Ars Longa - Generosity forges Community

Recently I discovered the journal Ars Longa. Developed as an outlet and to share with others of a like mind, it's one man's perspective and documentation of his lifestyle of collecting, which he's coined "thrift shop archaeology." The journal is developed by sllab studios (I presume that refers to his "lab" - and the Scott Lindberg initials to boot), and it covers fine art, modernist design, and other such mid-century modern artifacts, decorative arts and general goodness.

Scott echos my sentiments when he suggests that designed objects and beautiful artworks can be affordably attained by everyone, you just have to know where to look.

That is in fact what thrifting entails. Knowledge. Timing. Research. And a healthy appreciation for the past. Thrifting ( my new verb) is a pastime to some in the way watching TV or going to a movie is for others. For the hard core thrift store shopper, the hunt is important, the purchase secondary, and the friendships primary to the overall effort. All in all it's an adventure, and it's no doubt fun to share along the way.

Scott's journal has provided many clues as to some of the high end items I have thrifted that I had yet to identify. Sharing information is a big thrifting thread, and Scott's website is a rich resource. The list of links alone is worth checking out. He also painstakingly developed a designer directory, so you can search based on designer keywords. It's really cool how by reaching out with knowledge and generosity, friendships can be forged and communities can be built.

Bravo Ars Longa. I salute you.

Todd Oldham Essay: Artist Charlie Harper

I love Charlie Harper's work. The Illustrator Charlie Harper, not this artisté. So much has been said about him since his recent passing. So much so, that I'll not add to the conversation other than to say WOW, and to share this video interview from a session of Todd Oldham's Handmade Modern.

I recently picked up two copies of Betty Crocker's 1958 Dinner for Two Cookbooks, which I found sleeping peacefully in a sea of otherwise worthless children's books. They're illustrated exclusively, profusely, and throughout, I grabbed both for around $4.00. My guess is these will pick up fans and will rise in value. Already his 1961 Giant Golden Book of Biology has caught collector fever and has sold for $750 plus, and I've seen it listed this week for $2,000 (whew!). Charlie is a legend worth every bit of praise thrown his way. Also worth noting, Todd Oldham has somehow secured licensing rights to all his illustrations via the Harper estate and has come out with a hardcover book on Harper's work that as best I can tell at 150+ has sold out already. I also found a great interview on the CBS website talking about Harper.

I'll post on my Harper stuff to this blog or to a Flickr set someday soon. My thrift store finds have been off the charts lately. More on that later. To learn more about Charlie's work, check out the Harper Flickr group here.

Thrift Store Find: Vintage HiMark Air Coffee Pot

Saturday I popped into one of my local thrift stores and walked out with a gem. It's a Himark Air Coffee Pot, dated 1978, and designed by Saltera. I have no idea who Saltera is yet, but plan a second try later to find who this designer is.

The graphics are really cool, and quite elaborate. The coffee pot appears to be lightly used or possibly never used, and it is rather flawless, which is a bonus.

It was 1/2 off, so the $3.00 price tag is in fact a $1.50 purchase.