09-035.
Found on December 05, 2009 in Bloomington, IL.
Ben Seibel
Tempron Taste Tempters ice bucket
Gilley Inc.
USA, 1951
8.25 x 7 x 7.25"
Steel, glass, cork, plastic, sea grass & wood
Unmarked
Kate and I took a quick trip to Bloomington, IL, this morning so we could run one last Christmas shopping errand. And since I can never let a trip of this sort not include a thrift shop or two, she obliged my habit and let us stop for a few minutes.
It was almost exactly one year ago I found another piece of Ben Seibel's Tempron Taste Tempters servingware line, and while I was quite pleased with that find ... this one has left me on air! I've only ever seen one other example of the ice bucket, available from an online retailer who specializes in Seibel's work.
There's been some question as to if this ice bucket is actually Seibel's work in the past, given the lack of documentation of the shape: it has yet to be see pictured in any Gilley brochures. But now that I've had the chance to hold it in my hands and compare it to other Gilley pieces in our collection, I have absolutely no doubt it is by Seibel's hand. The materials, construction, and forms all exactly match documented Tempron Taste Tempters pieces. Unfortunately that evidence, while convincing, can't be taken for absolute proof in some collector's eyes. All that we need is a tag or brochure to surface that once and all proves Seibel is the designer. Until that happens (and I'm sure it will), I'm happy to call it a Seibel design with utter confidence.
Antay commented: Dude, great find! Do you have a treasure-sniffing pig or something? I don't know how you find these things in thrift shops. I always strike out.
- 12.16.09
Scott commented: It's all about persistence, Antay. What you don't see here on Ars Longa are all the failed thrift trips when I come home emptyhanded. Making a find (any find) is the exception ... not the rule.
- 12.16.09
- Website
Will commented: Nice find indeed. My collection includes one of these, which I bought from David of designsmith a few years back. I agree that with the thing in your hands it is undeniably part of this series. It's just odd that it's not listed in the brochure.
- 12.18.09
robert devine commented: Good morning Scott,
Nice find!! and I agree it screams TTT to me right down to the maple top and black knob my only other thought would have been Tony Paul but I dont think so.
Designsmithstudio of Cincy had one pictured on Paul's abenseibeldesign site actually many of the photos captured there were my pieces at one time or another save for your beutifull little jam set. For some reason in the mid 1990's up to about 2000 I was finding these little gems all over northern Ill and many had the original hang tags my favorite was the salt&pepper set that I sold to www.1950's years back and which is now on Pauls site UNFORTUNATELY your excellent find of a MCM ice bucket was not translated to me grabbing that Hennig Koppel Georg Jenson teak bucket at the Salvation Army in GreenBay and I will put the blame solidly on my damn big mouth and general cheapness these days (result of work hour reductions) At any rate I called the store Thursday evening before closing and asked if the bucket was still there yes yes the clerk says I will put it off to the side and i'am sure it will be there in the morning we live 60 miles round trip from the store so I had no time to fetch it that night my bad for not picking it up earlier in the day at 29.99 kind of high for a thrift especially out of the glass case, at any rate the minute I got off the phone I told Elma this son of a b**** is going to steal it you watch sure enough got there at 10:03 Friday morning and not a whiff of the ice bucket clerk and help in the back didn't recall it at all although I swear the guy that came from the back room was the same individual I spoke with the night before Morel of this story is "never call a thrift with glee in your voice to see if an item is still available because surely that clerks little santas helper will steal it right before your eyes" my story ends badly but I feel good that you found a real nice gem take care Scott best, robert