Hidden Treasure

03 Saturday Dec 2011

Tags

Antique textiles, bathroom, Palladium window, Textile Trunk, Wendy Lewis

Happy weekend all! On a little prodding from me, Wendy Lewis from The Textile Trunk gave me a glimpse into her personal collection of textiles…the ones she squirrels away in cupboards and wardrobes and trunks…and cannot bear to cut or part with. Love that antique hatbox and the mix of old rouge and a mishmash of blues.

More ruddy colors , what wanton tassels! It all looks so artfully perfect all tossed together….
The soft blues and deep indigos…

A beautiful antique wallpaper covered box…my latest obsession…and all the wonderfully soft tones and textures of antique linen…

All photos taken by Wendy at her “new” c. 1810 home (built on the foundation of an earlier 18th century home). I’ve been peeking around the edges of her Ebay listing photos for months to note the wide floor boards, the aged whites, the lovely wainscoting…

Gratuitous close up…I’m “in love” with this c 1850 chitz…and these birds!!!

Noticed Wendy is selling small collected bits for cutting projects. I love this idea….perfect for those of us that have a hard time cutting into a big piece. The batch above just sold, but there’s another one left and perhaps Wendy will add more. Great idea!

Lastly, when Wendy send me a photo of her just done bathroom I begged her to let me share a few photos. Amidst all the holiday rush…I just love the sanctuary of this bath. A lovely, simple window treatment (uncut…for those of us who can’t bear getting the scissors out!). Per Wendy: “The bathroom had only the small south facing window and I just knew that a window on the west facing side could be glorious , as it faces the Adirondack mountains.” A friend unearthed a perfect architectural salvage window from the back of his shop…et violà! Perfection!

Can you imagine a morning in this bath!

Serenity! Hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend!

Threads of Feeling

08 Sunday May 2011

Posted by Trish in 18th century

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

18th century clothing, 18th century lifestyle, 18th century textiles, Antique textiles

The World of Interiors did a lovely story last March about an 18th century

Foundling hospital created by Captain Thomas Coram. Having made his fortune

in trade with the colonies, in his retirement he had noticed on early morning walks

from Rotherhithe into the city of London numerous swaddled babies left on the

steps of various Churches in the hopes that the abandoned babies would be

taken care of . By 1739 the foundling hospital he created with the help of 375

others, including six dukes and 11 earls became the first charity to received a

royal charter, and in 1741 received it’s first orphans. Recently discovered is an

archive of 18th century fabrics that were collected as part of paperwork to

admit each child. Though no question were asked of the women, no names were

required, they were asked by the hospital to leave a small token of remembrance

in case they were able to return to claim their child. Sarah Bender left the scrap

above with her son Charles, who she returned to claim nine years later.

Though many left nothing, others left trinkets, beads, keys, ribbons, and fabric cut

from a mother’s hem or sleeve that was attached to the registration billet. Sadly, of

the 16, 282 children admitted between 1741 and 1760, only 152 were reclaimed.

The poignancy of the hopeful and loving scraps pinned to so many forms tell a

wistful story in the Threads of Feeling exhibit held at the Foundling Museum last

March. The heart is a reoccurring emblem, as well as fabrics decorated with

flowers, birds, butterflies.

Closeted in dark archives, the textiles have survived the centuries in

remarkable condition and are a glimpse into a wide swathe of the social

economic population. Each scrap tells a story. If you’re a fabric nut

or a fan of old script…you’ll love this glimpse into the 18th century…

Curator John Styles, the author of Dress of the People and Threads of Feeling

brings to light the significance of what is now recognized as Britain’s

largest collection of everyday textiles. Threads of Feeling exhibit

photos here, more photos and review of exhibit here

The kitchen counter is crowded with garden roses

and my Mother’s coming for a visit. One child will undoubtedly

call from college and the other might help me with the weeding!

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

From Swatch with Mother

by Frances Spalding

World of Interiors March 2011

Rough Luxe in Laguna Beach…

14 Wednesday Oct 2009

Posted by Trish in 18th century, Antiques, Artist, Interiors, Rough Luxe

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

18th century Swedish antiques, Antique textiles, Antiques, Astier de Villatte, Belgian antiques, French Antiques, French leather club chairs, Rough Luxe, Store profile, Trove Laguna, Vintage French sconces

Trove

French aviary c. 1910-1920

This store just makes my heart beat a little faster…

Located in Laguna beach, California,

it pairs wonderful patina laden, one of a kind antiques

with quirky, “where did you get that” finds…

Just look at the rolling back of this stripped to the jute…

Louis XIII style canape from 1920′s France…

still stuffed with original horsehair…

1stdibs

One gorgeous arm of a pair of massive French sconces from the 1930′s

1stdibs

Déshabille (“undressed”) French chairs on a worktable in the show room…

Detail of lamb on architectural fragment from a French church

Second quarter of 19th century…

1stdibs

Married store owners Heather and Bobby travel extensively to furnish their

six year old store with Swedish, Belgian and French antiques, and one of a kind

foundry cast tables and stools… softening the rough edges with luxurious

mohair throws, hand-made Astier de Villatte, antique French linens,

19th century portraits, and even bundles of hand made paper…

Astier de Villatte in situ at the store…

Heather told me that the store originated as an antique jewelry, antique clothing,

antique smalls shop and morphed into what it is now, when a larger space became

available a block north of their original shop on the North Coast Highway in beach

heavy Southern California. Their last buying trip was to Belgium, where they

were lucky enough to get a tour of Vervoordt’s castle and Kanaal, which she

called major inspirations. They’ll be heading to Belgium/UK in a few months.

Leather club chairs from France are highlighted by one of Trove’s

incredible hand-loomed mohair throws from Finland

that pick up the vibrant turquoise of the antique Swedish cupboard…

Huge range of colors available here

Close up of the Swedish cupboard,

carved sculpture still emerging from the stone …

In an atmospheric dark corner of the store, a pair of antique Swedish

c. 1750 chairs pull up to one of Trove’s many antique tables…

This c. 1790 French table has a tripod trestle base with beautiful

worn oval top. Top comes off and trestle base folds shut.

1stdibs

Antique Victorian shaving mirror…

See more Trove in my Naturalism post here

or my Simply Sublime post here

Trove’s unique solid bronze horn table or stool,

an antique that they had cast…

All Trove merchandise can be found at their website here

or 1stdibs site here

1233 North Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, CA

Trouvais

~ French interiors, rough luxe, flea market finds

Tag Archives: Antique textiles

Hidden Treasure

Threads of Feeling

Rough Luxe in Laguna Beach…