Well Weathered Wood
The Not-Quite
Aalto Stool 60
Designer: Sort of Alvar Aalto
The Story: This is not the Artek original Aalto stool but a vintage mid-century Lithuanian made reproduction, nicely weathered and well made, it not the original but a lovely classic on its own.
….
Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) was a Finnish architect and designer widely regarded as one of the great masters of modernism — though his version of it was distinctly human and organic.
Born in Kuortane, Finland, Aalto studied architecture in Helsinki and launched his career in the 1920s. He initially worked in a classical style before embracing functionalism, but he never let rigid ideology dominate his work. Instead, he believed architecture should serve human wellbeing, incorporating natural materials like wood and brick alongside modern forms.
His breakthrough came with the Paimio Sanatorium (1933) and the Viipuri Library (1935), both celebrated for their thoughtful integration of light, acoustics, and human comfort. Internationally, his Finnish Pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair made him a global name.
Beyond buildings, Aalto was a gifted designer — his bent plywood furniture (produced by his company Artek, founded in 1935) and the iconic Savoy vase remain design classics today.
Designer: Gordon & Smith
The Story: The precursor to the Proline 300 and 500, this original very late 60’s G&S Proline, only 7” wide, 30” long and thin 3/8” thickness, it is slimmer and lighter than all of the decks that would soon follow through the late 70’s and 80’s. Made int he early G&S days when they shared This is less of a daily driver and more of a museum piece, so few of these are still circulating through eBay and the likes, all snatched up by collectors. It is a rare piece of skateboard history.
….
Gordon & Smith (G&S) Skateboards is one of the most storied names in skateboarding history, with roots going back to 1959 in San Diego, California.
Larry Gordon and Floyd Smith forged a close friendship surfing together in the mid-1950s, which led them to start building polyurethane foam surfboards out of Floyd's Pacific Beach garage.
In the summer of 1964, Larry developed a revolutionary skateboard by combining a fiberglass-reinforced epoxy material called Bo-Tuff with a maple wood core— the result was the iconic FibreFlex, the world's first laminated skateboard deck.
By the mid-1970s, the factory was churning out 500 FibreFlex boards a day, with a six-month backlog of orders. Skaters became overnight superstars and G&S sponsored some of the sport's biggest names — including Stacy Peralta, Neil Blender, Rob Dyrdek, Chris Miller, and Doug Saladino.
G&S was also one of the first companies to introduce the kicktail design, which greatly influenced modern skateboard deck shapes. During the 1980s industry downturn, the brand struggled, but never disappeared.
Today, the business is still family-owned and operated, with Debbie Gordon continuing the legacy after the passing of her brother Eric in late 2024 and their father Larry in 2016. G&S remains a true original.
Don’t Shred
on Me
Designer: Gordon & Smith
The Story: The precursor to the Proline 300 and 500, this original very late 60’s G&S Proline, only 7” wide, 30” long and thin 3/8” thickness, it is slimmer and lighter than all of the decks that would soon follow through the late 70’s and 80’s. Made int he early G&S days when they shared This is less of a daily driver and more of a museum piece, so few of these are still circulating through eBay and the likes, all snatched up by collectors. It is a rare piece of skateboard history.
….
Gordon & Smith (G&S) Skateboards is one of the most storied names in skateboarding history, with roots going back to 1959 in San Diego, California.
Larry Gordon and Floyd Smith forged a close friendship surfing together in the mid-1950s, which led them to start building polyurethane foam surfboards out of Floyd's Pacific Beach garage.
In the summer of 1964, Larry developed a revolutionary skateboard by combining a fiberglass-reinforced epoxy material called Bo-Tuff with a maple wood core— the result was the iconic FibreFlex, the world's first laminated skateboard deck.
By the mid-1970s, the factory was churning out 500 FibreFlex boards a day, with a six-month backlog of orders. Skaters became overnight superstars and G&S sponsored some of the sport's biggest names — including Stacy Peralta, Neil Blender, Rob Dyrdek, Chris Miller, and Doug Saladino.
G&S was also one of the first companies to introduce the kicktail design, which greatly influenced modern skateboard deck shapes. During the 1980s industry downturn, the brand struggled, but never disappeared.
Today, the business is still family-owned and operated, with Debbie Gordon continuing the legacy after the passing of her brother Eric in late 2024 and their father Larry in 2016. G&S remains a true original.
Slice
of Life
Designer: Chicago Cutlery
The Story: The Chicago Cutlery 66S is a vintage 8-inch slicing or carving knife, renowned for its durable high-carbon stainless steel blade and solid walnut handle secured with triple brass rivets. Often identified as a USA-made, full-tang knife, it is commonly used for slicing meat and carving, featuring a Taper Grind edge for sharpness. Knife was recently sharpened by Bernal Cutlery of San Francisco.
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Chicago Cutlery was founded in 1930 by Alfred Paulson Heddels, who brought his knife-sharpening business from Connecticut to Chicago during the Depression. Initially established on South Clinton Street, the company reconditioned and sharpened knives for butchers and packing plants.
As demand grew, Paulson moved to a garage in Edison Park in the 1940s, expanding from sharpening to manufacturing and renting professional cutlery for the meatpacking industry. The company serviced major Midwest plants and grocery chains.
In 1965, Paulson built a manufacturing plant in Wauconda, Illinois. Shortly before Paulson's death in 1968, his nephew Robert Jacobi and salesman Ron Ganglehoff purchased the company. In 1969, Chicago Cutlery entered the retail market, making professional-grade knives available for home use.
Designer: Unknown
The Story: Sometimes simplicity is the best, these classed hardwood rounded triangle shaped drawing pencils are a perfect everyday essential. Available in 2B hardness, despite their shape they still fit into a standard pencil sharpener! Sold as a set of 2.
