Adventures in Sourcing- Danish Style.

I have been fortunate to have been contacted by a local interior designer to assist in finding the perfect vintage dining table for her client. It has been a great experience and the family was fabulous. Shortly after this, I was contacted by a lovely gentleman from Long Island that was referred to me and he was looking for a tall order…..8 matching danish dining chairs, 2 captains chairs and 6 side chairs. It has been a busy few weeks and I will tell you how this all goes down.

Case Study: New with Old, mixing modern with classic Danish Modern in Kutztown.

First off, I was presented with some facts about the dining table hunt. Family purchased West Elm banquette seating and needs a pedestal style table so legs are not in the way of feet. Next, table needs to start small yet expand quite large to accommodate holiday gatherings. Ok. Next, they were thinking teak as the wood choice. It did not take me long to know exactly which table they needed. A more common Danish design in which the legs formed a pedestal under a round tabletop that opens with the legs expanding under the ends in it’s oblong transition.

The table is iT’s shorter configuration is A great size in a small room.

After discussion with the client, they agreed this sounded perfect. I am not in a Danish hotspot. Waiting for this table to turn up in my circle is just not an option. I got on the hunt and the goal was to find this table under value….which I would consider $800-1000. I turned one up….in Syracuse, NY. It was very reasonable and looked to be in great shape. The seller was willing to work with my shipper so I contacted Scott and Jill, who live up that way and travel up and down the east coast moving furniture, with occasional trips to Dallas and Ohio. They have delivered many items for me and are lovely people. After getting their price and adding a nominal commission, my final price was at the lower end of retail. Perfect. With the client’s blessing, I made the purchase and started rolling. When you use a shipper, private or white glove moving company, you can expect this process to take many weeks. I will get a general estimate when I book but things can change as they get closer to the date. Private shippers are also available in the evenings so there is a chance that your delivery will take place at night or on a weekend. They do their best to accommodate your schedule and will reach out to you when they are finalizing their route. The table was delivered and I wished Scott and Jill well in their travels until I need them again. It was in beautiful shape and had some great features like locks to keep the table closed when there were no leaves in use. I oiled it with Danish Oil and prepped for delivery. When it finally got to it’s new home, the new seating was waiting. It looked great! I enjoyed seeing where it will live and the features in the home that were laid out by the designer. She has a great colorful eye and the space was really put together well. If you are looking for a specific piece of vintage, and want me to hunt it down for you, I would be happy to assist. My goal is to obtain under value so that with the addition of shipping and commission I am still at a reasonable number for you.

Fully expanded, this table can ACCOMMODATE a crowd. Note the legs expaNd with the table. PEDESTAL tables can be tippy without this ingenious design feature.

Case Study: Longing for Danish Dining Chairs in Long Island.

In this custom sourcing adventure, I will say I was pleasantly surprised to get involved with a long distance client. He was referred to me by a friend of a friend. Thank you for referring me!

My client is planning a large family reunion in his home for Thanksgiving. It is very important to him that his guests are accommodated and his style is impeccable. He knows what he wants and sends me a pic of style. 8 dining chairs, 2 must have arms. Danish. This is totally a first dibs kind of request in that to find a set of 8, you can’t find them without buying from another dealer, who most likely built the set themselves. I started to look. I quickly found a very lovely set and reached out to the seller. These super high end Erik Buch designed chairs for OD Mobler are absolutely stunning! Popular enough that you can build a set if you need to. Sturdy and ample, unlike other Danish chairs I have dealt with in the past. After communicating my intentions, I have a buyer and will be mediating the deal, I am a professional seller, I will be sending a shipper, yada yada, I am greeted with a willingness to proceed.

JUst beAutiful! Aged teak with lovely joinery, extra soft foam work makes them super comfy and unlike most Danish, they have very large seats! Worth the splurge!

My client loves the chairs. I negotiate him a much better price than advertised and keep in mind, I am saving the seller fees, which he is passing on to us. I find out some history on them. The seller used them for the last 8 or so years, he bought them from a military family in Colorado, who brought them back from Europe. He is in Chicago. I get the negotiating squared away and then contact my east-west coast shipper, Jackie, and it turns out she was heading my way and could get them for me. I love when things go smooth. A week later, I have the chairs and am seriously in love! Oh and my seller was so amazing, he offered me 2 additional chairs that need to be restored at a price I could not refuse so they came along as well! They will be getting new upholstery and added to my inventory! My meet up with the buyer is scheduled in a few weeks and I hope he loves them as much as I do! It was great to help him find his dream chairs and overall, he paid less than some sets of 6 out there with all my help.

Great side profile!

I am pleased to offer sourcing services. Think of me like your personal shopper. On another note, I just brought back a chair from the upholsterer you may want to see!

Rebuilt with new foam, new seat cushion and new fabulous upholstery! Mid century gone modern. Very much in love wity my latest restoration!

