Antique Desire
AUCTION FINDS OF THE WEEK- OCTOBER 21ST: THE CONNOISSEUR'S EYE AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK
by Kelly Keating on 10/23/13
This week's finds all come from The Connoisseur's Eye auction to be held at Christie's New York on October 24, 2013. For this week's post I have focused on mainly porcelain- 4 finds, 1 pair of pottery figures and 2 lots of furniture thrown in for good measure. I chose 4 porcelain lots to highlight this week as a contrast to the general state of porcelain sales. High end pieces like the ones I selected from the Christie's sale continue to do well and fetch good money, but middle of the range and lower end porcelain, "Grandma China", even when by good makers such as Minton, Wedgwood and Royal Worcester does not fair well at all. The reasons for this dynamic is changing tastes and also to a degree eBay which creates a glut of similar items reducing their value to almost zero.
This week's first discovery is a pair of Staffordshire creamware pottery squirrels, circa 1770. Lot 690 has a pre-sale estimate of $7,000-10,000. Each stands 7.5" high and is naturalistically modeled standing on its hind legs while tethered to a mound base and nibbling a nut. The glaze on the pair is a wonderful combination of green, yellow and brown. The 18th century English pottery market has also not been fairing well lately. Just look at the recent sale at Skinner a few months ago. But even at the Boston sale unusual pieces garnered good money and these squirrels should achieve a fair nut.
The first porcelain lot this week is a pair of Sevres biscuit figurines made in 1757-66 of La Grande Jardiniere and Le Grand Jardinier. Lot 521 has a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-6,000. Each 10.25" figure is modelled after Boucher as a child holding a basket of flowers while one rests at their feet. Both bear the incised F mark for Etienne Maurice Falconet. The models were done by Jean-Baptiste de Fernex. This pair of figurines is sweet, perhaps cloyingly so, saccharine, sentimental and so on, but I adore them and would have them in my house tout suite. They speak well to their time and place, but there is also something universal about them. Hummels have the same qualities only perhaps worse. What I think elevates this pair is not only their 18th century date, but their white biscuit finish which for me forestalls the toothache I would normally get from such figures. A Hummel always gives a toothache, these adorable gardener-children do not. Bid now.
The third treasure this week is also a piece of Sevres porcelain, but not an ornament, rather a functioning vessel. Lot 528 is a hard-paste porcelain bottle cooler from a service made for the Comtesse du Barry with a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-50,000. The piece is marked with gilt interlaced L's below a crown enclosing a date letter for 1773. The bottle cooler is brightly painted on each side with chinoiserie landscape vignettes. One shows a woman being served tea and the other depicts a young lady offering a flower to her gallant. The rim is richly gilt with a concentric banding of crenellation which encloses palmettes. Sun bursts and foliate scrolls are depicted below. The cooler has shell scroll handles enriched in gilt and suspended from the handle are crossed painted garlands of exotic flowers. This piece is superb in its quality craftsmanship and exquisite painting. It's Madame du Barry provenance also makes it an extremely desirable piece and accounts for the impressive estimate.
The next 2 porcelain lots for this week are by the renown Meissen factory. The first, lot 657, is a pair of figures of river gods emblematic of summer and autumn with a pre-sale estimate of $6,000-8,000. The pair were made circa 1750 and has the blue crossed sword marks at the back of the bases and were modelled by J J Kander. The 7.5" long figures are conceived in opposition to each other. Each figure reclines against an overturned urn issuing water with a cornucopia in the crook of their arm. Summer has a beehive at his feet while Autumn has a trailing fruiting vine. What a fantastic pair for a mantelpiece! They are not sentimental or saccharine, but have almost an archeological feel to them that is very appealing.
The second Meissen find this week is a pair of wild boars, lot 664, circa 1746 and also like our river gods modelled by J J Kander with a pre-sale estimate of $12,000-18,000. One of the boars has a blue crossed sword mark under the hoof. The 5.5" long pair each have a wonderfully gruesome expression full of teeth. Their heads are lowered in search of truffles according to the catalogue. Whatever they are sniffing out, they have a fabulous presence.
The sixth find this week is also this week's first furniture lot. Lot 530 is a pair of late Louis XVI blue and grey painted and bronzed bergeres attributed to Georges Jacob circa 1785-1790 with a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-12,000. These chairs with their rectanlinear shape, the soft blue-grey color of their frames, restrained decoration and their sympathetic upholstery enable these gorgeous chairs to work in a variety of settings. Even better, change the striped fabric for something in a chenille for example and tone down the fancy nature of the chairs even more. The contrast between chair and fabric will make them even more appealing. Even the bronze female heads at the front of the armrests do not prevent these chairs from working in a more modern setting.
