It feels fitting to kick off our series of highlights from our newly published catalogue Flora & Fauna with this pair of carved and painted deer with antlers. Deer hold special meaning in many religions and cultures. In the Buddhist tradition, deer represent harmony, happiness, and serenity. The Buddha gave his first sermon within the tranquil … Continue reading Flora & Fauna Catalogue Highlight: Carved and Painted Deer with Antlers
We are delighted to announce the launch of our holiday catalogue, Flora & Fauna: The National World in Antique Furniture & the Decorative Arts. Since the earliest cave paintings from 25,000 BCE, men chose animals as their first subjects for cave paintings. From then on, the world of flora and fauna has often dominated artistic depictions … Continue reading Presenting Flora & Fauna: The Natural World in Antique Furniture & the Decorative Arts
In our next instalment of 'The Perfect Pairing,' we are looking at a classic ensemble of furniture from the early 18th century known as a pier set. This set would include a pair of torcheres which would flank either side of a pier table with a mirror hung above the table. In the early Georgian … Continue reading The Perfect Pairing: A Pair of Gilt Torcheres & Giltwood Table
We are officially half of the way through our alphabetic tour of the decorative arts. What better way to kick off the back half of the alphabet than with a great topic: needlework. The term needlework applies to handicraft that incorporates decorative sewing and textile arts. Medieval needlework in the form of embroidery was often … Continue reading The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Needlework
We are delighted to share Bennett Leifer as our next Designer Spotlight. He is a perfect fit for our series as he has a background in Art History and understands how art and design of different cultures and periods can work together harmoniously. It is no surprise that Bennett has been named House Beautiful Magazine's … Continue reading Designer Spotlight: Bennett Leifer Interiors
Most, if not all, of the cabinet makers we have focused on in previous posts have been male. Cabinetmaking was a field dominated by men, but that doesn't mean that there weren't successful and prolific female artisans as well. Elizabeth Gumley is a perfect example. Gumley was part of a renowned family of cabinetmakers in … Continue reading Friday is for Females: Elizabeth Gumley
We are focusing once again on some local history here in St. James's today with a close look at the history of the arcades that serve as a highlight of the shopping experience in the area. The oldest arcade in London is the Royal Opera Arcade off Pall Mall, which was designed by the renowned … Continue reading A Shopping Tradition in St. James’s: The Arcades
