Yes? No? Maybe So?

Could it be? What is old is new again: antiques are coming back in favor? For about the last decade, modern furniture and interiors have reigned. Modern and contemporary furniture have fetched incredibly high prices at auction and asking prices at retail have been higher than a four-year private college education. Perhaps, people are seeing the warmth, beauty and historical importance of antiques once again?

After all, many “new” furniture pieces by designers have been inspired by old designs. But that is a post for a later time.

Antique furniture has had it rough lately, and especially in the last eighteen months. Although 2008 saw some high prices at the higher end of the market, the middle market tanked. With the collapse of Lehman Brothers, fewer homes sales and a plunging stock market, sales of antique items showed even larger decline. Items were barely moving at auction, and if they did some pieces reached a quarter of the hammer price from just a little over a year ago. Some retail dealers priced their stock significantly lower. By the fourth quarter of last year, the top end of the market has also bombed.

Personally, I was so pleased to read about designers beginning to incorporate antiques into their designs. Wendy Moonan wrote about this in the NY Times on the annual Kips Bay decorator show house. (You can read this here)

So, what do we think? With a little creativity and some cash in our pockets, would any of you incorporate the following items into your homes? What would you pair one of these items with? How would you recover some of these chairs for a cleaner, more stylish look?

1. A pair of Directoire Fauteuils? (Christie’s, Paris - April 7, 2009)

2. A Late George II Giltwood Overmantle Mirror. (Christie's, London - July 12, 2007). Would you use this? It is big – 66” x 66½ “.

3. A George III Satinwood, Mahogany and Amaranth Marquetry Demi-Lune Commode (Christie’s, London - March 18, 2009)

4. A Neoclassical white marble, green-painted, parcel-gilt and faux-marble decorated console table. Swedish? German? (Sotheby’s, NYC April 3, 2009.) Would you put a mirror over this? A painting? A series of etchings or old maps?

5. A Regency Mahogany Daybed (Christie’s, London - June 7, 2007)
Where would you put this? And what upholstery would you recover it in? (I think the lines on this is fab…)

6. A Pair of George III Black Japanned Armchairs (Sotheby’s, London - May 17, 2005)

7. Vargueno?

8. A Swedish Neoclassical ormolu, cut-glass and sea blue twelve-light chandelier, (Sotheby’s, NYC - April 3, 2009). I forgot to document the size, but I recall the diameter was not that big. I was searching for this stuff very late at night. Make up your own size? Would you use this in a saucy bathroom? Bedroom? Foyer? Modern retractable glassed-in room?

9. A Pair of George Mahogany Hall Chairs, (Sotheby’s, NYC - April 5, 2006). Oil the wood a bit and then place them against a wall in a wide hallway and marry it with a bright, bold graphic rug? Yes no? Intriguing or unsettling?

10. Papier-Mâché Table - (Stamford Auction, Norwalk, CT, February 11, 2007). In an all-white room?

11. An English Mahogany Gout Stool from the eighteenth century? (Canterbury Auction Galleries: West Canterbury, Kent, UK - September 16, 2008)

Recover it and push up against the window for a little dog or cat to recline and gaze out to watch the birds outside? Or the traffic? Or so they can watch for that particular mail man that they detest?

Just for fun:

12. Would anyone want this? Those who don't would you at least dare yourself to touch the bellies of these little frogs? (Desert West Auction Service: Mimbres, New Mexico, US - November 22, 2008). Cool or creepy?

Tea Time !

The tea table was a culturally charged piece of furniture. It was first introduced by the Dutch and then the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza, the queen of Charles II introduced it to the English court in the seventeenth century. And then its popularity quickly spread. It was new. It was beguiling. It was ambiguous. Its surface could change. It could be horizontal when in use or vertical when not. It was foldable. It was movable. It was important.

What recession? This early eighteenth century number had an estimate of $12,000-$18,000 back in October of 2008. Someone snagged it for over $48,000 at Northeast Auctions.

Important enough to hold tea and all of the exquisite expensive porcelain and silver items with which to serve it. It signified wealth and good breeding/taste. It smelled of money.

George I walnut tea table. I like the dainty pad feet. Circa 1720 available at Mallett's.

The tea table was a symbol of social rank, civility and family stability. It commanded tightly scripted ceremonies and behavior. During the first quarter on the eighteenth century, wealthy people sat around the tea table and enjoyed their luxurious commodity. They were refined, gentle, and knew proper etiquette. The tea table’s surface was decorated with expensive porcelain to drink the tea from. Drinking tea meant genteel behavior. It meant you were privileged and you could afford it.

