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High-Style, Low-Brow Art 2 – Paint By Number


Ballerinas – Paint by Number – 35″ x 26.5″ – Ruth Loudermilk – circa 1960’s

In a post a while back I discussed what I called “High-Style, Low-Brow Art” and today we revisit that subject with some fabulous examples of the classic paint-by-number painting method.

These kits took hold in the 1950’s and allowed the common man, with a minimum of composition or drafting knowledge or skill, to produce “original” works of art for their home. All that was required was the ability to paint within the lines. The kits came complete with the drafted “art” on board with each section of color numbered and referenced to the small containers of paint which were included.


Parrot I – Paint by Number – 16″ x 12″ – Ruth Loudermilk – circa 1960’s


Parrot II – Paint by Number – 16″ x 12″ – Ruth Loudermilk – circa 1960’s

At the time of our first post on this topic I discussed gravel art and mass produced prints from the mid-20th Century as we did not have any quality paint-by-number in our collection. The skill exhibited in paint-by-number works varies widely and I have seen paintings range in caliber from the grotesque to the primitive to ones like are shown here – the exceptional.

I picked these up at a local estate sale this past weekend. Wonderfully executed by Ruth Loudermilk in the 1960’s these pieces represent some of the best of genre. I was impressed by the precision of this work and the underlying artistic ability Mrs. Loudermilk exhibited with her brush strokes. She was quite talented and had displayed these prominently in her home. She obviously was proud of her efforts and rightfully so.


Herons – Paint by Number – 24″ x 18″ – Ruth Loudermilk – circa 1960’s


Cockatoos – Paint by Number – 24″ x 18″ – Ruth Loudermilk – circa 1960’s

I always enjoy finding quirky and kitschy items like these and the quality of this work made this find a particular joy. Thank you Mrs. Loudermilk, wherever you are.

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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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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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Reflecting on Collecting


Spontaneous Collection of Items – The Modern Guy’s Desk

When I was five the older couple who lived next door, Mr. & Mrs. Barnes, gave me a rock collection. Mr. Barnes had carefully wrapped each specimen in a bit of paper towel and placed a small card inside which described the stone and the location of its origin.  Those small bits of rock and stone may as well have been nuggets of silver and gold to me and I spent many hours carefully unwrapping each one, examining it, and just as carefully storing it back away in its box.

I believe that was my first true “collection” although I never recall a time that I wasn’t assembling items of some sort into a grouping. Often those items have been very specific and similar and, at other times, have been a seemingly random selection of unconnected things that come together as a “collection” only in my mind.

I was thinking of this while cleaning my desk the other day. The items shown above have resided together there for several years now. While totally unconnected in any way this grouping has become a spontaneous collection – one gathered and assembled with no forethought or planning but which are now, at least as far as I am concerned, a single unit.

This grouping includes, a PEZ dispenser, a beat up cream pitcher from The Ruffner Hotel, a wooden Number 8 typeblock, a pewter donkey, a New York Flatiron Building souvenir, a bottle opener from the Fesenmeier Brewery, a U.S. Army pin, and stack of eight Kennedy half-dollars. Each of these items I acquired individually with no thought of where they would go and certainly without having a “need” for them. They just each appealed to me in some manner and over time have simply combined to become a small collection of otherwise meaningless items that stay on my desk. They are now one – a collection.

The modern lady and I are collectors of some very specific items as well – Blenko Glass, Heywood-Wakefield furniture, artwork and dinnerware. The best example of borderline obsessive compulsive disorder in our family is our acquisition of dinnerware as we have accumulated upwards of dozen complete or nearly complete sets.

While our basic tastes always lean towards vintage modern there are several collections in our home which do not fall into that category at all. The modern lady’s mammy doll collection and Virgin Mary figurine collection are two of those and, while additions to these collections are not what we are generally seeking on an ongoing basis, they both seem to keep growing.


Vintage Mammy Dolls – The Modern Lady’s Collection – circa early 20th Century


Vintage Virgin Mary Figurines and Icons – The Modern Lady’s Collection

Collecting has been going on since people first began hunting and gathering. The Association of Collecting Clubs lists 2866 collecting groups and from my experience that list just skims the surface. In our shop we cater to collectors and are constantly reminded of the importance of collections in everyday life. Collections are an expression of individuality and, regardless of the monetary value, add significantly to a persons sense of well-being.

Just like the assemblage on my desk which I wouldn’t part with for any amount of money.

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 28 – Vintage Telephones


Dawn Burnt Orange Telephone– Northern Telecom – circa 1970’s

Telephones once sat in one place, were wired there so you didn’t misplace it, and actually dialed with a rotary dial. While most telephones were primarily untilitarian in nature, design trends influenced the look. There was the standard Western Electric Model 500 units, which was in many households, great sculptural phones were available in mid-20th Century America to accent the modern decor of the time.


Ivory Ericofon– L.M. Ericsson Company – Sweden – 1959

The quintessential mid-century telephone was the Ericofon made by the L.M. Ericson Company in Sweden. This iconic phone was unique in style and in the way it functioned with the rotary dial and “hanger” on the bottom. I remember first seeing this phone in early James Bond films.


Ericofon Bottom Dialer– L.M. Ericsson Company – Sweden – 1959

Telephones are often the forgotten area of good interior design for the home. For someone striving for a true vintage mid-century modern look a vintage phone is a necessity.

Vintage phones make unique and greatly appreciated Holiday gifts which will be put to use daily. Available at vintage shops, antique malls and through online sources like Ebay you can generally pick up a great phone in working order for between $75 – $150.

