Mad for Mid-Century

Mid-Century Artist: George Keller

2013-05-24T15:05:00.000-05:00

I'm still a little obsessed with the Character-Culture-Citizenship Guides. One of my favorites is poster number 2, Courage.

The artist is George J. Keller. He was the chairman of the fine arts department at Bloomsburg University, which makes sense since most of the Character-Culture-Citizenship Guides where designed by teachers.

But George Keller's life got a little more interesting after he stopped teaching. He became a wild animal trainer.

Keller had a big cat show at Disneyland called, "Feline Fantastics," which was rebranded as "Jungle Killers" after poor attendance. The new name didn't help and the act was eventually canceled.

Source

George then took his act on the road performing at Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey's Circus, and other touring circuses.

It makes his Character-Culture-Citizenship Guides poster all the more interesting. The animal is actually the one showing courage in the poster and clearly Keller had a love of animals. And a good amount of courage himself.

Done: New Lights in Dining Room

2013-05-23T23:45:00.003-05:00

We had our new dining room lights installed. And by new dining room lights, I mean our vintage Moe Light Honeycomb ceiling lights.

Before we had one light and one fire alarm with an ugly plastic ceiling medallion covering up a light box.

The light wasn't the worst

But we definitely wanted to get rid of the fire alarm in the middle of the room.

And that's where our Moe Light Honeycomb ceiling lights come in.

They look great up close

And far away.

When they're on they're nice and bright and have a lovely orange glow on the sides

And when they're off, they look just as good.

Plus, because they're close to the ceiling they actually make the room feel a lot taller, which is nice bonus.

Mid-Century Austin Barber Shop

2013-05-21T22:14:00.000-05:00

I was out for a stroll around the neighborhood and remembered we needed milk. I walked to the nearby strip mall where our grocery store is but because I was coming from a different direction, I happened on something new.

A mid-century barber shop oddly tucked into the middle of a strip mall.

This particular strip mall was probably built in the '50s and from the looks of things this old school barber shop was an original tenant. All the other tenants have sadly been replaced with cell phone stores and the like.

I love the mid-century look of the place and I'm thinking about getting a cut there, but I'm a little scared. I kid you not, the two haircuts advertised were a flattop and a fade. It's almost too perfect really.

Looks like they do shoeshines too. If I find out they do straight razor shaves too, I'm just going to start hanging out here.

Another Mid-Century Ranch in Texas

2013-05-17T00:09:00.000-05:00

I have been obsessed with this house on Mid-Century Modern Freak since the day I saw it.

The mid-century paint colors are perfect, the furniture inside is perfectly complementary and all the details are in place. Check it out on Mid-Century Modern Freak and get obsessed yourself, and once you are you can check out even more images here.

A Little More American of Martinsville History

2013-05-15T15:01:00.001-05:00

I've touched on the history of American of Martinsville a little when I was trying to track down what line our American of Martinsville bar is from. (Turns out it's from the Dania collection.)

For some reason it never occurred to me that Martinsville might actually be a city where they made all the American of Martinsville furniture. In modern copywriting and naming you'd never throw the name of the town you're from in your company's name because you never know when you're going to expand or move out of town. But I guess American of Martinsville planned to stick around, and stick around they did, for over 100 years.

And the city of Martinsville has a little history on their furniture making legacy, which includes American of Martinsville, Bassett Furniture and Hooker Furniture Company. The American of Martinsville portion of that history is:

In 1906, American Furniture Company was founded by two Martinsville tobacco men, Ancil Witten and Charles Keesee. With 12 other local business leaders, these men raised an original capitalization of $30,000. The company has grown substantially and first surpassed $100 million in sales in 1989. Today, the company specializes in producing furniture for the hotel and healthcare industries, and operates under the name American of Martinsville. Open a dresser drawer the next time you stay in a hotel and, chances are, you'll see an American of Martinsville logo.

Mid-Century Modern Kids' Books: Orla Kiely Numbers and Colors

2013-05-15T00:00:00.001-05:00

We were at the library this weekend and I happened upon two great mid-century modern kids' books:

Orla Kiely Colors

And Orla Kiely Numbers

Great covers for when they get left on your coffee table (or floor) and great design inside to help your little one learn the basics.

Wood Mid-Century Modern Fence

2013-05-13T22:46:00.001-05:00

There have been a lot of severe storms in Austin recently. One storm was so strong that it broke the gate on our driveway. It wouldn't be a big deal and I'd probably just take the whole thing down, but we have a dog, which means that we need a gate. Replacing it has been on our to-do list for a while and it's it's literally held together with string right now, so I'll probably have to replace it soon.

