Farstrup Teak Chair Made in Denmark

One of my favourite finds from a while ago is this ordinary looking, humble chair.

Well... It is actually a great chair! I spotted it at my favourite church basement and thought it looked nice and sturdy. Then I flipped it over and saw the Farstrup made in Denmark tag. :)

I believe the back rail and spindles are beech wood, with a teak plywood seat. It is surprisingly comfortable - I have been using it as a nursing chair! I am so glad we didn't spend a fortune on a fancy glider at the baby store.

I bought this beauty for five bucks. Love how the sticker said "solid wood". I suppose if it read Danish Teak, it wouldn't have been waiting for me!!

Here is a shot of the chair edge. It is just so darn comfy. I have spent many hours in this chair over the last six months.

Probably one of my best $5 finds for sentimental reasons!

Linking up to Thrift Share Monday and Vintage Thingie Thursday!

Teak Bird Corkscrew Made in Denmark

I scored this cute little Corkscrew in the form of a teak bird on Ebay a few months ago. I have it shown here with my little mystery bird that I previously posted about.

I waited so long to post about it because I couldn't bear to open the package... it was in its mint original package, with a blue foil sticker reading "Made in Denmark".

Finally this weekend, I couldn't resist and tore it open. Look at the beautiful wood grain!

I paid $5.50 for this little guy plus $3 shipping. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I bought this over a year ago! The seller had multiple birds for sale. I understand that an old print shop had closed down in Connecticut, and that's where he found these treasures, all in their original packaging. I do wonder what they were doing in a print shop...

This little bird's head has a lovely shape to it. It is marked "Denmark" on the underside of its pedestal base.

There are three separate components to this piece: a corkscrew bottom, bottle brush head, and bottle opener body.

See how it all fits together? Brilliant!

Since I opened it and put it together, I've been admiring its graceful form. It's currently sitting at my computer desk. Unfortunately, I don't know much about this piece other than where it's made. No indication of the age at all. Has anyone seen one of these guys in the wild?

These two make a cute little pair, don't they?

Best Thrift Store Finds of the Year!

Now that 2011 is coming to a close, I've decided to start reminiscing about my "Thrift Hits of the Year"! It's been a great year of collecting goodies, and I hope you've enjoyed coming along for the ride. Click on each link to read more about it and see additional photos!

First up is this vintage Royal Quiet De Luxe Typewriter in amazing condition. I fell in love with the details found in the fonts and parts, and the sturdy construction of this piece... it was working perfectly and was a great bargain at $15!

This gorgeous vintage Le Creuset Flame Cocotte was found at my first-ever estate sale... I was so tickled to find a few months later that the official "True Le Creuset" site mentioned my post here.

At my favourite local church thrift, I picked up these Vintage Peep Toe Ballys... Yes, Five Dollar Ballys! In my size!

This little Danish Teak Bird Pencil Holder stole my heart at another church thrift sale... and at 50¢ was a crazy steal. I made sure to send some donations their way this year. I haven't found out any more information about it, except for someone who contacted me from Switzerland to tell me he had the same piece. =)

This Promotional Pyrex Aqua Blue Scrolls bowl is from 1959 and I cannot believe it was sitting on a shelf for two days at Value Village before I came and rescued it.

Even though I love many more things that I was lucky enough to find this year, these are the standouts looking back. Of course, thrifting is full of pros and cons... Last week I went through some of the Things I Regret Buying at the Thrift Store, but I don't mind donating them back for a good cause.

Linking up to Colorady Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday and Vintage Scapes' Thrift Hits of the Year!

Copco Michael Lax Kettle Teak Restoration with Mineral Oil

You might remember that this summer, I scored a Copco Michael Lax designed Kettle for $5 at a church sale.

The kettle was in great shape on the interior, which was unusual because these pieces are often chipped and rusted. However, the teak knob on the lid and teak handle were faded and in rough shape.

The photo above shows the "before" shot.

The wood was very tired-looking and faded.

Using the methods outlined in my Tutorial on Refinishing Wood with Mineral Oil, I rubbed some food grade heavy mineral oil on the handle with a rag. The oil slowly soaked into the wood and I could see an immediate change.

I probably should have sanded the knob down to remove the dark spots, but the richer toned wood certainly helped improve the appearance.

Take a look at the new and improved finished product! Remember from the tutorial that a good cheap tip is to buy mineral oil from your drugstore rather than from a cookware shop where it can cost several times more... You'll get the same great results!

Linking up to Colorado Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday!