The final find this week is our second furniture lot. This pair of side tables is a bit quirky, but I chose them because like the French bergeres I think they could work in a variety of settings. Lot 635 is a pair of French 19th century mahogany side tables modelled as columns with a pre-sale estimate of $5,000-7,000. The tables stand 29" high and each has a door opening revealing a shelved interior with a fitted drawer. They are simple and smart.
Although this week's auction finds were full of high end items, I hope one of the lots inspired you in the design of your own space. Certain items such as figurines, I think, need to be given another chance in how we decorate our spaces. The Sevres and Meissen figures discussed here are quite expensive, but there are figurines at many different price points and many different periods that are not twee or overly sweet, but smart and appealing. Also, look for older styles such as the French bergere chairs with their fab finish that could work in a more modern setting and be updated by a more current fabric. Having an eclectic room that spans periods and styles is for me always the most appealing and one that will not get "old" easily.
If you are looking for an antique piece from a figurine to a dining room table, please contact me at [email protected] and I can assist you.
Check out my Facebook page for the results of these lots and all the lots I post in Auction Finds.
Until next week, Kelly
AUCTION FINDS OF THE WEEK- OCTOBER 14TH: ALL THAT GLITTERS...
by Kelly Keating on 10/18/13
All that glitters is not gold. Sometimes it's silver! All of the auction finds this week are glorious pieces of silver to be auctioned off at the sale "Important Silver" at Christie's New York on October 23, 2013. I am a great silver collector of more modest means and pieces than those items to be described here. But, don't be discouraged there are great pieces of silver at a variety of price points and sold in a variety of venues. I mainly collect American Aesthetic silverplate and sterling flatware, English 19th century plate, English Edwardian sterling and a few pieces of Georgian silver. And if money were no object I would be happy to have any of the pieces below in my own collection.
This week's first silver find is not only beautiful, but is also quite practical. It would look impressive on one's side board and would be an elegant way to dispense drinks to your guests. Lot 20 is a George III silver decanter stand bearing the mark of the famous maker Paul Storr with the year 1800. The stand is in a cruciform shape with canted corners and fluted supports. It has a reeded frame and ring handle. Four cut-glass decanters with stoppers are fitted into the stand; the bottles are engraved H, S, R and B perhaps for different types of liquor. Particularly glamourous and sophisticated are the 4 rings fitted into the corners of the cruciform stand to hold the decanter stoppers when one is pouring libations for your guest. This gorgeous piece is being offered with a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-6,000. The piece is hallmarked on the side and base. A wonderful thing about English silver is its hallmarking system which contains a maker's mark, a sterling guaranttee mark, the city mark in which the piece was assayed in, and the date of assay. A good site online to check your hallmarks is www.925-1000.com.
The next shiny discovery this week is lot 3 a pair of Victorian silver compotes with a well-deserved pre-sale estimate of $20,000-30,000. Each compote stands 10" tall on a circular foot, with putti and dolphins on a matted ground. The 2 dolphins' entwined tails support a realistically rendered shell above with silver-gilt interior. The pieces are the work of Francis Boone Thomas and are dated London 1876. What a truly gorgeous pair and how splendid they would look on a table filled with flowers or fruit.
I have a smaller pair of similar English compotes in plate not sterling about 5" in height with dolphins supporting a shell with their tails. They were perhaps sweetmeat dishes. Made around 1860-1865 mine are roughly the same date as the Christies pair. My modest dishes demonstrate how there are different levels of collecting and how even at the time of their making certain motifs and styles were fashionable and that not everyone could afford the grand pieces of Francis Boone Thomas.
My small silverplate dolphin and shell compotes filled with macaroons.
The third discovery this week is a wonderful pair of continental table pheasants, circa 1900, lot 162 has a pre-sale estimate of $3,000-5,000. What a grand decoration for a dining table evoking royal hunts and wonderful Dutch still-lifes rendered with heaps of game in a landscape or on a table. This pair has hinged wings and detachable heads and were often used to hold pepper or another spice. The pheasants are an impressive size being almost 24" in length.
