Wall Plaques / Wall Art

[foutchie]

Jay - I DID hear the 80s styles were on their way back in, so look out!   I know I won't be wearing them, but then again I lived thru them once already! LOL   And Femme - I grew up in the 60s-70s era (graduated 77) and I can't ever go back to the furniture/colors of the 70s - although I have a wealthy cousin, age 35, that just had her family room decorated by a hired decorator - and I swear it was a replica of my living room as a child!   Freaky!
Alexandria - yes, mine has already talked about "driving with the left foot" - I will have to hide the keys soon!

[Jay2TheRescue]

This thread has inspired so many interesting responses!

First of all: TSR, the person who blogged about MCM being on the way out lives in the Northeast. From their perspective, it may be. I live in a little town in Dixie, and I have no idea of what is "in" or "out". I only know what I like. I will say that, for me, coming to this site and learning from all of you has really bucked up my eye for design.

Jay, you are up in one of the hubs of the East and you do deal in the market--what exactly are you selling?  Is there a line or designer that really makes your customers go gaa-gaa?
Personally, my own definition of MCM has changed dramatically over the years.  For some (as I think Femme1 mentioned) MCM can mean Kitchsy stuff--like animal planters and panther lamps, which I have loved over the years. My parents had all that stuff when they first got married in the 50s and through 1960. Once they moved to their "split level", it was Danish Modern all the way.

For others, MCM is the wonderful American/Scandanavian Italian designs of artists/designers such as Desimone and Eames. The lines are different, the feeling is different and I can almost guarantee that the people who purchased either one of these expressions of the times were different. Mid-Century modern, IMVHO, as defined by Eames doesn't lend itself well to Atomic Z lamps--whole other ballgame.   

I think I am just saying what Thunderthrift said, lol, but in a different way.

For me, MCM invokes a sense of TIMELESSNESS. It's the cleanliness of lines that makes my heart go pit-a-pat.  If you come into my home, I want the elements to flow without shreiking 1950s! 1960s! Vietnam War Orange 70s! I don't know if I've achieved this, but it is a very interesting journey for me.

The core of our business is Pyrex, vintage telephones & appliances.  We occasionally have furniture pieces, lamps, ashtrays, etc.  The really good brands my customers like are Lane, Heywood Wakefield, Stiffel (For vintage modern lamps).  My customers prefer made in the USA to stuff from Japan and other areas of cheap labor (We weren't getting much from China at that time).  The brand does not seem to matter as much as quality, design, and condition though.  If it is a brand with snob appeal though it is a lot easier to sell at a higher price though.  I've sold some items for very good money that I did not know the maker, but were in extremely good condition.

-Jay

[Jay2TheRescue]

Jay - I DID hear the 80s styles were on their way back in, so look out!   I know I won't be wearing them, but then again I lived thru them once already! LOL   And Femme - I grew up in the 60s-70s era (graduated 77) and I can't ever go back to the furniture/colors of the 70s - although I have a wealthy cousin, age 35, that just had her family room decorated by a hired decorator - and I swear it was a replica of my living room as a child!   Freaky!
Alexandria - yes, mine has already talked about "driving with the left foot" - I will have to hide the keys soon!

I just cleaned out my closet about a year ago and gave my nephew my old Members Only suede jacket.  I do not miss it one bit.  I did buy a new pair of Chuck Taylors about a year ago though.  I couldn't resist.  They were on clearance for $10.

-Jay

-Jay

[valleythriftshopper]

I just cleaned out my closet about a year ago and gave my nephew my old Members Only suede jacket.  I do not miss it one bit.  I did buy a new pair of Chuck Taylors about a year ago though.  I couldn't resist.  They were on clearance for $10.

-Jay

-Jay

Chuck Taylors are really popular now & sell well on Ebay too.  I found two new pairs of men's chucks at the SA over the summer for $4 & $8, they were'nt the right size for anyone I know so I sold them.  The $8 sold for $55 & the $4 ones which were the classic red sold for $24.  If you see anymore new ones cheap you could make a few bucks.

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Oooooooo, Jay I am so happy to see you mentioned Lane! I thrifted two Lane tables last year (I remember you were enthusiatic about the one I posted a pic of), but I didn't know that it was something that was a "great buy". I am thrilled with my two tables. It was exciting to find furniture in a thrift (at least, here, lol) that was American-made.

Lane, BTW, has a customer service site and, based on the numbers on the bottom of my pieces I was able to identify when they were made and their style. 

Ahhhhhhh, Pyrex.  Except for the blue/white Butterprint Cinderella bowl I found last week and, of course, "Dots", I have been walking away from a *lot* of Pyrex, such as three gold "Nesting" bowls, and a green Cinderella bowl.  Have the collectible patterns changed since the last time we asked you this question (over the summer)?

[Jay2TheRescue]

Oooooooo, Jay I am so happy to see you mentioned Lane! I thrifted two Lane tables last year (I remember you were enthusiatic about the one I posted a pic of), but I didn't know that it was something that was a "great buy". I am thrilled with my two tables. It was exciting to find furniture in a thrift (at least, here, lol) that was American-made.

Lane, BTW, has a customer service site and, based on the numbers on the bottom of my pieces I was able to identify when they were made and their style. 

