Treasure Box Wednesday: Deco Delights, Hollywood Hearthrobs and More

Riiiing! Rinnnnggggg!
"Hello, who's calling, please?"
"It's Lady Luck. And do I have some secondhand goodies for you!"

That's how I felt on Saturday after spending the day journeying down Route 30 in the direction of Ligonier and Latrobe. I ended up going to a few places I don't go regularly-- like Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market in North Versailles. And I'm really glad I gave it the time, because it turned out to be one nifty thrifty day.

I'll start with my favorite item, simply because I'm so excited to share it with you all. It's an art deco styled push-button phone I found at the L&L Fleatique in Adamsburg...

Note, it's not trimmed in red-- no, that's just the reflection of my sofa through its crystal-look rim! How cute is that?

Now, I know obviously there were not push-button phones during the 30s and 40s. But I instantly loved the shape, the incredibly art deco feel to it. Why, it's deco right now to the font of the numbers...

Another Fleatique find seems to have leapt right out of the time machine from my childhood. Great for storing small, otherwise scattered office supplies, it also called to mind my lengthy crush on ol' Doctor Jones...
You don't see many metal character-printed lunchboxes these days, and if you do, they're either all rusted out or the vendor knows its collectible and is asking a small fortune. At $8, I really couldn't say no.

I also picked up a copy of the book Chocolat-- the original text the delightful off-beat movie was drawn from.
At Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market, then, I found a Cape Cod Avon plate for one of my friends who collects it...
...And a fourth moonstone Anchor Hocking dinner plate for me!...
Now I can do a full table setting for four. Given how challenging it can be to find certain pieces of this stuff, I'm pleased I was able to track down this one.

And that pretty much puts the receiver down on today's Treasure Box.

If you missed Sunday's little humor post on "The Crotchtastic World of Retro Knitting" (trust me, that title will make sense once you see it), click here.

And otherwise, perhaps I'll see you this coming Sunday for our next post!

Treasure Box Wednesday: A Little of This and That

Ah, the treasures simply never cease! I took my lunch break at the Salvation Army thrift store yesterday. One of those nice strolls around the shelves that helps give renewed perspective to tasks back at the desk-- and which also fetched me some fun finds!

Like these Avon Cape Cod tumblers for my bud, Scoobie!..


Scoobie, you might remember, collects Avon Cape Cod ruby glass, and while she has quite a bit of it, she doesn't have many of these tumblers. So I was pretty excited about this little discovery!

For me, I came away with this cute Raggedy Ann themed teapot...


Whether I use it, or display it with my old Raggedy Ann and Andy books, I don't know yet. I'm lucky enough to even have a couple that were my dad's when he was a kid. So I still have a certain fondness for our little ragdoll friends.

In perusing the book section, I even came away with something for you folks...


In leafing through its pages, it looks like it might be a case of the good, the bad and the ugly... Some great ideas-- and some humorously scary ones, too. Should make a great future post! Aren't you just breathless with excitement? (If you are, please elevate your feet and have a nice lemonade. I hear that's good for decorating over-enthusiasm.)

Lastly for today, I'd wanted to show you where some of my previously thrifted vases went to...

I'm really happy with the varied colors and shapes of these little vases in this corner shelf. Having each of them different, but each of the same type of glazing and general size, makes them seem to go together. I bought two of them at the St. Vincent de Paul in Castle Shannon and the other at... er... (mumble mumble mumble) (I don't actually remember which thrift it was anymore!).

Anyway, that's me closing the lid on this week's Treasure Box.

• If you missed Sunday's post on a 1920s Ralston Porridge cookbook, click here.

Otherwise, pop by Sunday and I'll pour you a virtual tea in my new teapot... Oh, and there'll be a post then, too!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Deco Delicacies, Gracious Gravy Boats, and Others

From across the Used Furniture Outlet (UFO) in Greensburg, I could hear a joyful shout from my friend Scoobie: "Grayveebodegrayveebodegrayveebode!" I wasn't sure what language this was, exactly, but the enthusiasm was intriguing.

Following the gleeful laughter and what sounded like the tip-tapping of an impromptu jig, I found her on the other side of the room, clutching the elusive Avon Cape Cod ruby glass gravy boat that belonged to her beloved dish set. The message became a bit clearer. "Gravyboatgravyboatgravyboat!" she told me, beaming, and holding it aloft.


Scoobie would probably go on to chant same thing... oh... three or four more times at random that day, trying to reconcile her lucky find in her mind. I expect I'll receive email during the course of the week to the same effect, as the purchase fully sinks in.

