SERENDIPITY................. (again)

I am constantly amazed at my (our) interconnectedness to all things. At the importance of being open and available to the circumstances that confront me (us), that challenge me to grow and to accept what is. Last week this gorgeous Sendai Tansu was up for auction.....I wanted to bid on it, but was so focused on the Louis XVI chest, that I forgot to focus on the moment and I put my hand up to late to bid on the Tansu. It sold for a ridiculously low price. I kicked myself and did enormous amounts of gilt and self-loathing because I lost the moment thinking of what might happen (or not) in the future.

Well, today, as I waited for nothing in particular to come to the block, up comes my "missed opportunity" Tansu....again. And she (maybe a "he") is gorgeous. The last Sendai Tansu that I purchased was older than this one, but not in the superb condition that this one is in. This piece is nearly pristine. It has beautifully cast and forged iron typical of the later Meiji period and it is a two part Tansu, rather than a single chest.

The drawers are all in excellent condition and the surface is also not blemished. It has lost two of its four side lifting handles (not a huge defect) and its keys are MIA. Other than that, it's to die for.

Needless to say, it came home with me today--and I hope that I have finally learned to stay in the present--where life and its blessing are.

Yes, the Healthcare bill has been dealt a serious blow, hopefully fatal. We still need to continue to raise our voices in protest.

Mary, Jones & Cole

NET NEUTRALITY and other stuff

One of my passions is the joy in contemplating the freedoms that we all have in this amazing nation. One of the newest of these freedoms is access to the internet. At what other time in all of recorded history has connecting with others, access of information, ability to spread our personal beliefs, dreams and hopes with others been so effortless and so fast. Of course, there are negatives that arise with all freedoms; however, I choose to be free to make the decision whether to use the internet for good.

I received an email today regarding the Net Neutrality Day of Action. It was a request for bloggers to publicize July 12 as a day of protest and action against any efforts to restrict free access to the internet--below is the text of the email.

On July 12, 2017, websites, Internet users, and online communities will come together to sound the alarm about the FCC’s attack on net neutrality. Learn how you can join the protest and spread the word at https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/.

Right now, new FCC Chairman and former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai has a plan to destroy net neutrality and give big cable companies immense control over what we see and do online. If they get their way, the FCC will give companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T control over what we can see and do on the Internet, with the power to slow down or block websites and charge apps and sites extra fees to reach an audience.

If we lose net neutrality, we could soon face an Internet where some of your favorite websites are forced into a slow lane online, while deep-pocketed companies who can afford expensive new “prioritization” fees have special fast lane access to Internet users – tilting the playing field in their favor.

But on July 12th, the Internet will come together to stop them. Websites, Internet users, and online communities will stand tall, and sound the alarm about the FCC’s attack on net neutrality.

The Battle for the Net campaign will provide tools for everyone to make it super easy for your friends, family, followers to take action. From the SOPA blackout to the Internet Slowdown, we've shown time and time again that when the Internet comes together, we can stop censorship and corruption. Now, we have to do it again!

Learn more and join the action here: https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12

I hope that all of us who care about our freedoms (which we sometimes take for granted) will participate in this important movement. We can no longer be quiet.

Thank you for letting me blog about what is truly important and about what is relatively trivial as I get back to blogging about my life as an antiques dealer...

THIS WEEK'S HUNT

This was the first item I saw when I went to preview My Auction on Wednesday........gorgeous late Louis XVI (c.1790-1800) walnut chest of drawers in great condition with its beautiful original grey marble top. It was coming up at the end of the auction; so I knew it would be a long day :(, or maybe a :)...you just never know what the outcome will be.

But I also found this.........

I know it's hard to tell from these photos, but there were a pair of these gorgeous cast iron (or so I thought) 19th c. bistro table bases in a Louis XV style and just look as those dolphin-shaped feet!! (I'm a sucker for just about anything with dolphin feet). I was pretty sure that these guys and the Louis XVI chest were coming home with me the next day......

As usually happens when I really want something, it took forever for the Iron bistro tables to come to the block--it seemed as if everything was getting pushed in front of them. But, finally, up they came. And the auctioneer plus the floor manager (Miguel) insisted on singing their praises (so much for their being sleepers and going for very little). The bidding started at $50 and I waited til they were at $150 to bid and up and up they went..........and I finally got them for just about the max that I was willing to spend, as I still need to have new marble or granite tops cut for them plus inventing a way to secure the slabs to the bases. Well, when I picked up the bases today, I took a really good look at them--paying close attention to their patination and the patination is green. If the tables were iron, they would be a bit rusty in color--not green. The only thing that I know of that is cast metal and turns green is BRONZE. Miguel checked the tables with a magnet (that's easiest way to see if something is bronze) and they are not iron!! They are definitely bronze--boosting their desirability way up there. As always, I am so grateful.

