Adventures in Sourcing- Danish Style.

I have been fortunate to have been contacted by a local interior designer to assist in finding the perfect vintage dining table for her client. It has been a great experience and the family was fabulous. Shortly after this, I was contacted by a lovely gentleman from Long Island that was referred to me and he was looking for a tall order…..8 matching danish dining chairs, 2 captains chairs and 6 side chairs. It has been a busy few weeks and I will tell you how this all goes down.

Case Study: New with Old, mixing modern with classic Danish Modern in Kutztown.

First off, I was presented with some facts about the dining table hunt. Family purchased West Elm banquette seating and needs a pedestal style table so legs are not in the way of feet. Next, table needs to start small yet expand quite large to accommodate holiday gatherings. Ok. Next, they were thinking teak as the wood choice. It did not take me long to know exactly which table they needed. A more common Danish design in which the legs formed a pedestal under a round tabletop that opens with the legs expanding under the ends in it’s oblong transition.

The table is iT’s shorter configuration is A great size in a small room.

The table is iT’s shorter configuration is A great size in a small room.

After discussion with the client, they agreed this sounded perfect. I am not in a Danish hotspot. Waiting for this table to turn up in my circle is just not an option. I got on the hunt and the goal was to find this table under value….which I would consider $800-1000. I turned one up….in Syracuse, NY. It was very reasonable and looked to be in great shape. The seller was willing to work with my shipper so I contacted Scott and Jill, who live up that way and travel up and down the east coast moving furniture, with occasional trips to Dallas and Ohio. They have delivered many items for me and are lovely people. After getting their price and adding a nominal commission, my final price was at the lower end of retail. Perfect. With the client’s blessing, I made the purchase and started rolling. When you use a shipper, private or white glove moving company, you can expect this process to take many weeks. I will get a general estimate when I book but things can change as they get closer to the date. Private shippers are also available in the evenings so there is a chance that your delivery will take place at night or on a weekend. They do their best to accommodate your schedule and will reach out to you when they are finalizing their route. The table was delivered and I wished Scott and Jill well in their travels until I need them again. It was in beautiful shape and had some great features like locks to keep the table closed when there were no leaves in use. I oiled it with Danish Oil and prepped for delivery. When it finally got to it’s new home, the new seating was waiting. It looked great! I enjoyed seeing where it will live and the features in the home that were laid out by the designer. She has a great colorful eye and the space was really put together well. If you are looking for a specific piece of vintage, and want me to hunt it down for you, I would be happy to assist. My goal is to obtain under value so that with the addition of shipping and commission I am still at a reasonable number for you.

Fully expanded, this table can ACCOMMODATE a crowd. Note the legs expaNd with the table. PEDESTAL tables can be tippy without this ingenious design feature.

Fully expanded, this table can ACCOMMODATE a crowd. Note the legs expaNd with the table. PEDESTAL tables can be tippy without this ingenious design feature.

Case Study: Longing for Danish Dining Chairs in Long Island.

In this custom sourcing adventure, I will say I was pleasantly surprised to get involved with a long distance client. He was referred to me by a friend of a friend. Thank you for referring me!

My client is planning a large family reunion in his home for Thanksgiving. It is very important to him that his guests are accommodated and his style is impeccable. He knows what he wants and sends me a pic of style. 8 dining chairs, 2 must have arms. Danish. This is totally a first dibs kind of request in that to find a set of 8, you can’t find them without buying from another dealer, who most likely built the set themselves. I started to look. I quickly found a very lovely set and reached out to the seller. These super high end Erik Buch designed chairs for OD Mobler are absolutely stunning! Popular enough that you can build a set if you need to. Sturdy and ample, unlike other Danish chairs I have dealt with in the past. After communicating my intentions, I have a buyer and will be mediating the deal, I am a professional seller, I will be sending a shipper, yada yada, I am greeted with a willingness to proceed.

JUst beAutiful! Aged teak with lovely joinery, extra soft foam work makes them super comfy and unlike most Danish, they have very large seats! Worth the splurge!

JUst beAutiful! Aged teak with lovely joinery, extra soft foam work makes them super comfy and unlike most Danish, they have very large seats! Worth the splurge!

My client loves the chairs. I negotiate him a much better price than advertised and keep in mind, I am saving the seller fees, which he is passing on to us. I find out some history on them. The seller used them for the last 8 or so years, he bought them from a military family in Colorado, who brought them back from Europe. He is in Chicago. I get the negotiating squared away and then contact my east-west coast shipper, Jackie, and it turns out she was heading my way and could get them for me. I love when things go smooth. A week later, I have the chairs and am seriously in love! Oh and my seller was so amazing, he offered me 2 additional chairs that need to be restored at a price I could not refuse so they came along as well! They will be getting new upholstery and added to my inventory! My meet up with the buyer is scheduled in a few weeks and I hope he loves them as much as I do! It was great to help him find his dream chairs and overall, he paid less than some sets of 6 out there with all my help.

