Some Finds Deserve Second Chances: A Rare 1930s Steiff Monkey With Rotating Head
This lovely old chap was discovered in an antique shop in Gothenburg, and it was immediately obvious that he’d had quite a life.
He was in tatters in places, his mohair worn from decades of handling, and at some point a previous owner had decided to improve matters by giving him a rather magnificent pair of bright red lips with a felt-tip pen.
But underneath all that was something worth saving: an early Steiff mohair monkey with glass eyes and a rotating-head mechanism, a wonderful example of the inventive character toys Steiff was producing during the early 1930s. Similar tail-operated head-turning Steiff chimpanzees are documented from 1931–34.
So he came home with us.
The restoration was deliberately gentle. The damage was repaired, those alarming red lips were carefully removed, and his original character was allowed to come back through. We didn’t want to make him look new. After nearly a century, the worn mohair, softened features and little scars are part of his story.
Today he’s looking considerably more dignified in his red hat and bow, although there is still something wonderfully cheeky about that face.
Vintage isn’t always about finding something perfect. Sometimes the best finds are the ones you get to save.
And this old fellow certainly deserved his second chance.
My Favourite Find: An Extraordinary Carved Renaissance Revival Chair
Some finds are bought because we know exactly what they are. Others are bought because there is absolutely no possibility we’re leaving without them.
This chair was the latter.
With its sweeping X-frame, extraordinary carved arms and wonderfully theatrical back, it has the presence of something that belongs in an old European hall rather than sitting amongst the everyday furniture at a second-hand sale.
The carving is what stopped us. Each arm terminates in a wonderfully expressive animal head, while the back is dominated by a dramatic bearded face surrounded by scrolling foliage and architectural decoration. There is barely a surface that hasn’t been given some attention.
It appears to be inspired by Renaissance and historicist furniture, when designers looked back to much earlier European forms for inspiration. Even the X-shaped construction gives it an almost ceremonial quality.
When we found it, the wood was dry and rather tired, but the carving underneath was simply too good to ignore. After careful cleaning and its first treatment with oil, the transformation was immediate. The timber deepened in colour, the carved details began to emerge again and suddenly the chair had its swagger back.
The upholstery still needs some attention, but we’re deliberately taking our time. This isn’t a piece we want to make look new. The wear, softened edges and old surface are part of what gives it such character.
And perhaps that’s why it’s my favourite find this week.
It’s completely unnecessary, gloriously over-the-top and utterly impossible to ignore.
Exactly the sort of thing I love bringing home.
Something Unexpected: A 1930s Globe With a Secret
From a distance, this old Columbus globe didn’t exactly shout treasure. In fact, it came to us splattered with black and white paint and looking decidedly sorry for itself.
Then we opened it.
Hidden inside was a beautifully fitted drinks cabinet, complete with a silk-lined interior and spaces for six glasses. Suddenly, leaving it behind was no longer an option. 😂
Made by Columbus Verlag Paul Oestergaard KG, the globe carries an early 1930s world map marked “Columbus Erdglobus – Bearbeitet von Kartograph W. Kaden.” The brass and wood stand allows the globe to open around its equator, transforming what appears to be a traditional library globe into a rather fabulous little home bar.
The years had certainly left their mark. Along with the paint, there were old repairs, areas of wear and plenty of age to the map surface. But underneath all of that was something special. With careful cleaning, restoration and a little TLC, we were able to uncover the wonderful colours of the original map and bring the globe back to life.
And we rather like that it hasn’t become perfect. The craquelure, old repairs and signs of age are still there. They’re part of its journey.
From paint-splattered curiosity to hidden cocktail cabinet, this was one gamble that definitely paid off.
Now restored and ready for its next adventure, we’ve valued it at €455.
This is exactly why we sometimes bring home the things that make us stop and think, “What on earth is that?”
A Piece of Swedish History: Fishing the Old-Fashioned Way
Not every piece of history belongs behind glass. Some of it smells faintly of rope, salt water and fish.
This wonderfully primitive-looking piece of Swedish fishing equipment takes us back to a time when catching dinner required considerably less technology.
The long fishing line is wound around a simple wooden hand reel, accompanied by a substantial metal fishing lure fitted with two large hooks. There is no rod, no modern reel and certainly no electronic fish finder. The equipment is wonderfully straightforward: line, weight, hook and fisherman.
Handline fishing has been used for generations along Sweden’s coasts and inland waters. Equipment was practical, inexpensive and often made or adapted from materials readily available. Wooden line winders kept long lengths of cord under control and could be carried easily in a boat, ready to be lowered directly into the water.
What I particularly love about this example is that nobody has tried to make it beautiful.
The wood is worn. The rope has aged. The metal carries the marks of use. Every part of it looks as though it has spent considerably more time in a fishing boat than hanging decoratively on somebody’s wall.
Today it has become a wonderful piece of rustic maritime history, but once upon a time it was simply a tool for putting fish on the table.
And sometimes those ordinary objects tell us far more about everyday life than the grand ones ever can.
Hidden History: When do you see a vase?
At first glance, this looks like a wonderfully graphic piece of late 20th-century design. Look again and something rather clever happens.
Do you see two faces looking at one another, or a vase between them?
The design plays with the famous Rubin’s Vase optical illusion, an image used to demonstrate how our brains switch between figure and background. Once you’ve seen both interpretations, it’s almost impossible to stop your eye flicking between them.
This particular art glass vase comes from Ritzenhoff’s Vis à Vis series, produced in Germany around 1999–2000. The collection used the same distinctive glass form but invited different international designers to create their own interpretation of the face-to-face concept.
This example is associated with industrial designer Karim Rashid, whose work became synonymous with the optimistic, futuristic design language of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Here, the decoration is wonderfully restrained: frosted white glass and metallic silver are enough to turn a simple vessel into a visual puzzle.
And that’s what makes it such an interesting piece of design history.
The vase itself is an object, but the real design happens inside your head.
Two faces.
A vase.
Two faces again.
Go on… now try not switching between them.
Thank you for joining me on this week’s treasure hunt.
Every Friday, I’ll be sharing five new discoveries, unexpected stories, and forgotten pieces of history uncovered during my adventures through Sweden’s auctions, estate sales, and loppisar.
I hope you’ll visit again next Friday to see what treasures and stories I’ve uncovered.
Amanda.