Handsome from every side! Gorgeous designer fabric in white velvety tweed and high sheen teal or peacock overstitching in a random abstract allows thE light to dance off beautifully. I never was one for white furniture but the touch of blue is faNtastic and it adds light to a soace instead of draB. I am thinking about ordering more for my pearsall couch i love it so much!

LoTs of details! Piping or welting, notched seat cushion and Although it us mid century in stature, it is wider than many era chairs. Next to my modern couch, you can see she is smaller than today’s overstuffed and overplumped styles. Great when you have an older home with smaller rOoms!

Beautiful from behind too!

What a difference from the day I dropped her off! I also have a nice swIvel rocker ready to go! If you want to customize your own mid century beauty, i can heLp you get it done!

This chair is now available for purchase! You can get an instant shipping quote in my Etsy shop. My guess without checking is about $299. If you are east coast I might get it a little cheaper with a private shipper but in cases like this, chairish may be the way to go. I can help you make sense of the logistics if you reach out to me! I do not expect this amazing piece to be here long! 💗💗💗💗. XO Malissa

Shop and save! Lots of markdowns in my Etsy shop! Sale runs through oct 31.

Hop on the Bus Gus- shipping updates.

Greyhound shipping updates.

Shipping on the bus can be a big drag for the ones doing the shipping. (sure, there is a bit of a hassle on the pick up end of things too, but it is worth it to save some money….in many cases ALOT of money…over hiring a legit shipper. You always have to be willing to roll with the punches. I have had a few shipments go in the last few weeks and here are the latest quirks with the bus.

My closest station (about 1/2 hour away) is Allentown. They were removed from the Greyhound computer as a shipping station because we recently had a local bus company go out of business. I cannot order a label on Greyhound’s website originating out of this station. I can, however, drop off there and pay cash for shipping. This means in order to ship with a courier on your end, I need to drive it to Philadelphia to ship. I do not mind doing this but in most cases, but I will be implementing a flat charge to cover that expense. If I need to go to Philadelphia at your request, I will tack that on your shipping price. I recently shipped to a small station in Idaho and spent 2 days driving it around to get shipped. Needless to say it’s well on it’s way, but just another dose of bus shipping reality. I see lots of folks on fb groups telling people to have the seller bus ship. I think these folks think it magically packs itself and drives itself to the station? Not sure but there is a lot of work involved and for those of us not in a major metropolitan area, it is a big expense. This shipping option is a SERVICE and in most cases, will save you a bit of money over hiring a USHIP driver. Believe me when I tell you finding cheap shipping is not an easy task and sometimes my hands are tied. If you are in California and need a large item shipped, we are at the mercy of uship unless we can fit it under the bus safely. If you are shopping for something that might be a candidate for bus shipping and want to know more, please reach out. I can explain how the process will work. We are not insured for damages going this route but I do my best to pack the item well and usually am including new moving blankets I buy from harbor freight. I also take responsibility for calling and tracking items or dealing with Greyhound Corporate. This could be a day of time if an issue arises but I take my position very seriously and this for me is part of exceptional customer service. Don’t by shy, reach out if you are looking for a larger item and I will get to work trying to calculate your best options! This is another reason to shop with a PROFESSIONAL SELLER! Hobbyists don’t really care about you or your budget.

NEW ITEMS

I just picked up some great new items from Primitives by Kathy! Camping themed kitchen towels, restocked Indian kantha placemats and grabbed a few kantha buntings (pennants) which are totally awesome for your camper or van awning! I listed 2 on etsy and dropped one off at my booth. The new towels are also at my booth and I will be adding the others to my eBay I guess. I have other towels on there right now as well. I also grabbed more of the pillowcases with the vintage camper. I had one left out at the mall but had sold a bunch on eBay. I will relist there in the coming days.

New item! Kantha bunting (pennant) for home or camp!  2 in my Etsy shop, 1 in my local retail space. So fun!  So bohemian! 

HOLY MOLY!

So my last day at the tax office is tomorrow. I will be working on some classes over the summer (unpaid) but otherwise, I am done until January. That said, thanks to all who bought from me in the last month or so! I am so thrilled as I plan on trying to make it without a legit job until next tax season! Your support has floored me and I think if I can keep this up for a while, I may be able to do it. I have lots more things to list and will be working on that in the coming weeks as I reorganize my office and storage and pack to do some flea markets and the big extravaganza coming up in a few weeks. I will announce where I will be set up and mainly plan on packing items I want to blow out. Basically, the more you buy the better the deal and I will be priced for resellers in most cases. I have a lot of stale or bulk items I bought over the last year and just want to clear out and start fresh. Thanks for shopping with me and please the best compliment you can pay me is sharing your favorite (I hope!) vintage seller with your friends. Don’t worry, it’s not a competition and I will find more so don’t keep me as a secret!!! <3 I need all the help I can get right now!

Have a great week and I will post more soon!

xo Malissa

Fun kitchen towels! I could not resist the vintage ones!  In my retail space and will be adding to my eBay soon. 