Ahhhhhhh, Pyrex.  Except for the blue/white Butterprint Cinderella bowl I found last week and, of course, "Dots", I have been walking away from a *lot* of Pyrex, such as three gold "Nesting" bowls, and a green Cinderella bowl.  Have the collectible patterns changed since the last time we asked you this question (over the summer)?

When a vintage pattern is popular it generally sells well for 18 - 24 months.  After that point everyone that was looking for it already have the pieces they wanted.  The only exception are the really rare sets like the dots and stripes.

-Jay
 

[Mattie]

I have nine pairs of high-top Chuck Taylors.  As far as I'm concerned, they're a timeless fashion.  And they're comfy!

My house was built in 1950 so it would look great filled with mid-century modern furniture...if I could afford it!  I've tried to focus on a late-'30s through early-'50s look, with a mix of older antiques and kitschy stuff.

I graduated from high school in '79 and there is no way I will ever wear those fashions again.  Plaid bellbottoms!  Ick!  Furniture was ugly then, too.  Blech.

[Scott]

For me, MCM invokes a sense of TIMELESSNESS. It's the cleanliness of lines that makes my heart go pit-a-pat.  If you come into my home, I want the elements to flow without shreiking 1950s! 1960s! Vietnam War Orange 70s! I don't know if I've achieved this, but it is a very interesting journey for me.

Seso -

At its core, I believe this is exactly what true Midcentury Modernism is about: timeless design that is appropriately priced for the middle-American consumer. Affordable, stylish, modern. This is something that will never go out of style.

Some purists are always claiming that MCM is on its way out. I think this is hogwash. Kitsch may be on its way out, but kitsch isn't modern (just midcentury). Certain styles might be less popular now than they were ten years ago and certainly the more low end modernist objects are becoming harder to sell, but that I chalk up to education. More people are aware that MCM MEANS something as a design movement and the objects in this style have significant cultural and monetary value. Thus the market has been flooded with more common pieces. Naturally those prices drop, but as collectors and the general public become more educated the rarer and more high end and unique pieces skyrocket in price while previously forgotten designers start to sneak back into the limelight. Almost weekly I find mention of a MCM designer I haven't heard of before, and that adds to the excitement (and popularity) of modern design.

Just my two and a half cents.

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Scott, you articulated so beautifully what my experience is, in my particular genre of interest. I see this playing out in my own life every time I enter a thrift store/go garage saling.  MCM is my passion; I believe your comments can extend to whatever one is interested in.

An interesting "side effect" of this "honing" of the (my) eye, if you will, is that I am buying less and less.  There could be two reasons for this;  it may be little of both:

1. There's nothing out there in my particular geographical area worth buying (because)
2. I know what I'm looking for and nothing else will satisfy (because)
3. I am learning everyday and it's a never-ending journey. Nothing is ever the same twice.

I do find myself shedding what I loved several years ago because my eye is different now.  It's NOT that now the stuff I find is "better", mind you. I'm different and the time is different and everything around me is different. What I used to love, the Gods willing, will become a well-loved part of someone else's life.

I think this is one of the MAJOR reasons why I never went to furniture store like, let's say, Ethan Allen, and dropped 40-50K on furniture for my home. I mean, what if I did this and then a year later, hated all my stuff, lol?  The only "thing" I want to "married" to is my husband. Everything else is non-permanent.

Ultimately what all of us choose to buy, we buy for our own personal reasons. 

It is so educational for me to read your experiences, fellow thrifters, and get your perspectives/ideas.

Mattie, I graduated from high school a few years before you and I totally agree--I lived through the 70s once and, contrary to that great pop author of the 70s, Jackie Susann, once was quite enough, thankyouverymuch.

I will never wear pink and yellow and blue plaid hip-hugger bell-bottoms again. Never. Ever. 

SeSo


 

[genuineimitation]

I will never wear pink and yellow and blue plaid hip-hugger bell-bottoms again. Never. Ever. 

umm... here i am looking sheepish... you don't have them in your closet right now do you? size 10? i have a costume party to attend and i was just wondering...

[SecondhandSophisticate]

I will never wear pink and yellow and blue plaid hip-hugger bell-bottoms again. Never. Ever. 

umm... here i am looking sheepish... you don't have them in your closet right now do you? size 10? i have a costume party to attend and i was just wondering...

So sorry, darlin'! And they were a size 5 then, which would probably be the equivalent of what today: a minus 27?  Too bad you don't live around here, though. The thrifts have lots of 80s things here that were donated like, um, yesterday, when the folk who donated them heard it was the 90s

[genuineimitation]

our thrift store is one big 80's rack... the older stuff is so few and far between that if they get anything from the 60's (and they recognize it) they mark it with a big special tag that says "vintage" and raise the price to something outrageous!

i did get a nice work suit from the 80's in the thrift one day.. brought it home and remade it into a 1940's/wartime costume for my daughter. it was interesting to deconstruct: same shoulder pads, but some parts were shorter and other parts were longer! we had to get rid of extra buttons and pockets (frivolous use of fabric during wartime) and we got very creative with a matching hat, which is something the women would also have done during that time - had to be *completely* dressed for going out. that was probably my best 80's clothing experience (plus we learned a lot in recreating something - both with tailoring and history!)