Dansk Wine Carafe with Teak Stopper

With the help of my friend Rebecca, I was able to score this awesome glass decanter made by Dansk in its original box for $4!

I often find that the cheap goodies go quick on Craigslist... unless they are located in a suburb. I figure since it's a long drive for most people to make, less buyers are willing or able to pounce on great items. This particular seller was located basically next door to my friend's place, and she was gracious enough to pick it up for me.

The best parts of this piece are the sweeping slopes of the delicate glass and the beautiful teak stopper. It's a real delight to hold the decanter at its slender neck.

The carafe was designed by Gunnar Cyren, a Swedish silversmith, and glass and industrial designer. Cyren began to work for Dansk International in 1970, designing this carafe for production in 1980.

Even though it is a wine carafe, I plan to use it to hold water at the dinner table. I think it'll look elegant and should get a lot of use.

Linking up to HLA's Flea Market Finds and ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

Copco Michael Lax Kettle

I attended a popular Spring Church Sale recently, patiently waiting in a huge lineup to get inside to check out the goods. After waiting about 20 minutes, everyone surged in - it actually seemed borderline unsafe... I hate crowds, so I decided to have a quick look at housewares and be on my way.

One of the tables were lined with people and I craned over their heads to look, and found a simple looking kettle with a teak handle. It was in the style of the Michael Lax Copco kettles but there were many knockoffs made of this Mid Century Modern design. There have been many times when I turned similar kettles upside down to see "Japan" marked on the underside.

This time however, there was no mistaking it: "Copco Michael Lax Design - Spain" was written on the underside! Another beautiful sight was the little yellow sticker reading $5.00. I first came to know Copco pieces, some made in Denmark, when I discovered this lovely red Copco Skillet.

I should have known by its heavy weight that it was a quality made item. I have fawned over this piece in the beautiful blue colour, but this pale peachy colour has its charm too. The teak knob and handle are in fairly rough shape, however. I think I am going to try sanding it down and applying mineral oil to it, similar to how we refinished some pieces in the past.

I really love the simple look. In fact I am also loving kettles lately and seem to keep finding great ones. If you'd like to read more about refinishing teak and other wood kitchen items, read about using foodsafe mineral oil here.

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday and Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds!

Dansk Kobenstyle Pot and more Pyrex Delphite!!

I had a ridiculous morning of thrifting at the annual St. George's Mayfair. I talked about it last year in a previous post, but it's basically an event put on by a posh private boys school in a quiet, wealthy Vancouver neighbourhood.

The school grounds are laid out with tents on the outside, and makeshift marketplaces in the school classrooms. I arrived early this year and stood in line in the pouring rain for about 20 minutes, paid my $2 admission, and rushed in.

I was scouring the housewares section and saw a young fellow talking to the volunteer sales lady about a Dansk Kobenstyle chocolate brown enamelled piece! I almost yelped, as it looked like I had just missed out. Overhearing the conversation, I was almost getting sick to my stomach - the guy was saying he wanted to use it as a compost container in his kitchen, as it would be easy to carry outside to dump into his compost bin. Ugh.

Luckily for me, his wife or girlfriend whizzed by and quickly dismissed his idea. Ouch for him, Yay for me. As I was still hovering, he shrugged and said, she's the boss! I quickly said, "if you're not taking that, I'm interested!"  I purchased this piece for 50¢.  FIFTY CENTS! No wonder he was thinking it could only be a garbage bin!

I had been pining after a Dansk Kobenstyle piece for quiet some time. The Danish design by Jens Quistgaard is from the 1960s and is sought after by Mid Century Modern lovers. The lid is intended to act as a trivet, although I'm not sure I would want to risk scratches to the enamel. Even the handles on these pieces are simplistic and beautiful. Dansk Kobenstyle pans and pots have thinner walls than Le Creuset, and these old pieces are therefore usually seen with chips to the enamel. This particular piece unfortunately has some interior damage, but I still think it was a great score for 50¢.

I was also able to pick up yet another Pyrex Delphite piece. I can't believe this little Fridgie was waiting for me. You see, after I purchased my Kobenstyle, I left the Marketplace for housewares, and headed to the Treasure Trove area. Treasure Trove is the hand picked goodies section for expensive items like antique teacups and saucers. I walked in thinking that I would just look around, since it is typically very overpriced. For example, I saw my Pyrex Dandelion divided dish for $30. I understand the original two-candle warmer and lid were included and it was a complete set, but Mr. SixBalloons bought me mine for a tenth of the price!

