A Year Late

Last weekend I was watching a Mad Men episode (Season 2, Episode #8, "A Night to Remember") on DVD for the first time. I'm watching the second scene; which takes place in Peggy's sister's house, and I notice that Peggy is sitting down in a platform rocking chair. One that is very similar to my own beloved chair!

See? I can hardly believe it.

Mad Men

Mine

I consider mine the more streamlined version because hers has those curvy arms and mine are more modern and angular.

Now, I wish I had seen this episode last year when it first aired. It then wouldn't be so strange if I tried to pick the prop master or set decorator's brain about what they know about these particular chairs. However, a year later, I am still going to try. So, Amy Wells, you should expect an email from me!

By the way, if anyone can get me a clearer* screen capture of this chair, I would be very grateful!

* Yes, I DID set my camera up on a tripod in front of the TV to get this shot. I then had to queue up the DVD four separate times to take pictures of that chair. I'm so sad when it comes to technology...and so obsessive when it comes to my platform rocker.

I Found One in Fredericksburg!

Yes, I found another chair similar to my beloved rocking chair and this time I got to see it in person! I was amazed how happy it made me to see that the mechanism was almost identical, except for the fact that with this one you had a choice with how far you could recline by replacing that brass bar. I wonder if that is the original bar (there are no other brass accents) or if it is a substitute? However, the tag for this chair said it was a Morris; a name I've heard before in my research and, therefore, why I think this is much older than mine. Unfortunately, no date was attributed to it.

Oh and also, this one was going for $275 and I got my mine for a sweet, sweet $25.

Vintage Store Gold

On Saturday, my friend Michelle and I took a road trip up Route 301 to Historic Fredericksburg to check out the shops on Caroline Avenue. We are extremely lucky that we are currently poor because we could have gotten ourselves into so much trouble!

The vintage/antique stores were the best I've seen in years. For some reason, the various wares that I personally am interested in were everywhere: vintage rocking chairs, Amberina glass, children's miniature sewing machines, vintage cameras, and unique floor lamps. Wow.

Here are just a few pictures of our finds:

Green Moon & Stars compote, $20.

Ceramic bookends for $20

Small crystal chandelier, $100

Children's miniature sewing machine, $24

The needle mechanism on this vintage Sew Mistress actually still worked.

This is just a sampling, but they had so many different varieties and brands of these old sewing manuals and cookbooks, sometimes, we saw complete sets.

Images: Downtown Fredericksburg.com

These pictures are from just a few of the stores we looked at, Blue Shark Antiques, Upstairs Downstairs Antiques, and Carroll's Timeless Treasures, all on Caroline Street. But there were many, many more.

Your Home and Garden via NZ

The image above is from this story in Your Home and Garden magazine out of New Zealand. I followed a link from blogger Fancy Schmancy about a really cool ottoman/footstool project and found what may be the coolest home magazine I've seen in a while.

Check out their great DIY project archive here to find the instructions for the funky footstool that started it all.

Also check out this great Retro Homes slideshow that they have. That pic above is a clip from it and do you see the rocking chair in that pic? Look familiar? I MUST know more about it!

Look what they have at Pier 1

A platform rocker!

Rocco rocking chair $650

"This is not your grandmother's rocking chair. Our modern-style platform rocker is crafted in a frame of solid wood. It features a stationary base and durable cotton/acrylic upholstery."

More chairs that share traits with my "mystery" chair.


Oak Morris rocker c. 1915


1960's child's rocking chair


Heywood Wakefield rocker

What can they tell me about my rocking chair?

I have had this wonderful rocking chair since 1994. I bought it from this awesome furniture place called Stuckey's that used to be on Broad Street, here in Richmond. I have always been curious about its pedigree. I'm pretty sure it's a mutt but I still want to know what time period this is from and who was the manufacturer or designer. Perhaps there are other pieces, like a buffet or a dining room set.

Today I sent its image to Country Living magazine, which offers online and print appraisals of vintage finds for people. In the next few weeks, I hope to find some other places that offer similar services.

I did see a similar rocking chair years ago in an old issue of House and Garden magazine in the early 1990's. However, there was no information besides the fact that the homeowner had found it in a thrift store. Since then, I have seen nothing close.

By the way, I also sent CL a picture of my Amberina Hollywood Regency lamp hoping that they would have some additional information on that too.