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Let There Be Lamps!


Floor Lamp with Fiberglass Shades – Majestic Lamp Co. – circa 1955

I have to admit I can go more than little crazy about vintage mid-century lamps! In fact, during the recent move of our shop we found hundreds of them – the darn things were just stuck everywhere – many of which we forgot we even had. You see though, I just can’t pass up a cool lamp, so they accumulate. Sure, we sell many of them but I seem to acquire them just as fast.

From the strange to the elegant, the 1950’s and 60’s were the true heyday of fabulous lamps. Companies like Majestic and Aladdin produced lamps in the 1950’s which redefined the purpose of lighting as design and decorating elements. Even our own Blenko Glass got into the act by the mid-50’s and made some of the most gorgeous lamps which have survived the test of time and are just as elegant today as they were then.

So, I thought I’d share a few of my current favorites – Let There Be Lamps!


Controlled Bubble Lamp in Charcoal with Finial – Blenko Glass Co. – 1960-61


Turquoise Lamp Pair – Blenko Glass Co. – circa 1956


Organic Pottery Lamp with Fiberglass Shade – Aladdin Lamp Co. – circa 1950’s


Pottery Lamp with Original Woven Fiber Shade – Rosenthal-Netter (Italy) – circa early 1960’s

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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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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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Items from My Collection – The Glass Menagerie


Glass Horses– Kanawha Glass Company – circa 1960’s

Most of them are little animals made out of glass, the tiniest little animals in the world. Mother calls them a glass menagerie!

                                                                                Laura Wingfield
                                                                                A Glass Menagerie
                                                                                by Tennessee Williams

The little glass animals from my menagerie all happen to hail from West Virginia. These fun pieces were produced by a number of companies during the 1950’s and 60’s. The horse figures above were made by Kanawha Glass – just a few miles down the river from where I am right now.


Glass Fish, Penguin and Rabbit– Kanawha Glass Company & Rainbow Glass – circa 1960’s

Another maker of these animals was Rainbow Glass of Huntington,WV who produced the penguin and rabbit shown here. The local legend about these small figural pieces is that they had there beginnings from glass blowers simply playing around with bits of molten glass. A pull here, a twist there and pretty soon an animal shape took place.

These then became favorites in the factory shops of the time and still maintain a nice following by collectors.

I just can’t seem to pass these up when I come upon them  – particularly if they are free from any breaks. I have these and others scattered about the house and the shop. Like Laura, I find there’s a quiet comfort in having these “tiniest little animals in the world” around.

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Homer Laughlin’s Great Wall of China


The Great Wall of China – Homer Laughlin China Company: West Virginia’s Gift to the World
West Virginia Cultural Center


While it is a bit of a challenge getting around the Capitol Complex this time of year while the circus is in town it’s worth the effort if you can stop by the Cultural Center and see The Great Wall of China. This fitting celebration of the Homer Laughlin China Comapany’s long tradition of producing fine dinnerware is something every West Virginian can take pride in – and since the Cultural Center hasn’t been instilling much pride in recent weeks this display is quite refreshing.

On display on the first floor of the Cultual Center this exhibit does not displace any archive or library space. But get there quick to see this before The Commish and Madame Secretary start using these plates in a new Cafe.

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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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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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