Friday, February 18, 2011

Retro: Kimmer

Retro: Kimmer

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EVANGELINE COTE DAHLINGER AND THE DAHLINGER ESTATE

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 05:58 PM PST


The Dahlinger Estate

Dahlinger, Evangeline Cote – (1894 – 1974)

This is an interesting story... Henry Ford supposedly kept a mistress for about 12 years and managed to keep everyone involved placated. Never would happen in today's times of investigative journalism... Could not find one photo of Evangeline Cote either... Henry Ford most likely arranged a no photo rule too.



This house is run down but still standing. Here is a bit of info on the Dahlinger Estate. Thanks Luke for the photos!


Evangeline Cote Dahlinger

American socialite:

Evangeline Cote was born of French-Canadian parentage. Her family had theatrical connections and Evangeline was a cousin to the famous actor, Tyrone Power (1913 – 1958). Cote was originally employed at the Ford Company (1910) as a stenographer. Darkly attractive and self-confident, she soon rose to head that department and attracted the attention of the automobile manufacturing magnate Henry Ford (1863 – 1947), whose mistress she became.


The Dahlinger Mansion in Dearborn Michigan

Ray Dahlinger was Henry's chauffeur, confidante, auto tester, and first rate mechanic. Evangeline Cote was Henry's mistress, and to keep her close by, Henry had her marry Ray and then proceeded to buy them an estate adjacent to his property. Henry had a hidden passage way built into its staircase that went directly into Evangeline's bedroom.

Henry would ride his bike down the road to the Dahlinger Estate to visit often or take his electric boat down the Rouge River that ran along the estate. They had a love child named John Cote Dahlinger (born 1923) who later wrote a book about his father Henry Ford and ran a nightclub in Detroit up to the time of his death in the 70's.



The Ford family denies that John was Henry's illegitimate son. There also once was a harness horse racing track on the property as Evangeline was a first rate harness racer and was said to carry a gun in her purse and was first rate target shooter.



Ford gave Evangeline a one hundred and fifty acre property and mansion in Dearborn, whilst her mother and two brothers were also generously provided for. Dahlinger remained beside Ford until his death, when the family forced her to officially retire from the company. With the death of Clara Ford (1950) Ray Dahlinger also lost his position with the company.

Who Said Ford History is Boring?

HERE COMES THE MYSTERY MAN: DICK WAGNER

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 11:52 AM PST


Dick Wagner with Alice Cooper

Today is one really cool day to be Retro: Kimmer. I get to write about one of my very biggest rock heroes of all time... Dick Wagner...

Mr. Wagner's discography and bio is so huge that I need a whole new blog to accommodate his music legacy. Dick has played on so many albums that it is impossible to list. His website does a very fine job and you can go check his history there.

I spent many hours this week researching Dick's life in rock music. There just aren't enough adjectives to describe his work. The word Legendary which is tossed around by so many lesser beings... very appropriately describes Dick Wagner.


Dick Wagner photo: Chris Walter

I was introduced via the telephone by Mark Reaume who is one of my favorite RK readers. Mark and Dick are collaborating on a project and that is how I came to meet Dick . We had a very interesting opening conversation! He wanted to talk about my blogging work and I wanted to talk about HIS work (of course).

But where to begin with Dick's musical career?

"Baby Boy" was my starting point. A fun pop tune with a very young Mark Farner on backing vocals and rhythm guitar. I found a video which features 2 of the Bossmen songs. By all means listen to this.... I must have played this 50 times this week. Each time I hear something new that I missed the time before. Buy The Bossmen singles on CD Baby




Dick's Room

The Frost(s) or just Frost as we called the band back in the day...was my favorite of all of Dick's magical work. The late 60's psychedelic times deserved a band to match... We had it in spades in Michigan with Frost...



As I am the luckiest girl in the blogosphere, I am in a unique position to listen to fascinating stories of the musicians and the music that began emanating out of Michigan beginning in the late 50's and early 60's. Never dreamed that today I would be hearing Dick Wagner recite his lyrics to me over the phone... Just unbelievable.... All I can do is thank the universe for such an enormous gift...


Dick Wagner photo: Chris Walter

I just received this note from Dick and it knocked me right out of my chair....

Kim, my friend...Amazing, the best way to describe you.... Amazing....I am so happy we've connected,at last... The Motor City needs a center of internet focus, and here you are...positive friendship and daily support for so many Detroit music makers, past, present and future.

Bless you for your dedication to all things musical in Detroit and for informing the world on the beautiful sounds and stories about the immense talent that made up the city of Detroit music scene, that still does thrive from within the city limits, to the outer reaches of the beautiful state of Michigan, and far beyond. May the love you give be returned one hundred fold.


DICK WAGNER

Believe me... that love is returned to me every minute of every day....

Thank you so much Mr. Wagner and his business partner Susan Michelson for the story today.

Dick Wagner and Steve "The Deacon" Hunter

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Latest articles from Retro To Go


Alvar Aalto 75th Anniversary Artek 60 Stools in Bauhaus colours

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 02:27 PM PST

Bauhaus

By Bauhaus, we mean the German design house, not the vintage goth band. Otherwise these Alvar Aalto 75th Anniversary Artek 60 Stools would all be black.

But no, they're in a red, yellow and blue lacquer to celebrate 75 years since Aalto created this modernist classic. Indeed, it's a design that's still popular and influential today and no doubt will be even more popular with a splash of bold colour.

