Rare Finds

Rare Finds

October 17th, 2007 @ 9:26 am by Mrs. Jasmine
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The New York Times recently published a wonderful slideshow on museum gift shops. These often-overlooked stores are a treasure trove of creative, artistic, and one-of-a kind gifts. If you’re interested in buying off-registry for an engagement party, shower, wedding, or housewarming, definitely seek out your local museum gift shop. Here are some of my favorite finds from my favorite Chicago museums:

Museum of Contemporary Art:

Alessi Handheld Vacuum for $135:

Taepper Salt and Pepper Shakers for $38.50:

Cactus Bowl for $139
Field Museum:

Blue Flower Pattern Teapot for $94:

Crinkled Porcelain Sake Set for $46:

Red Mata Ortiz Wedding Vase for $135:

Art Institute:

Chagall Glass Panel for $84:

Hand-Carved Chess Set for $68:

Glass Leaf Platter for $125:

Cobalt and Amber Glass Bowl for $85:

Kimono Throw for $142:

Artist’s Palette Tray for $68:

Butterfly Teacup Set for $40:

Tunisian Plate for $50:

Italian Teapot for $98:

Do you ever buy off-registry? What are some of your favorite off-registry finds?

Tags: gifts, registry |

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10 Responses to “Rare Finds”

Bee

Miss Canary (message) 682 posts, Busy bee

Oooh, great picks! My favorite shop for off-registry gifts is definitely the MoMA Design Store as well as Red Envelope.

10/17/07 @ 9:27 am (reply)

Guest

Jen

This is a great post - I love museum shops!

10/17/07 @ 9:54 am (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Emerald (message) 1,062 posts, Bumble bee

Ohhh, love the handheld vac and teapot! So stylin!!

10/17/07 @ 10:38 am (reply)

Guest

jfs

Chicago has some great boutique stores that offer a huge variety of stuff. Porte Rouge is great because they have the traditional registry items but they also offer antiques, art, furniture ect. There is also Le Magasin on Clark. I went to the Art Institute not too long ago and swooned over a John Singer Sargent- it’s one of my favorite museums:) The chagall glass panel is gorgeous. Great post!

10/17/07 @ 11:07 am (reply)

Guest

alli

one of my family’s favorites to do is either the black or the bamboo wall gallery frame from red envelope. we usually stick in a few $20 bills behind some of the glass too as an added surprise. One couple didn’t realize until a month later when they moved to a new house and were going to put it up that there was money inside! so then we got a second thank you card, hah!

http://www.redenvelope.com/re/gifts/product_display/product_information.jsp?nc=95068&BV_SessionID=@@@@0269229735.1192637592@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdgaddmfdlleemcefecefedfgfdfmh.0&bct2=shops&bcp2=1&bcm2=1-8193&bct4=sale%20shop&bcp4=3&bcm4=1-8209&refPg=%2fproduct_display%2fsubcollection.jsp&oid=21023192

10/17/07 @ 12:17 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Jasmine (message) 1,170 posts, Bumble bee

alli: Thanks for sharing that– that’s such a cool frame!

10/17/07 @ 12:21 pm (reply)

Guest

alli

p.s. they are having one of their sales right now, i think it ends oct. 29, so for now the frame is 39.99 instead of 78!

10/17/07 @ 12:22 pm (reply)

Guest

Pei