Replacing the gate probably has future implication on what the backyard fence on whole looks like when it gets replaced

And maybe the frontyard planters too if we want to carry the them to the frontyard, like authentic mid-century landscaping would

So I've been waiting for the perfect mid-century fence inspiration to figure out how I'm going to replace the gate. I think I found it.

I love the stacked look and it's really thick which makes it feel strong and solid.

And if you get a glance from the side, which you probably would with a gate, it still has a nice look.

I didn't have a ruler handy, but I think it's 2x4s on top of 2x6s with about an inch overlap.

I'm going to wait on the gate a little longer (the sting is holding up fine for now) so that we can come up with a complete plan for both the front and backyards, but I'm pretty sure this stacked wood mid-century fence style is going to play a role in the final outcome.

Vintage Ad for Broyhill Brasilia Furniture

2013-05-10T17:18:00.000-05:00

I love when I find a new retro ad for mid-century furniture, especially if that ad is for Broyhill Brasilia furniture.

The ad reads:

Bold new design inspired by the city of tomorrow...

Brasilia
Broyhill Premier
Design copyright Broyhill Furniture Factories 1967

Colonades on bed, triple dresser and chest repeat the basic motif of the grouping. Bases on night table are a translation from the sweeping look of the Executive Palace of City of Brasilia.

Brasilia ... the newest city in the world ... now becomes BRASILIA ... the newest look in furniture. From the grace and grandeur of the free-flowing Colonades on the Palace of the Dawn (shown here), to the ultimate usefulness reflected throughout the Brazilian Capital, BRASILIA ... the furniture is an accurate translation of Brasilia, the city. Created by Broyhill Premier, BRASILIA, the furniture, is of soft-toned Walnut, lightly accented with rosewood. Its pure, architectural beauty and practicality make it a "must see" for today's home. See our BRASILIA displays now.

Modern Lotus Bowls from the Arne Clausen Collection

2013-05-09T23:16:00.000-05:00

After a break, because it's hard to carry a baby through old homes, I've been estate sale-ing it again recently. One of the things I've been on the hunt for is a new fruit bowl. Secretly I've been hoping to stumble upon a Cathrineholm lotus bowl.

But I might not have to hunt for a vintage version much longer. Lucie Kaas, a Danish design company, has relaunched a Cathrineholm ceramics collection. The new lotus bowls come in three sizes and eight colors and are part of the Arne Clausen collection, named after the Norwegian artist who originally designed the lotus pattern.

However, there isn't an American seller for the bowls right now. There are a few online retailers who will ship overseas but, as always, overseas shipping adds a great deal to the cost. Hopefully some of the vintage stores in Austin or some of my vintage store friends will start carrying this collection.

Happy Birthday Saul Bass

2013-05-08T15:20:00.001-05:00

I've mentioned Saul Bass once or twice, or three times. Google is getting in on the Bass game with their Google Doodle to celebrate his birthday.

It's a nice encapsulation of an epic design career.

Sony TR-620 Vintage Packaging

2013-05-07T22:28:00.000-05:00

I was looking for something only slightly related when I came across this great vintage Sony packaging. It originally housed a Sony TR-620 transistor radio, which was released in 1960 and came in black, white, blue and coral red.

The more I see retro electronics, the more I wish the companies that made them would look back and release products with similar design elements. We might not need transistor radios anymore, but that starburst speaker grill could be put to good use these days.

Mid-Century Modern Kids' Book: Julian in the Autumn Woods

2013-05-06T21:16:00.001-05:00

My parents have been giving me books that they saved from my childhood so I can read them to my little one. One of the prettiest ones they've given me Julian in the Autumn Woods. It was written in 1976 and released in Czechoslovakia; it was published in English for the first time in 1977.

It's full of great '70s colors and textures: browns, greens, yellows and oranges all on top of each other.

And it's a great little story that I'll be happy to read to my little one. Sadly, Julian in the Autumn Woods hasn't been republished, but you might be able to find a copy in your local library or used book store.

Adding to My Mid-Century Modern Art Toy Collection

2013-05-03T23:28:00.000-05:00

It has been a good beginning of the year for art toys, especially for mid-century modern art toys.

Joe Ledbetter re-released Mr. Bunny. This rabbit be replacing the Super Teeter in my mid-century modern art toy collection.

Gentle Giant is making a series of giant Star Wars toys. I picked up a Hammerhead because I love the look of him and with his brown/blue color scheme it looks like he stepped right out of the '70s. He'll be a perfect fit in my mid-century home.

Mr. Clement released a black edition of her Please Forget Me bunny (Mr. Clement is a pseudonym of a female artist). It's simple shape and clean lines fit perfectly in a modern home.

Now I just need to find the perfect mid-century shelving unit to put them all on.