Great side profile!

Great side profile!

I am pleased to offer sourcing services. Think of me like your personal shopper. On another note, I just brought back a chair from the upholsterer you may want to see!

Rebuilt with new foam, new seat cushion and new fabulous upholstery! Mid century gone modern. Very much in love wity my latest restoration!

Rebuilt with new foam, new seat cushion and new fabulous upholstery! Mid century gone modern. Very much in love wity my latest restoration!

Handsome from every side! Gorgeous designer fabric in white velvety tweed and high sheen teal or peacock overstitching in a random abstract allows thE light to dance off beautifully. I never was one for white furniture but the touch of blue is faNta…

Handsome from every side! Gorgeous designer fabric in white velvety tweed and high sheen teal or peacock overstitching in a random abstract allows thE light to dance off beautifully. I never was one for white furniture but the touch of blue is faNtastic and it adds light to a soace instead of draB. I am thinking about ordering more for my pearsall couch i love it so much!

LoTs of details! Piping or welting, notched seat cushion and Although it us mid century in stature, it is wider than many era chairs. Next to my modern couch, you can see she is smaller than today’s overstuffed and overplumped styles. Great when you…

LoTs of details! Piping or welting, notched seat cushion and Although it us mid century in stature, it is wider than many era chairs. Next to my modern couch, you can see she is smaller than today’s overstuffed and overplumped styles. Great when you have an older home with smaller rOoms!

Beautiful from behind too!

Beautiful from behind too!

What a difference from the day I dropped her off! I also have a nice swIvel rocker ready to go! If you want to customize your own mid century beauty, i can heLp you get it done!

What a difference from the day I dropped her off! I also have a nice swIvel rocker ready to go! If you want to customize your own mid century beauty, i can heLp you get it done!

This chair is now available for purchase! You can get an instant shipping quote in my Etsy shop. My guess without checking is about $299. If you are east coast I might get it a little cheaper with a private shipper but in cases like this, chairish may be the way to go. I can help you make sense of the logistics if you reach out to me! I do not expect this amazing piece to be here long! 💗💗💗💗. XO Malissa

Shop and save! Lots of markdowns in my Etsy shop! Sale runs through oct 31.

Shop and save! Lots of markdowns in my Etsy shop! Sale runs through oct 31.

Take a seat. Chairs everywhere.

I have lots of new items to unveil and I am busy working on getting some ready to go.  Here is an overview of items I have in house.   

First off, there are some modern, AS IS items I am blowing out. You can pick up or arrange a meet up local to me. These are not offered online.  You must contact me directly!

Super set from ROWE FURNITURE.  2 arm chairs and matching ottoman.  Structurally superb, no rips or tears in upholstery but it will need a good cleaning.  Priced to MOVE at $100 for all 3 pieces. 

Super set from ROWE FURNITURE.  2 arm chairs and matching ottoman.  Structurally superb, no rips or tears in upholstery but it will need a good cleaning.  Priced to MOVE at $100 for all 3 pieces. 

Ethan Allen reclining wingback at matching ottoman.  Very dirty with possible sun fade but appears to be structurally sound.  $50 for the set! 

Ethan Allen reclining wingback at matching ottoman.  Very dirty with possible sun fade but appears to be structurally sound.  $50 for the set! 

Gorgeous Queen Anne bench.  Perfect in every way!  Comfy too! $75

Gorgeous Queen Anne bench.  Perfect in every way!  Comfy too! $75

Next up....NEW GOODS! 

i hit a local auction last weekend and to my surprise, the local dealers were not interested in the few mid century and bohemian items there!  These are trickling in to my online markets and being cleaned up and tended to.   

Blond beech Thonet 811 arm chairs.  designed by Josef Hoffmann/Josef Franck in 1930s.  This is an early set as noted by the lack of extra leg supports that were added to later models.  Beautiful hand caned seats and backs and in fanta…

Blond beech Thonet 811 arm chairs.  designed by Josef Hoffmann/Josef Franck in 1930s.  This is an early set as noted by the lack of extra leg supports that were added to later models.  Beautiful hand caned seats and backs and in fantastic condition.  I will be glueing up a few wobbly front legs (reason additional supports were added) you may periodically have to repeat this as they loosen up but an ounce of prevention will keep them stellar.  They are super lightweight, simple, yet gorgeous in design. Made in Thonet’s Czechoslovakian plant, imported by US IMPORTER Stendig and stamped, stickered accordingly. You will find Thonet’s bentwood pieces in museums all over the world as Michael Thonet devised and perfected the stream bending process.  Here’s a great chance to obtain a large matched set of these great artifacts! 