When I was in the Treasure Trove last year, I saw the same Pyrex Delphite piece, and at $5, I had to leave it behind. It was not in perfect condition, with two scratches on the rim. If you can believe it, they had the same piece there this morning, marked at $2. I guess nobody else bought it last year! In reality they should have placed it in Marketplace at that price, but I happily paid the cost and went on my merry way.

I had a great morning thrifting away at Mayfair. I avoided most of the crowds by going early and skipping the books, toys, and clothing area, which traditionally have large lineups and nutty crowds. The only wistful thing I can recall about today is that I left behind a lamp that may have been a Lotte Bostlund, another Mid Century Modern darling. It was $5, came with a hideously mismatching lamp shade, and it was one of the first things I saw when I entered Marketplace. After I picked up my Quistgaard piece, I made my way back and it was gone. Well, that's part of the thrill of thrifting, isn't it? If you snooze, you lose, but I still feel great about my little thrift haul.

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

Teak Ice Bucket with Brass Handles

Before the weekend starts, I sometimes catch myself drifting off and thinking about what goodies I would like to find while thrifting.  On Friday evening, I started absent-mindedly jotting down some wishlist items...

Since summer is just around the corner, a teak ice bucket was on my list. The very next day, I found one in great condition, with a set of teak tongs! I paid a grand total of $4 for the lot.

It was my first visit to a monthly thrift sale held by a local seniors home. I actually never knew about this great volunteer-run shop, even though my dear Gramps spent his final years at this care facility. The team of men and women running the cash and stocking the shelves were seniors, and I loved their gusto and friendly banter.

The piece is solid teak on the exterior, with an aluminum insert to hold the ice. A plastic rim keeps the lid nice and dry, safe from condensation and moisture. The handles and knobs were a brass colour, but the teak tongs were held together with a silver coloured band. The tongs even have some silver teeth to grip onto the ice cubes. The tongs were probably not original to the set, but I think it still pairs well with the bucket.

Thrifting often represents so much more to me than just the material items. Yes, I definitely love finding good quality items at bargain prices. I enjoy the thrill of the hunt, the researching and learning about new things, and of course writing and sharing my experiences. However, there is a definite sentimental value to many of my favourite finds. This one has given me a real appreciation for these seniors who are staying active, working at the shop and building their community.

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

Teak Bird: Mid Century Modern? Danish?

I picked up this great teak bird at a church basement a few weeks ago. I saw it perched on a shelf and it caught my attention right away with its plain expression, round body, and the delicate way it was attached to its pedestal.

I had read about the amazing Kristian Vedel birds designed in 1959 by the Danish architect, and wondered if this little guy was related in any way. Official reproductions of the Vedel birds are now sold in places like the Museum of Modern Art, but this doesn't appear to be one.

I think what is common between the Vedel birds and this piece are their charming lack of expression. It just looks like a curious little bird with a slanted head and big eyes. The eyes are actually made of a stone type material, and unfortunately my piece has a chip out of its right eye. I guess this contributed to the low price I paid of 50¢.

While trying to do some research on this piece, I noticed that some MCM Danish teak pieces have a hole for holding pencils or manicure tools. As you can see on the rear of this piece, it has one too.

I searched in vain for quite some time, but I was delighted to find that a flickr user from Switzerland had come upon a pair of these exact same birds! It was in fact this person who had identified the birds as possibly Mid Century Modern and Made in Denmark. We communicated about our mystery on hand, but have been unable to find more information.

If you know anything about this bird or can provide any insight, it would be greatly appreciated! Oddly enough, this has become one of my favourite thrifted finds. There are just so many angles from which to look at it, and it is a piece worth admiring.

I'll leave you with just one more close up, in case you are loving it as much as I am.  =)

Linking up to Thrift Share Monday and Ana's Friday Archive Dive!

Mid Century Modern Chair - Craigslist Miss

Here's another lament about a great find on Craigslist that I missed out on! After scoring this great Royal Blue Velvet Chair in November, I started hunting around for other great accent pieces. I came upon this beautiful teal upholstered vintage chair with teak armrests and legs.

I love those tufted buttons on the back, and the great condition and colour of the chair. Swoon worthy! Listed at $70, I think this would have been a great buy. Apparently others that beat me to it thought so too! The seller was gracious enough to send me a high-res photo so I could share it with all of you.
As an aside, normally I cringe at the term "Mid Century Modern". You see, as a frequent Craigslist searcher looking for vintage goodies, I find that many sellers use that term without restraint since they know it has a lot of appeal. I hope I am not using it in the wrong context here, or I might be guilty of misusing the term myself!