Burl Buffet, Probably English

You know how it goes. You meet someone. He or she seems like a two drawers over two cabinets kind of person: all there, well-made, useful. There’s beauty in the grain, a graceful turn of leg, a lovely accent—English?

Is this the one?

Buffet measures 48 inches wide, 20 inches deep, 42½ inches tall.

Angry Beaver Moves on up to the United States Senate

Having had a small taste of power beyond the commune, Angry Beaver moves into even more exalted spheres–in his dreams.

After all, all New York taught him were ever more arcane byways to move in gridlock. Keeping a nose ahead of the Reynard/Rat team has him up to speed in doing that kind of work. Today he actually had to convince the jello-kneed cow not to sell herself to a slaughterhouse for “research”–as Rat had convinced her to do, saying that he, Rat, the Great Rat, had figured out a way to move money into Heaven.

Now Angry Beaver has to figure out how to question Rat to see if Rat can electronically transfer funds across the life/death barrier. Except that Rat lies about everything. He’s hoping that working with elected officials who routinely ignore their electorate and still keep their office will teach him some new deception techniques.

Thor’s Thanksgiving Centerpiece

We would have gotten this out earlier, except that one of Thor’s goats (Tanngrisnir? Tanngnjóstr?) bones got broken in a little pre-scuffle Black Friday sale–which put Thor behind schedule in dropping off his old household goods at the Community Warehouse. Thank the gods he had that back-up black Hummer.

We’re closed to drop-offs today, but we’ll be open at 10am at 3969 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on Saturday. Come on by and get rid of stuff rather than going out shopping to buy more stuff. Or do both. Capitalism is fun.

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*Yes, that orange and yellow flower wreath is genuine plastic.

26 Lead Soldiers and Conquering the World: Printer’s Drawers

Ben Franklin once said “Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”

He meant to demonstrate that the power of the written world will always overcome the oppression of direct force. He also exposed his ignorance of military affairs. 26 alphabetic soldiers are not enough. Every army needs support and command structures. They need sergeants, lieutenants, majors and generals, cooks, cleaners, and teamsters.

Our drawers are sufficient to house the members of the alphabetic army unrecognized by Mr. Franklin. The sergeants of the comma that control the rush of the phrase platoon. The lieutenants that define the period when the sentence engagement ends. There is room too for the majors of the paragraph, and even the generals who decide the beginning and end of the chapter battle.

But of the cooks and cleaners and teamsters? There are spaces for them too. Tiny barracks for the colons and semi-colons (and hyphens) that support the actions of the front lines. And the teamsters? The blank pieces between words, the rear echelons that make the work of the word warriors possible, even they have homes.

6 printers drawers in oak cabinet with 90 compartments in each drawer. It appears that these drawers once held two font sizes; or perhaps BOLD or  Italic type in addition to the regular letters.

Case measures 20 1/4 inches wide, 21 1/2 inches deep, 8 1/2 inches tall. There is some damage to the corner of the lowermost drawer, otherwise it’s in excellent condition.

These would be great for organizing other small things, like beads, buttons or perhaps your collection of bread crumbs blessed by heretical priests.

Alas, all these drawers lack is room to fit an editor.

Reynard Muses on Meals Missed (and Eaten)

Reynard poses in front of a painting one of his favorite subjects: dinner.

Often in the evening, lounging with a belly full of food in his castle of Maupertuis he looks on this painting, a once happy family portrait acquired from the Chanticleer’s. Reynard has managed to consume three of the four pictured (namely Partlet, Scipio and the young Hector). Alas, Chanticleer himself he has not yet eaten (though not for lack of trying).

Perhaps on Thursday he will dress as a penitent and invite himself to dine at the Thanksgiving table.  He has high hopes for whom he will dine upon.

The picture measures 28 1/4 inches tall and 38 1/4 inches wide with the frame.

The Shelf Just After Angry Beaver Left It

A flower embellished shelf under which to occupy yourself–eat, sleep, talk, argue, sing, play games, exercise, swap hats, contemplate suicide, store the books read and movies watched to avoid contemplating suicide (Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, complete seasons of the West Wing.) Or put a plant on it. Or flowers.

