Snake Q&A 009: Nils Hanson/Miles To Go Vintage
Fury of V, Blues for Allah, Domino Mobler, Henry Rollins' game worn shirt, WWII surplus, a secret LA spot
Now at Snake: Every other Friday or so an interview with a person in good standing of the newsletter whose taste in vintage, furniture, collectibles and adjacent fields is worth celebrating and learning from. Sellers, buyers, set decorators, artists, adjacents, etc…
Here’s the ninth…
Nils Hanson / IG / Personal IG / LA / Vintage clothing/ephemera collector + part time seller and occasional graphic designer / milestogovintage.com (I also sell via @work.vintage in SF)
Nils is a vintage seller who is frankly in way too deep and got out but is still in. Does that make sense? He helped found Varsity Los Angeles; the references for the work he sells and collects are deep underground Americana. In the background of the photo above (taken this year on Shakedown Street) is one of his lot tees…
Q&A 009
Fav flea market?
Rose Bowl, I’ve been going for about 15 years or so now. The Silverlake flea when it was still held at the elementary school (2018?) was a pretty special time. I always have a good time at anything in Northern California.
Best flea market day ever—what did you get?
First Rose Bowl back after lockdowns, not because of any item I bought, but because I thought it was never gonna happen again. That being said, I did buy a lot of nice things that day, everything from an early 80s Patagonia rugby (I admit, this was held for me) to a Fury Of V “At War With The World” tour shirt.
Best eBay purchase?
Breakdown "Aliens" shirt, almost 10 years ago, originally owned by Bill Wilson of Blackout Records. Not the ringer, but I now have the ringer, too, acquired in a separate deal.
Best Craigslist find?
Don’t use Craigslist much, but I found a reasonably priced office for rent in Hollywood that I worked out of during Covid lockdown.
Best LiveAuctioneers find?
TBD. Please ask me again in six months.
IG seller account you hang out on/look at their stuff the most?
@ryfillman_antiques @smwresmplce @procell @knownbadboy
@chico.n.esco @roslyntrading @varsitylosangeles @spare__room
Thing you most regret passing on?
The shirt Henry Rollins wore to, but not during*, his first gig fronting Black Flag in July 1981. The shirt was plain, brown I believe, and previously owned by Chuck Dukowski, whose legal name was sewn in the neck. I just didn't have the money to spend on such a thing when it was offered to me 5 or so years ago.
While going through pictures on my phone for this interview I was reminded of this Grateful Dead “Blues For Allah” store display that I stupidly passed on due to its large size.
*he threw it into the crowd as the set started.
Best thing you got for insanely cheap?
Very hard question to give a definitive answer to… but a WWII “frogskin” set in a thrift store comes to mind.
Best thing you overpaid for?
Mid-80s printing of this Saccahrine Trust shirt (art by Raymond Pettibon). To my knowledge the tee was originally printed in the earlier 80s as a single color shirt (that Greg Ginn was photographed wearing on a few occasions), and the version I picked up was available a few years later. This one has no sleeves and I paid for it what I would expect to pay for one with sleeves, but I had been searching for about a decade so I just bought it anyway.
Favorite piece of furniture you own?
I have a Domino Mobler couch, my dog likes sleeping on it.
What’s one thing you own that you won’t ever sell?
Skateboards and T-shirts/jerseys from the skate shop my grandpa had in the late 70s
Piece you have now that you despise and want to replace?
I have an Ikea desk that I don’t even use. I despise it.
Who do you think sold more records: Nelly Furtado or Three 6 Mafia?
Probably Nelly Furtado individually, but as a collective…Three 6 Mafia.
Secret spot that you love but won’t tell anyone about? (please describe as judiciously as possible while omitting any identifiable characteristics)
One of the best spots in LA to buy things is so obvious that people probably don’t even think to look. It’s located on one of the most frequented streets in a very popular neighborhood. I’ve been buying there for 10 or so years now, and even though their pricing has gotten wild, I rarely leave empty handed.
Rarest/most canon vintage thing you have but never wear?
I have (to my knowledge) the only known original T-shirt from an infamous Los Angeles punk band from the 70s who appears on the first Killed By Death compilation. Their name, as well as a symbol on the shirt (both used for shock value at the time) are both, regardless of intent, unacceptable things to be on a T-shirt (especially one that would get worn).
Most jealousy-inducing thing you’ve seen? (e.g. I saw a guy in Foremost jeans once in 2012 and I’ve never gotten over it)
A few years ago I took a friend from out of town to an outdoor wear store that my family used to go to in the 90s (and to which I still stop by whenever I’m in the area). They usually keep some books and magazines out by the shoe try-on area. My friend starts looking through them, mentions how it would be cool if there was some old catalogs. I tell him how I’ve checked for years, it's not worth looking, but lo and behold, the owner had just recently put out a pile of 70s through 90s Chouinard/Patagonia catalogs. (They’re some of my most wanted items.) When my friend asked if he could buy them, the owner, after pulling a couple out to which he had a sentimental attachment, let him have the rest for free. I have never been more jealous in my life. (Me and this person are still friends, I talk to him online often and respect him very much.)
Favorite Russian novelist?
Not sure I know any, but I like the Russian metal band Scald.
Is there a field of collecting are you looking to get into in the near future? (Furniture/paper/autographs/stamps/model trains/computer shirts/90s Harley shirts/digital watches/lighters/slot cars/faberge eggs/Amish quilts etc)
I’d like to get some nice furniture. If all goes well, one day I'd like to own a few cars as well.
What’s the item that’s been on your watchlist the longest without you having pulled the trigger?
An “Inside Story”-era Grace Jones poster.
Is the best vintage/furniture online or in the wild?
In the wild, finding something amazing that nobody has seen before is way more fun than crossing an item off a “want list” by buying it online.
Has all the cool shit been discovered? (Yes or no answer only)
No
Any more unknown vintage accounts you want to rep or boost? Furniture? (feel free to include local spots)
In no way are they unknown, but respect to a few legends who have IG:
That being said, some of the most knowledgeable, hardworking OGs (listed here or otherwise) with great taste aren’t present or showing their cards on social media.
Follow Miles To Go on Instagram.