Posts from the ‘object’ Category
Candelabrum, from a service made for Graf Alexander Joseph Sulkowsky (1695-1762) and his wife Marie Anne Franziska von Stain (1712-41) Hard paste porcelain. Model by Joseph Joachim Kandler (1706-1775) Meissen, 1736. This is my favorite Kandler piece. I first saw it at the MET in 2001. I took many pictures at the time; which I like to fixate on, pulling them out from the stacks of photos that one accumalates and carries from city to city and apartment to apartment. I had to have another visit on my last trip in NYC and I was not disappointed. There are just too many details to discuss. 
Having drinks with Isabella at Pravda and then seeing each other a second time at ICFF along with an early dinner at a very chic diner in midtown. Isabella said that her Reiki master told her she had rose energy. Isabella asked her what it meant and Reiki Master said, I don’t know. The Reiki Master says a lot of things like that to Isabella–only saying where one is on the map, but not why you are there, or what you could be doing– such is life.
Speaking of cartography, one of my favorite objects at ICFF were these wonderful globes from a Danish company, Atmosphere. I have a special affinity for globes as I like to look at where I am and where I am not; where I may like to go. The globes were the only thing at the show that made me smile with delight. (Back to ICFF later or as I like to call it, We are serious for design–what happen to the two i’s introspection and irreverence and perhaps a third, imagination?)
Martinis and Mussels at Bruxelles and then catching up with the forever fantastic Kadillac who has the most peaceful apartment on Bank Street that she loaned me for my stay while she was up at her most charming house in Colombia County–see her wearing found glasses on plastic turquoise necklace; just modeling.
Yves Klien’s, IKB 71 (California) at the MET (Note to Self: trademark color soon) and “NO PHOTOGRAPHY” i.e. Linda Carter’s Wonder Woman Costume & The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living & Jeff Koons; will post soon, and of course The Meissen.
The City Bakery has opened Birdbath-neighborhood green bakery. There are several locations, it will help you feel good about being a consumer and you can continue to make the world go round. I went to the one on 1st ave. The sesame banana bread had just come out of the oven.
Behind the scenes on Thursday with Rosemary & Jen to install the booth and of course I must add thanks to my lovely host and hostess Carl & Diana at the early part of my stay in Fort Greene.
The carved white gold leaf octopus frame, is a great take off of a sunburst theme–designed by a great shop on Beverly Blvd. The others from an antiques shops in Chinatown, NYC & Solana Beach. I thought it was Frank O’ Hara who wrote the poem, Variations on a Theme, but it was Kenneth Koch.
1
I chopped down the house that you had been saving to live in next summer.
I am sorry, but it was morning, and I had nothing to do
and its wooden beams were so inviting.
I chopped down the house that you had been saving to live in next summer.
I am sorry, but it was morning, and I had nothing to do
and its wooden beams were so inviting.
2
We laughed at the hollyhocks together
and then I sprayed them with lye.
Forgive me. I simply do not know what I am doing.
3
I gave away the money that you had been saving to live on for the
next ten years.
The man who asked for it was shabby
and the firm March wind on the porch was so juicy and cold.
4
Last evening we went dancing and I broke your leg.
Forgive me. I was clumsy and
I wanted you here in the wards, where I am the doctor!
Unfortunately (or fortunately–depending on how she used her time), Persephone had to stay underground for three months out of the year. My roommate’s sister has referred to our apartment as a cave. I did wish to be a spelunker having been fascinated at an early age by caves, but the problem with living in a cave is that it is damp. On top of living in a cave, as a friend pointed out today at lunch, to be located backed up against a hill in a slight valley doesn’t help matters. It is however Spring and I see the occasional hummingbird out my window as I type and the yellow Ranunculus I bought on Wed. are looking almost fresh. I finally got my CA driver’s license, and this morning I went hiking in Torrey Pines Reserve with my hiking companion who described to me the naming of Pinus Torreyana. Thursday past, was the fated event–my computer started to blink on and off from a bright blue screen to a black screen– the pointy cursor a circle next to it rotated, trying to load something that would never load. I made the dreaded phone call to Dell. And, after (I’m ashamed to admit much yelling), the third Dell customer service person said to me, “Is it really that big of a problem… if your files are THAT IMPORTANT…wouldn’t you do what you have to do and drive to where ever you need to go and have your files backed up.” I guess me yelling, “That’s completely unacceptable!” Several times didn’t phase him. He was right, of course, and after I felt quite small. Backing up the computer (more yelling over the phone probably did not help) took three days and yesterday Dell reformated my computer and I now feel quite refreshed. I suppose it is good that it happened in the end. I had 20 gigabytes of files on my computer and my back up service that I supposedly use only allows me 10. I’m certain I will need to extend my warranty. Hopefully they don’t keep track of one’s behavior so that I will be allowed.
The vessel was a thrift store find this week. Japanese, it reads, “Spring Field” my interpreter said it connotes wet, the rice fields, fitting. I’m going to go on a trip and visit the Ranunculus fields this week in Carlsbad, I’ll take photos.
After much selling of the beautifully made exquisitely executed perfectly soft and pristine leather which brought about ultimate comfort, the client decided –they wanted the Lou Hodges chair and ottoman. Alas, two days too late, already sold. This chair is to be it’s replacement. Not too shabby it has a nicely angled back which envelopes you in a relaxed lounging position –big enough to curl up in–and, after it’s reupholstered perfection!
We are work ing our way out of the boredom here at Bibelots. Perhaps it is a period-of-fruition; or perhaps it has been the tedious work, but the following quotes are assisting us on our way: 1. “Boredom: the desire for desires.” Anna Karenina
2. “Your true traveller finds boredom agreeable rather than painful. It is the symbol of his liberty—his excessive freedom. He accepts his boredom, when it comes, not merely philosophically, but almost with pleasure.” Aldous Huxley.
The term boredom was first used in Bleak House says, Wikipedia, which perhaps makes boredom a rather new pursuit really. I think though a new phrase should be coined, which is beyond ennui, a certain something that I don’t know how to describe. But I think it is what F.Scott Fitzgerald wrote about here:
“Boredom is not an end product, is comparatively rather an early stage in life and art. You’ve got to go by or past or through boredom, as through a filter, before the clear product emerges.”
The chair is patiently waiting to be cleaned up and upholstered in a nice soft caramel leather. Happily, our new upholsterer called us back today.
Lawson Fenning, LA.
At Rubish across from Lawson-Fenning in Silverlake. Rubish and the lamps have a fun feeling of what I like to imagine to be 5th Ave overlooking the park c 1980 (I’ve read Ms Wearstler is a fan). They also had a fabulous Karl Springer dark blue snakeskin games table which my shopping companion Michael wanted for Mahjong. Right in the area is LA Mill which is definately worth a visit for their coffee and atmosphere. The images on their website don’t really feature it. 
These were purchased end of the summer at the Santa Monica Flea Market for a client of mine. I thought the brass base and the top fittings I thought were done well and had aged well to match roller. At the same time it feels modern and not too craftsy.
Poor photo, but a beautiful sterling silver container by Virginia Gordon a San Diego artisan being sold at Persimmon a great shop off Beverly Blvd at Flores St in Los Angeles. I have my own little obsession with silver boxes. This week I found, the book, “Silver Boxes“, by Eric Delieb, 1968 where he explains:
“This book is based, in the main, upon a thesis of my own
development, namely, that any receptacle which has a lid, attached or not, and
which was intended to accommodate articles other than victuals (which would make
it a ‘vessel’) may be grouped under the general heading of ‘box’.
