I started thrifting again

[eleny]

It's been a while since the major hail storm we had back at the end of July shifted my gears. But I've heard the call of the thrift and have been shopping a couple of times.

I'm a vintage Magnalite cookware collector. Even though it's aluminum I love to cook with this old line. I found another 3 quart pot with the rubber finial & handle. And today I found a big oval roaster with lid.

There were also a couple of art works that I liked. One is an old pencil drawing of a street and the other is a small acrylic of aspen trees.

I stopped at the DAV the other day and was disappointed with the very high prices of their pictures. But there was a great vintage tablecloth for cheap. Maybe late 50s or early 60s in green and white with black dots and pen & ink style drawings of condiment shakers around the edge.

Not a collector thing - but I found a needle felting brush mat for $2 at ARC - I just found one for sale on the net for $17.50 so I'm delighted.

I used to go to the ARC on senior day for the discount. But it seemed like the place was always picked over by the time I got there. On Fridays the whole place is crowded with the shelves bulging with goods even though there are many shoppers, too. I always find something fun.

Oh, I also found a nice man's Pendleton jacket. It has those two extra slanted pockets and is in beautiful shape.

[eleny]

1. P.S. About the pencil drawing

It's signed:
AD.
Herres
Trier

It's a sketch of Trier Cathedral in Germany drawn from a narrow side street view. Some of the bushes and a portion of the sky have slight watercolor. The mat is nice but the light colored pickled frame is so-so. It was framed at the Milwaukee Moulding Frame Co.

Too cloudy today to take a snap of it outdoors. But here it is with glare from the flash and shmutz since I haven't cleaned it yet.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. That picture looks VERY familiar .......

I have looked at it a few times since you posted it. I just recalled where I think I may have seen it before. Do you recall in the last few months a story about a young child in the UK (I think) who could paint at a level few ever achieve? One of his paintings is of a similar subject and was featured in the story about him. It was discussed here on DU, but I'll be damned if I can dig up the thread.

[eleny]

13. Here it is

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6197722

I see a watercolor of a church that might have triggered your memory. :hi:

[grasswire]

2. what was the price on the tablecloth?

I'm always interested in EVERYTHING!

And what color is the Pendleton?

I also thrifted for a few minutes today. I had someone with me who didn't want to dawdle, dammit. I did get to check out the tablecloths but thought at $8 they were just a bit overpriced. I did find one Swedish tile for a buck that I know I can turn for a profit. And there was a very ugly Hall console piece that might have been a buy at $3. It was green on the outside and pink on the inside and I just couldn't bring myself to buy it.

I've really got the itch. I want linens, particularly.

[eleny]

3. Tablecloth

I paid $3.99 for it and that was full price.

Here it is except the colors shifted on me a little. The colors are olive green, coral, black and white.


The Pendleton tweed is black with taupe.

$8 is pricey for a tablecloth unless it's one with the fruits in red white and blue. But the old ones are gettng hard to find. If they're in very good condition and the colors are great, I can see the prices rising at the thrifts.

Nice on the Swedish tile - can you post a photo. Because of you I look for ceramics now. I haven't found any interesting tiles in good shape yet but my eyes aren't trained for them yet. LOL re: the Hall console. Green with pink, huh? Sounds like it would sell on Etsy where there's time for the right person to discover it.

Now, do tell about what kind of linens you like. :D

[grasswire]

4. I really like that tablecloth

Does it have a label?

I've been watching for mid-century linens as well as the earlier embroidered pieces. Some day the embroidered things will be gone, either into collections or worn out. All those pretty little things -- I'm doing my share to rescue them and put them away. And following them will be the good-quality plainer pieces from the 60s and 70s. I have some of that stuff stashed, too.

Embroidered cocktail napkins are reportedly very hot now in the mixology craze. I'm watching for them. I have some partial sets.

I have a LOT of printed tablecloths. Probably 50-70. I see in the magazines and on eBay that pillows made from vintage tablecloths bring more money than the tablecloths themselves. What about aprons from them? I don't think anyone is doing that. If I only had the time.....

I also buy pillowcases, if they are very soft cotton and sweetly embroidered. Doesn't have to be a pair. I won't pay more than $4 for a pair, though. I love using them and giving them as gifts.