Like the Victorian shell compotes, I have the poor relations of these grand birds. My pair of pheasants are much smaller in scale, but probably also date to the 1900-1930 period and are either German or Italian. For their level of sophistication they have nice detailing and I love to use them on my pheasant tablecloth as ornaments.
My modest birds...
If we are going to decorate our table with some fabulous silver birds, we will need a grand centerpiece with which to anchor the table. Standing at an impressive 21" high, lot 97 is an impressive George III silver epergne made by Thomas Pitts in London in 1760 with a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-50,000. The epergne is in the chinoiserie taste in the form of a pagoda and stands on four scroll feet. The openwork apron is decorated with dragons and foliage. The four scroll branches support octafoil beaded dishes. The oval central pierced basket surmounts a fluted base with figural finials. The epergne is topped off with a pierced canopy with bells and chinoiserie figural finial. A truly grand piece in need of a truly grand setting. Again one could find more modest 19th century epergnes in silverplate or simple trumpet shaped ones. They are quite lovely for the display of flowers and fruits.
The next find this week is also a pair of silver birds, but with a decidely more whimsical and lighthearted nature. Lot 169 are a pair of Italian silver penguin-form magnum wine coolers by Mario Buccellati Sr, Milan 1934-44 with a pre-sale estimate of $70,000-100,000. The pair is realistically formed as male and female. The textures created in the alloy are quite amazing from the scaliness of their feathers to the smoothness of their beaks. The hinged heads open to reveal a bottle compartment. These penguins with their fat little tummies and funny expressions are quite appealing. They would make a wonderful centerpiece pair as well maybe on some sort of large ice sculpture!
This week's final discovery is a pair of Danish silver 2-light candelabra by renowned maker Georg Jensen, 1925-32, lot 188 has a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-15,000. Standing at 8.25" tall each candalabra stands on a stepped circular base then rises to an openwork stem of leaves and berries and terminates in two leaf-capped reeded branches and urn-form sockets. The central standard is formed as spiraling berries. A wonderfully organic pair of sticks that still have an Art Deco feel to them and thereby they could work in a variety of setting from modern to traditional.
I hope something from this week's finds inspired you and your living space. And don't be afraid of silver! Or think that it requires too much care to maintain. I polish my silver about 3 times a year. The rest of the time it is displayed in glass cabinets that help retard tarnishing or it is in silver keeper bags that also prevent tarnishing. Between those times of polishing simple wash your silver with a mild soap and soft sponge and it will look beautiful year round. And never put your silver dishwasher.
And there is silver at many different prices points. Obviously, the pieces here are at the top end of the silver market, but one can find lovely quality pieces in both sterling and plate at many different price points.
If you are looking for a specific piece of silver, I can find it for you. Please contact me at [email protected].
Results for this week's finds will be posted on my Facebook page a few days after the sale.
Until next week,
Kelly T Keating
www.theantiqueflaneur.com
AUCTION FINDS OF THE WEEK- OCTOBER 7TH- ANTIQUE TREASURES AT FREEMAN'S IN PHILLY
by Kelly Keating on 10/06/13
This week's finds are all from Freeman's Auctioneers and Appraisers in Philadelphia. The English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts sale will take place on October 8, 2013. I have chosen 3 interesting pieces of furniture, 2 antique Japanese objects and a really wonderful clock. I must admit this week's picks are all a bit of a personal choice as I would have any of these pieces in my own personal space. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and find inspiration for the creation of your own interior.
This week's first find is an Austrian Biedermeier mahogany, maple and gilt wood secretaire a abatant circa 1840, lot 364 with a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-3,000. The rectangular molded cornice sits above single long frieze drawer over a fall front writing surface flanked by twin carved and giltwood mermaid pilasters. The fall front door opens to a beautiful sycamore and ebonized interior with an arrangement of drawers and pigeonholes that are above twin cupboard doors that open to one shelf. The whole is supported on baluster turned feet. I always found this form of desk quite chic and stylish. At a depth of only 19.25" closed, it is perfect for smaller urban living spaces and would work perfectly with a laptop. Then when finished working or if company is coming over, just close the fall front door and everything is neat and tidy. And who could resist a piece of furniture with mermaid pilasters!
