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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Yesterday I Dropped In At The Green Shag Market To Pays Me Rent And See How Thing Were Going, Then Of Course I Had To Troll A Few Thrifts. Sadly, This Lamp Was All The Vintage I Could Come Up With. Status: Ready!

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Sometimes you can hunt all you like and come up blank.  Luckily I found at least ONE cool item while out yesterday!  It, of course, was a little bit of a mess when I picked it up.  A little bit of elbow grease (and Howards Restore-A-Finish) took care of that!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Today's "Not My Turf" Is Gonna Be A Little Different. Instead Of Choosing One City And Scouring Their Craigslist, I Looked Back At The Comment From A Post Asking For Suggestions I Pulled One Ad From Each Of Those. Status: Dozen!

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Whew, pickens are getting slim everywhere it looks like!  I guess it's the change of seasons, I'm not sure.  The STL doesn't seem to be suffering too much as I see and get messaged about great items every day still, but I not doing too much scavenging at the moment.  Still, when I look around at some other cities...it's not just falling in my lap.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

I Been Telling Ya That I've Kinda Cut Back On My Impulse Buying Lately...But I'm Still Out There Looking. These Three Got Tweeted But If You Don't Follow My Tweets Ya Mighta' Missed Them. Plus, Trifts Of Terror? I Mean, WTF? Status: Glad The Cleanup Wasn't MY Job!

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This is what happens when children are left unattended at the Goodwill...or probably anywhere.  I swear, I passed by this area five minutes before this appeared and while I find it deeply irritating that someone would do this (or let their kids do it)...I find it kinda beautiful in a purely artistic sense, and kinda puts me in the mind of the Pitch Drop Experiment.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

This Afternoon We Took Advantage Of A Beautiful Day To Drive Up The River Road To The Grafton Flea. Didn't Find Anything To Bring Home Except Some Photos Of Great Design And Classic Cars. Status: Bust.

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Whirlygigs wouldn't generally press me to get out the camera but something about this one got me.  I've looked around the net to see if this is maybe a knockoff of some famous design but I can't really find much.  Doesn't it smack of George Nelson or something?  Sadly, it wasn't for sale.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Jeez. It Took Me A Full Week To Finally Get Around To Showing This Pole Lamp That I Picked Up Last Saturday. Better Late Than Never, Right! Status: Who Don't Like A Three Way?

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It's so nice to have the previously filled living spaces back, even though I can no longer navigate any part of the Garage (heaven forbid a breaker blows!) or the spare bedroom.  The bonus is that I can more easily set up to take photos in the foyer again!

Friday, October 25, 2013

It's Been TOO Long Since ANYONE Has Been Able To See This View Of Our Living Room / Cocktail Lounge. And Yes, I Know It's Still A Mess...But At Least You Can See The Floor! Status: Beat.

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Like I said yesterday, I've been working like a mad man clearing out the living spaces here at the Modtomic Ranch. I just managed to get about 95% done this morning before heading off to work. Alas, I had little time to actually clean and de-clutter before the Girlfriend's big All Girl Party.

It's Been A Little While Since I've Featured Kitchen Wares, Hasn't It? I Plucked A Couple Of Good Items Recently And Now's As Good As Any Time To Give Ya A Looky. Status: Available.

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Yup, they's available...just as soon as I can get a free moment to get them down to the booth!  Free moments are being less than entirely available lately though.  The Girlfriend is having an all girl party Friday and I have to clean the house (well, I have to evacuate all the antique mall over stock from the living room...and dining room.....and family room.......and kitchen).

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Surely You've Got To Be Tired Of Looking At Lamps And Lighting, Right? So I Went Out And Picked Up Some Sweet Scandinavian Seating To Kinda Mix It Up! Status: IDENTIFIED! Farstrup Stolefabrik. .

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I coulda' swore that I've seen these chairs on someone else's blog in the not too distant past, but I can't find 'em.  I did find one mention of these on another blog along with the associated dining table but it was just a picture from a craigslist ad and a brief description of the ad itself.  Nothing helpful.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Some Of The Other Lil' Treasures That I Snatched Up At The Estate Sales Saturday. Just An Ashtray And A Lamp, But The Astray Is A Sascha Brastoff And The Lamp Is...Well, Just A Lil Lamp, But It's Still Pretty Cool! Status: Stock.

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Right now I'm feeling both pretty good about having lots of extra stock for the booth (a dry spell would be boring but I could easily shrug it off) and somewhat nervous about what to do with all this stuff!  I'm hoping to hear from The Big Bend Antique Market this coming November about renting a couple booth spaces so as to have another venue to shift goods.

