Vintage Hand Painted Tie - Would you wear this?

Found this at an estate sale thrown in a box with hankies, scarfs, scraps of material, etc. Still in it's original box with the tissue paper, it was a steal at $2.00. Are you thinking it was still in the box because it was never worn? Wrong! It did have some faint wrinkles at the knot area and it had a dark spot right about where you'ld expect a drink or some soup to drip. Good news is that the dark spot was just that, a darker area not a blaring stain. Someone mopped up the spill quickly and did damage control, bless their heart. Don't think it was worn often, if more than once, then placed back in it's box and saved with care. Probably dates to the 1940's or 50's, when liquid arches from little boys seemed to be a big source of amusement - obviously these people never changed a little boy's diaper! And if you're still wondering who would want this thing, just let me say that the bidding on ebay proved it a still popular item - go figure.

Pink Flamingos, Their Nests, and Occupied Japan

Here's a perfect example of the twisted way my mind works. Find this Florida souvenir plate at the Goodwill and am immediately drawn to the hand painted pink flamingos. Then notice that one of the flamingos is feeding a baby and it's in my cart. Didn't even notice the Occupied Japan stamp on the back until I got it home. Of course all that stamp means is that it was made sometime between 1945, or the end of WWII, and the early 1950's. The fact that it's handpainted probably says it was made in the 1940's, before the big Made in Japan boom of automated exports.

What really gets me is the detail. A search of flamingos on the web shows that this is how they build their nests, mini volcano looking mounds of mud. Only I can't find any reference to flamingos being native to Japan. So who was the person, probably American, that explained flamingos and their breeding habits to a Japanese artist? Were they homesick? a birdwatcher? What were they doing in Japan? Was it a military man brought in specifically to explain flamingos or a southern businessman trying to get a good deal on gift shop items? Who took the time to provide the correct details for this scene rather than just a painted bird and a palm tree?

Obviously the design didn't take as you don't see it in any of the later mass-produced Florida plates. I like this one a lot better even if it is a little rough looking. And now I know how flamingo nests look - and so do you.

Piero Fornasetti Box - A True Treasure Found in My Stash

Added on January 13, 2010. This Piero Fornasetti box is now for sale in my booth on Bonanzle.

This box is a double treasure find. Bought it awhile back, don't remember where, but the enameled metal sleeve with its bright design of pipes caught my eye and I liked the sliding style of the box. No markings but knew it was probably made mid 20th century and looked Italian. Pretty much a gut feeling buy; the other half says those are my best ones! Eventually it is time once again to rotate my "neat little boxes" collection. If I don't sell a few, there's no room to display the new finds. I price it and put it in my space at the local antique mall. It sits unbought for about 2 months and then one day I get a call from a good friend. My friend happens to specialize in mid-century modern and she advises that I go get the box immediately and do some research using the keywords, Fornasetti, box and pipes. The immediately was stressed because of the price I had on the box and what my friend felt the actual value might be.

Yes, I got myself up and went to get the box. Yes, the research showed that this appeared to be a box by Piero Fornasetti. Unluckily, my box was missing the red felt usually stuck to the bottom to guard table tops which would have had an impressed seal with the Fornasetti name and Made in Italy. But, research gave me a site about Fornasetti that is run by his son in Italy. Some Fornasetti designs are still being made on a limited basis by the family. Because of unauthorized reproductions, and reissues, the site offers to authentic Fornasetti items if you provide them with photos. I received a really nice email from Mr. Fornasetti's assistant saying that this was indeed produced by his father dating to the 1950's or 1960's.

Double thanks to my friend Elle, better known as austinmodern.com! Number one for refinding the treasure among my treasures and Number two for telling me about it instead of buying it and making it her thrift store diva find of the week!

Coffee just tastes better in a Fire King mug...

The old Fire King mugs I find at thrift stores always remind me of happy childhood visits to my grandparents house. So it's hard to leave them behind, even if my name isn't Pat...

My Find of the Week...

Enid Collins designed purses in Medina, Texas from the late 50s until 1970 when Tandy Leather Corporation bought her business. Her handbags are fun to own, like this wooden box purse hand decorated with paint, sequins and rhinestones. This one dates from 1965.

Hors d'oeuvres, canapes? Just find the hedgehog.

