A Painting, A House, and The Pitchfork Pie Stand

I think we are all familiar with the painting
"American Gothic"
You know the one with the dour farmer
and his spinster daughter
standing in front of their farm house
with the Gothic window?

image source

 It was painted in 1930 by the self proclaimed

"farmer-painter" Grant Wood (1891-1942).

image source

He used his sister Nan and the family's dentist

Dr. Byron McKeeby as the models.

image source

Wood's sister insisted she was the farmer's

daughter and not wife, because she did

not think of herself as old enough to be

his wife in the painting.

 

Wood used one other model in his composition,

The one that actually inspired the painting.

The 1881 cottage, designed in the Gothic Revival style

with an upper window in the shape of a
medieval pointed arch, provided the background.

It really exists!

image source

Known as the Dibble House, Wood

found it in Eldon, Iowa while visiting

a local artist friend, John Sharp. 

Wood was amused by the window 

and remarked at how "pretentious"

it was on such a small house.

 image source

(The windows on each end of the house are

believed to have been mail ordered out of a

Sears Roebuck & Co catalogue.
Why they chose Gothic church windows

is any one's guess.)

 

 Wood decided right then to paint a portrait of who

he imagined would live in a house like that.

As for the painting, the rest is history.      

                                                                                                            

As for the house,

it's a rental property...

with a visitors center.

Find out more about the Dibble house HERE

But don't try renting it now, there's

already someone living there.

image source

Iowa pie lady, Beth Howard.

Find out more about Beth Howard after the jump

Peaches On A Hot Day

We had a bumper crop of peaches this year

from our "Desert Gold" peach tree.

Unfortunately so many peaches, that

nearly every branch is broken.

 from top...

to bottom.

This was a big branch that looked like

it might just bend and not break, but....

it gave way as the peaches got bigger.

Funny thing is,

the branches go on living just all misshapen.

We've already given away

3 bags of peaches this season.

 

I brought the pups out with me to snap some pics,

but in this heat they didn't move much...

Cher and Elvis just laid there.

But who could blame them?

It was unseasonably warm...

It was like 103° outside.

 

"103°!?! Get me inside!"

 

Thanks for stopping by today,

and Happy Hunting!

My Newly Aquired EAPG Compote

I just bought a compote today!

Definition: a bowl of glass usually with a
base and stem from which compotes,

fruits, nuts, or sweets are served.

From what little I could find on the web,

I believe it to be a "Panelled Palm" pattern

(with two "L"s in panelled for some reason)

by U.S. Glass Co since 1906.

Here's the best part, it was only $4.99!!!

I was walking through Savers at lunch time today

(they take in donations and resell them to the public)

and

image source

 there it was on the shelf!

I quickly pulled out my phone to research. 

I could see it had a palm leaf in the design

so I typed "palm leaf compote",

Not the official name of this pattern

but one picture popped up...

ebay image

No information about it, just a picture.

That was enough for me to grab mine

and carry it to the front.

Back at the computer, it was hard to get any free

information at all on the pattern...

but finally, after Googling just

"eapg palm"

I found a pattern that matched mine.

"Panelled Palm"

I typed "eapg panelled palm" into Ebay

and a few items popped up here 

others pop up with one "L"(go figure!)

with the same pattern as my compote!

It does not seem to be a very common pattern,

and I'll admit, not a super fancy design,

but at 6'' high and 8''wide,

very good for holding Cuties.

and for only $4.99,

 I ain't complainin'!

 

Thanks for stopping by

and Happy hunting!

Yes! I Have No Bananas...In my EAPG Banana Stand!

Years ago Sam and I were browsing

the local antiques mall and I happened upon

a strange looking glass stand.

Labeled a "Banana Stand" it looked like
a cake stand with turned up sides in a U shape,
with a cool pattern pressed into the glass.

Suddenly, I wanted to own a banana stand.

Its price of $80 made me think I didn't need it that badly.

Soon after that trip however, thanks to good ol' Ebay,

I procured one at a great $20 price. 
You can find many listed on Ebay for great prices
at any given time HERE.

This is my E.A.P.G. Bryce, Higbee & Co.
Banana Stand,

 with a "Medallion Sunburst" pattern circa 1905.
I don't know if mine is as old as that
but the pattern on the glass is that old.
Estimates say that there were over
3000 different patterns made by hundreds
of glass companies of the era.

What is E.A.P.G.?
That stands for Early American Pattern Glass.
Also known as "pressed glass" and even
"Victorian glass".  It covers a wide
range of patterned glass tableware and
novelty glass items manufactured during the
Victorian era around 1850 to 1910.
It was rare for an average family of the time
to have a complete set of the same pattern.
As they would often give and receive pieces
of other sets for special
occasions and weddings.

