I love antique textiles.....I would love to travel the world searching out gorgeous handmade textiles that express the histories and cultures of the peoples that made them.
The above aged (c.1680-1710) gold embroidered and appliqued silk velvet is a piece that adheres to that adventure. The baroque Italian (Tuscan?) walnut arm chair is in great condition for its age and use. The most wonderful detail is that it retains its original beautifully embroidered and appliqued silk velvet chair back. The gold thread used for the adornment is most probably 24 kt.; the silk velvet is hand woven and the iron decorations are hand forged. I love the fact that the velvet, having lost its luxurious pile, is still beautiful and rich. The baroque period in Italy (not truly a country at that point) is one of the most artistically rich (apart from the Renaissance). This beautiful textile expresses the soul of Italy at that point in time. (Although I love this chair, I did not bring it home--it needed to go with a true collector of this type of furniture).
On the other end of the auction spectrum this week were enormous rams--they are taller than I am!!! I was a bit tempted to add them to my zoo, but just the thought of trying to move them was exhausting--I think that they were bronze!
But I did bid on these amazing lamps---I think that they are Christopher Spitzmiller. But there were no identifying marks; so I ended up being the underbidder. If I had sold any lamps recently, I probably would have stayed in the bidding, but prudence won out.
Isn't the shape amazing? So sexy...and a crackle glaze.
I didn't leave the auction empty-handed: I brought home this superb pair of Directoire or Consulate period (at the very end of 18th c.--post Revolution France) small mirrors with attached candle holders--bras de lumieres. The mirrors have "Eastern/Egyptian" symbolism; so they are most probably Late Directoire when Napoleon was busy waging war in Egypt. I bought them on instinct and was happy to discover that they are pretty uncommon (I seem to gravitate towards the unusual)--hope just the right client comes in (selling all of this stuff also matters). The mirrors are in remarkably great original condition, including their original mirrors and gilt details.
Jones went to the Ophthalmologist yesterday. Fortunately, he does not have glaucoma, but he does have age related eye problems--poor boy, he's been bumping into a few things on his right side. The vet thinks that she can bring back some vision in his right eye and the left one is fine!! Other than his right eye, he looks like a 5 year old.
I keep thinking that I'll wake up and TT (Times of Trump) will be over and sanity will return. The proposed budget (which won't pass-but is a huge earthquake) cuts funding for the arts, PBS, after school programs and summer programs. To me this sounds like the perfect prescription for creating bored and unsupervised children (and possibly hungry children) which leads to delinquency and gang affiliations. We need more investment in our children; we need to focus on their spiritual and physical development--teaching them how to nurture their own souls through creativity not senseless stimulation.
Blessings for the week!!
Mary & Jones & Cole
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