All MidCentury Stuff Needs Some Repair From Time To Time

Hi all.

Back in the early days of this blog I defined my terms. My definition of MidCentury is stuff made between 1946 to 1966.

As rugged and durable as stuff is that comes from this period, someday it will all require some work. As it turns out some of the stuff made between '46 and '66 (some of the charming and handsome stuff, that is) is me, and I'm going to have to check myself into the shop for some major repairs.

The sporadic nature of my posts for the last several weeks is totally my fault. I just haven't been able to summon the energy to do the job right. So rather than embarrass myself further I'm going to sign Dave's MidCentury Stuff off the air until I can get some of my critical parts repaired and/or replaced.

So even though there is no technical problem with the Dave's MidCentury Stuff  blog, there are technical problems with Dave, and I'm going to put up the test pattern until I get back. Look for us in late July.

Mid Century Industrial Design

Much is said about the industrial design expertise in place at Apple Inc. iPods and iThis and iThat. Fine. But industrial design really flourished in the 1950s. Have a look at these pictures and tell me they're not beautiful examples of design. It doesn't really matter what the product is - today it's all about design.

Looks like a stool with the business end of a shoehorn stuck on the back.

(The) Adventures of Superman

I'm a child of the 50s and 60s. That gives me certain rights: Cheap entrees at Denny's and to decree that the best Superman is and always will be George Reeves.

Care to disagree? Care to step outside? That's what I thought.

Come in and let's have a look at REAL television excellence.

Yeah, I Smoke. So What!

Dig it, Cats and Chicks. The world is coming down hard and fast on we, the last few rebels with a cause. And that cause is freedom of smoking. I've been smoking since the mid 60s, and I look just as good as I did the day I started. My skin is very, very clear, the nicotine stains wash right off, and fortunately the smell doesn't stick to me either so the chicks dig my cologne instead of that ashtray smell.

So being a full time, heavy smoker, I have a fair amount of smoking accessories - and, of course, they're from the good old days.

Come. Enter my world. The world where smoking is still a cool thing to do and I'll show you just how cool it's been through the decades.

Kind of looks like I have one of those thin Clark Gable mustaches in this picture, doesn't it?

Vintage Cannon Towel Ads (or) Some Things That Make You Go Hmm!

I wasn't alive in the 40s. But apparently being alive in the 40s wasn't as straight laced as I thought. I'm on a vintage advertising kick right now, so bear (or should I say bare) with me. Cannon, the towel people, made some pretty risque towel ads back in the 40s. I couldn't resist sharing them.

Hey guys, wanna watch me take a shower?

A Little Something From The Male Chauvinist Pig Department

I've said before things were better in the old days. Okay, not everything.

I'm sure some other blogger has already done this (and probably better) but here is something worth having a laugh over.

No offense intended, just a poke in our own eye at how stupid we used to be.

Today: Sexism in advertising in the old days.

A Quick Drive Around Vegas With Bob

When I got here in the 60s things were different. For one thing What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas was so obvious it didn't need saying. The other thing was - the mob ran things. This town was safe, you could eat for pennies, and drink for free. The mob wanted you to leave all of your money here so they made it very enticing for you to stay. The longer you stayed the more money you lost. Ah, the good old days.

Hey, did you ever see the film Casino with Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone? It was filmed here.

I'm Bob. I'll be your guide through Vegas. Sit back and enjoy the trip.

Let's go drive by the house that appeared in the movie as DeNiro and Stone's home.

See ya inside.

Talk To Us About Thrift Stores

Talk To Us About Thrift Stores

Wonder Woman and I are starting the process of creating a charitable organization dedicated to the financial support of local abandoned animal and rescue organizations, no-kill shelters, and free spay/neuter clinics by opening a combination Thrift and Consignment Store.


We're incorporating as a non-profit and applying to the IRS for tax exempt status. When approved donations will be tax deductible, and we will be considered a charitable organization.


Having to pay no taxes, our profits will go towards cash and food grants to local organizations that are directly involved in the rescue, care, sheltering and adoption of abandoned animals, primarily dogs, cats, and horses.


We Want Your Opinions

We've been in dozens of thrift stores and have developed a fairly good idea of what we want to do, but we can't ignore the expertise, and accumulated knowledge of all of you thrifters.

Our business model calls for a combination thrift store / consignment shop.

The thrift side will include most of the everyday items you would expect to find in a thrift store with the exception of a large clothing section. We will have space devoted to clothing, but not the acres of racks that you see in most thrifts. Household items, furniture, dishes, kitchen items, small books and toys section, you know the usual stuff.

The consignment section is the area where we will sell our mid-century stuff, antique-ish  items, things a bit more expensive than you would expect in a thrift store, and actual consignment items from other people.

We would love to hear from you with regard to your opinions on what makes a great thrift/consignment store.

What about operating hours and days of the week open?
What about inventory items? What do you see too much of? Not enough of?
What about prices.
What about atmosphere.

Tell us what you love and hate about the thrift stores you frequent.

Please leave as many comments as you wish. Leave one today, and if you think of something tomorrow leave another one.  There are no right or wrong ideas. We just want to know what ALL of you think.


This post will also be available on the Tab Bar at the top of the Home Page


Dave
Wonder Woman

Warning to Clown-O-Phobes Clown Content Below

First my sincerest apologies for not being as regular as I have been. I'm still on the road and sometimes I get a little tied up.

So I happened by a Goodwill when I was home last weekend. I found a fifty two year old Quartite clown lamp. Had to share. Oh yeah, I bought it.

 A face only a mother clown could love.

Live From Las Vegas - It's Bob Oster

Hey you groovy Cats and Chicks, it's me - Bob Oster, coming to you live, and in living color from Sin City, Las Vegas, baby.

I have it on good authority that these chicks can spin their tassels in different directions at the same time.

Hey, I know some of you dig the old mid century architecture. So I took a special trip out to the old part of town. The old part of town! Ha, seems like just yesterday when it was the only part of town. Man, you could come down here and drink and gamble and I'd have to beat the chicks off with a stick. Ah, the good old days.

Now it's all these posing want-to-be's who wouldn't know what a swingin' good time in Vegas was if it came up and bit 'em on the (edited by Dave). And nobody dresses up anymore. Why, back when I was a young mixologist if you weren't dressed three ways from Sunday you didn't get in the place. Walking around here with their kids, and their khaki shorts and their tennis shoes. Kids! Hey people this is Vegas, not Disneyland. Leave the rugrats at home, and let's get down and party like it's 1959. Excuse me. I fell off the track there for a moment.

I got good lookin' pictures of some old motel marquees inside and a few of my own treasures. See ya inside.