The Historic District

I have long been wanting to replace a family stepstool that somehow got left behind during one move, but never found its like. This weekend, though I found this one on Craig's List just looking at the furniture category using "antique" or "vintage" as my narrow down. It was in the town Spouse worked on Sunday, so it wound up being a rather easy transaction. $20, and worth it.

Surface rust, but all parts work and accounted for, rubber caps and step liners are in good shape. The paper label under the seat, though, is all but the tiniest part gone. There is a small tear in the front part of the seat vinyl, and you can see what seems to be the original matching blue vinyl there. Curious to know if it's still in good shape or not.

I did a search for the brand after we got it, and the same stool in worse shape goes upwards of $75+. (The older ones, not the new "retro" version you can buy at Walmart and such.) I've started a project folder in my gallery here on the District, and hopefully sometime this winter, there will be some progress photos. Time will tell!



Here's a reference I found onine, an old catalog page someone was selling.

I believe you'll find that the original is much better quality than the knockoffs being sold today. From the pictures, it looks like it's in pretty decent condition. Guessing this one is late '50s/early '60s vintage with the color scheme.

As for the rust on the legs, I've used a lot of products for similar work and the one I like best is called Lightning Rust Remover made by Real Products. You apply it and rub with a Scotch Brite pad, let it sit about 15-20 minutes, then rinse it off and follow up with a coat of paste wax. I first used it on pinball machine legs, but have used it on pieces like this as well.

http://lightningstrip.us/rust.htm

1918ColonialRevival wrote:I believe you'll find that the original is much better quality than the knockoffs being sold today. From the pictures, it looks like it's in pretty decent condition. Guessing this one is late '50s/early '60s vintage with the color scheme.

As for the rust on the legs, I've used a lot of products for similar work and the one I like best is called Lightning Rust Remover made by Real Products. You apply it and rub with a Scotch Brite pad, let it sit about 15-20 minutes, then rinse it off and follow up with a coat of paste wax. I first used it on pinball machine legs, but have used it on pieces like this as well.

http://lightningstrip.us/rust.htm

Aye, from what I saw of the photos of the "retro" variant, you can see clear quality differences in the eras. Blue isn't one of my favorite colors (the yellow vinyl originally caught my eye), but that blue is a great shade and I think I'll be trying to keep it. I'm hoping maybe next week I can get one room that needs rearranging done so I can make room elsewhere to set up a project area and start dismantling the stool to see what's what underneath.

Thanks for the info. I did take a quick look at the chemical component, and it's different than I'm used to for such.

I grew up at the seashore, so we always had a stash of "naval jelly" on hand we used on everything from Pop-pop's Kris Kraft to beach chairs.

Naval Jelly will work, but I would test it in an inconspicuous area first, as I've seen it dull certain types of plating before.

1918ColonialRevival wrote:Naval Jelly will work, but I would test it in an inconspicuous area first, as I've seen it dull certain types of plating before.

Will do. Most of the metals we used it on back then were a non shiny variant, so I never even thought of such. Thanks!

Here is a neat high chair with a similar sort of style
http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/pml/atq/5911808439.html

Here's a pic before the listing vanishes. It's a pretty utilitarian thing. Did Cosco make high chairs, I wonder ?

Amazon shows recent high chairs from Cosco. So I also checked ebay, and they do indeed have vintage Cosco high chairs. A few billed as Cosco might be iffy since they don't show a label, but some of them do have it.

I noticed in my quick look that a few of the high chairs have what looks like two or three thin metal bars under the pieces the tray slides on, I assume so a small child can't slide of the chair and fall if left unattended for a short time.

Looks a lot like the high chair I sat in as a young kid! And it wasn't new then - it was a hand-me-down from an uncle.