Officially back (for now)!

Hey everyone! I made it! I got relieved of my 2020 Census duties on Oct 22nd! I am, consequently, in the process of being hired for another Current Survey position with the Bureau for a 5 month operation next year. This new gig will be home based and I will be contacting households in my county that are in the Survey program collecting their data. These Surveys are awesome tools for businesses and the country at large and I am happy to be a part of it. While I understand how it will go down, I also know that things are a bit different in the ‘real’ Census Bureau vs what I was doing with the Decennial Census but I am expecting to have more availability as the field jobs are typically not 40 hours a week gigs and that should work out just fine! Plus it gives me an income which encourages me to spend more money on inventory. I don’t take money out of my business except to pay for my car and other business related expenses. This is how I can continue to grow but at the same time, it does not help my household. I have determined that ‘doing it all’ may be the only way to succeed and I am OK with that. :).

So, where we left off: My couch! She’s home! Not totally complete as I have work to finish but really only just got here and have been making up for lost time as everyone seems to want me for something. My husband made me some temporary legs so as I wait for the final legs to be made from one of my former coworkers, we can still use the couch. I also need to start working on the walnut skirt trim and I did purchase my finish for that so just need to do a little sanding and finish them up. My husband also has some things to do on the hanging cabinet. BUT….we are using it and am thrilled!!!! Of special note is that lovely leather ottoman! I just purchased that from Joybird, where I have a trade account. It is very good quality (although not made in the US….boo) and I am so happy as it makes an additional sprawling space which we were used to with our former sectional. If anyone wants to purchase from Joybird, I can be your middleman, however, you would have to pay in full for the item and could not use the payment plans they offer. Just a note on that. I have purchased fabrics from them and for clients which works out great for remote restorations.

Since that photo was taken, we have added a few more blocks to the ‘legs’ so it is closer to the height it will be with the new legs and casters. <3. *Pillows made by me, blue is vintage 80s KNOLL TEXTILES, brown pattern is TRINA TURK for F SCHUMACHER.

You are spying a Jim Eldon for Knoll oak and leather top coffee table in that shot. It is beautiful! I just bought it and had to try it out at my sofa, however, I had already purchased the ottoman and they will not work together. That coffee table is in excellent condition minus a few small leather scuffs which I think I can repair. I will work on that before I list it. It is one AMAZING and utilitarian table. I really do love it. The story there——-I went shopping at a retired VP of Finance for Knoll’s home. He moved in with his son who is know caring for him and they are downsizing some of his collection. I got to hear some fun stories of life growing up with a house full of designer furniture and about his dad’s days in the corporation. I also was able to purchase some very sweet items. Here is a better shot of the Jim Eldon table.

Beautiful oak, impeccable condition. The flaws are in the far right corner but I am pretty certain with some toothpicks, glue and a youtube vid, I can get them cleaned up. All of the fibers are intact, they just need to be put back in place.

The piece de la resistance (in my best FAUX FRENCH accent—channelling my Grandmama who was raised in Quebec) is the beautiful 72” Florence Knoll bench. This ICONIC piece is in immaculate condition. Brown leatherette tufted upholstery is flawless and the chrome is very clean. I will be polishing it before it leaves here. The label, which is in PERFECT condition, I might add, dates it to the 1960s- POST 1961. This piece is perfect in a commercial setting as that is what it was made for. If you see clients and need a lovely piece to show off in your space, this is perfect. In a home, it would be impressive in a hall of entry or even at the foot of your bed! OOOHHH LA LA! Add some fur or a cream throw and it will look so cozy. You can do a lot with it. This rare piece is also in perfect structural condition (you know how I am with upholstery) and the foam is soft and she was probably in a climate controlled environment most of her life. BONUS. Without further adieu, meet this lovely example of fine mid century design:

Seats 4. This version is the longest version they made and is not currently being produced by Knoll.

This piece belongs in a museum. Serious shoppers can find her already in my etsy shop, coming soon to my chairish shop. This is a true collectors piece!