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A bohemian and eclectic’s dream!   

A bohemian and eclectic’s dream!   

Rattan and reed chaise. This beautiful piece is from same estate (Doctor). Not sure it’s origins but design elements are very much a replica of a Thonet No. 2 chaise.  They are typically not bamboo, however and feature cane instead of woven ree…

Rattan and reed chaise. This beautiful piece is from same estate (Doctor). Not sure it’s origins but design elements are very much a replica of a Thonet No. 2 chaise.  They are typically not bamboo, however and feature cane instead of woven reed.  I will continue to research but not only is it a gorgeous piece to look at, it was used inside so is in very good condition.  A few broken reeds but no missing areas. I will spend time tacking some areas with glue as that is all that needs to be done.   

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Gorgeous Knoll raw saddle leather office chair. Swivels and on casters. This leather is dreamy.  I found one chair like it online but no identification help.  It is not in Knoll’s current offerings.  I have reached out to the company …

Gorgeous Knoll raw saddle leather office chair. Swivels and on casters. This leather is dreamy.  I found one chair like it online but no identification help.  It is not in Knoll’s current offerings.  I have reached out to the company so let’s hope their helpfulness is better than their Human Resources since I have applied for many jobs there in the last year and only get canned denial emails. 🤦‍♀️  

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Adorable oval tall table.  This may make an appearance at my booth....need to sell the Broyhill set!!!! 

Adorable oval tall table.  This may make an appearance at my booth....need to sell the Broyhill set!!!! 

I will split these chairs from the table at this point.  I am priced at $400 local pick up.  That gets you the chairs (new upholstery), table and leaf.  You can’t beat this price for Broyhill Saga!  These splat back chairs were s…

I will split these chairs from the table at this point.  I am priced at $400 local pick up.  That gets you the chairs (new upholstery), table and leaf.  You can’t beat this price for Broyhill Saga!  These splat back chairs were sold with all the Broyhill premier lines and you can add on very easily.  Why am I priced so low?  I sold the credenza off quickly and made my money on this buy.  I do not have room as my storage is jammed.  This is the one set I have that I can offer to local fans and collectors at a great price! I buy to sell retail, not wholesale.  When I can offer at a great wholesale price, I want to!  This chance does not come often. That said, my online price of $600 is still great but accounts for my fees.  Shipping this complete could be a $650 price.  Still the set will be had under value if you restore the finish. It is current in well loved/rustic condition but it’s charming. The gold linen seats are new including the foam and it is ready to use.  

You can purchase this set directly at Fleetwood Antique Mall. Come prepared to transport.  Staff will help you load it. OPEN 10-6 WED - SUN 14129 Kutztown Rd, Fleetwood, PA 19522

You can purchase this set directly at Fleetwood Antique Mall. Come prepared to transport.  Staff will help you load it. OPEN 10-6 WED - SUN 14129 Kutztown Rd, Fleetwood, PA 19522

If you are interested in just the chairs, I can bus ship them for $150 additional.  Chairs alone $400.   

If you are interested in just the chairs, I can bus ship them for $150 additional.  Chairs alone $400.   

I am working on the other set of chairs I have as well.  Fabricating a new support piece as the former was missing.  Will replicate the finish on the new piece and then just need to knock a few crooked legs loose and reglue them up.  The former fixer did not use clamps. 😭  They look real nice cleaned up.  I am leaving the original upholstery alone and did repair a small hole.  I think it’s nice and if you want to hire me to redo for you I would gladly do that but trying to keep the price down and I really do love the striped fabric!  So sexy! These will be priced to move!  

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My husband is working on the new piece of maple that will replace a missing rung.  It’s a great match to the original wood which is probably beech. 

My husband is working on the new piece of maple that will replace a missing rung.  It’s a great match to the original wood which is probably beech. 

Lots going on as we are in the final weeks of school and will be camping in a few weeks.  If you need me please reach out! I have weekday availability for deliveries and such.  I am stocked full of some great things right now in ALL BUDGETS!!! Please refer your friends!  I will treat them like family! 🥰

 

Have a great week!

XO MALISSA

Hop on the Bus Gus- shipping updates.

Greyhound shipping updates.

Shipping on the bus can be a big drag for the ones doing the shipping. (sure, there is a bit of a hassle on the pick up end of things too, but it is worth it to save some money….in many cases ALOT of money…over hiring a legit shipper. You always have to be willing to roll with the punches. I have had a few shipments go in the last few weeks and here are the latest quirks with the bus.