And I have a craze for a particular style of sheets from the 1960s -- striped in the colors of that decade. Shades of aqua/turquoise, or shades of golds & greens. Some were made under the Penncrest label for JC Penney. They really typify the happy home of the 60s for me. I buy them whenever I see them, which is less and less often. This is just a quirk for me -- I remember them at MIL's house. They could be collectible someday I guess, if Martha Stewart were to feature them. Ha!

[eleny]

9. About aprons

Mom used to make them from her cotton house dresses. So easy using the skirt portion and they looked great. You don't see the house dresses these days only patterns which I like to collect. I don't have many since my favorite is the wraparound style.

I can't seem to bring myself to sew with the old tablecloths. But the ones with stains aren't sacred and would make nice napkins. I'd love to see your tablecloth stash! So many patterns to ooh and ah over. I'm glad that they became popular and won't all go to the dump or for rags even if it means they're harder and harder to find at the thrifts for lower prices. This new one has no label or signature.

There are lots of embroidered things available out here but they don't look vintage. The few I have are mostly from my family. Even Vera linens are hard to find. Must be some very savvy pickers in my area who get up early in the morning.

Better draw the drapes over your 60s bedding. Martha peeks in everybody's windows looking for the new trends in collecting! One year way back I had the idea to make a wreath from vintage millinery fruits and flowers. Before I could get it done, she featured the craft on her tv show. I mean x(

[grasswire]

12. you should look for the magazine called "apronology"

I don't know how many issues there are -- I have one of them and it may be the only issue. It is FULL of clever and charming ideas for aprons from re-tooled items. One style uses old gathered skirts from the 1950s -- I really liked that one and it sounds a bit like your mom's housedress aprons.

There is a big market for this kind of hand-made thing at retail, I think still. Young women here would wear a re-tooled housedress over leggings, with flair.

http://www.stampington.com/html/apronology.html

No, I would never be able to cut a good tablecloth. I am notorious for not being able to cut vintage paper items, either.

I find more embroidered things than I can buy with a good conscience, everywhere here! That's a very interesting regional trend.

[sufrommich]

6. Eleny, I think this style of mid century illustration and color

on tablecloths is actually selling for higher prices than the fruit and flower ones sold for in the past. I would have grabbed that for $8.00. Good find!

[eleny]

8. To be honest, I think I just might have walked back into the DAV after leaving...

...and paid 8 for it. And if I didn't, I would have regretted it. I'm a big fan of olive green and then there's those illustrated shakers including the one that say "hot pepper" on them.

The first fridge and then stove hubby and I bought were olive green back in the late 70s early 80s. I miss them since the color blended into my kitchen so well. They looked clean even when they weren't.

I was always more of a 30s/40s fan. But I'm coming to appreciate mid century modern. At the time, I resented it because it didn't have the detail of earlier decades. I even thought the animated cartoonists cheated with less detail in their works. The stylized owl figurines drove me nuts. But I'm beginning to like the textiles and ceramics a whole lot. The architecture feels peaceful to me now and I think I'm finally "getting it" since I even look for ceramic owls in excellent shape. :D

[Vinca]

5. You ought to do a little investigating on the picture.

The "AD" that popped into my head is Albrecht Durer, but it would be extremely rare to find anything by him that wasn't a print. Love the tablecloth!

[eleny]

7. Thanks

I did hunt around for the name AD Herres. There's an artist in Idaho, Allen Herres. He makes carved knives so he doesn't seem likely.

The drawing only appears to be decades old. If Durer came to mind when I saw it at the thrift, I probably would have passed out. There's no date and that leaves me puzzled. I keep thinking that "AD" would be followed by the year since the letters are on their own line. Maybe it's just a picture a tourist bought from a local artist working near the Cathedral.

Btw, the darkened areas that look solid in the drawing are actually more detailed. Whoever drew it did a good job. I cleaned up the glass and hung it on the enclosed front porch until I find a better spot.

[democraticinsurgent]

10. Good for you

I haven't really stopped, just try to fit it in between real work.

I have noticed a real flood of merchandise this year. Seems like some stores are just overflowing, and lot of it is decent.

Motly I focus on vinyl records so i'm sure i am missing many good things.