Tea items on a tray were arranged in a specific order and served in a particular way based on age, gender and rank. People would huddle around it. So close sometimes that hot water was poured upon their heads. Tea time was formal event, with both men and women or casual with friends. It followed a strict code of etiquette. Tea warmed the body, and caffeine stimulated the mind. The finely polished mahogany of the table was a visual treat for any guest. Little children who placed their greasy fingerprints upon it were scolded. Tea tables varied from square to circular. Some had scalloped edges, and some were japanned.

Clinton Howell.

Over the century the price of tea tumbled and by century’s end, the wealthy merchant class as well as the common laborer was drinking it. Tea was portable and easily prepared and tea tables had to be stylish enough to carry out the performance of tea pouring and tea drinking. The tea table was the stage. The design had to reflect the latest fashions. The people sitting around it had to understand the performance of pouring tea and turning one’s spoon in the cup to drink from just so. Spoon etiquette was very important. One was never to stir one’s spoon, but gently fold the tea slowly from the six o’clock position to the twelve.

Tea cups with a handle were held by placing one’s fingers to the front and back of the handle with one’s pinkie up. This allowed for balance. In order to drink a cup with no handle, one only needed to place one’s thumb at the six o'clock position and one’s index and middle fingers; you could at the twelve o'clock position, but again one must gently raise one’s pinkie for balance. And never ever pick up a sugar cube with your fingers, only use sugar tongs or else risk loosing your reputation. These codes of behavior were a way to weed out those who did not belong: The bourgeoisie. The working class.

Available at Michael Lipitch (Knees on the legs look to be carved at a later date...)

Toward the end of the eighteenth century, as the price of tea dropped more modest and affordable tea tables were produced. The elite did not like this. Accusations of over indulgence, negligence and flouting of natural social order were heard. Doctors and philanthropists published articles raging against classes other than the wealthy drinking tea. They stated it was bad for the lower classes health. Hot tea would make the blood boil and even cause death. Many of the wealthy of the time believed that the social habits of the poor must be controlled. An anonymous writer wrote a pamphlet and circulated it widely. Drinking tea in the afternoon was believed to encourage “artful husseys” to drink spirits and to vent their emotions by complaining about their husbands.

Available at Charlecote.

To the elite, the practice of tea-drinking in the afternoon among working class women meant they were neglecting their knitting and daily household duties; and instead spending what their hard working husbands had earned as they wasted time sitting around the tea table gossiping and leaving their children in rags gnawing on crusts of bread.

George III rosewood tea table with an octagonal top with satinwood banding.

Tea drinking has changed since then. Most of us enjoy the taste -- served hot or cold over ice. Brewed by the hot afternoon sun or quickly made with a convenient little bag steeped in water for a matter of minutes. Add a little lemon or dab of honey and most of us are just fine regardless what we drink it from or where we come from.

Nefertiti Phone: I have no positive comment

It’s the little things in life that can help our mood for the day. Things as small as making every green light when we are driving like a bat out of hell late for work. Or watching our dog happily stretch out on the green fluffy grass and bask in the sunshine. Waking up to find all the tulips have bloomed. Or a little retail therapy -- buying a new object we have coveted for some time (especially after a bad week or month? Several months?). Some of these objects can be so small and exquisite. Not for everyone to see, but we carry the item with us hidden in a pocket or a handbag. This isn’t anything new. Throughout time people have always desired the latest snuff box, bonbonnière, match safe or etui willing to pay a high price for an item crafted from precious materials or painted with exquisite scenes. These items were things used everyday. Today we have a cell phone or blackberry -- the more expensive, the better, we are told. (I find the more expensive, the more apt to break.) The fashion forward are always searching for the latest ‘must have’.

Well… last year (I’m always behind on the latest electronic), Givori introduced the exclusive, limited edition Nefertiti phone. “Inspired by the great royal wife of the Pharaoh known for her beauty throughout Egypt,” it “exudes the decadence and mystery of a bygone era.”

(Not seeing it… but that is only my opinion…)

Only fifty of the Nefertiti phones were created and each one designed differently with its own limited edition number. The individual phones feature “vintage 1930's collectibles (not sure what that means other than those plastic bits glued on) and 24 carat gold coated Swarovski crystals”. And it is available in luxury stores in Dubai for approximately $4440. (Ouch.)

A collectible investment for the future? Or an absolute eyesore?

Like a beautiful piece of jewelry? Or a bunch of crusty old barnacles?

(Interesting info about the barnacle I was completely unaware of can be found here –- be sure to scroll down to the photo to read below.)

