On the Lookout: CatherineHolm

The funny thing about this thrift shopping gig, at least for me, is that half the time I have no idea if I'm walking right past a lottery ticket or buying up everyone's trash. And as much as I love the act of digging through other peoples junk in search of my treasure, the real rush isn't even in sight.

I always thought it would be fun to act, I have no talent in this department -- let's be honest, I can cry on demand but that's as far as it goes; I have no interest in the celebrity of it -- well, there are those... gifting suites but other than that forget about it; what I envy from the outside looking in is the research that goes into becoming someone else, the hands-on education. That's the rush I get from thrifting.


I come home having bought up the goods that caught my eye, those I considered priced reasonably enough to make a profit from or to justify keeping. And even when I know what I have in my possession I promptly hit the web for a quick value search. Sometimes I score, sometimes I strike out and sometimes I find a new obsession. That's the real score, when I find something from a designer I have never heard of, someone whose entire collection makes me yearn for more, to learn more, and typically spirals into several new obsessions.


You've seen these orange striped bowls before, I found them several months ago during my "orange period". Like many of the items I found around that time they sat in my home collecting dust, I loved them so much I couldn't part with them. But I also have no place for them in my tiny little home so I recently decided to do it, I put a few items in the store and a couple on Etsy. It was hard, I was mellower but something like what I imagine a child is when you take away their favorite toy - resistant, and vocal. And not two days later did I sell these... TWO!


They're cool, but that's quick. I obviously didn't charge enough, but with no label I had trouble finding this one online... originally that is. I had learned about CahterineHolm maybe a week ago when I was researching Dansk, I hadn't come across this design and it didn't hit me until this very moment but THAT, that CatherineHolm that I had just been obsessing about slipped right through my fingers. I would've had to let go anyway, right?! I mean, they were just collecting dust. But still, I'm sad.


So, I introduce to you what will be a fairly regular post, "On the Lookout". You can learn from: A.) My mishaps, B.) My research, and C.) I can learn from you - feel free to write in with designers you'd like me to know about, ones you're on the lookout for!


*All designs on this page, to the best of my knowledge, are CatherineHolm designs by Grete Prytz Kittelsen a Mid-Century, Scandinavian designer. All photos that are not mine (mine are the orange striped bowls) link to the web page I "borrowed" them from.

**In the future I'll try to share more information about the designer and less about me!

On the Lookout: Graniteware

It's not that I love Graniteware, my home can sometime teeter on "shabby" but it's far too modern to accommodate such a country ware, but I am interested in it and in some instances I can image Graniteware looking modern in a mid-century styled home. But what I really like about this collector's item is that it's not the easiest to distinguish and that makes it fun to look out for. You see Graniteware, also known as Enamelware, was first produced in the late 1800's, production seized in the 1940's, but in the 1970's production started up again and these items are still being produced today.


It's said that the modern day productions are thinner and lighter, and that seems to be the best way to distinguish between the two. But take this spoon for example, how much could a spoon possibly weigh? Fortunately purchasing "these" spoon (three for $.95) didn't take much thought when I found them at a thrift store in Grand Junction, Colorado.


Maybe you've noticed, maybe not, but these greatly resemble camping supplies made today hence my even greater apprehension when deciphering their value. Take this teapot and the bowl below for example, I was at a loss when I saw them in the thrift store, and again I purchased them based on the fact that the price was right. It wasn't until recently that learned about the weight factor and I'm convinced that both of these items were produced after the 1970's.


I could be wrong, I don't know. I guess that's for the bidders on ebay to decide. But if anyone readers this has information to share that would be really nice.