Wow. We just spent way too much time drooling over all the goodies at Factory 20. The site is chock full of unique vintage items at reasonable prices. The brick and mortar store is in Sterling, Virgina, but they'll ship anywhere in the world. Here are our absolute favorites.

Vintage French 1950s Industrial Shop Desks/Tables, $400

Vintage Russian Modernist Silkscreen, $145

Beautiful antique Burrows Folding Billiards Table, $540

Vintage 1970s Industrial Winery Racks, $465

Wood/Metal French Modernist Single Bench, $210

Paul Evans Brutalist metal wall sculpture light, $365

French articulating floor lamp, $395

Vintage Exit Sign rewired to be a table lamp, $135

Magazine rack "Portariviste", Rodolfo Bonetto for Bilumen, Italy, 1968, ABS plastic, $165

Interlocking Geometric Building Toy, $75
This is one of the largest websites we've seen for a vintage store. Definitely check it out.


Commercial Flour Sa...
Does the magazine rack come with the old Playboys?
Ha! Jessa, that's exactly what I was going to ask :o)
These prices are reasonable????
A lot of those pieces look like junk I could get at a thrift store. Those prices are ridiculous!
These pieces may look like junk to some, but they're not; this website has an excellent selection of unique and not-seen-everywhere modernist, industrial, and semi-antique pieces. And the prices are fantastic compared to dealer prices in New York (though economies may be offset by shipping). If anyone can regularly find things of this quality in inexpensive secondhand shops, I've got a business proposition for you...
The toy at the bottom is called Crystal Climbers. My brother and I played with it during the seventies (that photo brings back nice memories). A super-cool toy, but I doubt it's worth $75, as you can still buy Crystal Climbers online, in a slightly different color scheme, for $19.95.
I'm feeling a little old seeing the word "vintage" next to 1970's, but I guess I'm now vintage!
I guess I am not a specialist here...so I am glad I am not the only one who is taken aback by these "reasonable" prices... I don't need to have a big name attached to something that looks like a junk for it to stop looking like an expensive junk to me... I would consider buying these first metal tables (that look like the ones I used in school for technical classes), for like $10 or something ;-)
That "French Articulating Lamp" is a microphone boom stand with a clamp lamp stuck on the end. And not even a particularly good boom stand at that!
I don't know. I am always willing to pay a little more for vintage items, but none of these things seem to be bargain priced. I would rather take my chances thrifting and going to estate sales.
Except for maybe the billiards table.
The "Modernist Single Bench" is a simple bench as used in beer tents ("Bierbank"), usually sold for about 20 euros. It normally comes with a matching table.
See eg
http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bild:Biergarnitur_im_Gruenen.jpg
I have to agree with the sentiment of these items being overpriced.
This seems to happen a lot on this site lately. Seems like now, maybe more than any time in recent memory, the idea of 'affordable' wouldn't be so skewed.
Hi everyone.
Thanks for all the comments. I jump wanted to jump in here re affordability. If you're looking for this kind of thing, the prices are really great if you're comparing them to NYC antique dealers.
But also one of the things that we're really trying to do here is to highlight unique small businesses. Some of these guys are having a really tough time right now. So, if you're looking for this kind of thing, here's a new place to go.
But it can also just be a great source of inspiration (plug the descriptions into Ebay and see what you get), a couple of you already found cheaper alternatives, which is great!
Well, I don't know. If I'd bought the Crystal Climbers thinking they were a rare "modernist" toy and then discovered that they could be purchased new for $19.95, I might think I'd been cheated. And if I did I'd probably be right. The weak economy is no excuse for this sort of thing.
I'm in the same business and these prices are so out of line. How do you know any of it is French? And even if it is, I would guess they're pricing is marked up about 400%. In these times I think dealers owe the public a fair shake.
Amazing Space,
Send us a link to your business. We'd love to check it out.
-Amy A
newyork at apartmenttherapy dot com
Amazing Selection! Great people to deal with. Their selection runs deep. The mirror I got from them is well worth every penny i paid. The steel industrial desk is next on my list.
-C
Modern 50 has moved! Urban farm & factory space located just outside of Northwest Washington D.C. off New Hampshire Avenue! Contact Dino@Modern50.com for details or to set up an appointment time. Modern50.com
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Powder Mill Road
Paint Branch, Maryland 20783
(703) 577-5596
Thanks,
Tarly