I’ve been lurking on Marketplace for ages trying to find a shelving unit for the collection but finally just had to buy one online. And I may have to buy two more because this is like only a third of the whole collection, but it’s the best pieces (of colored glass anyways, the crystal is another story. And then there’s the stemware….).
It lights up the whole room with colors when the light hits it right 🤗
Found this at a charity shop! It was on the shelf behind the register and I asked about it as I was checking out with my other stuff, just out of curiosity. When she told me the price I had to actively try to keep my jaw off the floor. It still even has the sticker! It rings like nothing I’ve ever heard before. Immediately yes 😍
It will never cease to amaze me what people deem “worthless”. All of this in a “free” pile on the street, with the exception of the purple leather heels that I thrifted from a shop for $6, which to me is practically free. They all need a bit of a clean up of course but for picking them up off the literal ground I’d say they’re pretty good! And did I mention EVERYTHING IS MY SIZE?? Never in my life have I had so much random luck.
**”Mary Blair (October 21, 1911 – July 26, 1978) was an American artist, illustrator, animation concept artist, colorist, designer and writer. She was prominent in producing art for The Walt Disney Company, drawing concept art for such films as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella. Blair also created character designs for enduring attractions such as Disneyland's It's a Small World, the fiesta scene in El Rio del Tiempo in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, and an enormous mosaic inside Disney's Contemporary Resort. Several of her illustrated children's books from the 1950s remain in print, such as I Can Fly by Ruth Krauss. Blair was inducted into the group of Disney Legendsin 1991.”
“When Mary Blair left the Disney Studio, “the printing press supplanted the cinema as the medium for the reproduction of her colorful art,” American Artist magazine reported.2 Actually, the print medium was but one of a variety of out- lets for her adaptable talents from the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s. For example, she created more than twenty semiabstract designs for hand- kerchiefs and scarfs manufactured by Carol Stanley Studios, New York, which sold in Lord Taylor and other specialty-retail upscale department stores. Also for Lord Taylor and branches in 1964, she designed women’s suits and dresses for the store’s Beverly Paige label. She designed sets for lavish Christmas and Easter pageants produced by Leon Leonidoff at Radio City Music Hall, and for an unproduced Broadway musical with a Duke Ellington score titled Cole Black and the Seven Dwarfs. In June 1962, she constructed paper sculptures for Bonwit Teller’s chic store windows on Fifth Avenue. She also designed TV commercials for Pepsodent toothpaste, Meadow Gold Ice Cream, and other products through her husband’s film production company. David Swift, a former Disney animator and later the director of Disney live-action films, such as Polyanna (1960) and The Parent Trap (1961), hired Mary Blair as “Color Designer” for the live-action film adaptation of the Broadway hit musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967). In the print medium, in addition to greeting cards and magazines, Mary Blair’s most widely seen illustrations were advertisements for national brands, including Nabisco, Johnson Johnson, Beatrice Foods, Maxwell House coffee (utilizing twenty-four-sheet billboard posters), Meadow Gold Ice Cream, Blue Bell children’s clothes, and Baker’s Instant Cocoa, among other products. A dozen Pall Mall cigarette ads, in a striking poster-like design, ran in two national campaigns. Each ad features the familiar red cigarette pack surrounded by food—grapes, grapefruit, apples, pears, a shrimp cocktail, even a lobster (because Pall Mall is “So friendly to your taste!”).” - “Magic, Color, and Flair: The World of Mary Blair” by John Canemaker.
It’s such a wonderful piece of fashion history that I could cry. I’m so glad I saved her. I’m going to keep digging through other peoples “trash” until my dying day.
Any other info on any of the pieces is welcomed and appreciated!
YES, I know it’s dinged and scratched etc etc, but I saved this from the trash because I liked the upholstery. I assumed initially it was like an 80s-90s revival piece, but after looking at it a little bit more I’m wondering if it could be older, like 60s? I can’t quite put my finger on why. Unfortunately no branding or tag anywhere.
