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Advance to Boardwalk – Do Not Pass Go


Parker Brothers Monopoly© Boardwalk Deed Poster – Image Masters Inc. – circa 1975

Late in spring photographs on the Design*Sponge blog featured the interior design of West Coast floral studio Wiggy Flowers that included a fabulous Pop Art graphic of a Monopoly© Deed on the wall. A bit nostalgic and also wonderfully modern, this bit of art triggered a discussion on the Apartment Therapy-Chicago blog on where to obtain one of these iconic images.

It seems finding one would be harder than it appears. The one shown in the Design*Sponge post had been created by Wiggy Flowers creative designer Catherine Conlin. Searches online netted little information except for two posters held by a Monopoly© collector.

I had recalled seeing these posts over the weekend while out on my usual hunt at some local estate sales when I came upon a framed Boardwalk Deed poster. Produced by Image Masters Inc. of Van Nuys, CA in the 1970’s this 24-1/4 inch by 20-1/4 inch graphic appears to be screen printed. Further digging seems to indicate this company is no longer in business.

The scarcity of these may be due to Parker Brothers tight licensing of the copyrighted graphics of the game. While the game play of Monopoly© is in public domain, the graphics used by Parker Brothers are not. It appears from markings on the piece I found that this was licensed.

As there had been considerable discussion on this topic in these other blogs I thought I’d share this find here.

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The Potter’s Wheel by HLC – 1939


The Potter’s Wheel – Homer Laughlin Co. – 1939 World’s Fair

With the upcoming Fiesta Tent Sale this weekend in Flatwoods, WV it seemed a good time to focus on my favorite piece of Homer Laughlin China. While a fan of Fiesta, (the modern lady and I have a relatively large collection of early pieces in red, cobalt, yellow and light green with a few pieces of the 1950’s chartreuse) I don’t collect any of the current color line.

The highlight of my Homer Laughlin collection is a commemorative plate made during the 1939 World’s Fair at The Joint Exhibit of Capital and Labor. HLC and several other pottery companies built a demonstration kiln for the exhibit and produced these great plates. The National Brotherhood of Operative Potters Union manned the exhibit. Glazed in the Fiesta light blue, this plate features a medieval potter at the potter’s wheel. All pieces were marked on the back as shown here:

The history of items intrigues me as much as the item itself sometimes and this is certainly the case with The Potter’s Wheel plate. There were a few other designs of plates made, all around the same theme, but this is the only one I currently have.  As I find others I’ll share them here.

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Wish List – Eva Zeisel’s Pals by Monmouth


Place and Show – The American Home Magazine – August 1954

I just acquired a large stash of 1950’s The American Home magazines and have been like a kid in a candy shop. We are always on the lookout for interior design magazines from this period, as they are the best reference materials available on many mid-century items, and this lot has been a virtual treasure trove of information and photographs.

One of the best pieces I ran across the article Place and Show by Gertrude Brassard on Eva Zeisel’s Pals pattern for Monmouth Pottery. I have always been an admirer of Zeisel’s designs and, while having seen this shape before, this was my first opportunity to see the Pals “turnip people” decorations on this dinnerware.


Pals “Turnip-People” detail – Monmouth Pottery – Eva Zeisel – 1954

Starter sets of 16 pieces in this pattern sold for $20.95 in 1954. Prices have, shall we say, increased and finding pieces of Pals, which is very scarce, is a challenge. You can bet I’ll be looking though.

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Eva Zeisel’s Museum White by Castleton for MoMA – 1943


Museum White Cup & Saucer Pair – Castleton China for Museum of Modern Art – Designer: Eva Zeisel – 1943

Described by New York Magazine as “…delicate and voluptuous, tableware where the tactile verges on the erotic.”

Pretty heady words for dishes – but then these are more than mere dishes. Designed by the legendary Eva Zeisel for the Museum of Modern Art in 1943 and produced by Castleton China the Museum White line is art and function combined. 

I was lucky enough to obtain a set of six cups and saucers recently and let me tell you they are a joy to look at and to use.

Zeisel, by the way, will celebrate her 102nd birthday on November 13th.

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1940’s Blenko Glass – The “Pre-Designer” Period


#475 Decanter – Blenko Glass – 1947

Before Winslow Anderson, Wayne Husted and Joel Myers were designing the glorious pieces during Blenko Glass’ “golden years” of the 1950’s and 60’s there was the time that has come to be known to some collectors as the “pre-designer” period. While really not true, as these pieces had to be designed by someone, it was prior to the hiring of a full-time industrial designer by the firm.

During this time most pieces were designed primarily by Richard Blenko Sr. along with his team of craftsmen. The sales department also played a role in developing items they believed would do well in the marketplace. Certainly the work coming out of the company prior to 1948 did not lack in style, imagination or beauty as can be seen in examples like the #475 decanter shown above.


