Wunderbar Büfett

This beautiful buffet is a magnificent example of mid-century modern, a movement stretching from 1945 through the 1960s. Influenced by the German Bauhaus school and Scandinavian design, mid-century modern furniture is characterized by the simplicity of style, the use of natural materials, and the lack of unnecessary embellishment. This outstanding example of this sought-after style ingeniously incorporates the gorgeous grain of the contrasting woods to complement its clean lines and restrained design.  

The piece carries a small metal label for Möbel-Mühlschwein in Frankfurt, Germany. However, this is not the maker, but a "einrichtungshaus" or furniture store (möbel is German for furniture). The store reportedly closed in 1981. Think of the stories this incredible piece of cabinetry could tell as it traveled through the decades, beginning Frankfurt and ending up in the Next-to-New trove. However, this is not the end of its journey, as the unique piece could enhance your home.

 All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

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Goin' to the Chapel. . .

And we're gonna get married

Goin’ to the chapel

And we're gonna get married

Gee I really love you

And we're gonna get married

Going to the chapel of love

"Chapel of Love," Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, 1963

This antique bride and groom are "all dolled up" and ready to go to the chapel of love. Dating from the 1910s, these Edwardian dollhouse dolls have heads and limbs of smooth rosy bisque, delicately hand-painted faces, and cloth bodies. If you are a collector of fine antique dolls or are looking for a unique wedding gift or wedding cake topper, this lovely and loving couple is waiting for you at Next-to-New.

Just 6 inches tall, the man wears a beautifully tailored tuxedo (as well as the most dashing mustache!) while his blushing bride is garbed in a gorgeous gown lavished with fine lace and ribbon. 

This nearly pristine pair are attributed to German doll maker J.D. Kestner. Founded by Johann Daniel Kestner in the 1820s, the company produced some of the finest and most sought after antique German dolls. Located in Waltershausen, in the Thuringia region of Germany, the company began by producing wood, paper mache and china head dolls, but by the 1880s, it was renown for its fine quality bisque dolls. Known as "King of the Doll Makers," Kestner offered a wide variety of dolls, from elegant ladies to pudgy babies. It produced entire families of dollhouse dolls, from grey-headed grandparents to pink-cheeked all-bisque children, as well as the necessary staff,  such as maids, butlers, and chauffeurs. The factory closed in 1938.

 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New but things can sell quickly!

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These Spoons will Cause a Stir!

Inside this reddish-brown box from our trove of treasures. . . 

. . . is a set of six extraordinary antique demitasse spoons, nestled on yellow satin.  What sets these spoons apart from your typical tableware is that each is topped with twin teeth!

During the Victorian period, there was a fashion for ornaments incorporating animal parts.  Inspired by the Raj, tiger claws and teeth became earrings and pendants, pins made of grouse claws were a popular souvenir of Scotland, and the canine teeth of deer and elk could be found in a wide variety of gold and silver items.  In Austria and Germany, it was a tradition to set deer teeth, typically the trophies of a successful hunt, into jewelry.  Called "hirschgrandln," the tooth-trimmed jewelry was considered good luck, especially for future hunts.  Prince Albert brought this tradition from his homeland, in 1860 giving his beloved Queen Victoria an ornate gold and enamel necklace adorned with the teeth of 44 stags hunted by Albert at the royal estate Balmoral in Scotland. Each tooth was inscribed with the date each animal was killed.  Hirschgrandln became a popular souvenir for Alpine visitors, with a wide variety of pieces being made to satisfy the tourist trade.  The finely detailed oak leaf motif on the top of each handle is very typical of hirschgrandln.

The spoons are marked "800," indicating that they are 80 percent silver.  In 1884, 800 was made the national minimum silver standard in Germany.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

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Not the Same Old Grind

This antique hand-cranked coffee grinder was made by the German company of Stahl-Mahlwerk CA Lehnartz.  It is of warm honey-colored wood and carries the company's red rooster logo.  Founded in 1925 by Omar Lehnartz, by the 1930s, this company was producing up to 100,000 coffee grinders a year.  However, with the advent of electric coffee grinders, the company discontinued its coffee grinder production and today produces painting equipment.

Some coffee connoisseurs assert that these hand-cranked vintage coffee grinders can create a finer and more uniform grind than many modern electric grinders.  They certainly are far less noisy and far more environmentally friendly.  Plus this handsome beautifully-crafted piece would be a delightful adornment for any kitchen or coffee shop. 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

Christmas in July?

Nutcrackers, thanks to the popularity of the seasonal performance of the The Nutcracker, the 1892 ballet set to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, have become a symbol of the Christmas season.  However, this nutcracker is not your typical solider or Santa, but instead represents Uncle Sam resplendent in red, white, and blue.  So instead of Christmas in July, he will put a little Fourth of July in your Christmas.

Instead of a Christmas carol, Uncle Sam will serenade you with "America the Beautiful" from the music box concealed in his kettle drum.  

Turned from wood and hand painted, Uncle Sam is by the German company of Steinbach. In Germany, there is a long history of wood carving and for centuries wooden nutcrackers in the shape of soldiers have been standing sentry in German households. The stern-looking carvings are thought to bring good luck and are prominent offerings in German Christmas markets. After WWII, American soldiers stationed in Germany often brought these brightly painted nutcrackers home as gifts. Then, in 1944, the San Francisco Ballet company performed the first complete version of The Nutcracker in the United States. Soon ballet companies throughout the country began producing their own holiday versions of the ballet and nutcrackers became synonymous with the Christmas season. Steinbach, which has been producing fine wood products since 1832, innovated and renovated the nutcracker tradition by producing nutcrackers in novel forms, including figures from fairy tales or history or representing occupations or sports endeavors. The hand-crafted nutcrackers were often in limited editions and and soon collectors all over the world were clamoring for them. Although Uncle Sam's jaw opens and closes with a lever in his back like a traditional nutcracker, he is ornamental, not utilitarian. He premiered in 2001and was a limited edition of 5,000 worldwide.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

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