Queen Anne: Loyal and Unfortunate

Following the death of her sister Mary from smallpox in December of 1694, Princess Anne of England quietly waited. She should have become Queen in her own right on that day, but her brother-in-law William III continued as sole monarch until his own death in 1702. He was thrown when his horse stumbled on a molehill breaking his collar bone. Shock hit his system and tuberculosis set in. He was two weeks later. Anne’s patience was rewarded. Now crowned as queen, it was the moment she had worked for and waited all her life.

Separated when she was very young from her parents and sister, she had only the affections of her nursery servants. She grew up in an atmosphere of controversy. She had witnessed the deaths of her mother, grandmother and aunt. She betrayed her Catholic father for her Protestant religion. She broke ties with her only sister. She suffered financial humiliation by her brother-in-law. Anne’s one great friendship with Sarah Churchill proved to be baneful, manipulative and ensnaring. She endured nearly two decades of 18 pregnancies and watched her only living child slowly die at the age of eleven clinging to the hope she was pregnant again only to realize it was false. An invalid by 37, her life was filled with mental anguish, physical pain and emotional turmoil. Having a great deal of self-restraint, she was described as "very hard" and "not apt to cry."

In 1683, Princess Anne married the Protestant Prince George of Denmark. An unpopular union viewed by the people, but a very good one for the two of them. She was seen as completely fulfilling gender expectations for women of the time -- an obedient and dutiful wife, who liked to play cards quietly and sew. George was characterized as a fat, lazy and drunk who had little aspirations submitted to the wishes of his wife. Charles II, the Merry Monarch, famous quip about George:

"I have tried Prince George sober, and I have tried him drunk; and, drunk or sober, there is nothing in him."

Never to be crowned king, Anne was devoted to him her entire married life and he to her. He was comfortable with the fact that she was the head of the household. They enjoyed quiet retreats together. And he stood by her during the wrenching times she lost her children.

Unlikely to rule as queen, she received a limited education similar to that of other aristocratic girls of the time: learning languages, music and sewing. Her knowledge of history was basic and she received no instruction in civil law or military matters. She was misunderstood. She was said to be weak from her gender, suffered from poor eyesight and mediocre intelligence. Her personality was shy and reticent and she often isolated herself. In reality, Queen Anne had great common sense, forethought and worked with her personal servants to seek information withheld from her by government ministries. Although short, Queen Anne’s reign would be pivotal. It was one of the most brilliant and critically important periods in British history.

On the morning of the first day of August, 1714, Queen Anne died. She was only 49. Her swollen body from a bacterial infection remained unburied for three weeks as preparations were made. Her physician said Anne's life was shortened by the "scene of contention among her servants. I believe sleep was never more welcome to a weary traveller than death was to her."

Queen Anne reigned over Great Britain for 12 years. It was a time of great watershed from the violence of the seventeenth century and into the stability and prosperity of the eighteenth century. A distinctively English style in furniture and decorative arts developed under the Queen marked by soft and simple curved lines.

Portraits of Queen Anne by Edmund Lilly (1703); Peter Lely (1667-68); Peter Lely (1678); at the time of her marriage in 1683; with her only surviving son Duke of Gloucester.

Got a Light? The Match Safe

The match safe was a small little box, of sorts, with a snug hinged lid. It was a popular item for men nearly 100 years. It contained matches reachable at any moment to light up a smoke. Men no longer had to search for a light as they would have one tucked into a pocket. Sometimes they would attach it by a chain to a waistcoat. One pocket might hold a watch and, the other, a match safe.

An American Art Nouveau Sterling Silver Match Safe with a repoussé design of sinuous scrolls and flourishes with an engraved center. Antiques & Old World Charms.

The friction match was invented around 1820s. Matches were an important technical advancement of the time. At first they produced an unsteady flame accompanied by an unpleasant odor. They could also spontaneously catch fire. The sulfur tip needed only slight friction to ignite and could explode in a pocket if unprotected. (Talk about hot pants!) However, these issues didn’t deter the popularity of smoking, and in fact the invention of the match even increased the habit. Later, the sulfurous odor was diminished by adding white phosphorus -- a dangerous chemical to anyone who handled enough of it. The risk was very high for “phossy” jaw.

This sweet little heart by Minshull & Latimer was crafted in 1900 with the initials of ‘FVB’ has been sold. You can see on the edge of the heart where matches were struck on the serrated edge of the case. Leopard Antiques.

