Art deco, Cottage style painted furniture, turn of century oak, vintage prints, gilded mirrors – all have something in common. Each of these styles and periods of furniture were brought back to life at Redeux this week.
Desks are a very popular item at Redeux. Finding an interesting desk really is like a Pandora’s Box – you never know what you will find in it or where and how it will be used. Redeux customers must feel the same since desks never stay in the shop very long before they are taken to a new home. Will they be displayed as conversation pieces or used to pay bills, study for exams, accommodate computers or write letters to loved ones – using an ink-filled fountain pen? A Redeux desk, as does all our furniture, has seen it all. So what, I wonder, has our latest treasure seen? Being an Art Deco period piece it has probably seen its previous owners through part of the Great Depression, been there when our troops went off to fight in WWII and other conflicts and also may have been where a parent read the letters sent back home. It most likely had newspapers placed on it that contained the previous day’s news of the first man stepping onto the moon. This desk has seen a significant slice of American history and is a piece of that history itself. An Art-Deco slant top desk, it has been impeccably cared for. It has been given a little treatment at the Redeux Spa and is now ready for a new home.
Many of you that have stopped into the shop the past few weeks have noticed the chest of drawers up front that was being worked on. Some suggested staining it, some suggested giving it a new look with paint. Well, it now has what I believe to be the best of both approaches – a very pleasing creamy white body with a walnut stained top and knobs. It has a very classic beach/country look. Made by Hathaway in the 1930’s -1940’s, this 6 drawer chest measures 43x24 so it will be the perfect addition to almost any room.
Just in is a very different china cabinet/cupboard. Having doors that are solid wood, this piece might just as easily be used in a living room, family room or country kitchen in addition to its usual place in a dining room. It has interesting carvings and turnings.
Our mirror selection keeps getting more and more interesting. We have added several gilded mirrors in various sizes in oval and rectangle shapes. The Redhead claims to have read that if a person gazes into an old mirror they will actually look younger. I’m not sure of that, but these mirrors will make everybody and any room look great!
Paper weights and prints.
We’ve found several vintage glass weights that are especially beautiful. They’ll make great additions to your desk or table tops. The vintage prints we have just added to our collection include lovely florals and wood blocks.
Undergoing the Redeux Treatment is a drop leaf kitchen table and four chairs. It seems to date from the 1920’s -1930’s. The set will be painted. If interested there is still time to request a color. Right now, shades of green, blue, yellow and a red are being considered.
Many folks coming into the shop remark on our furniture pricing. They find it fairly priced and refreshingly affordable. A check of the internet, as an example, shows chests very similar to our painted Hathaway ranging in price from $500.00 to over $1,100 (a painted “vintage” retailer in Maine). The Hathaway piece is available much more affordably. Our policy at Redeux is to offer only authentic, American-made vintage furniture at the very best prices possible. Our love of American vintage furniture and our joy in restoring these pieces allows us to do business the Redeux way.
Hope to see you again soon,
Bill
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