Category Archives: Chase Chrome

The Start of the 2016 “Freakin’, Tiquen'” Season and a trip to two flea markets.

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With the Pier Antique Show in New York City being discontinued this year the start of our “Freakin’, Tiquen'” season was delayed until the Memorial Day weekend and a visit to two flea markets. We wanted to try something new so it was off the exotic land of Brooklyn, New York and a visit to the Brooklyn Flea in the Fort Greene neighborhood. That was on the Saturday of the holiday weekend. The Friday before I made one of my research trips to the New York Public Library at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. On my way to the library I passed by the American Radiator Building (now the Bryant Park Hotel) on West 40th Street. Designed in 1924 by John Howells and Raymond Hood, in a combination Gothic and Modern style, that I would call “proto-deco”. The building was made famous by a 1927 Georgia O’Keefe painting Radiator Building-Night New York. 

 

The American Radiator Building (Bryant Park Hotel) .

The American Radiator Building (Bryant Park Hotel) .

 

The facade of the building is in black brick to represent coal, the gold decorations are representations of parts of a radiator.

 

Radiator Building-Night New York, by Georgia O'Keefe.

Radiator Building-Night New York, by Georgia O’Keefe.

 

While waiting for the library to open, I snapped a photograph of 10 East 40th Street. In the 1930’s the building was known as the Chase Tower. Not Chase Bank, but the showroom for the Chase Copper and Brass Company’s specialty giftwares. The showroom was on the top floor of the building, in the space behind the arched windows.

 

The former Chase Tower at 10 East 40th Street, through an arch of the New York Public Library.

The former Chase Tower at 10 East 40th Street, through an arch of the New York Public Library.

 

On Saturday Chris and I were meeting friends for what would be for our first visit to one of the Brooklyn Fleas, on this trip it was the Fort Greene Flea.

 

I wish we had driven to Brooklyn, as there were a couple of bigger items, a nice Deco console table with a blue glass top; also a reproduction copper panel molded from an original off the Boston Electric building.

Reproduction Art Deco copper panel.

Reproduction Art Deco copper panel.

 

While I only purchased a nice plaid, seersucker necktie from the 1920’s our friends bought a very, very nice reverse painted, Art Deco picture frame with the hand colored photo of Loretta Young that was in the frame when it sold back in the 1930’s.

 

Loretta Young photo in a Deco reverse painted frame.

Loretta Young photo in a Deco reverse painted frame.

 

After leaving the flea market and lunch we were off to the Brooklyn Museum to view some of the Art Deco treasures on display there.

 

The Brooklyn Museum

The Brooklyn Museum

 

Silver Plated Art Deco.

 

 

Architectural Art Deco

Tubular Steel Furniture

 

Marcel Breuer tubular steel furniture. From top to bottom: Side Chair, Model B5 (1925); Armchair, Model B4 (1927); Table, Model B19 (1928)

Marcel Breuer tubular steel furniture. From top to bottom: Side Chair, Model B5 (1925); Armchair, Model B4 (1927); Table, Model B19 (1928)

 

Weil-Worgelt Study

(Originally at 575 Park Avenue, New York City)

 

The Golden Nugget Flea Market

 

Anthony at the Golden Nugget.

Anthony at the Golden Nugget.

Sunday it was off to one of our favorite flea markets, the Golden Nugget, near Lambertville, New Jersey. We have always had good luck at the Golden Nugget and this weekend was no different.

 

One of the two Deco purchases was this set of six, chrome Chase tumblers. These are not common, Chris has only come across one of these before at $28.00 and it wasn’t in that great of condition. This set was $40.00 and the tumblers are in very nice shape. The simple design of the etched rings at the bottom give the tumblers a great streamline look.

 

Set of six Chase chrome tumblers.

Set of six Chase chrome tumblers.

 

The best find of the day was a Kodak Beau Brownie No. 2 in Black and Maroon. Designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, these Art Deco cameras were in production from 1930-1933. It is not in perfect shape, but it was only $15.00, so I was not going to pass it up.

 

 

 

This was a great start to the new “Freakin’, Tiquen'” season. We can’t wait to see what other finds we will come across this summer.

 

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)

 

For more about Walter Dorwin Teague check out this past Driving For Deco post:

Walter Dorwin Teague Treasures at the Dallas Museum of Art

 

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New York & Home

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Spending the night near Albany, New York the first stop the next morning was the Gristmill Antique Center in Troy. Although we did not get anything at the Gristmill, it is a place that I would go back to if I found myself in the area. From there is was about a half hour ride to Eagle Bridge which is near the New York / Vermont border. I did not have high hopes for the Eagle Bridge Antique Center, but how wrong I was. It is quite large and is full of stuff, including paper goods, radios and furniture. We picked up a pair of Chase “uneven” candlesticks from 1933 at a great price, a Consolidated Glass Catalonian vase, some 1937-1938 Saturday Evening Posts and four Bakelite napkin rings. The video below does not do justice to the size of the place.

