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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 9 – Modernist German Pottery Vase by Keramic Weber

Our fantastic gift idea for today is a modernist pottery vase by Keramic Weber of Germany – circa 1950’s.

I have always been partial to European modernist pottery and this is a great example which will look great in virtually any home. Both useful and beautiful – a perfect gift!

This piece is available through our store, The Purple Moon, either online here (with Free Shipping!) or in our gallery at 906 Quarrier Street in Downtown Charleston , WV.

Our Holiday Gift Guide will continue with a mid-century modern suggestion every day from now until Christmas. You can find each one here or by following The Purple Moon on Facebook. Happy Holidays!

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 7 & 8 – Russel Wright Dinnerware

The Holiday Gift Guide offerings for Day 7 and 8 come to you from quintessential mi-century designer Russel Wright. I have combined the post for this weekend as yesterday was my birthday and I took the day off just to spend with the Modern Lady and few friends!

First up is an individual teapot designed by Russel Wright for Sterling China. This lidded teapot is a hard-to-find piece and will surely be a treasure to find under the tree!

To continue our excursion into the wonderful world of Russel Wright design my next Holiday Gift Guide recommendation is this classic American Modern by Steubenville Pottery teapot in Seafoam Blue. Russel Wright’s American Modern line of dinnerware was the most widely sold American ceramic dinnerware in history, manufactured between 1939 and 1959.

Russel Wright’s simple, practical style was influential in persuading ordinary Americans to embrace Modernism in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

These and other pieces of dinnerware by Russel Wright through our store, The Purple Moon, either online here or in our gallery at 906 Quarrier Street in Downtown Charleston , WV.

Our Holiday Gift Guide will continue with a mid-century modern suggestion every day from now until Christmas. You can find each one here or by following The Purple Moon on Facebook. Happy Holidays!

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 6 – Comedy & Tragedy Pottery Planter from Gonder Originals

Today’s Holiday Gift Guide offering is a wonderful, vintage pottery planter from Gonder Originals. Made in the 1950’s, this “Comedy and Tragedy” planter is the perfect gift for the movie or theatre buff on your list.

This vintage mid-century piece is a classic. modernist design from one of the highly regarded Ohio potteries and dates from 1951.

As with all of our Gift Guide suggestions, this piece is available through our store, The Purple Moon, and is online here (with free shipping!) or in our Downtown Charleston gallery at 906 Quarrier Street.


Our Holiday Gift Guide will continue with a mid-century modern suggestion every day from now until Christmas. You can find each one here or by following The Purple Moon on Facebook. Happy Holidays!

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 5 – Morgantown Glass Cocktail Set

Today’s Holiday Gift Guide offering is a vintage cocktail set from Morgantown Glass. Made in the 1960’s, this classic set is perfect for the person on your gift list who prefers their drink stirred rather than shaken.

This vintage set comes with the pitcher, large swizzle stick and four stemmed glasses.

As with all of our Gift Guide suggestions, this cocktail set is available through our store, The Purple Moon, and is online here (with free shipping!) or in our Downtown Charleston gallery at 906 Quarrier Street.


Our Holiday Gift Guide will continue with a mid-century modern suggestion every day from now until Christmas. You can find each one here or by following The Purple Moon on Facebook. Happy Holidays!

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 4 – MOD Western Electric Sculptura Telephone

Today’s Holiday Gift Guide offering is the perfect gift for that “MOD” person on your shopping list. This circa 1972 Sculptura Telephone from Western Electric makes for a great accessory and is totally usable as well.

This vintage telephone is in fantastic condition and is in excellent working condition. Just plug it into a standard phone jack and it is ready to go!

As with all of our Gift Guide suggestions, this telephone is available through our store, The Purple Moon, and is online here (with free shipping!) or in our Downtown Charleston gallery at 906 Quarrier Street.

Our Holiday Gift Guide will continue with a mid-century modern suggestion every day from now until Christmas. You can find each one here or by following The Purple Moon on Facebook. Happy Holidays!

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2012 Holiday Gift Guide – Day 3 – Blenko #6630S Decanter

Our third Holiday Gift Guide offering is a gorgeous Blenko Glass decanter, designed by Joel Myers in 1966. This decanter is beautifully executed in “Lemon” which was a color used by Blenko in 1968-69.

This decanter is an excellent example of the Blenko’s classic design, perfect for any mid-century or contemporary decor, and not commonly found.

