Pages

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Our Furniture Finds

So the other day we're getting ready for work, and find that the neighbors have put out furniture for The Claw. The Claw, as it is affectionately known in our neck of the woods, is a large garbage truck with (obviously) a claw that can pick up large objects and whatnot. It saves us all from going to the dump.

I'm sitting down to the computer, getting ready to check my faxes and email, and the Other Half comes rushing in the door with this old radio! It's a Crosley Super 11 and yes, it works! Here's what it would look like if it was restored.

He also tells me that the neighbors down the street don't want a large chest, but it looks like refinishing it would be a big bother. He says I might want to look at it but I probably won't want it. What was he smoking? Of course I wanted it! It needs to be refinished (just as the radio does) but both pieces are going to be cake to tackle.

Um...when I have the time...

25 comments:

Jessica said...

The radio is lovely. Any chance it still works?

Anonymous said...

Geez. Great finds. I have some items in my house similar. I love old stuff, but I can't go all the way and just have antiques. My house is a mixture of the old and the new. I particularly can't abide the sofa, living room chairs etc. to be the old uncomfortable stuff that Queen Victoria relished. Just my opinion. My house is a bit of a relic. Built in 1923. I love the character, but dear God it is a challenge to maintain!

Glad you are doing the refinishing and not me.

Fred said...

The radio is sooo cool. I would love to have something like that, especially since I worked in the field.

A great project for a lazy weekend.

michelle said...

I love the chest!

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Fine treasures. Especially the chest (bird's eye maple on lower front?). DO NOT REFINISH this chest until you check with antique dealer. Sometimes refinishing DIMINISHES the value.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Jessica, yes, it does! Once you asked, I added that to the post. That's really the incredible part of it all!

Old Hoss, You're right about the chest. I'll check first. The veneer is coming off the side in one area only. As for the radio, it's in poor condition and the Other Half wants to definately keep it, so he wants it prettied up his way. This means the entire top would need to be re-veneered or we could get a custom-cut marble slab (which is what he prefers). It's missing one bakelite knob so he wants to either replace it or have custom-made mother-of-pearl knobs. If he gets it the way he wants it, it will match his old Victrola.

Kathleen, mine is too. Sometimes a mixture like that can be very appealing. I have some things that need to be refinished, but overall it has a pleasant, mellow feel to it. I can't stand modern-style homes and furnishings. They make me feel like I'm in a hospital or some sort of institution.

Fred, you were? I thought it was BK until you started teaching?

Michelle, yeah, me too! Stunning, isn't it?

dddragon said...

WOW! That's a heck of alot better than the $5 organ that my husband brought home.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Dddragon, *LOL* Well, your hubby has a good heart. And it least you unloaded the white elephant! ;o)

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Ans. to your question on my site: No, it's just a made-up.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Old Hoss, well it was still hysterical. :D

Fred said...

Saur: Before teaching, there was a credit card company, BK, Montgomery Ward (where I met The Missus)and my short radio career. You'll understand more when you stop by my place during your surfing.

I miss the weekend stories. Any chance you'll give them another shot?

Saur♥Kraut said...

Fred, I sure will! I was thinking of doing one this weekend, but decided to give it a rest till next weekend. I was afraid people were getting too used to it and were getting burned out.

Dave said...

It looks like a North Carolina piece. I once picked up a Henweigh in a dumpster but it needed a lot of work. Great find.

The Zombieslayer said...

I like the radio. My Grandpa had a record player that was of this style. Of course much larger, but it looked pretty cool.

Lila said...

Those are great finds! Lucky yoU!

LoraLoo said...

I love antique furniture, beautiful finds you have there.

Makes me remember an old television my parents found in an old house we bought when I was a kid. You could tell it was a seriously old model in a large cabinet of sorts. It didn't work, actually smoked if you tried turning it on. We never did figure out what to do with it and ended up giving it away. I wish we hadn't!

Live, Love, Laugh said...

wow those are some awesome pieces, I love antiques they have so much character!!

michelle said...

what happened to the verification word? It was all funky last night.

Anonymous said...

They look awesome, I just hope you have the time you need to devote to make them a real treasure. Have a great day!

Eddo said...

Wow! Those are both great pieces - we have very similar tastes and I love to restore stuff! Too bad I am not closer or I would come over and help!

Brianne said...

Wow, what great finds! It is really amazing what people will just discard sometimes...

Jamie Dawn said...

You made out like bandits!
Those will be really beautiful when you get done with them. Great finds! No "claw" for them.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Jamie Dawn, I know, incredible, isn't it?

Brianne, isn't it funny? I never get why people prefer post modern ( =institutional) to this.

Eddo, I do wish you all lived closer. You feel like family to me.

TSB, thanks, hon!

Michelle, I know! It was that way in your blog too, so I turned them both off temporarily.

Jef, believe it or not, the radio works! The dresser IS good, except for a foot where a (dog?) chewed and the right side where some of the veneer is pulling away. It would be easy to replace, however. As Old Hoss points out, I'd better check first to see if I should or if the value would go down first.

Live, Love, Laugh, I know! They bring so much warmth into a home.

Loraloo, some people convert those old TVs into custom acquariums!

AP3 I know!

ZombieSlayer, yes, the Other Half has one too. It's a phonograph of some sort. It's in storage with his folks up north so I've only seen it once and can't remember it well.

Mr. Gator, cool, isn't it???

Fred, isn't that the truth? I'll be patrolling on Claw Day from now on...

Three Score and Ten or more said...

You're a lady after my own heart. I started pillaging trash when I worked as a garbage man the summer after I graduated from college. (The had none of the sophisticated recycling stuff, people just put out their trash. I got waffle irons, desks, china, fishing rods and a wide variety of stuff. ( I not only got stuff for myself, I had regular customers who called me every two weeks to see what was new.) Then I became a theatre person. I never drive down the street without an eye out for "stuff", though I am more selective than I used to be.

Saur♥Kraut said...

3 Score & 10, Oh I adore junking. ;o)