Monday, October 21, 2013

In The Basement...Under A Table...In A Box. Even After Being Number 28 Through The Door Saturday Morning I Was STILL The First To Grab Up This Pendant Lamp! Status: Cleaned Up And Ready For A New Home (Update - GONE!)

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Well, this is actually Better than what I was presented with when I fount this set in the basement of the second estate sale Saturday morning.  The glass was covered in years of dust and there was some old old Old newsprint stuffed in there ostensibly for padding.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

More "Orbit" Lamps! I Don't Know If That's What They Are Actually Called But It Seems To Be Catching On. Yeah, You HAVE Seen These Before! Well, Not THESE These...But Another Pair. Status: Available!

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These are quite cool, don't ya think!  I've already dropped them off at Booth 5 - The Green Shag Market.  Lots of stuff got shifted this weekend, so I had to stop by and fill the void.  Along with this Fab. pair of lamps the booth got filled with the Burke tulip style dining set featured a few days ago.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

A Pair Of Knoll Tulip Tables Lured Me Out Early This Morning But That Was A Swing And A Miss. Since I Was Up Anyway I Hit A Few Other Sales And Along With A Number Of Other Items, I Came Home With A Proper Shade For The Old Rocket Lamp! Status: Two Great Tastes...

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This "Rocket Lamp" came home with us from one of our many vacations through the Smokey Mountains.  But it was rough...and had no shade.  It got cleaned up quite a while back, but a proper shade has eluded me...until today!

Friday, October 18, 2013

How Far Would You Drive And To Score What? Mr. Modtomic Has Been Known To Wander Far And Wide To Acquire Many A Treasure. How 'Bout You? Status: Curious.

Frank Roadtrip Reflection

Roadtrips must be in my blood. I've been to California three time and only flew there (against my better judgement) once. Every Spring and Summer the Girlfriend and I strike out toward parts unknown in the car, looking for adventure. Even the drive to Chicago from St. Louis, what would seem pretty boring, is actually quite nice...what with all the pretty windmills and usually a lovely sunset!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

A Couple Weekends Back The Girlfriend And I Were Hitting The East Side Hard. No, Not Venice And The Strip Clubs Therein...But The Thrifts, An Antique Mall And Even An Estate Sale. Status: Last Of The Booty (Not THAT Kind Of Booty!)

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Tooling around Fairview Height Illinois after poking around the antique mall and getting some chow at Lotawata Creek we found a Savers nearby that we didn't even know existed!  Of course we just HAD to give it a once over.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Serendipity Strikes Again...Or - Ain't It Beautiful When A Plan Comes Together?! Lamp And Shade Are Both Thrift Finds, But From Different Stores And At Different Times! Status: Harmony (Gone!)

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Like I've said before, I never pass up a serviceable lampshade at a thrift because you just never know. Then there are lamps. Good ones are becoming more and more scarce, so again...if find a keeper it's coming home with me.

Monday, October 14, 2013

How's About A Quick Look Through The Winchester VA Craigslist? Surely There Are Some Stylish Bargains To Be Had Up There? Status: Not My Turf!

Greetings from Winchester, Virginia - Large Letter Postcard

It's been a little over a week since we poked around someone else's back yard.  Let's stick our collective nose into the Winchester Virginia craigslist and see what truffles we can unearth!

Stumbled Across This Crazy Coffee Table While Shaking My Head Over How Bad Indianapolis Craigslist's Has Gotten With The New Furniture Dealers Posting In The Furniture By Owner Section. Status: Judging Other Peoples Stuff!

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Just thought I'd throw this out there today. It's kind of a cool idea and makes me wonder who came up with it. Did they steal the shopping carts? Is it artistic...or is it just another iteration of shelves made from milk crates?

Sunday, October 13, 2013

The Girlfriend Threw Down The Gauntlet When I First Passed On This Tripot Ashtray The Girlfriend Was Apalled At My Lack Of Vision. Then I Shocked Her Again By Buying A Disgusting Chemex Coffee Maker! Status: Flea Finds.

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Both of these items today were purchased at the Flea...but different Fleas.  The Ashtray Stand - Belleville, the Chemex - Wentzville.  Both are kind of a mess...but that's kind of par for the course with the Flea Markets!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

One Of The Other Vendors At The Green Shag Market GAVE Me This American Airlines Eames First Class Amenity Tote! What I Need Now Is...Some Sort Of Use For It! Status: Too Cool.

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Yeah, how cool were American Airlines that they employed the Eames' to design this little tote for their First Class stuff pouch?!  Not that I'd ever get a chance to fly first class but I'd probably do a spit take and bore my flight neighbors to tears talking their ears off about the Eames, if I was to be presented with one of these!

Friday, October 11, 2013

While I Was On The Funky 5:30 To 2am Shift I Got To Do A Little Thrifting. On One Of These Occasions I Found These "El' Mercer" Glasses But Wasn't Sure If They Were Vintage. Status: Got (Better Safe Than Sorry!)

