Tags
18th century lifestyle, 18th century shoes, antique French script, Antique script, Carolyn Quartermaine, roses, Yellow
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and it just puts me in that girly sort of mood…
I brought out a set of my antique French letters and added a few of my favorite
18th century French fashion plate photos to them and printed them out…
Would make great wrapping paper for some sweetheart. More on that
trend setting hairstyle via Surroundings here
The queen of decorating with gorgeous antique French script
is Carolyn Quartermaine. Photo above from her book Revealed.
Her website shows the latest she’s up to but I’m still entranced
by where she’s been. An earlier post I did of her Pink and Gold
I framed nine of my favorite antique letters and set them
above a console in the master bedroom. Though stock
frames, I switched out the glass with archival glass.
Below is a set of ho-hum books I painted a few shades of blue
From Framing a Wall here (yes that’s a Quartermaine
script pillow in Stephen Shubel’s Paris apartment)
Love the packaging on these bars of soap…
Script, 18th century fashion plates, flowers…
Old garden roses from last fall with
a simple Japanese anemone…
Doesn’t everyone want to be pampered on Valentines day?
Love the elegant posture, brilliant yellow, the careful application
of powder to her high and heavily pomaded hair…
more 18th Century Hairdressing here
Silky yellow, lace, bow…
From Last Honeyed Drips of Summer here
One of my first posts…from peony border
to Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette ‘s delicious shoes
Treasure Hues here
Hmmm…what do you get the menfolk for Valentine’s day?
Cravat, shoe buckles, walking stick?
More script (what can I say… I love letters)
and wonderful video of Carolyn Quartermaine here
Shoe photo from Marie Antoinette Style by Adrien Goetz
Most of the Fashion plates come from the “Galerie des Modes” 1778-1787
From my dogeared edition of Eighteenth century French Fashion Plates
in full color edited by Stella Blum
Special Note
Mélanie from the wonderful French blog Le Petit Cabinet de Curiosités will have
the Grand Opening of her boutique tomorrow. She has around 200 antique French letters.
Some are 19th century and are letters to a “Comte”. Others are contracts from the
beginning of the 19th century with crowns on them, which she will put up first.
She has around 10 that are from the 17th century.
What a beautiful post, stunning! Thank you xx
STUNNING!! I adore the framed french letters above your console, and honestly, you keep on amazing us with all your “finds” once again thank you for sharing.Colx
Trish, the photo of your framed antique letters is stunning. Would you mind sharing with us where you found the letters? Collected over time or a windfall? I’d love to do something similar. Thank you for sharing your passion with us.
Ebay, seller couram71 here…bought couple years ago. Melanie over at Le Petit Cabinet de Curiosites here is opening an online boutique where she’ll be selling letters. And Corey from Tonque in Cheek might have some in her boutigue here.
I love the work and so special atmosphere of Carolyn Quatermaine…Your love letters are treasures and what a great idea to frame them…
thank you for the video !
Bonjour Trish,
Oh I’m with you I adore love letters. The way you framed them up is brilliant, you have so many beautiful ideas. WIshing you a fabulous Valentine’s Day and lots of love letters!
Gorgeous post! Simply stunning photographs…
“Hmmm…what do you get the menfolk for Valentine’s day?”
Well a fusil de chasse would be nice!
Hunting gun? I think my husband would prefer a trophy from some wine cellar! Now my sister’s husband…that’s another story. She has quite the collection of prey on her walls.
What an incredible round up of romance! xo xo
You surely know how much I love old letters and old love letters. I have one in my collection from a famous french poet to his muse. Tomorrow in my boutique I’m going to sell some beautiful handwriten letters…
So nice that when one sees the writing on the walls, one sees it in French. Lovely images.
Bravo for such a delicious Valentine post. Love the marriage of the letters to the fashion plates…you are so clever and creative.
~jermaine~
Really delicious post Trish! Love the old letters…the beautiful calligraphy and love your creative touches…
L
Also intrigued with the blue painted ho hum books…genius!
Always inspiring…
What a lovely post. The artwork is amazement! Happy Valentines Day!
What a fine collection! I love them. I love to see what you come up with, finds galore!
Karena
Merci Merci Merci Trish, I really appreciate your special note ! Bisous
Thanks for your sources. You are so generous.
Beautiful ideas, brilliantly executed. Although, considering you’re writing about Marie-Antoinette, perhaps those words are in-apropos!
dear trish…
SIMPLY… charming… i adore pink and gold together and this post is amazing… so fun, whimsical and elegant… wishing you truly a special valentine’s weekend.. xx pam
Really amazing post… so full of beauty and inspiration!
I love how you painted the books that beautiful color of blue.
You and your blog are simply divine.
Happy Valentine’s!
~xo always
Oh, how divine. Merci mille fois.
Happy Valentine’s Day, ma chere.
Adore these! Simply scrumptious!!!
Bonne St. Valentin
Merci!