My closest station (about 1/2 hour away) is Allentown. They were removed from the Greyhound computer as a shipping station because we recently had a local bus company go out of business. I cannot order a label on Greyhound’s website originating out of this station. I can, however, drop off there and pay cash for shipping. This means in order to ship with a courier on your end, I need to drive it to Philadelphia to ship. I do not mind doing this but in most cases, but I will be implementing a flat charge to cover that expense. If I need to go to Philadelphia at your request, I will tack that on your shipping price. I recently shipped to a small station in Idaho and spent 2 days driving it around to get shipped. Needless to say it’s well on it’s way, but just another dose of bus shipping reality. I see lots of folks on fb groups telling people to have the seller bus ship. I think these folks think it magically packs itself and drives itself to the station? Not sure but there is a lot of work involved and for those of us not in a major metropolitan area, it is a big expense. This shipping option is a SERVICE and in most cases, will save you a bit of money over hiring a USHIP driver. Believe me when I tell you finding cheap shipping is not an easy task and sometimes my hands are tied. If you are in California and need a large item shipped, we are at the mercy of uship unless we can fit it under the bus safely. If you are shopping for something that might be a candidate for bus shipping and want to know more, please reach out. I can explain how the process will work. We are not insured for damages going this route but I do my best to pack the item well and usually am including new moving blankets I buy from harbor freight. I also take responsibility for calling and tracking items or dealing with Greyhound Corporate. This could be a day of time if an issue arises but I take my position very seriously and this for me is part of exceptional customer service. Don’t by shy, reach out if you are looking for a larger item and I will get to work trying to calculate your best options! This is another reason to shop with a PROFESSIONAL SELLER! Hobbyists don’t really care about you or your budget.

NEW ITEMS

I just picked up some great new items from Primitives by Kathy! Camping themed kitchen towels, restocked Indian kantha placemats and grabbed a few kantha buntings (pennants) which are totally awesome for your camper or van awning! I listed 2 on etsy and dropped one off at my booth. The new towels are also at my booth and I will be adding the others to my eBay I guess. I have other towels on there right now as well. I also grabbed more of the pillowcases with the vintage camper. I had one left out at the mall but had sold a bunch on eBay. I will relist there in the coming days.

New item! Kantha bunting (pennant) for home or camp!  2 in my Etsy shop, 1 in my local retail space. So fun!  So bohemian! 

New item! Kantha bunting (pennant) for home or camp!  2 in my Etsy shop, 1 in my local retail space. So fun!  So bohemian! 

HOLY MOLY!

So my last day at the tax office is tomorrow. I will be working on some classes over the summer (unpaid) but otherwise, I am done until January. That said, thanks to all who bought from me in the last month or so! I am so thrilled as I plan on trying to make it without a legit job until next tax season! Your support has floored me and I think if I can keep this up for a while, I may be able to do it. I have lots more things to list and will be working on that in the coming weeks as I reorganize my office and storage and pack to do some flea markets and the big extravaganza coming up in a few weeks. I will announce where I will be set up and mainly plan on packing items I want to blow out. Basically, the more you buy the better the deal and I will be priced for resellers in most cases. I have a lot of stale or bulk items I bought over the last year and just want to clear out and start fresh. Thanks for shopping with me and please the best compliment you can pay me is sharing your favorite (I hope!) vintage seller with your friends. Don’t worry, it’s not a competition and I will find more so don’t keep me as a secret!!! <3 I need all the help I can get right now!

Have a great week and I will post more soon!

xo Malissa

Fun kitchen towels! I could not resist the vintage ones! &nbsp;In my retail space and will be adding to my eBay soon. 

Fun kitchen towels! I could not resist the vintage ones!  In my retail space and will be adding to my eBay soon. 

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Restocked colorful Kantha placemats! These are a consistent seller on Etsy and I have given some sets out recently as gifts and they are loved! I have 3 sets (of 4) available and listed on Etsy. &nbsp; 

Restocked colorful Kantha placemats! These are a consistent seller on Etsy and I have given some sets out recently as gifts and they are loved! I have 3 sets (of 4) available and listed on Etsy.   

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Just stating to list the fencing swords or foils on Etsy. I have a few more to list this week. Makes Great Wall decor but all appear to be in usable condition.  We were unaware if the now 97 year old participated in the sport, or just collected them! There are examples of French grip, Italian grip and a pistol grip in this lot.  These pieces probably date to the 1970s based on what I have seen.  

Today is my last day of Tax Season work!  Thanks for your continued support as I enter a new phase of my life and business!  

XO MALISSA