The gravy boat was a VERY BIG hit in Scoobieland.

My own treasure-hunting wasn't exactly without its rewards, either. In addition to the amazing lucite purse I found at the Good Samaritan and which I showed you Sunday (click here to see that little lovely-- I sort of feel I should put it on a pedestal under glass and shine a light on it), I also found...

A herd of milkglass for a nice lady who collects it. She is going to get the biggest basket of thrifted Imperial Grape milkglass for Christmas! (Never hurts to plan ahead.)


A couple of pretty vintage "Mother" prints, one by deco artist Marygold...


A mystery print that truly LOOKS like a Maxfield Parrish to me, but I'm not able to find anything in my Parrish books that's identical to it. (I've found ones that are close, but not quite right. Anyone recognize it? Help?)


I found an R. Atkinson Fox 1930s print in a period frame... It was $14.99 but lists at about $125. Wa-hoo!


Oh, and Scoobie got a few vintage puzzles with rustic and Western scenes on them...


They didn't rate as highly as the gravy boat, of course, but they were still exciting. :) (Thanks, Scoobie, for letting me take pictures and exploit, er, SHARE... share... your treasures with the gang here!)

There's good thrifting to be had out there, folks. For my Pittsburgh area readers looking for a list of thrift stores and some reviews, you might want to visit my Thrift Store page here on my decorating project site.

If anyone wants to learn a little more about art deco prints from the Maxfield Parrish era, click here.

Otherwise, here's wishing you wonderful week, and may you discover the metaphorical gravy boat of your dreams-- no matter what shape or form it takes.

All Hail the Regent Square Yard Sale

What’s that old Who song about how “I’d walk 900 miles”? Well, apparently I’D walk 900 miles if a vast neighborhood yard sale were involved...

And I’d FEEL every mile of it the next day, too.

But in a good way. At the Regent Square annual neighborhood garage sale, a little bit of physical pain is to be expected. It just shows you really put in the time and the effort in search of little treasures.

And let me tell you, the little treasures seem pretty darned big-- or at least weighty-- after three to four hours of trekking, carrying them.

It was not quite eight a.m. when one of my friends and I began our adventure last Saturday, powered by some serious caffeine, and wearing our most sensible shoes. The vendors were just setting out their wares, and even so, it seemed pre-sales in some areas had intervened, making certain purchases impossible.

“We already bought all this,” a lady said protectively to a few of us lookey-loos, giving a sweeping gesture across some 40s panther lamps, a Shabby Chic-ed up mirror, and a pile of other things that were too numerous to register so early in my caffeination process.

It was okay. I am not in lack o’ stuff, and my deep lamp obsession apparently doesn’t extend to pottery panthers.

So my friend and I trekked on. My first purchase was some green Depression glass-- I think the larger of the two is for butter. The other smaller, lidless container I’m currently using for Sweet ‘n Low (doubtless, the Depression-era manufacturers would be surprised at this new use).

A little way down the road, my friend added to her Avon Cape Code ruby glass collection with a vase-- for just $3. And further still, the local antiques store, Le Mix, was having a sale in their back alley, where I came across these old greeting cards, Valentines and Easter programs.


It looks like someone had used them for a bit of roughly-executed crafting, stapling cream-colored lace around their edges. So I’ve been spending a little time removing the staples from these where possible and trying to get them back in a better form.


In some cases, though, the lace just looks really pretty. So maybe I’ll just remove the staples, give it a new backing and glue.

By this time, the rummage sale on Mifflin Avenue was open. And there I came upon this little Madame Alexander “Alice in Wonderland” doll.


As you can see, she needs a bit of TLC. (The photo below kind of makes me laugh, because in person she doesn’t have the creepy, overly-alert look that got captured via the camera. The Alice above looks like she’s got Gothic, nefarious plans.)

Anyway, the little gal has her original dress, pinafore and underthings, but a little research seems to show she’s been given shoes and socks different from the black Maryjanes and stockings she was supposed to come with. Her face also has some smudges. If anyone reading has tips on how to clean the face of a plastic doll without harming her, I would love to hear from you. Also, if you happen to know of anyone who sells replacement stockings and shoes for Madame Alexander dolls like this.

Thanks!

The next church rummage sale was at the Waverly Church on the corner of Forbes and Braddock. There I got a number of pieces of French pink glass that fills out a set I’ve been accumulating through thrift stores. At three pieces for $1.00, it was an exciting find.


So what lies ahead next week? Join me as we revel in, and renovate, some roadside finds. There’s nothing like the early summer to support one’s trash-to-treasure dining chair habit!

Have a wonderful week, my friends!