ebay Obsessed: Chris Mitchell, VP and Publisher, Conde Nast Traveler

By The Inside Source
January 25, 2010

Traveling and collecting often go hand-in-hand: A much-anticipated trip calls for some souvenirs to remember it by, and before you know it, you’ve got shelves full of snow globes. So it’s no surprise that as a traveler by title, Conde Nast Traveler magazine Vice President and Publisher Chris Mitchell is himself an avid collector.

Mitchell’s particular obsession is Scandinavian design. He first became interested in the genre in his mid-20s, when he and his wife worked with Fernlund + Logan, the New York-based firm founded by Swedish architects Solveig Fernlund and Neil Logan, on their first apartment. Neil Logan exposed Mitchell to mid-century modern Scandinavian design. Mitchell loved its clean lines and use of materials like rosewood and teak, and began to studying the Danish Modern movement and related design periods by researching online, reading books and talking to dealers. Fifteen years later, he’s the guy that everyone considers the connoisseur.

While he used to spend his weekends visiting dealers and driving to antique stores, these days, with two kids in tow, much of his meandering has moved to the web. eBay is a favorite destination. Most of his family's Brooklyn brownstone and weekend house are furnished with his finds.

Here are some of Chris Mitchell's
favorite eBay scores.

Candlestick Holders

Mitchell's Collection, left: “I just got this lot from Denmark a couple of weeks ago. All I really wanted was the Arne Jacobsen ashtray, which is virtually impossible to find in this large size, and in brass. In order
to get it though, I had to buy these Danish brass candlesticks (which I love), some flatware,
and a light fixture.”

Get the Look, right: Danish Design Candlestick Holders: (buy it now price, $14.99)

Circular Mirror

Mitchell's Collection, left:“I collect and buy these circular mirrors whenever I see them at the right price. This Danish rosewood mirror I got on eBay for $150, and it came from Denmark. I’ve seen them in stores
for $1000.”

Get the Look, right: Vintage Danish Wall Mirror (buy it now price, approx. $98)

Lawn Bowl Ball

Mitchell's Collection, left: “This is an English ironwood lawn bowl. It’s from turn-of-the-century England and has an ivory top inlaid. I paid $100 for it and I love it as an object.”

Get the Look, right: Vintage Lawn Bowl Ball (starting bid, $49)

Rosenthal Raymond Loewy China

Mitchell's Collection, left: “We collect Raymond Loewy china. This is my collection of serving bowls—some of them even have lids, which are really hard to find. I have a 64 piece set that I got from eBay too.”

Get the Look: Set of Four Rosenthal Raymond Loewy Script Cups and Saucers (buy
it now price, $29.99)

Roe Deer Mounts

Mitchell's Collection, left: “These Black Forest roe mounts hang in our kitchen/family room. They’re on turned wood plaques, which are really hard to find. Much more common are the mounts in a trophy style,
but I love these. They came from Austria, and I bought them around two years ago for about
$50 a piece.”

Get the Look, right: Roe Deer Mount Antlers (buy it now price, $24.90)

Mogens Lassen and Finn Juhl Furniture

Mitchell's Collection, left: “On the left is a three-legged stool in the style of Mogens Lassen, a Danish designer. I got it for $300, but if I got an original Mogens Lassen, it would set me back close to $2000. This came from a U.S. seller. On the right, is the Finn Juhl “45” chair. It’s highly collectible, and sells in the range of $6000-$8000, depending on the condition. I got mine for $1500 around four years ago.“

Get the Look, right: Vintage Mogens Lassen Three-Legged Stool (buy it now price, $1995)

Arne Jacobsen Chairs

Mitchell's Collection, left: “My ultimate eBay find is this Arne Jacobsen “Swan” chair in leather. It was the best score ever—I got it for $1500, and it’s probably worth $7500, and I love its patina.”

Get the Look, right: Arne Jacobsen Swan Chair (starting bid, $3250)

**Image of Chris Mitchell provided by Mitchell.**

Yolanda Edwards is a travel and lifestyle writer and author of the blog Travels with Clara. She was the founding travel and lifestyle editor at Cookie magazine.

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