Measures 22.5 inches across and 8 inches deep.

Once Upon A Time I Was A Pool Shark

In dark bars, basements and pool halls we’d gather. I learned that the game was not just the game, it was the manifestation of the events outside the game. We’d watch each other, duly note each others weaknesses (and beverages), create ersatz alliances, and circle about the table like hammerheads around a tuna school.

The ‘killer-instinct’ and the desire to use the game as a proxy for real conflict was a strong motivator. Then the day came when my mentor and I discussed the psychology of batting objects around in plane geometry. He said “I stopped playing the day I realized I’d be nothing more than the biggest fish in a very, very small pond.”  He was right. I was good, but the competition was limited. I hung up my cue.

Once upon  a time I was a pool shark (but the water was very shallow).

The billiards sign measures (along the bottom edge) 29 inches long and 11.5 inches wide.

SET: Art Deco Sofa and Arm Chair with Carved Arm Faces

In 1944, I. M. Pei returned to Boston from New Jersey. He had a nice third floor walk-up flat in Cambridge. Fortunately for him he had moved in just in time to outfit his place at low cost (befitting a master’s candidate) with cast off furniture from the recent renovation of the Gropius’s living room. Walter and Ilse Gropius felt that their living room set was rather pre-fascist and needed to be upgraded to reflect the impending new world order (now that the end was within sight). Pei was too broke to care.

We offer a similar 1930’s Art Deco inspired sofa and chair set. The chair is 41 inches wide, 32 deep and 36 1/2 tall. Couch is same depth and height but it is 7 ft (72 inches) long. Both have carved arm faces and are in very good condition,  $450 for the set.

Take Those Old Records Off The Shelf

I’ll sit and listen to them–and think that if I ran the zoo, I’d make it possible to go without sleep.

Who needs sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care, sleep as a flock of sheep, the sound of rain, bees murmuring, the fall of rivers, winds, seas, smooth fields, white sheets of water, sleep that covers a man all over like a cloak? Well, except the parents of young children. For you we have two “Dr. Seuss presents . . . ” records, one of which has Dr. Seuss’ Sleep Book, and a record player. We exist to serve.

French Provincial Dressing Table with Mirror and Floral Accents

A likable feminine piece of furniture. In very good condition and with all original hardware.

Dresser measures 49 1/2 inches wide, 19 inches deep, and 29 3/4 inches from floor to table top (72 inches from floor to the top of mirror). $ 175

Waterfall Sideboard / Buffet

Features two central drawers with flanking cabinets. It’s in very good condition–except for a competent but noticeable repair to a burn mark on the top. Put your trivet there and you’ll be fine. Or buy one of our decorative hand embroidered runners. Buffet measures 60 inches wide, 18 1/2 inches deep, 39 inches high. $175

Fabric Panel Wall Art

Pink elephant print by Felber, Inc called Mandalay, © 1977

Selvage reads: A Jay Yang Design Vat Colors Screen Print Preshrunk Scotchgard ® Copyright © “Woodco.”

Usually when I see these fabric panels, I think “Could I make anything from that which would actually look good?” In this case, I think you could. If you wanted to pass for someone from the 1970s. The pink elephants could make a flower-child tank and flowing skirt. The Asian influenced design–mumu? Giant floor pillow? Help me out here.

But I’m supposed to be selling these as art. Walmart is selling fabric panels as art again. Anything Walmart can do the Estate Store can do better.

The textiles are in excellent condition with no fading. They’re 100% cotton. The screen print pink elephants, meant perhaps to invoke the exoticism of India, shows a soothing and naive repetition that invokes hand drawn design. The bold colors and geometric motifs of the second piece . . . dog bed? 8-10 laptop bags?

Each of the above two panels measures four feet by four feet, not including the wrap around fabric and selvage.

