Handful of mysteries for today

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First one, a ceramic platter with no marks, but a cool pattern:

[Duer 157099]

1. Second one, a double owl ceramic caddy

No marks on the outside, but on the bottom of the inside, there's something that might be a mark - do people ever mark the inside of an item? Also, it's quite large, probably for oil and vinegar bottles.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. The owls may be unmarked McCoy

or USA pottery. It's the style and finish glaze that makes me think that.
And I think it's a dual planter, perhaps even a countertop utensil holder, but not a cruet holder.
The "mark" doesn't look like a mark, but more like just part of the finishing of the piece. Have never seen any pottery that was marked on the inside... :shrug:

As for that bottle, better go to that one site I gave you that has just about everything to know...bet you find an answer there!

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2. Third, an hourglass bottle (flask?)

This one is marked but I haven't yet searched:

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3. 4th, a tall cast metal sculpture

Now this one isn't so much of a mystery itself, but I do have questions about it, especially after learning about the Giacomettis (in the two cats thread). It looks like this artist was inspired by Alberto Giacometti, unless this form is common.

But the mystery is why this work is not represented on the artist's webpage:

http://www.louisehederstrom.com/index.htm

[Duer 157099]

5. PS: I bought this item because

as soon as I picked it up, I felt compelled to say "I'd like to thank the Academy for..." :shrug:

Plus it was only $3.

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6. I guess I will just use this thread to post stuff

Some aren't really mysteries.

Anyway, here are a few. Actually the two ceramics are mysteries (the watering can isn't, I just like it) - well I like them all really.

The creamer has some very faint marking on the bottom, not impressed, just color writing, just too faint to decipher. But I really like it, just wondering who made it.

[Duer 157099]

7. Here's a closeup, and the bottom

[eleny]

9. The "ashtray" like item reminds me of Juanita Ware

Juanita Ware was made in Carrollton, Malvern, and Dalton, Ohio at various times by a man named Bert Crawford. Pieces are usually unmarked, not always. One of the names for one of his potteries was Triangle Pottery. Some items are marked with a faint Triangle on the base. The pottery was kind of a novelty item when it was made.

My aunt got my family started on it back in the '40s when she was on her honeymoon and traveled through that area.

Your piece looks newer but it reminded me of Juanita Ware. Is the high luster from the camera?

[Duer 157099]

13. Finally got around to looking up Juanita Ware, and you're right

That looks very much like what that is - and no, the high luster is actual, this thing is very shiny. It looks like very polished marble, but of course, it's ceramic.

It looks very much like this (well, except with a higher gloss):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-JUANITA-Ware-Square-Pitcher-Brown-Swirl-Pattern_W0QQitemZ300237846496QQihZ020QQcategoryZ4232QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks for the good info! :hi:

[eleny]

16. I have a square pitcher like that one

It's one that my aunt brought home for my mom. They came in different sizes.

I've never seen a piece like the one you found in that line. So if it's Juanita Ware, it might be a little rare. I hope it is!

[Duer 157099]

18. I really like that square pitcher

Is it different colored clays swirled together, or the glaze? Because the piece I have is definitely glazed to this color/pattern, because the bottom is white (and unmarked).

[eleny]

19. I just checked my three pitchers. ..

First, each has some swirly brown/cream on the bottom. But I also have a pair of piggy salt & pepper shakers. One has feet that are brown on the bottom and the other's bottom is plain cream.

All the pieces look like they were dipped into swirly colors. On some you can even see a straight line where they dipped a piece part way and then took it out. You can see it on the square pitcher you posted from ebay. Look at the first picture and note the bottom right area. There's some brown swirliness coming down and then below that there's cream swirly going in the opposite direction. It looks like they dipped it, waited for that to dry and then dipped it again to finish applying the colors.

I've never found any literature online about the method used to apply the color. But that sharp demarcation makes them look dipped and rolled in the colors.

[Duer 157099]

20. Yeah, good points about those demarcation lines

they are pretty defined.

Hmmmm.

Well here's the bottom of my thing, fyi - also, it's about 4-5" long, not sure if the scale was obvious. It almost looks like an asian soup spoon for a really large mouth, lol.

[eleny]

21. This looks much newer than other Juanita Ware that I've seen

My aunt has kept hers in pretty decent shape and the bottoms are rougher. But maybe yours is a later one. The marbling looks very familiar to the square pitcher. Perhaps it's a step into mid century for the Juanita Ware line.

[Duer 157099]

23. Or, could just be "after Juanita Ware" as they say

It's beautiful in any case, and no flaws, just perfect. One of those things you only find by going every day.

You know what I noticed today - all the mid-century stuff goes fast. I've been doing an experiment where I go to a few places daily or every other day, just to sort of track how things move. And the mid century stuff moves. Not that it's surprising, but I'm realizing that I'm only making good scores because I'm finding things right after they are put out.

[eleny]

27. I'm not surprised - mid century is so hot

I think it has such wide appeal with the sleek but organic lines.

I wish I could go every day but I get burned out easily. I'm glad that you can do it and then come tell us about your finds. I just periodically got to my favorite thrift since since I'm familiar and comfortable with the layout of the store. Now your finds are making me want to expand a little since we do have a number of thrifts not too far away.

