CBlev65252
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posted on May 13, 2005 02:18:24 PM new
A friend of mine bought a 1950's ranch home with the original 1950's kitchen. He decided to gut the kitchen (he scrapped the boomerang countertops) and he dropped off all the hardware to me, the doll! Anyway, there are a total of 53 hinges, 23 knobs, handle pulls, all the original screws and other decorations all copper. They are quite dirty!! Should I clean them or leave them as is? If I should clean them, what would you suggest I use? Would they be considered Eames era? Space age? I wouldn't begin to even know how to price them.
Thanks, all!
Cheryl
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sparkz
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posted on May 13, 2005 03:49:25 PM new
DO NOT clean them. Play up the patina heavily in your description. Be sure to state they are "as found" and any cleaning will be left for the new owner. There are probably a lot of people, who for various reasons, will want them the way they are. And if they don't, a couple bucks worth of ammonia and a few minutes time is all it will take them to make them look new again.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
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CBlev65252
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posted on May 13, 2005 03:51:16 PM new
Thanks, Sparkz! I was hoping I didn't have to clean them. I have no idea what the star like objects are for. I suppose I should have asked him.
Cheryl
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glassgrl
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posted on May 13, 2005 04:07:47 PM new
the stars would be considered as "backplates" behind the knobs or the handles. Or at least I think that's the term.
They are great!
[ edited by glassgrl on May 13, 2005 04:08 PM ]
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sparkz
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posted on May 13, 2005 04:43:25 PM new
I think Glassgrl hit it on the head for the stars. The main problem I would have is to decide the category to list them in. Hopefully some of the others will jump in here with some suggestions. Don't worry too much about the starting price. Anything you get will be profit. If they're listed in the right place, you could easily wind up with 2 or 3 interior decorators in a bidding war.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
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CBlev65252
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posted on May 13, 2005 04:58:04 PM new
Ah, bidding war. It's been a while since I've experienced that! Sure wish I had the boomerang countertop! I got to see the kitchen before he demolished it. It was fab! I tried to talk him into keeping it, but he wants a more traditional style. In fact, the entire house is all typical 1950's. It's odd because it sits right next to an 1850's historical landmark home.
Cheryl
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estatesalestuff
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posted on May 13, 2005 06:15:11 PM new
Hi Cheryl ... although they're not "antiques", I would list them under Antiques/Architecture/Hardware and use the words 1950s Retro Atomic Eames Era in title ... those are really cool ... someone should put them in their aqua, black and white kitchen with those black/white checkerboard tile floors .... and their reconditioned aqua applicances! ... ahhhh, we almost bought a house like that once ... it was nifty. 
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wvnavysurplus
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posted on May 13, 2005 06:38:01 PM new
Cherly,
For the bottom set of handles do a completed search on eBay for "starburst clock" as a reference. I know that lots of the clocks were in the kitchens as well as the living rooms. If nothing else it may give you some help on the title.
Never clean old stuff. A buyer once wrote to me and said that if he wanted it to look new he would go to a home store and buy it new.
Jamie
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crowfarm
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posted on May 13, 2005 06:39:08 PM new
Oh, Cheryl you have me writhing in envy ! And I would've loved to have seen that house before the new owner got ahold of it.
I hate to think what he threw away !
Reminds me of other stories of "clueless" people....my friend was invited to a friend's grandmother's house to appraise the estate and was informed that they had already burnt all the OLD BOOKS!
AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
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glassgrl
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posted on May 14, 2005 04:19:53 AM new
pink kitchens = haven't you seen those?
I think I would double list them. There's the catagory suggested above, but there's also the Home & Garden > Building & Hardware > Cabinets & Cabinet Hardware catagory and there are antique knobs sold there also.
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CBlev65252
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posted on May 14, 2005 05:07:55 AM new
I was watching an old TV show a couple of weeks ago and saw the yummiest Aqua stove and refrigerator. I can only imagine what they are worth today! Ken took one look at me and said, "Don't even think about it." Pink and black looked great, too. My grandmother's kitchen was pink and black in the 1950's. To think it went from that to harvest gold and avacado. Yuk!
Cheryl
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Libra63
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posted on May 14, 2005 06:44:35 AM new
Cheryl, ours was red with a tinge of yellow in it. Chrome Table but just white appliances. I notice lately in the thrift stores they have been getting some older designer look books. I was looking at a magazine from Kirsch on How to make your windows beautiful 1965. Nothing like the 50's and early 60's for some great colors and designs. The golds and such in here really look nice. What I really like is the melmac but that is so hard to find and when you do it is really used.
Good Luck with your hardware, someone is surly going to enjoy it.
_________________
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crowfarm
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posted on May 14, 2005 06:50:04 AM new
Love pink and black ! MY 1920's bathroom is pink and black (original)
I think Harvest Gold and Avocado came from the "back to the earth" thing with "natural" colors.
My kitchen has BRIGHT yellow cupboards, a blue sink and my color scheme includes pink, aqua, turquoise, and ORANGE curtains make it glow!.......I am against the two color "rule" !
And my kitchen is so bright and cheerful I almost feel like cooking......well, no, not yet......
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leads
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posted on May 14, 2005 07:28:06 AM new
Do not clean them is the right answer. I had to share my cleaning tip for old hardware etc. this was awesome. We had an old gas lamp parts my husband drug home that was black coroding and growing things. I said I would sell it. Found a recipe of hot water one cup of white vinegar and a tablespoon of salt. Let it soak in a pan till the water was cold and the black growing stuff uncovered awesome brass. His free lamp got me some ebay money.
AS A RULE NEVER REMOVE PATINA FROM AN OBJECT IT KILLS THE VALUE TO COLLECTORS!!!
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Roadsmith
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posted on May 14, 2005 08:00:05 AM new
I definitely would double-list it.
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