As you would expect, the stools are still made of birch and are priced a little more than the plain version, £165 each.

Find out more at the Lollipop Shoppe website

Eames-inspired Hang it All - Hang it Big by Ruby Anemic

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:42 PM PST

Hang

The original was one of the first things we featured on this site and there was also a limited edition last year that we also covered. But neither of the original Hang-It-Alls have the impact of the Hang It All - Hang it Big by Ruby Anemic. Because it's huge.

Artist Ruby Anemic has created a 200 x 160cm sculpted tribute to the iconic 1953 coat rack by Charles & Ray Eames, with those tubes made of lacquered white metal, topped off by the polychrome lacquered spheres.

Signed and numbered and limited to 53 units, it sells online for an equally hefty 8,300 Euros, plus shipping of course.

Find out more at the Colette website

Via Switched On Set

eBay watch: 1960s Voss Belysning Danish triple hanging UFO lamp

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 09:57 AM PST

Drop1

Love the design of this Voss Belysning Danish triple hanging UFO lamp.

A 1960s piece, it's probably best seen in its entirety (over the page), where you'll see three colourful fixtures, suspended by three cords, all passing through a solid teak stricture at the halfway point of the cords.

Described as being in 'very nice condition', it's perfect for a mid-60s-style pad. £14.86 is the current price.

Find out more at the eBay website

Drop2

CCCP: Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed book by Frédéric Chaubin

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:00 AM PST

Cccp2

Fans of weird and wonderful extreme, space age and brutalist architecture will no doubt love CCCP: Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed book by Frédéric Chaubin, which is published by Taschen.

Photographer Chaubin highlights 90 buildings that were constructed from 1970 until the break-up of the Soviet Union, a diverse range of architecture that has one thing in common - all of it has the power to amaze. From a crematorium adorned with concrete flames to a summer camp inspired by sketches of a prototype lunar base and a technological institute with a flying saucer crashed on the roof, it's all here and more.

Supported by words of explanation over the 288 pages, you can 'browse' the book at the Taschen site and you can see another image over the page. It's much cheaper to buy at Amazon though, with around a third off the RRP, selling for £22.74.

Find out more about the book at the Amazon website

Cccp1

Tongue Chair

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:13 AM PST

Tonguechair 
Pierre Paulin created a chair by the same name back in the Sixties, but this Tongue Chair takes its inspiration from Seventies chair designs.

It doesn't look quite so immediately like its namesake as the Paulin chair either – although perhaps that might be a good thing. It is upholstered in leather, which is available in a range of colours, including dark brown and olive which would add to the 1970s look or cherry red, to play upon the tongue design.

The tongue chair is made to order and costs just under £3,600 from Modenza.

Le Creuset Gourmand Fondue Set

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:01 AM PST

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Le Creuset is the Rolls Royce of cookware and its fondue set is equally high-end.

Le Creuset Gourmand Fondue Set is made from cast iron, which means it retains heat for longer and is more durable than ceramic fondue pots. The pot has been given an orange finish, in a shade they call "Volcanic", which makes it recognisable as a Le Creuset product as well as being in keeping the fondue set's 1970s heritage.

It is available to buy for £79.35 from I Love Fondue.

Harlequin Pod bed linen

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 05:24 AM PST

Harlequin pod

There's a definite 50s influence at work on the Harlequin Pod bed linen collection.

It's a bold and colourful design that seems to have been filtered through both Orla Kiely's stem design and the Sanderson Dandelion Clocks for inspiration. A plant like form in aubergine, lime green and gray works runs up the duvet cover and pillows. That's coupled with a stripe design on the reverse of the duvet to make the design really stand out. 

Pillowcases are priced from £17 upwards, while the duvets start at £55 for a single duvet. 

Buy them from House of Fraser

MAC Wonder Woman make-up range

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 05:00 AM PST

MAC Wonder Woman

What do you get when MAC Cosmetics meets Wonder Woman? A pretty super make-up range that's what!

Wonder Woman has been appearing in print since 1941 but this range, which has just launched exclusively at Selfridges, is her first debut in the world of cosmetics. As befitting her stature, the range includes super-sized versions of some of MAC's most popular make-up items, from lipsticks to nail varnishes, which have all been packaged in her trademark red, blue and gold colours. Keep your eyes out for the special Wonder Woman make-up bags too, which are guaranteed to have an impact on your dressing table. 

Prices start at £10. 

See the range online

Henry desk vac from Joy

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 04:20 AM PST

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This Henry desk vac from Joy, is the ultimate office accessory, likely to send both male and femalecoleagues into a jealous rage.

The Henry is the ultimate household machine of the 1980s and has now become a collectors item to fans who seek out different coloured and speciality Henry's from the past.

Instead of locking his happy little face away in a cupboard, you can now keep him on display at work. Buy for £15 from Joy.

Brown leather 1960s satchel briefcase

Posted: 18 Feb 2011 04:06 AM PST

 

ST706-1

Holding this brown leather 1960s satchel briefcase, you could almost close your eyes and be a student back in the 1960s.

An era of protest and free love, this 100% leather satchel is well-loved and steeped in history. It fits A4 sized things so it's not just cool but practical and your liberal side is crying out to own it.

Get yours for £72 at Suzie Floozie.

Don't Be So Quick to Overlook the Maserati Grecale Folgore

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