To keep one safe from spontaneous combustion, these ingenious little boxes were invented and only a few inches in length. Referred to as Vesta Cases in England and Match Safes in America, they were fireproof, light and portable. Artfully designed with a closely fitted hinged top and serrated striker on the side or bottom, the inside of the case would often be gilded to protect the silver from the sulfur head of the match, which would otherwise tarnish the silver.

By Liberty & Co. most likely by Archibald Knox c. 1902. (see International Match Safe Associations's museum section).

They were designed in almost every conceivable material and in a variety of forms. Match safes were fashioned out of other materials such as wood, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell, leather, bone and Bakelite. The decoration reflected the fads and fashions of the day.

Blue point crab claw by Gorham, 1890. (see International Match Safe Associations's museum section).

A wee little Scientific American newspaper by Enos Richardson & Co., 1890. (see International Match Safe Associations's museum section).

Formed in the shape of a violin. London, 1889. Available at Wax Antiques.

In the form of a dog’s head and made of sterling silver with real fur. (see International Match Safe Associations's museum section).

By Tiffany. Photos show the front and back. Note the little bug on the lid. Part of the the collection of Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.

The more expensive ones were made from gold. Some were set with diamonds, rubies or other precious gems. Others had enameled designs which became popular later during the Edwardian era. Some of the most valuable match safes today are the enameled sterling ones depicting one favorite activity of men: hunting.

Enameled over sterling silver by Howard James, England c. 1890. Available at B Silverman.

By Reed and Barton c. 1900. Also from the collection of Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.

But of course, many depicted the most favorite topic for the male viewer.

This one is from Germany c. 1900. (see International Match Safe Associations's museum section).

More common safes, however, were silver-plated, nickel-plated, or made of brass. Some were even made of nickel alloy to resemble sterling.

Brass Lady's Leg, Continental c. 1895. (see International Match Safe Associations's museum section).

As women were slowly and grudgingly admitted into the tobacco fraternity during Edwardian times, some match safes were designed to appeal to feminine tastes.

The invention of the pocket lighter curbed the use of the match safe. During the First World War soldiers found the pocket lighter to last longer and were easy to refill. Match safes fell out of favor when the new lighters became more available becoming obsolete by World War II.

Still popular with collectors today, a decade ago one fetched at auction quite a price:

A Victorian vesta case sold in 1999 at Christies for $12,429. The front is enameled with a seaside Punch and Judy tent. It shows Mr. Punch, Judy, Toby the Dog and a drummer, by Sampson Mordan, London 1887.

Many match safes can be purchased for a few hundred bucks. For those wanting to purchase a genuine article that is not only functional but also possesses a lovely aesthetic, think about one of these. Surely the match safe constitutes an affordable luxury in this day and age that some people can still buy and afford. Many costs less than a fancy cell phone designed to last only a matter of years, and it certainly last longer.

I am not a smoker but somehow after looking at these little match safes I am charmed by their ingenious workmanship. Next time I light my scented candles, I’d rather pull a match from a lovely little match safe rather than from a book of cardboard matches with the phone number of a bail bondsman stamped across the front.

April Food Day

Hunger began at the beginning of time. It is inescapable. Most of us view hunger as a condition that has changed over the centuries. We perceive our society as better prepared today.

After all, the history books we read growing up told us that America was the land of the plenty.

When colonists landed in this country, they were fighting off hunger. Population rapidly declined. That was 400 years ago. Settlers were subject to disease, raids and poor crop outcome. Conditions are much improved today.

In the eighteenth century, having overcome disease, hunger and wars, the colonists were gaining strength. They possessed the space, better resources and organization. But there was still hunger. Conditions are much improved today.

In the nineteenth century, hunger was perceived by some theorists as the result of a flawed individual. In reality, hunger was an unavoidable situation. There was mass starvation, illness, crowded living conditions, horrendous working environments and lots of child labor. Conditions are much improved today.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, hunger began to gain a new understanding. Humanitarian groups, social reformers, political activists and scientists all saw that hunger was a political and economic force out of their control.

During the Depression, there was tremendous hardship, hemorrhaging unemployment and millions of Americans starved. Many of us heard stories told by our grandparents as we watched them keep their pantries full of canned foods. Just incase, my grandmother always told me. That was then, I would tell my grandmother, conditions are much improved today. We learned from the Depression, didn’t we?

Hunger is invisible to most of us, but today people young and old are lining up at food banks in this land of plenty. It is a reality and it isn’t going away. Supplies are dwindling and pantries worry they might not be able to help provide what so many of us take for granted: food. Please consider contributing: here.

Thank you Meg for making many of us more aware.