Well,the Wassily chair I saw at the thrift saw was indeed the real thing,complete with Knoll sticker,etc.AND-they had one other in the back with a failed seat strap.Frame-excellent all around on both-not a bit of rust,etc.I paid $100.for the pair! I can get a seat for $295.,or I may attempt re-sewing,as the stitching was the only part that failed.(If I get a big upholstery needle and the correct thread,I may take my time and give it a go.)Anyhow,this makes me wonder if anybody else has come across any thrift store gems lately.I have found lots of cool art,etc.but never a major piece like the Wassily chair.
Austin Enterprises chess set (Alcoa)
I got one of these at an auction for $11 on a hunch that it was good---didn't really see it, just trusted the auctioneer's "modern chess set" announcement. It was way cooler than I could have imagined! And I sold it on ebay for something like $600 after I'd admired it for awhile. (I don't play chess. Husband does but he only plays with a Staunton set.)
Then one day I was on my way out of the local Goodwill, having found nothing at all. Dealers regularly swarm that particular store and it's hard to get anything good. But just as I was passing by the checkout, I glanced up at the "good stuff" on display behind the cash registers and there was another of these chess sets. My heart nearly stopped. It was marked $25. I had to wait in line to be waited on and I kept looking around for dealers (i know a lot of them) who might get the jump on me. Only normal people were there. I got the chess set and turned it around on ebay for $500 or so.
Most of the time if there is anything good there, it is being carried out of the store just as I arrive. Once I got a single Dansk Flamestone salt shaker and the checkout lady told me that they'd had an entire set of the stuff the day before and someone had bought it off the stock cart. Wah.
http://theinvisibleagent.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/1962-austin-enterprise...
Wow-That Austin set is beyond cool!
Amazing you actually found 2 of them!!Don't you just hate it when somebody has a nice item in their mitts? Means they were there just minutes before you and it kills me every time!I must admit,thrifts are just too busy now due to the economy and the competition is fierce.Timing is everything,though.I got my favorite Rya rug,a room size 8x11,because the cart was just unloading as I walked up the aisle about a year ago.I'm amazed I got the Wassily chairs too!
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