The Biedermeier period refers to an era in Central Europe during which the middle-class grew and arts appealed to common sensibilities in the historical period between 1815, the year of the Congress of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and 1848, the year of the European revolutions. Although the term itself is a historical reference, it is predominantly used to denote the artistic styles that flourished in the fields of literature, music, the visual arts and interior design. The Biedermeier style was a simplified interpretation of the influential French Empire Style of Napoleon I, which introduced the romance of ancient Roman Empire styles, adapting these to modern early 19th-century households. Biedermeier furniture used locally available materials such as cherry, ash and oak woods rather than the expensive timbers such as fully imported mahogany.
The next discovery this week is not now a functional piece of furniture, but it is certainly beautiful. Lot 84 is an English Regency rosewood teapoy from the first quarter of the 19th century with a pre-sale estimate of $1,000-1,500. "The Regency style was characterized by pronounced eclecticism using forms and decoration from ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian furniture, as known through archeology, along with various elements taken from contemporary French furniture." The octagonal hinged top opens to reveal twin lidded tea boxes and pair of cut glass mixing bowls. The whole is raised on a baluster turned column above platform which terminates in lovely scroll feet with brass castors. Treat this lot as a piece of sculpture for your living and enjoy the inky black streaks of its rosewood grain.
This week's next treasure is a pair of English oak hall chairs from the early 19th century, lot 111, with a pre-sale estimate of $800-1,200. The S-scroll carved vasiform back of the chairs have a central painted lion's mask in a medallion shape. The chairs have a molded circular seat sitting on ring turned baluster legs. These chairs are pretty to look at and like the teapoy should probably be seen as a piece of sculpture for an entry way or on either side of a dining room sideboard. With their wooden seat, hall chairs were not intended to be comfortable, but were used in the entrance hall of a great house and offered to those guests you did not want to stay too long. I'd have them in a second.
The fourth find this week is our first Japanese lot. Lot 142 is a 19th century 4 paneled Japanese screen with a pre-sale estimate of $1,000-1,500. Against a shimmering gold background is depicted a serene landscape of a waterfall amongst a foliate tree and blossoming flowers. The whole is set within a silk-embroidered border and ebonized wood frame. The screen is unsigned. At 96" tall this screen would make a great room divider or the backdrop for a couch or to soften a corner of a room. It would work in a variety of settings from traditional to modern.
The second Japanese object is an impressive Meiji Period reticulated bronze vase. Lot 157 has a pre-sale estimate of $600-800 which seems like a steal to me. With a mid-brown patina, the compressed ovoid form is modeled as a reticulated bamboo stalk with foliage. The vase is signed. What makes this vase so appealing for me is the open work at the bottom part of the piece. It elevates the vase out of the ordinary. It stands at 11.5" which is a good size. I'd like to see it filled with blossoming branches or just greenery or just empty. It would work in a modern setting quite well and of course in a traditional space.
This week's final discovery is a gorgeous French Empire gilt and patinated bronze mantle clock from the early 19th century, lot 227, with a pre-sale estimate of $600-800 which seems like a bargain. The case is in the manner of Feuchere and Fossey. The clock has an arch form with an acanthus leaf and egg and dart molded border. The top is centered by a circular cast bronze dial and brass ring with Roman numerals and breguet hands which is above a relief of Anacreon (Anacreon (582 BC – 485 BC) was a Greek lyric poet, notable for his drinking songs and hymns) and a child. The whole is supported on a rectangular plinth with block feet. What I like about this clock is that despite its Frenchiness, the gilt, the bronze relief it feels very modern in its clean silhouette and sparse decoration. I think it could be a wonderful centerpiece for a living room on a mantel or a sideboard. At 15.5" tall by 8" wide it has a good presence.
I hope one or more of these gorgeous objects provided inspiration for the design of your own space. If you need help finding an antique piece for your home, please contact me at [email protected]. Or if you have a collection or a single object that you are looking to sell also contact me, I can help.
Check out and "like" my Facebook Page. Check there for the listing of results from the lots in the post and earlier posts as well as other stories and updates.
Until next week,
Kelly T Keating
www.theantiqueflaneur.com
AUCTION FINDS OF THE WEEK- SEPTEMBER 30TH: 20TH CENTURY DECORATIVE ARTS AT BONHAMS
by Kelly Keating on 10/04/13
The auction finds for this week are all from Bonhams 20th Century Decorative Arts sale in Los Angeles on October 7, 2013. Twentieth century design continues to be a major component of the auction market. This week's discoveries center around glass and lamps. I hope you will find inspiration in one of these objects to inspire the design of your own space.
