SOLD- vintage Heller dishware- 5 plates/4 mugs- $55 set

Heller melamine dishware reigns as the king of iconic dishware from the 1970's, no doubt about it. my first memories of these rainbow colored dishes are from about 1975, when they'd make appearances at backyard bbq's hosted by families in our Fargo neighborhood. so, if Heller found its way to North Dakota, you know it had some seriously far-reaching curb appeal. designed by massimo vignelli and originally produced in italy, Heller moved production to the U.S. of A in 1971 where it instantly became a must-have for anyone with an eye for style. regardless if you collect vintage heller wares or newly produced pieces (you can purchase new, white heller dishware at dwr.com or unicahome.com), each piece will stack together seamlessly- Heller still uses the original molds in its production. this set contains 5 dinner plates (in yellow, orange, blue, purple, and pink), and 4 mugs (green, blue, yellow, and pink). they show some very minor utensil scuffs, but no chips or cracks. if you own a vintage airstream, spartan, va-ka-shun, or shipp-ette, then these are a must-have for your camping adventures. but if you don't, heller dishware is perfect for your kitchen (or backyard) at home. no need to go camping to eat in style.

SOLD- vintage metal boxes- pair $20

so, if you know me at all, you know that i have an affinity for metal boxes of all types, styles and sorts. it's hard for me to hit an estate sale or auction and not come away with at least one (or two) in my hand. at least these metal boxes were small and didn't take up much room in the volvo, as i had a really prolific day of junking and needed every inch of that wagon. but, that's beside the point. anyway, here are a pair of vintage painted metal boxes with sturdy latches and hand-painted labels to boot- they'll be perfect to contain whatever you need contained. (8"x4"x2.5") please, help me downsize my collection. i have a bunch of other metal boxes, too, if you're in the market. make me an offer....

SOLD- circa 1970's ceramic owl nightlight- $23

sometimes i like being stubborn just because it's fun. (not a good trait, i know.) other times i actually have a valid reason for digging in and holding my ground. in the case of my previous refusal to part with this darling ceramic owl nightlight, my reasoning was the former. well, i'm over my stubborness as of this weekend, and have decided to give my favorite owl friend a brand new life in a brand new home. (ok, so my motives aren't 100% altruistic- i found another vintage nightlight that i like even more!!) so, all of you people (and you know who you are) who have tried to steal this owl from our bathroom, here's your chance to acquire him by legitimate means. he stands nearly 5" high, and has a cord with a power switch that needs no rewiring. he's ready to light up your life. or, at least your bathroom.

SOLD- classic framed paint-by-number painting- $33

vintage paint-by-number paintings have become really collectible lately, and here's your chance to get in the game. these gorgeous horses are roaming on a wood-framed canvas that's 26.5"x20.5", and are painted with a precision reserved only for the seasoned paint-by-number artist. if you stare at this thing long enough, you can almost convince yourself you're about to throw a saddle on that chocolate brown horse and ride off into the countryside. you might come back home in time for dinner, or you might not. hard to say.

SOLD vintage wool stadium blanket- $27

gorgeous and classic. this red, black and creamy white wool blanket will keep you warm and cozy and cloaked in sweet vintage style. it's a blanket fit for a ball game on a crisp, sunny fall afternoon, or a night at home in front of the fire. or, give it to the favorite animal in your life for them to enjoy everyday. it's a keeper, no doubt. (for you, not me. i have too many.) 60"x60". no holes or bad smells, just a couple small black spots that are visible in the photo.

SOLD- old lithographed automotive parts sign with hooks- $37

for the gearhead in your life. this great vintage automotive advertising sign is also fitted with a hinged rack of hooks- who isn't in the market for some straight-up, good-looking function, people? dimensions are 17"x12" and the ledge of hooks extends 3".

SOLD vintage german enamelware cake tin & pitcher- $48

these 2 gorgeous enamelware pieces come directly from germany, via rural michigan. (circa 1930's- 40's) they are stamped on the bottom with the definitive "ges. gesch" mark, indicating they have a registered german patent- #4032B, to be exact. the round cake tin is spectacular- fitted with a yellow bakelite handle for stylish function, and handy ventilation holes cut into the back of the lid so your cakes, muffins etc. don't become soggy. the hinge is a bit rusty and there are some chips to the enamel surface, but this (in my humble opinion) only adds to the distinct, vintage character. the vase is perfectly matched, and has the same sort of patina. the removable lid fits snuggly in place preventing loss of its contents. both are ready to be repurposed and given new life as storage containers for whatever needs storing. (kitchen compost, important mail, pocket change, golf balls, etc.) or, just put them on a shelf to be admired.