Picture Frame Mirror

If you take a picture of yourself and set it on your desk at least three things will happen: 1) some will wonder about the size of your ego and a few of the less disciplined will say something, 2) others will think “Well, s/he was hot once,” and a few of the less thoughtful will say something, and 3) a passel will wonder if you’ve ever had a meaningful relationship, and a small number of these will offer to set you up with their cousin who just got out of jail. Avoid all this by getting a mirror.

If you don’t need to look at yourself, you can use it to reflect the world in the window behind you.

Including frame, mirror measures 13.5 inches tall, 11.5 inches wide

Japanese Red and Black Laquer Table, Painted, Carved, & With Abalone Inlay

The wilderness, a garden, and a bridge across the water to shelter. Through the trees a temple, a waterfall. Important details–a roof, water falling, snow, flower–picked out in abalone inlay. In detail too small to show all 10,000 things.* Table measures 29 inches in diameter is 12 1/2 inches tall. $135

*In Zen Buddhism, the term “10,000 things” refers to all phenomenal reality.

It’s wardrobe season!

A nice old Arts and Crafts influenced wardrobe / armoire. Two full shelves have been added to the interior for spacious storage, leaving space along the bottom half open for hanging items. It is in very good condition and disassembles easily for transport. Measures 48 inches wide, 72 tall and 22 inches deep. $285

Angry Beaver takes over Ed’s “House of Ugly”

Sometimes it’s other people’s good fortune that gets to you.

After watching Reynard pull down a highly paid full day of modeling for Ed’s “House of Ugly” (for which Reynard wrote down overtime; payroll clerks aren’t paid enough to deal with sharp canines), Angry Beaver decided that too much might just be enough.

He told Reynard that Ed had said he wanted a shot of him with this small brass lamp with over-sized capiz shell lamp shade and standard U-drop prisms. (No one was even sure why Ed had allowed it into the store; no one wanted to tell Ed it was there if he hadn’t.)

Angry Beaver then convinced Reynard that, as an ugly picture of the ugliest thing in the whole House of Ugly, Reynard should push it as the signature shot for the holiday season. “Reynard,” he said, “you should redo the whole holiday advertising campaign. Because,” and here Angry Beaver paused to scuttle closer to Reynard, “you can do anything.”

Sometimes it is just that easy.

Ed’s “House of Ugly!” [advertisement]

Want to extravagantly demonstrate that you are a connoisseur of a particular style? Need a gift for your partner’s partner in your open relationship? (You love her, but she’s got no taste.) Or perhaps you need something for the company holiday gift exchange?

Thank all the small gods for Ed’s “House of Ugly!”

Ed’s “House of Ugly” exists to provide for all your ugly needs! Oxidized avocado green soup tureen decorated with pineapples, pears, and grapes with a half-onion dipper? We’ve got it! Vintage green and purple paisley upholstery? We’ve got it! Faux gilt? Plastic jewels? Patchwork dragons? We’ve got it all!

Ed’s “House of Ugly!” can meet all your ugly needs! And we take requests!***

Act now and all proceeds from Ed’s “House of Ugly!” will go to support the continued operations of the Community Warehouse, Portland’s only full-service furniture bank.

Community Warehouse is proud to be a corporate partner with Ed’s “House of Ugly!”

***Certain fees and restrictions apply.

Midcentury Modern Armchair

Comfortable, stylish, and possessed of that shade of russet that does so much to camouflage dog hairs–as long as you have a brown dog. (Really, if you’re worried about the shedding, go petless. The lack of unconditional love and basic loneliness has the side benefit of making it easier to put up with human friends.) But back to the chair–it’s an excellent piece in which to sit and drink and read. We recommend scotch paired with Bolano’s 2666. Make sure to pick up some coasters to protect the arms.

Silver Swans, Candles, and Flowers

Not completely positive that this particular ribbed glass bowl with its metal flower frog goes with the swans, but it works. It could function as either a beautiful or interesting centerpiece. Put white candles on the swan’s heads as if they were each a Swedish Lucia and fill the bowl with trimmed white gladiolus and you can politely ignore everything about the person sitting across from you. Or find stubby candles and do something with angled freesias to make people say “lovely.” Or,  if the table is getting crowded, any kind of candle, ditch the frog, and fill the bowl with olives or cashews.

