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Fabulous Furnishings – Carter Bros. Scoop Chair


“Scoop Chair” – Carter Brothers Furniture – circa 1958

As in the previous post, this graceful “Scoop Chair” was also produced by Carter Brothers around 1958 and is one of my favorite designs for any of the mass produced chairs of the period. These chairs orginally sold for between $19.99 to $24.99 but bring much higher prices now – when you can find one.

An exhaustive search does not reveal who designed this wonderful chair for Carter Brothers. This is often incorrectly attributed to Charles Eames or as having been produced by Plycraft. These chairs seem to be rarely found marked or labeled as being from Carter Bros.

The chair pictured is one we recently sold which was in as near to perfect condition as any I had ever seen.

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Fabulous Furnishings – Carter Bros. Sectional Sofa


Orange Sectional Sofa / Daybed – Carter Brothers Furniture – circa 1960

All I can say about this sofa is WOW!

Made by Carter Brothers of Salisbury, NC, this glorious mid-century modern marvel is a great example of domestically manufactured home furnishings with great style which were available to everyday people at the dawn of Camelot. This company is still producing under the name of Carter Furniture and their current catalog shows they are continuing to utilize modernist design for their sofas, chairs and tables.

This sofa / daybed has a bright orange naugahyde upholstery, walnut armrests and removable back cushions which rest against iron support bars at the back. Originally sold by The Diamond Department Store we recently acquired this beauty from the original owner’s family.

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Lynn’s Paradise Cafe – Louisville, KY


Lynn’s Paradise Cafe – 984 Barrett Avenue – Louisville, Ky

On a recent trip to Louisville I had the opportunity to revisit one of my favorite eateries – Lynn’s Paradise Cafe. Lynn’s combines a fabulous kitschy decor with fabulous food and service making it a “must” stop for any trip to Louisville.

Located at 984 Barrett Avenue, the restaurant is in a great part of the city with fabulous vintage and antique shops. But the real attraction for me has always been the Paradise Cafe. The Cafe is widely known for their New Years Eve and Day pajama parties, the best post-Derby party in the city and for their sponsorship of “The Ugly Lamp Contest” at the Kentucky State Fair each year.  This contest reaps them many of the eclectic and bizarre lamps which are on tables throughout the restaurant.

I had the black bean chili, which was devine, but their menu was a hit with everyone I was with and there was a lot of “you have to taste this” sharing at the table. 


Interior shots of Lynn’s Paradise Cafe

One of my favorite items in the Cafe’s collection is the pants hanging in the lobby made from used tea bags – they welcome you to this fine establishment and offer a hint of the fun space your are preparing to enter!


Tea Bag Pants – artist unknown – Lynn’s Paradise Cafe

So if you find yourself in Louisville anytime soon stop by Lynn’s. Tell them the modern guy sent you.

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Items from My Collection – Herbert Bayer


bauhaus 50 Jahre Stuttgart – Herbert Bayer (signed) – 1968

Herbert Bayer was a graphic designer, painter, photographer and architect who left a lasting impression in each of these fields. Born is Austria at the very beginning of the 20th Century, Bayer studied at the Bauhaus under Wassily Kandinsky and László Moholy-Nagy. Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius named Bayer director of printing and advertising and his work in this area produced the iconic typography Universal, a Grotesk typeface, in 1925. This was later adapted known as Architype Bayer font and is still popular today.

In 1928 Bayer became art director of Vogue Magazine’s Berlin office. In 1938 he moved to New York to become consultant art director for J. Walter Thompson and art director of Dorland International. He then formed what would be a long, fruitful association with the Container Corporation of America, which produced some of the most innovative and widely applauded print advertising of the 20th Century.

Bayer again relocated in 1948 to Aspen, Colorado where he co-designed the Aspen Institute and restored the Wheeler Opera House. His work developing promotional posters for Aspen’s new skiing attractions led to that site becoming one of the top skiing destinations in the World. Bayer donated over 8,000 of his works to the Denver Art Museum.

I have two works by Bayer in my collection – both acquired at a yard sale a few blocks from my home. It seems a young lady, whose parents were art collectors, was moving to Hawaii and selling out virtually the entire contents of her apartment in her front yard. I purchased these two signed pieces by Herbert Bayer, and several other wonderful works of art by other artists, as others at the sale scrambled to get the fishing poles. The young lady, much more focused on her upcoming move than on the artwork her parents had collected, let them go for next to nothing.


Two Owls – Serigraph – Herbert Bayer (signed) – #30/65 – 1948

I originally took these to our shop to put on sale but ultimately couldn’t stand to part with them. So, these works by this 20th Century modernist master now have places of honor in our home.

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Charles & Ray Eames Stamps


Charles & Ray Eames Stamp Set – United States Postal Service –
Designed by Derry Noyes – 2008

Later this year the United States Postal Service will be releasing a commemorative set of stamps honoring the accomplishments of designers Charles & Ray Eames.

According to the USPS press release:

“In recognition of their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design, manufacturing and photographic arts, designers Charles and Ray Eames will be honored next summer with a pane of 16 stamps designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC. If you’ve ever sat in a stackable molded chair, you’ve experienced their creativity. Perhaps best known for their furniture, the Eameses were husband and wife as well as design partners. Their extraordinary body of creative work — which reflected the nation’s youthful and inventive outlook after World War II — also included architecture, films and exhibits. Without abandoning tradition, Charles and Ray Eames used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design available to the American public.”

And I never thought I would collect stamps!

