to use or not to use?  

use use use
i guess thats why i like my eames stuff so much, or the high quality pollock chairs. you can really use em' and they withstand anything. and if they do get a little tainted, it adds to their character.
plus I usually buy stuff used anyways so there is always a little wear and tear on my furniture..

All of this nice 1950's 1960's stuff
It's all made to be used and enjoyed. If it's museum quality, and you're afraid to actually use it, sell it to a museum!
All of my stuff gets used. I'm careful about taking care of it all, but you can bet your bottom dollar, I use it and enjoy using it.

what they said.
what they said.

Me Too..........
Me too..
absolutely

I have had a couple of...
I have had a couple of pieces that were so mint and rare that I had to let them go. I became afraid of them. Obviously, because they were worth money and I considered them to be more of a trophy than a design meant to be experienced in the physical. I sell these items to acquire other pieces that I am not afraid to use, that I love aesthetically and functionally.
But, I am more of a user than a collector. I just happen to want to use beautiful and practical things. If you are a collector, I can see your problem. With small means, and small living space, I turned on my collector tendencies. I decided to always own less, making certain to obtain only the things that are sentimental, useful, and beautiful.
If your item holds more monetary value than sentiment, and is more of a trophy than a useful item, then I would unload it. take your money and put it into something that enhances your living.

What were those two items you had to "let go"?
What were those two items you had to "let go"?

Hi, I'm a new french member...
Hi, I'm a new french member so sorry for my english...For me, furniture is made to be used, I love my collection and I love to see it when I go home...even if I have 2 dogs! Happily, plastic is easy to clean!

i have strong opinions ...
i have strong opinions on this subject. since i have such a strong vintage collection.
I love every piece and am not afraid to have any one sit on any thing since it is only furniture ,
I personally have had only one bad experience with any of the vintage furniture and that is with the Eames Lounge chair, I had just gotten it back from being recovered and refinished, as it was a early 70's rosewood that needed a little refinishing and the shock mounts needed to be replaced,
My wife was knitting in the chair and pulled up on the arms to try to get out of the chair and there it went arms and all back to the re finisher for another two weeks
after that it went to senior status
for your eyes only, as we are afraid it will break again but it is like a piece of art to be admired,
now the other 20 chairs around the house I love they way they look. last christmans party some slop dropped food on the leather Brnos but what can you do put towels down like they are in heat? no way just let it happen..... my wifes new chair that she sits and knits in for hours is a Egg chair completely redone in a great Maharam fabric and beautiful. she says it is really comfortable to sit in and she is really enjoying it ,
so you have to be your own judge just be cautious and stir the big guys to the heavier chairs.

Now the story for the ru...
Now the story for the rug is a different story
when we moved last year to the new house I bought a brand New Edward Fields rug in NYC what a beauty from a pattern made in 1971 that was called solar, and just some wonderful colors, the second day when they were moving all my great furniture that had .been in a whare house for years cause of no where to put it. I was so excited cause it had all been recovered and it was like opening night for the big show,
Well what do you think happened, ???
The rug had been down 2 hours and the all three dogs could not wait to peee on it and of course poop on it I was going crazy, as i had some nice rugs in the other house and they did not even go near them so of cours i thought that i was safe!! but for some reason they loved to go over and pee on the Fields rugs, I was on the phone with Edward Fields and they said they use a virgin wool with natural paint and that makes the animals attracted to it .
The next step I went to JoAnns fabrics and bought plastic like at Grandmas and put that on the carpet and that gave the dogs the go ahead to keep peeing it got so gross i could not even look at it,
So the solution i had the rug cleaned and it was o.k. some spots faded but I rolled the rug up and put it in the closet and my friend who owns a vintage store found a rasberry rug made in 1965 shag in nature way cool and the best part i gave 100.00 dollars vs the 4000 dollar Edward Fields rug and the dogs have never peeded on that cheap rug at all ......go figure i can not figure it out

the new rug was just unmarked...
the new rug was just unmarked territory, they were telling you its part of their home too.

The two items
An Eames 3473 sofa and a white marshmallow sofa. Neither were particularly comfortable and both were particularly collectable. Both were prized but not so enjoyable to use every day.

hp you are right on the ...
hp you are right on the markon the dogs
I have a marshmallow sofa and it is nothing more than a accent chair. I would hate for that to be a main stain cause it is a funky look , as far as the other Eames sofa I am not familiar with that , I do know I have had a compact and sold it on ebay 2 years ago so that speaks volumes what i am saying about that one,

I saw two Zenith chairs ...
I saw two Zenith chairs this weekend and i was going to buy them but they were in ruff shape, why i am reporting this as I was in a short sleeve shirt and i sat in one and I got fiberglass fibers from that 50 year old chair on my arms and felt them all day, these poor old relics had been sitting out side for years, the owner drilled holes in the giant disk mounts and the center of the chair to drain the water from being in the back yard, I would hate to sit in these things on a daily bases even if they are old Zeniths ....