Just a couple of things to share from this weeks estate sale stops. If we’re anything… we’re persistent! We never miss a chance to find something beautiful or useful.
As you may already know we have been collecting Russel Wright dishes for many many years. (See some of our collection >> HERE.) At one point I had so much that it was overflowing into other rooms and bordered on hoarding. The madness had to stop… so we sold lots of it on ebay or to friends. We do use it every day and unless it’s a really special piece, I don’t seek it out. But of course, this week we came across a box of all white Iroquois. Okay, I admit, I don’t need it… but I’m a sucker for white dishes and I just couldn’t pass them up. ( oh no, the hoarding tendencies are sneaking back in ) The entire box as seen below was only $20. I adore mixing white dishes with other colors so the box was MINE!
There were 8 coffee cups and saucers, creamer and covered sugar bowl, 7 dinner plates, 5 side plates, a large serving platter and bowl, and 7 cereal bowls. All were in perfect condition. Some of the plates look like they’ve never been used. Love them!
We also found 3 Kay Bojesen monkeys. I was so excited about these because we LOVE the Bojesen animal collection and have yet to find the “real thing”. We do have 2 replicas that are really adorable but I wanted his original design. The only bummer was that they were in a box in pieces and we only found 5 legs. Richie went back to the sale today and tore the entire house apart looking for the arms (he had to take a serious bath when he got home! YUCK!) He never found them but I’m going to contact the Rosendahl Company and see if if might be possible to get replacement pieces. To buy one new is $190.00. If we can’t find them or purchase I guess we’ll try to create the arms. They’re still awesome no matter what happens. I’m just thrilled!! And to find 3 of them was crazy cool.
(poor little guys… they need their arms! They’re still cute, aren’t they?)
Kay Bojesen’s wooden Monkey is made in Denmark from teak and limbawood. The Bojesen Monkey is a genuine and sought after piece of modern Danish design.
Here are my replicas. Very similar but not quite as cool. The differences are very noticeable on the head and face.
Kay Bojesen (1886–1958) was an apprentice of Georg Jensen, training as a silversmith in 1910. After a few years in Germany and France, he began working as a silversmith in Copenhagen. In the 1930s he realized there was something particularly lively about wood, and his wooden figures have made him one of the great pioneers of Danish art manufacture.
Happily, Kay Bojesen was far too curious to restrict himself to the work of refining metals, and he began experimenting with other materials. In the course of his exploration, he discovered wood as a material with very special possibilities for industrial treatment and styling. This discovery led to the classic guardsmen and a whole zoological garden taking shape between his hands.
Kay Bojesen’s premise in his work was a conviction that his objects should have life, blood and a heart. People should want to pick them up, and they should radiate humanity, warmth and vibrancy. The monkey was produced in accordance with Bojesen’s motto that lines should smile. In the early 1950s, it was so popular that it was exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Here’s a lovely picture from the Rosendahl website. I love all of Bojesen’s wooden toys.
Even if you don’t have children… these will definitely bring out the kid in you! It was a good day and a good find. And so the hunt for arms begins.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
love the monkeys!!!!! and i kind of love them displayed like that… missing limbs and all…. anyone can go out and chase a perfect one up with enough $$$… these scream I found them in the wild!!!! They kind of say I love the design, not just the value, imperfect makes them better…
I love that you think that – thank you so much! I have to agree… I really don’t care (well, arms might be fun!). It was just one of those “OMG!… lookie, lookie what we found” moments. Then you wonder how the heck did they get here and what was their journey. I was thrilled! I had to put one of them in a plant for a picture so they could be… as you said… “in the wild”. Imperfect seems to make most of what I like appealing. Thanks for looking!!!
Great finds!!! I’m also a sucker for white dishes. I picked up a large stack of Franciscan Cloud Nine dinner plates a few years back and I love that they’re all white and modern, no frills. The Russel Wright pieces are sooo nice. That’s definitely a good thing to collect! Oh, and I love the Kay Bojesen monkeys. I’ve always wanted to stumble across one, but no luck so far. I would’ve grabbed them without the arms…OR the legs!
Kim, I didn’t know anything about the Franciscan Cloud Nine stuff… so I looked at them online… and it’s SO similar to the RWright stuff. Wow, really pretty and simple, clean and modern… just like I like ’em. There’s nothing like a table set with pretty white dishes! Had to take these home. I agree, who cares, … no arms, no legs,… we don’t discriminate around here. COME HOME WITH ME! If I find another monkey… I’ll send it to you!