What do we think? 60s or 80s?
This is probably silly but I’d just rather check. I picked up a box of antique (late 1800s) coins and vintage military pins at a yard sale, and these little pebbles were in the box with it. They’re completely dry, just very glossy for some reason. They came to me in California, but the previous owner having been a military veteran had accumulated little bits and bobs from all over the world, so they could be from anywhere. Any idea what they are?
I’m inclined to believe that they are purely sentimental, like the owner picked them up from somewhere they traveled to or got married at, etc, and are of no real interest to anyone else. But regardless I’d like to know what material they are, if possible. Should they go on my knickknack shelf or get tossed into the yard with the rest of the gravel? Thanks!
This is a positively LEGENDARY thrift pull for me! I went in looking for a cheap lampshade and left with not one, not two, but SEVEN (possibly vintage?) genuine Michael Taylor chairs. Some with arms, some without.
It always blows my mind finding rare and valuable things at the thrift. Did someone pass away and their relatives just cleared everything out? Some kind of foreclosure situation? HOW did these end up at a thrift store???
I could only fit four in my vehicle, but I paid for all of them and will be there right at opening time tomorrow to fetch the others. I’m not going to sleep worth a damn tonight because I’m terrified that there will have been some lapse in communication and the store let someone else take home the others. Pray for me, burn a candle, send good vibes, something!
I picked up this very lovely, very old, very heavy brass lamp and have been working on cleaning it. Unfortunately there seems to be some oxidation spots on the base, and the general advice seems to be to hit it with some Brasso. But I’ve also heard stories of Brasso making things worse, so I’m scared to dive in with it.
Any tips for fixing this issue? Home remedies? Product suggestions? Thanks!
I picked up a bunch of furniture from the very bougie Marina Del Rey area and am stuck on trying to ID these chairs.
-They don’t have a Herman Miller or Modernica stamp (or any other stamp)
-The underside is smooth and not fiberglass-y
-The entire chair has a glossy finish, seems like enamel?
-The chair material itself is darker and can be seen where the paint is chipped off
-It does have the black shock mounts
-It is HEAVY. Not so heavy that it can’t be moved by one person, but I do have to brace myself to lift it.
-Some light rust on the legs frame
-Overall it seems well-constructed and very sturdy.
Essentially I’m wondering if I should have a go at fixing the chipped/scuffed paint myself or is it worth looking into having a professional do it? I would rather not spend the money on a pro if the service exceeds the value of the chair, ya know? Where do we think these came from?
Thanks in advance!
I picked up a bunch of furniture from the very bougie Marina Del Rey area and am stuck on trying to ID these chairs.
-They don’t have a Herman Miller or Modernica stamp (or any other stamp)
-The underside is smooth and not fiberglass-y
-The entire chair has a glossy finish, seems like enamel?
-The chair material itself is darker and can be seen where the paint is chipped off
-It does have the black shock mounts
-It is HEAVY. Not so heavy that it can’t be moved by one person, but I do have to brace myself to lift it.
-Some light rust on the legs frame
-Overall it seems well-constructed and very sturdy.
Essentially I’m wondering if I should have a go at fixing the chipped/scuffed paint myself or is it worth looking into having a professional do it? I would rather not spend the money on a pro if the service exceeds the value of the chair, ya know? Where do we think these came from?
Thanks in advance!
I feel like a little dragon hoarding all my shiny things and I don’t want to let them go 😭
I absolutely fell in love with the colors and layering of this piece, it is hand blown glass and it seems like Murano. But what is this shape called? It looks like a dumpling or an urchin to me. I haven’t been able to find anything else like it. I would love to find some more in different colors!
Found these very cool pieces yesterday but have been unable to positively identify them. The bubble and the color scheme seem very Krosno but I can’t find anything that definitively confirms that. Any Krosno collectors that can help?
This was written on the back of a drawing I picked up at the thrift. I’m trying to figure out its age/ origin and am hoping this will help.
