THE QUEST FOR AFFORDABLE RESTORATIONS

 Examples of brass nesting tables from 1stdibs.com

"A quest is an adventurous (arduous) journey taken by the protagonist of the story. The protagonist usually meets with and overcomes a series of obstacles, returning in the end with the benefits of knowledge and experience."  Definition from about.com.

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a set of French c. 1970's brass and glass nesting tables identical to these examples that I found on 1stdibs.com. My set is in even more pristine condition, with the exception of the center finial on the smallest table...it became separated from my table somewhere during it's 40 years of life.

   

After many many years in this crazy business, you would think that I would instinctively know that the QUEST to find a replacement pineapple finial would not be an easy one--but no: fools (or antique furniture addicts) rush in where wise men fear to tread!

The first source that I went to was the very famous New York metal fabricator (I will not mention company name). Their catalog showed the perfect finial for my little table and in the quality required. I love this finial: beautiful detailing and proportions, hand chased and polished........so I called New York for a trade price: $148.00 plus $25.00 shipping. Well, since I would like to have a bit of profit on these gorgeous tables, the  Fabulous New York Supplier with the perfect finial was a no-go.

I did find these two pineapple finials that were not any where near the quality of the Fabulous New York Supplier, and they were not the right size.....

   

I continued my quest (arduous journey)....I discovered brass pineapple finials for curtain rods (many diameters), towels racks, hinge finials (very skinny), tiny lamp finials, stair tread rod finials....and many more. But not a single appropriate solid brass pineapple finial for under $148.00 plus $25.00 shipping.

So of course, my natural reaction was to start kicking myself: you silly girl, you  spent a fortune on those tables and now you will have to spend a second fortune to replace the finial.  After I calmed down, my mind started clicking again and I remembered that Carlos who makes the fittings for my custom lamps also casts brass and bronze....Carlos will cast my pineapple finial for $45.00 and NO shipping charge. I think that I'm back in business. The finial will take about 2-3 weeks to fabricate, but it is definitely worth the wait.

This type of quest is just one of the reasons that antiques and decorative arts dealers have to charge what we charge. To acquire the knowledge to know how to restore or fabricate an item and then to have established relationships with the craftsmen who are able to do the work is time consuming and the experience required is expensive--before we arrive at the perfect restorer or fabricator, there are many failures and lessons learned the hard way.

I'll post photos of my perfect finial when I take the table to Carlos for the fitting.

Jones is good....a little bit in the bad boy corner, as he has been a bit hyper at work and needs an attitude adjustment. (Threatening to take him home usually works)

Mary and Jones (& Cole) 

ATTITUDE: THE POWER OF INSPIRATION (being in spirit))

Last week was a tough one for me. So many cares crept into my usually positive mind....worries about one grandson (about to be 13 and the usual issues with that age), worries about two children and their current life choices, worries about my precipitous crash in sales numbers (normal for this season), the murder of innocent people seeking freedom in Syria, sadness over Spain's (I lived in Spain for 7 years) economic turmoil, Monsanto and its lies and its poisoning of our foods (GMOs)--you name it, I ALLOWED "IT" (whatever the "it" was) TO BRING ME DOWN. Where was my strong faith that God was in charge and working behind the scenes for the good of all of creation? Obviously, that faith was not present in my pity-party.

So Thursday (auction day) I was out in the garden with my wonderful first cup of Espresso strength coffee of the day (finally coffee is considered to be healthful--which I have known forever) feeling very sorry for myself and STILL wishing I had bought that pair chairs from 2 weeks ago (how in the world can God bless me if I'm stuck in the past--when God is in the present--which is where I know that I should be--I know, I'm rambling).......when into my head pops: "there is a pair of chairs waiting for you in the "pile". (At my Thursday auction, the pile means a big mound of furniture items--and I do mean big--that are considered to have little value.) 

