September 14, 2009

Salvager: Antique Mantel at BIG NYC

When we were renovating our house back in 2005, we used as much architectural salvage as possible. The marble for our kitchen counters came from a great building products recycling spot in Long Island City called Build It Green NYC--there were two large slabs of carrera marble that had been rescued from an old theater in the West 40s and were ours for a total of $400. Sweet! Anyway, we opened the non-profit's monthly email newsletter on Friday and our eye was caught by this beautiful 19th century cherry mantlepiece that had come from a house in Park Slope. Anyone interested? It's yours for $1,500. Lots more salvaged items here.

July 20, 2009

Spiff Up Your Old Hardware

If you're like us, you've got piles of old hinges and doorknobs in your cellar that are layered in old (probably lead) paint. Last week, Reclaimed Home gave a great primer (no pun intended) on how to clean up these antique pieces yourself. Check it out on the link.

May 20, 2009

Eddie's, Up Close and Personal

The NY Times' Local blog had a guest post yesterday about one of our favorite stores and people in the neighborhood: Eddie Hibbert and his eponymous salvage store at 224 Greene Avenue. We began frequenting Eddie's as soon as we bought our house a couple of blocks away (here's the first mention of him on Brownstoner back in 2005). It was the perfect spot for us for a couple of reasons: 1) we were endeavoring to use as much architectural salvage as possible; and 2) we were trying to spend as little money as possible. Not lost on the writer of the post: Eddie's warm personality and insider's knowledge of what's going on in the neighborhood. As the real estate market has exploded in the area in the last decade, Eddie's had a number of offers for the large storefront space he occupies but has no plans to move—which is good news for salvage junkies and those who care about the community.
One Man’s Trash [NYT/Local]
Photos by C. Zawadi Morris

February 24, 2009

Architectural Salvage at Lowe's (Parking Lot)

We received a tip about the opening of a new outdoor architectural salvage business a few days ago but haven't had time to make it over to Gowanus, so we were pleased to see that blog Casa Cara wrote it up this morning. According to her post, Roy Baccaro, whose family has been in the business for a century, recently rented space in the Lowe's parking underneath the F train and is displaying a tempting array of antique iron fences, newel posts and fireplace covers, among other things. Anyone checked it out in person yet?
The Ironmonger Under the El [Casa Cara]

November 20, 2008

Salvage This! Neat Old Victorian Fireplace

The coolest item at The Flea this weekend was without a doubt this old iron fireplace that Clinton Hill resident and regular vendor David Sokosh had for sale over near the backstop. (He ended up selling it for $50.) While the exterior frame is instantly recognizable as the semi-circular edge of a fireplace, the guts of this piece are less familiar. Turns out it's an apparatus for burning coal. Pretty neat. Anyone have one of these still installed in a fireplace at home?

September 29, 2008

The Times on Deconstruction

Teardowns are as much a problem in non-landmarked Brooklyn areas as they are in other parts of the country (even a couple of "green" condo projects stand in lots once occupied by humble, wood-framed homes). So perhaps we can learn a lesson from Brad Guy, a deconstructionist — and we don't mean that in an academic way — who is trained in the fine art of advanced salvage, and profiled in the NY Times Magazine this weekend. Deconstruction, dismantling and reusing building materials rather than just junking them, is becoming more popular. "The demolition industry has identified 14 recyclable building materials, but it only recycles three in any real volume: concrete, metal and wood," they write. But it has some drawbacks: Deconstruction can be cheaper than demolition, but it can never be faster. "It takes two weeks and a dozen wage earners to do what a piece of hydraulic machinery accomplishes before lunch," they write, but it does provide jobs, not to mention lightening the carbon footprint of the building industry, which produces more pollution and consumes more energy than any other business sector, according to Architecture 2030. We know a couple of demo projects that might be a good fit (see above).
This Old Recyclable House [NY Times]
Decon2. Photo by horseycraze.

August 1, 2008

Salvager: Summer Yard Sale Finds

There's nothing quite like a yard sale to satisfy a bargain hunter's desires. We found these four sconces in the nicest yard we've ever seen hosting a yard sale last weekend in Bridgehampton. The price? $5 a pop. Of course, now we've gotta spring for the rewiring but the hallway lighting in our place is one of those cases where we put something quick and easy in to get our C of O three years ago and have been too lazy to upgrade to something more attractive. Have any other readers scored any yard sale finds this summer?