Here's a Sallies, or Salvation Army, purchase. Paid a whopping $2.99 for him, just couldn't help myself. I've overheard people in thrifts try to figure out what these items are - toothpick holders? incense burners? They're made of ceramics, wood, plastic and come in animal or bird shapes, abstracts, hats, shells, etc. Covered with little holes, lots of little holes. Wonder no more - they became popular with the age of cocktail parties, the lounge era, rat pack devotees to slightly bad men and women who balanced being proper with knowing how to have a drinkie poo and entertain at home in style. Bits of meat, cheese, or whatevers were pierced with a toothpick and then stuck in the holder of choice. Sometimes they would be used at the "bar" to hold olives, pearl onions, cherries, slices of fruit, to add to drinks.

I think the hedgehog is perfect as all those toothpicks stuck in his back will give him the effect of having all his quills raised.

Susie Lee, East Texas Handbag Co. 1960's 70's

I bought these at different thrifts. One came from the Goodwill and one from a yard sale. $3.00 for the Love purse and $2.00 for the textured material with faux tortoise handles. Several of these purses have passed thru my hands but it wasn't until recently that I found out the baskets they are made from are commonly used for selling east Texas peaches in season. A quick insert here - east Texas peaches are the best peaches I have ever eaten!

Haven't been able to find out much about Susie Lee or the East Texas Handbag Co. but have talked to several ladies who remembered their mama or aunts owning one. This has helped date them to the 1960's and 70's. An east Texas response to Enid Collins perhaps? All the ones I've seen have been made in this style with the drawstring top, lined interior and double plastic or lucite ring handles. And haven't seen any repeats as of yet - all have different material, appliques, colors, some with basket showing and some with basket covered.

1960's Dandylion puff ball in lucite paperweight.

Here's a 50 cent find from a yard sale. One of my thrift treasures that I used for several years before selling on line. A secret pleasure in recycling thrift store vintage and antiques? The ability to rotate them thru your own life for awhile and enjoy them before sending them on to their new homes.

Charge me guilty as found - I love those items with sea shells, dried flowers, petrified wood, scorpions, and so on, encased in lucite. Wall plaques, trivets, small trays, large platters, cheese boards, paperweights - they draw my eye every time. Especially the odd ones like this treasure. How did they do that! A dandylion fluff caught forever. Memories of being a child, making wishes and blowing every bit of fluff off the stem so your wish would come true - all caught in a kitsch era of encasing nature in plastic.

What's on the feedbag?

"What's on the feedbag?" That is my husband's signature phrase. He even has the rest of my family imitating him when it's getting close to dinnertime. For the answer, I love turning to old cookbooks. And of course the place to find the most unusual ones are at the local thrift store.

You helped end the Cold War and this is the thanks you get???

Welcome to a free-enterprise economy, Mr. Gorbachev. I found this priceless piece of 20th century memorabilia at the local Goodwill clearance outlet. How could I resist for just 50 cents? My memories of duck and cover drills in the 1960s and the Red Scare and musty, dark bomb shelter in a neighbor's back yard only made this more irresistible. Who should I find among the piles of cast-off treasures, but Mikhail Gorbachev. Yes, the man who helped end the Cold War, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 crafted of squishy plastic, dressed in a Santa Claus outfit and packaged as a Christmas ornament. Meet Santa Gorby. Complete with the unmistakable birthmark on his forehead. The package says it all--Kinder Gentler Fun all Year!

From the sublime to the ridiculous, the items I've purchased at thrift stores have given me, my friends and family countless hours of pleasure, & laughs along with consternation (what was I thinking??). It's definitely a guilty pleasure and once the thrill of the hunt got in my blood, I've never found a cure. If I hadn't been seeking that thrill, I would never have seen Gorby tricked out as Santa.

Don't forget to brush your teeth....

This is the sort of thing you can only find at a thrift store (or maybe a garage sale.) Teeth are not the usual theme for salt and pepper shakers. On second thought, I think maybe I can see the connection.... Anyway, these are from 1981. They cost me 50 cents and I purchased them at the local Goodwill Outlet Store (the Gold Standard for junking, IMHO.) I was thinking I would give them to my sister, who has a small but impressive collection of unusal S&P shakers. Too bad there is not a dentist in the family...

Picked this fine fellow up for $1.99 the other day. He was so ugly, I couldn't resist him. Never mind the nose on him - his chin sticks out far enough and hooks upwards at the end just enough that you could hang things on it. The inside of chin curve is darker than the rest of the wood. Looks like someone either did use this guy to throw their hat or whatever on - or he was somebody's lucky piece and that chin got rubbed on a regular basis. All hand carved and ready to preside over a new village.