There was no doubt in my head where that voice came from. And I changed my attitude from pity-party to GRATITUDE and ACTION. I jumped up; showered; threw on my clothes; slathered on the make-up; apologized to Jones for having to stay home; picked up a banana and my remaining coffee and was out the door. Even LA's traffic gods were lined up in my favor and the usual heaviest-day-of-the-week LA freeway traffic parted--and I made it to my auction in record time and just a bit after the auction started at 9 am.

About 40 mins. into the auction, the pile was becoming much smaller and my expectation of the perfect pair of chairs had not waned (not even a bit). A great pair of Drexel, early 1960's chests suddenly appeared from the pile.....

I had no room for them and immediately envisioned these beauties (they are top quality walnut and in super condition) lacquered in a deep turquoise...I gave Angela (my upstairs dealer neighbor) a call to see if she could use them--yep, she could. So I brought these babies home at an unbelievable bid--where was everyone who should have been bidding against me? Yes, their eyes could have been temporarily blinded.

My chairs had just made their appearance from the pile (which by this time has been whittled down to almost nothing). I don't like to look closely at items that are coming up to the block--I hate to draw attention because I just might inspire other bidders to bid against me. From about 30-40 feet, these guys were looking pretty good. I have to admit that they weren't exactly what I had in mind--but when dealing with inspiration and gifts, one has to keep an open mind. Once they came to the block, I held off bidding for a few bids (good auction strategy: wait for a lull in the bidding to start your bids--it knocks other bidders off their rhythm). And then I kept the bid, bringing these amazingly beautiful chairs home.  Remember: I had not really inspected them carefully--always a risk. But, as they say: NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED.

.............GORGEOUS!!!!

And just take a look at what I brought home.........

   

I plopped a pair of my vintage Fortuny fabric pillows on the chairs........perfection.  I'm going to give a few detailed shots as these bergeres are perfect example of mid-20th c. chairs created in an 18th c. style. I believe that they are English.

   

Note the gracefully down slopping carved back rail and the finial detail where it meets the reeded vase turning of the leg support.

See the beautiful reeding of the legs, the turning/carving of the sloping back rail, the tiny finial (in the first photo at top you can see the tiny pointed tips of the legs--ballerina legs) are all marks of top quality furniture making. AND I haven't even started talking about the upholstery: it is a c. 1960's light peach (that shades to deeper peach in the light) top quality silk velvet upholstery that I think dates to the early to mid 1960's --no staples, the upholstery work is done with nails.  While inspecting these chairs once they arrived in the shop, I found very, very old storage stickers still attached to the chairs. The only way to explain the absolutely perfect condition of the upholstery on these chairs is that they must have been in storage for 50 years (or so).  Oooops--forgot to mention the caning--so many times old/antique caned chairs have holes in the caning which is very, very pricey to repair--BUT NOT THESE GUYS!

Roberto is coming in Thursday to clean and polish (hard paste wax) my new loves--I'm going to leave the patinated surface as found as I think this old surface adds interest and depth to the chairs.

-Angie loves her chests...I'll post on Angie's shop, Bonita Interiors, later this       week.

-Jones got his hair cut and he looks AMAZING.

-One child has had her faith restored (the situation is still a work in process-- aren't we all)   "All works for good......."

-One child will always be a work in process--at least he is actively in process.

-Spain received bailout money....that is definitely a reason to rejoice (the Euro really turned Spain on her head 12-13 years ago when the peseta converted to the Euro).

-It seems that progress is being made regarding Monsanto and GMO's.

-Syria is still breaking my heart.

-I have some potential sales lined up--a few prayers needed in that direction.

And I love my chairs...if I had not listened to that "still soft voice" in my head I would not have received the blessings of the day. I would probably still be stuck in my pity-party and what-ifs, if-only-----not a good place. Instead of in the peace of Gratitude.

Have a wonderful week, thanks for joining me in this crazy adventure.

Mary and Jones (and Cole)