Monthly Wish List - April

I have been slacking off the Monthly Wish Lists recently, I could fib and say it's due to a lack of shopping interest...but that could never be true!

To kick off Aprils list in style is this absolutely beautiful British oil painting by Margaret Fisher Prout (1875-1963). This painting, to me, is perfection. I adore the colours, the quintessential English afternoon scene and the tailored fashions of the time. It's said to be painted around 1941 with the most beautiful light and brushwork, a true gem of the British School Impressionist Paintings. It depicts the Fisher Prout family in their home, a wartime interior with the colour codes representing the political climate of the time. Behind the cosy home scene lies the threat of war, but for this captured moment, they are given peace. The price tag is out of this world (£7,000!), but I highly recommend looking at the Richard Taylor Fine Arts store as there is a good range of original artworks, with plenty of British artists.

This next item is a real curiosity, a solid silver Cicada brooch C1890, which would have been very popular during the Art Nouveau movement when they didn't shy away from unusual insect motifs. Despite this being her favourite era, my Mum winced at the sight of this, but I think it's a brilliantly odd statement piece! I like to imagine what sort of lady would have worn this originally, I can imagine it perched on swathes of lush velvets and printed fabric. Anything silver and animal/insect themed always goes for a good price, this eventually sold for £220.

Two more paintings that caught my eye are these Racing Pigeon portraits from the late 1920's. I am not usually the biggest pigeon fan, but these chaps were undoubtably prime examples in their day, and obviously did their owners proud in the racing. But I love how proud and poised they are, makes a change from the more common pastoral scenes.

If I had a pen of rabbits or guinea pigs I'd be pretty tempted to put this nearby, it's an original plaque from Yarmouth Zoo, and would always be sure to raise a smile!

And finally, I couldn't resist including this delightful vintage photograph of a lady and her three dogs on an outing, so jolly! I love the contrast of the English Bull Terriers to their smartly dressed owner, a refreshing change from traditional lapdogs! That car is also a thing of beauty. Yes please.

Hope that was an interesting selection of odds&sods, It was great fun finding these wonderful things!
What have you been hunting for recently?

Thanks for reading as always!

Katie

Monthly Wish List - January

I always dread January, knowing what dark dank days lie before us before the first signs of Spring brighten our spirits - so with that in mind, lets go shopping! Even if it is still a bit early to be sowing this years crops, it's never too early to plan, I'm probably lagging well behind compared to many determined gardeners! This Gardeners Seed Set from Goodbye1979 looks the part - wonderfully rustic and not afraid of getting grubby! The garden markers are made from FSC certified pine with 2 coats of antique oak wood stain, sealed with a natural mineral oil&organic beeswax mixture - they will be a great feature in a carefully planned kitchen garden!

Continuing this years garden Wish List are these gorgeous gardeners aprons from Pinks And Greens who I found on Etsy, their product photography is wonderful too! They use vintage buttons and these even come with a spool of twine included, bonus! Better get saving! They also make brilliant dungarees which I would be very happy pottering in, all those handy pockets - be proud to buy British!

I have been lusting after this book ever since I heard a rumour about it last year, I am expecting great things.
The author, Caroline Zoob, is a textile artist who has lived at Monks House for over a decade as a tenant of the National Trust, caring for the house and garden. She explains how the garden developed over the years Virginia and Leonard lived there. They were both very interested in their garden; Virginia was keen to have one as attractive as her sisters at Charleston House, and Leonard soon became quite the expert on fruit and vegetables. Virginia worked in a writing room in the garden, a wooden lodge in the corner of the orchard, and she and Leonard also had a ground floor bedroom built for Virginia, as she found it a wonderfully light and inspiring room with its garden views. In a letter to her friend Ethel Smythe, Virginia wrote "I sleep and dress in full view of the garden." She also added one day she noticed the gardener looking in at her - I say! I can't wait to be absorbed into this book.

Virginia Woolf's Garden by Caroline Zoob

I'm including this Leuchtturm1917 Five Year Memory Book because it could be the only way to encourage me to write a diary, I've never made it past the first few months before resigning to only putting in my work hours and hair appointments - not exactly a riveting read! I own Leuchtturm notebooks already, and I can confirm they are fantastic quality, firmly bound and the paper can cope with heavier ink - unlike Moleskin since they changed their production line! 'Memory Book' seems a much more approachable project to me, something special to look back on.