We’re not Martha here (we’d be making more money if we were), but we do try. Swan centerpiece footprint is 11 x 11 inches.

6 days to Tryptophan – Friday Five! Vintage Rockford Cedar ‘Hope’ Chest, Mahogany Gate Leg Table, Mission Coffee Table, Oak Dining Table, Bow-Front Dressing Chest

Made in Rockford Illinois by the Rockford EAGLE Furniture Company. Measures 44 inches wide, 20 inches deep and 17 inches tall. Very good condition. $GONE

A very nice vintage Empire (?) Revival gate leg, drop-leaf table. Solid Mahogany. Although there is faint ghosting and finish damage from plant pots the table is in very good condition overall. Measures 30 inches tall and 36 inches in diameter. With both leaves down the center board is 11 1/4 inches across.  $170

Mission style coffee table measures 50 inches wide, 30 inches deep, and 16 inches deep. Excellent condition! GONE!!

Vintage Oak pedestal base dining table. Measures 45 inches in diameter. It has three 10 1/2 inch leaves allowing expansion to a 76 1/2 inch long oval.  In very good condition! $225

Antique bow front chiffonier dressing chest with hour-glass beveled mirror. Consists of two drawers over one large storage drawer. This piece is 30 inches wide, 20 1/4 inches deep and 27 inches tall (to the top of the case-work). The top of the mirror is 67 1/2 inches high. This grand old piece is in very good condition. $225

Partial Service for Eight to Twelve

As-is community plate set with pretty much enough spoons, forks, and knives to provide eating implements for eight to twelve people. Spoons is a spoon, right? Forks can be washed or licked clean in between courses.

Do your holiday meals feature a children’s table? Do your friend’s friends outnumber your family members at table? Have you never owned a set of silver plate? If even one of these is true, this might be the set for you. $35

Working Royal Typewriter

Working Royal typewriter with case. Typewriter body is one of those camouflage greens, keypads are office gray, and the striker keys are clean. Ribbon could use some refreshment.

Typewriters are good, people say, for forcing you to say what you mean and take it seriously–because it’s so hard to take it back and you have to use such physical force to say it. This is bull*&^t.

Or, to the extent it’s true, it’s only so until you get used to banging on the keys. The need to speak the expected lie, the comfort to be gained in staying inside the known narrative, these are things technology has no power over.

Typewriters do provide some decent exercise for the hands.

Angry Beaver Gives Himself Up for Beauty

Here Angry Beaver models a vintage celluloid powder box with the top painted to appear opalescent. He claims to be doing it for charity, but he’s really hanging about just in case Ed’s “House of Ugly” decides to fire Reynard.

As he waits, giving the camera his good (smiling) side, he listens to stories of my grandmother who owned and used one of these with an actual pink powder puff possessed of a little pink bow. The powder made me sneeze and smelled, faintly, of a yard of flowers at the end of a hot afternoon. It is this powder I think of when someone quotes Hamlet: God hath given you one face, and you make yourself another. The powder was white and sweet. My grandmother ran a farm, cooked with a wood stove (it was what she was comfortable using), and heavily starched her cotton dresses.

As I talk, Angry Beaver tries to look through me to see if Reynard has taken to licking the products again.

A large mirror reflecting the windows of the soul’s dreams

In a past life I knew a woman who had a salon. She aspired to be an actress; I aspired to not be a destitute student living in an unheated attic. On chilly evenings we’d gather; students and aspiring actresses, anthropologists, reverend’s sons, miscreants, tortured artists and petty thieves.

We’d discuss politics, art, culture, and the nature of God late into the night and some times the following day. Above the mantle of the bricked-in fireplace she had a grand old mirror which would reflect the candle light and our ghostly visages into the wee hours of the night. The first light of dawn would show the debris of the previous night’s activities, the wine glasses with the last dregs of cheap red wine, the ashtrays, the reference and sketch books scattered about.

The mirror would have nothing to do with this however. In it we were still the creatures we manifested during the night: actresses, anthropologists, ministers, intellectuals and successful in business.