This week's first treasure is a Steuben Blue Arene glass vase circa 1910, lot 1044 with a pre-sale estimate of $800-1,200. The color of this vase is extraordinary- an icy blue color that suggests the vase would be cold to the touch. It stands at an impressive 16" tall and would make a wonderful centerpiece for an entry way or on a living room mantel. One could design a whole room around this frosty color.
The next find for this week is also glass, but small at 4.5" tall and just gorgeous. Lot 1070 is a René Lalique molded clear and amber glass perfume bottle, introduced in 1920, with a pre-sale estimate of $12,000-18,000. In contrast to the frosty Steuben Arene vase, this perfume bottle is on fire. The beautiful stopper in the shape of clustered berries is done in hues of yellow and orange that seem hot to the touch. One could use this vase as the design inspiration for a bedroom or dressing room, all vibrant color and rich design.
The third discovery this week is a Tiffany Studios favrile glass and gilt bronze harp lamp, circa 1899-1918, lot 1064 with a pre-sale estimate of $3,000-4,000. I much prefer this type of Tiffany lamp to the more well-known examples with multi-colored glass shades. While those type of lamps are beautiful, I find them a bit tainted by the ubiquity of ersatz Tiffany lamps in the market. All of these bad copies spoil the original for me. On the other hand this lamp with its delicately colored shade and the lovely organic Art Nouveau shape of its base is infinitely more appealing to me. This lamp would be wonderful on a leather topped desk in a richly appointed study.
The next find this week is also a lamp, but in marked contrast to the naturalism of the Tiffany. Lot 1105 is Arredoluce painted metal and brass triennale lamp designed in 1950 and with a pre-sale estimate of $3,000-5,000. This wonderful standing lamp at 75" tall has 3 lights each covered by primary color shades in red, yellow and blue. This lot would be a great starting point for an eclectic modern designed room.
The fifth discovery this week is a modern, high design chandelier by Carlo Scarpa for Venini from the third quarter of the 20th century. Lot 1149 is polyhedral glass and painted metal chandelier with a pre-sale estimate of $1,500-2,500. The clustered glass shades give the chandelier both an organic feel like a zinnia blossom as well as an industrial quality. That combination is what makes this piece visually dynamic and so appealing.
I hope one of these upcoming Bonhams lots will provide inspiration for the design of your own space. If you need help finding an antique or vintage piece for your home, please contact me at [email protected] and visit my website www.theantiqueflaneur.com to see the different services I offer such as helping you sell your antique and vintage items.
For the results of the lots described here visit my Facebook page after the end of the sale on October 7th.
Until next week,
Kelly T Keating
AUCTION FINDS OF THE WEEK- SEPTEMBER 23RD: FABULOUS ITEMS AT BONHAMS NEW YORK
by Kelly Keating on 09/23/13
This week's fabulous finds are all from the upcoming "Fine American & European Furniture, Decorative Arts & Silver" at Bonhams New York to be held on September 25, 2013. I found some interesting silver and furniture lots which I hope will inspire the design of your own space. Sometimes a single object can be the starting point for the design of an entire room.
This week's first find is a gorgeous Art Nouveau silver 3-piece coffee set made by Gorham. Lot 1032 is being offered with a pre-sale estimate of $1,500-2,500. The set is in the Athenic pattern, circa 1910 and is comprised of a coffee pot, a cream jug and a sugar bowl which are all decorated with flowers on swirling attenuated stems. This discovery was a bit of a personal choice as I adore silver and collect it myself. I realize that having a coffee or tea set is no longer in fashion. There was a time when every home had one in sterling or plate or aspired to have one, but now a silver tea/coffee set just screams, "Grandma!" This set at Bonhams, however, has a modern feel in its Art Nouveau decoration. Would it not be wonderful to end a dinner party with this set on your table exquisitely serving coffee to your guests? I think so. And if this set is too pricey for you, many antique and vintage silver coffee/tea sets can be found in silverplate at reasonable prices and in stylish designs.
This week's second discover is also made of silver and is a very luxurious item to decorate your dining table. Lot 1146 is an Italian sterling silver fluted oval centerpiece bowl by Mario Buccellati, Milan, 20th century, with a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-30,000. The fluted oval bowl is whimsically supported on legs in the shape of seahorses which are placed all the way around the bowl. The seahorses are wonderfully oxidized to set them off against the shiny mirror finish of the bowl. The piece is elegant and playful at the same time. Perhaps it could work in a modern style Hamptons retreat.