“I am not sure but think C.C. Callius(?) grandmother did this”
“Great grandmother Pathecau(?)?”
I picked up this vase the other day at Goodwill without knowing what it was (because they intentionally place the price sticker over identifying marks, which makes me irate, but I digress). Thankfully the mark very clearly indicates that it is the “Mosaic Panel” made by Booths Silicon China in England c. 1900-1920(?), but I haven’t been able to find any information on this specific piece. I’ve found dinnerware, tea ware, rounded vases, inkstands, urns, and even a vase in a similar shape but without the ridges running down the piece. It seems odd that I can’t find a match for this piece when the pattern overall seems very well documented. Am I just a poor researcher or is this a knockoff?
Found this absolutely darling cashmere sweater with mink trim and brooch clasp closure by Pringle of Scotland/ Capitol Fur Co. at an estate sale yesterday, and it’s my favorite pull yet!
She came with the original hanger from Somper Furs of Beverly Hills and Fur Couture garment bag. On top of that, they let me swipe an Hermes shopping bag from the recycling and I brought her home in that. I am so so in love!
I’m trying to refrain from getting too excited but this very much looks like the cobalt Badash Bud Vase to me. It’s quite heavy and about 10” tall. Even if it’s not Badash, I think it is well worth the $7 I paid for it!
I rescued these pieces (alongside a 30’s baby grand piano) from a storage unit. An older gentleman (80s at least) had stored his mother’s family furniture for ages and finally decided to let it go as he had no use for it and no inclination to coordinate the sale of individual pieces, so I purchased the entire contents for next to nothing. I am so so in love!
First item is a rotating maritime bar table (approximately 31” tall) supposedly circa 1900. However, the listings I could find that make that claim also say the piece is from England. I do not know if they are mistaken or if a strikingly similar type of piece was made in multiple countries, but this one clearly has “Made in Italy” stamped on the underside. There are a few listed for sale online for 1-2k, but I’ve not found any actual comps so far.
Second item is this lovely vanity dresser (approximately 5’ tall and 30” wide) with spiral legs and caster wheels. It has a metal number plate on the back, and someone wrote a 14 character code inside one of the drawers in marker at some point formatted as XXXXXX-XXXXX-XXX (my optimism would have me believe it’s a bank account code but obviously it’s more likely to be a wifi password or something similarly innocuous). Also I found this darling little Christmas sticker inside stuck to the contact paper which even still had a tiny bit of adhesive left. Listings I’ve found for similar pieces claim to be anywhere from early 19th to early 20th century, but I’ve not seen any compelling evidence one way or the other.
Last item is the piano bench (3’ long 19” tall) It has no brand stickers or makers marks that I could find, but it does have 1624 stamped into the wood which is visible when the lid is lifted. Very pretty Georgian(?) style carved legs. I’ve no idea on its age.
What kind of wood do we suppose each piece is made of? Any ideas on narrowing down ages, geographical point of origin, or makers? How would you estimate their value? Any information or tips would be greatly appreciated!
EDIT: I am not looking for any information on the piano. I know it’s worthless. That’s why I didn’t include it on its own in the photos/ post.
Found this cutie in the drawer of an antique vanity dresser. I’m amazed at how well preserved it is. There’s even still a little bit of adhesive on the back!
Pulled these from a storage unit with some other pieces that are authentic mid century, but I am not able to confirm these myself and I don’t want to get too excited. In any case, they’re very cool and were clearly used for quite a while. Unfortunately there was no glass to go with them.
Also I’m aware they may be upside down in the photos.
Any tips on what to look for? Or should I just have a professional take a look?
I rescued this lovely thing from a storage unit. There was also a Nessen mushroom lamp, which I was able to authenticate, so it seems reasonable to me that this might be genuine as well. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any definitive markings on this to confirm its maker. The base says “SK MADE IN TAIWAN”. Also it has a pull chain, whereas all the Harlee Tulips I’ve seen have turn knobs, but it’s possible it was rewired/altered at some point. Any help would be appreciated!