Philosophy and Mid-Century Modern Design: Philographics:

2013-05-02T16:55:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I thought, "I should get a really nice coffee table book. That's something our living room needs." Then about five seconds later I thought, "I should probably wait till the kid is out of the 'let me turn the page and accidentally rip it' phase of life."

But when I can safely place a book on the coffee table, I think I found the book I'll be putting there: Philographics.

I could tell you all about it, or you could just watch this:

Philographics is currently a Kickstarter campaign, but it's already funded so if you pledge to buy it, you'll get a copy.

It's the perfect coffee table book for a mid-century modern home because it's got some great graphic design, it's interesting and it's something that's easy to pick up and put down at a moment's notice. Plus, you'll look super smart for having it in your home.

Danish Teak Classics on Film

2013-05-01T23:49:00.002-05:00

Here's a fun little piece of content marketing from Modern Midwest and Danish Teak Classics. If I ever make it up to Minnesota again I'll be sure to 1) go in the spring/summer and 2) stop by Danish Teak Classics.

Mid-Century Modern Toys: Cubebot

2013-04-29T22:05:00.000-05:00

The kid's growing up which means it's time for some new toys. I've been trying to find toys that are fun, not branded or based on TV shows, secretly educational and hopefully well designed with a mid-century modern twist. I think Cubebot fits the bill on most, if not all, points.

Designer David Weeks describes Cubebots thusly:

Robot toys are usually made of plastic and require batteries – but not this collection! Meet Cubebot, Julien and Guthrie. Inspired by the Japanese Shinto Kumi-ki puzzles, these wooden sculptures are a non-traditional take on the toy robot by joining ancient Japanese traditions with contemporary toy culture. Their sturdy hardwood frames can hold hundreds of poses and when playtime is over, they each neatly fold up into unassuming cubes.

David Week also designed Hanno the Gorilla, which is just a sweet looking monkey to put on a shelf or mantel in any mid-century modern home.

Vintage Moe Light Honeycomb Lighting Ad

2013-04-26T16:32:00.002-05:00

I was doing a little internet shopping, looking for some more Moe Light Honeycomb lights to possible add to our house when I ran across another vintage ad for the line. This one reads:

Moe Light Division
Thomas Industries Inc.

New colors, new textures blend in this exciting use of unique jet-age materials. The unusual honeycomb structure creates entirely new visual effects; hues enhance your decor. In emerald-blue, tangerine-gold or honey natural as pull-down, pendant or ceiling fixtures.

Moe Light's Unique Honeycomb
Fresh new lighting idea for your home

Cheap Modern Patio Furniture

2013-04-25T22:03:00.000-05:00

The seasons are changing and I can't wait to spend some time on our modern patio furniture. It turns out though that we should have just been hanging out behind some big box stores so that we could throw some pallets in our trunk and make pallet patio furniture.

It is just a good looking as most modern patio furniture sets and, minus the cushions, totally free if you know where to look.

Jack White: Upholsterer and His Rarest Record

2013-04-24T23:01:00.003-05:00

Last time I wrote about Jack White and his mid-century record recorder someone emailed me to say, "You know he was an upholsterer, right?" I did not, but apparently NPR had me beat to the scoop, by a few years. Jack used to write notes and poems on the inside of furniture. In the interview, Jack went on to say:

The zenith of that [was when] Brian [Muldoon] and I had a band called The Upholsterers [and] for the 25th anniversary of his shop, we made a hundred pieces of vinyl. We made a record we stuff into furniture that you could only get if you ripped the furniture open. We even made it on clear vinyl with transparency covers — we thought you couldn't even X-ray it to see if it was in there. I'm talking about — really, you could rip open a couch and think it's not there 'cause it's inside the foam — sliced inside the foam and slid in there. I mean, we really went to great lengths to make sure possibly no one would ever hear our record! But it's there. It's so great. It's there. There's a hundred pieces of furniture out there that have those records, and maybe one day someone will find them.

Heads up to anyone doing upholstery in the Michigan or Great Lakes area, check for poems on the inside and records the cushions. The rarest Jack White album in history would probably be worth more than the upholstery job itself.

Mid-Century Inspiration by Broyhill Premier Furniture

2013-04-23T16:05:00.001-05:00

Marissa recently emailed me with a question:

I just purchased a mid-century Broyhill Premier Inspiration china cabinet, dining table and six chairs. I was trying to find out the exact year and maybe some pictures of other items in that line. So far, no luck! Maybe you could help me find some more info and value? I love them very much. I just wanted to know the history of the brand.

And she included a few pictures:

I've written about the history of Broyhill furniture company and the history of Broyhill Sculptra, which was probably being built around the same time as the Broyhill Inspiration line. The earliest newspaper ad I can find for Inspiration by Broyhill Premier is from 1959 and says it's the "first showing of Broyhill Premier's dramatic new collection, Inspiration."