[Whoa_Nelly]

44. That "thing" looks like a stove top spoon rest nt

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8. A Dorothy Thorpe glass tray

I found this a few weeks ago at a thrift store. Then yesterday, found another identical one at a different thrift store! That happens so often around here, I wonder if the stores exchange their stock somehow -- they are not the same types of store either. I envision late night drop-offs from thrift store A to the Goodwill donation bin, lol. How else to account for such things? Well, aside from people buying the same stuff. No, I think they somehow mix their stuff up. Or people randomly donate to different stores? :shrug:

[Duer 157099]

10. So I was inspired by those portraits The Night Owl scored

I don't usually look through the artwork too carefully (if at all) at thrift stores, but I did a few days ago and picked up a few items, none of which I can identify, lol.

One of them I really like though, just for the colorfulness of it. The others are interesting too, but nothing I'd hang on a wall. All of them are marked in some way.

The first one is a small oil on canvas, signed "D. G_rdn_r" (see photo). This would probably be the sort of thing Antiques Roadshow would call "tourist art" by a sidewalk artist. It's small, about 8x10.

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42. Ahah!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Plein-Aire-D-Garner-California-Seascape-Oil-Painting_W0QQitemZ230259099107QQihZ013QQcategoryZ551QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

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11. The second is a portrait

it's on board, but I can't even tell if it's original. The signature looks like it might be "G. Mihalcheon" (and says "49") and there is a George Michalcheon who is an artist in Canada, but all the examples of his work that I saw, don't look like this. So :shrug:

This one is about 12x20

[Duer 157099]

12. Third one, is an ... etching?

Really, I don't know what this is. I took it out of the frame today to take a closer look and it's definitely textured, like embossed, and it's original, and the signature is original, in pencil. Was wondering if this is like an art student's project? :shrug:

The name is very clear but alas, too generic -- "Rose Clark" and there's something else written on the left corner, that I cannot read ("Artist's ______"???)

And this one is big, about 3 feet long by about a foot. I couldn't get the full image in one shot, so it's patched together, lol - you can't see the whole thing, but you can see enough of the parts to tell what's going on, I think.

[Duer 157099]

14. LOL, now I can read it: "Artist's Proof" LOL

Man, I just could not see that until just now!

OK, so probably not an art student.

Probably an artist who designed floor tiles, right?

They are kind of neat.

[grasswire]

15. lots of fun stuff, thanks! (eom)

[eleny]

17. I like all your pictures

I always look for paintings & prints at the thrifts. Several are here in this room with me.

One is a signed Mary Engelbreit print from a show she had back in '96. Probably not worth very much but it's such a happy mish mash of her motifs that it makes me happy to look at it. And then a while back I found a watercolor of cliff dwellings by Carolyn Keskulla. I didn't know who she was until a couple of years later when I got curious and Googled her name. She died in 2003 and painted all her life. Again, not worth oodles but I love the watercolor and for about $7, I did great.

With luck like yours, it's worth a peek at the pictures section whenever you shop. :D

[Duer 157099]

22. Isn't it funny how these artists are complete unknowns

to us until we bring them home and research them? It's almost metaphysical (you know, like if a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it...)

When they sit in that huge pile at the thrift store, they're just another framed picture.

But at home, with google at the ready, the artist becomes a real person with a story. I love the google.

Although, some of these are still mysteries, but even the act of researching and turning up zero tells me something.

[eleny]

29. I like that picture of the gentleman and the outdoor scene is so cheerful

Known artist or student/amateur, they'd look nice in a grouping on a wall.

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43. I wonder if this could be her:

http://www.summitonegallery.com/rosemary_s.htm

The artwork has the same flavor.

[Duer 157099]

24. Oh I almost forgot, I got a really good mystery today

although I don't have a photo yet, but will shortly.

It looks like a dunce hat (cone shape) and it's made of a spiraled iron skelton around which is wrapped some sort of material, possibly silk.

I'm almost certain that it's some sort of lamp shade but I've never seen anything like this, nor can I exactly imagine how it goes or what it goes with.

Definitely interesting.

edit to add photos:

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26. Well that didn't take long

gotta just love the google!

http://picasaweb.google.com/DorothyBellsGiftShop.com/HomeDecor/photo#5157673573393502898

[eleny]

28. Well I'll be darned! I've never seen anything like it

The lamp and shade sure looks like it would be perfect for a room decorated in the Bohemian style.

[Duer 157099]

25. And a black painted dish, signed "Saar"

Looks mid century to me, but can't find any info yet

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30. Today's entries

An interesting candlestick/vase:

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31. Interesting glass vase from Spain

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32. And this *very* special blue vase

Why so special you ask? Check out who made it!!

So *that's* what he's been doing!!

[eleny]

35. I'm surprised you didn't drop it from laughing!

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36. I know, I wanted to show it to the other person in the aisle

but then I remembered that I wasn't at DU and people in the wild probably wouldn't even get it :D

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37. And especially when I found this on another aisle:

He's been busy, learning new skills:

[eleny]

39. It's a collection in itself

Interesting that he's "unloading" stuff. There has to be a meaning to this ceramics trail. California - who knew?

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33. And in the WTF category...

:wtf:

Obviously I'm hoping these are Kosta Boda, is that too much to ask?

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34. This one is sort of a mystery

They are "Reed & Barton Select Stainless" but I cannot identify the pattern. They're nice and heavy. I've been feeling I need a flatware change. Service for 6, $8, what a deal.

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41. Finally ID'd this one! Middleburg Marlborough

http://cgi.ebay.com/Reed-Barton-Middleburg-Marlborough-5-pc-setting-s_W0QQitemZ320269060093QQihZ011QQcategoryZ38242QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

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38. A retro Bavarian teapot

Notice the tape. This is not the evil tape. This is the correct and proper use of tape, and of a benevolent type that comes off easily.

[eleny]

40. Hail to the benevolent tape!

Just enough to keep the lid from dropping off and shattering. Cool beans.