Not so long from now, we'll be hearing all about "Silver Bells." But before we reach that point—and while it's still warmish—let's look at a "Verdi Bell," now in-stock at LEO Design.
In this case, Verdi does not refer to the Italian Maestro, Giuseppe—composer of opera masterpieces Aida, Otello, La traviata (and more). Rather, in this case, we refer to "verdigris"—the naturally occurring greenish-bluish-greyish patina which develops on bronze, brass and copper. According to one theory, the name Verdigris is derived from the Old French Verte Grez (Green-Grey). Modern French calls it vert-de-gris ("green-of-grey").
Before the Holidays arrive—and sweep us away—we have a few days remaining to activate those long-planned organizational systems, simple or complex as they may be. Having "just the right place" to keep important items can save us time and annoyance (when we most need to be operating efficiently). For me, having my keys and wallet stashed in their proper place makes for a less dramatic morning—when I'm scrambling to get-out-the-door on-time.
This heavy brass "pocket caddy" is the perfect place to keep those pocketable items, perhaps near the door (where they can always be located). This caddy can also be used at bedside—to keep-tidy one's watch, cufflinks, coins, rings or collar stays.
For Christians, today, 2 November, is celebrated as All Souls' Day—the day when "all the faithful departed" are commemorated and prayed for. Yesterday, on All Saints' Day (1 November), all the saints were remembered, honored and celebrated. All Souls' Day is the third and final day of the Allhallowtide triduum. In Mexico, All Souls' Day takes on a specific and festive demeanor, known as Dia de los Muertos, "The Day of the Dead." Prayer and remembrance are blended with joyful celebration and ghoulish merriment. The bookends, shown above, show a bas relief monk-scribe, bent over his Illuminated Manuscript. He is centered within a handsome "proscenium archway" decorated with rich, scrolling botanical elements and a pair of dolphins at the top....
One week to go! Election Day! Will we see Happy Days? Oh my. Why don't we avoid the topic? Let us look the other way! In 1903, Julius Chein opened his modest, new business in a New York City loft—initially making printed metal toys to be included as the "prize" in a box of Cracker Jack. His focus was lithographed tin, though, for the first four years of business, Chein had to outsource his metal printing. Business succeeded and, by 1907, Chein could afford to open his own metal printing plant in Harrison, New Jersey. J. Chein & Company made all manner of toys and novelties of lithographed metal: piggybanks, tambourines, rattles, & other noisemakers, scale trucks & automobiles, wind-up toys...
A Troika is a grouping of three powers, working together to achieve a mission. Its original meaning was a trio of horses—harnessed together, three abreast—to pull a Russian sled or carriage. Since then, the term has evolved to include the collaboration of three forces allied towards a common goal, usually in the political, military or business worlds. In recent times, we might think of the political-military troika of Russia, Iran and North Korea. Or, in Europe, the financial troika of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. In America, billionaire media owners pull in the same direction to achieve political and/or financial benefits: Musk, Bezos, Murdoch (though they probably would deny collaborating).
But let's get-back to the horses!
It's a mere two months—just 61 days—'til Christmas! And, here to provide support and cheer, is Santa Claus, featured on a pair of holiday pins from the 1930's or 1940's. The pins were part of a campaign for the National Tuberculosis Association, founded in 1904. In 1907, the Association launched the Christmas Seals fundraising drive—with the modest goal of saving a troubled TB sanatorium in Delaware. The Christmas Seals campaign was very successful; it continues to this day. Tuberculosis is a serious and deadly disease. It is caused by a bacteria which infects the lungs, spread through coughing, sneezing or breathing infected air in tight quarters. In the Nineteenth Century, it is estimated that 25% of deaths in Europe was...