Knoll’s office was at 320 Park Ave from 1961-1970.

After 1970, the office moved to Fifth Avenue. If you look on the right you will see a lovely striped casement on display in the new showroom.

I was able to purchase two bolts of this fabulous sheer casement yardage in two color ways! Circa 1970. I believe it is cotton/linen but I am trying to determine that. The book this pic was in did not have any deets on this line. I have much more of the yellow/orange but there is ample available here to do something fun with and share that fun with others. After I do some more research, I will be pricing it out by the yard. The edges are finished that all you need to do is hem the bottom and sew the top to accommodate your curtain rod or window treatment. They are sheer but not too sheer and will make a lovely colorful accent to your windows! Also a rare collectible in such quantities, I feel very privileged to be able to host them and hopefully use a bit in my own home.

Blond “Cesca” chair designed by Marcel Breuer in the 1920s during the Bauhaus movement. I have a set of 4 black ones that I will be recaning, by hand, the one seat bottom. This chair is a newer production than my black set, and I will definitely be researching to see if it was made in the Gavina plant in Italy or after Knoll started producing them here. The cane on this chair is sheet cane (much easier to replace) and I will be replacing the seat and the back. Otherwise, she’s in beautiful condition. I will definitely share more comparison shots of this chair and the earlier ones and maybe do a write up or video. :)

One last thing- I bought a similar teak danish 2 piece unit from a friend who was moving. It is not perfect but a real nice piece. (this pic is not mine). I will get it set up and pics taken soon. It can be used without the top to make a nice credenza. The top piece has some warping and there are some other minor issues but it will be a great starter piece if you love Danish and do not want to invest a fortune. Will be pricing this piece for local market and reach out if you are in the region and interested until I get that done.

I think the covers most of my latest additions. The dining set I was recovering on the last update sold within hours of me listing it and is waiting to get picked up to move to Wisconsin. Things have been really flying out the door this year and I will say, do not hesitate if you think you want something I have. I will hold things or even take a deposit but in this market, things are not here long. ALSO….ETSY is now offering a 4 installment payment plan with NO INTEREST! This may help you afford a big ticket item without putting it on a credit card. PLEASE read the terms! I think these plans work great IF you follow the rules and do not miss any payments. It truly is no interest until you screw up. I believe their plan is set up for 4 biweekly payments so you have about 2 months to pay it off. You will see this option and details on every listing you see on etsy. It was nothing I had to opt in to participate in. This is a fun and exciting product for holiday shopping! Keep that in mind and choose etsy to support small business just like mine all season long!

Thanks for checking in with me as I do appreciate those of you who take time out of your day to ready my blog! I will be hustling over the next 2 months to get some projects done and things listed. STAY TUNED!

xo Malissa

Lights, Camera, Action, my weekend on film, in the credits and providing a prop for an upcoming release.

This week was such a whirlwind! I am exhausted from selling 3 days plus a day of set up at a local event. I still have a van to unload today. Here’s a run down of my week!

Day 1 of Extravaganza: dealer day. I looked up from my table, cocked my head, smiled like a Cheshire Cat and said, “I know you!” To Mike Zohn of the smash hit ‘Oddities’ which follows his picking and selling adventures for his Manhattan shop, Obscura Antiques and Oddities along with his partner, shop mates and a cast of freaks, weirdos and performers coming in the shop looking for the strange and unusual. It truly is one show my family enjoyed together while it was on Netflix. Mike said it is currently available on Amazon for streaming and there is talk of more filming to come which is exciting! He was a super nice guy and I enjoyed our brief chat as I have seen him at a few of their Oddities shows but never approached him to chat. I made it to the black. That means I earned enough to pay off my rent for the event in accounting speak! 😂

Mike Zohn (Oddities) after i chatted with him looking for TREASURES. He Was carrying a real sweet ouIja board with him which surely was pre parker brothers.