This mirror is almost that good.

45 inches by 69 inches in an ebonized frame with ornamental details. The frame is solid but could use re-blacking. Originally designed to hang either vertically or horizontally it has lost one of the hangers, so now its natural orientation is horizontal.

Guaranteed to show your good side!

Miss America, A Barroness, and Radiation Cooking in 1956

Some things you just can’t make up.

Offered for your perusal is the forty-sixth edition (March 1955) of the Radiation Cookery Book (For use with the Regulo New World Gas Cookers). Inscribed on the front free end paper it reads “To Ms. America on the occasion of her visit to London” and it is signed below C. E. Evershed.

It can’t be inscribed to Ms. America since that contest started in 1997. It also can’t be inscribed to “Mrs. America” since that contest only dates to the 1970’s. So then it must be Miss America.  You’ll note that the inscription doesn’t say: “to Miss America 19__”, or “Miss America, Miss Ann Thrope.” Is the lack of personalized inscription a subtle snub on the interchangeability of the various winners?

Moving along. The problem of which Miss America remains regardless of the cultural constructs and perceptions surrounding the beauty pageant industry. The publication date of 1955 allows us to use that as a beginning date at which to start. Miss America 1955 was Lee Meriwether who, like her successor, went on to have a distinguished career as an actress.  Although she’s a potential candidate as the recipient of the book we have a much stronger contender, Miss America 1956,  Sharon Ritchie, of Denver Colorado.

As noted in her bio on the pageant website (with our own emphasis):

“During her year as Miss America Sharon was invited to tour Europe on an official visit sponsored by Philco International. She was the first Miss America to be invited on such a tour. Several grand balls were given in her honor and she made many personal appearances before curious and cheering crowds.”

As the first Miss America invited to tour Europe it seems likely* that Sharon Ritchie was the recipient of this book.

C. E. Evershed? This appears to be Cecily Elizabeth Evershed (nee Bennett).  She married to Raymond Evershed who was made a baron in 1956, resulting in her becoming  Baroness Evershed.   Since he was not only a Privy Counsellor but the third most senior judge in Britain (Master of the Rolls), Miss America met some pretty exclusive bits of the lower end of the peerage hierarchy, or at least their exclusive wives.

Seriously though..why would a baroness give a cookbook that accompanied the new gas cook-stove (which was probably staffed by servants) to Miss America? Really?

Was this one of those ‘on the way out of the house to attend to the party and forgot to get a gift‘ last-minute decisions?

Did she own stock in the Radiation Group Sales Ltd. Company? Perhaps she and the Right Honorable Barron had vested interest in the success of the New World gas cooker? Instead of one of the other company products like the Rhythm gas iron(!), the Siesta home heating system, the Lexos colored bath, the Belplex conversion fire for combination ranges, or the Yorkdale No. 4 back to back range, (and others).

—

This volume is approximately an Octavo size and is in very good (seemingly unused) condition. It features a variety of recipes including “A most useful section, giving many proved Vegetable recipes and salads,” whole dinner menus, and ten pages  dedicated to “Invalid Cookery.” Unfortunately directions for their preparation are not included.

On Ebay now!

*using the  possible – probable – likely scale of decreasing equivocation.

Ed’s “House of Ugly Pretty” [advertisement]

Sometimes, Reynard thinks, it would be easier to presume they were joking. Ed running about yapping. Sometimes ugly really sublime. Pink pigeons. Smile!

Reynard thinks of pigeons served raw. His face cracks open and his tongue lolls out. Cut! Cut! the director shouts. Reynard obligingly imagines a sharp knife cutting the pigeons up. He does agree that looking sweet isn’t going to move these pieces.

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Two small flower encrusted pitchers made in Taiwan. Deliciously pink. And look at that vessel form!

Ivory Yellow Antique Dresser and Antique Multi-Paned Mirror

Ivory yellow antique four drawer dresser with carved leaf handles. All the drawers are slightly stiff and have locks; we have no key. Mirror frame a paler version of the dresser color; we’ll call it sun kissed fresh cream. Silver backing on mirror excellent considering its age–fog seen in picture is only partially a result of the aging silver, the other part arises from a need to apply Windex.

