Announcing..."As Luck Would Have It" -- the Website!

FINALLY! The "As Luck Would Have It" Website has launched! Now, in addition to the offerings at Home Store Manassas, my carefully edited collection of vintage treasures are available thru www.LuckVintageDecor.com. Be sure to check it out daily, as there are many more pieces of inventory to be posted. And tell ALL your friends, family, co-workers, strangers you meet in bars....Trust me, they'll thank you for it! At least I will...!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors


My Dear Readers have long been aware of my ongoing love affair with that thrilling Store de Thrift, Joseph’s Coat.  This Falls Church, Virginia establishment has yielded many a treasure, but recently it has outdone itself as a purveyor of fine vintage décor!

You’ll recall that BFF Diana, the Lady D, is the one responsible for introducing me to the lures of Joe’s Coat (as those of us in-the-know refer to it.  Ok, well, at least Diana and I).  And, yet again, it is she who drew me in on multiple occasions over the past several weeks.  The Lady D, a savant with a cell phone, entices me by sending a text with nothing more than a pic attached – a picture of some glorious item, destined to set in motion an episode of intense vintage!  I submit as evidence:

  • Lion-paw Dining Table:  Having received a texted pic of this fine oak structure, I immediately recognized its locale as the furniture area of Joe’s.  Frantically dialing Lady D to ascertain the item’s specs, my repeated calls were constantly interrupted by more and more virtual treasures being sent over the ether.  Finally I was able to connect with our intrepid hunter, and was informed that this table was in excellent shape.  As Diana provided me with the table’s measurements (to determine, of course, if it could possibly fit into the Passat), I pictured her in some exotic yoga pose, holding the phone against her ear with her shoulder while extracting the tape measure with outstretched arms (the oh-so-challenging ‘Talking-on Cell-while-Measuring’ pose, to be attempted only by the most advanced yogini).   Alas, I waffled on committing to this lovely vintage find, on the basis that it seemed highly unlikely that I could make it fit into the Passat (even my trusty chariot has its limitations!).  Nonetheless, I managed to make my way to Joe’s mere days later, and discovered that the lion-paw table was still available!  Fate smiled upon me indeed; after crawling under the table and taking copious measurements, I determined that, by removing the tabletop, I would be able to fit the disassembled treasure into the awaiting Passat!  Yes, I was so ashamed of myself for doubting its cargo capacity – and my own Furniture Addict ingenuity.


But wait, there’s more!

  • A diminutive table with a framed glass top: Note the beautifully woven gold fabric behind the glass, and the lovely blue patina of the table’s finish.  Serendipitously, I discovered in the same Joe’s Coat spree a precious little book (dated 1895!) of Poe’s Poems, inscribed “Anasue Comer, from Mother”.  This tiny tome is beautifully bound in leather, with painted embossed flowers of a distinctively Art Nouveau design.  Note how perfectly the book accompanies the table, especially when set in a delicate bowl of yellow-tinted glass given to me by dear friend Amelia – pure vintage FABULOCITY!

  • Kanawha Candy Dish: Diana convinced me that this lovely milk-glass candy dish was indeed a collectible find. Labeled "Kanawha Handcrafted Glassware, Dunbar Wva", it is a pristine example of that company’s wares.  And the swirls of orange, yellow, and green make it the perfect accent for the Flamestitch Wing Chair – both pieces are part of the “Spring Brights” collection currently on display in the “As Luck Would Have It” shop at Home Store Manassas!

  • Capodimonte salt-n-pepper shakers:  How can something so small be so over-the-top?!?  Just take a gander at this charming pair of Capodimonte-style Italian salt-and-pepper shakers.  Note the male and female near-nudes in repose, along with the requisite cupids.  Brava! 

  • Quimper Fish Plate:  Once again, the Lady D shamed me with her knowledge of fine collectibles.  As I was agonizing over the merits of this whimsical fish plate, she expertly turned it over to reveal that the piece is “Quimper”, and hence quite desirable.  Merci’ beaucoup, Diana!


And I could go on and on and on.  As always, Joseph’s Coat did its part to feed my addiction.  Trust me, there are more stories to tell of trips to this most wondrous of places!  Hurry in…And tell manager Christina that Howard and the Lady D sent you...It'll be star-treatment all the way!