Day 2- my favorite eats in the market, Nancy’s Mediterranean Food, sent out a wagon full of goodies to work the crowd for breakfast and I was thrilled to grab a piping hot breakfast turnover. They need to add bloody mary’s to the menu next time!

Every day i arranged DIFFERENTLY and swapped some merch. Day 2 and 3 i brought in my vintage camping delights.

I got tipped off from the gal working the gate that Carson Kressley would be here Saturday with a camera crew filming for a pilot. Well, I glanced back at the Vanagon, looked down at the rainbow striped Benetton rugby I just bought….and was like…it’s ON! I will lure him over like a moth to the flame.

My dollar clearance tarp was A huge hit! Most things i sold over the show were $5 or less. I was there to cLear out old stock but did bring a few low end Restorations to show Shoppers and the feedback i received was aMazing!

I got set up on Saturday. It was busy! I was digging through my medical boxes with an Obstetrician and his wife. He was finding some exciting obsolete items to use for teaching and educating those around on what things were used for. In the midst of this (and please note, I found a box of anal dialators in the morning and left it out on the table), Carson shows up and spots the dialators and away he goes! You could not plan this if you tried! He was totally unscripted and all events were actual. The crew would occasionally direct on where to stand or make us pose in front of the van and once I heard his gal say….ask about xxxxxx. Well if he got any other interviews as good as mine went, we are in for a fun show! This was definitely for a pilot on Discovery channel I think. No name mentioned. We will have to wait and see. I did sign the release to be on the show, Carson grabbed my card on the way out after gushing over a chair I restored. Overall, it was super fun and I hope his crew got me at a better angle that my husband did! He got a 20 sec clip I had to copy this still from! He’s fired from being my paparazzi! 🤦‍♀️

The doctor is In the blue shirt. Carson holding the anal dilator. I believe that is the technical term as well. Ha.

After an exciting Saturday ON FILM, I was excited to head back to behind the scenes. Earlier this year I offered to source a few vintage items needed for a local film project being shot right here in Reading, Berks County. Although she did not need much, the producer guided me to find some things she needed for some flash back scenes in the 80s. They were shooting over the summer and now it was time for the pre-screening. The film was readied in rough form, to be viewed by those who made this vision come to life. The actors were there, the crew and friends. So many great local businesses volunteered their spaces for on location shoots too. It truly was a community effort! The film was fantastic! I gushed when I saw the placement of the quilt I found for them, which happens to have been made by my husband’s step mother’s mom! The plot was great and the imagination even greater. From here, the film will be tweaked and finished….formatted properly, etc then entered into the film festival circuit. They estimated another local screening open to the public in about a year, then it will be available to buy or stream, however they plan to distribute it, which has not fully been determined as of yet. I will definitely keep you posted on the future of this film and am hoping to get a still shot of the quilt scene in a few weeks!

Dust Nuggets movie pre-screen at hamburg strand. Packed house of cast, crew and friends.

Credits from the film ‘Dust Nuggets’ scrolling on the big screen at the pre-screening with cast and crew.

One last thing! Last summer I sold a Lyons Industrial Tool Cart to a production filming in Philadelphia. Because I delivered the item to them, I met the gal who sourced it and a gal that worked for the facility they were using to film. The movie release got pushed back to November 22nd. She was turning my cart (with another) into a kitchen. So it will probably have a butcher block or some kind of top on it now and I will most likely have to wait until video to really ‘find it’ in the background. The movie looks great as the trailers are starting to come out. Go see 21 Bridges this fall! Shot in Philadelphia.

Looking forward to working with more film studios in the future! XO MALISSA

Lastest restorations complete.

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  It was pretty quiet for us unless you count the washing machine giving up and shopping for a new one, a water leak not long after causing us hassle to dry out but luckily my inventory was spared.  So I have been busy around the house and thankful things have been pretty slow as I am sure folks are out shopping retail.  I had time to get my little projects completed including the rocking chair, which I just put the final touched on today. She is stunning!  I photographed today and sent my listing to Chairish.  If you are regional or can meet me for delivery, the etsy listing is live.  I can quote shippers for you if you need it.  

