The Early Bluebird Catches the Worm
Last Saturday, John woke up at 5 a.m. to hit some garage sales. The first sale he hit was a jackpot where he scored a 1930's Sparton "Bluebird" radio by industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague. It even has the original blue glass plate where the radio sits. We had always admired this radio in our design books and there are some models in museum collections, but we had never run across one in all our years of shopping. It has some condition problems (no chips in the glass, but some missing paint on the wood ball feet and wear to the speaker fabric), but still a top find. He paid a whopping $25, less than it originally cost in the 1930's which was $39.95 - $44.50. How much is it worth today? It's hard to say since it does have condition problems. Online, I found a range of values, from $2000-3500+. We don't plan on selling it since we both think it's quite beautiful.
Has anyone else found anything valuable while out junking lately?
Labels: garage sale, sparton bluebird radio, streamline design, walter dorwin teague
posted by swapatorium @ 9:37 AM
13
comments
links to this
post
13 Comments:
wow! I'm so impressed, it's beautiful!
this is great. I've never seen anything like it. Great find!
Now where did you say you lived?? I just want to go to the sales with you guys (actually right AHEAD of you guys)!
Wow! That's an incredible find! I too have seen them in a lot of my Deco books and have always coveted one.
Go John Go! I suppose he'll get a nice dinner or two for this fabulous find?
Thanks for the comments everyone!
walknthabass, we live in Houston. We do come across some cool things here and there. You can't really find very old things like other cities we have shopped at, but if you look hard enough, you can find some decent modern goods. Our entire house has been furnished this way over the years. One day, I'll take the Swapatorium readers through a house tour. :-)
That's an unbelievable find. I fantasize about stumbling across the big box of old Leica camera gear or mint-condition Charley Patton 78s, but it ain't gonna happen. Every sale in Seattle has been thoroughly Ebay-ized, and every surviving relative now thinks their crappy postcards are worth a buck apiece and their chipped tchotchkes are priceless "collectibles".
I did find a "Raleigh" brand fake Diana knockoff camera (a trendy cheap 120 camera that makes a Holga seem like a Hasselblad) for 50 cents recently, which made my day. But it sure isn't a deco design classic like that gorgeous radio.
fnarf, you'll appreciate this story. We had a dealer who sells at antique shows call us trying to sell us a camera a couple of weeks ago. She told my husband it was a Canon, brand number L.E.I.C.A. Turns out it was a Leica camera with a Canon lens for $75!
Wow, from me, too! Teague's designs were so iconic, and this one is just so beautifully subtle. What an incredible find. Well done!
I really like the idea of a house tour! Maybe we could all share in our finds via ImageShack (or something similar). Would be cool to see everybody's "junk". Guess I'd have to start with my 1955 Williams Wonderland pinball machine!
Or maybe my postcard collection (since most of it is already out there):
www.snazzyjazzypostcards.com
Houston - huh? Only 4-5 hours away from Big D. Now where should I start looking . . .
;-)
Thats cool. How about an original show poster for the Beatles 1964 New Orleans mint condition under glass $50.00 or an original Abby Road picture LP $3.00.
That's great, I'm so happy for you two!
Nice radio!
I used to have a 400 pound 1925 electric Victrola that I bought in the early 70s for $25. And I had about 100 albums of old 78s that some family had left out next to their garbage cans in the mid 60s. The Victrola used to have a radio but that was taken out long before I came along. Interesting radio...it had a small brass tuning knob, but no numerical dial. I guess they just turned the knob till something broadcasted. The turntable had 2 arms...1 brass with diaphragm, and 1 electric which played through the built-in speakers.
My bro-in-laws' sister now has custody of that wonderful behemoth.
Let me know if you change your mind about selling the old radio. I would pay big $$$$$$ for it if the glass is not broken or chiped. I am at homesandproperties.com in Washington. :)
Do you sell this item and how much do you ask for it, is it possible to know it?
Thanks, it is very beautiful and great
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link