Trailer Trad Raleigh: State Treasurer Janet Cowell and Mad Men's Peggy Olson, Separated at Birth?

Trailer Trad Collecting: An Orginal Art Score from a 20th Century French Graphic Artist

It's always nice to pick up original artwork but it's usually a rich man's game. That's why you have to be selective and get it when you find it. At a recent estate sale, most of the pickers were looking for old toys and stuff like that. Not much art. However, there was one nice piece that hung over the basement fireplace in a place of honor. At $40, it was WAY too pricey for that crowd and hung there for maybe two hours after the sale opened.  Some guys get up at four in the morning to be first in line inside at these sales. But I'm sometimes amused at what's left by the time I roll in way later in some cases.

This is a mid-20th Century watercolor by Jacques Blein. He was a French graphic artist active in the 1930s to 1950s who produced some pretty nice travel posters for France as well as drawing great graphics for Essolube for its classic 1930s french magazine ad campaign. The watercolor is very nice with bright colors, nice condition and interesting industrial/nautical subject matter of a shipyard.

 

Recent Junking Finds

Here are a few recent junking purchases acquired at local estate and yard sales. This mint little badge was attached to 1930s/1940s automobiles to signify that they carried State Farm insurance-I think.

I love vintage clothes but they are SO hard to find because men simply wear out everything that they buy. Exceptions are special items that they hold onto, like this wool baseball cap from around 1960. Very nice, soft condition but too small for my size 7 and 24/8ths head.

These 70s plastic chairs probably aren't worth that much because I don't know the manufacturer or designer but I do know that that they look really cool and that they were bought by the owners out of the window of Raleigh's best Mid-Century furniture store Father and Son Antiques.

This a cute little whale. It's a 1940's bedside change stand that a guy would use to hold his pipe, wallet, change etc. Very charming and functional.
Judging by the tall ship rigging, I'd guess this framed photo is from the 1940s or so, maybe earlier. Nice, large image with cool subject matter.

These french signs are from the 1950s or 1960s and went in restrooms, etc. 'Salle de bains' means restroom while 'defense de cracher' means no spitting. -Seriously.

Trailer Trad Raleigh: New Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Hangouts

Just a few blocks from my abode is perhaps the hottest new beer spot in Raleigh. The Raleigh Beer Garden has just opened and offers nearly 350 taps--and vies for the World Record for having the most taps. I just need one...Schlitz..and I bet they don't have it. Oh well.

Truth be told, I just dropped in a for quick tour and left impressed with its size and vision. It is much, much larger than it appears from the street. Covering four(?) floors, its a well thought out layout with separate bar areas for spirits, NC brews, and world brews along with ample outdoor and indoor seating for as much privacy as guests prefer. Food isn't really emphasized but is available. Laudable is its TOTAL lack of TVs with their ever-present sports yapping. Seriously, does anyone besides betters really care about big-time pro sports anymore? I certainly don't.

Now, here come the Trailer Trad quibbles. At the end of the day, the Garden is just like any other new big money Glenwood South watering hole. You line up with the usual dudes at the busy bar to pay upwards of TEN dollars for a beer. Trailer Trad tip for Raleigh-ites? Fill up on burgers and $2.50 PBRs next door at MoJos and slip into the Garden for face time, if you need that.

This is the view out of my new location for bible study on Sunday mornings. Pretty nice, right? The room has floor to ceiling views of the State Capital. Quite enjoyable on Raleigh Sunday mornings and suitable for studying Scripture. Great discussions and nice people too. Unfortunately, my home church's bible study is on summer hiatus (as half of the members are at the beach every week). For now though, this class has been great! What are YOU doing on Sunday mornings, Slacker?