Seattle Junk Love featured in City Arts Magazine, March 2011

huge props to City Arts Magazine, and writer Rachel Gallaher and photographer Alex Hayden , for including me (and therefore Seattle Junk Love) in the March issue of the magazine. had a fun morning doing the photo shoot and interview with those two, and am thrilled with the results. the article is entitled Artful Lodging, and profiles 3 local people whose living spaces reflect their professions/passions. lucky me that i got to be a part of it! you can find the magazine at local spots all over town, and the east side, and you can also check it out here at the link below. the magazine is filled with great articles about music, fashion, food, and all manner of fun local happenings. thanks again to Rachel and City Arts Magazine for the hook-up.

www.cityartsmagazine.com/issues/seattle/2011/03/artful-lodging

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.

CRATE SOLD- old seattle apothecary bottles & crate- $40 & $45

if you've ever had a hankering to own a little piece of seattle history, then grab these gorgeous 1 gallon amber apothecary bottles from the Joseph Hart Apothecary. Mr. Hart's (long ago shuttered) drug shop was located on union street at 4th avenue inside that gorgeous old limestone building. these 3 bottles, with original labels still attached, would be great for filling with moonshine or pennies, or just sitting there empty and looking pretty on a shelf. as for the Merck & Co. Inc. wooden crate, well shoot, this is an honest-to-goodness vintage chemistry relic. Merck is the oldest pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing company and in the world, tracing its roots to germany in the late 1600's. in 1891, they set up shop here in the USA (new jersey), and now bring to you such delights as vytorin and clarinex. this ol' crate (used to cart around nitric acid. yikes.) likely dates from the 40's before cardboard hit the scene and took over the box industry. anyway, history lessons aside, this thing is just plain pretty yet sturdy and strong. bottles $40 each, crate $45. or, the whole shootin match for $150.

SOLD cast iron number eights- pair $11

this is about as straightforward as it gets. for sale is a pair of cast iron 8's that i dug out of a long-ago retired boeing engineer's workshop this morning. it was the type of sale that you dream about during those (long, dark winter) months when there's nothing interesting out there... anyway, who doesn't need a pair of eights? they're not crazy. (coffee mug is for scale only. not for sale.)

SOLD- vintage schoolhouse room number thingys- $58/each

as great as these are, i just don't know exactly what to call them. what i do know, however, is this. these 3 unique relics were salvaged from the old John Hay Elementary school on Queen Anne which opened its doors to the children on the hill in 1905. these gorgeous glass-faced, numbered frame things hung in the hallway outside each classroom door, and listed the class roll and the teacher in charge. all of the wood and glass is in fantastic shape, as are the real sweet numbers painted onto each one. i sort of envision them repurposed as menu/sign displays (if you own a cool restaurant or cafe), art frames, or.... perhaps they should remain as schoolhouse room number thingys.

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 CHAIR- old wooden farmhouse chair and side table- $20 and $45

CHAIR SOLD. it's a farmhouse theme today, from dry goods scales to farmhouse furniture. not sure why, but it just feels right. (these 2 items can be sold together or separately.) first, we have the darling old chair- it's rustic, well-worn and well-loved, yet effortlessly shows off its charming good-looks and continued durability. the buttercreamy yellow color is sweet as heck, for sure. maybe it belongs in your mudroom? corner of the bedroom? next to your workbench? second on the list is the sweet little table. it measures 25Lx16Wx17H. i don't know what all to say about it, other than it's solid wood, really well-made, sports a gorgeous, old yellowish tone, and has a great, unique style about it. the way the legs flair out at the bottom, and the radius corners on the top surface.... it's a real looker.

SOLD- old mercantile/grocery Chatillon scale- $65

if you're into collecting vintage grocery stuff, then this early 20th century Chatillon 20 lb. hanging scale is for you. or, perhaps you're opening a mercantile, cafe or dry goods shop and need this for your merchandising? or, maybe you just want to decorate your old farmhouse kitchen with this rustic diamond in the rough. or, maybe you have no interest in it at all, and want to just move on to the next item for sale... at any rate, this old beauty came from Dallas, Texas, via united airlines, and weighs whatever you can put into the galvanized basket, up to 20 lbs. It's rusted to perfection and the glass and all the moving parts are in great condition.