One of the largest sections in most thrift shops is the clear glass. It’s also one of the most difficult to browse because everything is clear and it’s hard to focus on them individually.
At the same time, a nice glass item can be very rewarding to find, especially once you get it alone and let it speak for itself.
This bowl is unidentified, but it looks very much like Scandinavian “ice glass.” At the very least it’s a nice copy. It reminds me of the work of Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala. Treat yourself with a look at some images of his designs.
The applied gold and offset leaf pattern mark these as Mid Century, probably ‘60’s. I love how this pattern is sophisticated and exuberant at the same time.
It’s hard to find glassware with intact gold decoration. These were made when most folks still washed dishes by hand, and I think once automatic dishwashers came into use, delicate finishes wore off all the faster.
I have always loved thrift shops, flea markets, and yard sales. Sure, high-end antique stores are great. But everything in them has already been curated, cleaned up, and marked up.
What intrigues me is finding a gem among the cast-offs and transforming it into something special and beautiful — changing its context by wanting it and appreciating it.
Over the years I have developed a pretty good eye, so that I can spot a color, a shape, a glaze; and know instantly that I’ve just found another treasure.
Usually I’ll buy it, sometimes I won’t. I’ve given many things away to family and friends. But I always take a picture.
And now I’d like to share these things with you, one day at a time.
photo: Small wooden bowls are plentiful and cheap. Most of them were originally snack bowls or part of a salad set, but they’re great for change, keys, bobby pins, jewelry on your dresser. The woods are beautiful and feel so nice to the touch. They’re mostly made of teak, walnut, or monkey pod wood.
