Bright, Colorful Spring Picking

"What the heck is that", I'm sure you're asking. Well, it's a picnic basket. Really. Made in the 1960s, this picnic basket is complete except that I'm missing some of the dinner plates. The set was manufactured in Chicago by a company called Ingrid. Maybe it was a Swedish woman named Ingrid who made them in her basement because it certainly seems like a good example of innovative Scandinavian design.

This great wall clock was meant for my kitchen. This 1950s Seth Thomas office clock is fairly common in painted metal but is much less common in the gleaming chrome finish. The reason is that this was the 'manager' model and, as such, is less common. Plus, it's quite a looker and is quickly snapped up by collectors.

Can I get an "Amen" for church rummage sales? This past weekend, I found a few churches that were having them (including my own church) and picked up some really interesting items. These low children's chairs look at first blush like plastic stackable chairs from Target or somewhere, right? Turns out that these were very well constructed out of spun fiberglass and thus are likely collectible examples of 1960s or 1970s modernism.

You know, our Nation's image abroad (and at home) would be enhanced if people learned about the United States as it was geographically presented in the 1950s. Yes, we ARE a cheerful nation, full of bright primary colors and happy cowboys, prospectors and movie stars.

I picked up this original painting at a surprise estate sale one recent weekend. I was driving through the neighborhood and almost passed by the handwritten "Estate Sale" sign tacked to the telephone pole. Not a bad sale really. It was put on by the grandchildren who priced everything themselves and didn't advertise in the newspapers. They were Old Raleigh and approached the proceeding with a mix Waspish patience and a bit of bemusement at the spectacle of folks combing through family belongings and haggling for bargains. An old know-it-all horse trader came through and spotted a 1950s lamp and started to regale the blonde holding the sale with his knowledge and wit. It was priced at $10 (the price was set earlier when I asked about it and passed, even though it was a bargain) and the old fart kept pestering her about it. She'd smile warmly and laugh at his jokes and express great interest in the details of his life that he was sharing with her. -I believe that she and her husband met while volunteering in the Peace Corps and it showed. Funny thing is, after she finished warmly listening and laughing, she increased the price to $15. She meant it and wouldn't budge. I decided that I would not haggle on anything else for a while.