February 18, 2008

A Look Back at Salvage Fest '07

We're off for the holiday today but...We just discovered this very cool new slideshow application called PictoBrowser and wanted to give it a whirl. So, in anticipation of Brooklyn Flea's imminent launch, we threw together a look at last September's Salvage Fest, our first toe-dip into this whole outdoor market thing. Most of the folks who were there—Demolition Depot, Olde Good Things, Silver Fox and Eddie's—are going to be a part of the Flea along with a whole host of others selling antiques and other old-school items. For a reasonable up-to-date but not comprehensive list, check out the side bar on the Brooklyn Flea Blog.

January 25, 2008

Today on the Forum: Salvage Edition

There are three for-sale items posted on the Forum today:
Antique Dressing Room Built-In For Sale
200 Square Feet of Red Oak Flooring for Sale
Stickley Chair for Sale: Make Me an Offer

December 17, 2007

Never-Been-Used Viking Appliances at Build It Green

The range of items you can find in the warehouse of Astoria-based Build It Green! is wide, with everything from droolworthy 19th Century moldings to modern-day hollow-core doors that would get laughed at in any House of the Day post. We scored some beautiful vintage marble there that we turned into countertops. Now, we noticed, the website is touting some brand-new viking appliances at 30 percent off. Any label-conscious kitchen renovators out there?
Viking Wine Cooler $4,299 [BigNYC]
Viking Fridge $4,399 [BigNYC]

December 11, 2007

A Thing for Radiators

Here's a guest post that a reader sent in...The cold weather is here and we are now thinking of heating our homes. Some people collect rare coins, others collect baseball cards, I collect radiators. How crazy is that?! I bought my brownstone 10 years ago, it was built in 1910 and I remembered being really bothered by the plain radiators it had. This was the time when plain Edwardian style was in and the ornamental Victorian radiators were out. So I said the heck with it and started searching for interesting ornamental radiators, restoring them and installing them in our house. I remember thinking, "it's a large functional object in my space, so it should be attractive". The variety of style in the castings I find really interesting. Some of the designs look like stylized flames and clouds of steam. They breathe and hiss with such personality too. One of the earliest ones I have has a lace shelf on top and has a stamping on it that reads J.R. Reed's Patent April 9. 1878. Another one has a floral design from the American Radiator Co. It has a humidifier that works really well. My cat loves to drink from it for some strange reason. Recently I found one of the rarest examples in a ghost town in PA. It sat in an old bar that hasn't been in use for 70 years. This odd radiator has a built in warming oven that works much like a hot plate keeping food warm. It was made for fancy dining rooms at the turn of the century. It works surprisingly well, just yesterday it kept a cup of coffee warm at 110 degrees.

December 10, 2007

303 Park Pl: If You Don't Like Old Houses, Don't Buy One!

You'd think that people who have no appreciation for older architecture could find a house that's already missing its original details when it comes time for them to buy something. Instead, some people (like the new owners of 303 Park Place) buy a gorgeous historic home and proceed to strip it to the bone. Here's what the Craigslist ad (which expired over the weekend) said:

Due to remodeling of a 100-year old Prospect Heights 1-family brownstone, we are offering selected antique Victorian architectural items. This is a one-time chance to improve your home with gorgeous authentic details that are seldom on the market. Items include Victorian oak fireplace mantels, redwood staircase complete with 3 stair runs, curving railings, balusters, Tiffany-style stained glass window panels, Victorian solid gingerbread entrance doors, antique tin ceiling tiles, ornate glass ceiling chandeliers, hinges and doorknobs and more.

Can any neighbors let us know what the couple plans to do with this place? Ugh.
House of the Day: 303 Park Place [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
Victorian Antique Architectural Items [Craigslist]

September 10, 2007

Soaking Up Some Salvage at the Fest

At Saturday's Salvage Fest, the sun was shining (a little too hard but we can't complain), most of the dealers showed up on time and attendees (some of whom came from as far as Chicago) showed up in droves, some with measuring tapes in hand, to see what all the fuss was about. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come and helped make it a special day for us. (We particulaly enjoyed getting a chance to meet so many readers!) In addition, a special thanks to Principal Wrighton, Amy Oztan from the PTA and Councilwoman James for helping to make the event possible. And, of course, a big shout-out to all the dealers (listed on the jump) who took a chance on a first-time event. It's safe to say we'll be doing more of this type of event in the future. Lots of photos in the Flickr set on the link; or view as a slideshow here.
Salvage Fest Photo Set [Flickr]

Continue reading "Soaking Up Some Salvage at the Fest"