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I learned my lesson years ago about not leaving behind an item just 'cuz I'm not sure if it's vintage.  I almost left behind a lot of about 30 pieces of Franciscan Starburst dinnerware because I didn't think it was vintage (I thought it looked too new and that it might be from Target or something!).  So these El' Mercers made the cut.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Holy Crap! I Gots Another One! Chased These For Years To No Avail...And Now Within Months, A Second Cosco Booster Seat Has Come My Way! Status: Already Gone!

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Another Cosco and it's a great color too!  Avocado.  My favorite fruit!  It's fatty, but it's a good fat, right?  Back to the booster.  It's in pretty good shape.  The only good find at the Goodwill in Fairview Heights last Saturday.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Mr. Modtomic Has Birkenstock...No Wait, Stupid Voice To Text.. Burke In Stock! Yes, I Just Acquired This Fantastic White Propeller / Tulip Base Burke Dining Set And Am Eager To Find It's Forever Home. Status: Quite Available.

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Now don't get no funny ideas, just 'cuz I said I was "eager" don't mean I'm giving it away. This is really a beautiful set and it's new owners are going to have to really want it! I had to drive to Springfield Illinois today to pick it up, that's how much I wanted it!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

You Know, I've Wanted One Of These For A Long Time. What's That? A Clean, Empty Garage? No, That's The Girlfriend's (Pipe) Dream. I'm More Interested In Finding An LC4 Le Corbusier Lounge. Status: Still Dreaming.

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This beautiful lounger has been on Craigslist and has been bumped up for a couple of days now with no takers. As a matter of fact, Mr. Modtomic has been the only one to show any interest at all so far, according to the sellers. What gives?

Monday, October 7, 2013

The Estate Sale Companies Have Really Put Me Off Attending Sales Much Anymore But On Half A Lark We Decided To Take A Look Around One Saturday Afternoon, Just To See What Might Be Left. Status: Lane "First Edition" Score

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I really had no hope of finding anything worth having still available at this East Side sale since we arrived at about noon.  Alas, everything that I would have wanted to take home with me WAS still available...but at a price.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

A million here, a million there

Hey everyone.  It's Nick from Mid-Century Midwest here for another guest post.

A number of my fellow bloggers have joined in the Mid-Century Modern real estate fun, so I thought that it was time I threw a few out there for our St. Louis readers.

Yes, despite decades of botched renovations and tear-downs, St. Louis still has a sizable stock of mid-century homes, a testament to its deep involvement in the modernist movement.
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Saturday, October 5, 2013

Feminine Aspects of Modern Design

How to care for your vintage Flokati rug.

I recently was lucky enough to buy a pair of vintage flokati rugs, basically off of the street. We were out for a drive, and noticed a little antique shop below some apartments, and I spied a pair of fluffy off white rugs hanging off a handrail out side of the above apartments. I screamed turn the car around I want to see those rugs!

Friday, October 4, 2013

Wanna Scrounge Through A Craigslist In The North East And See If We Can Find Some Cheap Style? Sure Ya Do! Let's Take A Look At The Rochester NY C-list And See What We Can See. Status: Not My Turf.

Greetings From Rochester

I usually only pick 10 listings to fill out one of these "Not My Turf" postings but I found an extra one that I just couldn't leave out. Bonus! Check 'em out.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Yesterday I Showed Off The Progress Globe Fixture I Scored At The South County Antique Mall, Today It's The Spider Table Base From Not Only The Same Antique Mall...But The Same Vendor Booth! Status: Looks Good With Glass.

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This little spider base is kinda rough and is so not ready to flip.  I'll have to give it some love...and find some space in my booth...before I can make it available to the general public.  But as you can see, it's gonna look pretty nice when done!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Last Thursday I Stopped By The South County Antique Mall. I Was Surprised To Find Two Great Bargains In One Booth, One Of Which Was This NIB Progress Lighting Globe Light. Status: Gonna Hang At The Shag.

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Because this is in such excellent condition and has all of it's packaging and installation instructions, I'm pretty sure this has never been installed. It's not particularly vintage but is of the mid century modern style.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Mr. Modtomic Is Not All About The Cross Stitch. I KNOW! "Really?!" But, C'mon...A Cross Stitch Of The Chicago Skyline As Viewed From The Lake? That (And A German Vase / Alligator Phone) Is Just Rad! Status: Soon To Be At The Shag.

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I was almost late for work hemming and hawing over this piece of art.  It just took me a few minutes to get over the Rural Americana of cross stitch.  In the end, the contrast of Rural Americana and the Chicago skyline struck me and it was a done deal!