thrift store spoils, ch. 24: Domino Mobler, Libbey Prado, and Dale Chemical

A spring break trip to North Carolina and Merlefest, a focus on getting some Etsy and Ebay items listed (and some sold—yay!), and good old fashioned procrastination have all kept me from posting about my thrifting finds. 

Now, though, I'll just jump right in. And I may as well start with something big, something found at the Manassas SA on 25%-off-everything day (the crazy SA day I swore off a few weeks back). 

I bought a très cool piece of mid-century modern furniture.

This Domino Mobler sideboard and hutch, made in Denmark of teak and teak veneer, was marked at $199. That's a good enough price in my book any day. But I was there on the aforementioned discount day, so I paid about $150 for it. Score!

I called the hubby from the store and texted a photo, wanting him to talk me out of buying something so room-altering. But, wouldn't you know, he was the one who talked me into bringing it home. The piece was too big for our Honda Pilot, though, so I hauled only the sideboard portion home that morning and returned with the hubby in the evening to pick up the hutch. 

And the only two problems I see with it are a one-inch or so's worth of water damage to the veneer on the bottom right side—damage probably caused by a spill or leak that affected the carpet the piece was sitting on, and (maybe) a couple of missing drawer runners. You see, I've looked up photos of this piece online, and the narrow drawer I've placed below the fold-out desktop probably belongs instead above the desktop in one of the open shelves. But, as I said, the runners for the drawer are awol. 

Still, not too much damage for something that's been around since the 1950s, I don't think. Check out the stinkin' great minimalist handles.

Also, look at the beautiful veneer here. (And I promise that it's richer in person.) 

This piece has altered the room, for sure: it now sits where an old warped, crowded bookshelf (one made by the hubby years ago) used to sit. I am pleased, indeed.

Now on to some other finds, some of which are for me to keep for my very own self and some of which I've listed in my Etsy shop.

I have several tumblers in this pattern, tumblers that belonged to my Florida Mamaw. However, I've never taken the time to research them online. And until recently, I only knew that they were made by Libbey and that they can break into several pieces if used to get ice from the automatic ice dispenser on the freezer door. (Yep. They can break, if you try that.) 

Over the years, I've found that the pattern itself is pretty common in thrift stores, though often dishwasher damaged. But I had no idea the glasses also came with handy-dandy gold handles. Who knew?

But here they are. And I've now done some research and discovered that the pattern is called Prado and that these particular glasses were advertised as Casual Cups, although Libbey also suggested using them as punch cups. Okay, then.

This fun confetti ashtray was made by Dale Chemical Co. (yep, Dale Chemical), according to the info stamped on the back. Fun!

I love this Mother Mary planter. Isn't it beautiful-cool, as well as kitschy-cool, at the same time? I love the colors, the soft 1950s blue against the shiny gold. I love that it's functional. And I love that it's the Blessed Mother.

It's obligatory Pyrex find time. I picked up these two casseroles in the Verde pattern for my mom because the price was so good. The bottom dish has a lid, by the way.

And I found this one frosted cocktail glass (I believe from the 1950s?) all by its lonesome at the SA on the crazy day. The signature on the art/cartoon is W. Steig—that is, The New Yorker cartoonist William Steig. (I believe he's also the one who created Shrek!, on which the movie was based.) I don't really find his cartoons LOL-funny, but his stuff seems to be sought after. We'll see how this glass does on Etsy.

This is just a goofy plastic (or melmac?) bowl I found and duly bought. 

But, hey, the bottom is stamped "Japan," and it's a super-tacky and bright yellow, like the color my colorblind Florida Mamaw once painted the stucco on her South Florida home. (This is no lie, and I'm not exaggerating.). How could I resist?

I bought these Tupperware containers (perfect for herbs and such) for me, because I actually do preserve herbs at the end of the summer. And I like Tupperware.

The clear Pyrex fridgie is for Mama.

And last, I found this pair of the coolest bar glasses at my favorite GW. They are unmarked, so I know nothing about their history. But they're a vintage-1960s avocado green; the bottoms are super-heavy; and they were priced at 56 cents each. I love them.

By the way, this photo was taken a couple of weeks ago when I made Mint Juleps for the hubby and me, in anticipation of yesterday's Kentucky Derby. (We're both originally from Kentucky, you see.) Fret not, though—yesterday's drinks were mixed and served in authentic pewter julep cups. We know what we're doing around here.

That's all for now. 

And thanks to Sir-Thrift-a-Lot, Thrifter/Maker/Fixer/Farm, We Call It Junkin, and a living space for the opportunity to link up.

thrift store spoils, ch. 8: Pyrex, more Pyrex, and Texas Ware

As I mentioned in my last chapter, my parents visited a while back. Mama isn’t really into shopping at thrift stores; she’s more of the “declutter the mess and donate” camp. (Thank goodness for those people!) And I do think she worries about my habit. However, on this trip she was all excited about stopping in at several of my haunts after a morning spent at our nearby IKEA. And look at what she scored.