September 7, 2007

Salvage Fest 2007: 20 Hours and Counting

We're looking forward to meeting lots of you tomorrow at the Salvage Fest--we'll be the unshaven guy sporting the new Brownstoner t-shirt. As we've been telling you all week, the First Annual Salvage Fest takes place Saturday from 10 to 4 at P.S. 11 in Clinton Hill. It's a great chance to find that perfect doorknob as well as to talk to vendors about tracking down hard-to-find items; one of the salvagers will also have samples of reclaimed flooring on display. And don't forget to drop off any old building materials that have been gathering dust in your basement. The schoolyard is located on Washington Avenue between Gates and Greene; the closest subway stops are the Clinton/Washington C train and the Clinton or Classon stops on the G train. Weather forecast looks good (knock on wood), but if it looks shaky in the morning, check in here for scheduling updates. See you there! GMAP

September 6, 2007

Salvage Fest 2007: Two Days and Counting!

While we continue to keep our fingers crossed that the weather gods will smile upon us on Saturday, here are a few updates on our First Annual Salvage Fest which will take place from 10 to 4 at P.S. 11 in Clinton Hill. First off, in addition to the stable of vendors we've listed here, we got an 11th-hour entry from Albany-based Silver Fox. Another reason to stop by: The kids from P.S. 11 will be selling a wide range of food and drinks to raise money for the school. Lastly, we'll throw out another reminder that Build It Green will be collecting building-supply donations at the Salvage Fest as well, so bring your stuff on down. For those who need directions, check out the the Google map link; the closest subway stops are the Clinton/Washington C train and the Clinton or Classon stops on the G train. GMAP

September 5, 2007

Brownstoner's First Annual Salvage Fest on Saturday!

The countdown begins: Three more days until Salvage Fest 2007! On Saturday, September 8 (September 9 if it's raining), all the architectural salvage dealers in the New York City area will be coming together in the school yard of PS 11 in Clinton Hill (at Washington and Greene Avenues) from 10 am to 4 pm to serve up a delicious array of old building parts, fixtures and lighting. Who will be there? Williamsburg's own Moon River Chattel, Chelsea's (by way of Scranton) Olde Good Things, Harlem's Demolition Depot, Astoria's Build It Green, Clinton Hill's Eddie's Salvage, and Bed Stuy's Reclaimed Home; Philly-based Old Soul Architectural Salvage and Virginia-based Architectural Salvage News will also be in the house. In addition, Build It Green will have a drop-off station for recycling any odd building materials you may have lying around so bring over that box of tiles that's been taking up space in your basement since you finished you bathroom renovation five years ago! Unfortunately, there will not be any way for individuals to sell there own pieces of architectural salvage. Admission is free—as are Brownstoner bumper stickers for the first 100 people to show up. Any last-minute requests for items?

August 29, 2007

Salvage Fest Just Ten Days Away

As we've mentioned a couple of times already, the First Annual Brownstoner Salvage Fest will take place on Saturday, September 8 (September 9 if it's raining) in the school yard at PS 11 in Clinton Hill from 10 am to 4 pm. The yard is located on Washington Avenue between Gates and Greene; take either the C to Clinton/Washington or G to Clinton. All the major dealers in the area will be there: Moon River Chattel, Olde Good Things, Demolition Depot, Black Dog Salvage, Build It Green, Eddie's, Old Soul Architectural Salvage and Reclaimed Home. There will be something for everyone—doorknobs, lighting, flooring, doors, etc.—so please come check it out. In addition, Build It Green will have a drop-off station for recycling any odd building materials you may have lying around. Admission is free—as are Brownstoner bumper stickers for the first 100 people to show up.

August 21, 2007

Less Than Three Weeks 'Til Salvage Fest

Just a reminder that there's less than three weeks left until the First Annual Salvage Fest. On Saturday, September 8 (rain date: September 9), the folks from Moon River Chattel, Olde Good Things, Demolition Depot, Black Dog Salvage, Build It Green, Eddie's, the newly-enrolled Old Soul Architectural Salvage and Reclaimed Home will be setting up shop in the P.S. 11 school yard in Clinton Hill. Rich Ellis, publisher of the Architectural Salvage News will also be holding court. The range of items will include everything from doorknobs to sconces to sinks to reclaimed flooring. When we first announced the event, many of you chimed in with requests. If you were at the beach that day and would like to contribute your wish list so dealers can better gauge what to bring, please do so below.

By the way, if any readers are members of any of the nearby church congregations, we're looking to rent some folding tables for the day. Please drop us an email at brownstoner@brownstoner.com if you can hook us up.

