A Truly Atomic Chess Set

During a recent search for mid-century treasures at the Alemany Flea Market, David spotted this unique chess set. Despite missing 5 pieces and board, this chess set screamed Eames era and therefore would feel right at home in our living room. After a quick web search we discovered that this modernist styled aluminum chess set was designed by Austin E. Cox for Austin Enterprises and manufactured by the Alcoa Aluminum Company in 1962. He created a slightly different set in 1967 but this particular set seems to be the most desired. Thanks to the wisdom of the internet, we also discovered that David lucked out on the low price of his purchase. My hope is to slowly find the missing pieces & board to complete this set. Luckily, we are both young.

Introducing Cathrineholm

When I came across this cheerful casserole without its lid at the Alameda Flea Market recently it was love at first sight. Still a HUGE fan of Pyrex, Cathrineholm designs ranks second on my love scale for vintage cookware. As a leading artist of Scandinavian design movement in the 50s, Norwegian designer Grete Korsmo Prytz-Kittelsen captured the optimism of the era through her work with Cathrineholm. It was common for her cookware to line the shelves of most Norwegian homes during that time. Well respected for her contribution to mid-century design Kittelsen was made a knight by her county before her death earlier this year.

As one blogger put it, Cathrineholm designs is the gateway drug for vintage cookware collectors. It is not hard to see why.

Sacramento Antique Faire

Best hidden secret is the antique fair under the freeway overpass on 21st between W & X Streets in Sacramento. We discovered it on a whim as an excuse for a weekend getaway and now have gone back twice since that time. This flea market opens its doors on the second Sunday of the month between the hours of 6:30-3:00pm. Yes, it is in Sacramento which means an 1 1/2 to 2 hr trek for us living in the Bay Area but the non-city prices makes the money spent on gas seem like a bargain. The decent selection of mid-century furniture will keep me coming back.

Another eBay Casualty

It would have been grand but somehow somewhere during its journey across the US to our home in San Francisco this Magnavox Stereo from the early 60s perished. David knew when he purchased it on eBay that it would need some repairs to get it working again but did not expect this. It is crushed beyond repair. Guess it is time for another eBay memorial service. Bummer.

Barkcloth

When we began "mid-centurizing" our apartment we knew that our mission would not be complete without barkcloth drapes. It took a while but thanks to Urban Burp in San Francisco we finally were able to find Eames inspired drapes for our sitting and living room. With tall bay windows this task was not easy but I am satisfied with the results.

I was first introduced to barkcloth fabric about fifteen years ago when I purchased a vintage window panel. I recall the sales clerk looking a bit disappointed when I shared my plan to cut the mint condition panel to make a few throw pillows for my futon at that time. Now knowing the importance of this fabric to mid century design I can now appreciate the look of horror on this salesperson's face.

With barkcloth's durability I can see why it became an easy choice during the atomic age.

As Sarah Callen explains:
The original barkcloth was quite literally made from the bark of trees. To make this type of barkcloth the inner bark of certain types of trees (primarily trees of the Moraceae family) is beaten flat and formed into sheets. These sheets are then used as a primitive fabric in many different applications.

If you hear the term barkcloth used today, however, it is most likely referring to a different type of fabric all together. From the 1930's through the 1960's (and even early into the 1970's) one of the most popular decorating fabrics was also known as barkcloth. In this case, the term barkcloth refers to the weave of the fabric which is thick, nubby and slightly textured. Barkcloth got it's name because the texture of the fabric bears a slight resemblance to the bark of a tree.

Barkcloth fabric is often made of cotton, although it can be made of other fibers as well including linen, rayon, polyester, and fiberglass depending how old the fabric is. Although thicker than a standard cotton, barkcloth is surprisingly soft and drapes nicely which made it a great choice for draperies and curtains. Because of it's thick texture barkcloth is also quite durable which also made it well suited to being used as an upholstery fabric.

