Valentine's Day Eye Candy

This is not exactly the kind of eye candy I want to see on Valentine's Day. It is just a little too cute. I love over-the-top beautiful! Or, at the least, interesting. Nothing too trite or smarmy, like this Needlecraft magazine cover from 1940.

Illustration by Rene Gruau 

for cover of Madame Figaro, 1990

 Christian Lacroix Collection

Now, this is more my kind of eye candy. I hope the following images delight and inspire your imagination.

Photoplay Magazine, 1932

 Perfect face, perfect nails, and perfect jewelry.

This is Constance Bennett, the actress.

Really, did women ever look like this?

From Les Enluminures Gallery, shown in Art and Antiques, Jan., 2010

Speaking of jewelry....

Rings for the Gods. 

I will take any or all.

No one ever crafted a more perfect daisy.

Made by Alexander Calder.

This is, by far, the most perfect silver bracelet ever made. It is called the Matchstick Bracelet and was made by Antonio Pineda, Mexican silver master.

The Four Elements by Paul Manship

Sexy Art Deco!

Two of four panels made for the A T & T building in New York, 1914. These panels were offered for sale by the Gerald Peters Gallery in NYC during the Winters Antique Show.

Vogue

Speaking of sexy... Love this perfectly pink coat.

Every time I see this dress I think of a paper-cut valentine.

Perfectly Serene

An Asian-inspired bed

Chinoiserie chic

I like shiny stuff.

A perfectly simple living room

An Ikat Valentine

If I sent you Valentine card, this would be it. 

 Vogue cover, Salvadore Dali, 1939

A yummy mule from Godey's, 1852

Would Manolo Blahnik please make me a pair just like this?

French chic, 1930-style

Vogue 1930

The photographer is Baron Adolphe de Meyer and the model is Helen Lee Worthing.

De Meyer was known for trying to capture an ideal of perfect feminine beauty and romance as well as pure luxury. 

20th century baroque by Cecil Beaton, photographer

 Model Mary Taylor for Vogue, 1935.

Her dress is by Chanel.

This is probably my favorite Vogue photograph ever.

The photographer is Irving Penn and the model is Jean Patchett. It has been said that this photograph changed the way Vogue showed fashion. It was 1949 and the location was Lima, Peru. 

Hooked Heart, Mary Sheppard Burton, Photograph courtesy of the author

Have a Happy Valentine's Day. 

from

The Antiquer

Photographs from: In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine; 100 Years of Fashion Illustration; Silver Seduction; Calder Jewelry; Godey's Lady's Book; Elle Decor Magazine; House Beautiful; Needlecraft Magazine; Photoplay Magazine 

Guess What I Found at the Salvation Army?

Irish Marble Top Console

Clinton Howell Antiques

Right before Thanksgiving I dropped by my local Salvation Army store to look for inexpensive furniture to use for display when I exhibit at antique shows. In the office section I found a rather nice metal console-it was $30. Perfect! The mid-century modern glassware would really stand out against the gunmetal black. 

This got me thinking about the various styles of consoles and how they are used. I like the idea of having a convenient place to put small things, like keys, when I come in the front door. Also, this is the first thing people see when they come in my house. So it has to be a show stopper--something fabulous!

 

Elle Decor has a great article in this month's issue highlighting the 10 Best Consoles--and what do you know, but there is an identical console to my "find" at the Salvation Army. It is the 3rd down on the left.

Who knew Bottega Veneta made furniture? Their description describes mine exactly. Note the bottom of the legs--very stylish and just like mine. But, the price is not like mine.

Mine= $30

Bottega Veneta= $6,400

Here are some other consoles, if you are looking for one.

Ad in Architechtural Digest

  Osbourne and Little

Paul McCobb Console

Photograph from Rago Auction catalogue

French Marble Top Console

AD, Photographer, Steven Brooke

Antique Workbench

AD July 2009, Photographer David O. Marlow

Antique Piano

From English Country:Living in England's Private Houses 

by Caroline Seebohm and Christopher Sykes, photographer, 1987

This is my favorite!

A ghost console in Lucite

Winter Antique Show in Hunt Country-Middleburg, Virginia

Setting up for a show in early January is not fun. Loading and unloading a cargo van full of antiques when it is below freezing outside is really, well- bad. Dealers were grouchy, the promoter was preoccupied because someone fell on the ice and was hurt, the exhaust from my van was so thick that I could hardly see the boxes in the back, and my fingers were so cold they were numb. This was supposed to be fun? Note the ice on the drive. Even White's Ferry was closed due to ice on the Potomac. 

The lane where we parked our vans--it was behind the athletic fields and we took a shuttle bus back and forth. 

But, I loved the size of my space. It was 8 x 20 feet and papered in a nice, but muddy red. I was hoping the red would be clear--fire engine red-like the lipstick my grandmother wore in the 50s.

It took me and my assistant the entire day to set up. The dealer behind me hung his clip-on lights on my side and ripped holes along the edge of my paper. The then sent his wife over to complained that I was driving nails into their side of the wall. When I pointed out that they had ripped my paper, the wife frowned and hurried back to her side. It wasn't starting off well. One thing I have noticed about antique dealers at shows is they are extremely territorial. When you are paying a premium to be in these shows you want to make it count. 

Here is my booth finished. I liked the set-up in this space better than any other. Next time, I will buy lights. I had a lot of interest in the chinese lamps, but decided they look too wonderful in my living room so I'm keeping them. 

The Quilt Corner--is beginning to look better. I need a lot more quilts.

I recently  acquired 5 bags of very nice linens. Even though I haven't completed sorting and pricing them, I brought about half  in case someone was willing to dig through them. Another dealer, with a big interest in linens, went through much of them and purchased some really wonderful items. She also generously gave me a quick lesson on identifying point de Venice lace, chemical lace and machine-made lace. The show was beginning to look up!


The linen dealer, Snow Leopard, had a pretty booth. Following are some pictures.

She makes the scented pillows from vintage linens.

These art nouveau pillow cases were so pretty.

The dealer across from me, Ben,  sells antique tools and other good stuff. He gave me some rock-solid business advice that I intend to follow. I also noticed that his booth, bright yellow with good lighting, drew in the customers like bees to honey. He also had a million things for sale. The more things for sale, the more to chose from, the more you actually sell. Note to self-buy more!  

I'm on the left, Ben with his winning booth on the right. Look where the customers are.

The next few photos are of the promoter's booth. I like the clean look and the objects are of real value. 

 The promoter's husband, waiting for the show to open and the hoardes to arrive. They did.

One of the nicest dealer's around is Judy Brill of Brill's Antiques, Virginia Beach. 

She and her sweet husband have beautiful 18th and 19th century furniture. Here is Judy visiting with us during a slow period during the show. Judy usually brings her dogs with her and sits with them in her large van. It was too cold for the dogs this trip so we got to hang out with her more than usual.

Judy Brill visiting with Ben's wife.

The Brills at the Chevy Chase show.

i love these hooked rugs. 

An 1850s wrapper. This amazing wrapper has never been remade. It is in its original condition.

A dealer in French decorative arts admires these tinsel paintings. She has never seen any this early and in such great condition.  The white ground in the top painting is very uncommon.

The black console is metal!

I did well in Middleburg. Now, to try the Big Flea. A different audience and a much smaller space. 

Auld Lang Syne

Saying goodbye to 2009

Welcoming in 2010

Happy New Year!

The Antiquer