say "I'll show you the rest of my flip clocks some other time"; Yup, that time has come.

Views of my hometown (Status: Mid Century in the midwest)

I was visiting my hometown and didn't really find much at my usual hunting spots, so I took some pics of a few cool mid century commercial buildings and my favorite house. 

Tuesday thrifting cruise; pulled in a small but tasty catch. (status: Bubba the cat- miffed)

I worked a lot last week so, again,swimming to the garage/ estate sales and thrifting had to take a back seat.  When I did hit a few thrifts, I did not find a thing and the items at the garage sales were too highly priced (example- a totally thrashed Pyrex primary color mixing bowl set that also had one wrong color bowl was priced at $45!).

Today, I took a good hard swim around 14 thrift stores and hooked a few nice pieces.

Swam around a few thrifts on Thursday; found a few things. (Status: Bubba, the cat, approved)

I haven't had much time to swim around the thrifts lately and I have not hit a garage sale because my job has been piling on the hours and I caught the flu (yuck, flu in the summer).  Any-hoo, I did find a few goodies on Thursday.  Bubba is inspecting most of them.

Get the point, Mikasa Blue Points (Status: dishin' with the Bopfish)

A couple days before I traveled to Akron I found my self in a small town  an hour south of Columbus, with time to kill.  What ever shall I do?  Thrift!  The Goodwill had a small chunk of Mikasa Blue Points which I saved from ...whatever, their mine!

C. Jere can be seen here. Status: Bubba approved

Many months ago I was out thrifting on the west end of Columbus, and having a darn disappointing day of it, until I found this little tabletop C. Jere sculpture (that is not only a sculpture).

Found a lil' piece of heaven this week- Blue Heaven, that is. Status: Dishin' with the Bopfish

I did not get out to the thrifts, garage, estate or auctions much this week but I did find this little 31 piece Royal China (I'll call it a) coffee set at Goodwill (not the same one where I found the Jamaica Bay jackpot). Woo-hoo!

 

Help me identify this Danish furniture company logo and designer

Hi all,

I was at the Goodwill where I found the Jamaica Bay and (maybe) Pearsall chair today and I found this Danish gateleg table.  The finish is totally shot and I will do a posting of the refinishing process at a latter time.  My problem is that I can't read the name of the designer or manufacturer.  

Was that a blimp? Goodies from my trip to Akron.

I traveled up to Akron to visit my friend Kelly about a month ago but it has been so blasted hot in Columbus that I just could not drag the table and goodies out into the blast furnace heat to take pictures. 

But wait, there is more after the jump- stuff that wouldn't fit in the group picture!

Jackpot today at the Goodwill! Adrian Pearsall (?) and TST Jamaica Bay

Stopped by a couple of Goodwills here in Columbus and hit the jackpot at the second one!  I can not quite identify the chair but it has the hallmarks of an Adrian Pearsall design or it might be a Widdicomb.  Paid for the chair then looked at the rest of the store- POW!  an 90 piece set of Taylor Smith Taylor, Color Craft, Jamaica Bay china!  I also got a nice teak magazine holder, too.

Wanna chip and some dip to go with it? Status: I like chips but I don't like dips

I was out thrifting in Columbus and I only found a couple of nice chip and dip sets.  I found this California wear set at a Village Thrift store; it had a red $8.99 tag but red tags were discounted 75%!  Wish it had it's lazy susan...

Hit the old hometown this week Status:Bopfish-a-rific glasses and two end tables

I had to go to my hometown to give my dad a lift to his doctor's appointment in Columbus.  I gave myself plenty of time to hit all my secret treasure sites but the booty was kinda thin this trip.

Surrounded by sound Status; Bubba approved

Before there were actual surround sound systems you had a lot of audio engineers experimenting with wacky speaker concepts like the Allied/ Radio Shack Nova Omni speakers that Bubba is sitting by.

the saucer pans have landed!

I was very lazy this past Friday and did not leave the house until late in the day.  I was driving in the Clintonville section of Columbus when I felt a magnet force drew me to the curb and me turn my engine off; I left my car to investigate what turned out to be a flying saucer base!  Here is photographic proof that aluminum saucer pans are living right here in my city!

Vintage 1957 men's magazine Status: Va-va-voom!

I found this June, 1957 issue of Nugget magazine at a very cool garage sale (where I found the flowered curtains and the two American of Martinsville end tables).  It's in pristine condition; let me share a bit.

McCobb chairs from the Goodwills of the world, unite! Status: copying Mr. Modtomic

On my birthday, last november, the Thrift Gods (Salvi, Goodwin, Volam and all the other lesser deities) decided to give me a great big present of two Paul McCobb arm chairs (host and hostess chairs)!

Hometown SCORES! (part the second). Status: sorry for the delay

Sorry for the delay in posting the rest of my latest scores found in my hometown but some things occurred (including forgetting my camera),

Any-who, This part of the haul may not have the cachet of Brasilia or Goodform but they are some nice, solid, good looking pieces.

Like this spectacular lamp/ table combo.  This sucker is almost monumental in size; it is a little over five feet tall and that mottled orange, onion shaped base piece is three and a half feet in circumference.  When I found it at the junk furniture store, the wood was filthy, dry and badly sun faded.  I cleaned the wood with some murphy's oil soap  then I got out the .0000 steel wool and Howard's Restore-a-finish, which really evened out the sun faded portions, a day latter I gave it an application of Howard's Feed-n-Wax so that it almost GLOWS with health!  All I need to do is rewire it.

Bopfish swims to his hometown and SCORES! status: only part one

I traveled back to my hometown to visit my dad; while there I made the rounds of the local thrifts, garage sales and bumped into a house clearing auction with SPACTACULAR results!

   This is only part one!

Enough with the chairs; bring me the end tables! Status: worth the wait

Lest you think that all I ever buy are chairs, typewriters and dishes.  I found these two American of Martinsville end tables at a garage sale a month ago.

Sometimes I get sad eyes. Status: Really Keane!

Isn't it weird how coincidences happen?  My friend Joanna (you may remember her from the picture of her in the circular green Milo Baughman chair) recently gave me a great Keane print that was just hangin' around her apartment (picture after the jump); well,  just this week I found a signed and numbered limited edition Margaret Keane lithograph in a local thrift store- Major score!

Mystery chair with white water stains- Bopfish can't swim in those. Status: fixed!

I found three spindle back chairs at a thrift store on the West side of Columbus; one of them has a big ol' white water stain on the seat and I'm going to show you how I got rid of it. 

Bubba (the neighbor cat) is checking out one of the chairs in this picture.