In the 1970's the popularity of barkcloth faded. However, there is currently a big renewal of interest in this beautiful fabric and it is becoming quite popular again today. Some of the most coveted prints included atomic prints from the Eames era as well as soft, pretty florals with a cottage feel.

Swag, Baby, Swag!

Have you ever had that moment when you hadn't realized you were missing something until you spot it hanging in a stall of an antique mall? We had that moment last week when spending an afternoon shopping at The Antique Society in Sebastopol. Whenever we stop off at this particular mall we tend to gravitate towards our favorite dealer, Carole & Ferd Silva, to admire (actually drool over) their display of mid-century decor. And there it was. A black and white porcelain swag lamp that was to die for.

For months now David & I have been debating on what to do with an empty hook in the ceiling of our living room that had been a chandelier decades ago. As a renter, we have not been permitted to make any structural changes, especially re-wiring. We have tried hanging candles but they seemed lost in the vastness of our 15 foot Victorian ceiling. The swag lamp was the perfect solution to our quandary. Not only does it bring style to our bare ceiling but the light helps lend the right swank bachelor pad feeling to our cozy living room.

Music To My Ears

Ignoring the weather forecast calling for thunder showers, we decided to venture out of our cozy home to check out an estate sale across the bay that commenced at 8am Saturday morning. Despite arriving thirty minutes early, there was already a line half way down the block. The wait wouldn't have been much of an issue if the light morning drizzle hadn't turned into sideways freezing cold rain. After what seemed like an eternity (actually was a full hour) we finally were allowed entrance into the Hudson Gallery in Oakland. The disorganization of this particular sale (and the tempers of those waiting in line) has discouraged me from ever walking through their doors again but part of me is secretly glad we stayed (trust me, several times we almost bailed).


Now you may ask - why did you bother going in the first place? The reason being is that this particular estate sale promised a warehouse full of vintage radios of all shapes and sizes. And the believe me, they were not kidding.


After the thrill of winning the "golden ticket" to enter, I immediately was blown away by the quantity of radios still left to purchase. Sad to think that someone had spent years collecting vintage radios to only have them sold off at rock bottom prices to strangers, I selfishly smiled with glee when I realized that the grueling wait was so worth it. Our focus was on anything Bakelite and portable. We ended up walking away with several models, mostly Philco. Surprisingly all of our purchases were in excellent working condition.

My most favorite is the Philco Transitone PT-49 built from 1939-1941 (we would have to take ours apart to figure out which year it was manufactured). Made from wood it has amber colored Bakelite accessories. And looks fantastic on our mantel.

Best Antique Store in Petaluma

With the arrival of Vintage Style I now have a good excuse to stopped off in the quaint town of Petaluma whenever my antique hunt takes me to Sonoma County (yes, it not just about the wine in this region). The truth is the moment I stepped into this shop I felt like I had come home as a mid-century lover. It wasn't just the warmth of owners, Dean & Robin, who made me feel like a long lost friend but their natural ability to stage their store to appear like someones living room made the experience so inviting. Not to mention their excellent prices.

Probably why I am so fond of this little shop is that so many other storekeepers have a habit of either ignoring you or following you around like a shoplifter. Vintage Style is the complete opposite. If anything, you will want to sit down on one of their beautiful couches, put your feet up and stay a while.

The Vintage iPod

Living with a record collector I was not surprised when David starting coming home with vintage record cases.


Meant to carry one's 45s and LPs from party to party, this "iPod" from the past provided organization in a stylish and hip way. Most came with dividers to help its owner find their favorite record easily.

Honestly, I never had seen one until David began purchasing them on eBay and at flea markets. Now that I am familiar I thought it would be fun to show off his ever growing collection in the blog.

With patterns ranging from psychedelic to plain ol' adorable I am impressed that these cardboard carriers survived the test of time.

Resortation Project Takes A Turn For The Better

After only one coat of stain our little side table already seems refreshed. It still had some streaks towards the back so coat number two is drying as I write. It is not completely out of the woods yet but I am happy with the results so far.