Sheer Trash Roadshow: Friday's (Solitary) Find

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The garage sales signs are beginning to appear here and there so I think it's really and truly spring, despite the weather forecast. Today we stopped at two sales, and I only came home with one gem, but it's a fascinating oddball:

Let me give you a better look.

 

Isn't this a most unique find? The folks who sold him to me said the original toy was a mechanical bartender, but the head was lost, so someone replaced it with the elephant head. His primitive state and rough condition will, I hope, prove appealing to someone on Etsy. Right now the toy's not working, but my husband will go over it and see what can be done to restore it somewhat. If that works, fine; if it doesn't, I still think this is a great conversation piece. I paid $5 for it, and was surprised to get it for that price. It's destined for the Peppy shop, of course!

Speaking of Peppy's shop, I have another item that I'm thinking of listing. It's a deck of cards from probably the 1950s-1960s, still in its original cellophane wrapping. I had two of these decks to begin with, and sold one for $19. I thought maybe I'd keep this one, but I don't really need it. I just like the cocker spaniel! 

This particular spaniel is a famous one with playing card collectors: His name is Butch, and he was painted in many amusing poses by artist Albert Staehle, appearing numerous times on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post beginning in the 1940s.

 

 http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/butch-steiffs-saturday-evening-post-magazine-mascot-real-supermodel

Playing cards carrying Butch's image were popular as advertising gifts, and many of them you find will be imprinted with the name of a particular merchant or business. I have some in used condition; I cut them up to make tags and bookmarks.

Last night I had fun looking up some of the many styles of Butch playing cards on eBay. They would be delightful to collect--but don't get me started, please! I'm learning--slowly--that I don't positively have to have everything that I admire. But you've got to admit, these illustrations are sweet!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collection-18-Different-Butch-Cocker-Spaniel-Albert-Staehle-Art-Playing-Cards-A-/380805468085

Here are some examples of collections for sale on eBay presently. Some of the designs are duplicates, but there are lots more designs not even represented here.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Butch-Cocker-Spaniel-Collection-18-Different-Albert-Staehle-Art-Playing-Cards-A-/380730634657

I gather that famed stuffed animal maker Steiff even produced Butch toys for a short time. If you find one of those, you'd better grab it!

This seated Butch toy sold for over $3000 at auction!

 http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-steiff-seated-butch-the-cover-dog-5360130-details.aspx

This handsome standing Butch is available for $499. What a love!

 http://www.rubylane.com/item/678522-RL-1050/Steiff-Cocker-Spaniel-BUTCH-COVER

  

And I just found out that Steiff is issuing a new Butch this month. He's priced at $195, and they're taking reservations for it. Frankly, I think this one looks bizarre, like Butch on meth. They could have found eyes that were less grotesque and staring, surely!

http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/n-ww20x/ag5o99/products/2881/images/4610/682759_l__07581.1389372962.1280.1280.jpg?c=1 

You can read more about artist Albert Staehle at the following link. It's a fascinating article, especially for vintage illustration art buffs:

 http://www.americanartarchives.com/staehle.htm

Friday's Finds...Well, Thursday's, Anyway

Yesterday Claudia and I managed a day of shopping, our first in several weeks without husbands either in tow or hanging about somewhere, waiting in the wings. Very rejuvenating!

The garage sales are, of course, pretty much history until spring, but we stopped at a few charity thrift shops and I scooped up some really pleasing (and cheap!) vintage goodies. 

First, here's a really unusual plastic sleigh Christmas decoration.

It was made in Hong Kong, so I imagine it dates to the 1960s or, more probably, the 1950s in this case. It's a sturdy, thick plastic, too, not that thin brittle stuff one usually sees. What makes it even more unusual is this:

 

Have you ever seen a plastic sleigh that was collapsible? Me, neither! The whole thing is held together with elastic cord threaded inside the pieces, and when you want to store it away, you just fold it, and that's that. It's really clever. 

In the same shop, I noticed some small boxes high on a shelf in the back. They appeared to be Christmas ornament boxes. I slithered in among the piled up flotsam and jetsam, and managed to coax them down from their dusty perch. I really didn't expect much--just the usual, somewhat tarnished old glass Christmas baubles. Was I ever surprised when I saw what they actually were:

They're velvety apples and pears! I have got to do some research on these. I don't remember ever seeing this type before. They're so cool!

There's one thrift shop we like to peruse now and then, and it's a particular favorite of mine because I nearly always find some good fabric remnants and out-of-production yarn. This time was no exception. Not only did I find 7 skeins of vintage rug yarn, but I scored white lace fabric, a big pink satin remnant, some gorgeous sheer floral chiffon, AND...

four good sized pieces of a terrific juvenile novelty print fabric. I think they must have been salvaged from a bed sheet. These are BIG figures; each is several inches across. These kinds of prints are highly sought after, especially by my Japanese buyers, I've noticed. If I don't decide to use them myself, I know I'll have no trouble selling them.

Across the street, one of the "old faithful" thrift shops was having a sale on linens. I got some wonderful curtains, and these terrific "kawaii" vintage valances:

They're only about 15 inches long, but very wide, so I hope I can reclaim a good bit of fabric from them. And again, what I don't use myself will, I'm sure, get snapped up very fast when/if I put it up for sale. Vintage juvenile print fabrics are always popular.

The last item I want to show you is one of the most remarkable, in my opinion. No, it's not kitschy or flashy or even brightly colored. It's an Irish linen handkerchief that I found sort of wadded up in the bottom of a little bin of bandanas marked "25 cents". It was grimy and had a few stains, but I saw it had a cocker spaniel printed in one corner, so I thought it might "do" for Peppy's shop.

This morning I started to pretreat the stains in preparation for a good soak in the sink. I had just gotten it soaped and wet when I got a shock. Black ink started dripping and running from the picture! I couldn't believe it; I never expected the printed figure to run. I quickly rinsed it in a gentle stream of cold, running water and patted it dry to stop the color from leeching out. It was then that I made my discovery:  this is no screenprinted handkerchief. This is an original pen and ink portrait on this little square of linen!

I am dumbfounded! And who is the mysterious "MC" (?) artist? I hope someone who sees this can identify it. Could it be a souvenir someone bought in Ireland? I'm glad I found and rescued it, but chagrined that I nearly ruined it in trying to clean it. I did manage to wash the rest of the handkerchief carefully with a soft damp brush, keeping the artwork dry, but it was a close call. 

Well, that's it for this post. I'd love to hear your comments, if this silly blogsite will allow you to make any. I'm not sure why some readers are able to comment and others seem to be blocked from doing so, but it certainly is annoying. 

Meanwhile, I hear some chocolate calling my name, so goodbye for now, and thanks for reading!