Found Object - Wooden Egg Holder

I'm not quite sure what this guy was made to hold - the egg-shape makes me think something round or perhaps boiled eggs? Golf balls? Who knows - if it looks familiar please comment.

This is one of those things I occasionally pick up just because it looks good, is well designed or made from interesting materials. In this case all three apply and it was hard to pass for less than a dollar.

The wood has some very nice contrasting grain - at first I thought walnut, then maybe cocobolo but it doesn't have enough red in it. That made me think of claro walnut, but the density and weight doesn't seem to be right - instead it's probably some type of imported hardwood from South America or Africa. If anyone can identify the species let me know.

What I found interesting in this is how well the object is executed - many different round-over bits and back bevels were applied.

The wood in this is just gorgeous and the acute and obtuse angles just magnify the grain patterning.

Someone suggested that this might be some type of communion platter - I don't know anything about that - I was thinking I might try to find some glass inserts for the holes and use it for soft lighting with tea candles. If nothing else it would make an interesting if rather tippy trivet.

The piece is signed on the bottom but the initials or name doesn't make much sense to me - "DHcks" - perhaps it's "D Hicks"...

-- John

Danish Teak Trivets 2012.07.22

Sometimes when it rains it pours - in my case, having never found a teak trivet worth picking up I suddenly find myself with several. As with my previous post, and now with these well-made, finger-jointed trivets with feet.

This are marked "Denmark" underneath.

Here's a detail shot of the jointery - there isn't much made with this level and attention to detail much these days.

I also like how the sides are routed to provide finger-lifts to make it easier to carry whatever is riding the trivet, much like a serving platter.

OK - that's about it for this post. Good luck in the hunt!

-- John

A Couple of Teak Danish Items

Not much to be found lately at the thrift stores - at least not much worth buying. Seems most of the modernist items that I like have been snagged up by others. On Friday I found this nice teak tray - it's nothing special but well made, measing 22.5 inches long by 11.5 inches wide. It's also fairly unblemished (a couple of small edge scratches):

I like the bevelling of the edges:

It has a light "Denmark" stamp in the center of the bottom oh and the price was right a $1.91:

This second item I found a few weeks ago - it just sort of caught my eye as most teak items do. I believe it to be a trivet - this one made by Dansk with the usual markings and also the right price at 99 cents:

It's about 6.5 inches in diameter...

As always, thanks for reading and good luck in the hunt!

-- John

Dansk Teak 802 "Surfboard" Tray

My latest find almost wasn't - last weekend I stopped in a Goodwill and basically walked through the whole store without finding anything. Fortunately I walked back through right when a staff member was putting out a few pieces in the "wooden things" aisle - that's when I spotted this tray.

I call these "teak surfboard trays" for lack of a better name - the tapered ends curve up into the handles. This is the first I've owned, however I've always greatly admired the style and design. My friend John Stephens tells me that this is the second-from largest size, measuring in at about 28 inches or so in length (eyeball measure).

This example has great, intact laminations (boards are cut and laminated side-by-side to make up the width). Notice the darker smudges - that's candle wax. I've wiped down the tray with a bit of mineral spirits and have removed all but a hint of the circles. I then applied some Danish Oil. I haven't decided whether to wipe it down again or apply another layer and call it done (no pics of the finished item yet - this is definitely a keeper).

One thing I like in particular is the construction - this image is blurry but you can see the sliding dovetail for the "feet" trimmed with a few passes of a chisel at the end.

I believe this is an earlier example, bearing all the marks: serial number, "ducks" logo, "Dansk Designs Denmark Inc" and copyright symbol.

Good luck in the hunt! John

Heller Two Quart Casserole Designed by Vignelli for Heller

It's been a while since I've found something worth posting about - this time I found this Heller Two Quart Casserole with Au Gratin Cover Designed by Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Heller - these started production around 1975. I've always admired the one that my friend John Stephens has - first seeing it during a pot-luck at the house where they brought a yummy dish presented in the casserole dish. I was very lucky to find this example for less than $5 at a Goodwill near work. This one is marked Heller, Made in USA and Microwave Safe - no chips in the lid or dish at all. Measures about 9 3/4″ in diameter at widest and 5 1/2″ tall and very heavy - the interesting texture is from grooves moulded into the glass. Very happy to find this during a serendipitous moment...

-- John

Small Red Dansk Kobenstyle Paella Pot by Jens Quistgaard

I found this smaller (about 10" in diameter and 2 1/2" tall) Kobenstyle paella pot (for lack of a better name - I think it was actually sold as something else, maybe as an alternative to a saute pan?) at Goodwill the other day for less than $6. The bottom is marked Dansk Designs France and IHQ. I've always admired these low-slug pans, this one is in exceptional condition, the only problem being the chip on one of the handles. I generally don't buy these if the white enable has chips in the actual cooking area (yep, I actually cook with my set). This one joins the much larger "paella pan" I already own in yellow (the latter was purchased many, many years ago in the old junk shop that used to be on Ponce by Eats for $3).

Felix says "I sure like the red!"

Glad I'm wearing clothes!

Since owning and using these Dansk pots, I've managed to chip the red off of one other handle on a red lid. At some point I'll take some photos of the whole set.

-- John

Danish Table Accessory and a Logan Mat Cutter

Last week I came across this interesting table accessory at my local favorite junk/thrift store - I'm not quite sure what it's called but it's basically two stainless steel bowls attached to a wood handle, marked Kalmar, Stainless Steel, Denmark on the bottom. Most of you know of my affinity with wood, especially teak and rosewood - the rosewood handle on this item jumped out at me on the shelf. Priced super cheap, I also got a slight discount at the counter.

This is what real rosewood looks like - I believe many have sort of forgotten as much of the junk on the market is actually a substitution (rosewood finish). It's very hard and very striking...

The second item I found a day later at Goodwill. I've been wanting a mat cutting jig for some time and this one looks to be unused (extra blades still wrapped, and even the blade in the angle-cutter appears unused and sharp). At $8.58 I couldn't say no - this is a "baby-brother" to the much larger Logan I learned to cut mats with back in the 80's (dating myself) but at least it has metal parts - most similar parallel el cheapo mat cutters you find these days in the hobby stores are made of plastic.

-- John