treasures
February 3, 2012 by Simone
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while (thank you, by the way!) you know by now that I have a serious love for teapots. They are such diverse, decorative and useful little objects. I am stuck on this rare 1800s Wedgwood basalt teapot. Basalt, you may know, is a fine grained blackened stoneware that has a dense, uniform surface, requires no glaze, and gets polished to a dull gloss. Hence the fabulous, chalky feel. The ornament on the Wedgewood basalt pieces are usually intricate and well-defined, often in complex geometric patterns reminiscent of Neoclassical or Greek design. Stunning, right? I would also say these colors work quite perfectly for that little Holiday of Love that’s upon us!
inquire here
Tags: antiques, ceramics, tea pot, treasures, wedgewood
Categories: treasures •
January 23, 2012 by Simone
I’ve been a bit obsessed with rugs lately and recently stumbled upon the Australian company, Loom. Have you seen their work? Owner Doan Bilgis grew up in Turkey and comes from a bit of a nomadic background. He recalls his family and relatives always making rugs, as a result he found himself fascinated by the colors and patterns. His admiration later turned into an appreciation of the history and stories behind each rug. Get this – Loom over-dyes vintage kilims, how wonderful is that?
Below is a vintage Kilim rug to lust over…..
The piece below is crafted from a variety of old yarns; which means it is literally made from yarn unraveled from antique kilims. Talk about labors of love…
The two lovelies below are new wool pile rigs crafted in Loom’s studio. I love the abstract, painterly look of them. 
Take a peek at all of the rugs they have to offer; you are sure to fall in love…… 
here
Tags: Doan Bilgis, kilm rug, loom, vintage rugs
Categories: home+decor, treasures •
December 2, 2011 by Simone
I came across this pair of true treasures while searching for pottery for a certain special someone. What do you think of these? I am in love, true love. Made by the Italian ceramicist Elio Schiavon in the 1970′s, these sculptural vases are something special.
I wasn’t familiar with his work, so I dug a little deeper and discovered that I find pretty much all of his painted ceramics are swoonworthy.
What do you think? Do these make you want to shut the door to the world, climb into a studio and start making a creative mess with paints and pottery? How about that for a lovely weekend plan? Yes, please.
here , here
Tags: 1970, antique, Elio Schiavon, Vases
Categories: art+artists, inspiration, treasures •
November 18, 2011 by Simone
Happy Friday, sweet readers.Grab yourself a cozy cup of morning tea for this one. Check out these amazing tea caddies which are made from rolled paper. Yep, rolled paper. Constructed from paper and inlaid wood in 1780 (!!), the exterior is covered with hundreds of rolled strips to create stunning motifs. Decorating objects with rolled paper was once a pastime for young ladies in the late 18th century. Undecorated wooden frames & boxes were sold for just this purpose. Just what crafting fantasies are made of, right?
Do the details get any better than this?
What do you think, will this be on any of your craft night lists soon ?
inquiries here
Tags: antique, tea caddy, william word antiques
Categories: treasures •
November 11, 2011 by Simone
Happy Friday, friends. Lately I realized that there are certain objects that becomes themes in my life. Does this happen to you? For the past couple of months, it’s been pocket-watches for me. First, my sweetheart bestowed upon me his great Grandfather’s treasured pocket watch. Soon afterward, a favorite client and I developed a gift concept which involves not one, but 40 of these old timey beauties. You can see where this is going…no? As I’ve dug into the archives of available pocket watches countrywide, a couple of gems have stood out to me. There are certain designs that stand the test of time, manage to feel modern in a perfectly antiquated, and would be suitable for a variety of different owners. This stunning 1920s Cartier beauty falls into that category. Crafted from fine rock crystal, platinum and diamonds, with black Arabic numerals, it is exquisite in all of its simplicity, wouldn’t you say? The bezel that holds the golden Roman numerals is delicately enameled. Oh, and how about that skeleton backside?
inquiries here
Tags: 1920, antique, CARTIER, clock, diamond, gold, platinum, pocket watch, rock crystal
Categories: treasures •
November 4, 2011 by Simone
It’s Friday once again, sweet readers, and what a week it has been over here. How has yours been going? Since it’s a rare rainy & grey morning over here in Los Angeles, I thought we could escape into a world of gorgeous enamel and cloisonne colors. Below is a stunning little gilt cup from late 1800′s Moscow. The body is enameled with gorgeous white and green flowers. I love how every detail is considered… What I want to know is what did the lucky owner drink out of this cup? And what was she wearing?
