Caning, Asian influences, shopping with a friend and good housekeeping practices because it's the LAW.

Greeting! After a busy few weeks, I have just completed restoration of a homemade oak rocking chair with cane seat and back I picked up earlier this year.  I took it on because I have successfully replaced sheet cane early in my restoration career and decided I was ready for another go.  I am happy to report it all went smooth and the chair is now available!  Here are a few pics from the process.

The first pic is the chair as found with a blown out back.  Step 1 was removing the old cane and spline.  The best way to accomplish this is with a $40 steamer.  The steam loosens the old glue.  I would say it took the better part of an hour to work the old cane free.  Then I visited my local basketmaking and caning supply shop (yes, that is a THING!) called the Country Seat and they helped me match up the cane and spline to the right sizes.  The spline has to be big enough to fit in the channel tightly as that what keeps the whole structure intact.  Then I returned home ready to work.  After soaking the new cane and spline in water for about 20 min, I got to work using the wood pegs to insert the cane into the channel.  Working from side to side and and making it taunt.  Once I had it all lined up and inserted as I liked, I would trim off the excess, cut the spline to size beveling my ends for placement.  Then adding wood glue in the channel, inserting the spline, pounding in with a rubber mallet and my peg and wiping off the excess glue.  Overall, this project took about 3 hours of my time.  The chair looks fantastic!  If you have an eclectic style like I do, you may fall in love with the texture of caned and woven goods. Sheet cane replacement can be tricky, but it is a lot easier and less time consuming that outright caning!  Stop by my etsy shop if you want to read more about the chair. CLICK HERE

While I was at the caning shop, I picked up some material to repair a 1930's Heywood Wakefield rattan rocker.  It is shown on my Diamonds in the Rough page.  I am going to get started repair the one arm that is a little dogged up and then redoing the seat.  I have some golden yellow fabric I thought would be a good choice with the aged orange finish of the rattan, but I am open to  using a pattern.  If you want to claim this baby now I will finish it per your specifications.  Amazingly enough, the rattan is actually a very tight twisted paper and not a reed at all!  When I snapped off a piece to take it along to the shop, I was suspicious and the woman at the shop confirmed it!  I will be replacing with a reed in the area that needs repaired and hoping I can do a close match of the orange paint to blend it in.  These kind of details are always challenging and fun for creative types like myself. 

NEW ITEMS.

I just picked up a few new items that I am getting ready to list.  I love to know the history of what I find so being able to select things from the home they lived in is a fun yet melancholy part of securing my inventory.  I was able to visit a home that is getting cleaned out after it's owner recently passed on.  She was a working artist who made her living selling prints and original oils.  I am still trying to get more info on her business but she did copyright everything she sold so there were definitely savvy practices being followed.  Her home was filled with late Bombay Company furnishings in near perfect condition.  I picked up a pair of 2005 era MING style end tables in a black finish with gorgeous burl tops.  I quite enjoy the Asian style and think it would be a great match in an eclectic or boho décor.  This will be photographed and listed in the next 24 hours- hoping for no rain and a little sun! I also picked up 2 very large original oils on canvas in beautiful gold gilt lighted frames.  They are both floral subjects.  One is marked Not Copyrighted DO NOT SELL.  The other has been copyrighted and her notes show pricing and editions for canvas and paper reproductions including her asking price on the original, $4,000.  I am trying to get some more info regarding where her work was being sold and what galleries she had relationships with.  

One  of my friends mentioned they wanted me to look for a couch for them.  A few hours later a lovely living room set gets texted to me from an estate guy I buy from. Well turns out my friend was as smitten as I and trusted me to handle his deal. He got my full services including condition evaluation, pick up/delivery and a complete cleaning and sanitization.  He is handling a structural issue with the couch himself.  My Facebook page blew up after I posted the pics so I think lots of people loved it! It is Bassett Premier, often misattributed to Adrian   Pearsall.  It is in amazing condition too! Looks great in his home and I get to visit them. 💕

Speaking of sanitizing, in other exciting news, I decided to apply for a license from my state to be able to tag my own used or restored upholstered goods after I clean and sanitize with one of 2 products the state authorized to be used. I chose Steri-Fab, which is an insecticide, germicide and fungicide.  I will vacuum and steam all upholstered goods and follow with sanitizing all areas I can get to, I am certain that not all places do a thorough job with this especially thrifts, who are required to tag and any other retailer you shop with in PA.  I was letting my mall handle it for me but decided it would be something I would do for every customer I ship to. I am already following procedures but am waiting for my license to be approved so I can order the yellow tags. Buyers can remove them after receiving the item but it is piece of mind for all of us! I welcome local people to use my services! I would gladly sanitize and clean something you found or are selling commercially so you can comply with the law. Message me and we can talk about it!

