Strange Closets

Thanks to Albert Tanquero for contributing the story of his California shopping trip, trawling antique stores in search of  strange and unusual vintage photos and other ephemera – inventory for his his thriving Ebay vintage photo store and inspiration for he and his partner Jim York’s innovative stationary company The Found. Check out their new [...]

When my friend Albert Tanquero told me about his crazy shopping trip to L.A.’s Orange Bowl Flea Market, I asked him to write about it, and he kindly agreed. Albert’s one of the busiest guys I know, so it means a lot that he takes the time to contribute now and again.  In addition to [...]

When the Found founder Albert Tanquero learned that Forbes Magazine put the smack-down on Chicago (calling it the 3rd most miserable city to live in, possibly the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read in my entire life), he sent out an email response that I found to be quite delightful.  Naturally I asked if he’d [...]

Thanks to The Found owner Albert Tanquero for contributing this piece. In addition to dealing in vintage photos on Ebay and at shows, Albert uses the images to create greeting cards, paperweights, trays and a variety of other interesting products. I met Albert at the Chicago Antique Market in May and have continued to be [...]

This week, I’m kicking off, “Expert Advice,” a semi-regular column written by experts in their field. You’re probably thinking, “I thought you knew everything?” And that’s a very smart (brilliant, really) assumption, because yes, I do know everything. But I’m also very tired, and I relish turning the keys over to somebody else for the [...]

Albert Tanquero, a creative Tour de Force whose medium is the old and broken (ephemera, religious kitsch, old magazines, doll parts, vintage labels, you name it) opened his first booth this year at the Chicago Antique Market on Randolph. And judging by the crowd gathered around his booth, things went very very well. He’s like [...]