This beautiful Mountains bowl by TimGeeCeramic is made from translucent porcelain with the interior finished in a delicate blue glaze. "Mountains; this surface is based on the image of mist gathering in the valleys." Honestly, It's one of the most unusual pieces of ceramic I have seen in a long while, the scene very dreamlike and tranquil, I don't see how you'd ever tire of gazing over those mountain tops!

I'm currently burning this Kew Gardens Orange Blossom Candle that my Grandad bought me for Christmas, it's absolutely beautiful and I highly recommend for a more uplifting scent than just all the cinnamon and spices of winter fragrances.

Hope January hasn't been too much of a drag, we're nearly out of the woods now! Payday and hopefully brighter days lie tantalisingly close! 

Thanks for reading,

Katie

Monthly Wish List - March

I fully admit to being a truly lazy blogger this month! I celebrated my 24th Birthday last weekend, and was quite unprepared to accept it was even March! 2013 is certainly flying by, as I now have a part time job again, the week is zooming by without me getting much done at home, I believe they call that 'the real world', so no complaints, just need to get myself organised better!

As I am spending the next week in Sweden, I thought the Wish List should have a decidedly Easter theme, as I have been embracing it in the home all month, even though i won't be here for the weekend itself!

First up, an absolutely beautiful Tiffany & Co letter opener, with easter rabbits hiding in the grass, c1890. It went for £376 on Ebay and I can definitely see why, anything delicate, silver and animal themed will always be popular, but this is a particularly lovely example, It would bring a smile every time you used at it, although I would save it for special pen pal letters only, not waste it on boring old bank statements!

Continuing on the Mad March Hare/Easter Bunny theme, this Art Deco toy teapot would sit perfectly on your easter table, the painted design is simple, but that strong deco shape ensures it would make an impact, even if it was child-size! Just a shame it wasn't the whole set, I would imagine that would be snapped up even quicker!

Just one more bunny for the road! A mashup of two very British designers, Emma Bridgewater (Love-it-or-hate-it!) and Mark Hearld, who is always on my 'Wish List', I thought his last book was absolutely stunning and I will save up to buy one of his prints soon! The image of the Hare is common in Folk Art, and thats what really springs to mind with this simple design, I like it a lot!

Finally (it's a short Wish List this month!) a little taster of Swedish Easter. If you read my blog post from last year HERE about my beautiful easter book 'Lotta's Easter Suprise by Astrid Lindgren', you'll see that dressing girls as Witches is a Swedish tradition at Easter to mark the story of witches travelling to Blåkulla- a legendary meadow - where the devil would hold court during the sabbath. So think of it as trick or treating for Easter eggs! This postcard is an excellent example of this tradition, if I spot any such postcard on my trip, I will be a very happy bunny!

 I am very much looking forward to the Easter Break, I hope it's a lovely one for you too! Just having no more snow would be a start!!

Just one more Eastertide idea from the super Miranda Hart - TOAST SPOONS!! A true necessity.

Thanks for reading!

Katie

Monthly Wish List - November

Considering the truly gloomy weather we've had this week, there's no better time for a wish list full of lovely things!

Starting with this absolutely beautiful painting by Dorothy Cooper - a close friend of one of my favourite artists, Edward Bawden. She trained as an art teacher in the 1930s, and also produced illustrations for publications such as Vogue. I think this watercolour is absolutely beautiful, and if only I could have afforded it, I never would have grown tired of looking at it! The shape and textures are just so delicate, all my favourite plants to use in arrangements too! I really must do some research on Dorothy's work, this particular painting sold for £225 on Ebay HERE

Another one of her works (from the same seller) this time a 1950s print 'The Garden Urn' sold for £304 - linocuts are certainly popular at the moment! The colours are subtle, and I love the floral detail on the urn, I really have to try this technique out for myself!

The next find is so special, it breaks my heart that I couldn't afford it! I adore sunflowers as they have a very special personal meaning to me, so needless to say, this SHOULD have been mine. There's nothing more said about it than it's an original Arts and Crafts example of stained glass, but to be honest that's all I need to know to fall in love. It's just so happy and vibrant, how could you not smile when you see it? One day, I will commission my own sunflower stained glass panel. It shall be mine.