HALLOWEEN

Just to let you know I have some fabulous NEW Halloween kitchen towel from Primitives by Kathy available locally at my Fleetwood Antique Mall space and currently a few styles are on ebay.  Please stop by and check them out!  ebay.com/usr/madmodworldvintage

This towel available NOW in my ebay shop or locally at Fleetwood Antique Mall!

order now so you get yours in time!  

Thanks for reading, your comments and emails!  XO Malissa

Another mass attribution debunked, getting a little crafty.

I follow my gut when I am buying. I inspect a piece to look for telltale signs of 'better maker' construction, crave brightly colored interesting pieces or am looking through the hideous original upholstery and already imagining how to redo it.  Before I delve into my latest research, I'd love to show you these great little X BASE benches I just picked up.  I believe they are redone in this gnarly plaid flannel.  I see them with more tailored accents like buttons and piping and possibly a pillow top.

These great little accents are real popular in the interior design crowd.  I will be honest, I only took them on because they were a pair.  Some things are better in pairs....and these will be fantastic with new threads!

They would look great in a bold color like raspberry or teal, but I could also see them in the cream velvet I picked up a bit ago. I am full of refinished goods right now that I already invested into so cannot fund the upholstery work in advance of a buyer.  Here is a great chance to get involved in the project! I will coordinate the restoration for you and you can select your fabric! I started a section on my web page to feature items I have waiting for restoration.  Any of these items can be custom restored for you.  I will take them on myself as my budget allows but if you see something you love let's get it restored for you! 

THE LILY. 

Last week I featured a few new acquisitions in my write up which are listed and ready to go.  The one table, the Gilded gold lily, sent me on a research mission to uncover it's past.  Many dealers including the allmighty FIRST DIBS folk attribute this gorgeous little number to Arthur Court and I was going to try to crack this case.  

Chairish removes the background from the cover pic I send them so all of their listings look uniform.  Because my fees are highest in this market, I prefer to do all sales on Etsy if possible. Chairish has very good white glove shipping rates through plycon, however, so I always price shipping there on my largest or fragile items and would encourage clients to purchase there if that is the best rate for them.

Arthur Court, still around, is known for cast aluminum serving pieces, decor, and other small items for the home.  There are no mention of any furniture in the current inventory.  While this Lily base is cast aluminum, I have no reason to believe Arthur Court had anything to do with it.  One or two listings mention Drexel, so I take that and run.  Being at eBay at the right time led me to a piece of ephemera of interest.  It was a 1969 magazine ad for Drexel's Et Cetera line of embellished furnishings featuring no other than my Lily on the pic! No matter how large I made the pic, I could not make out the text.  There was a lot of text. I bought the ad!  I am a firm advocate of keeping a library of research materials and will splurge on catalogs, books and other items that feature my finds.  I appreciate those who take the time to cut this stuff out and preserve the history. Ads are sometimes the best resource we have to piece together the history of these items.  

a great ad, the back features an awesome Formica kitchen ad! In Orange and yellow mod glory!

The magazine, Better Homes and Gardens I believe, was dated 1969.  I learned that my lily has it's original glass, is definitely cast aluminum and was called a cigarette table.  Small in stature to use next to a lounge chair, and the petit table top to feature an interesting ash tray with enough space to hold your pack, a lighter and a cocktail. As cigarette smoking slowly fell out of vogue, so did the use of the association. Like many trends, they come and go.  There are still those who enjoy a puff here and there and also those who like to recreate that type of space just to keep the era alive.  Whether you choose this piece to accent your nightlife or to bring some incredible lifelike nature indoors, it is sure to charm you and your guests.  

