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!
I thought I was kinda slowing down with the roadtrip craigslist scavenging but just a few days ago I
took a trip to Springfield Il. to pick up a Burke dining set! This evening at work I got to wondering
what the complex formula is of desire, price, distance and time. Then I got to wondering if this...
affliction, let's call it...is wide spread or if I'm pretty much alone on the road.
This Selig "Z" chair was one of the first big roadtrip craigs-finds that I blogged about. I had just
shifted a number of big items over the previous couple weeks and I wanted to splurge on something
nice for myself. I couldn't find an Eames Lounger and Ottoman, but I found the next best thing...in
Springfield Mo. That's a haul. That's 220 or so miles each way...and this chair was not cheap. I don't
normally talk about how much I buy items for here but I will this time since I'll probably never let go
of my Z chair. I was liberated of just under $400 for this and was happy to be so.
I've only made the roadtrip to Chicago a couple of times for craigs-scores, one of which was for a
second Broyhill Brasilia nightstand for our personal bedroom suite and another was for a set of Knoll
/ Hardoy style butterfly chairs that I've oddly never featured here on Mr. Modtomic. But what I have
featured is the pair of nightstand above that I made the 300 mile each way roadtrip to deliver to new
and loving owners in Chicago. So sometimes it works in reverse!
Looks like the 500 mile round trip might be close to my limit because these Bertoia side chairs
came from a Kansas City craigslist ad a few years ago. Again, I'm probably never going to let these
go so I'll just let the cat out of the bag and tell you, I paid $140 bucks for the four of them...with
pads. What would you do? Would you spend 3 and a half or so hours driving to a 10 minute
meeting, then turn your butt right around and drive the same 3 and a half hours home for these...for
that price?
Also culled from the Kansas City craigslist was this formidable Poul Kjærholms PK 24 Lounge /
Chaise. This and another chair lured me to the KC just a few months ago. The second chair is still
awaiting new upholstery - just as soon as I get off my lazy butt and get the appropriate material for it,
but the PK 24 is currently available. It's in amazing condition and is such a standout piece...it just
dominates a room though. Not for everyone.
Not every road trip drags me so far astray. This Drexel Declaration set was a mere 100 miles (give
or take) from home. I know you probably remember this other Drexel Declaration set that I featured
here not too long ago, but that set went though the booth at The Green Shag Market and is long gone.
This particular set is actually still in the garage! I just haven't gotten around to doing anything with it
yet...if you can believe it!
Sometimes it's not even how far you go...but how far you are WILLING to go (like...out of your way
- or...in dealing with darkness and bad internet directions!) to score that deal! This IKEA Sater sofa
was listed one evening while I was at work and it was just so cheap (and c'mon...it's a good looking
LEATHER sofa) that I had to pop on it. Turned out to be a crazy late night buy, but I got it home and
lived to blog the tale.
I've made a few other roadtrips for various items like this very early set of Fiberglass Panton chairs
along with a few unidentified patio bits and a pair of Danish style daybeds, so it's fair to assume that
Mr. M. is not afraid to turn a wheel to get a deal. But what about you?
How far would you go....and for what?!
275 miles to Chicago for a complete Brasilia dining set (table and six chairs, china cabinet and buffet/sideboard) $300. Worth every dollar.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous.
DeleteAh, a Scavenger after my own heart! That sounds perfectly reasonable to me! Did you have to rent a truck or were you able to squish it all in your personal ride?
Washington DC. 847 miles 13 hours. I scored two wall units. One for $100 and the other for $25! Though I was planning on driving out their anyway to see family.
ReplyDeleteHi D.
DeleteThat was a great score...but it's not quite the same. Still, I'm gonna give it to ya because that us a long drive home with what I'm sure amounted to a pile of lumber in the back of your vehicle! How'd the wife react?
450 miles round trip, from Columbus to Ann Arbor Michigan, to pick up that Danish desk in a cabinet.
ReplyDeleteHi Bopfish.
DeleteI knowed you weren't no slouch! You and I are cut from pretty similar (bark?) cloth!
It wasn't all that far, but about 8 months ago it was 10:30 at night when I spotted a danish desk from a terrible photo on a craigslist ad. So I sent a text asking if I could come by and he was quick to respond saying sure. I looked at my wife and she just rolled her eyes and said "go ahead". I set out at 11 pm headed to who knows where to look at desk in who knows what condition. I arrive at midnight and left 10 minutes later with a wonderful Svend Madsen Danish teak curved desk with an open back for $60.
ReplyDeleteI was giddy and shaking the entire drive home. Its (highs) finds like those that a collector like me loves.
Hi Evan.
DeleteNow THAT'S what I was hoping to read! That makes me feel a little...I don't know...less CrAzY? Great story Evan. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Most of the time I stick to within 3 hr--which does not get you as far as you might think on the twisted blue highways of western PA and eastern OH. But for a $99 Drexel Declaration catkin queen-size headboard in perfect condition I took a 300 mi, 5 hr each way Sunday drive on the turnpike to Cherry Hill NJ.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous.
DeleteIt's amazing how hard a pretty piece of furniture will twist our proverbial arm isn't it!
My longest was a 4 hour round trip to Jeff City for a set of 6 Eames Soft Pad management chairs. That may not sound long, but man, it FELT long. I got to Jeff City and, to my surprise, started passing kidney stones right at the start of the drive back. I've never been in so much pain. Managed to make it all the way back (with no small amount of screaming and cursing) and went straight to the emergency clinic. That was quite a trip.
ReplyDeleteHi Nick.
DeleteSuffering for the love...the mark of a True Hero! You're tougher than most of us.
Couple months ago I spent 3 days in a rented cargo van, 1800 mile round trip from NC to KY to northern NY and back to NC for 2 bedrooms worth of Drexel Plus One - a girl's bedroom collection Drexel did in conjunction with Seventeen magazine. We'd been looking for it for nearly 4 years for our girls and I finally bit the bullet once I'd found enough for 2 bedrooms, one in yellow and one in green. Not exactly mid-century, but very retrolicious.
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzp4CYwxsnfFUVZiUXM5dXlXcXc/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzp4CYwxsnfFUWh3bG90NlNOZ2c/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzp4CYwxsnfFVFlYaW4zN1Faa3M/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzp4CYwxsnfFZl9hNnVHOXlUZ1E/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzp4CYwxsnfFZnN2WHRXNUhTaTQ/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzp4CYwxsnfFZnk3dGZGTzJkd1U/edit?usp=sharing
Managed to also squeeze in a Broyhill Sculptra china cabinet as well as a set of Lane Perception coffee/end/side tables.
Hi Brad.
DeleteI LOVE that line...obviously not for myself but I'm so glad something so fun exists out there! And that was a pretty epic road score. Man, that van was STUFFED!
Four years ago I drove 7 hours (I stopped halfway and stayed with family) for a Lane Acclaim dining room with a table, 8 chairs, sideboard, and a credenza with hutch and a matching desk in OH.
ReplyDeleteMy husband still hasn't let me live it down.
Totally 100% worth it.
Hi Anonymous.
DeleteYikes! Now I'm feeling kinda week! Here's how you live it down...do it more often! Once you've got the hubby used to it you'll never hear about THAT particular episode again...or at least less often!