Christmas wish list: eBay

Tis the season when friends and relatives start making holiday gift lists, so I thought I'd make it simple this year for anyone planning to buy for me. Each week from now till Christmas, I'll post my wish list...and I promise not to scrimp on cost. :)

This week I searched eBay, and I found several things I think would make me pretty jolly. Of course, those near and dear to me may have to take out a couple of loans, but I'm sure they think I'm worth it. Right?

First on my list is a Tapio Wirkkala tea set. The seller has it marked down to only $208.25. Perfect Secret Santa gift, don't you think?

ebay.com - mona_buc

My fondness for glass is well-known, so it should come as no surprise that I'd be thrilled with this Timo Sarpaneva Orkidea vase, especially since it's only priced at $489.

ebay.com - papuccito

I've decided that no house is complete without at least one piece of Adrian Pearsall, and this chair would suit me just perfectly. With bids starting at $550, it's really not too much to hope for, is it?

ebay.com - orionsobjects

Everyone knows my weakness for Oiva Toikka birds, so I thought this Alaskan Loon would make a nice addition to the list. Compared to the Festive Pheasant at $1,600, this $590 beauty is a steal.

Oiva Toikka Alaskan Loon
ebay.com - carelianfox

Then there's this great looking Hans Wegner Ox chair, priced at a mere $9,800.

Hans Wegner Ox chair
ebay.com - colemason

Last, but by no means least, is this newly recovered, buttery leather Hans Wegner Papa Bear chair and ottoman for $11,500.

Hans Wegner Papa Bear chair
ebay.com - skwm

Next week I'll scour Etsy for just the right gifts. I'm sure my friends and family members are already rolling their eyes and saying, "Good luck with that." But a girl can dream.

In the store: Selig Imperial

After our weekend sale, the store was really empty, so this week we've had to focus on building inventory back up. Monday the SIL picked up three coffee tables and a sofa table. Yesterday we picked up all the auction furniture, which included several credenzas, a vanity and a couple of chests, all of which I'll show you when we get them rubbed down with teak oil and displayed nicely on the floor.

Last night the SIL, daughter and the boys went out to pick up an upholstered swivel chair, and today we pick up a huge room divider and look at several daybeds and sofas.

The piece we're having the most fun with is a black Selig Imperial chair that looks vaguely like the offspring of a somewhat scandalous union between a Hans Wegner Ox chair and an Eero Saarinen Womb chair.  Or Darth Vader's helmet. Either way, it's cool, and we like it. A lot.

You have to admit that Selig knew how to take someone else's popular design and morph it into something they could sell. There's no telling how many Eames-style loungers they produced...and to be fair, those are still considered a high-quality knockoff.  The same is true of the chair we have. It's an extremely comfortable, well-made chair, even if its lineage is a little unusual.