Beautiful Bakelite Boats

bakelite boats with carved bakelite birds and celluloid masts

Bakelite boats with carved bakelite birds and celluloid masts

We have a family farm in upstate PA, and we love traveling to visit our friends and relatives.  In addition to good company, we enjoy good picking along the way – we have several regular stops and always wind up filling the car full of goodies.  This past weekend was the first time we’ve gotten to make the trip in 2015 – which is a sure sign that spring is here to stay!  We had a couple of good meals cooked for us at family restaurants, a couple of good meals cooked for us by actual family, and found more than a couple of items to add to our stock and personal collections.

closeup of bakelite boats

Closeup of bakelite boats

We’re bakelite and plastic collectors, and when we saw these boats we knew they were unusual and we had to bring them home.  While we’ve seen lots of bakelite jewelry, housewares, and other odds and ends, we’ve never seen anything quite like these little sailboats.  Each measures about 5.5 inches tall, and has a bakelite base, bakelite sails, and little carved bakelite bird.  The sails are rigged with what looks like fishing line to (probably) celluloid masts.  The marbling on the sails is so lovely and they really catch the light!  I’m looking forward to cleaning them up and admiring them for a while.  If you have seen similar pieces, or if you have some yourself, please leave a comment – we’d love to find some more information about them.

Nothing Like a New (Old) Pair of Shoes

Square dancing maribou saddle shoes!

Square dancing maribou saddle shoes!

Added a few pairs of shoes to the shop, including two pairs of white square dance shoes that belonged to a friend’s mother.  They’re simply adorable and waiting for a new dance partner!  We also added these sexy maribou slippers – ooh la la!  Our space at E.N. Miller Antique Mall in Verona is fully stocked and ready for the weekend – don’t miss out, because the great housewares we’ve got over there won’t last long.  We’re heading upstate to do some picking this weekend and we’ll be sure to share any goodies we pick up over @100percentpolyverse on Instagram.  TGIF – have a great weekend!

March Madness!

Our space at E.N. Miller Antique Mall, Verona

Our space at E.N. Miller Antique Mall, Verona

It’s about time we checked in – we’ve been enjoying taking it easy for the past few weeks.  Pittsburgh has been snowy and bitterly cold this winter.  We’ve been hibernating with our kitties and doing a little work around the house – who knew that a new bathroom floor could be so exciting?!?  We keep pretty active on our Instagram feed, so you can always find us over there.  Even though we’re been taking a little break, we’ve still been stocking up on some great treasures that we are really excited about bringing to you this spring!  We are tweaking the way we take pictures for our Etsy shop, so you can look forward to some better images of upcoming clothing.  We have a LOT of amazing clothing to photograph – I’ve spent the winter doing laundry and repairs to make sure these items are ready for spring and summer!  Oh, summer – we can’t wait.

Heywood Wakefield table and chairs, still available!

Heywood Wakefield table and chairs, still available!

You can anticipate some amazing swimwear, summer dresses, men’s shirts, and as always a selection of Hawaiian inspired party wear for everyone!  We also have a collection of 1930s, 40s, and 50s formal dresses in larger sizes with exquisite details ready to go!  We made a special SALE section in our Etsy shop to make room for some of these additions – take a look, make us an offer, and help us make space for new goodies!  Thinking of making a purchase?  Convo us for a discount code on anything in the shop!

Drexel sideboard and some fabulous 1960s barware

Drexel sideboard and some fabulous 1960s barware

In the meantime, we’re ready for shows and flea market season – we’ve got amazing lamps, clocks, luggage, globes, kitchen items, chalkware wall hangings, and other midcentury pieces all packed up and ready to go – not to mention our jewelry collection which includes novelty brooches, bakelite earrings, and more.  Our traveling stock is going to be so good this season – we’ll be sure to post details about upcoming appearances once the season gets closer.

More Heywood Wakefield, lamps, odds and ends!

More Heywood Wakefield, lamps, odds and ends!

Can’t wait for flea markets to start?  Want to do some shopping NOW?? If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, get yourself down to E.N. Miller Antique Mall in Verona and check out our space on the top floor!  As you can see from these pictures we’re overflowing with housewares, furniture, wall hangings, clocks, lamps, and everything else you need for your retro home.  We add new stock nearly every Sunday, so you’ll always see something new.  E.N. Miller has over 100 dealers on four floors, so if you’re in the area, what are you waiting for?

We hope you’re enjoying your winter season – we have enjoyed some conscious relaxation, but cabin fever is setting in and we’re ready to go!