2012 - The Homies

Forget about November, it looks like I've been nominated for the Apartment Therapy 2012 Homie award!  With only 5 votes so far, I'm pretty sure that Mid-Century Midwest doesn't stand a chance, but I'll give it a go.

Head on over here.  Then sign in (you can sign in through Facebook or other services if you don't want to make an account) and hit the "vote" button next to Mid-Century Midwest.

Thanks everyone!  Your support and readership is greatly appreciated.

source: Nashville Scene

The big reveal

"The next big ticket item I want to pick up for the dining room: a Curtis Jeré "Birds in Flight" sculpture. Yeah, probably not gonna happen..."
-Me


After that comment, it looks like I'm gonna have to eat a little crow (or, in this case, seagull).


Who would have thought that 4 short days after Mr. Modtomic and I missed out on a Curtis Jeré "Birds in Flight" that another would pop up on Craigslist. I mean these things don't just grow on trees, after all.


Yet here I sit, basking in it's avian glory.

I was thinking of having a lazy Sunday, but luckily I woke up early and browsed Craigslist.  The second I saw this listing, I jumped out of bed, called up with an offer, and ran to the car.  It's a good thing there weren't any traffic cops on my route, because I may or may not have been slightly exceeding the posted limit in order to get there before some other sharp-eyed buyer snapped it up.

This thing is covered in a thick layer of cobwebs and dirt, as it was stored in a barn of all places.  However, you can make out the signature and it's still absolutely stunning to look at and much larger than I'd imagined.

It's also missing one of its hanging mounts, so here is where I need your input.


Should I just get some mounting wire and tie it between one of the "tails" and the hook and call it a day, or should I take it to a welder and have them fabricate and carefully attach a matching bronze mount?  I don't want to mess this thing up, but a hanging wire would seriously detract from the looks, don't you think?


I might also give it a coat of matte black Plastidip, an aerosolized rubber that works like paint but easily peels off whenever you want it removed.


Yea? Nay?


Either way, I'm super stoked about this piece.  It's been on my dream list since I began collecting and I still can't quite believe that it's sitting in my living room.  Somebody pinch me!

The Craigslist gods have smiled upon me

Wow!  I'm still out of breath.  I literally jumped out of bed and ran to my car after seeing a listing on Craigslist this morning.  It isn't cleaned up yet, so I'll just give you a little hint, but this is big, exciting stuff.

To buy or not to buy...

Quick question:

Should I purchase this fine set of lamps?

They're $30 and not EXACTLY what I'm looking for, but I've yet to find any MCM lamps (or lamp shades for that matter) in my extensive search of the St. Louis area.  The lack of retro lighting is definitely becoming frustrating.

I guess they're pretty cool, but... hmmmm... I'm just not sure.

Schooled

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.  It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity.  It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition.  It lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge.  This is the dimension of imagination.  It is an area which we call- the Craigslist Zone.

Submitted for your approval, this ad appeared on the St. Louis Craigslist this morning.

SAARINEN BEDROOM SET - $7999 (ST. LOUIS METRO)

SAARINEM BEDROOM SET BY R-WAY IT IS FOR THE LOWBOY, HIGHBOY AND 2 NIGHT STANDS I HAVE THE ORIGINAL GLASS TOPS FOR THE NIGHT STANDS. IT IS EARLY 40;S DESIGN.
THIS SET WAS DESIGNED BY FURNITURE SRTIST ERNO SAARINEN WHO IS THE FATHER OF THE DESIGNER OF THE GATEWAY ARCH. THE FURNITURE IS MID CENTRY MODERN AND EAMES WORMEY KNOLL WOOD IN THE CENTER THE MIRRORS ARE NOT ORGINAL AND THE ORIGINAL MIRROR IS A LARGE OVAL MIRROR. THE LOWBOY IS LISTED ALONE ON THE INTERNET FOR $5500 AND WE WILL CONSIDER ALL OFFERS SEE PICTURES IT WAS REFINISHED ABOUT 10 YRS AGO SO IT IS IN ALMOST MINT CONDITION THERE IS A FLAW IN THE LOWBOY SEE PICTURES. THIS IS THE PERFECT SET FOR THE NEW CONDOS THAT THEY ARE DOING IN DOWNTOWN ST.LOUIS OR ANYWHERE.
PLEASE NO SEND ME ADDRESS AND I WILL MAIL A CHECK.
THANKS -

Given the numerous spelling/grammar errors and dubious references, any normal man would quickly write this listing off as either erroneous or a complete fraud.