And how sweet is this little lovely cloisonné enamel circular box from 1908? Decorated with floral and foliate motifs against a cream ground and topped off with a turquoise border – amazing. That’s Tiffany box-blue, wouldn’t you say?
And to think this little beauty is just under 2″ in size, that’s real craftsmanship. What do you thin the lucky owner held in this little box? I’m thinking a delicately folded secret love letter…
inquiries here
Tags: cloisonné, enamel, Fabergé, russia
Categories: treasures •
October 28, 2011 by Simone
Okay, I’m really getting stuck on this treasure I dug up today. How incredibly stunning is this simple, vintage Bulgari lunar cycle bracelet? I’m not sure of the year it was made, but I do know it’s crafted from 18 karat yellow gold and diamonds and it has my heart going pitter-patter. This cuff celebrates the various waxing and waning phases of the lunar cycle using pave diamond details on each moon. That’s right – beautiful little crescents phases are represented all the way to the full moon. It feels so modern, and wearable, don’t you think? That is, if you’re stars are aligned and you’re in the market for a vintage Bulgari cuff…
here
Tags: bracelet, Bulgari, cuff, diamonds, gold, waxing waning
Categories: fashion+style, treasures •
October 21, 2011 by Simone
Today’s Friday treasures post comes to you from the wonderful ceramicist Hilda Jesser. Jesser studied under Josef Hoffmann back in 1915, and initially worked primarily with fabric, lace and embroidery. In 1916 she began to produce her first works for the Wiener Werkstätte. She designed only a handful of ceramic pieces, all of which are characterized by what she noted as a ‘deliberate reduction in color and frills with a special emphasis on the usability of ceramics’. To my eye, there are no frills – but there are certainly a pleasing amount of feminine details.What do you think – are you a fan?
Tags: ceramics, Hilda Jesser, Josef Hoffmann, Wiener Werkstätte
Categories: just because, treasures •
October 14, 2011 by Simone
Happy Friday friends! I’ve been captivated by coral lately – perusing through archives of estate pieces. I think fall demands a pop of timeless, bright coral on your wrist, don’t you think? These pieces below are for pure, decadent inspiration, as coral like this demands prices that work for only a select few. A girl can dream, right?
Let’s start off with this 1930s Art Deco platinum, diamond, coral and onyx bracelet…..
The below is Italian from the 1950′s. It’s crafted from alternating flat yellow gold and white gold bars, as well as the fantastic domed coral bars.
This Piaget coral and onyx watch is made from angel skin coral on a yellow gold face, with the links that alternate between coral and onyx.
And how about this French art deco coral pyramid and diamond bracelet? I can see this beauty working with just about everything. Do you have a favorite? I think this one below is the most adored for me…
here, here, here & here
Tags: art deco, coral, onyx, piaget
Categories: treasures •
October 7, 2011 by Simone
Happy Friday readers! Take a look at this curious treasure, truly reminiscent of a different era. How show stopping is this seashell collector’s cabinet from 1840? It houses a stunning array of seashells from all over the world. Crafted of luxurious rosewood the cabinet features 22 glass-topped drawers that can be pulled out completely for individual display as you please.
Drawers and drawers tucked full of seashells from around the world……
I am truly loving the meticulous, artful mosaics of these carefully arranged shells.
inquire here
Tags: 1840, Rosewood, Seashell Collector's Cabinet, seashells, William IV
Categories: treasures •
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