#445HB Tumbler Set – Blenko Glass – 1944

With the hiring of Winslow Anderson and the appearance of his first designs in the 1948 catalog Blenko Glass certainly saw a change in direction towards a more Scandanavian look. However it was more of an evolution than a revolution as the strength of Blenko design was there even before the first “designer” arrived. Luckily, that evolution continues through today.

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Danish Teak Bookcase


Teak Bookcase – Made in Denmark – circa 1964

The beautiful, glowing teak bookcase from Denmark was one of my early Saturday morning finds in the wilds of West Virginia this week. In nearly pristine condition this great piece looked even better after a good rub down with some teak oil.

I just never know what I’m going to run into while out on “the hunt” but finding gems like this certainly motivates me to go at it again next week!

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Conant Ball ModernMates by Russel Wright


ModernMates Chests & Bedside Tables – Conant Ball – Designed by Russel Wright – 1949

I just found this week this wonderful set from Conant Ball’s ModernMates line designed by Russel Wright. With its modern component design in brushed birch this furniture was the follow-up to Wright’s American Modern for Conant Ball which began production in 1935.

As with so much of what we find the modern lady and I have the debate of if it goes to the showroom or home. This one is in the shop for now.

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Sol Bloom Catch-It-All by Design for Moderns


Catch-It-All Detail with Better Homes & Gardens – Designer: Sol Bloom

Useful, eye-catching, sleek, graceful and oh so modern the “Catch-It-All” designed by Sol Bloom and produced by Designs for Moderns in California for a very short period beginning in 1952 epitomizes mid-century modern design for the home. This seemingly simple object is sculptural in its design and extremely functional while retaining its minimalist qualities. A true masterpiece.

Not many of these classic pieces have survived the years and they were not made for long. Records are scarce but it appears as though by 1954 or so production ceased. Many were used outdoors and lost to the elements and still others discarded over the years by owners who did not recognize the rarity, value or design significance of these “magazine holders” as many called them.


Catch-It-All – Design for Moderns – Circa 1952 – Designer: Sol Bloom

I was fortunate enough to come upon this one on trip through Pennsylvania and Virginia not too long ago. In excellent condition with no breaks to the fine metal mesh this 20th Century treasure is one of those finds which keep people like me hunting for more.

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1950’s Sectional Sofa by Kroehler


Three Piece Sectional Sofa in Salmon – Kroehler – circa 1955

Nothing says 50’s modern like one of these classic sectional sofas! This one, by Kroehler Manufacturing Company, is a real beauty and is one of our recent acquisitions.

Kroehler came into being in 1902 when Peter E. Kroehler bought the Naperville Lounge Co., a maker of wooden lounge chairs and upholstered furniture. Kroehler built a new factory in in 1913 after the original facility was destroyed by a tornado and renamed the company Kroehler Manufacturing Co. By the 1940s, Kroehler was the second-largest furniture maker in the United States. 

Their upholstered furniture pieces were likely in your grandma or great aunt’s home. I remember my Aunt Nell had a huge Kroehler sofa (covered in plastic, of course) in the early 1960’s. The plastic was always said to come off “If company came” but I never recall there being company of high enough stature to warrant such treatment.

Like many domestic furniture makers Kroehler struggled during the 1970s ultimately closing its Naperville factory in 1978. In 1981 Kroehler was acquired by the ATR Group of Northbrook. Today, furniture is still manufactured under the Kroehler name by two unrelated companies, one in North Carolina and the other in Ontario, Canada.

But nothing beats one of these mid-century marvels – which look as though Frank, Sammy, Dean and the boys should be surrounding it sipping cocktails.

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United Carbon Building Interior Shots by Jean St. Thomas – 1941


Looking Outside to the Carbon Man Statue – Jean St. Thomas – 1941

A few of my earliest posts on this blog were about the United Carbon Building (now called Boulevard Towers) on Kanawha Boulevard in Charleston, WV and the sculptures by Robert E. Martens which grace that building. If you missed those at the time you can check them out here and here.

I’ve always loved this building – it is one of the finest examples of the modernist architectural style in West Virgina and is the only structure in the state which Eliel Saarinen played a role in designing. In addition to his collaboration with Charleston architect Walter Martens in designing the building his wife, Loja of the Cranbrook Academy, played a large role in designing the interiors for the United Carbon Building.

I have always wanted to take a trip back in time to see the inside of this building in all of its splendor and have finally been able to do the next best thing. Just this weekend I purchased three original photographs through another collector taken by renowned architectural photographer Jean St. Thomas just as the building was opening in 1941.

St. Thomas was well-known for her skills at capturing the subtle elements of art deco and modern design and her book, Marvelous New York: A Metropolis Portrayed(Davis McKay Co. 1937) is considered a classic of early 20th Century architectural images.

Discovering these photos made my weekend and gave me deeper appreciation for the deep modernist roots of this fabulous building.


Interior of United Carbon Building – Jean St. Thomas – 1941


Interior of United Carbon Building – Jean St. Thomas – 1941

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