One of the reasons I love vintage? Quality craftsmanship with subtle humor.

Not my most recent find or one of my more valuable, but one of my favorites. $1.99 at a local Goodwill. This letter holder was made by Florenza who produced costume jewelry, vanity accessories, trinket boxes, desktop items, small frames, etc., mainly for the ladies market. The company was located in New York and was started by Daniel Kasoff in 1948. The name Florenza, from his wife's name, Florence, began being used in 1950. Florenza pieces were produced until 1981.



Although Florenza items are worthy of a post on their own, this one is more about the design. When I first saw this sitting on a shelf at a local Goodwill, I automatically assumed it was the three speak/see/hear no evil monkeys. Picked it up, nice weight, good quality craftsmanship, turn it over and there is the Florenza imprint on the base. Now I give it a good luck - checking for damage or missing parts - and there I am, a short, wide, old broad holding some gold tone trinket geegaw in my hand, having a good loud laugh attack. As you've hopefully already noted in the photos - we do have see no evil monkey and speak no evil monkey but we do not have hear no evil monkey. No, we have sweetly posed monkey with a hand behind his/her ear, as in "tell me, I'm listening, avidly". On the surface, a charming what not for the lady of the house's desk. But what it really says is "I won't look for gossip and won't speak gossip - but please write me and tell me all the gossip you know".



Obviously I am easily amused, which I'm grateful for as a laugh can sure make you feel better. Which is one of the reasons I love vintage or antique smalls. A number of these little decorative arts type pieces, or chotskies (depending on your point of view), are made with subtle jokes slid into the design. You know the original owners had to be interesting people cause they had the ability to laugh at themselves, their life and their era. Besides, this type of humor doesn't seem to age. Human foibles remain the same and laughter is still the best medicine.

A Little Bit of (Boomer) History

Look at the lines on this retro chair! Boy, does it bring back childhood memories for a baby-boomer like me. I found it at the local Goodwill Outlet Store and it haunted me until I broke down and bought it. My husband is being a good sport about it. Avocado green nubby fabric. All the covered buttons are still there. (!) Cost me $8 - the cost of a lunch.

Pottery from the Deep South

I found this Gail Pittman heart shaped bowl at one of the local thrift stores for $2.99. It's about 6 inches across and in perfect condition. This piece of pottery brings back memories. We lived in Ridgeland, Mississippi (where Gail Pittman has her factory) for almost three years. A beautiful state with lots of personality, just like this little dish.

from thousands of miles away

i've been looking at these for weeks. and they went 50% off and so i had to buy them...only $1.50 a piece. they remind me of my niece and her time in the rainforest in brasil. they were handpainted as a souvenir gift in brazil. they are made from a wood that came from the rainforest i think....they are incredibly lightweight kinda feels like balsa wood. too fun! don't ya think???

Ralph Lauren Womens hand knit sweater

Ok, ok, I didn't actually buy this today, but I did get it recently and for only $1.25 at the local Goodwill Outlet (or as one friend calls it, "The Boutique.") In perfect condition! Tsk, tsk. The things people throw away....

vintage western shirts

okay...so here i begin the first of my blogging adventures.

now maybe some of you out there have never stepped foot into the doors of the thriftworld. it is a trip to the ultimate treasure hunt. it truly is an adventure beyond anything you can experience at the malls, department stores and boutiques.

i began thrifting as a teenager. i was always interested in antiques and vintage clothing and couldn't afford the prices they wanted at the stores and boutiques specializing in these items. thrift stores were my only option. thrifting didn't become serious business to me until i reached my 30's...maybe it was the size of our family? (we have 5 kids) i'm almost 40 now and i realize that it's not so much an economic decision anymore as it is a conscious effort to use less and enjoy more. it really is a green choice and one i can feel happy about, and it's just fun to go to a store where the merchandise changes daily.

pictured is one of my latest finds...doesn't it remind you of Bonanza??? i love vintage western shirts!

People made of nuts and seeds

This blog is all about bragging about thrift stores finds. So I'll start it off. I found these two little people made of nuts and seeds at the local Salvation Army. Cost: about $2.00 (it's been a while - don't remember the exact cost...) German in origin. Just too cute/weird to pass up....