Chicago comes alive in the Spring and Summer and my 3-day weekend involved sunshine, vintage shopping, studio/store openings and trekking all over the city with my friends and camera in tow.Friday morning my friend India of Apt528 texted me at 5:30 in the morning (!) to ask if I wanted to go to an estate sale in Oak Park. I'd already planned on going to the sale but thankfully she was driving so I coudl skip public transit. The estate sale was held in a 3-story home (plus basement) located only blocks away from noted architect Frank Lloyd' Wright's studio. After putting our names down on the list (we arrived 2 hours early and were number 13 & 14), we took advantage of the sunny day to explore the surrounding neighborhood. While Oak Park is known for its Prairie Style homes built during the early 1900s through the mid 1920s, India and I were more excited by the 1950s aqua apartment complex we found on Kenilworth Avenue.
Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me so we made do with our camera phones. We're planning to go back soon to take more pictures with my digital SLR when it's also less bright outside.
I happened to be wearing a 1950s aqua cotton day dress that was purchased from a Hyde Park estate sale 4 years ago. It was deadstock with tags so I'm the first one to wear it!
We were curious if the interiors were also still 1950s or if it had been renovated more recently. While we were taking pictures a few residents poked their heads out, they were not accustomed to visitors gushing over their building.
A candid photo India took of me with the apartment sign, it reminds me of scene from amovie or an old 1950s snapshot.
There were visitors to the area going on an audio tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright and Prairie School buildings in the neighborhood. I'm not sure who designed the homes above and below but they are both typical of the Prairie Style.
The estate sale was held in the massive home of a prominent doctor that also had his practice in the house. It appeared that he had his office in the renovated attic and possibly saw patients on the ground floor. There were industrial desk and filing cabinets galore and my favorite, a late 1960s/early 1970s sunshine yellow kitchen.
Both India and I were gushing over the kitchen when an older woman exclaimed how "ugly" it was-- it always amuses me to see how different people's tastes and styles are when it comes to vintage. India snapped up the small yellow dining table above. Unfortunately the nifty light was not for sale.
Vintage stove and yellow metal cabinets.
We both had our eye on this magnetic knife board but sadly it also wasn't for sale.
India took home this huge yellow metal shelf but left behind the sweet little wooden desk.
A massive 1970s framed Op Art print, sadly a little out of our price range.
A metal anvil seen in the garage and a 1970s globe containing a hermit crab.
Despite the size of the home there were not a lot of small items, I think the family took all the clothes, jewelry, photographs and some of the furniture. I was also hoping to find some vintage anatomy charts or older medical textbooks, but most of the medical items were from the 1950s or newer.
India had quite a haul from the estate sale including the 1970s embroidered street scene picture above.
The Chicago vintage community is a surprisingly small world and we ended up running into Katherine Raz of Back Garage at the estate sale. She also did well and bought the pile of books above and the hand painted gnome candle holder to the left. Judging by the reading material and kitchenware, we think the couple who lived in the home were Czech and Swedish.
Katherine also took home this super groovy 1970s mattress! The cover is removable (thus washable) and the foam interior was in good condition but can easily be replaced.
Of course we had to have Katherine pose on her new mattress.
Since I usually go to estate sales via public transit I can't purchase items that are heavy or large. India has an SUV so she purchased furniture and my finds included the Mod sunshine yellow 2-headed metal desk lamp above.
I also found the massive 1 1/2 foot tall Mod yellow plastic flower pot/planter and a 1970s turtle bank.
My best find by far was the vintage anatomical heart model! Yes, not what I was expecting to buy when I went there but it's going to be THE statement piece of my living room.
The model comes apart in sections and can be removed from the stand. The number 1 person in line actually offered to buy the heart from me when she saw it in my basket. I obviously told her "no," as there's no way I'll find another piece like this within my budget again.
Another vintage medical oddity, a pair of 1950s optometrist glasses, isn't it odd how the magnifiers are attached to a regular-looking pair of specs?
The glasses came in a custom wood box. I kind of regret not buying the 2nd pair for sale as I'm sure one of my friends would have bought them from me.
A wee enamel cast iron pot that resembles Le Creuset but is actually Descoware from Belgium. The larger lidded enamel metal cook pot was not from the estate sale but was purchased later in the day at the Pilsen Vintage & Thrift Store.
A pair of massive metal whistles that look like they should belong to a PE teacher. I want to put them on a chain and wear them as a necklace.
Sweet painted wood and metal turtle bank made in France.
Today I walked to a garage sale of a couple my age who are also massive collectors and work for an estate sale company. I picked up the Mexican pottery bird and frog above from the garage sale.
A little teak wood Viking figure and an unusual EDIT: Thank you goes to Bryan of A La Modern for pointing out that the metal frog is a "Hoptimist" toy designed by Hans Gustav Ehrenreich in Denmark and produced between 1968-1974. My toy is the "Baby Kvak Green" and is actually being reproduced and sold today. My toy seems to be an original and it has a silver sticker (that I somehow misread earlier) that says: "Ehrenreich Made in Denmark Copyright".
I'd love to know the story behind these Senate ceramic coasters. Were they a Washington, D.C. souvenir? Did they belong to a senator? 
A groovy 5-Year diary with original key. I collect 5-year diaries but all of mine are leather, this is the first one I've found with a patterned cover. What did you find this week? I'm linking up this week to Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds.