Simplicity can be very stylish. At least it is with this English Art Deco "looking glass," made in the Twenties or Thirties. The simple form—an elongated octagon—is lightly accented with a bevelled edge. Otherwise, it's just an uncomplicated, elegant, understated and useful addition to a powder room, near the front door, or over a bedroom dresser. And it would look terrific on a wall filled with mirrors—hung together in a cobbled, wall-to-wall arrangement. Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome mirror. Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com). To arrange a visit our Pittsburgh...
How does one tune-it-out? Perhaps the Three Wise Monkeys can provide an example?
The earliest evidence of the Three Wise Monkeys—sometimes called the Three Mystic Apes—is found carved on a wooden panel above the stable door at the Tōshō-gū Shinto Shrine in Nikkō, Japan. The shrine complex opened in 1617 and the stable held the temple's sacred horses. The carved panel, portraying three Japanese macaques, has been attributed to the carver Hidari Jingorō (who may have been a fictitious artist, or the pseudonym of another master carver).
Even after photography became commercially popular—in the mid Nineteenth Century—having one's photo taken remained a rare experience. Unless you were a person of great fame or influence, you might take only two or three photos in your lifetime—perhaps at a wedding or some other important milestone. And the technology of the day gave the sitter few options regarding the resulting photo's size; most pictures were fairly small.
But, like today, a nice frame would make all the difference in presenting—and highlighting—a treasured photograph. Shown here, an oval walnut frame, with a curved, deeply-recessed "profile." The frame was made circa 1850—just about the time that people with a little money to spend might be able to have their photo taken.
Today's the Fourteenth day of sharing some of our favorite LEOs—commemorating the new pope, LEO XIV. We end this parade of lions with this simple, yet bold, bronze lion, made in Canada. In the world of heraldry, this LEO would be called a "Lion Statant Guardant Sinister." What this means is that the lion is standing (four feet planted on the ground), head turned (toward the viewer), and facing to the left (instead of facing "dexter," that is to the right, which is conventional). Note that "left" and "right" are oriented from the point-of-view of the soldier holding the shield (upon which such a lion is applied). Thus "left" and "right" are backwards from the viewer's point-of-view. Such "attitudes" are...
Cats of any sort—wild cats, house cats—will always be wild-at-heart. Deep within, all cats are hunters. Sighting, stalking, pouncing and (yes) killing are a part of any cat's repertoire. Perhaps it is this fierce, prehistoric impulse which has made lions an inspiration in the arts, literature and other human aspirations.
Shown above, a mountain lion, stalking atop a craggy rock. These cast iron bookends are deftly-sculpted, patinated with a (now well-aged) golden bronze patina and hand-painted with small details. The modeling—especially of the cat—seems to have a rough, "Rodinesque" sensibility, typical of the tastes of the Twenties. The sculptor has captured the desperate energy of a hungry lion.
The lions portrayed on this pair of cast iron bookends are modeled after Antoine-Louis Barye's 1840 sculpture called "Walking Lion" (which we shared in this journal a few days ago). The bookends were made in the Twenties by Bradley & Hubbard of Meriden, Connecticut. After the original bookend models were sculpted, the pairs were cast in molten iron and finished with a chocolate bronze finish. Bradley & Hubbard was known for its well-finished metal castings. While never at the elite level of a Tiffany or Gorham, Bradley & Hubbard was, nonetheless, very well-respected, making beautifully designed and finished metal objects for America's Middle and Upper-Middle classes. One more significant observation: This pair of bookends was designed with "mirrored" lions—that is,...
LEO Design is sharing some of our favorite LEOs this week, as we mark the election of the new pontiff, Pope LEO XIV.
Shown here, a Turn-of-the-Century cast iron lion bank. Years of aging has left a darkened and highly-textured surface—while traces of the original golden paint are still visible in the mane. At one time, deposited coins could be removed by unscrewing the two cast iron sides—held-together with a screw. Over the decades, the screw (and two connected halves) seem to have fused-together, making it difficult (or impossible) to open-up. But this handsome vintage lion would easily earn his keep just standing-around, looking good. And think: he was made sometime during the papacy of the last Leo, LEO XIII.
We started our parade of LEOs with this same sculpted design—however, finished in a darkened bronze patina. Here we have a pair in its original golden finish. Bookend foundries would customarily offer their wares in two or more finishes. Classic, chocolate bronze was probably most common. A copper patina was popular. Brass finishes were sometimes offered. And a golden finish, like we see above, was another option. Some (but not all) bookends might be offered in a hand-painted, polychromed (multi-color) finish. One hundred years of use and exposure to the interior elements add their own patina-of-time. The crevices are probably darker than they once were. Little chips of finish—or rub marks—add their own evidence of time. For this reason, I...
In honor of the new pope—LEO XIV—we are sharing some of our favorite felines here at LEO Design. All currently are available right here, on the LEO Design website.
This lion, cast in spelter (sometimes called "white metal"), is "cold-painted" after casting, cooling and chasing (that is, cleaning-off any burrs or irregularities from the casting process). This King of the Jungle expresses a gentle, stately demeanor—seemingly at-peace. He pauses atop a small mound, surveying his kingdom to the horizon.
Cats—of any size—will always be wild hunters-at-heart. Such is the allure of big cats; such is the allure of house cats. Here we see a pair of nicely-modeled and crisply-cast bookends which portray our hero—a LEO stalking some quarry which only he can see. The sculptor captured beautifully the coiled energy, the silently-creeping tension, of this hunter. He crouches atop a rocky outcrop, keeping low as to not reveal his intention. Even the rocky "pedestal" is beautifully rendered and cast. The bookends still retain their original, handsome bronze finish
This six-lion candy mould ticks two boxes for me—for I love LEOs and I love chocolate!
It was made in the 1910's and, judging from the weight of the metal, it was probably intended for a commercial candy maker. An exterior plating of copper lies-over the steel "tray." I picture all these little chocolate LEOs, wrapped-up in golden foil, sitting in a partitioned chocolate box. Such were the good old days—when each city or town supported its own Mom and Pop candy shop.
For these two weeks, we are commemorating new Pope LEO XIV with a parade of handsome lions, now on sale at LEO Design.
On the tummy of this little bronze lion is the impressed word "Courage." Though small, this brave little lion could be your reminder to remain resolute—or it may be a wonderful admonition to someone you love.
Lions have enjoyed a long history in the decorative arts. This rampant lion—incised upon a Belgian Art Nouveau vase—looks like he could have come from Minoan Crete or Mycenaean Greece. It is true that ancient themes often have been "recycled" by later artists—especially after a new archaeological discovery is made, inspiring new takes on old artworks. This two-handled stoneware vase was made in Belgium by Antoine DuBois (1869-1949), probably around 1920. Initial excavations as Knosos, the remarkable palace on the island of Crete, began in 1877. Much archaeological progress was made in the earliest years of the Twentieth Century—right before this vase was conceived. Crete is considered, by many, the "cradle of Western Civilization." Crete's Minoan art and civilization (3000-1150...
Parisian Antoine-Louis Barye was the greatest animalier of his time—that is, an artist who sculpts realistic animals. He was born in 1796 and got his start as an apprentice under Napoleon’s goldsmith. In 1816, he was admitted to the Ecole des Beaux Arts where he pursued sculpture—initially honing his talent with medallions and bas relief works. Barye enjoyed spending time sketching animals of the Royal Menagerie in Paris’s Jardin des Plantes—and his sketches have been favorably compared to Delacroix’s. From these sketches, the artist would craft small clay models which he would cast in bronze. Both his sketches and his cast bronzes succeeded in capturing the wild, naturalistic personalities of their subjects. Barye also produced monumental works in addition to the...
As a child, I had a Ringling Brothers circus poster on my bedroom wall. A fierce lion—paw raised—snarled from the colorful print. This pair of Art Deco cast iron bookends remind me of that LEO from my boyhood. These bookends were made in the Twenties or Thirties. They are beautifully (and intricately) modeled, nicely cast and finished with a (now aged) dark patina. They await employment in your office or library—or standing upon your mantel or windowsill where they will snarl silently (yet fiercely).
In commemoration of the new pope—LEO XIV—we will be spending the next fourteen days sharing some of our favorite, handsome LEOs, currently on-offer on this website. Shown above, a cast iron lion bank from the Turn-of-the-Century. It has a rich, dark patina, acquired over more than a century of standing guard. It makes a wonderful sculpture, though I would hesitate to use it to store my coins. I'd advise against using a screwdriver to unscrew the two halves.
Over the past two-and-a-half weeks, I have been captivated by the solemn grandeur on display as the Catholic Church commemorated and buried its beloved Pope Francis. The subsequent period of discernment and the election of his replacement have been equally riveting—with its timeless ritual, drama and (yes) theatre. As a practicing and devoted Roman Catholic, I was highly interested in (and engaged with) the unfolding process and its outcome. Like most Catholics, I hold personal convictions and preferences of how I'd like my Church to journey-on. (Grazie, Francesco!) I also realize that this 2,000 year old institution does not make many sudden jumps—or move very quickly. In this regard, it's good that (in most things) I usually support...
Welcome, May, and your birthstone, the Regal Emerald.
Emeralds—one of the four "Cardinal Gemstones"—are called "The Jewel of Kings," and they enjoy a long and illustrious history. Egyptians mined them from 1500 BC and legend has it that Cleopatra decorated her body and her palace with the gemstone. They have been mined in Austria and India since the 1300's and, in 1535, were discovered by Spanish explorers in Columbia (which remains the largest source of emeralds to this day). Emeralds have been credited with increasing fertility, providing immortality, conferring riches, power and eloquence, strengthening memory, counter-acting poisoning or infection, and empowering its wearer to predict the future.
The British Arts & Crafts Movement began in the Late Victorian Era—which accounts for the more highly-decorated, florid demeanor of some (but not all) British Arts & Crafts objets. In America, we sometimes associate the Arts & Crafts with a more linear, angular, perhaps severe aesthetic (think Stickley or Frank Lloyd Wright). In England, people like William Morris were at the forefront of the Arts & Crafts "revolution"—and English Victorian "busy-ness" made its influence felt. The small mirror, shown above, is surrounded by a hand-tooled brass frame, mounted upon a red-velvet-wrapped board. The intricacy and crisp execution of the brasswork are remarkable (click on the picture to magnify it)—though the entire presentation of the mirror is not fussy or frivolous. Its...
Compared to the mirror we shared yesterday—a theatrically romantic Chinese confection—today's mirror, shown above, is straightforward, sensible, and perhaps just a touch stern. It is handsome without being dour. It was made in the U.S. between 1840 and 1860, just before the American Civil War. Mahogany veneering is laid over the curved "ogee" surface of the underlying wood framing. There are a few minor splits and discreet dings to the veneering—though only enough to lend suitable character to the 175 year old mirror frame.
Mahogany was the wood of choice for American furniture in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Much of it was grown in The New World—often in semi-tropical British colonial possessions.
What this Chinese mirror lacks in age, it more than makes-up-for in romantic, theatrical style. The carved wooden frame—lacquered and "gilded" in golden paint—is reminiscent of a Zeffirelli production of Puccini's Turandot. Stylistically, it looks like something which would have been sent to the West in the Twenties or Thirties (though it is more likely from the Seventies or Eighties). The design was inspired by Chinese architecture (or architectural elements) with a carved wooden "fringe" dangling from the roofline and the bottom of the frame. Pierced screening surrounds a five-lobed cinquefoil—an oculus reminiscent of a classic Chinese plum blossom window or doorway. In Chinese art and symbology, the plum blossom represents beauty, courage and perseverance—since the plum blossom has been...
We end our tribute to Pope Francis—and the simple, elegant, white ceramics which remind us of him—with this handsome, Art Deco piece, circa 1935. It was made by Roseville, a ceramics workshop founded in Roseville, Ohio, in 1890. Initially, Roseville made "utilitarian wares" like flower pots and umbrella stands. Over the years, Roseville added dozens of "lines" of pottery, from the delicately hand-painted studio wares to the high-volume mass production wares. Roseville also made several pieces (shapes) which they produced as "blanks"—that is, bisque-fired pieces which could be stored for glazing (and possibly decoration) later, as the orders came in. This strategy allowed Roseville to maintain maximum flexibility, only committing to the production of a specific piece after it had...
We come back to Haeger Pottery with this Modernist piece, made in the Sixties or Seventies. It is a highly-architectural silhouette—with more than a passing resemblance to Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum on Fifth Avenue, New York City. Although it is firmly within the Modernist sensibility, there is still a trace of the "long tail" of the Art Deco movement (which began in the Twenties and lingered-on, evolving, yes, well into the Fifties and Sixties). It is finished with a matte white glaze.
In 1886, German immigrants Thedore Ebeling and Frederick Reuss joined John E. F. Zeh (in Philadelphia) to import glass and ceramics items from Europe to America. In 1900, Zeh left the company, now called Ebeling & Reuss. The company imported European crystal, ceramics figurines, and art pottery pieces—like the Secessionist vase, shown here—to be sold-onwards to gift shops and other retailers in America.
This Secessionist vase is topped with three crisp handles and finished with a flat, matte white glaze. It was made in the newly-formed Czechoslovakia (established in 1918) and bears the date mark of 1918 - 1921.
This week, we are marking the passing of Pope Francis by sharing a collection of simple, white ceramics which (somehow) capture the elegant purity and honest simplicity of the beloved pontiff. Like Fulper Pottery in Flemington, New Jersey, Haeger Pottery began its life humbly. It was founded in 1871 making bricks, drain tiles, flower pots and tiles in Dundee, Illinois. In 1914, Haeger decided to establish a higher-margin artware division. Haeger hired-away ceramicist Johann Martin Stangl (from Fulper) to direct the new division. Thus began one of the highest volume mass-production ceramics workshops in America. Eventually, Stangl returned to Fulper (which he later purchased and renamed after himself). But Haeger continued to grow (and succeed) through the Art Deco and...
So many ceramics manufacturers started their lives by making "sanitary ware" or even more utilitarian items like tiles and sewer pipes. Time and circumstances allowed these companies to adapt to the changing times, perhaps seeking higher-end, more profitable output. The Hill Pottery Company was founded in 1814 in Flemington, New Jersey. Around the time of the American Civl War, Abram Fulper purchased the company (renaming it "Fulper"). By the Turn-of-the-Century, his grandson, William Fulper II, was running the firm. In 1909, William Fulper created the art pottery division, calling it "Fulper Vasecraft." Fulper needed an experienced ceramicist to develop the cutting-edge forms and glazes of a "studio ceramics" workshop. He hired Johann Martin Stangl, an immigrant from Munich, Germany,...
Abingdon Sanitary Manufacturing Company, founded in Knoxville, Illinois, in 1908, was the maker of America's finest "sanitary ware": sinks, toilets, water fountains. Their special blend of clays and high-heat firing methods created a "vitreous china" product that was beautiful, watertight, and resistant to damage. Abingdon was the first manufacturer to introduce colored plumbing fixtures to the market (1928). In 1933, Abingdon supplied all the plumbing fixtures to the Chicago's World Fair. The Depression was not good for the company; nationwide, most building projects came to a halt. Most of Abingdon's orders were cancelled. So, from 1934 to 1950, Abingdon introduced a line of "consumer" artware items—using the very same vitreous china and glazes that they used for their sanitary ware....
This morning's passing of Pope Francis marked the end of a chapter of the Catholic Church. Francis was my favorite pope, in my lifetime—and many people (Catholic or not) were moved (and improved) by his call for Mercy.
Part of Francis's appeal was the conviction with which he side-stepped the enticing grandeur of the office. He could have dressed ornately. He could have lived in the opulent Papal Apartments. Instead, he chose to live in a modest apartment—alongside brother priests—and he dressed in the simple, white garments which represented modesty, purity and simplicity. This is not to say that Francis blended-in with a crowd. On the contrary, one always knew who he was and what he represented.
Between Good Friday (when Jesus was killed and buried) and Easter Sunday (when Jesus rose from the dead), we have Holy Saturday—a time of contemplation and watchful waiting. Holy Saturday is the last day of the Triduum, which concludes with the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday night. The Italian sandglass, shown above, is made of sand-cast pewter fitted with a corseted glass timer. It holds (approximately) five minutes of sand (though precise timing never seems to be of paramount importance in Italy—style and craftsmanship are). Sandcasting of metals is an ancient process, thousands of years old. An object (which one would like to duplicate) is pressed into a bed of sticky sand, creating a "mould." Then molten metal (bronze, brass,...
Ancient Jewish burial practices involved washing the body, anointing it with perfumes, oils and spices, and wrapping the body in linen. In the Good Friday Gospel accounts of Jesus's burial, it was the women who performed these rituals. Jesus's burial preparation was complicated by the fact that he died on a Friday afternoon, just as observant Jews were preparing for the pending Sabbath (which would begin at sundown). So Jesus was placed in the tomb quickly on Friday; the women planned to return on Sunday (after the Sabbath) to finish their work. The English Arts & Crafts two-handled pot, shown above, makes me think of the type of vessel (perhaps with the addition of a cover) in which the women...
The Mass on Holy Thursday—also called Maundy Thursday—marks the endpoint of Lent and the beginning of the Paschal Triduum (which is the three day period before Easter: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday). The Holy Thursday Mass celebrates Jesus's Last Supper with his disciples (which was a Passover Seder Meal). Several important things happened during this meal, which was celebrated on the night before Jesus was to be betrayed, tried, tortured, crucified and killed. It was at this meal that Jesus instituted the Eucharist for his followers. He also got on the floor and humbly washed the feet of his flustered disciples—the Mandatum which he enjoined them to imitate. And it was at this meal that Jesus provided important (final)...
Let's end our little parade of candlesticks for Passover with this handsome pair of German Jugendstil hand-hammered iron candelabra. The German Arts & Crafts Movement was called "Jugendstil"—literally translated as "The Youth Style." Like other Art Nouveau movements, the Jugendstil emphasized human handcraft utilizing simple (natural) materials, sensuous forms, and motifs inspired by nature (botany and zoology). It was also an Avant-Garde departure (a Secession) from the prevailing trend of commercialized, industrial production. Hugo Berger was a metalsmith who opened a workshop in 1895 in Schmalkalden, a town in the state of Thuringia, Central Germany. His handwrought designs, inspired by Gothic metalworks, were mostly crafted in iron or steel--and sometimes enhanced with copper or brass embellishments. Not all of his...
This week, we are observing Passover by sharing some of the handsome candlesticks, now in-stock at LEO Design.
These smallish Victorian English brass candlesticks are perfect for just the right spot. Standing under seven inches in height (and spanning less than three inches across the base), they might very well solve this problem: how to decorate a tight spot (and provide light) without sacrificing style or presence. They could be squeezed-into a crowded dining table or sideboard. Or they might fit nicely upon a windowsill or narrow mantelpiece. They were made in England in the 1860's - 1880's.
To my mind, the Art Nouveau Movement is the umbrella "aesthetic school" under which the world's various Arts & Crafts movements abide. Throughout the world, wherever an Art Nouveau Movement existed, its artisans utilized naturalistic themes (from geography, botany or zoology) to influence their work. Handcraft was essential as was the employment of simple materials.
The Arts & Crafts hammered, silver-plated candlesticks, shown above, were inspired by tulips—the stems as well as the flower petals. They were made around 1910 by Meriden (founded in 1852 in Meriden, Connecticut.) The metal (copper?) candlesticks were cast and assembled, then hand-hammered, then plated in silver. They would bring a handsome touch of nature to your dining table, presiding elegantly over your festive entertaining.
As we are in the eight days of the Jewish Passover, we are sharing some of our favorite candlesticks. Perhaps one of these—or one of the many others in-stock at LEO Design—might help you celebrate the holiday in style. A baluster is a single upright support often found holding-up a staircase rail or balcony railing. A balustrade is a line of such balusters—including the railing which tops them and the bottom rail (into which they are set). They can be made of wood, stone, metal or other man-made materials. Very often they are turned (or have a "turned appearance"), like the baluster candlesticks, shown above. These English candlesticks, made in the Thirties, are turned oak (yes, in the form of a...
Tonight—at sundown—begins the Jewish observance of Passover. It will last through eight nights, ending at sunset on Sunday 20 April (which, this year, happens to be Easter Sunday). The first two nights of Passover usually receive the greatest attention with families preparing seder meals. Passover commemorates an event (as relayed in The Book of Exodus) which happened while the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt. God sent The Angel of Death to Egypt who was to kill all the first borns—human and animal. Believers were instructed to slaughter and eat a lamb and (importantly) mark their doorframes with its blood. As the angel performed his assignment, he would pass-over those homes which were thus marked, sparing those people. Passover candles customarily...
Over the years, we haven't stocked too many Arts & Crafts cufflinks in the shop. They seem to be difficult to find. This pair, made of hand-hammered 10 karat gold, are embellished with a crisply-drawn "meandering" graphic. The juxtaposition of rustic planishing, contrasted with tidy etching, creates an interesting confluence of attitudes.
This week we are sharing some of our Golden Links, currently found in the LEO Design on-line shop.
From the late English Art Deco period comes this handsome pair of 9 karat gold cufflinks. They are hallmarked Birmingham, 1949. A clean "slash" travels diagonally across the machine-turned basketweave-engraved faces. They are handsome, sophisticated and crisply-elegant.
The Aesthetic Movement of the late Nineteenth Century had a big influence on the fine and the decorative arts of the Victorian Age. Shown here, a pair of gold-content cufflinks, hand-engraved with a partitioned, botanical design, surrounded with a silver bezel. It is not uncommon to find Nineteenth Century jewelry which was never marked as to metal content. Thus, we are uncertain of the karat grade of this gold. The "toggle" fastener on the back of the cufflinks was also common in the Nineteenth Century.
For the next several days, we'll be sharing some of our handsome gold (or gold-content) cufflinks—most of them embellished with elegant and stylish engraving. Such golden links will always be a stylish and elegant accessory for any well-tailored man. Shown here, a pair of English Art Deco cufflinks hallmarked Birmingham, 1929. They were made by Owen Powell, a jeweler in the Birmingham "Jewelry Quarter" in the Twenties and Thirties. These 9 karat gold links were "machine-turned," that is, etched with the tight, precise and repetitive pattern seen here. Lathes had been used for turning wood or stone since the Ancient Mycenaeans in 1300 BC. In the Eighteenth Century, with the advent of the Industrial Age, the lathe was adapted for...
Welcome, February, and your birthstone—the diamond. Diamonds have always been the "crown jewel" of the "cardinal gemstones," a designation which includes diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires (and, at one time, amethysts). Diamonds are very old. Most were formed between 1 and 3.5 billion years ago, deep within the Earth (some 90-500 miles down). More recently (say hundreds of millions of years ago), the Earth's volcanic activity shifted the substrate, slowly moving some of those diamonds closer to the surface of the Earth (where miners could find them). And some diamonds were created by the heat and pressure of meteorites crashing to the Earth. Diamonds are also very hard. Very few diamonds are suitable for jewelry (which must be nearly...
Sharp-eyed shoppers on e-Bay recently have discovered that important American antiquities have been listed on that selling platform—providing an opportunity for Americans to "BY A PIECE OF AMERICA'S GREAT(EST!) HISTORY!--NEVER BEEN BETTER. UNBELIEVABLE WHITE HOUSE ANTIQUES LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SCENE! ZERO TARIFFS! INVEST NOW!!!" The listings went live at 3:04 am today, April 1st. The e-Bay seller, using the name "Dealer Of Great(est) Envestments," is offering a mix of Federalist furniture, vintage brocade draperies, gilt-bronze lighting fixtures and an assortment of desk accessories: pens, boxes, inkwells and desktop picture frames. There is also a very large assortment of antique, leather-bound books—being sold as box lots—sorted by color. Although several presidential portraits were originally listed for sale, it seems that these lots...
Let's end our celebration of light—we're sharing some newly-acquired lamps at LEO Design—right where we began: with another pair of Stiffel lamps. This pair, from the Seventies or Eighties, is more Traditional in styling, with a "balustrade," urn-form body. Like other Stiffel lamps, they are handsomely designed, beautifully finished, and noticeably heavy. These lamps exude a sense of propriety, permanence and gravitas. Though they could work in many different aesthetic situations (especially if the shade were to be changed), they are best suited to a Federalist, a serious, or a formal setting. Were I to open a law office (or a bank), I'd place these lamps on the two corners of my (very large) desk.
Haeger Potteries began its life in 1852 as a utilitarian brick maker in Dundee, Illinois. They sourced their clay along the banks of the local Fox River, a tributary of the Illinois River. In 1871, David Haeger, a German immigrant, purchased half of the company. Within a year, he had purchased the other half. He began producing tiles and operated under the name Dundee Brick and Tile. The Great Fire of Chicago, in 1871, provided a tremendous opportunity for Haeger. The company shipped millions of bricks and tiles to help rebuild the devastated city. In 1914, David's son, Edmund Haeger, introduced "artware" (decorative consumer items) to the company's production line. Edmund recruited Martin Stangl from Fulper Pottery to oversee this...
This week were are celebrating Spring's increasing light by sharing some of our newly-acquired lamps, now available in the LEO Design on-line store.
The Art Deco Movement looked forward and backward—at the same time. Deco design was streamlined, aerodynamic, forward-leaning. It promoted the promise of a hopeful, efficient and mechanized future. At the same time, the Art Deco Movement drew inspiration from arts of the Ancient Past: Egypt, Greece, Rome.
Take the Art Deco glass table lamp, shown above. The two-handed urn is inspired by Ancient Greco-Roman vessels—even banded with foliage, like an Olympian's laurel crown. Yet the streamlined compactness and Machine Age curves all reach-forward to Art Deco's bright and promising future.
Jesse H. Bunnell was born in Ohio in 1843. At the age of eleven, he was a messenger-boy and by 13 was working as a telegraph operator (sending messages electronically by Morse Code). He was quick, efficient, and a constant inventor. At the age of 17, he set a telegraphist speed record while transmitting President Buchanan's final address to Congress (averaging 32 words per minute for a two hour duration). During the Civil War, Bunnell served as a telegraphist for both President Abraham Lincoln and General George McClellan. During the Civil War, telegraphists, like Bunnell, were only paid $60 a month—a small amount considering the critical importance of their mission and the fact that they were often at (or near)...
Within the world of decorative arts, ceramics are amongst my favorites items. I also love decorative light fixtures (versus built-in lighting, like canisters and recessed fixtures). Light fixtures are like the "jewelry" which decorates a beautiful room. So, for me, this Mid-Century Modernist lamp tics two boxes at once.
This large ceramic "vessel" is finished with an organic, dripping "honey and mustard" glazing. Though of simple form, the large size—and the interesting glazes—elevate the lamp to the realm of "statement piece."
As we move deeper into the Spring, the weather gets blessedly warmer and we enjoy increasingly longer days. More light! With this thought in mind, we'd like to share some of our newly-acquired light fixtures, currently available in the LEO Design on-line store. One of the finest lamp manufacturers in America is the Stiffel Lamp Company. Each of their (very heavy!) lamps is a work of art and precision craftsmanship. The company was founded in Chicago in 1932. Ted Stiffel—a fine artist and an accomplished craftsman—started the company to create superb, high-quality metal light fixtures. Stiffel is still in business today; they operate a 40,000 square foot workshop in Linden, New Jersey. They have continued to produce fine merchandise in...
Let's end our Saint Patrick's Day "Parade of Green" with this handsome participant: an English Arts & Crafts vase by Pilkington Royal Lancastrian. The voluptuous and bulbous body is surrounded with a line of prehistoric "fiddlesticks," like the unfurled curls atop an emerging fern. The use of naturalistic, Darwinian—sometimes even grotesque—botanical elements is classic Art Nouveau.
Equal to the superb form is the sensational finish. The glazing is a dappled blend of green and blue—rich and deep. The complex glaze only adds greater intensity to an already highly-dimensional form.
In the wake of Saint Patrick's Day, we are celebrating some of LEO Design's handsome green offerings, like the pair of Art Deco cufflinks, shown above. While these cufflinks resemble a pair we shared earlier this week, they are different in one small detail. On this pair, the enamel is celadon-colored (not Spring green). Celadon ceramics glazes were invented by the Chinese in the Tenth Century. The name refers to a light green or grayish-green color, often with a lightly crackled surface effect. Celadon—which can range from pale green to a deeper grey-green—is reminiscent of jade, a continuously-popular stone in Asian cultures. And, while these glazes can be applied to many different types of clays (including stoneware and earthenware), it...
Sgrafitto is the Italian word for the technique of artistic scratching (from the verb graffiare—"to scratch"). This method may be used on plaster, on painted works, or (like with the vase shown above) on ceramics. After the ceramic piece is fired once—and a "bisque" form is obtained—it is glazed and allowed to air dry. Once dried, selected areas are scratched-away with a stylus, revealing the raw clay, beneath. When the glaze is fired a second time, the color—and the scratched-away design—become permanent.
The sgrafitto technique was popularized in Renaissance Italy, especially on the ceramic (tiled) surfaces of grand buildings. The technique later became popular in Persian ceramic craft.
In these days after Saint Patrick's Day, we're sharing some of our favorite green items—all currently on offer on the LEO Design website.
Shown here, a handsome pair of Art Deco cufflinks. The triangular form is aerodynamically modern and the fan-form graphic, which adorns the faces, gives energy and movement to the design. But, what I like best, is the crisp combination of Kelly green and bright white enameling—fresh, bold and clean. This pair of cufflinks will be perfect for Spring and, certainly, throughout the Summer.
Reginald Guy Cowan (1884-1957) was born into a family of ceramicists in East Liverpool, Ohio (itself a major center of ceramics production). He studied at the New York State School of Clayworking at Alfred University (in Western New York). After school, he settled in Cleveland where, in 1908, he introduced pottery-making in the public schools. He also began teaching ceramics industry at trade schools and was an instructor at the Art Institute of Cleveland. Eventually, Cowan opened his own pottery workshop, the Cleveland Pottery and Tile Company in Lakewood, Ohio—a "street car suburb" of Cleveland, on Lake Erie. Cowan's architectural tiles, used throughout the Greater Cleveland area, paid the rent. But he also produced a small range of decorative "artware"...
Earlier this week, I expressed my love for matte green Arts & Crafts pottery. I find the shade so relaxing and natural—reminiscent of tree leaves upon oaken furniture branches. Matte green hues extend the full range from the pale to the ultra-saturated. The matte green of the Weller Arts & Crafts vase, shown above, hits the color range dead center. And it is possibly the finest piece of matte green pottery I have ever collected. This vase was part of their "Bedford" line from the early Twentieth Century. The tall, cylindrical form is buttressed and footed—and robed in a luscious matte green glaze. One can see the incised floral decoration, underglaze, near the top of the vase.
I love all shades of green. And it is the lightest shade—like a brand new Spring leaf, just-unfurled—which might be my favorite. It is so delicate and vulnerable, and yet promising. This pale hue marks the earliest signs of Spring resurrection after a long and dreary Winter. Shown above, a handsome pair of Art Deco sterling silver cufflinks, made in the Thirties. The refreshing Spring green enamel rests upon a machine-turned guilloché surface. "Machine turning" is a manner of engraving metal (with a rotating machine, like a lathe) in order to impart a precise, geometric design upon the metal. Jewelry, like these cufflinks, are often machine-turned. So are the printing plates for valuable paper certificates—like currency, stocks or diplomas—which helps prevent...
Saint Patrick's Day has put me in a green mood. That and my increasingly greening garden. For the next several days, we'll be sharing some of our handsome green items—sure to put you in a vernal mood—all currently in-stock in the LEO Design on-line shop.
One of the first collections I assembled, in my first months after opening LEO Design in 1995, was a grouping of matte green Arts & Crafts pottery. I barely knew what it was or how it fit within the history of decorative arts. But I knew that I liked it. And I still do.
Shown here, a most-handsome Arts & Crafts jardiniere.
Saint Pádraig, the patron saint of Ireland, was from a Roman-era British family, born in (it is speculated) 385 AD. His father was a deacon and his grandfather a priest. At sixteen, Patrick was kidnapped and shipped as a slave to Ireland where he spent six years as a shepherd. In his Confessio, his spiritual autobiography, he recounts a dream in which God instructed him to escape and head for the coast where a boat would be waiting for him. He did as he was instructed and returned to Britain where he joined the seminary, preparing to take holy orders for the priesthood. In 432, now a bishop, Patrick returned to Ireland, answering a calling to convert the Irish pagans...
On this evening, eight years ago, we moved out of our Chelsea apartment. The truckers had just removed the last box. Our furniture was wrapped and rolling. And our rented mini-van was en route to Pittsburgh--400 miles West. Benji sat in his crate between our seats. Lucky, the parakeet, chirped confusedly from his seat-belted cage in the back. This was a major turning-point in our lives. Had we made the right decision? Tomorrow we would meet those very same movers at our new home, where they would unpack the trucks—and leave us with weeks (months, years?) of unpacking, assembling and arranging.
"Beware the Ides of March," warned Spurrina, the Etruscan Haruspex, to Julius Caesar. A haruspex was a soothsayer—a seer—trained in predicting the future by studying the entrails of slaughtered animals. He believed that trouble might befall the leader on the Idus (the mid-point) of Martius (March). The year was 44 BC.
So, on that day, as Caesar was heading to the Theatre of Pompey (where the Senate was convening), he passed that very fortuneteller in the street. "Well, the Ides of March are come," said Julius. "Aye," the seer responded, "but they are not yet gone." It was at that Senate meeting, at the Theatre of Pompey, where a group of 60 conspirators, led by Brutus and Cassius, assassinated Julius Caesar.
Saint George is amongst the most popular and venerated of saints, named the patron saint of England, Portugal, Catalonia, Bulgaria, Malta, Lebanon, Ethiopia and Brazil. Observe the red "Saint George Cross" on numerous flags and crests of cities and villages for even more regional devotions to the saint. Despite this popularity, his history is a bit fuzzy—and, perhaps, a bit fanciful. We believe that he was of Greek Cappadocian ancestry (located in modern day Turkey), born into a Christian family. He became a Roman soldier under the Emperor Diocletian, eventually elevated to the elite Praetorian Guard. In 303 AD, however, a purge of Christians from the Roman Army (called The Diocletianic Persecution) demanded that George renounce his Christian faith....
Blenko Glass, still operating today in Milton, West Virginia, has an interesting—though quite fraught—history. The company was founded by Englishman William Blenko in 1893. He was born in London in 1853 and had worked in the glass industry there. At age 40, he moved to the United States where he opened (in Kokomo, Indiana) America's first factory to produce sheet glass for stained glass windows. That endeavor lasted ten years until an economic downturn forced Blenko to return to England. Six years later, Blenko was back in America and opened another factory, this time in Point Marion, Pennsylvania (which quickly failed), followed by another one in Clarksburg, West Virginia (which also closed quickly). Not one to give-up, William Blenko opened...
An armored knight steadies his steed, who's chomping at the bit, ready to begin the joust. These bronze-clad bookends are nicely patinated and hand-painted. They were sculpted with dynamic tension; one can practically hear the stomping and snorting of the swaying beast. Made in the Twenties or Thirties in Metuchen, New Jersey, by Marion Bronze.
I love horses. I love sculpture. And I love bookends. Check, check, check. But when it comes to horse racing, I have pretty-mixed feelings. I know that top race horses are treated magnificently. And, yet, injuries and track-side executions are still all-too-common. And for every top-tier race horse, there are hundreds of other horses who live and race at lower-level (perhaps questionable) stables and tracks. Despite these reservations, I think that the bookends, shown above, are straight out of the Winner's Circle. Made of heavy cast iron, they are patinated with a rich, traditional bronze, highlighted with golden bronze bas relief sculpting. The horses (and the horseshoe) fairly pop from the surfaces of these bookends, made by Bradley & Hubbard...
As a boy, when I raised horses, we were taught an iron clad rule: one should never let his horse graze with a bit in its mouth. I guess we were worried about the animal choking—or, at least, getting grass caught in the metal bar of the bit. I also have been in the practice of not buying very many painted cast iron bookends. I guess most painted bookends seemed tacky to me, and not well-painted. In buying these painted "grazing horse" bookends, I have had to neglect two operating principles in my life (grazing while bridled and painted cast iron). And I couldn't be happier with myself. The cast iron bookends, shown above, depict a horse grazing while he...
This week we are sharing some of our favorite Horse-themed Bookends at LEO Design. Earlier this week, we shared a pair of black vitreous porcelain horse head bookends made by Abingdon (Knoxville, Illinois). Shown above are a white pair—also made by Abingdon—which are equally stately, equally handsome.
The Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from the Archangel Gabriel in a cave in 610 AD. In 613 AD, the prophet began his public ministry—preaching his teachings of the new religion, Islam, amongst fellow Arabs. Initially, Islam spread mostly throughout the Arabian Peninsula. After Muhammad's death in 632 AD, Islam spread very quickly. Within 125 years, Islam had spread throughout North Africa, deep into Central Asia, and into parts of Europe. Some of this expansion was achieved by merchant-traders along well-established trade routes. But Islam was also established through Islamic military force—and their vigorous colonizing of foreign peoples. The Ottomans were a powerful Islamic empire based in Anatolia (Turkey). Founded in 1299, the Ottoman Empire grew in strength through...
Sculptor Cyrus E. Dallin (1861-1944) was born in Springville, Utah. As a child, Cyrus played with local Native American children and developed a deep respect for their culture (and a sympathy for their plight). During his fruitful career, he created a cycle of four Native American sculptural groupings (between 1890 and 1908). The fourth of these sculptures, called Appeal to the Great Spirit, inspired the pair of cast iron bookends shown above, made in the Twenties or Thirties. At the age of 19, Dallin left Utah for Boston where he apprenticed under sculptor T.H. Bartlett. In Boston, he befriended sculptor Augustus St. Gaudens and painter John Singer Sargent. In time, Dallin travelled to Paris to study at the Académie Julian....
While I recoil at the thought of killing a majestic buffalo with a spear—and I lament the near extinction of the species in America—I do admire the artistry manifested in this pair of cast iron "Bison Hunt" bookends from the Twenties or Thirties. The bas relief sculpting captures the frenetic energy of the hunt—and quite a lot of detail, too. See the dust rising from the hard-packed plain, as scrub bush disappear behind the sooty haze. And the artful sculpting is appreciable thanks to the crisp casting. Lastly, the bookends are finished with a dark bronze patina—while soft, golden highlights peek-out here and there.
The Abingdon Sanitary Manufacturing Company was founded in Knoxville, Illinois in 1908. They made very high quality plumbing fixtures: toilets, sinks, water fountains and other "sanitary ware." Abingdon's products were made of "vitreous porcelain"—a very heavy, dense, porcelain ceramic, coated with glass-like enameling which made the piece durable, impervious to damage or staining, and easy to clean. The company was regarded as the best in the business. They were the first company to introduce colored plumbing fixtures in 1928. And, in 1933, Abingdon provided all the plumbing fixtures for the Chicago World's Fair. Alas, during the Great Depression, the building industry was hard hit. Orders for plumbing fixtures dried-up. So, in 1934, Abingdon began producing decorative consumer goods (with the...
Sculptor James Earle Fraser (1876-1953) was born in Winona, Minnesota. Even as a boy, he was moved by the plight of Native Americans who were being pushed further West or confined to reservations. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, followed by studies in Paris, at the École des Beaux Arts and the Académie Julian.
Shown above, a pair of cast iron bookends based on Fraser's famous sculpture, The End of the Trail. His first model was made in 1894, while Fraser was still a teenager. He made several copies, in varying sizes, including one which was displayed at the San Francisco Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915. The exhibition helped make the sculpture very famous.
The theme of "The Horse Tamer" has long been a popular subject in sculpture—from Antiquity to the Enlightenment. Greek sculptors portrayed human trainers subduing their equine charges—which the Romans later copied for their own city. Amongst the most famous Roman Horse Tamers are a pair which flank an obelisk and fountain on Rome's Quirinal Hill. The pair—called Dioscuri, the twin half-brothers Castor & Pollux—were copied in the Fourth Century from Ancient Greek predecessors. In 1792, Napoleon considered removing them to Paris, however, they proved too large and difficult to transport. Also in Rome, another pair of Dioscuri, standing atop the dramatic ramp which leads to Michelangelo's Piazza del Campodoglio.