Dresser measures 19.75 inches deep, 38.75 inches wide, and 40 inches high. Mirror (NOW SOLD!!) slightly wider, a lot shorter, and completely lacking in depth.

Nurses vs. Doctors Tic-Tac-Toe. Our Take on Resolving the Health Care Debate

To heck with the politicians, study and advisory committees, lobbying groups, special interests, and the hyena and jackal media.

Let’s solve this the old fashioned way: Doctor vs. Nurses Tic-Tac-Toe. Since the game is relatively simple and easy to beat (even for chickens) we think that real doctors and nurses would be “overquailified.” Perhaps this could be played as a Turkey vs. Turkey death match for the Presidential Thanksgiving Pardon with the loser going . . . um . . . here.

Jeweled Reynard

Changing out the lights for the next Ed’s “House of Ugly” shoot, they left Reynard alone for a few minutes.

Never leave a fox alone.

An average fox will mate with the dog, eat the cat, and steal the chicken. Reynard found, emptied, and started to model the boss man’s private jewels. His ears were a little wrong for the earrings, but he thought he could have them modified without too much fuss. And the pin would either make the perfect jeweled breast plate for the small skirmish he planned on starting or a great hat for holiday dress-up–he was aiming for the Dolly Parton does Baby Phat look. He planned on getting all of Angry Beaver’s attention one way or another.

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Caribbean ocean blue rhinestone pin and earring set. $15

Holy S*** That’s a Big Bird! Citron Cockatoo! No Newspaper Required

My older brother once worked for a auto dealer that couldn’t resist trades. Pretty much anything was good for a few bucks off the price of a car. Particularly memorable was the St. Bernard (who later earned his keep as an eater of burglars) and “The Bird.” I never knew what kind of bird “The Bird” was, but it was one that could speak.

Apparently it had at least two previous owners before being traded for a reduced sale price on a car as it had two distinct voices. The voice of a sweet little old lady and a rather huskier voice–”Pretty Bird; Damn Bird;” “Pretty Bird; Damn Bird.” It never said anything else.

We’ll leave you to decide which person got the car.

We have a large painting of a Citron Cockatoo (41 x 51 inches) signed in the lower right by Myers. The canvas has a horizontal slice on one of the wings (from a failed clipping attempt?), otherwise is it in great condition. Citrons are known to be highly social and don’t require a terribly large cage.  Ours you can place on the wall and then never worry about it being anxious, getting fat, and, most importantly, you never have to clean up after it.

Primitive Drop Leaf Side / End Table (w/o wax apples)*

Well-made small round drop-leaf table. This piece has been around for awhile and is sturdy enough to be around for another long number of years. Cleverness and physical skill went into creating the mechanism that holds up / drops the leaves. Measures 22.5 inches in diameter and 18 inches tall.

*With the holidays coming, who doesn’t need a bowl of realistic wax apples? It’s likely that no one will touch them, but you get points for being “healthy” by having them out. And if someone does bite into one, you’ve got a running joke for the evening.

Ed’s “House of Ugly” (advertisement)

Community Warehouse and their corporate partner Ed’s “House of Ugly!” would like to mention that the Community Warehouse is part of Willamette Week’s Give Guide 2009. The Community Warehouse exists to give household items and furniture to help people (the working poor, seniors on fixed incomes, families and individuals putting their lives back together). With your help, they aim to give out an additional 1000 beds in 2010, including beds for kids so the cute little round eyed things don’t have to sleep on the floor.

Reynard, personally, doesn’t get why sleeping on the floor is such a bad thing. Though he’s got fur which he’s noticed the munchable looking ones don’t; he thinks that might make a difference. And it’s not like anybody ever asked him. He’s hired to talk that fox talk, twitch that reddish bush of a tail, and make the sale.