Restocked colorful Kantha placemats! These are a consistent seller on Etsy and I have given some sets out recently as gifts and they are loved! I have 3 sets (of 4) available and listed on Etsy.   

Just stating to list the fencing swords or foils on Etsy. I have a few more to list this week. Makes Great Wall decor but all appear to be in usable condition.  We were unaware if the now 97 year old participated in the sport, or just collected them! There are examples of French grip, Italian grip and a pistol grip in this lot.  These pieces probably date to the 1970s based on what I have seen.  

Today is my last day of Tax Season work!  Thanks for your continued support as I enter a new phase of my life and business!  

XO MALISSA

Last call for New England Delivery -Do I have any New England fans in the house?

I will be delivering a set to New Hampshire next week.  If you are in the Nashua or Rye area or Rhode Island, I might be able to connect you with something.  This is a rare opportunity to have something delivered to your area without having to hire a shipper.  If I can fit the item you want in my car with the set I will bring to you.  Message me now to discuss!!!!  That said, I also will be unavailable most of next week for shipping/inquiries.  I will respond to you, but I will be away from my inventory most of the week.  Any purchases made will probably not go out until the following week.  Please place any orders you need shipped fast by Tuesday before I leave.  My kids are involved in sports and music events right now so my nights are jammed packed.  I will continue to pack and ship asap, and you will be notified with a plan if I need more time to pack (large items mainly). 

I have two shipments out on Greyhound right now and although I am pretty disgusted with their lack of insurance coverage, I would still consider a shipment if it is A)NOT restored and B)NOT fragile.  We all will have to take the risk of it being damaged and I will not refund for damages.  I pack well so I can guarantee that every effort will be made to protect your item, but as Greyhound says.....if it ends up with an engine and that slams into your chair....well......that could happen.  I have a pretty broad delivery region.  I have gone as far as Washington DC burbs to deliver if it is a large and expensive piece.  I may have to add additional for delivery on a distance like that if I do not have a buffer factored into my price for that, but it would still be cheaper than hiring a shipper.  My past clients can attest, I help move your piece in with you too.  :)  So I don't leave you hanging out to dry with 'curbside' delivery.  I want my babies to be safe until they are in their new forever spot so you can count on me to assist in that.

Lots of great items have been moving out!  Spring has sprung and everyone has decorating on their minds.  The pair of X benches are at the upholsterer and I may have them back this week.  Stay tuned to my social media for the big announcement pics! 

I am currently trying to get through some back stock and add some smalls to my etsy for sure. Keep your eyes peeled for some great glass items and maybe some china.  I have some Russel Wright I was hanging on to but honestly, I have a McCobb set for keeps and it would not make sense to hoard it.  :)  I will post a few pics of my recent adds.  Lots of stuff in carts on etsy.....if you are one of the cart people and need to talk to me please reach out!  I know buying furniture or other expensive items remotely is difficult and I am here, we can talk via phone or message!  I talked to two clients last week on the same day on the phone!  I love connecting with you guys in real life!    I am sure some of your hesitations could be resolved if we had a convo. 

LOCAL PEEPS.....what do you want to see?  Message me or post on my FB!  I am itching to swap out the booth space and really want your help!  I have so many cool things and only can fit a fraction into the space.  If you are frustrated with the 'cheap' used goods that aren't fixed, have scratches, bad upholstery, not clean, etc.....TRY ME!  I guarantee you will LOVE my service! I take pride in providing goods that are clean, repaired, restored.  All details are taken care of!  Stop by Fleetwood Antique Mall at 14129 Kutztown Rd, Fleetwood (ROUTE 222 just south of Kutztown) and find me on the 2nd floor, rear of barn.  I am currently featuring some great restored items and they are priced lower than my online markets for cash/carry.  The great staff at the mall will help you load your items and don't worry if it is full of my smalls for sale, they will get it all cleaned off for you.  If you will be in the area and want to see something specific, kindly give me a few days heads up and I will try to get it out there for you to see/purchase! 

Thanks for sticking with me!  Also, once again announcing that I do suspect foul play with MailChimp.  If you get my emails and never visited my web page and signed up (2 step process!....you have to confirm after you submit your email), please let me know! I see people coming and they get their first email and they drop the list.  I was able to connect with one gentlemen who said he never was on my web page?!  I have no clue how he got on my list and suspect mail chimp is pulling something shady.  I apologize if you are a victim to this!  I never add people to my list and it grows organically.  If you are new, thanks for reading and I hope you consider sticking around!  xo  Malissa

This great shot glass and mini carafe set by Finnish designer Tappio Wirkkala, ‘Ultima Thule’ is amazing! Like drinking out of icicles. Purchase this set with the large carafe and save $25. 

1979 Miller Lite bubble sign. Great for you man cave, bar or rec room! 

This pink gooseberry Pyrex set is available to reserve for pick up at the May Mid Atlantic Pyrex Swap! If I get no takers there it will be listed in my markets.  Message me for pricing and to reserve! 

Large 9-1/2” dia Cathrineholm Lotus enamel bowl.