When I was a kid, I rode and showed horses. I belonged to one of the (three) 4-H horsemanship chapters on the island of Kauai: The Comancheros. I was crazy about horses. I read all the James Herriot books and saw myself becoming a large animal vet. Caring for a horse was a daily, all-consuming task. I had to head-out to the pasture every day after school—trucking water, food, and grooming equipment in the station wagon—which left no time for any other extracurricular pursuits. But I learned about carrying serious responsibility and committing to care for something which required absolute daily attention. I also experienced the indescribable bond that a horse and rider can form. I can still recall the...
We welcome, March. And we welcome your flower, the Daffodil—surely a most-welcome sign of a pending Spring! Daffodils are part of the Narcissus genus which are members of the Amaryllis family. They first grew some 33 million years ago, on the Iberian peninsula, from which they spread throughout Southwestern Europe and into North Africa. They became very popular in Europe in the 1500's and were extensively developed in the Netherlands shortly thereafter. Thousands of "cultivars" were developed through selective breeding. Long known to be poisonous (thus, deer won't eat them), they have been used medicinally since ancient times. Today, they are being studied as a possible treatment for Alzheimer's Dementia. But please be careful; their chemical components can have dangerous...
Let's end our pre-Spring flight with this little guy—a roly-poly baby bird. He is cast in brass and finished with a verdigris bronze patina. He may not be read to take flight. (He may never be able to take flight!) But he will look ever-so-cute sitting in-place, waiting for that hopeful day.
Like Mary Poppins's talking brolly handle, this pretty parrot is mostly content to stand quietly—waiting to be of use. The cold-painted Victorian bronze tea bell produces a delicate tinkling. It's loud enough to be heard by the servants, but not so brash as to disrupt your restorative respite. And its time-worn patina provides just the right touch of gentle decadence.
This pair of gentle sparrows—one tail-up, one tail-down—are sculpted with meticulous detail and convey the watchful energy of such a vulnerable creature. They bear a naturalistic, not Impressionistic, resemblance to the real birds and would make a lovely addition to that perfect little spot in your home.
Beth Breyen was one of six young, female designers, recruited by artist Nils Thorsson, to come work for Royal Copenhagen in the post-WW2 era. She was born in Norway and studied art in Oslo (form 1956 to 1960). Thorsson developed the Modernist Tenera line at Royal Copenhagen and allowed his young design staff artists to contribute their own ideas to the various items within the range. Beth Breyen seems to have been inspired by fluffy—perhaps slightly demented—birds. It is a recurring theme in her work. This ceramic plaque, made in the Sixties or Seventies, shows a pair of birds (is it a mother and a chick?) standing against a rich blue background. It was sculpted by Breyen and produced jointly...
Rise and Shine! This brassy British bantam is bellowing with bold abandon! He was cast in Edwardian England, circa 1910. Let him happily greet the dawn from your desk, bookshelf or bedside table.
Swan Lake is my favorite ballet. And this is not because of the storyline or the dancing. It's because of the sublime music by Tchaikovsky. The music is ravishing and poignant and devastating. It goes right to my heart. How could one not be moved (elevated and dashed) by this incredible 1876 score?
This little bronze swan, cast in Canada, will seemingly glide across your desk, bookshelf or windowsill.
In times past, children would be found playing with small sculpted figurines—perhaps soldiers, animals or automobiles. Such animals might be those varieties found on a farm, at a circus, in a zoo or on Noah's Ark. Here we have a pair of British tin penguins—dressed in their fancy, hand-painted black and white "tuxedos." They probably originated from a collection of zoo animals in the Twenties or Thirties. Playful penguins have always captivated humans. Their rocking gait, formal "attire" and devoted nesting practices have made them ripe for anthropomorphism. Indeed, these little tin birds have loads of personality—despite the simplicity of their design.
The peregrine falcon in the fastest animal on Earth—at times achieving speeds of 240 miles per hour (while dive-bombing prey). Their athleticism, ferocity and trainability have made them useful to humans. Falconers have been working with peregrine falcons for 3,000 years. And the birds' hunting prowess (and noble appearance) have made them an iconic symbol of divinity, royalty and military strength for millennia. The Egyptian Sun god, Ra, was portrayed as a man with a falcon's head.
The Danish Modernist falcon, shown above, was sculpted by Knud Kyhn for Royal Copenhagen. It is dated 1967. It captures the hunter in a moment of watchful rest.
Spring is in the air. We've been teased with fleeting moments of warmth—only to be blanketed with snow and ice the next day. But the birds are aflutter, zooming through my backyard. Let's anticipate the Spring with a selection of feathered friends, all now in-stock at LEO Design.
Shown above, a brass tea bell—its handle a chickadee, alighted upon a leafy twig. It's a handsome bell, whether employed at-table, sitting upon a pile of coffee table books, or standing sentry on your windowsill.
St. Patrick's Day is a wee month off! How about decorating with a handsome collection of matte green Arts & Crafts pottery? The Arts & Crafts vase, shown above, was made around 1910 by the Zanesville Art Pottery Company in Zanesville, Ohio. The company was founded by David Schmidt in 1900. They made a limited range of forms—roughly-moulded in stoneware—and glazed in a small palette of colors. Zanesville's Arts & Crafts matte green glaze has always been one of my favorites (and it was amongst the first collections I assembled in my new shop in 1995). When I first started buying these pieces, mostly in New England, they were commonly referred-to by the name "Norwalk." I believe that this regional...
Day two. I switched-out yesterday's leather boots for sneakers. And I packed my sweatshirt and sweatpants to change for the 4:00 pm pack-up. Alas, the weather—which had been snowing and slushy all weekend—has turned worse. It's sleeting—horizontally. Loading my station wagon will not be a fun thing.
But I learned a lot and enjoyed the experience. I'll probably come back next year.
Shown above, a pair of English Art Deco sterling silver cufflinks from the Twenties or Thirties. Bold stripes of lime green and white enameling lie-over a textural "waffled" guilloche. They are sporty, fresh, and perfect for the Spring and Summer. (Picture them against a tanned wrist!)
This year marks the 30th anniversary year of LEO Design. And—in all that time—we have never participated in an antiques show. I guess that I have always rationalized that, since I pay so much rent (and I lived in a city of 8.5 million people), why should I schlepp heavy and delicate merchandise miles away to set-up a folding table in a booth? What could I achieve in a weekend in a booth that I couldn't achieve over a weekend in my Greenwich Village shop? Finally, a change! Today—in our Thirtieth Anniversary Year—I will exhibit in my first antique show ever! Deciding what to bring was the first big task. Then, packing it—smartly and compactly—came next. I intended to only...