It's hard to say if it's the store's first showing of Broyhill Inspiration or if they were announcing the world premier of the line. Either way, it's probably safe to say that Broyhill Inspiration was build in the late '50s and continued to be made into the early to mid '60s.

The other scrapes of newspaper ads I can find say that the Inspiration line included over 40 pieces for the bedroom, living room and dining room and that it's made out of mahogany with brasstique pulls.

I was able to find two original price lists for Inspiration furniture in some old furniture store ads.

Of the over 40 pieces there's at least a room divider, round dining table, side chair, arm chair, buffet, sofa, lamp table, cocktail table, triple dresser, mirror, master chest, kingsize panel bed, night stand, end table, coffee table, china cabinet and a chest.

I was also able to track down an vintage Inspiration by Broyhill Premier brochure.

The copy reads,

The romance of far away places...
Inspiration's arabesque panel motif is fram a Moorish palace, From Ming China, the door-pull in tone-on-tone brasstique. Its architectural elegance and quiet air of assurance is Georgian English. And distinctly American, the intuitive blending of art and function.

Inspiration...
for a home serene in its beauty, subtle drama. Master-crafted in swirl-grained mahogany given a tawny Malabar finish. Over forty correlated pieces from which to choose... each modestly priced.

I haven't seen an actual pictures of the line, other than the ones Marissa sent me.

As for value, it's always hard to give a price online, but here are some tips for pricing mid-century furniture.

Hope that answers a few of Marissa's questions and now we all have another line of mid-century Broyhill furniture to look for while we're out hunting vintage furniture.

Vintage Broyhill Premier Furniture Brochure

2013-04-22T21:21:00.000-05:00

This wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but I'm happy I ran across this vintage Broyhill Premier furniture brochure. It includes fabric swatches for Broyhill furniture as well as images of the Broyhill Forward, Accent and Invitation lines.

The overall theme of this Broyhill brochure seems to be quality furniture for the cost conscious, with the outstanding tagline of, "Live high on a low budget."

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Light

2013-04-19T16:49:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned, our kitchen light fixture isn't working properly anymore. We had the electrician out to discuss options.

We have a huge halogen lighting fixture in the kitchen now, but we didn't want to go with halogen again for energy efficiency and heat reasons. However, we also wanted to make sure that we still got enough light throughout the entire kitchen. The electrician gave us a few options, but the two we liked best were: 1) a new, normal-sized fixture and a couple of recessed lights or 2) recessed lighting throughout.

So we went hunting for mid-century modern kitchen lights to see what was out there in case we wanted to go that route.

There are, of course, a few Rejuvenation options:

The Arthur

The Casper

The Lyle

The Chase

And the Foton.

A few options from House of Antique Hardware:

The Massena

And the Lanza

All Modern has the Sonneman Puck

And the ET2-Percussion-3.

While Home Depot has the Lithonia Lighting Inertia.

But our favorite was the Jonathan Adler Parker ceiling light at Lamps Plus.

However, in the end we're going to go with the all recessed lighting option. It should make the kitchen look cleaner and more open (and hopefully taller). Plus, we're eventually planning a total re-do for the kitchen and an all recessed lighting look is pretty much guaranteed to look good with anything we do.

Mid-Century Modern Furniture at Target

2013-04-18T21:33:00.000-05:00

While I was looking for Room Essential planters online, I happened across another inexpensive modern line at Target, Blu Dot.

The line might not have the truly timeless look, lines and quality of the mid-century modern furniture that has designer names attached, but for the price, Blu Dot is hard to beat.

The Return of Target's Room Essentials Planters

2013-04-17T22:19:00.000-05:00

Target's Room Essentials planters are the best looking cheap modern planters that I've found. And I'm not the only mid-century blogger in love with Room Essential planters, Kate at Retro Renovation and Baz at Atomic Indy both caught the bug last year. I bought a big one for our front porch and a small one for the back patio.

When they didn't pop up for sale online when the seasons changed this year, I worried that they were a one-year anomaly. I was especially worried because I needed another planter for the house. But a trip to my local Target proved that they are back, just not online.

My Target had white, gray and teal RE planters, but once the season's in full swing more color might be available.

Mid-Century Record Recorder

2013-04-16T22:11:00.001-05:00

I am at the exact right age where the White Stripes hit me hard, and I will pretty much fall in love with anything Jack White does. But everyone should fall in love with this, including mid-century fans.

Third Man Records (Jack White's label) has refurbished as 1947 Voice-O-Graph, making it the only working vinyl recording booth in the world. You can record up to two minutes and leave with a record in hand.

And if you look closely in the background of the video, around the :42 second mark, you'll see that they also have another mid-century machine of marvel in their store – a Mold-A-Rama.

So who's up for a road trip to Nashville?