In the beginning of his career, Italian Goldsmith Mario Buccellati (1891-1965) carried on a family tradition dating back from the early 18th Century. In 1919 he opened his shop near the La Scala Opera House in Milan, and was the first among Italian Goldsmiths to to open a shop on Fifth Ave in New York and later in Palm Beach. As his popularity gained, his clientele came to include the Vatican and the Royal Courts of Europe, leading to his nickname, "The Prince of Goldsmiths." Mario Buccellati drew upon the work of the Renaissance and Eighteenth Century craftsman for design.
Mario's son, Gianmaria Buccellati, became apprenticed to his father at the age of 14. Following his father's death in 1965, he expanded the business and opened new shops around the world. Gianmaria became a leading designer of jewelry, as well as silver and gold objects d'art. The quality of Buccellati's product was a a direct result of Gianmaria personally choosing his master craftsmen to execute his designs.
This week's third treasure is a gorgeous Art Deco beaded glass and gilt metal ceiling fixture in the manner of Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann and dated second quarter 20th century. Lot 1250 has a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-3,000. While not signed by Ruhlmann, this fixture does exude the glamor of the French Art Deco style he designed with its simplicity and elegance. The piece at 22" in diameter and 21" in height would work well in a small dining area of a larger room or in a large hallway or small bedroom. It is a fixture that just whispers "Luxury".
The fourth discovery this week is our first piece of furniture. Lot 1293 are a set of twelve Austrian Biedermeier parcel ebonized mahogany dining chairs in the manner of Josef Danhauser, circa 1830. They are being offered with a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-15,000. The Biedermeier period refers to an era in Central Europe during which the middle-class grew and arts appealed to common sensibilities in the historical period between 1815, the year of the Congress of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and 1848, the year of the European revolutions. Although the term itself is a historical reference, it is predominantly used to denote the artistic styles that flourished in the fields of literature, music, the visual arts and interior design. I chose these chairs because of the simple, graphic quality of the arch shaped backs and their lack of ornamentation except for the small turned and ebonized dowl of the back splat. They would work well in a modern setting, perhaps used with a glass dining table on an interesting base.
The next treasure is also from the early 19th century, an English William IV rosewood library armchair dating to the second quarter 19th century. Lot 1377 has a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-3,000. The armchair is wonderfully covered in leather which gives it a rich look and patina. The simple acanthus scroll of the arms and the fluted decoration of the front legs allows it to work in many settings. Design a gorgeous living room around this chair. It will be a smash!
The next find this week is also an English 19th century chair, specifically a rocking chair that was made circa 1850, but looks like it was made in the modern era. Lot 1399 is a Victorian parcel gilt cast iron upholstered rocking chair after a model by Peter Cooper and made by the R. W. Winfield & Co. with a pre-sale estimate of $2,500-4,500. This design was exhibited at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851. The rocking chair has large curving scrolls and minimal ornamentation. To me it looks like something from the 1930's or even 1950's. A very cool piece that would be a showstopper and conversation piece in any room.
This week's last find is a pair of Biedermeier mahogany console tables from the first half 19th century and later. Lot 1296 has a pre-sale estimate of $3,000-5,000. The tables are wonderfully simple with lovely paw feet. The rectangular tops are supported by large scroll supports which rest on a shaped strecher. Like the Biedermeier chairs above, this pair of console tables could work in many different settings because of their non-fussy nature and relatively small size at approximately 40" wide and only just shy of 18" deep. The tables would look great on either side of a chimmney breast and its fireplace or perhaps in an entry way.
I hope this week's finds inspired you and the design of your own space. If you have a modern setting, but want to incorporate antique pieces look to Biedermeir examples which in their simplicity could serenely fit into that setting. Think about finding a great silver (sterling or plate) tea/coffee set if you like to entertain and wow your guests at dessert. And don't worry about polishing. Simply polish your set and then keep it in silver keeper bags which will prevent tarnish. After each use, just wash with a mild soap and your silver will maintain a lovely bright patina. Think about using vintage and antique lighting fixtures for your space to give a real individual look. Lighting fixtures on furniture, in the wall or on the ceiling are the jewelry of the room.
If you are looking for an antique item and need help finding it, please contact me at [email protected] Or if you are looking to sell your antiques, I can also help.
Details of my various services related to antiques can be found on my website: www.theantiqueflaneur.com
And be sure to check out my Facebook Page for the auction results of these lots.
Until next week!
Kelly T Keating