When I found this charming baby bird, I just couldn't resist. I suppose his plump body, big eyes and open mouth are his evolutionary insurance that his parents will continue to feed and protect him—until such time he can provide those functions for himself. Could this be why we find baby creatures adorable? So that we will continue to nurture them through those vulnerable years? This little Japanese bird—is it meant to hold matches, cigarettes or toothpicks?—is cast in bronze and finished with a light verdigris patina. Need I add that he is well-sculpted? Clearly the artist knew exactly how to appeal to that ancient animal impulse (in most of us) to care for those cute and cuddly creatures—be they...
On this night in 1966, the brand new Metropolitan Opera House officially opened in Manhattan's Lincoln Center. It was the high-tech, cutting-edge performance venue of its day—the centerpiece of a sparkling, 25 acre performing arts venue which had once been cluttered with decaying tenements (portrayed in the 2021 film West Side Story). The house seated 3,850 audience members and it replaced the earlier (1883) Metropolitan Opera House at Broadway and 39th Street. (That theatre was so under-equipped that stage hands had to pull scenery off-stage and store it on 39th Street.) The opening night performance was Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra—making its world premiere. Master of spectacle, Franco Zeffirelli, was tasked with creating the opening night extravaganza. And, boy, did he...
Don't look now! St. Valentine's Day is a short five months away!
First we need to get-through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.
The cast pewter heart, shown above, was hand-crafted in California. It would make a lovely token of your affection on Valentine's Day (or Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's).
Art Nouveau designers—from all parts of the world—would often "reach-back" in their local history to find aesthetic themes for their contemporary, Turn-of-the-Century works. Artists would mine literary, cultural, historic or ancient aesthetic motifs, reviving them for an audience which probably would recognize them. For example, English Arts & Crafts artisans might lift characters, scenes or verbiage from Medieval literature (like The Knights of the Round Table). In America, Arts & Crafts artists might utilize ancient Native American symbology. In Germany, a Gothic sensibility permeated much of their Jugendstil design. The hammered steel cigar casket, shown above, has the rustic sensibility of hand-wrought Gothic design. Nine round, shield-form "bosses" are hammered and affixed with metal riveting. They provide the fortified appearance...
Notorious curmudgeon, W. C. Fields, advised actors to "Never share the stage with animals or children." They are just too darn cute!
That's true for this pair of cast iron bookends, made in the Twenties or Thirties. A pair of watchful terrier puppies—simultaneously slouchy and attentive—are ready to hold-up your books or decorate your mantelpiece. The bookends are heavy. However, they do not have traditional "flat backs" which most bookends do. So these bookends are most effectively used holding-up thick and heavy, hardback tomes—which don't lean much, they just need to be kept upright.
When Europeans first started trading with the East—China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia—a whole new world of design and style was revealed to Westerners. Asian artisans created masterful works—ceramics, lacquerware, textile weaving, printmaking—which enchanted the Europeans. These items, when imported to the West, were very expensive. Asian decorative arts became a status symbol of the rich and worldly. Only the wealthiest Europeans and Americans could afford to collect the real thing. But the desire for "Oriental" design permeated more than just the upper reaches of Western society. Consumers in the growing Middle Class (especially in the Nineteenth Century) wanted "a taste of the exotic East" in their homes, too. This broad demand led Western designers and craftsmen to try to emulate...
Korea has a long history of artistic handcrafted bronze ware—both for decorative and for practical (food service) uses. Shown above, a decorative bronze charger made in South Korea in the Fifties. It was probably brought-back to the States by an American serviceman who had been stationed in Korea.
The wide-rimmed charger is decorated with a highly-detailed bas relief wildlife scene. A pike leaps vigorously from the waters. Lilly pads, river grasses and a riverbank landscape can be seen behind him. It is all captured in tremendous detail. And, yet, the dynamic fish is the clear focus of the composition.
From our earliest days, we’ve been mesmerized by the sapphire—birthstone for the month of September. It is amongst the hardest of gemstones and also amongst the most-expensive. And, some might argue, sapphires are the most beautiful.