Continuing the botanical theme, how about something for your indoor flower friends? This 1950s studio pottery 'Cactus Can' is certainly an oddity! It was made in Germany, and I can't say I've ever seen one before. It's incorporates all the best things about Mid Century design - simple clean lines, elegant shape, yet still that little bit futuristic! I don't even like cactus, but I would get a dozen if it meant I could use this often!

I enjoyed a brilliant trip to Brighton to see my best friend Claire, and we certainly hit the shops hard! I adore wandering through the flea markets and antique centres, there's still bargains to find despite everything being so damn trendy! In one particular flea market I found this brilliant condition Victorian scrap-covered screen. I have collected a few Victorian scraps myself, I just love how strange and surreal they can sometimes be! I am never a fan of cutesy cherubs or babies BUT just look at the little birds around the centre of the screen! They are the stars here, the Jay is my favourite.

With Christmas just around the corner, it's time I stopped shopping for myself and turned my efforts elsewhere! As I did last year, all my presents will be either handmade or vintage - it's much more enjoyable that way.

Thanks for reading!

Katie

Monthly Wish List - October

As I have mentioned countless times over the last few weeks, this time of year fills me with pure joy. PURE. JOY. It's sad that the garden will be growing quiet for a few months, but I'll still be cracking on with practical jobs. In the meantime, nature is just so beautiful with it's colours and gorgeous fruit and vegetables, it makes it all worthwhile! I've already brought my Halloween pumpkin...can't wait!

On this theme is my first wish list item, a set of lovable plates by Norwegian designer Figgjo Flint, which was founded in 1941. Scandinavian is currently a hot topic, Homes and Antiques ran a very interesting article last issue, therefore it's going slightly out of my price zone for now, damn! I adore the nostalgic designs and non-fussy shapes, Figgjo Flint has a particular flair with earthy natural colours and I wish I could have brought these home!

What finer way to display a collections of antique books, than in this lovely Art Nouveau owl extending-bookend! I will say this loud and proud, I LOVE OWLS! The shape is very unusual, and the detail of the foliage is a perfect touch! As much as i love them, I am getting fed up with owls everywhere on the high street, and will only buy older examples. Mum&I always keep an eye out for these portable bookends as they are so easy to fit in at home, and when you have as many books as us, they are always useful! Take a further look at this bookish owl HERE

The perfect book to go in those bookends would be this curious-spooky-beauty! Published in 1684, it looks very mysterious doesn't it? The seller describes it as: "An extremely interesting and uncommon book printed in 1684 : attributed to Nathaniel Crouch : Admirable curiosities, rarities, and wonders in England, Scotland and Ireland, or, An account of many remarkable persons and places" - YES PLEASE! I am always drawn to the "Mystic/Spiritual/Curiosity" section of old book shops, mainly because I adore the engravings in such topics, but I have NEVER come across anything this antique obviously! Perfect reading for October, something a bit spooky and well....odd!

Can't find out a blooming thing about this book online, so take a look at this listing HERE!

And I couldn't resist this next item, mainly because I love to indulge in proper vintage Halloween goodies! I guess because we don't celebrate it as widely in the UK, i don't want to feel like I'm missing out! (and I watch every ghost program that freeview can provide me with...my excuse? Well, it's history right? Therefore, still counts as educational!)

This is such a rare and fantastic thing, a fortune tellers cup made between 1890-1910, it never amazes me how these easily-breakable items survive in such great condition! The fantastic wraparound Witch pattern looks rather contemporary, and inside, the occult symbols such as skulls, snakes and hearts are still crystal clear. To me, it's just a bit of fun (I wouldn't dare use it in case I broke it!) and if I ever found one, I'd be more than happy to give it a home at Halloween! Hubble Bubble Toil and Trouble....

You can find it on Etsy HERE, take a look at the sellers other items too, lots of Gothic curio! It's all back in demand now of course, Tumblr is riddled with contemporary efforts, mainly by girls hiding behind their hair, brandishing a pentagram, a black cat and a pot plant, but y'know, call me a cynic! ;) Myself and Bruce have recently admitted we're closet Goths...you wouldn't think it to look at me especially, but it's true! If it's a bit curious, a bit mysterious...I'll like it!

And finally, some non-apologetic Halloween goodies! Two fantastic embossed postcards c.1912, with beautiful vivid colours, and quite unusual scenes! I love the Owl and pumpkin border at the top, these are £50 each because they are rare and not common to find in the UK...still too expensive for me of course! Find other examples HERE

I can't promise that's all of my Halloween themed posts, I doubt I will be able to resist posting any other spooktacular examples I stumble upon!