As with all of our Gift Guide suggestions, this decanter is available through our store, The Purple Moon, and is online here (with free shipping!) or in our Downtown Charleston gallery at 906 Quarrier Street.

Our Holiday Gift Guide will continue with a mid-century modern suggestion every day from now until Christmas. You can find each one here or by following The Purple Moon on Facebook. Happy Holidays!

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2012 Holiday Gift Guide – Day 2 – Chase Chrome Cocktail & Cobalt Glass Tray Set

Our second Holiday Gift Guide offering is a classic Chase Chrome cocktail set on a cobalt glass and chrome tray. Dating from the 1930’s this wonderful set makes a great gift for that friend who likes to entertain.

As with all of our Gift Guide suggestions this set is available through our store, The Purple Moon, and is available online here (with free shipping!) or in our Downtown Charleston gallery at 906 Quarrier Street.

Our Holiday Gift Guide will continue with a mid-century modern suggestion every day from now until Christmas. You can find each one here or by following The Purple Moon on Facebook. Happy Holidays!

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2012 Holiday Gift Guide – Day 1 – Dansk Staved Teak Ice Bucket

The Holiday Season is upon us and we once again will be sharing a daily gift suggestion for that “Modern Guy” or “Modern Lady” on you gift list! All items featured here are available at The Purple Moon.

We start with the amazing, Danish Modern staved teak ice bucket from Dansk!

Designed by Jens H. Quistgaard this mid-century classic is perfect for entertaining during the Holiday Season and all year round. These have become so popular they are now being reproduced, however nothing makes a bold, modern statement like one of the originals setting upon a bar or countertop.

This wonderful ice bucket is available for purchase online or is currently in The Purple Moon showroom at 906 Quarrier Street in Downtown Charleston.

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Uhl Toledo Metal Furniture Company Drafting Chair

Continuing down the path of acquiring classic, industrial furnishings I located this week an exceptional example of Toledo Metal Furniture Company’s iconic drafting chair. This beauty came to The Purple Moon via a friend of a friend and is a great addition to the industrial collection now available in our gallery.

The Toledo Metal Furniture, Co. began as a bicycle maker in 1897 and was founded by the brothers Joe and Clement Uhl in Toledo Ohio. After the dawning of the automobile, with bicycle demand dropping, the Uhl’s began producing furnishings for commercial and industrial use in about 1910. The company later became a division of Banner Metal, Inc. in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The Uhl brothers designed many of the furniture pieces now associated with the “machine age” and which are now highly desirable by those seeking the industrial chic look for their homes and offices.

This drafting stool, with fully adjustable seat and back height and a pivoting base, is made of heavy steel and wood and was designed to withstand weight and frequent use. As functional as it is expertly designed this stool is a classic of 20th Century design.

This Toledo Metal stool, along with other designs by the Uhl Brothers, is currently available to be seen, enjoyed and purchased in The Purple Moon’s showroom gallery.

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Industrial at The Purple Moon

Utilitarian, historical, functional, hip and chic – industrial decor offers it all!

Visitors to The Purple Moon lately have been a bit surprised to find items with a bit more “patina” than our usual near-pristine mid-century modern fare.  We have blended in more of the “industrial” look with refurbished and often re-purposed items demonstrating how well these historical wood and metal pieces work with modern home decor.


Industrial Factory Cart Coffee Table


Shop Tool Caddy Transformed into Chic Bar Cart

Adding functional industrial items adds a new dimension of fun and interest to home decor. They also are the ultimate in “Green” home furnishings – saving these 20th Century artifacts from the landfill while eliminating the need for a newly manufactured item certainly reduces your carbon footprint.

Often, industrial items are not actually re-purposed but are simply used as they were originally intended while at the same time giving your home an urban chic look.


Vintage Industrial Drafting Table and Toledo Metal Drafting Chair


1930’s Brass Blade Fan by Emerson

Blending some industrial design into your home can also be as easy as using a few well-chosen accent pieces. Vintage wire baskets, metal trays, antique objects and even bed springs turned art offer endless decorating opportunities.


Bed Spring Wall Hanging with Industrial Objects and Warhol Print


Antique Clay Pool Balls in Wire Basket

This is just a hint of the many ways vintage industrial artifacts can be put to use decorating your home or office. Stop by The Purple Moon to see more!

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