I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A MONTH...............

It's August 24 (already ??!!)--I can't believe that the summer has passed so quickly and that it's been a month since I last posted!!!  And it has been an amazing month. August has always been one of my slower months--but not 2017. I have almost emptied one of my sections and am working on the rest of the shop. And I needed this little boost.

So.........with unproductive square footage, there is one thing that I desperately need to do: IT'S TIME TO GO SHOPPING.

Yesterday, I was at one of my most favorite places--my auction house--to preview for today's auction. During the last month the bidding has gone sky high (of course, it happens just when I need to buy and have the space to display stuff).......however, I spotted the above chest and hope that it might be a sleeper. It looks a little plain--but let me explain:

It's a three-part early to mid-19th c. camphor wood campaign chest

Campaign furniture evolved during that later part of the 18th c. and early 19th c. during the Raj period when England was busy establishing its Empire in India and Ceylon. The furniture was commissioned by the Officers who, being from the upper classes, carried all of their "necessaries" with them. Never ones to travel light, the officers commissioned handsome utilitarian furniture to accompany them on their military campaigns. Campaign chests were created using several woods, camphor wood, teak and mahogany being the most common. These chests were designed for ease of transport: recessed drawer handles, side lifts, brass protected edges and corners, etc. I've pulled photos of campaign chests from the internet. Here are a few of the chests. I could not find a single example of an intact three-part campaign chest......

In my search I discovered an example of campaign furniture with which I was unfamiliar....a bed or cot that folded into a campaign chest or trunk.

I can only imagine what my guest room would look like with one of these beds.....don't think that I would have many sleepovers.....the comfort level doesn't appear to be great.
I currently have several pieces of campaign furniture in inventory: a couple of mid-19th c. desks and a couple of trunks/chests. But I really want that three part chest with bookcase........

                                                             ***************

Well........It's is now 7 days past last week's amazing 3-part campaign Chest..........I stopped grieving over it last Friday (allowed myself 24 hours).
The bidding went like this: I opened bidding at $500; Tom went to $600; I went to $700; back and forth til $1200, then the increments increased and Tom bid $1500; I bid $1750 (which equals $2050 with lot fee); Tom bid $2000 and I dropped out.........I just didn't want to put that many eggs in one basket. And besides, I would have needed to put money into restorations and having new feet fabricated. These chests had removable screw in feet, which were now lacking on this chest.
Not to worry...........I did buy something amazing (and paid dearly for it). This is a pair of Moderne/Brutalist brass sconces. I have never seen anything quite like them. Like me, they are a traditional fan-shape with a bit of crazy funk (which is always present in me, but I keep it hidden)

Everyone who has seen the sconces, loves them. We'll see if they sell........you just never know.

It's super hot here in Los Angeles...........I didn't even preview "My" auction yesterday and I'm not going today. At 103* in the spot where the auction house is located and no air conditioning, I am staying home!! Which is fine because I really do not have any extra room.....

I've been praying and sending money to the Houston relief efforts. The Red Cross accepts Paypal, one of the few organizations that does--so that's my go-to organization. It is so effortless to donate to the many thousands of victims--just click a couple of buttons and you are done.

I'll be back to posting now that September is here...
Stay cool.

xoxo
Mary & Jones & Cole