Fresh pick Wednesday

Just grabbed this metal topped workbench and Art Deco floor lamp. Pretty sure the shade isn't original & I'll replace it at some point. Apologize for the poor photos but had to get em in my van before the seller realized I scored such a great deal. ;) it's a good day, people!

SOLD- turn-of-the-century Japanese/English textbooks- $34/pair

i came across these two softcover books in south king county a while back, and feel like i accidentally stumbled upon a hidden trove of magnificent and historical artwork. these aren't anything like your mom's old textbooks (though i guess i don't know your mom), and they're certainly unlike the grungy, dull volumes from our day. the book with the tan sleeve (underneath the protective sleeve is a brilliant blue cover, imprinted with golden ink) is a business correspondence text that dates to 1917. the pages are filled with examples of all manner of traditional business writings- letters, memos, sales reports, shipping receipts, accounting ledgers, and on and on. all translated from japanese to english. there's even a few grainy black and white photos showing students at the American School of Correspondence in Tokyo. the blue grammar book, circa 1906, is chock full of adjectives, nouns, verbs, pronouns and adverbs. pretty much what you'd expect from a grammar book. what's unexpected, however, is the beauty in which it's all presented. you don't need to be able to read Japanese to understand how lovely these books are... it would be almost criminal to tear apart the antique yellowing pages, but these sure would make gorgeous wallpaper.

SOLD- old-skool enamel powdered soap dispenser- $31

if you're (older) like me, seeing this type of soap dispenser takes you right back to your old elementary school. to that grand, pre-war brick building with endless hallways of gleaming tiled floors, to a library full of wooden shelves stacked with books that smelled their age (in a good way), and to the pristine bathrooms where shiny white sinks lined the walls. and, hung on the wall just above those low-mounted sinks, you'd see brilliantly enameled powdered soap dispensers filled with Borax pink powdered soap. this particular industrial marvel is manufactured by Turco, and proudly hung on such a bathroom wall for years and years, serving kids and teachers alike in their quest for clean hands. it was no small job, yet this survivor stood the test of time, and now comes to you today ready to clean your most car-engine-greasy, garden-muddy hands. hang it in your shop, your garage, your laundry room, or even your master bathroom if you're cool enough. there are 3 holes on the back that allow it to easily mount to any surface, and the lid pops up for simple filling. the dispenser mechanism works flawlessly, and the only thing that gives away its age are the occasional surface rust/wear spots on the chrome. go on and give yourself the gift of nostalgia- your hands will forever thank you.

ps. you can still purchase Borax powdered soap for $8 on amazon, at grainger industrial supply, or possibly even your neighborhood hardware store. easy breezy.

SOLD- antique painted iron firewood holder- $28

if you have a fireplace with a hearth, then you should probably consider adding this to your fireside situation. it's purely simple in its form and function, but with lots of rough-hewn good looks thrown in for fun. does your firewood caddy have this much going for it? not likely. (but if it does, nicely done.) of course, you can also use this to hold towels, blankets, magazines, shoes by the front door... whatevs.

SOLD- vintage milk crate from Montana- $30

the community creamery in Missoula, Montana was a processing facility for regional dairy farmers back in the day. some of the best cheese and milk you've ever tasted was produced there (or so i'm told. but, i'm still betting dairy from Wisconsin would win a blind taste test... just sayin'.) anyway, none of that matters now. what does matter is that this gorgeous relic survived the dark and sad years it spent holed up in a garage in far north seattle, waiting to be set free and put back to work. the wood is all in great shape, and the metal edges add a perfect industrial-farming-rough hewn situation. the stray paint splatters on the crate further its patina and sense of history. a pretty great piece of americana.