Sapphires belong to the corundum family which includes rubies. In fact, sapphires and rubies are the same stone; sapphires contain iron and titanium impurities while rubies contain chromium impurities. Both types of corundum often are found in the same areas, though one of the varieties will predominate. Sapphires are found and mined in Africa, Russia, Australia, and parts of Asia (most notably, India). In the United States, sapphires are found in Montana.
The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 AD by the Emperor Osman I (who lived approximately 1254 - 1323 AD). The name "Ottoman" is an anglicization of "Osman" (which may have been the Arabic variant of his Turkish name, "Ataman"). Little is known about him; in fact, it took a couple of centuries for historians to begin recording his story. As a result, it has been difficult to distinguish myth from true history. Nevertheless, he founded the monarchy which expanded aggressively with his descendants—eventually conquering the Byzantine Christians in 1453 and taking Constantinople. Constantinople, which had been center of the Latin-Christian world from the Fourth Century, was renamed Istanbul. The Ottoman Empire remained the political and economic bridge between Europe and the Middle...
The older I get (!!!), the more I appreciate having magnifying glasses here-and-there—lying in strategic spots, all around the house. I have one in the kitchen for reading the criminally-small cooking instructions on food packaging. There's one in the TV room for ascertaining the running time on a DVD movie box. I have a few of them in my work space—where I am forever researching antique makers' marks. And a good, strapping magnifying glass is always helpful in the tool drawer, for when one is called-upon to read the finely-raised (white-on-white) instructions inside a smoke detector or the etched serial number on the bottom of a toaster.
The magnifying glass, shown above, was made for one's more-refined tasks.
At LEO Design, we love our LEOs—including this handsome beast from the Twenties or Thirties. Lions are portrayed in many different manners. This guy seems to have been sculpted with an Early Twentieth Century "Circus Lion" demeanor—like one might have seen on a circus poster between the wars. His foreshortened paw reaches-out; his other paw rests upon a Cubist boulder. As we love lions, I have had this particular fellow—actually, a pair of cast iron bookends—in-stock in the past. At the moment, we also have in-stock a similar pair with their original gold finish option. This pair of bookends have an age-darkened bronze finish. The lively sculpting, the fierce energy, and the rich bronze patina make for a handsome addition to...
In keeping with our Modernist barware theme (see yesterday's journal entry), here is another intriguing piece—from post-war Modernist Japan. A hand-cut glass shaker with chromed lid is joined by six barware implements—all smartly-arranged upon a wood and chrome caddy.
The utensils include a graduated "scoop-form" jigger, an olive pick, a mixing paddle, ice tongs, strainer and bottle/can opener. All the pieces have wooden handles or accents.
The entire set hangs (or sits) upon this handsome wood and chrome caddy—ready for smart service at a moment's notice.
In England and her Commonwealth Countries, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. This was the traditional holiday for servants—when they would receive their "boxes" from their employers and could celebrate the day off with their families and friends. After all, servants were expected to serve their employers on Christmas Day. It wasn't a holiday for them; if fact, Christmas entertaining probably made the day extra difficult. Boxing Day will be here four months from today.
In honor of Boxing Day, we'd like to share this attractive—though well-worn—candy tin from the Twenties.
These days, it seems, there is no shortage of people shooting dozens of "selfies" day after day. We have the mobile phone camera to thank for this—and the fact that it costs nothing to take yet another photograph. A century ago, well before the invention of digital photography, expensive and delicate rolls of film needed to be purchased and later developed into paper photographs. Photography was a costly exercise. A century before that (circa 1822), photography was a brand new technology, thanks to pioneering photo-inventor Joseph Niépce of France. For the next several decades, photographic processes improved, though sitters still needed to engage a professional (usually in a studio or other establishment) to have their portrait recorded. For this reason, people in the Mid-Nineteenth...
Shakespeare never fails to amaze me. And I love collecting bookends which honor this greatest of writers. For no other human has influenced English writing more than he has: on theatre, on character, on the language we use today. Lonely. Generous. Addiction. These are words, invented by Shakespeare, which we use every day—if not every few hours. You'll find a longer list of his words and phrases below. We are not certain of Shakespeare's precise date of birth. We know that he was baptized on 26 April 1564. Traditionally, 23 April has been celebrated as his birthday. We do know that he died on the same day—23 April—in 1616. The Bard wrote 39 plays and many dozens of sonnets and poems....
I stayed-up way too late last night, watching the first night of the Democratic National Convention. And so it begins. Why am I exhausted already? (In truth, I've been exhausted for eight years.) Perhaps things are more convenient when they are in one's own time zone.
To the rescue! This little bronze donkey can help us get through the next 76 days—and the possibly-contested days to follow. On the bottom of each little hoof you'll find the letters K, I, C & K. He's a Kick Ass kind of guy.
And if, perchance, elephants are more your thing, click here to see something you might prefer.
On this day in 1040 AD, Macbeth's army killed Scots King Duncan I. Macbeth held the Scottish throne for the next 17 years.
Duncan—known in Scots Celtic as Donnchadh mac Crìonain—is represented in Shakespeare's tragic play, Macbeth (1606), as an older man. In fact, King Duncan (1001-1040) was crowned at 33 and died at the tender age of 39. He did have at least two sons, both of whom also appear in the play: Máel Coluim Mac Donnchadh (Malcolm) and Domnall Bán (Donalbain). Macbeth was cousin to King Duncan and a duke, as well.
This week, we're sharing some of our favorite felines—a tribute to "the cat ladies" who inspire, teach and lead us. A cat's arched back. Is it a hiss, a stretch, or an appeal for a friendly scratching? This cast iron kitty, made in the Teens or Twenties, is a doorstop by Hubley. The Hubley Manufacturing Company was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1894. Shortly after the Turn-of-the-Twentieth-Century, Hubley began manufacturing cast iron animals—like the doorstop shown here—and other cast iron toys: cars, trucks and "heavy equipment." As the century progressed, Hubley shifted to cast-zinc items and became most well-known for its collectible scale model cars. This heavy, cast iron cat was designed to be a doorstop. It would look great, however,...
From Japan we have this wonderful Modernist house cat. Her simple—but sensuous—lines convey much feline energy and attitude. Made of heavy cast brass, hand-chased and polished to a mirror finish. A wonderful paperweight or "whatnot" to keep you company on your desk, windowsill or bedside table.
With so much in the news lately about "cat ladies," we thought that LEO Design was overdue paying tribute to them. Childless? Sometimes. Miserable? Not that I can see. This week we will share some of our favorite little felines, now in-stock at LEO Design. Each of these kittens will wait patiently at home—cheerfully and loyally—until "their special ladies" return home (whether from work, from vacation or from the polls). Here's to the cat ladies!
This little fella is sculpted in brass, finished with a verdigris bronze patina. The sculptor has captured perfectly the hunched, coiled energy of a feline—confident, relaxed, but ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Not unlike some of those cat ladies I know!
Yesterday we presented August's birthstone, the Peridot. Today, let's talk about August's birth flower, the Poppy.
Poppies are thought to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean and have been cultivated by Western and Central Europeans from about 6,000 BC. Early on, people recognized the analgesic properties of the plant. Ancient Egyptian doctors had their patients chew a mouthful of poppy seeds to relieve pain. Even today, poppies are cultivated as a source of opium, morphine and codeine—powerful narcotics. Recent and reckless use of Oxycodone, which is synthesized from poppies, has caused grave problems for so many. And the illicit drug trade has profited from the poppy—through the sale of heroin, another derivation of the flower's seeds.
