Monthly Wish List - July

The Wish List is slightly late this month, as I've been on holiday at the Jurassic Coast, my favourite seaside stomping ground! This has perhaps influenced my choices this month, although we had drastically improved weather than that in the first item, a stunning 70s oil seascape. The texture is perfection, and the sky is simply mesmerising, perfectly depicts an angry and powerful sea. I wish I could have afforded this one, went for over £50 sadly, it deserves it, but I am being thrifty at the moment.

1970s Seascape, Oil on Canvas

Keeping with the coastal theme, a beautiful Etsy find, an unusual lithograph dated 1899. Along with a very thoughtful photograph of the item (fresh flowers for your shop items? now that's attention to detail!) the young woman (who appears to be a nurse?) gazing out to sea, I would assume, after the ship in the distance whisking her love away...maybe? What ever the story, it's really charming, and fantastically detailed.

1899 lithograph by Ullman Mfg. Co., New York - From The13thClock HERE

The final item on the seaside theme is this very unusual French Art Deco brooch, with a silhouette including a sailboat, light house, a man smoking a cigar and women lounging in a beach chair - perfect holiday scene! I've never seen one this detailed, have to keep a closer eye out!

Vintage French Celluloid Seaside Brooch from SeasideStudio HERE

RIGHT! Enough with the coastal delights. I found this watercolour portrait which I think is very Bloomsbury in style and tone, and an unusually striking study of a younger person. I wouldn't usually be drawn to childhood portraits, but I hope you'll agree this is special too!

1930's Watercolour portrait  

After visiting the Booth Museum in Brighton (see earlier post) I got back into searching out taxidermy, particularly British birds. I would usually only buy antique examples, but this item at TopHat Taxidermy comes with a certificate to guarantee this specimen was not illegally taken from the wild. Blackbirds give me great joy, hearing their songs both in the morning and during the night is always uplifting, and I think they deserve more celebration. This lovely example by TopHat Taxidermy is very Victorian in style, I am a fan of the painted mural, but the detail of the nest is what drew me to this item. For me, very reminiscent of plates in antique children's books.

 Blackbirds by Tony Armistead, sold by Top Hat Taxidermy HERE

And finally, we couldn't leave July without mentioning London 2012, I actually just returned from the Men's road race today, so am feeling pretty enthusiastic! Here is an issue of a Picture Post from the 1948 London Games, featuring Opening Ceremony, pictures of women competing in many sports, and much more. I am always a fan of the photography in this magazine, the photo of the two boys is particularly good!

 

Original Picture Post from the 1948 London Olympic Games

And that's it for July, it certainly went quick! Thanks for reading! 

Katie