But nothing is as it seems in the Craigslist Zone!

While I do feel that the pricing is out-of-whack, further research turned up evidence that this bedroom set was, in fact, designed by Eero Saarinen's father, Eliel Saarinen (not "ERNO" as the writer would have you believe).

source: vandm.com

Edit: Looks like there is more evidence over at Mr. Modtomic's place as well.

Who'd have thunk it.  Well, looks like I need to keep brushing up on my stuff. 

The Hunt

At this point, I think that my search for a living room rug could take up its own blog.  Yet, I haven't found the perfect specimen.  Any of these tickle your fancy?  Overstock is running a 15% off sale on area rugs that ends at midnight, so hopefully I can figure something out.  Considering how indecisive I've been about this whole rug ordeal, I wouldn't count on it.

My living room

The contenders:

Hand-tufted Square Orange Wool Rug (5' x 8') - $136.84

(reviewers assure that the colors are more muted in person)

Indo Kazak Hand-knotted Red/Gold Rug (5' x 7') - $163.19

Indo Kazak Burgundy/ Ivory Wool-blend Rug (5'9 x 8) - $245.64

Indo Kilim Ivory/ Red Wool/ Cotton Rug (5'5 x 7'9)  - $163.19

Indo Kazak Red/ Ivory Wool/ Cotton Rug (4'8 x 6'5) - $197.19

Hand-woven Kaalein Red Stripe Wool Rug (5' x 7'6) - $117.29

Indian Hand-knotted Indo Kazak Rug (4'8 x 6'5) - $217.59

Craigslist Rules: Always Call

Though Craigslist is, in my experience, the best place to scoop up the Mid-Mod goods, you quickly learn that there are a few rules to play by if you really want to score big.

One of the most crucial: Always call!

In the age of email and texting this may seem old-fashioned, but I can't stress its importance enough.

Not all sellers check their messages obsessively as most of us likely do.  I can't count the number of times that I've written a seller only to hear back from them days later because they haven't logged onto their mail.  A good number of them also wait and mull the offer over before replying.  In the mean time, others come pouring in and they can take their pick.

Calling forces the issue.  Few will ignore a ringing telephone and once they've made that personal connection with the buyer, it's much more difficult for them to delay, waffle, or back out.

If the seller doesn't leave a phone number, just send them an email with yours and hope for the best.

I must say, I'm not really one for phoning up random strangers.  It just kind of weirds me out, so I sometimes break the "always call" rule.  Almost invariably, this leads to me getting burned.

Take today for example.  I found a listing for two Overman pod chairs at $15 a pop.

source: midcenturymodernfinds.com

Great deal!  I arranged pickup after work but had the brilliant idea of getting a head start to avoid rush-hour.  Craigslist shows the general location, so all I needed was a reply with the exact street address and I was set.  Surely they'd respond as quickly as they had to my first few messages, right?

You already know how things turned out.  Don't ever make this rookie mistake!  Get on that phone!

We have liftoff!

While I didn't check everything off of my to-do list last weekend, I did complete one long overdue project.

Yes, the sputnik has come out of hiding and taken its rightful place in the dining room.

I <3 this chandelier!  I mean I REALLY LOVE it.  If marriage to inanimate objects was legal in the state of Missouri, I'd be writing my vows right now.  Unfortunately, society frowns upon our affections and this dream will never be realized.

In all seriousness though, I couldn't believe my luck when I found it at an estate sale last summer for a song.  It's a big'n too - a full 24 inches of brassy, atomic goodness.

I'd planned on putting it up just about every weekend for the last few months, but kept delaying because I thought that there might be some way to fix those tarnish/scratch issues.  Brasso, Katsup, and a mixture of vinegar and salt - all tried to no avail.  I was even thinking that I might just get it re-plated.

Perhaps I also had a feeling that it'd be a nightmare to hang.  It was.  Don't ever attempt to tackle a sputnik installation on your own unless you enjoy contorting yourself into all sorts of awkward positions and being poked in the face with brass rods.

Eventually I just couldn't bear it sitting in the storage room any longer.  So there it is, blemishes and all.

