I know I'm not alone in saying that one of the best parts of being a thrifter/vintage reseller is the education you receive. I love finding an item and going home to see what I can uncover about its past.
Recently, I found this piece of fabric.
It was entitled "Woodland" and signed. The motif is very Pacific Northwest. So I figured that with a signature I could find out something more about it. At the very least, someone who needed a piece of fabric with ferns, leaves and pinecones for their next project would want it. So I brought it home with me.
I got on the computer that night and learned that the signature on my fabric belonged to Harwood Steiger, a mid-century silkscreen artist who worked out of a studio in Tubac, AZ for about 30 years.
And then I learned how prolific he was as a designer.
I came across a blog by a woman, Cynthia deVillemarette, who is writing a book about Steiger. You have to go see her blog HERE. Lots of fabulous examples of Steiger fabrics on her blog. She says in her blog that Steiger designs were produced in 3 categories: table linens, dress panels and fabric yardage.
Steiger's designs are especially based on nature, particularly scenes from the Southwest.
I took a quick look on Ebay and Etsy and here are few examples of items currently for sale:
Here's a dress made from Steiger fabric.
There really is no end to the various designs. If you'd like to see more, I encourage you to check out these links: The Harwood Steiger Book Project
Another funny thing about thrifting/reselling is that once something is on my 'radar', I usually find more. So it'll be interesting to see what comes up next. Or maybe now you'll find a piece of your own!