Make certain the phone works and has no damage or cracks to the body. Often found with the old 4-prong plugs a simply adapter will easily convert a phone for modular jack use. 

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 26 – Red Wing Pottery


Magnolia Vase – Red Wing Pottery – circa 1940’s

Red Wing Pottery began in Minnesota in the 1860’s with potters from Germany who had settled the area. For nearly a hundred years the company primarily produced crocks, jugs and bowls aimed at the agrarian society. The company primarily sold in the Midwest, Northwest and in Canada.

After World War II, Red Wing Pottery adapted to the changing American social landscape shifting their product line from one focused on the farm to one aimed at the modern home. Dinnerware, vases and pottery decorative items were what Americans wanted and Red Wing was ready to supply this need.


Vase B1431– Red Wing Pottery – Designed by Belle Kogan – circa 1950’s


Free Form Bowl 1304 – Red Wing Pottery – circa 1950’s

Red Wing employed some wonderful designers including Belle Kogan and produced the Town & Country dinnerware line designed by Eva Zeisel. Town & Country is one of the most sought-after 20th Century dinnerware lines with an avid collector following.



Town & Country Dinnerware Brochure Pages – Red Wing Pottery – circa 1950’s

Red Wing Pottery was yet another company to close as the result of low-cost imports and ceased production in 1967. Descendants of the Gillmer family, who owned Red Wing, re-opened the company in 1996.

Red Wing Pottery pieces offer variety in color and design and are sure to please the mid-century collector this Holiday Season. Prices vary dramatically with many vases and pottery items running $75 and under. The Town & Country dinnerware line is hard-to-find, usually priced at a premium, but worth every penny whenever you can put your hands on it.

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Retro / Pop Art of Kerry Beary at The Purple Moon


Flora – Acrylic on Canvas – Kerry Beary – 2005

Strong women, sleek cats and mid-century modern home furnishings are all present in the art of New York native, now Louisiana-based, artist Kerry Beary. With its retro feel, Beary’s art is best described as being “mid-century lounge-scapes.”


Artist Kerry Beary

Beary, 36, lived and worked in New York until after 9/11 when she and her husband moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There they purchased a 1950’s ranch home where she could build a studio and focus on her art. Since that time her work has gained national attention with her art pieces being in great demand throughout the country.


Nelson Schmelson – Acrylic on Canvas – Kerry Beary – 2005

Kerry Beary developed a love of retro art in childhood as the daughter of a professional hair and make-up artist. Her portfolio reflects a unique talent for painting in the colors, imagery, and styles of the mid-20th Century period.


Cocktail Social – Limited Edition Print – Kerry Beary


Pussy Pad – Limited Edition Print – Kerry Beary

The presentation of Kerry Beary’s work at The Purple Moon is the artist’s first showing in West Virginia. With original paintings and limited edition prints the show opens on Friday, December 14th, with a Holiday reception from 5 – 8 pm.

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 19 – Maddux of California Flamingo Figurines


Pair of #309 Flamingo Figurines– Maddux of California – circa 1960

Maddux of California began production of pottery, especially figurines and planters, in the 1930’s. The firm began in Laguna Beach but moved to Los Angeles in the early 1940’s. 

Maddux’s wares were primarily sold at 5&10 cent stores and offered as S&H Green Stamp premiums. The company’s bird figurines were among the most collected of the Maddux’s pieces with the flamingo figurines being by far the hottest collectible – then and now.


Catalog Page Showing Flamingo Figurines– Maddux of California – 1960

With their delicate necks and subtle coloring and highlights these graceful figurines are a great accessory for any mid-century inspired decor and make a wonderful and unique gift for the Holidays. Watch out for repairs – these fragile pieces are often found with repairs which greatly diminishes the value. Maddux flamingo figurines in top condition will run you about $75 – $100 with planters featuring this spectacular bird going for about $150.

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Holiday Gift Guide – Day 18 – Modern Collector Books

For collectors of mid-century modern design reference books are almost like the old Sears Wish Book catalog. These books compile all of the wonderful pieces, their histories and provide current price guides which helps the good modern hunter in their quest for the next great find.

 Some of the best on our shelf are:


50’s Furniture– Schiffer Books – Leslie Pina

Leslie Pina’s book, 50’s Furniture, is a must have for anyone looking for the true mid-century modern look. Eames, Nelson, McCobb, all of the great designers and their fabulous creations are here.


Fifties Furniture by Paul McCobb: Directional Designs– Schiffer Books – Paul McCobb, Jennifer A. Lindbeck, Michael Ellison, Leslie Pina

Paul McCobb was one of the preeminent designers of modern home furnishings. This books details the work and contemporary furniture by one of the 1950’s most sought designers.


Heywood Wakefield– Schiffer Books – Harris Gertz

The Bible of Hey-Wake.


Knoll Home & Office Furniture– Schiffer Books – Nancy Schiffer

The name Knoll is synonymous worldwide with the best in modern furniture design. Visually exciting, comprehensive in content, this book documents the modern furniture sold and produced by Knoll from 1938 to 2005.


Modern Furniture Designs– Schiffer Books – Klaus-Jurgen Sembach

A comprehensive and abundantly illustrated collection of the most outstanding modern furniture around the world. Now with a guide to current values, this is an indispensable book for collectors, architects, designers, and furniture historians.

Books always make great gifts and these modern design books are available direct from Schiffer Books or at your favorite local bookstore.

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