 

 

Another short hop and we were in Cambridge, New York. Cambridge is a quaint town and has a few antique stores, we did not pick up anything on this stop.

 

Cambridge Art and Antiques in Cambridge, New York

Cambridge Art and Antiques in Cambridge, New York

 

We arrived in Little Falls, New York around 4:30 and had a half hour to go through the Little Falls Antique Center. All we managed to find there was one gray Harlequin (a sister line to Fiestaware, sold from 1936-1964, exclusively through Woolworth) creamer, being sold for way less than book value.

 

Gray Harlequin Creamer 1951-1959 by the Homer Laughlin Company.

Gray Harlequin Creamer 1951-1959 by the Homer Laughlin Company.

 

Because there were two more antique stores in Little Falls, our last night on the road was spent in the town, at the Canal Side Inn, a boutique lodge. It was very quaint and has an excellent restaurant, too. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a weekend getaway. We did not get anything from the other two stores the next morning. But the Erie Canal did provide a great photo op the evening before and the in the morning.

 

 

The final day on the road we stopped at Vernon Varieties in Vernon, N.Y. where we picked up a Russel Wright Iroquois sugar and creamer.

 

Russel Wright, Iroquois Sugar & Creamer (1947 - 1967).

Russel Wright, Iroquois Sugar & Creamer (1947 – 1967).

 

The last stop before home was at the Westmoreland Antique Mall, near Rome, New York. All we got there was a Chase chrome sugar and creamer set. And to top off “Freakin’ Tiquen’ Summer 2015” Chris and I took the plunge and rented a booth at the All That Jazz Antique Mall in Rochester to begin our antique business. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

 

The Freakin' Tiquen Guys first display case at the All That Jazz Antique Mall, Rochester, New York.

The Freakin’ Tiquen Guys first display case at the All That Jazz Antique Mall, Rochester, New York.

 

 

Chris & Anthony  (The Freakin’ Tiquen’ Guys)

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Massachusetts, New Hampshire & Maine

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 Chris and I decided to hit the road and try our luck in other parts of New England. We visited five antique malls from northern Massachusetts to Maine and had good luck “freakin’ tiquen'”. Here are te video from the trip –

 

The video we had from the Hobart Village Antique Mall was deleted, but here are a few of the items we picked up there –

 

Today

 

Today we will be hitting a few more antique malls in southern Maine, then we are heading north towards Bar Harbor.

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)

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March 2015 Pier Antique Show

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Pier 94

Pier 94

 

Despite the snow flurries, the spring Pier Antique Show was held over the weekend of March 28th – 29th. Chris and I made our bi-yearly trip to meet our friends, attend the show and, hopefully, buy some Deco collectibles.

 

After leaving Penn Station, we stopped to get coffee and a muffin at the Tick Tock Cafe in the Hotel New Yorker, at 8th Avenue and 34th Street. This was the first time either of us had been in the 85-year-old Deco hotel. While not restored to its 1930 appearance, there are still some great original elements left.

 The restrooms of the Tick Tock Cafe are downstairs next to what was the vault of the Manufacturers Trust Company, which had a branch at street level. The Deco iron gates with the bank’s initials are still in place.

 

 

Though the bank is gone its street entrance remains. Even with the scaffolding in front of it, the doorway still shines through.

 

 

Directly across 8th Avenue, was a remnant of 1930’s New York that I had never noticed before – a building that once housed a Bickford’s Cafeteria.  Not as well-known today as the Automat, but from the 1920’s through the 1970’s there were over 40 Bickford restaurants throughout Manhattan, serving good food and staying open late into the night. By 1980 only two were left, both of which closed in 1982. Like the architecture of the Automats, most Bickfords were designed in a Moderne style, such as the one that was on 8th Avenue, just north of 34th Street.

 

One of the former Bickford's restaurants.

One of the former Bickford’s restaurants.

 

After a 20 block walk we arrived at Pier 94. Our friends were already there and the four of us were surprised that the show had about 1/4 to 1/3 fewer dealers than the Pier Antique Show of last November. There were less people attending the show as well; I hope this is not indicative of future shows.

 

Chris ready to start some big game hunting for Deco treasures.

Chris ready to start some big game hunting for Deco treasures.

 

Despite there being fewer dealers, the ones there did have great items, like this table sculpture of “Diana, the Huntress”, from the 1920’s. This booth was in the “Modernism” section of the show.

 

Bronze or white metal sculpture of "Diana the Huntress".

Bronze or white metal sculpture of “Diana the Huntress”.

 

 

We started at noon and finished shopping and browsing just before 6:00, which was closing time. Below is a video of me showing off my two Deco purchases.

 

 

Chris and I feel that the March Pier Antique Show is the official start of a new “freakin’, tiquen'” year and we can’t wait to start hitting the road to visit new places.

 

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)

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