Ecletic vs. Schizophrenic

I worked on my space at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo today.  I have most of the bigger pieces in place and I have even started smearing the smalls all over the place.  I have one more steel table to bring in on Sunday and then I will finish setting and pricing everything.

This is a electrical parts cubby from Kensington, Minnesota.  The drafting table will set up in front of it.  There are ten bowling pins slotted into it.

Industrial, mid-century modern, Victorian, Edwardian and whimsy are all represented in one corner of my space.

The adjustable steel table.

6 wire locker baskets.

Hanging scale basket.  The scale, with another basket, will be in the load tomorrow.

My favorite for the day.  A huge mortar marked "Acid Proof" filled with new old stock gears for a Minneapolis Moline tractor.

Grill from a1950 (51?) Chevy.

Chaska brick and metal game board.

Tin man in the center.

Hand painted lemonade pitcher c.1890.

I like to call the variety of items that I deal in eclectic, but someone may be inclined to call it schizophrenic.

Mr. Flannery

An Emphasis on the Industrial

My stuff at Second Hand Rose this month will be decidedly industrial in style.  I am going to bring these pieces into the shop today.  Hopefully there will be two or three other dealers there to give me a hand with unloading these items.

I really like this cart.  It is heavy steel and the top is adjustable.  I found that the handle from an old cast iron stove fits the adjustment bolts perfectly, so a nice Monarch handle will accompany this piece.

The second cart is slightly larger, heavier and oranger.

The counter from the Kensington hardware store came out looking good.  I sanded and polyed it this morning, without removing it from the trailer.

More photos of my industrial contributions soon.

Mr. Flannery

Nothing but the Heaviest for the Shops

I am not sure how it happens, but it almost always does.  I return from an auction or a buying trip with the heaviest thing that isn't a tractor.  My last picking adventure in Central Minnesota was more of the same.  We got into an abandoned hardware store in Kensington, Minnesota.  (home of the runestone, don'tcha know). The owner has died and his grandson-in-law is attempting to clean out the place before the City condemns the building.  We brought two pick-ups and my 12 foot trailer and filled them all up.

This is a two piece, 190 hole hardware bin.

And this beast is a 70 cubby former electrical parts bin.

My favorite is this 9 foot long by 2 1/2 foot wide

counter with 23 steel nail bins.

Today I unloaded the three cubby pieces from the trailer.  All the time remembering that the three other guys who helped me load are nowhere nearby when it is time to unload.  They have all been power washed.  The counter has a nice butcher block top that I will sand and poly.  (Being clever I did not unload the counter from the trailer).  Tomorrow I will reload the parts bins and head for Buffalo.  They are going to be major pieces in my May sale set up.

I contacted Brad and he has assured me of a space in the tent in front of the shop for the counter.  I am not sure if it would fit in my space and the logistics of getting it in and out would be staggering.

So it is dancing with furniture as I shuffle off to Buffalo for me.

Mr. Flannery

Pickin' Fleas

So last Wednesday we went picking in central Minnesota. We got into a small town hardware store that has been closed for 20 years. The Grandson-in-law is now trying to clean it out before the City condemns the building. We got piles and piles of stuff. We filled two pickups and my 12 foot trailer. The 9 foot long counter with 23 steel nail bins on the shelves below will make a stunning center island. The 180 hole cubby in crusty blue paint will fill any family room.

I had to work Thursday and Friday at my real job that supports this habit, so the trailer sat there filled to the tailgate. This morning it turned out that we were in for a very sunny day. I live about 3 miles away from one of the larger flea markets in Minnesota. I decided to haul over there to see if I could sell any of our pickin's. So it was 30 minutes from the decision to the set up. I didn't unload much. I opened the tailgates on the trailer and the pickup and haphazardly displayed my bounty.

I sold a bunch of smalls. I sold picture frames, cast iron hooks and even some rebar. The big counter and other special pieces got big looks but no sales. I made a couple hundred bucks and worked on my tan. All in all it was a good day at the flea.

Mr. Flannery