It took only minutes to tidy up this mid-century table. Besides the usual cobwebs and dirt, it was splattered with a little bit of white paint. The thing has three rattan legs and a Formica top; it isn't wobbly at all; and I love the rounded triangular shape. There’s no logo or manufacturer’s name anywhere on it, which has made it awfully difficult to learn more about it online. Mama and I have both tried repeatedly, to no avail. But based on what I happened across in my research, I’m guessing it’s vintage 1950s.

Mama was hoping to find an occasional table to sit between these two chairs in her living room, and I think she did okay. And it cost only $20—much less than those Ethan Allen chairs flanking it, though just as stylish.

In one SA where we stopped, I made off with some good Pyrex. Funny, because as we went in, I told Mama that not only do I find little at this particular store, but that what I do find is overpriced.  Not this time, though.

According to Michael Barber’s Pyrex Passion, which I wrote about here, this casserole’s unofficial name is Golden Wildflower, and it was produced some time in the 1960s. The cradle is in good condition, with melted candles still stuck in the cups, and the lid has no issues. I’m not big on Pyrex’s gold leaf/beige/yellow patterns, but this entire combo was priced at $4.99. I couldn’t leave it there.

I also bought this Butterfly Gold mixing bowl (401). It’s in perfect condition. I’ve always loved this color; it reminds me of the Brach’s butterscotch candies so many of us ate in the 1970s (and is probably why many of us have dental issues now!). 

I just wish I could wear this color; but, alas, it’s not in my palette. 

(Please forgive the Leaning Tower of Pyrex effect in my photo.) 

The last thing I found at the supposedly lousy SA was this entire Verde mixing bowl set. The largest three bowls (404, 403, and 402, with colors Dark Green, Avocado, and Light Green, respectively, according to Pyrex Passion) were in pristine condition on the shelf, but the smallest (401, the Yellow-Green) looked pretty bad. I was sure it was dishwasher damaged. However, after a little Bar Keepers Friend action at home, it looked great. 

By the way, the Verde pattern was produced between 1967 and 1972. And, according to Pyrex Passion, printed on the sets' original boxes was "Verde . . . The New Avocado Colors."

The avocado green Pyrex patterns and solids have always been my favorites, because they remind my of the refrigerator my family had for over 20 years while I was growing up. It too was avocado green, and it was bought in the late 1960s. 

As a matter of fact, it was still working in 1987 when my parents sold their house, and—get this—at closing (which was done in person sitting at a real estate agent's table), the female buyer insisted that the fridge come with the deal—out of the blue. Mama wanted to walk, but Daddy wouldn't let her. (He really, really wanted to sell.) Well, Mama still hasn't forgotten that woman, and she still bemoans the loss of that avocado green fridge. 

 

Later in the week, I picked up this Texas Ware Confetti Bowl, the super-large size. I occasionally see Rachael Ray's throw-back version—what she calls a Confetti Garbage Bowl. But this is my first-ever vintage sighting. 

Beside it sat a brownish melmac tray of another brand. And it had cool mod handles. But I just couldn't buy it: not only was it pretty badly scratched inside, but the color and pattern looked way too much like vomit. I couldn't buy it—vintage or not. 
 

I cannot pass up inexpensive melmac cereal bowls in great shape. The white ones here are marked Stetson (out of Chicago). The orange ones (I love orange!) aren't marked with any brand. Both my Mamaws had brown ones (some of which I have inherited) with no manufacturer's name on them. I figure this means that those were less expensive in their day? Perhaps that's why my thrifty grandmothers bought them.

I've been on the lookout for a vintage wind-up clock that actually works. Bingo. found a Baby Ben at one of the stores Mama and I stopped in. Note the fun glow-in-the-dark hands which, of course, only glow in the dark for a few minutes after the lights go out. Still, I'm liking it.

I like metal trays, and this one was 96 cents. So I bought it.

It's not like I need another soup mug, particularly one devoted to fathers. But I love the colors in this one (like I loved the colors in the similar one I found last month). The bottom of this one is also stamped "Japan." Has to be vintage 1970s?

Check out these (have-to-be-vintage-1970s) mushroom mugs. They were produced by Otagiri, a name I often see on mugs in thrift stores, and were made in Japan. Funky.

This is a Starbucks mug that Mama found for me at our closest Savers. When I told her that I always keep a lookout them for a future Ebay listing attempt, she was all in and made a beeline for the mug section. The bottom of this one is marked 2006. I’m assuming it was a Valentine’s Day offering?

Mama also found these at Savers. (She was shopping like a pro.) They're dated 2012.

And I found more Blakely gas station series glasses to go with the ones I already have. This is the first Blakely juice glass I've found, though. (My others are iced tea glasses.) According to this handy-dandy Blakely collectors site, the juice glasses are a bit rarer. So I'm psyched. 

To conclude this chapter, Mama and I had fun thrift store shopping together. And I think Daddy was okay with sitting in the parking lots in my SUV listening to the radio while we did so.

Thanks to We Call it Junkin' for the opportunity to link up at We Call It Olde Link-Up and to the Coloradolady at Vintage Thingie Thursday, as well as Junkin Joe Time, Sir Thrift-a-Lot, and Blackbird Has Spoken, for the same. (There's lots of cool stuff at all of these sites!) 

And that is all.