My favorite part about the ad is the official description.  'The Gilded Lily-for real. This cigarette table reflects the originality in Drexel's famed Et Cetera Collection. A bunch of Gilded Madonna lilies bursts into full bloom to hold the glass top.'  💕 

So what about the designer? Well, I figured out the answer to that as well.   The caption under the pic ends in italics 'Designed by Drexel Design Staff'.  Arthur Court, the most tagged company (or person) on this piece.....no way.  Just another mid century modern urban legend. It is great when we enjoy certain designer's work.  I do love carrying highly collectible works from the era's best.  But ultimately, these are pieces you will be living with, passing down or reselling later.  Take the time to delve into the history.  I really try to find out about my items because I am intrigued and do my best to pass that info on.  Misattributed items does no favors to the artists who created them and it certainly is shifty, lazy and no better than a used car salesman. ✌️

On a final note.  I am in the process of stretching some of the amazing Frank Lloyd Wright reissued prints onto canvas for hanging. I figure there are some non crafty folk out there who would like to admire these great designs without having to sew or be creative.  If they sell quickly, I will invest into other prints.  This fabric is very expensive.  On the St Marks Print, I used a large frame as the print repeats every 17".  This way you really can see it.  I love it against my brown wall.  I will be doing the smaller blue print on smaller frames and at a reduced price as I can get more out of a yard.  Look for the listing on the smaller ones (11 by 14) over the next few days! 

Malissa

16 by 20 St Marks Print in natural linen with black print, 1955 reissue Frank Lloyd Wright for Schumacher.  3 are available but I can make more.  Fabric yardage available in 1/4 yard increments at $40 per 1/4 yard.  LISTED IN ETSY SHOP.

Large canvas priced at $75 each plus ship. This is an awesome opportunity to get some yardage or a ready to hang piece of fabric art before the stock sells out!  

Weaving progress, research and Broyhill Brasilia.

Greetings!  Wanted to send a few updates.  The weaving project is coming along.  I have 2 chairs ready, 2 more to go!  

I purchased an early 70s catalog from importer Otto Gerdau of NY.  Success!  My chairs are in there!  

Of course, no reference to manufacturer/design connection but I am convinced there is no correlation to Gio Ponti.  They are made in Italy, hand woven, of course.  There are many furniture pieces in this catalog and I already found a few on the web attributed to folks who probably had nothing to do with them.  I am happy to add this great reference to my library! 

New acquisitions!  I just picked up a pretty set of T back style Broyhill Brasilia dining chairs.  They are currently being rehabbed by my friend, who is out of work and looking for side jobs.  I will be recovering the seats shortly, thinking a cobalt blue tweed but I have options.  Reach out if you are looking for a set of 4 and I can custom cover for you.   

Picked up some plaid coolers too!  I have lots of camping items to list! 

Hope everyone has a good week!  Hopefully I will finish the 3rd chair this week!  I have been binge watching Netflix series as I weave. Ha. 

XO Malissa

Debunking 'Attributed by', auctions and estate sale finds.

I had a crazy week! First thing's first.  I picked up some amazing items this week bidding on some online auctions.  It is exciting and fun.  I watched a great pair of Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates sculpted arm chairs go for $1000 and they needed foam work!  But lucky for me, my competition on MCM must have blew their load on the chairs so I was able to get a few very nice high end pieces for a good price!  First off, I won a fabulous Danish bookcase/hutch by Poul Hundevad. It is 2 pieces with a lower cabinet that features a sliding felt lined drawer and maple adjustable shelves.  The exterior is teak veneer and has adjustable open shelves.  It is tall and has a lot of storage.  Perfect for a pyrex display or other collectables or just housing your books.  I do not typically have access to a lot of Danish so this piece was very exciting for me!  It really is a great utility piece and useful in any room of the house.  It is very large though and the top only fits in my Vanagon so delivery will be limited to the local region.  I can help price freight companies and this will be listed on chairish by mid week most likely.  Their rates with Plycon are usually very competitive.  Here's a look!

Beautiful teak utility piece!  Available now!