Hope you've had a great weekend! Thanks for reading!

Katie

Monthly Wish List - September

It's that time again! September has certainly sped by, but I have enjoyed the colder mornings, a chance for proper cooking, and the return of knitwear, hooray! The wish list this month should be called "It Takes Two!" really, as there certainly is a recurring theme here...

Mum and I visited The Bourne Mill Antiques Centre last week, our first visit back in nearly a decade - no idea why it's been so long?! It certainly is as full of interesting and authentic vintage and antiques as ever (unlike other so called 'Antique Centres' in the area I could mention...but I'll be nice!)

The building is an adventure in itself (apparently there's even a few ghosts about!) you can very easily loose yourself in such a cave of treasures, i find attacking it with military precision the best approach for success. Here are my picks:

First up, a rather err, flamboyant(?) Lion and Unicorn which caught my eye, brilliant positioned with the ugly-but-nice Sadler vegetable pots, quite a contrast! The display cabinet also had a very pleasant Orla Kiely wallpaper background, it's the little things!

 Around the corner were these VERY happy Kitty's, which i am rather kicking myself over not buying, they remind me of how you would draw cats when you were younger - anyone else agree? I might have to run around and try to find them in the maze of rooms next week, and on reflection, those bird plates behind are also rather nice...(oh dear, it's escalating!)

 A terrible photograph (Iphone says no!) but you get the idea, a hilarious green lady teapot which I can't imagine with go with anything you already own...but would certainly be a talking point! She reminds me a little of the 'Bird Lady' in Mary Poppins, I do love those big chunky overcoats, such a perfect shape for a teapot!

 Here is where the "It Takes Two" theme continues, a very nice pair of Staffordshire TYPE dogs, they vary greatly, but I think these are nice (and cheaper) examples.

 And finally, an item that i DID buy this month, not from Bourne Antiques, but from Phyllis Tuckwell charity shop in Farnham, an adorable pair of owl bookends! Hard to say what age they are, there's no makers mark, they feel quite brittle, which tells me they could be from at least the 1940s, I think they are just perfect for my nature "pocket guide" books, I won't overload them with anything bigger!

And that was Septembers best pick! Hope you've had a good start to the Autumn, expect a more constant approach to blogging from now on, lets just say I will have slightly more time (and less coffee) on my hands so need to throw myself into my reading and writing! I also want to give the blog a bit of a re-vamp soon.

Thanks for reading!

Katie

Monthly Wish List - August

Just a quick 'Wish List' this month, although I must say, retail therapy sits very well with me at this particular moment in time!

First off, a beautiful 1968 London Museums print by Joy Simpson. Printed by Leonard Ripley&Company Ltd, this London fir was founded in the 1920s and since the 1940s have specialised in printing large lithographic posters. I particularly love the dog painting and the teapots! The last year has seen the popularity of travel posters rise, personally, I've always been a fan of vintage prints and advertising, because my Dad was into his graphic design, we've always had examples up in the loft! Nothing QUITE this fantastic though I must admit. I keep going to press "Buy It Now"....should I...shouldn't I...watch this space!

The sellers 'Doe and Hope' has a great range of antiques and curiosities, so pop along to their shop!

It's no secret I am a fan of the Art Deco side of life, my Mum&I share this passion and particularly put it into use in our dining room. For me, the more 'lively' examples catch my eye, such as this a-m-a-z-i-n-g 'Cloud' walnut display case. Absolutely mad, absolutely stunning. I have more than enough china to fill it, in fact, I would have to hold back. THIS is the reason I am learning to drive, so i can travel the length of the country to go fetch items like these and squeeze them onto the back seat! (This one lives in Margate...so near yet so far!) I've seen makeup tables and mirrors in a similar style, one day I shall have the whole set, oh yes indeed!

Next up, it wouldn't be one of my Wish Lists without an old photograph or two! So first up is this very strange example of a rather frilly little girl pulling a pigs tail...well why not? 1920s I'd guess. The seller Davetheshoe's shop always has a good selection of photographs, recommended!

And to accompany, a very presentable Gent and his dog, moustaches and a pipe always a hit with me! From another good Ebay shop, Pollys Postcards and Photographs.

Sorry it's a short one this month, we'll make up for it in September!

Katie

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