I bought a couple of other things will waiting (and waiting usually gets me into trouble) for the chest of drawers, including this adorable little (about 18"w x 9"d x 12"h) camphor wood trunk to add to my collection of Chinese trunks that, by the way, are not selling. I know: not the smartest way to do business, but I couldn't help myself........

And then this table came to the block. I hadn't noticed it during preview or during the auction, but Dear Lord, it has elephant-head legs.........what was I to do??

This gorgeous Japanese lacquer table is in the Aesthetic Movement (c.1890) style, but most probably dating to the 1950s or 1960s. And no one was bidding on it. Yep, it came home with me for a ridiculous amount of money. I'll post more photos when I get it into shop. I did find a very similar table on 1stdibs (the lacquer top is not nearly as nice on that table) for $6500. My price point is going to be about a 1/3 of that.

And finally, after I asked the guys to bring it up, the Louis XVI Chest came to the block. The bidding starts at $250........and up and up and up it goes. I didn't even raise my hand as the bid zooooomed past my max. It ended up at $1500--way more than what I wanted to pay. You know, we are supposed to be making some profit in this crazy business.

I won't go into the health care debacle.......enough has been and will be said in the coming weeks. But I am so disappointed that those elected to serve The People are only serving the wealthy. We deserve much better governance.

Need to get up early tomorrow. Thankfully it has cooled down a bit, at least for a few days.

Be well and PLEASE STAY INVOLVED. "WE can't keep quiet, any more."

Mary & Jones & Cole

FEELING MUCH BETTER---BUT I FORGOT THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO BUY

I did make pancakes for everyone yesterday morning.....definitely a time of celebration for me. I didn't realize how down I had become recently regarding TT (times of trump). How much I have been grieving. Yesterday's Comey Testimony brought me out of my funk. At least now a powerful step has been taken up the ladder to impeachment or prosecution. I know that there is still a long way to go before all of the T's have been crossed, but we are on our way.

AND I WAS BAD (not terribly bad, but still)

I know that the above table looks like a simple 19th c. leather top writing table---but it has a very unique distinguishing feature. It's shown in the second photo--yep, it's that amazing book stand on the left side of the table. The table measures about 40"-42" in width; so it's relatively small. And it is period William IV, dating to c. 1830-1835. The table appears to be all original and in excellent condition (a huge plus from where I stand as it doesn't require any restoration). How could I pass it up?? I'm definitely on a role with early 19th c. English furniture.

I also bought one of the trunks

Another early 19th c. piece--Chinese, but intended for the English market.

A very large English barrel back wing chair similar to this one, but upholstered in fabric and without the channeling was going for pennies; so that came home. I haven't decided whether to re-upholster the chair--we'll see.

And then to remind me of my childhood in Mexico, a fun large brass and abalone shell fish-form dish

Well, I guess that you can't sell from an empty cart... 

My prayers are for our incredible nation. I pray that we will be able to push partisanship to the side in order to re-establish a government whose top priority is to serve the best interests of all. Where money cannot buy power. Where all are truly considered equal. It is possible if we stand firm in defense of the Constitution.

Blessings,

Mary & Jones & Cole

THE MOST GLORIOUS BOX.........and ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of contemporary/20th century Japanese lacquer that I have ever laid eyes on. It walked into The Center with another dealer and I had to have it. Jeremie quoted a very reasonable price and it became mine. The box isn't very big--maybe 9" x 6", but it seems to glow from within--here's a side view

The cinnabar red of the lower section of the box is just barely referenced in a fine red line intersecting the gold and tarnished silver elements. The artistry of the graphic pattern reminds me of exquisite silk.

When I see pieces of this beauty and creative artistry I am reminded of the nature of creation--always unfolding and revealing itself to those that take the time to listen. This box makes me listen.

Now on to Enough is Enough..........

I previewed My Auction today and I just do not want to buy a thing----enough is enough!!

I collect these 19th c. Chinese Export camphor wood trunks for the shop....but I have 6 Asian trunks (in all different sizes)......do I really need another one?-----I am sooooo tempted...............And the condition is phenomenal??

But the truth is I am filled-up/fed-up with sadness and disgust.........I cannot believe that our amazing country is being brought down by an individual who disparages all of what we hold valuable. Tomorrow--bright and early, I'm getting up to make a blue berry pancake breakfast for my family to celebrate Director Comey's testimony before The Senate and the Nation.

I lived and worked in Washington D.C. during the Watergate Era and would drive past The Watergate Office building every day to work........this is so much worse!!

I pray that tomorrow will signal the beginning of the end of this administration. I pray that Robert Mueller and the other investigative entities discover, expose and prosecute any individual would has been involved the The Russian Affair or who has covered up any criminal activity on the part of the President (going back even before the election).

I pray that Trump's ability to lie and bring us all down, serves as a loud and continuing call to reaffirm our commitment to personal integrity and governmental integrity.

I will be praying for our nation tomorrow==join me?

Mary & Jones & Cole