The perfect piece for a covered porch or sun room! Eclectic and Boho lovers will style it up with a Kantha or Kilim!  

When shopping vintage, I know what you will find. This chair had 2 areas of broken weave....it's now repaired. The upholstery was gross and there was an issue with the seat frame....it's now repaired and better than ever.  This chair is as comfy as it looks! 

My side project little wire bench is also complete.  I stripped a bad paint job off her (PAIN IN THE BUTT) and then added a gloss black enamel finish, new rubber feet caps and my custom cushion featuring the Schumacher indoor/outdoor fabric.  It is so adorable!  I can see this fitting a toddler perfect and what a cute bench to use in a photo shoot for the holidays or even Valentine's Day!  I can ship in 24 hours or less. 

Super cute wire bench revamped for another life. At the foot of a bed, under a vanity, prop for photo shoots....many uses! The details have been taken care of for you.

The Hundevad piece is a little wider than the Lane hutch and provides even more storage. Danish Modern is always hot. 

I just sold the Lane Rhythm hutch that was in my booth so I am currently featuring the awesome Hundevad Teak 2pc unit at my best price.  I will warn you the top part will only fit in a full size truck or van.  I am available to help deliver but only if our Vanagon is in a happy mood, no snow or salt on the ground, etc.  It is currently in the shop for winter repairs and inspection so out of commission at this moment.   As of last Friday when I made the swap, the Cathrineholm bowl is still unclaimed!  Add this $50+ valued piece to your collection by making a $200 purchase with me at the Fleetwood Antique Mall!  I have awesome gifts and some great restored furnishings waiting for you.  My local market can be kind of depressing and while I love shipping my items all over the country, it would be a super surprise to find some local MCM fans who appreciate great design and quality restored goods right here in my area.  If you are reading and have any friends who are looking for items to furnish their homes, please send them my way!  I work with interior design pros all over the country and would love to work with more local folks!

Current view. My pair of blue Heywood chairs moved to Texas.  This orange chair is sad and would love a new home too! Priced at my lowest price at the mall for self service customers.

Yesterday was the closing of the Richard Redd Scrapbook Exhibition that I was fortunate to be able to attend last month.  I got to claim my 2 original framed prints and take them home.  I took a few minutes to chat with him and meet his sweet Pomeranian who never leaves his lap.  I told him that my college did not have much of an art department but I did take an acrylic class as an elective after I switched majors.  And I said I 'stuck it out there' since I did not want to transfer.  He told me in the 1950's when he was a student at Lehigh University (where he taught and chaired the Art Department years later), they only had a 2 person art department and he 'stuck it out' as well.  Amazing how your heart leads you where you need to be regardless of what you study.  In my case, my accounting and bookkeeping career is very much useful to me as I would really be sunk if I had to hire someone!  haha  My interests in preserving the stories and histories of the small artists and especially the local and regional artists that I come across in my picking travels is always the main goal.  Sometimes it is hard to find out a lot like in the case of the Bethlehem woman who I have the beautiful floral paintings from, but in the funny way life is, I just happened to revisit google for Mr. Redd's story just in the nick of time to experience his final exhibition and was so thrilled to be able to add a few pieces to my personal collection.  I do occasionally keep items I am smitten by and tend to keep those with trees in them.  haha  The pieces I selected are very much nature inspired! <3 Now to figure out where to hang them!  I also made a donation to the scholarship in his honor that will be started for art students at Lehigh University.  Your support of my business allows me to give back to the museums and organizations that aid me in my research and being able to contribute to this cause was important to me. <3 

Have a great week and I am sure many are getting ready for the holidays!  I have many performances coming up in December with the 2 ensembles I play French Horn with and it is a busy and exciting time of the year! 

xo Malissa