šŸ” Authentication methods for vintage items

Found Objet (Chelsea, Manhattan)

Author

Stella C
December 23, 2024

Dear reader,

Throughout my travels there are few places I have loved more than Brazil, with its Amazonian wilderness and its balanced mix of European history, African music, and Asian sensibilities.

So I was delighted to walk into Found Objet, in Chelsea, Manhattan. Historically home of Passageway Books, the artistic corner has been transformed into a curation of finds - rare books, art, and furniture - selected by half-Brazilian owner Jack from across the world that are at the intersection of art, function, and design.

This weekā€™s Small Biz:

Found Objet

Found Objet features a collection of art, furniture, and rare books sourced from around the world.

Growing up in the family furniture business, Jack studied art in school and decided to open up his own store highlighting the art and designs of mid-century modern aesthetics, imbued with cultural traces of Brazil.

After a successful pop-up period early this year, Jack signed a lease and hopes to attract more interior designers and collectors to his space.

Jack, owner of Found Objet, draws inspiration from his Brazilian heritage.

šŸ˜¬ Biz problem: Buyers and collectors find it hard to verify the authenticity of vintage items

  • All published books have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number,) a unique 10 or 13-digit number that identifies a book and its edition.

  • No such standardized system exists for furniture.

šŸ’”Buzz solution?

  • Create an alternative of the ISBN for furniture

  • Create an image scanner that checks for:

    • if the hardware matches the period

    • Appropriate aging and wear

    • Period-specific manufacturing techniques

    • Comparisons with period catalogs and advertisements

Original sticker on ā€˜Model 780ā€™ Wood Stacking Coffee Tables By Gianfranco Frattini For Cassina, Italy, 1966.

How to shop Found Objet:

Are you an independent business owner in New York or the Bay Area?

Iā€™d love to visit your store and learn about your business successes and pain points. Itā€™s a casual conversation, there is no payment involved.

This newsletter aims to:

  • Highlight the passion and dedication of small business owners.

  • Draw out common challenges facing small business owners in order to spark ideas for those hoping to create useful software solutions.

  • Encourage more people to shop locally and feel more connected to their communities.

Interested to chat or have any questions? You can reach out to me by directly replying to this email.

I canā€™t wait to hear from you,

Stella

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