Subtitle: How to Date a Vintage Globe
Perhaps I should clarify… My #thriftscorethursday post today isn’t about how to wine and dine and charm a vintage globe. In case that’s what you assumed. Or maybe I’m the only person who got a picture in my head of a globe with a top hat and bow tie seated across from me at a restaurant (Italian, of course) sharing spaghetti Lady and the Tramp style.
But I digress.
My Find:
I found this globe at Goodwill several weeks ago for $15, and it must have just been set out on the shelf or I have no idea how it hadn’t already been snatched up.
At first I assumed it was a decorative replica – the kind of adorable faux-vintage piece you would find at Hobby Lobby – but closer inspection (once I had it securely tucked under my arm and headed for the checkout) caused me to believe it might be just a little older.
It’s extremely heavy, thanks to the ornate iron three-legged stand.
When I got home, I dove into the world of vintage globe dating and discovered two extremely helpful resources on the subject: 1) Dating Globes from Longwood.edu and 2) How Old Is My Globe? from Murray Hudson.
These lists help you narrow down the age of your globe due to changes in country’s names, borders, capitals, etc. You really have to slowly go through each event to double check.
I was able to date my globe to either 1930 or 1931 thanks to these two facts:
- In 1930, Constantinople became Istanbul
- The territory of Central Australia existed on the globe from 1926 to 1931
So my globe fits somewhere between Constantinople’s name change to Istanbul and the elimination of the territory of Central Australia. Fascinating stuff, right?
And outside of any historical interest, I am just completely smitten with the dusty-mossy-olive-khaki-green that the seas on the globe have become over time (perhaps thanks to a heavy smoker?). It’s one of my new favorite colors, and I’m dying to match it into a paint for the right future project.
The Features:
After that fun little lesson in cartographic history, let’s jump into this week’s features from the #thriftscorethursday feed!
Nicole (design_it_vintage) found two of these adorable white hippo planters at the thrift store. Now that I’ve discovered my new-found love for animal-shaped planters, I’d love to add one of these to my budding collection some day!
The slightly-psychedelic colors and text in this needlepoint found by Jami (secondhandglam) are too cute! I must say, I especially like the juxtaposition of the more traditional gilded frame. I think these types of quirky finds add so much character to a home!
Tracy (tracyschicvintage) wasn’t able to bring this pair of faux-bamboo and cane wingback chairs home with her, and for that we will collectively mourn while also admiring vicariously and enviously wishing we were the lucky ones who found them next… I would be tempted to try dyeing that velvet something rich – a deep berry pink, perhaps?
I always keep my eyes open for vintage chenille bedspreads and haven’t had any luck so far! I love this peek louloumint_etsy shared of her lovely bedroom – and can you believe that her hobnail bedspread find was only $4?!
The Facts:
It’s your turn to join in and share your favorite recent thrift scores with the party!
Simply post a picture of any recent thrifty find on Instagram using #thriftscorethursday!
- You can share any thrifty finds with us – whether they hail from a thrift store, Craigslist, estate sale, garage sale, side of the road, or apartment dumpster! The fun, the funny, the awesome, the odd – this hashtag party is open to all!
- Feel free to use #thriftscorethursday any day of the week! We’ll be keeping up with the hashtag all week long to find our favorites for the following Thursday.
- Each week, Trisha from Black and White Obsession, Cassie from Primitive and Proper, Corinna from A Designer At Home and I (plus a special weekly guest host!) will pick a few favorite thrift scores to feature! So please note that by linking up with#thriftscorethursday, you are giving us permission to share your finds via social media or on our blogs.
- Please note that we can only see photos shared by public accounts, so if you have a private Instagram account and we haven’t been showering your finds with love, it’s simply because we aren’t able to see them.
This week, we’re delighted to have Emily from The Wicker House joining us!
Emily has a lovely, breezy, classic style – I’m in love with her adorable 1924 cottage and the way she effortlessly incorporates thrift finds into her decor!
Be sure to check out the finds and features from Cassie, Corinna & Trisha!
P.S. Are you a blogger who also love thrifty finds? We’d love to have you join us for a week of Thrift Score Thursday! If you’re interested, send me a message!
Kristen says
Ooh! So many great finds this week! I love the globe – the stand is beautiful! And those bamboo chairs… awesome!
The features are always so fun to choose! I wish I could run and grab those bamboo chairs myself!
i LOVE that needlepoint! and your globe- that base!!!
Thanks Cassie! It’s crazy heavy, so my new globe also doubles as a self-defense weapon (something I apparently keep in mind when decorating, lol).
That globe is amazing!
Thanks Haley! 🙂
I love the globe, what a find —I actually started to sing out loud that song from the movie Mona Lisa Smile …”Istanbul was Constantinople …..turkish delight on a moonlit night” hehe
Thanks Sandy! I’ve never seen Mona Lisa Smile, although I know I probably should have by now – that’s so funny!
I am so jealous of your find! That globe is gorgeous. I need to find out where you shop!
I tried to figure out Instagram so I could join your party, but I am too dumb, technically, I guess. Too bad I don’t have a four-year-old around because I am sure they know all about it.
Haha! The kids these days know how to do way more than I ever will 🙂 If you’d like to join in with Thrift Score Thursday outside of Instagram, you are always welcome to share your finds by email with us! thegatheredhome AT gmail DOT com
That base is quite the looker! Very interesting history on the piece.
I was thisclose to featuring that hippo planter too.
You know me – I loooove finding out interesting facts about my finds and knowing the stories behind things! It makes the find even much better!
What a great find, That globe is fantastic! And I NEED those bamboo chairs in my home.
Thanks again for having me as a guest host, it’s been so much fun!
What an awesome globe! I initially found it fascinating that the overall color of the countries matches the paint color behind it in the first photo. But I’m more fascinated about globe dating. I have an old one in my living room I will have to use those resources to date it!
Oh, I love your globe and the geography (history? history of geography?) lesson :). I want to go date all my globes now, but I don’t think any of them are nearly so old.
I am actually terrible at geography, so it was hilarious trying to match up the reference list with the globe… “Where’s Istanbul again?!” But now I know! 😉
Thanks Brynne! for sharing my little hippo, lol. He is a cutie for sure. That globe is beautiful, what a great find, and so different looking. Love it!
Thanks Nicole! Always love seeing your thrift finds! You have a great eye!