Vintage Finds This Week (02-11-2012)

What a great find this week!

While out hunting around, I looked at a table next to us in a consignment shop and spied a large, chrome, bell. Now, normally I wouldn't look at a bell. A bell, is a bell, is a bell. Right? Plus I have a tendency to have to ring them, which has a tendency to annoy Ellen.

There was something different about this bell, though, and I just had to check it out.

I reached over, and, making sure it wouldn't ring since Ellen was within striking distance, carefully lifted the bell. It was light. Too light to be a real bell. It had a solid bottom. Who ever heard of a bell with a solid bottom. It had a pour spout. Wait ... A pour spout?

Of course! This wasn't a real bell. It was a cocktail shaker in the form of a bell.

I quickly checked the internet and found it was a 1930s Town Crier Cocktail Shaker.

I snatched it up and headed to the front of the store.

Town Crier Cocktail Shaker

"Town Crier Bell Cocktail Shaker

More Pics

"Viking" Wine Carafe by Ole Winther for Holmegaard

In 1955, Ole Winther, a Danish ceramist, designed the "Viking" wine carafe for Holmegaard.

The "Viking" series was designed as large style carafes with a stylized viking head medallion embossed on the surface.

The design started in 1955 as a made to order piece by Holmegaard, and available only in green. During the 1960's, Holmegaard put the piece into general production. It was at the time that general production began that the viking medallion was added and additional colors were made available.

The "Viking" carafes continued in production until sometime around the mid 1970's.

The carafes were machine blown, but they were designed with a coarse look to give them an old style, handmade glass appearance. To achieve the old look, bubbles and ripples were reproduced in the glass. An over-sized pour spout was hand-formed and applied to the rim of the carafe.

The carafes came in two sizes; one size as shown here, and the other with a large body that is often called the "Fat Viking". There were five colors offered; Cobalt Blue, Gold, Amber, Light Blue and Smoke Gray.

More Images