August 9, 2007

Brownstoner's First Annual Salvage Fest

Many readers by now are aware of what big proponents we are of incorporating architectural salvage into renovations. We used salvaged flooring, marble and moldings all over our house and think it helped maintain the historic look and feel while saving a little money and doing something good for the environment. There are several great salvage dealers in the New York area but we suspect many people haven't had a chance to go check them all out. So we decided to get them all together for a day in one place for something we're calling Salvage Fest. On Saturday, September 8 (rain date: September 9), the folks from Moon River Chattel, Olde Good Things, Demolition Depot, Black Dog Salvage, Build It Green and Eddie's will set up shop for the day in the playground at PS 11 in Clinton Hill (it's the smaller lot on Washington between Gates and Greene); the publisher of the Architectural Salvage News will also have a table there. (There's still room for a couple of more vendors if anyone's interested.) We will also have a recycling station set up with Build It Green for people to drop off old building materials that are gathering dust in their cellars. We'd like to have some educational/demonstration components, too, so let us know your ideas. Lastly, to help the dealers decide what to bring, please use the comments section below to describe any items you're looking for (from general things like victorian sconces to specific sizes and types of hardware.) This is a work-in-progress, so all ideas are welcome—as are any volunteers to help with set-up or recycling.

July 2, 2007

Salvager: Serious Stuff from Fort Greene Brownstone

The person overseeing the renovation of a grand old home in Fort Greene dropped us a note to try to find a home for some of the beautiful pieces of architectural salvage that are going to be removed. In addition to the mahogany pocket doors above, there are mantels, mirrors and a gorgeous bathtub that will be available. If you are interested, please email jane AT janeherships DOT com for more photos and to arrange an appointment.

May 22, 2007

At Upper East Side Mansion, Everything Must Go

It's ironic (dontcha think?) that too much money can be more of a threat to a house than too little. A perfect case in point is the salvage operation that Demolition Depot is about to undertake at a mansion on the Upper East Side. The gazillionaire who recently bought this place decided that the gobs of money the previous owner spent on custom bannisters, wood-paneling etc. were beneath him and it all had to go. (Alright, we'll concede those bathrooms could use a spruce-up but come on.) So, starting today, Demolition Depot will be dismantling the entire interior. If you want to make their job easy and get a serious discount for cash-and-carry, you can visit the site next week. Just call 212-860-1138 to arrange a time.
Townhouse Salvage Highlights [Demolition Depot]

April 25, 2007

Restoration Hardware: A Solid Middle Ground?

We were flipping through the latest Restoration Hardware catalog that arrived on our doorstep yesterday and noticed for the first time what an extensive line of hardware the company has now. Though we didn't see a single piece of furniture that we'd want to have in our house, it struck us that, for people who don't have the patience to go digging through the bins at Olde Good Things or can't afford the likes of Edward R. Butler, Restoration Hardware might be a decent place to look. This knob from the Hanson line, for example, is only $7 to $24, depending on whether you opt for the antique brass, polished nickel, satin nickel, polished chrome or oil-rubbed bronze finish. There are some nice hinges as well. Has anyone used any of this stuff?

On a related note, we will be starting a new feature in a couple of weeks called Ask The Architect, so start getting your questions ready.

April 10, 2007

Reno Bloggers Take New England Salvage Road Trip

Ooh, are we jealous! Since our salvage infatuation hit us after we already had young kids, we've never been able to get away for a good old fashioned architectural salvage road trip. Over on the Windsor Terrace Reno Blog, Mr. and Mrs. Limestone took a tour de force through New England recently, hitting such hot spots as the Old House Parts Company in Kennebunk, Maine, Portland Architectural Salvage, and White River Junction-based Vermont Salvage, among others. Awesome!
Architectural Salvage Romp in New England [Windsor Terrace Reno]

March 30, 2007

Own A Piece of Brooklyn Heights for Only a Grand

It's been pretty quiet over in the architectural salvage section of the Brooklyn Record bulletin boards. Until yesterday, that is. A Brooklyn Heights reader is looking to find a home for her wood mantel and mirror; no date provided. The piece is roughly five feet wide by six feet high. The price is an entirely reasonable $1,000. If interested, contact ladelpuerto aaat ladplaw dddot com. Got some architectural pieces you need to get rid of? Post 'em on the boards. Some of the sweet stuff will find its way here.
Antique Wood Mantel For Sale [BR Boards]

March 1, 2007

Salvager: Fresh Haul of Maple Flooring

We stopped by Moon River Chattel over the weekend to see what was new in the salvage department. In addition to the usual assortment of tubs, doors and cabinets, we were interested to learn that they just came into possession of 5,000 square feet of turn-of-the-century maple flooring from an old warehouse in New Jersey. We believe it'll be about $7 a foot.

Salvage