You have so much fun!! Those are two amazing scores! I agree that the monkeys are perfect the way you found them – rescued them, really. Great info on the designer – all new to me!
The dishes look like they’re in mint condition. What a steal! I wish I lived closer to take some off your hands. Speaking of RW, I found a squat green pitcher at a resale shop a few days ago – similar to your turquoise one, but shorter. It was $55. What do you think of that price? I bought my tall green one for $20. Thanks for any insight.
:)
cathy
Oh wonderful! See, you are a RW collector! It’s addicting. I love the pitchers and some of them can fetch a pretty penny… but I’d say you did just fine. If it’s the one I’m thinking of, they go (depending on color – some are more desirable than others) from about $50 – $150 bucks. Those prices are usually from someone that knows what they have. A box for $20 bucks is someone who doesn’t know what they have. HA HA! Obviously I love the white… but Oyster (grey) is amazing. Only found a couple oyster pieces in all my years.
How exciting! Good score, Cathy!
What a great resource your are. Thank you!!
Wow… that’s so cool! I didn’t know anything about Kay Bojesen, but I can see why you love his work. The monkey’s are so very cute, even without the arms. So glad they have a great new home!
Thanks Danielle! I’m super duper excited! The arms are really fun, though because you can hang them off shelves and put them in all kinds of positions and unexpected places in your house. They crack me up! It’s such a silly thing to get all jazzed about but I’m giddy today. Thanks for looking. Imagine how good he’d look all instagramed up! (lol)
He would most definitely rock the instagram!
love the history lesson! and i say minus a limb or two only ads to your creepy doll collection. OWN IT! great finds today!!!
Ha Ha Ha! Great comment! I think the monkeys will feel right at home with the creepy doll heads….. everyone’s missing a part! They can form a support group… “Hello I’m monkey #2 and I’m missing my left arm”- “HELLO MONKEY NUMBER 2”!
What does that say about us? We find beauty in the strange and different? I can own that! For sure. (laughing). Thanks girl…you’re great!
add me to your growing list of favoring the monkeys without their arms. there’s something so real and so good about a misfit.
So true… I love a misfit! Actually I laughed last night because it reminded me of the Christmas cartoon “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of the Misfit Toys. I think I just rescued 3 of them! They should fit in just fine around here. Ha Ha. Thanks for looking… I think they’re adorable and their little faces always look like they’re smiling and happy! It puts me in a good mood.
So jealous of your dish find! I don’t collect that kind, but to get an entire box (for $20!). That’s not hoarding—that’s the universe sending you a message. (What? Who knows… )
Also? Have to love a guy who will make a return trip to an estate sale… That’s a special kind of exhausting (unless you find what you’re looking for… ).
Seriously! A whole box is something you just don’t turn your nose up at! The platter alone is worth way more than that. I think the message is… don’t hoard, but do buy things you’ll use and enjoy. Who knows… maybe a big dinner party is in my future! My fortune cookie 2 nights ago said something wonderful was going to happen to me next month. It’s a sign, Victoria! (LOL)
If it weren’t for Richie we wouldn’t have half the wonderful pieces we have. He’ll climb through spider webs and mud to get what he wants. He’s so fun! (but I do a lot of laundry!) Thanks for the visit.
A dinner party… or a fancy new cabinet that needs a delightful display.
I love Russell Wright too. You may have just started a new collector bug for me. I just bought their book ‘Guide to Easier Living’. Cracks me up. Well done, you!
Oh man, we got crazy with it.. but it’s all fun. Be sure and share your finds… I love to see what people pick up. Those books are great. (hilarious) A friend of mine who lives a few blocks away is actually featured in one of the collectors books. He collection is so large he has an entire “storage room” for them. It’s crazy! It’s impressive to see but I would never want that much. Good luck, Brandy… and your luck has been so good lately!!!!
Those are seriously adorbs. I’m going to have to keep an eye out for Bojesen monkeys at estate sales in our area!
Definitely! Especially since they’re made of teak. Would fit well in the teakhound abode! Not to mention that they are so damn cute.
I love the monkeys too! And your box of Russell Wright dishes was a total SCORE! I just found your blog and I love it.
HEY! So glad you found me. I appreciate the visit and by the looks of things… we share a love of the modern stuff. I will definitely take some time to check out your blog. I’m sure I’ll LOVE IT! Thanks again and I’ll stay in touch. :-)