It was believed that bananas (known to ripen
quickly and get brown spots) when placed with other
fruit, would cause that fruit to ripen fast too.

image source
Companies came up with the banana stand
to keep the bananas elevated away
from the rest of the fruit.
Here's a banana stand featured on
the cover of a "Chiquita Banana Cookbook"

image source
available here
What a creative way to display the bananas
I never buy that many at any given time.

But I sure do love my banana stand!
Thanks for stopping by
and happy hunting!

Cabinets with a Secret

I just love the look of apothecary cabinets.

 Used in the early days by pharmacists and physicians.

The separate little drawers stored

various types of medications that 

could be mixed together to cure illness.

For some time now, I've had my eyes peeled

for an apothecary cabinet where the drawers aren't

drawers, but cabinets that look like drawers.

For example,

here is a cabinet from Pier 1 Imports,

the "Minhou Cabinet"

get one here

Looks like 12 handy little drawers doesn't it?

But the cool surprise is...

image source

Eight of those drawers are phony, and

are hiding a roomy storage cabinet!

How cool is that?

I have the "Minhou" on my India inspired

idea board.

It will make a great entryway cabinet. 

Just drop your keys in the top drawer

on your way in...

If you can find the real drawer.

Mwahahahaaa!

Another cabinet I found is from Sam's Club,

The "Lauren Accent Cabinet"...

try to get one here

This looks like the perfect apothecary cabinet,

It even has old fashioned drawer pulls.

But a closer look will reveal...

image source

Only two drawers and two cabinets hiding

behind 16 small faux drawers!

This one was going in my family room.

Unfortunately, by the time we decided it

was the one, Sam's Club no longer carried it.

DRAT!!!

I found this one online....

see it here

The Powell Media Console
You see 16 handy drawers,
 but in reality...

NO drawers at all!!!!!
It hides two flip down faux drawer fronts
and two false drawer cabinet doors!

Here's a reclaimed wood
map drawer cabinet with 14
narrow drawers for storing maps...

get one here
Not so fast,

We actually find two deep drawers on top,
while the bottom sections function as
cupboards with false drawer fronts
and handy interior shelves.

  Pottery Barn has one of there own as well,
the "Andover Cabinet"

one with a weathered red finish,

get one here

and one with a weathered walnut finish.

get one here

And behind the 20 small drawers,

image source

there are only four small top drawers

and two roomy cabinets!

A pretty nifty cabinet but, the high

price puts this one off my list at $699.

Pottery Barn also offers a side table

apothecary cabinet with a secret,

The "Keaton Side Table"

get one here

16 drawers hide,

one drawer and one two door cabinet.

I like it, but it's much too small for my needs,

plus the $499 price tag is a no go.

Do you like furniture with secrets?

I really like furniture that's hiding a
clever surprise.
Like a bookcase with a secret passageway,

 that we all dreamed about having as kids...

Come on, you know you did.

image source

or a Murphy bed,

image source

 Well, not quiet the same thing,

 but hey, I can pretend can't I?

Thanks for stopping by,

and happy hunting!



Darn The Luck

As you may know, I am a big

Halloween enthusiast.
It must be all the hype right now with
The Walking Dead season finale

image source

 coming this Sunday.
Or maybe,
it's The Bible's finale

image source

on History channel. (I don't know which,
there are walking dead people in both...)
Anyway, It's got me all wound up
for stuff like this.

I am on the lookout for a 

cool Halloween ghost light.

A while back while reading the blog,

Between Naps On The Porch,

I was captivated by Susan's vintage ghost light.
here

   image from BNOTP

I have been on a search for one
just like it ever since.

I did see one on Ebay a year or so ago.

 But, regrettably, someone beat me to it.
It went at a great low price too.
Then a little over a week ago, 
on Ebay, I saw this ...

Ebay image

A Mint in Box 1987 ceramic ghost light from
something called the Calabasas Collection.

 Not exactly the same ghost light I'd been wanting
 but, in my opinion, better...

Ebay image

a little more whimsical, cartoonish,
and kind of retro, simply perfect.
I bid and won...I was the only bidder.
It's much easier to win Halloween
collectibles around Easter time.
The box arrived with a dent on one corner,
and to my dismay, I could hear
ceramic pieces rattling around inside.

 The ghost's expression kind of says it all,
doesn't it?
RATS!  Mint condition since 1987 and
as soon as I get it, it's busted.
I do believe it would have helped if
the seller used a tad more packing material.
He did quickly refund the total amount
after my email.

It was the perfect size too.
I had imagined it going on my entry table
similar to where Susan had hers.
I'll just keep looking, I'm sure there are
more out there like this guy.
I'm even considering this one...

Very common in the 60's and 70's
and now Joan Davis paints them, and sells
them on her Esty shop HERE
His face is very similar to the first ghost I liked.
However I'm really digging
the one I bid on, it's more my style.
Oh well, wish me luck on my hunt.

Happy Easter to you and yours,
and thanks for stopping by!