Vintage Yellow Enamel Paint Steel Pendant Light

yellowLamp-b-9181

yellowLamp-b-9184

yellowLamp-b-9188

A cheery yellow pendant light shade fixture. Made of steel with a yellow painted enamel finish on the top side and pristine clean white underside to reflect light. The waved shade is 20″ in diameter, the height is 7″. It is light enough to be supported exclusively by the swagged clean white cord (10′ included) with plug. This listing is for one light, although we have a second pendant available listed separately both in excellent vintage condition.

Measurements: 20″ diameter, 7″ tall

Vintage Metal Dairy Pail 4 Quart with Handle

dairy Pale

dairy Pale side view

dairy Pale base

This vintage metal dairy pail is in very good vintage condition. Utilitarian, this pail could serve numerous functions in the home while retaining its rural dairy or industrial good looks. It is approximately 10.5″ tall and nearly 7.5″ in diameter. The buckets handle is strong, swivels out of the way and is built to withstand heavy loads when necessary. Its rustic charm is lovely for a display or prop or, given its original purpose, it would also be a handy air or watertight storage for anything including dog food or cat food. No doubt you will discover other uses for this fine vintage container with lid. It has no dents, some minute scratches, they are barely discernible masked within the beautiful patina.

Chalkware

dutch girl stringhead

mexican stringhead
pipesmoking match holder
mexican lady chalkware
chalkware mexican man
dutchGirl-5770

Although chalkware is a generic term for the material from which the decorative objects and accessories were made, they are actual made from plaster of Paris. Chalkware first appeared in the U.S. late in the 18th century. Popularized between the 1920s and 1940s, it was viewed as a cheaper alternative to more expensive ceramics and porcelain, chalkware enabled average consumers to purchase affordable copies. The pieces were created by first pouring plaster in to negative or cavity molds. After the plaster was hardened, the mold was removed and the chalky white unfinished piece was then painted by an employed finish “artist” with watercolors or enamel paints. The paint was another characteristic that distinguishes pricier ceramics with applied glazes from the painted chalkware alternative. Piggy banks, wall plaques, statues, smaller figurines, match holders, as well as highly collectible “string heads” were stylistically designed to add to their unique charm. Because of the nature of mold casts and the skill of the individual decorators or finish artists, each piece was idiosyncratic. Some chalkware is known as carnival chalkware, many pieces from this genre were based on characters and icons from popular culture of the times. Some pieces were meant as shelf or cabinet curios, while larger pieces could be displayed on the floor.

The pieces known by collectors as string heads, wall plaques, and wall pockets were always hung on walls. String heads were most often molded in the shape of a human head, their characters may have been based on real or fictional people, or in some cases storybook characters. While they were being made, a wire loop was partially embedded in the back of the plaster. String heads were indispensable prior to tape for securing packages. One would wrap the package in paper and conveniently dispense, cut sections, and knot the string or cord from the string head mounted on the wall. Regardless of their ornamental appeal, the demands of use, particularly true of string heads, meant the piece was frequently removed from the wall to replace the ball of string. Because plaster is inherently fragile, many examples of this type of popular commercial product, now appreciated as a form of folk art, were broken or chipped, showing distinct signs of wear during their use and often discarded.

Our collection of string heads and other chalkware is figural as is most of our folk art collection. The pieces were discovered at flea markets, antique stores and shows, during our travels in the mid 1980s. These, among others, are displayed as a group in the kitchen of our loft studio, guest always congregate in the kitchen and the string heads are always conversation pieces.