As you can plainly see, the chandelier is missing a few bulbs, but that's another project for another day.  Apparently 15 watt chandelier bulbs are extraordinarily hard to find and I'm not paying $3.87 per set of 4 ($23.22 just for the dang bulbs!) at Home Depot when they can be found for $.97 online.

It does take 15 watt bulbs, right?  None of them have any markings, so I'm not completely sure.

It used to have a full set of star bulbs, but they were taken out by an overzealous estate-saler who tried to snatch my prize AFTER I'd paid for it and set it aside at the checkout counter.

Now, I want you to close your eyes and picture a cheap, generic, builder-quality chandelier.

Does it look like this?

I'm so glad to see that light fixture go.  The whole contemporary brushed steel combined with very traditional marbleized frosted glass thing should've died in the 90's.  OK, so maybe that's a bit harsh, but I'm still bitter about being sliced open by its cheap stamped metal edges and the fact that it began rusting after hanging for only 6 months.

Ahhhhhhh, much better.

You know that feeling...

You know that feeling when, in a moment of pure idiocy, you forget to save the blog post that you just finished and your computer freezes right before you hit the "publish" button?

Yeah, I've got that feeling.

Another Craigslist find

 Well, look what I drug home on this dreary Saturday morning.

A little late-night browse on Craigslist turned up a listing for an "Mission retro table."  However, as any MCM fan would recognize, it isn't Arts & Crafts at all.  It's a Herman Miller by George Nelson Platform Bench, or at least a fairly decent replica.

The Herman Miller website has the following to say:

"Introduced in 1946, the Nelson platform bench remains a landmark of modern design. The clean, rectilinear lines reflect designer George Nelson's architectural background and his insistence on what he called "honest" design—making an honest visual statement about an object's purpose. The bench serves as a multipurpose display and resting place in offices, public areas, and homes."

Personally, I prefer the natural wood finished tops, but for the price I can't really complain.  In the end, I offered double the listing price, because the seller already had a buyer lined up and I wanted to get the first crack at it.  Still, 2 x practically 0 = not much at all.

Even with the double offer, I thought that I'd lost out at one point.  When I showed up, the seller mentioned that someone had called and offered her $200(!) for the bench.  Obviously someone out there either REALLY loves George Nelson or has cash to burn.  Turns out, she refused because she thought that it sounded suspicious that someone would give her so much for a bench.  I'm not sure if I would have been able to resist an offer like that. What's a little kidnapping/serial killing if you can bring in that kind of dough?

I didn't notice any tag or mark, so I thought that it might just be a replica, but the more I look at it, the more I think that it might be an actual Herman Miller.  The angles, shape, and dimensions (14 x 18 1/2 x 48) are certainly correct.

The construction is what really has me convinced.  The originals used dowel rods to connect the slats along the ends...

source: Design Addict

... a doll rod at each side and a row of nails in the middle...

and phillips head screws to connect the base

Generally speaking, The best way to tell a replica apart from the real deal is to take a look at how it is is put together.  Most replica-makers used inferior materials and methods, taking short-cuts or deviating from the original in some manner in order to lower production time/costs.  For example, they might use screws instead of doll rods in a piece such as this.

I cant be 100% sure though.  I'm pretty fresh to this MCM stuff and I'm certainly no expert.

Overall, the condition is fair.  I'm not sure what the correct carpentry term is here, but one of the crenelations along the side had chipped and cracked a little.  Other than that, there's just the usual scuffs, scratches, and dirt.  I was thinking about giving it a fresh coat of paint or perhaps stripping the top and putting a natural finish on it, but since this might be an original, I think I'll leave it alone for the time being.  

While I was in the living room, I also took the time to rearrange the Plycraft lounge chairs.  The chartreuse one has a few scuffs on the back and I really wanted to show off that replica Eames Lounge's sexy rump, so this works much better.

10,000

We've finally reached 10,000 hits!  It's been a long, slow climb, but I've had a great time and met some very talented, interesting people through this blog and made a few friends as well.  I hope that you've enjoyed the journey as much as I have.

There's much more to come, so stay tuned and stay awesome.  Thanks everyone!

Plans for this week:
*Test sputnik chandelier (and put it up?)
*Install dimmer switch in dining room
*More thrifting
*Get started on the roof (bye bye savings account)

source: Zazzle