Eastern Airlines

At another New England home, that I once visited looking for mid century modern rescues, I was offered a shoe box sized box of odds and ends.  I suppose the contents of which was collected from the emptying of drawers, shelves and closet corners.  Most of the items were metal hairpins called “bobby pins”, plastic buttons, small oily hand tools and old eyeglasses. However, resting on the bottom of the box was another confluence of past and present. It came in a black vinyl covered box with the now defunct Eastern Airlines hockey stick logo in the corner. It measured 7”x 4”x 1.5”.  A rather small package for carrying links to and from our “modern” past.  I lifted it from the shoe box and immediately opened it for inspection.  It was a toiletry kit. And by researching the items inside I was able to open a window to 1970 to 1975. Ironically this was also a window closing on the mid century modern era.  During the same time period our possessions and jobs were starting to be created and or outsourced by and to other countries.  None the less, the entire contents of this toiletry kit were made in America by Americans.  

Gillette Trac II “demonstrator” razor manufactured in Boston Ma 1970

Mennen pushbutton Deodorant, Morristown New Jersey 1970

Pepsodent Toothpaste, New York NY, 1975. 

Aqua Velva “Ice Blue” Aftershave, Cranford New Jersey 1970

English Leather Casual Hair Dressing, Northvale New Jersey 1971

Craig Martin Brushless Shaving Cream, Chicago Ill.  1970

As I touch and examine each item I can imagine working men and women going through their daily lives on the factory floor.  On a micro scale, during the course of the day, I bet that they thought about the same things that we think about today; their jobs, paying bills, their families, social lives and loves. 

And the owner of the toiletry kit, probably a successful family man escaping another New England winter by traveling first class to Florida from Massachusetts.  Thou the gentleman of the toiletry kit is deceased, his winter exodus is a New England tradition that still goes on by many others.  I think I will save this vinyl time machine and place it away in a dresser drawer of one of our mid century modern pieces. I’m sure that one day I will add my own memories to the toiletry kit by including it in my own travels.  

Eastern Airlines has a Facebook page.  Look for a possible rebirth of the airline later this year (2014)

See more great accessories at www.gre-stuff.com

John Stuart Nightstands

A couple of years ago I took a long weekend road trip through southern New England.  I was in search of more mid century modern furniture and accessories to rescue. The plan was to hit all of my old haunts as well as a few new locations. The pickings had been pretty good; from central Massachusetts; an Adrian Pearsall glass top coffee table and from the coast of Maine, what was possibly a Paul McCobb day bed.  The real treasure surfaced in southern Connecticut.  I was shown a pair of blond mahogany nightstands that happened to be from the John Stuart Company out of Grand Rapids Michigan. Considering that they were fifty plus years old they were in good vintage condition with one exception. Unfortunately, one of the drawers had a broken handle. Not a big deal I thought. I was confident that I could find a replacement.  Well two years have gone by since I purchased the nightstands and I just now found a replacement handle in Connecticut.  

It’s a perfect match attached to a similar John Stuart nightstand. I plan on retrieving this touchstone in early March.  Once the handle is attached I will no longer foster this handsome pair.  I will re-introduce them to the world where I’m sure that they will be discovered and brought into a new and perfect living environment.  To be continued…
See more at www.gre-stuff.com

Rescue of an American of Martinsville Credenza

We were notified of this gem by way of an email with photos attached.  “Down sizing our home, heard that you collect this style”.  “Let me know if interested”.  “We are 35 miles north west of Boston”.  This was another beautiful object that needed to be rescued in order to shine again.  We were being offered a unique mid century modern credenza from American of Martinsville Furniture.  American of Martinsville is a well known company that has an extensive history and is still producing furniture today.  During the 1950s and through the 1960s as the company grew, so did its reputation for styling and design leadership. The proof of their design quality is exhibited by way of this handsome bleached mahogany credenza produced during the 1960’s.  It was one of the rarest pieces of their modern line.

Two days later we were riding North West into the summer sunshine to retrieve, this Mid Century Modern trophy of a piece.  The 4 lane interstate that we traveled became a two lane city highway.  The highway became a tree lined suburban street. The street becomes a driveway that ends at the open door of a garage.  There, just inside the entrance of the garage soaking up the fresh air and sunshine, after an absence of nearly 50 years, sits the Martinsville Credenza in all its glory.  We paid our respects to the guardians of this piece and gently loaded it into our vehicle as if it were a patient being loaded into an ambulance. 

After some minor servicing, the credenza sat handsomely in our showplace waiting for a new home.  It did not take long.  In less than a year it spoke to someone in Lower Manhattan.  So nine months later on a cold New England winter morning it was carefully loaded back into the vehicle, this time as a celebrity not a patient.  After an uneventful ride we safely delivered the credenza to the seventh floor and the new owner.   Once it was unwrapped we placed it against a wall where it immediately began to beam.  We were all quiet for a moment as we all took it in, then smiles and handshakes all around.  We grab the moving blankets and furniture dolly and head for the elevator and the ride home.  

We truly enjoy what we do.  We are serious about rescuing, restoring and finding new homes for mid century and Danish modern pieces.  Learn and see more at www.gre-stuff.com   

Mid Century Modern Desks

It was late winter 2012.  I had responded to a telephone call about buying a mid century modern desk and matching chair.  Desks from Kent Coffee, Paul McCobb, Kem Weber, Lane, Tibergarrd Neilsen, Heywood Wakefield and Stow Davis are just a few of the desks that have found new homes and owners by-way of our Mid Century Modern web-site; gre-stuff.com. So here I was parked and waiting in some ones driveway in Bristol Connecticut.  The day was cold, grey and wet. As I waited for my contact I sensed that no one lived here. The place was probably empty. From outside the house there was no real clue to past or future events.  No mail in the mail box.  No foot prints in the snow.  No barking dog.  No burning porch light, illuminating the way for a returning home owner…Nothing. Everything including time had literally stopped. There was only the present moment and it offered me nothing.   The sound of a passing car snapped me to attention and reminded me to breathe again.  Moments later a large SUV pulled into the driveway driven by my contact.  He exits the vehicle we approach each other. There was introductions then small talk as we headed for the back door.  The door is unlocked; we enter the dark house that was once a home.  I follow my contact through the kitchen passing boxed up items.  The labels on some of the boxes read toaster oven, coffee maker and blender.  Uninteresting dining room furniture still filled the dining room. There were bank

 statements spread all over the table.  Onward down the hall into what was a bedroom but now a den.  I see it before he can point it out, A Paul McCobb Pedestal desk and matching chair sit in the corner covered with stacks of back issues of National Geographic.  I place the magazines on the floor, examine the piece nod my approval and agree on a price for the desk and chair. This 50 plus year old desk will need a safe exit through the house and into the back of my truck. I enlist my contact; we double up on the desk and chair and head out to my vehicle where I wrap them safely in packing blankets.  I shake his hand one last time jump into my vehicle and head into the evening with my fantastic find.  Another great piece saved for a better life. See more great desks at www.gre-stuff.com