The next amazing item has me stumped for now.  It is a smaller glass top dining table perhaps a game table.  Perfect for a smaller room or nook.  It has a 1/2" thick glass top which sits on 3 1" thick lucite supports and three brass cross bars or sorts.  It is beautiful and really high end.  Most dealers attribute this to Charles Hollis Jones, the king of Lucite.  CHJ was a pioneer in using lucite in his designs.  All the big dealers are attributing to him but I want to see it for myself. It turns out that MR CHJ is very much alive and has a web site.  I contacted him to see if I could solve this dilemma.  Mr CHJ is a total sweetheart!  I think he was pleased that I asked and he did confirm that this is NOT a CHJ design.  SO, sadly, it is still unknown.  Perhaps it belongs to Alessandro Albrizzi, who also was doing amazing things with Lucite in the 70s and does have some similar looking pieces.  I have yet to crack it.  I will say that this is a very high end piece.  Lucite gained popularity especially with the wealthiest folk as pieces were not blocking a view.  So when you had a home full of windows overlooking the ocean, you could, in effect, see right through the furniture and enjoy the outdoors.  Pretty cool concept and this little piece has opened my mind a little further.  It is a smaller table so seats no more than 4.  For the right spot, it will be a charmer!  Regional delivery is available, and it will be showing up in my chairish shop with shipping by Plycon later this week.  Do not forget that if you are in Deliveright.com service area (mid atlantic states, south eastern states) I may be able to quote them for you as well!  Here is a look at this beauty! 

So in my correspondence with Charles Hollis Jones, he told me that is he currently featured in an exhibit at the Museum of Art and History in Lancaster, CA entitled 50 YEARS 50 CHAIRS.  Pretty cool.  I am trying to purchase a copy of a book about him from the museum for my resources.  A very sweet man, it was very nice that he was cordial and I do think he was even pleased that I bothered to ask.  Can you imagine seeing your name all over a bunch of things you did not create?  Many of this era's iconic designers have already passed on and perhaps a family member is carrying on their legacy and offering insight to those who are still admiring their works.  It was amazing to be able to correspond directly with one of these persons.  This right here is one reason that I take time to research.  Maybe I cannot determine it's origin, but crossing someone off the list is also progress!

I spent all day Wednesday picking up my winnings.  2 trips to the auction house, one in my Honda van and one in our VW Vanagon!  It was a great day for a drive and I got to meet up with my friend, who had also won some things.  We planned to get together on Friday to pick up some other winnings in North Jersey and hit some estate sales.  It worked out great and not only did we have a great day, we probably were at 7 sales and I found a bunch of awesome items!  If kitsch is your thing, I have got some!  I am still listing things but got through a lot in the last few days.  I will add some pics here.  All are currently available in my etsy shop, chairish listings are processing.  It was a very exciting day!  

Adorable 3 pc cafe set with original vinyl sunflower upholstery!  Made in Bethlehem, PA by Crestline Industries.  Super cute for a covered porch or deck, sunroom!

UPDATE SOLD!  Very long framed print for Turner Wall Accessory.  Signed Mato.  This are not high end but are in demand.  This print is entitled NEW YORK HARBOR SCENE.  It is blue-green hues and the frame is stained blue.  A real nice piece.

A very pretty pair of Empire era accent chairs.  These date to the late 1800s and have such great lines, I can see them blending well in a mixed era home.  The red velvet is a recover and in ok shape but that can easily be changed out to match your decor.  Condition is shabby, some chips and age related wear.  One has a repair on the back.  This vintage is best left untouched.  They are charming!  I picked up the rug as well.  It will not be for sale at this time.  

I was recently involved in a discussion regarding Mid Century fake plastic plants.  They are not easy to find to when I saw this one, I grabbed it! Amazing bamboo cemented in 8-9" blow mold plastic pot. stands over 50" tall! It is amazing! 

This was the bulk of my large finds and I have some cool smalls that will be listed soon.  Reach out if you need more info about anything!  Have a great week!  

Xo Malissa

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very Happy New Year!  I have had a stellar year bringing MCM joy to many homes across the country.  It truly has been my pleasure serving you, my friends!  

I am still adding new items to the shops even though I am enjoying my holiday time.  Please check in so you don't miss anything!  The etsy sale (10% off all except furnishings) will continue through Jan 12th.  No coupon required.   

Stop by chairish and claim a $40 credit now through midnight Jan 31st. 

My kids and I got to spend the day visiting the Philadelphia Art Museum this week. My main motivation was the Mexican Modernists exhibit, which ends Jan 6.  If you get a chance to see it here or elsewhere, it was breathtaking to see these works in person!  Enjoy a few pics. 

Enjoy the 2016 finale and I look forward to 2017!  XO Malissa

Frida Kahlo's first self portrait which no doubt put her on the map in the art scene.  The details are just phenomenal.  

Van Gogh

Rodin 'the kiss' at the Rodin Museum

We even found some MCM! Mies Van de Rohe MR 20 Lounge Chair

💗