“Do you need something to demonstrate how specialized your taste is?” he asks. “Need a gift for those pesky, annoying and not-too close in-laws? Perhaps something for the company holiday gift exchange?

“Well then COME ON DOWN to Ed’s “House of Ugly!” We’re happy to outfit all your Ugly needs! 1970’s Avocado? We’ve got it! Vintage decaying paisley upholstery? We’ve got it! Faux gilt and fake glass jewels? Yep, we’ve got that too! Ed’s “House of Ugly!” has all your ugly needs and we take requests! Act now and ALL the proceeds of sales from Ed’s “House of Ugly!” will go to support the continued operations of the Community Warehouse, Portland’s only full-service furniture bank.

Ed’s “House of Ugly!” ships most things most places. As with the rest of life, certain restrictions apply.

Three Little Pigs, Advertising, Art and the Wolf’s View

Once upon a time there were three little brother pigs. And the time came for them to leave home and seek their fortunes.

Two of the pigs were frivolous and arrogant. One left home with a bag full of candy. He built a house of straw.

The second brother was an arrogant, frivolous, skeezy pig. He did have the seemingly impossible ability to not only wink but arch his eyebrow at the same time (Try it!). With a wink like that who needs pants? But since he was leaving home (and mom was watching), he decided that wearing them was wise. He built a house of sticks.

The third pig was industrious and foresighted and was the only one listening when his mother said, “Whatever you do, do it the best that you can.”  He brought a sack of tools with him so he was eventually able to build a house of brick.

He thinks a lot now about how lucky he was to be paying attention to his mother.

Ceramic pig (4 1/2 long 2 7/8 tall).

Picture marked Copyright 1955 Tru Vue Company. It measures 11 inches by 14 1/2 inches.We think it was probably an advertising piece for a sales display of the Tru Vue Stereo Cards. The 1955 Little Pigs set featured one card with seven stereoscopic views (our view is apparently the first of the seven). The card itself describes the pigs as Not Very Smart, Lazy, and Wise. Then “Along came the hungry wolf and excitement galore!“

Really?

Reynard, of course, thinks that the wolf was framed, that it was all just a misunderstanding. He had a cold. The third pig was being pig headed.

Little Boy Blue: The Portrait of the Man as a Young Artist

To go with our previous offering of a new grandfather. Perhaps it could be another, older view of the same person, or a different proxy ancestor (what ever suits your needs).

Hand tinted photograph of a boy in an oval frame. Frame is 24 1/2 inches tall by 18 1/2 inches wide.

Love them polka dots.

Angry Beaver Gets Rewarded for Doing Good Work

Way back in 1995, Angry Beaver received these cuff-links in acknowledgment of his outstanding work as an analyst in DynCorp’s Asset Forfeiture Support Program. Massive money laundering and fraud involving HUD housing were successfully carried out, in part, because Angry Beaver believes in doing a good job. (When he couldn’t sleep at night, he penned essays for the Conspirarcy Digest and posted in the forums at Pravda.)

Angry Beaver parted ways with the company not long after, but it’s only now that he’s giving up the cuff-links. Beside all his other religious devotions, Angry Beaver worships a job well done. He’s often told Happy Dog that working with someone who knows what they’re doing–it’s as good as sex. Or better. It’s what art is. It’s the epitome of religious practice.

He now regrets, of course, all the work he did for DynCorp. But he still gets a shiver remembering how well he did it.

R.C. Stanley Painting: The South Rim at Sunset. Sometimes they ARE out to get you.

The move from western Maine to the west coast was a great excuse for a road trip. Given that we left in December it seemed wise to go via a southern route rather than crossing the Great Plains and northern Rockies in the dead of winter (see also Donner Party).

We had a good run down the Appalachians, with the obligatory stop at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (home of Dollywood!). A fine time on I-40 followed, with many great sights along the way. Ultimately we stopped at the Grand Canyon for a few days.

After the wonder I felt at just having Chaco Canyon nearly to myself, the best I could say about the Grand Canyon, while standing on the southern rim among the idling tour buses and teenage miscreants was, “yep, that’s a big hole.” Some things are too vast to really get at first glance. Frankly I found the crows more interesting than the big hole. Sure, it’s big and it’s a hole, well a big long hole. Yeah it’s scenic, pretty and iconic.

