Fans and collectors of mid-century modern furniture will be happy to hear that Aaron Bartley, proprietor of Fitz Books and Waffles (currently online), is preparing to unload much of his retro stock, including tables, chairs, benches, desks, and books. These items are from his personal collection that he been amassing over the years. This sale, which will take place at 443 Ellicott Street throughout the weekend of August 28-30, is part of Bartley’s journey towards opening a new brick and mortar business in Allentown.
“I founded Fitz Books and Waffles about six months ago, and have been selling books on art, social movements, philosophy and literary fiction, primarily online,” explained Bartley. “I have secured a storefront next to Hardware in the old Licata Plumbing building. I intend for it to be a bookstore and waffle café, but also a place where community activists and culture workers feel at home. The sale of my furniture collection will (1) help to capitalize my business and (2) introduce customers to my books, several hundred of which, drawn primarily from my art, architecture and cities sections, will be for sale.”
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Bartley tuned into the bold futuristic designs of the mod era via his travels in the realm of societal activism. “I came to appreciate midcentury design through reading the history of American urbanization and studying the intersection of place, space, capitalism, and racism. At some point, it occurred to me that little pieces of modernist architectural history were scattered in unlikely places across our city, and I began collecting them. Now due to space constraints, and my focus on books, I’ll be parting with much of what I have.”
Fitz Books and Waffles to host Mid-Century Mod Furniture Sale, including furniture by Eames, Saarinen, Jacobsen, Knoll, and McCobb, with 200 fine art books on artists including Louise Nevelson, Anselm Kiefer Bob Thompson, Willem de Kooning, and Jasper Johns.
This is an indoor-outdoor sale in a well-ventilated space. Masks required.
Friday, August 28th: 10 AM to 5 PM
Saturday, August 29th: 10 AM to 5 PM
Sunday, August 30th: 10 AM to 3 PM
443 Ellicott Street | Buffalo NY | See Facebook event