The woman and I both agreed that it was cute. I had arrived at the car first, and was taking pictures of it when she was about to walk past but paused.
Want me to take a picture of you with it, she asked. She thought it was a real child’s car and that I was so enamored with it that I’d like a photo as a keepsake. I did not, but I did love the shape and coloring to this little car.
It was not a real child’s car that he or she could go zooming off in. It was a barber chair in the shape of a car. It sat atop a cylindrical chrome base with a foot pedal at the bottom for lowering and raising it. Right then, it was in a slightly raised position on a table at eye level, and was very noticeable among the antique furniture at the auction house.
This was not the first time I’d come across equipment from a child’s barbershop. Several years ago, another auction house was selling out an entire shop that catered to cutting little boys’ hair, and those pieces were just as cute.
It brought a smile to our faces and warmth to our hearts, which I’m sure it did to many auction-goers.
It was not the only lovely piece I found at auction that day. Sometimes when I’m wandering along the aisles or searching the tables at various auction houses, I come across items that force me to stop. That’s what happened with the child’s car-style barber chair and several others I encountered at two auction houses over the weekend.
Two of them caught my eye because of the amazing colors and designs that recalled another era.
Polly Gas pump
Whenever I see these early gas pumps, I think that someone put some thought into what they should look like. Our pumps today are so utilitarian and so cookie-cutter in design. Not the early ones, though, like this Polly pump. Even its parrot logo is artistic.
Details about the history of the company are incomplete, but it was presumably acquired by the Wilshire Oil Co. of California around 1930 and purchased by Gulf Oil in 1960. Polly Gas was among a number of independent gas companies whose tanks with their glass globes could sometimes be found alongside each other at the same service stations (mostly rural).
Polly Gas and some of the other independents shut down after World War II, and such other giants as Standard (which was forced by the government to break up its monopoly), Phillips 66 and Gulf were left standing.
The globes were removed from tanks after World War II when the design was simplified.
Because of unemployment during the Depression, gasoline companies were able to get some of the best graphic artists to design their logos: a parrot for Polly, an eagle for Richfield Oil Corp. and a lion for Gilmore Oil Co., which touted itself as the largest on the West Coast.
The most collectible items are said to be those from the independents.
Indian motorcycle clock
I’m not a motorcycle rider or enthusiast, but I learned about Indian bikes by watching the TV show “American Pickers” on the History Channel. One of the men on the show salivates when he sees an early Indian motorcycle.
This retro neon clock/sign is a beauty; I love the color combination and its brilliant glow.
The Indian motorcycle company was founded in 1901, and won major international racing competitions and a decade later was producing more motorcycles than any other company in the world. An innovative company, it was the first to use an electric starter and lighting. It is now owned by Polaris Industries, and among its competitors is Harley.
Joe baseball glove chair
I found this chair both comfy looking and amusing. It had a leather patch identifying it as “Joe, Made in Italy.” The original Joe armchair was made of leather, and designed by Jonathan de Pas, Donato D’Urbino and Paolo Lomazzo around 1970 in honor of baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. One similar to it in brown leather was mounted on wheels.
This Joe chair was done in blue denim fabric, said to the first after the original manufacture. This one showed some wear and dirt.