The crows though! The crows were organized. They were full of revolutionary fervor. They were organized on a level that made the Birds seem tame. They had this thing for perching, watching, and the moment your back was turned they were into your food, pecking at your tent and thinking about what they could get for the rims off the car. They emanated a sense that you had just walked into the wrong neighborhood, this was Mother Nature’s side of the tracks and you better move along soon or you might be next on the menu.

Our painting by Stanley conveys none of this. There isn’t a single crow in the view. Maybe they hadn’t moved in when it was painted in February 1977, maybe Stanley chose to leave them out in defense of his life. (“You never saw me, right?“)

R.C. Stanley was born in Chicago, raised in California and painted scenes throughout California, Arizona (and England) in the 1970’s. His work is highly impressionistic and he’s noted, in part, for working in miniature.

Our piece is 8 inches high by 10 inches wide. It is currently housed in a vintage 12 1/2 inch by 14 1/2 inch frame with black ‘velvet’ facing and gilt accents.

The work is in very good condition, with great depth of color and texture.

Antique (19th Century) Coin Silver Spoon by G. Loomis of Erie, Pennsylvania

An antique coin silver spoon by G. Loomis & Co. Erie (Pennsylvania).  According to 925-1000.com Loomis was in operation by ca., 1850. Approximately 1 oz.  Tablespoon size, 7 1/4 inches long, the maximum bowl width is approximately 1 1/2 inches. Monogrammed (appears to be “MT” in an elaborate and embellished copperplate script).

The handle shape is known as “fiddle back” and when the form of the shoulders and terminal are also considered, it dates to the period from 1840-1860, which is consistent with the mid-19th century attribution of the Loomis works.

In very good condition.

Karim Rashid for Magppie; Ercale Salt and Pepper Set

Ercale contemporary salt and pepper set, designed by Karim Rashid for Magppie (with two p’s). Each one is 5 7/8 inches tall 1 3/4 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches deep.  In very good condition.

New retail $39.75

Our price: $15

Live Life Outside: Kwila Outdoor Table and Eight Chairs (made by Devon)

Outdoor table and eight chair made of the south east Asian hardwood Kwila. Made by the famed New Zealand company Devon Furniture. Oval table measures 74 inches long by 52.5 inches wide and has a center hole for an umbrella. Set is in structurally good condition but, as outdoor furniture, it has been left outside; it could use cosmetic assistance (an oil finish) to look its best. $275

“Whether you are sipping your chardonnay quietly taking in the evening or planning an outdoor party or a barbecue with friends, you will do it best with the beauty and character that can only be found in Devon.”–the Devon Team [How long do you think their internship at Sunset Magazine lasted?]

Scurvy Dogs! aka Busted Trying to Rip Us Off

Sometime ago we offered a vintage painting by the well known Portland artist Clyde Leon Keller. Days later someone came in an told us that they were an “expert” and the piece we had was a fake. We were unpleasantly surprised, even shocked. We accept the vagaries of the trade, but we’ve always made an effort to be honest and completely forthcoming with our wares. So, after pondering the karmic and ethical implications of our misspent youths and current obligations, we pulled the piece from the sales floor for further evaluation (rather than selling it to the next dupe that came in the door).

We contacted a local recognized authority on his work and discussed the problems brought to us by the so-called “expert,” namely the signature being poorly defined and the depth of color being not as good as the work done at the height of his career.

Our gallery folks told us that Keller developed cataracts and “in his later years began to drink heavily.” After much discussion and the fact that they had never seen a fake of his work, we submit that our piece is genuine. The signature and depth of paint flaws that the piece have are due to his being blind (from cataracts), drunk, or blind-drunk.

Our gallery folks also guessed who told us the painting was a forgery without any prompting on our part (i.e.,  “We wouldn’t be surprised if _______ told you that and then tried to buy it cheap.”)

There’s nothing quite like ripping off the poor is there?