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Better Than the Pot of Gold – Rainbow Glass


Decanters – Rainbow Glass – circa early 1960’s

West Virginia was blessed in the mid-20th Century with some of the finest glass producers in the world. While Blenko Glass is still making spectacular wares they are one of the last of their kind.

Huntington, WV was home to one of the makers that has long since gone by the wayside – Rainbow Glass. Located in Huntington’s Westside, Rainbow Glass manufactured stunning pieces and was widely regarded for their crackle glass and controlled bubble techniques.


Crackle Glass Decanter – Rainbow Glass – circa early 1960’s


Decanter & Pitcher – Rainbow Glass – circa early 1960’s

As with many other glass makers from the Mountain State Rainbow Glass was the victim of high energy prices and cheap imports.

I am a huge fan of Rainbow Glass and have a good number of pieces in my private collection and at our gallery. They are part of West Virginia’s glass making legacy and for that I will always be grateful.

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Playful Mid-Century Pottery


Comedy and Tragedy Planter– Gonder Originals – 1951

Pottery has been collected since man first started shaping clay and heating it to harden. One of my many passions in mid-century design are the fabulous and playful pottery pieces which were produced in the United States during the post-WW II period.

These highly decorative pieces are whimsical and fun and often seem to tell a story all of their own. Mass produced by companies like Haeger and Gonder from the Midwest and California firms and designers like Lane, Savina and Claire Lerner these are fun to collect, beautiful to display and add a sense of childlike fun to any decor.

The modern lady and I have collected these pieces for years and thought we would share some of our favorites.


Horse Planter – Maker Unknown – circa 1950’s


Centerpiece Bowl with Birds – Claire Lerner – 1952


Stalking Panther Planter – Lane Pottery – circa 1950’s


Gondola Planter– Haeger Pottery – circa 1955


Bust of a Woman – Savina – 1959

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Find of the Week – Donald Deskey AMODEC Chest & Vanity


AMODEC Chest & Vanity– Thomasville Furniture – Designed by Donald Deskey – 1935

One of the pioneers of modern design in America, Donald Deskey brought the design sensibilities he saw at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris back to the United States and helped shape a look which came be known as Streamline Modern.

Deskey designed furniture for his company, AMODEC, in the 1930’s which was produced by Thomasville Furniture. The pieces shown here are painted mahogany and date from 1932. The AMODEC line was short-lived and only produced for a couple of years. Deskey went on to design furnishings for a number of companies. One of the most sought after designers of his time, Deskey was commissioned by John D. Rockefeller to to design his Manhattan apartment.


AMODEC Chest & Vanity– Thomasville Furniture – Designed by Donald Deskey – 1932

However, Deskey’s most dramatic design accomplishment came in 1932 when he won the competition to design the interior of New York’s Radio City Music Hall. In what was a daring move, Deskey utilized an Art Deco style rather than the traditional Rococo style used for such venues at the time.


AMODEC Metal Tag– Thomasville Furniture – Designed by Donald Deskey – 1932

It was exciting to find a set from this historic designer here in the hills of West Virginia. The set is currently being offered in our gallery and on Ebay. We just want to find a good home where these 20th Century Treasures will be appreciated and loved.

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Russel Wright Sterling China Water Pitchers


Restyled Water Pitcher Pair – Ivy Vine Pattern – Sterling China – Designed by Russel Wright

I am not complaining but it seems as though we just can’t stop running into dinnerware pieces by Russel Wright. Our find this weekend was the gorgeous pair of restyled water pitchers made by Sterling China. Finding one of these beauties is exciting but locating a matching pair was a real treat!

Produced largely for restaurant, hotel and institutional use, Wright’s designs for Sterling were produced beginning in 1949 and continued through the 1950’s. The decal design was not Russel Wright’s and use of this and other applied designs led to disputes between the designer and the manufacturer.

The Ivy Vine design is also referred to as Palm Leaf in some reference books such as Ann Kerr’s Collector’s Encyclopedia of Russel Wright. I must say that I am not a great fan of Ms. Kerr’s books as they have a fair number of factual errors and questionable design attributions. As for this pattern, we just feel that Ivy Vine is the more accurate description. However, our searching has produced no definitive documentation either way.

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Big Style in Little Things


Alarm Clock – Sheffield Co. – 4 inches – circa 1967

When designing any room it easy to get caught up in the big decisions – the wall color, the furnishings, the window treatments, the flooring – but it is often the small items to really set everything off. I was thinking of this tonight as I sit in hotel room which is adequately furnished and has a (relatively) pleasing color palette but is totally devoid of any of the little things that give a space a personality of its own.

I love small things and tend to gather them. The little collection of items which have gathered on my desk at home shows these tiny treasures are an important part of my personal style.


CBS Logo Glass Dish – Maker Unknown – 3-3/4 inches by 3-3/4 inches – circa 1960’s


Venus de Milo Salt & Pepper Shakers – Made in Japan – 3-1/2 inches – circa 1965

The pieces shown in this post are some of my other finds which lend themselves to playing a big role in setting the style of a room. Some are quirky, most are useful as well as being stylish and all are great examples of the ingenuity of modern design.


Butter Warmer– Descoware of Belgium – 5-1/2 inches by 3 inches – circa 1969


Vase– ATC of Japan – 6 inches by 2-3/4 inches – circa 1965
Enamel on Copper Plate– Ernest Sohn Creations – 6 inches – circa 1962


Glass Geode Bowl – Murano Italy – 3-3/4 inches by 1-1/2 inches – circa 1965

You should be cautious as too much of any good thing is quickly over done. But a few well-placed small pieces are what dots the “i’s” and crosses the “t’s” in any fabulous interior design. The hotel room I am staying in could sure use one or two.

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