Valentinus was a Third Century Roman priest—possibly a bishop—who ministered to the persecuted Christians of Rome. He was arrested by Roman Emperor, Claudius II, who came to like the charming priest. However, when Valentinus pressed the emperor to become a Christian, Claudius laid-down an ultimatum: either Valentinus would renounce Christ or he would be beaten and beheaded. Valentinus met his martyrdom around the year 270—on the Via Flaminia. His relics were kept in the Church and Catacombs of San Valentino in Rome which became a popular Medieval pilgrimage destination. In the 13th Century, he was moved to Santa Prassede, then to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. More of his relics can be found in Madrid, Dublin, Prague, Lesbos,...
Tomorrow is "the big day"—St. Valentine's Day. We're sharing some of our favorite "reds" this week. Perhaps one of them will make the perfect Valentine's Day gift for a much-deserving sweetheart? Wars have a way of defining and separating the aesthetic movements which flourished before and after the conflicts. After World War Two, the world was ready to move-on from the Art Deco which had characterized the period between the wars. Mid-Century Modernism would become the fresh, new look—a signal that the world was moving-on, into the future. Wars also have an impact on people, institutions and companies. What worked before (or during) a war, may not succeed once the conflict has concluded. Italica Ars was formed in 1948—just after...
My mother lives in the Southwest and has become very fond of its regional style—informed as it is by Spanish, Mexican and Native American aesthetics. She also likes the desert climes, high-altitude or low. I am different. Southwestern style has never been my favorite look, I think, because I associate it so strongly with the desert—which has always felt like a foreign environment to my nature. I'm a LEO—a cat—so my life-sustaining habitat needs trees, mountains and lots of fresh water (not salty). My idea of heaven is a placid, freshwater lake, surrounded by evergreen woods and steep mountain cliffs. I come-alive in an Alpine-ish setting (whether in Hawaii, the Northeast or Northern Italy). Deep green leaves. Rich, black earth....
When it comes to pottery, which factor is more important: form or glaze? In truth, both are consequential. But, if I were forced to choose only one of them, I would have to say that the glazing is most important. Form can be easily copied. A ceramicist can easily make a mould based upon the shape of another artist's finished piece. In fact, pottery factories would sometimes sell their discontinued moulds to competitors. Glazes, however, are much more difficult to decipher and control. A small variation in glaze ingredients, their application, kiln temperature, firing time, or cooling process can result in significant differences in outcome. And the process of figuring-out (and then duplicating) a new glaze is filled with numerous...
Key wallets make so much sense! They make one's keys easier to find. They minimize the keys' clanging-together. And, most importantly, they protect other objects in your bag (or pocket) from being poked or scratched by the sharp metal edges. In time, trouser pockets will develop holes from the continuous friction of a key point. So why do key wallets seem to be a relic of another generation—or, perhaps, another culture?
This repp stripe key wallet was crafted in Japan. The exterior is a durable, nylon tie-striped fabric. Inside, the leather lining is topped with brass rings to separate the keys. The entire wallet clicks-shut with a snap. And sporty-sharp!
With St. Valentine's Day on the horizon, let's look at some of LEO Design's suitably-red offerings for the February holiday.
Shown above, a handsome West German Modernist jug-form vase by Töpferei Hartwig Heyne. The firm was founded in 1850, during the Prussian Empire, in Silesia—along the Polish border. After World War Two, much of Silesia was transferred to Poland under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement. At this point, Hartwig Heyne's descendants—Christine Heyne and her aunt, Meta—re-started the company as a smaller, studio pottery workshop in Oer-Erkenschwick, Western Germany. This move coincided with the emergent Modernist aesthetic, soon to become the most important interior design trend in the post-war West.
Let's end our parade of William Nicholson sporting prints with this image, published in An Almanac of Twelve Sports in 1898. I have often wondered if the scene was (or was inspired by) African-American boxer Jack Johnson. It is a wonderful image, certain to be treasured by any pugilist (or a fan of such sport). It is mounted in an oak frame, from the same period as the print. While William Nicholson is best known for his handsome prints, he was also a wonderful painter. American painter, James McNeil Whistler, was a friend of Nicholson's and he vigorously encouraged Nicholson to pursue painting more seriously—which Nicholson did increasingly after 1900. Nicholson's portraits and landscapes are wonderful. But I especially love...
I loved the George Clooney film, The Boys in the Boat. It tells the compelling, real life story of a group of poor college boys who form a rag-tag crew team who succeed in beating their rival, The University of California. These underdogs then go-on to best the elite East Coast Ivy Leagues at the Poughkeepsie Regatta, followed by all the international teams at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. The film is an aesthetic feast—and it conveys the beauty (not to mention the blood, sweat and tears) of this most challenging of sports. Shown above, a William Nicholson sporting print depicting a rowing team on the water—which is being trained by their coach (astride a horse, along the river bank)....
I've never thought of "coaching" as a "sport"—though I will admit that it is a highly-physical, even athletic undertaking (for the horses, the coachmen and the passengers being tossed-about the carriage). Nevertheless, this Coaching print is part of a portfolio called An Almanac of Twelve Sports, published in 1898. Sir William Nicholson provided the artwork (woodblock prints which were then reproduced as lithographs) while Rudyard Kipling provided the verse.
Shooting has always been a popular sport amongst British upperclass men. Weekend "shooting parties" at grand country estates were fashionable amongst the well-to-do. They were also satirized in movies like Gosford Park. Though these aristocratic sportsmen certainly would "muck about," regardless of the poor weather, they could afford certain hired luxuries like "beaters" (men to flush the birds out of the grasses) and "loaders" (who would quickly prepare the shooter's next gun so that the master could shoot continuously). A wealthy aristocrat would have a large estate and a permanent "gamekeeper" (and maybe an "under gamekeeper") who would maintain the semi-wild grounds and conditions for optimal animal breeding and replenishment. Gamekeepers would also try to prevent poachers and other predators...
Sir William Nicholson's London Types was published in 1898—13 printed portraits of quintessential London characters, presented as a bound portfolio. The series included such iconic Londoners as a Beefeater, a Policeman, a News Boy, a Horse Guard, a Barmaid and a Hawker selling trinkets. Shown above, a Flower Girl—probably selling her wares in early morning Covent Garden. These prints utilized the bold and simple graphics—with lots of heavy black line—for which Nicholson was well known. Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, wrote his famous play, Pygmalion, in 1912—some 14 years after this print was published. But most educated Brits were well-familiar with the Greek myth of the sculptor who fell in love with one of his creations, come-to-life. The play Pygmalion—and...
As a youth, Sir William Nicholson studied at an art school run by Bavarian-born (multimedia) artist Hubert von Herkomer. Herkomer was a painter, portraitist, filmmaker and music composer. In 1886, Herkomer built a home, called Lululaund (named after his late wife), in Bushey, a village about 20 miles north of London. The house was designed by the illustrious American architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, which was to be his only building in Europe. Richardson provided his design of the house in exchange for the portrait Herkomer had painted of him. In this home, Herkomer established his studio and an art school—in which the young William Nicholson studied. And it was here that Nicholson met his future wife, Mabel Pryde.
