Tole Tea Canister Lamps

Exceptional pair of English tole tea canister lamps with wonderful handpainted Chinoiserie graphics and the numbers "18" and "19".  The lamps have flat backs and half shades so they would fit nicely on a narrower console or where space is limited.  30" h., 10" w., 17" l.  English, c. late 19th c.  $775.00 for the pair  SALE $395.00 for the pair

Chinese Diorama

Exceptional and highly detailed Chinese diorama.  The very appealing scene depicts Chinese pagodas set in lush mountains with boats entering the harbor below.  The diorama is composed of shell, mother of pearl and assorted hard stones and is framed in a black lacquer frame with brushed chrome hangers.  It is in excellent condition and is signed by the artist.  This is a one of a kind find.  35" l., 24" h., 2 1/2" w.  Chinese, c. 1950  SOLD

English Tole Tub

Originally this piece would have been a small wash tub, but today it would function beautifully as a large vessel for ice to chill wine, champagne, etc.  It would also look fantastic filled with a few pots of hydrangeas on a large harvest table or sideboard.  It retains its original paint decoration on the exterior.  35" l., 17" w., 9" h.  English, 19th c.  SOLD

First Aid Cabinet

Home Aid!  If your looking for a fantastic piece to add some character to a bathroom or kitchen, it doesn't get much cooler than this.  This metal cabinet can be wall mounted and opens to five compartments for medicines, toiletries, etc.  The original gold lettering is in excellent condition.  16 1/2" l., 7 1/2" w., 14" h.  American, c. 1920's   SOLD

T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Chest of Drawers

If all you want for Christmas is an incredible piece of twentieth century furniture, this would be my personal recommendation.  Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings was the most important decorator in America in the 1930's and 40's.  After opening a shop on Madison Avenue in 1936, he became the designer of choice for such prominent Americans as tobacco heiress Doris Duke, Alfred A. Knopf and Thelma Chrysler Foy.  His style would best be described as modern historicism.  He was heavily influenced by Ancient Grecian design and the visual vocabulary of the classical world.  That being said, his designs did, during his time,  and still do feel fresh and completely modern.  Some of his best known and most iconic pieces were produced during the time he worked as a designer for Widdicomb Furniture, from 1943 to 1956.  There is a casual elegance and rich simplicity to his work during that period that few others have been able to achieve, but many have tried to copy.

This six drawer chest is an exceptional example of Gibbings' work for Widdicomb.  The piece was designed by Gibbings and produced by Widdicomb in 1953.  The elegance and simplicity of design is only rivalled by the craftsmanship in the making of the chest.   Each drawer has dovetailed joints in the front and back.  The construction and finishing are the finest you will see from the period, and you would be hard pressed to see this quality today in furniture at any price.  If this piece is still in the shop on Christmas eve, it just might find it's way under my tree.  Love it!  69" l., 21"w., 33" h.  American c. 1953  SOLD

Pair of Louis XV Style Bergere Chairs

They make a pretty pair.  This pair of Louis XV style finely carved bergeres retain their original paint which is perfectly patinated.  They are upholstered in a very pretty cut velvet fabric with a pink and green floral pattern on a cream ground.  The seat cushions are down filled.  French, c. 1920  SOLD

Mirrored Glass Cabinet

Super stylish and very well constructed cabinet with an ebonized frame and beveled, mirrored glass doors.  The base and door pull are polished brass.  The interior is ebonized and there is one adjustable shelf.  34" l., 19" w., 32" h.  American, c. 1970  SOLD

"Lane Furniture Co." Cabinet

Hip yet sophisticated cabinet by Lane.  The left side of the cabinet has four drawers and the bottom drawer is double the depth of the others.  The right has a pair of sliding doors with decorative inlay that open to two separate compartments.  Below are two drawers, one of which is double depth.  The pulls are faced with wood veneer.  56" l., 18" w., 42" h.  American, c. 1960  SOLD

"John Van Koert for Drexel" Cabinet

Designed by noted 20th c. designer John Van Koert (see earlier posts for more information on designer) this server with separate display case was part of the Drexel "Projection" Collection.  The design of the cabinet as well as the hardware is very sculptural, and the piece is beautiful from all angles.  The top has glass doors and two adjustable shelves.  Both the shelves and the base have double grooves for plates, etc.  The base has two drawers and a pair of doors which open to a compartment with one stationary shelf.   48 16 69 1/2  American, c. 1958  SOLD

We're Moving

It's been in the works for some time, so many of you already know we have been planning a move.  Yesterday our plans were finalized and it looks like Michael Thomas will be leaving Walton Street in just over a month.  It has been a wonderful six years and we are sincerely grateful to our family, friends and clients for their support, encouragement and friendship.  While we will miss lots, we are very much looking forward to our next chapter and our new home in Hamilton, Ontario.  Hamilton is experiencing a big renaissance right now with a thriving art scene, new restaurants and hotels opening, small and large businesses relocating there, and we are looking forward to being a small part of the exciting changes.  We heard a great comment about Hamilton recently, "Art is the new steel"!  We have not yet chosen a new location for the shop, but are hoping to be up and running by the fall with a new shop, new website and new blog.  In the meantime we will continue posting and updating.  You can count on lots of new and interesting pieces and lots of special offers and sales before we say so long!

 

By The Time We Got To Woodstock.........

Vermont, it was nice to see that everything was back to normal after the flood of 2011.  The last time we were here was shortly before that pretty devastating flood.  If you have a chance to visit Woodstock, The Woodstock Inn is a great place to stay for a couple of nights and get spoiled.  A small town nearby is Quechee which is the home of Simon Pearce Glass.  Lunch overlooking the waterfall in their restaurant is a very nice way to spend the afternoon.  After lunch we checked out the glassblowing studio and had to take home one of the finished products.

Greetings From Shelburne Vermont

If you find yourself in the Burlington Vermont area and would like to treat yourself to a wonderful art, design and Americana experience, we highly recommend Shelburne Museum.  The museum was founded by Electra Havermeyer Webb in 1947 and is one of the most imaginative and original museums housing one of the most interesting collections of art from Impressionistic paintings to folk art and quilts.  When creating the museum, Electra did not only collect exceptional art and decorative objects, she also collected 18th and 19th century structures (and a steamboat) from New York and New England in which to display the pieces.  These include houses, barns, a meeting house, a one-room schoolhouse, a lighthouse, a jail, a general store, a covered bridge and the 220-foot steamboat Ticonderoga.  We only had a couple of hours to spend here, but could have spent a couple of days.  In addition to the permanent collection, they currently have two temporary exhibitions which are worth the trip themselves.  One is an Impressionist show, "In a New Light: French Impressionism Arrives in America", with works from Degas, Monet, Cassatt and others.  The second is "All Star Quilts: The John Wilmerding Collection" featuring "Star of Bethlehem" quilts from the 19th and early 20th centuries.  Here are some shots from the afternoon.  The last photo might look familiar to those of you that follow the blog regularly.