Welcome, August, and your birth stone, the brilliant Peridot. Let's begin with the basics: how does one pronounce "Peridot"? In the dictionary, the first (that is, the preferred) pronunciation is "Peri-dot" with a "hard T." The second option is "peri-dough"—which I suspect is the more popular pronunciation amongst fancy jewelers (and others who are trying to sell the gemstone). Peridot is a clear, gemstone-quality variety of Olivine—which is one of the very few gemstones which is formed in the Earth's hot, crushing mantle (most gemstones form at a much shallower depth, in the Earth's Crust). The peridot radiates a brilliant green color—thanks to the presence of iron—and it presents within a fairly tight color range (on either side of lime green). It...
Let's end our week of LEOs in Summer with this little guy—a bronze sculpture of a small, but brave, lion. Spontaneously modeled (perhaps a touch Rodin-ish), this little boy has the letters COURAGE impressed upon his tiny tummy. It's a great sentiment for someone who is setting-out on a new journey. Or, perhaps, someone who is facing a daunting challenge. And, of course, it would be warmly-received by any LEO you know.
This week, we're presenting some of our favorite felines—The LEO in Summer—which can be found in our LEO Design on-line shop.
Here's another Turn-of-the-Century cast iron lion bank—probably first owned by a child who was being encouraged to save his coins. The two halves are separately cast, then screwed together. Whether used to hold coins or not, this handsome LEO has a richly-aged patina. He'll provide good company on a desk, bedside, or windowsill.
Antoine-Louis Bayre (1795-1875) is arguably the world's all-time greatest animalier—that is, a sculptor (or painter) of naturalistic animals. He began his studies as an apprentice jeweler, working under Napoleon's goldsmith. He was admitted into the École des Beaux-Arts, in Paris, and enjoyed spending time sketching the animals in the ménagerie at the Jardin des Plantes (the city's botanical garden which contained a small zoo—housing the animals moved from Versailles during the French Revolution).
Spelter is a metalic alloy—mostly zinc, usually combined with various other metals, like tin, antimony or lead. In the Nineteenth Century, spelter became very popular as a casting alternative to bronze. When cast, it conveys fine detail very well and is lighter and less expensive than bronze. But spelter is also very brittle (subject to cracking, if dropped). All manner of decorative objects—clocks, trophies, candlesticks, bookends—were made of spelter. After casting, the pieces can be patinated, like bronze, or painted, like the lion above. Being economical (and easier to work with, due to its lower melting point), spelter was perfect for making inexpensive toys like soldiers, animals or game board parts. Our lion shown here, standing atop his mountain,...
Lions have been used in heraldry for millennia. Different poses—called attitudes—would indicate different characteristics. The turn of the head, the lifting of a paw (or paws) were given different names. A Lion Rampant is one who is rearing-up, standing on his two back feet or one back foot. A Lion Sejant is seated, front paws together on the floor (like a house cat). A Lion Couchant is lying on his belly, head raised (like a sphinx). Our cast bronze lion, shown above, was modeled in the American Midwest, thus, I'm not sure if heraldic conventions were being observed. If I were to take-a-stab at identifying his attitude, I would say Lion Statant Guardant Sinister (which means, a lion standing on four...
Wednesday's LEO was stalking. Thursday's LEO was static. Today's LEO is fierce—roaring while he strikes with his left paw. The pair of cast iron bookends, shown above, portrays a ferocious lion as he might appear in a circus—or on a circus poster. Most of the original golden finish remains intact. And the "Cubist" boulder, under foot, reflects the times in which this lion was sculpted—in the Twenties. The sculptor succeeded in creating a model full of energy, action and fury. Indeed, this LEO is a monarch.
Before Venmo or Apple Pay or Zelle, people saved and spent real money—cash dollars and coins. Good savings habits were encouraged in youngsters by giving them a bank into which they could deposit coins—to save-up for a special purchase or to hold-fast for a rainy day.
The cast iron lion bank, shown above, was just such an item. In it, a child could save his or her coins and have a wonderful companion in their bedroom. Traces of the original golden paint remain on the lion which was made at the Turn-of-the-Twentieth-Century.
With all due apologies to Henry II, let us have a look at some of The Lions in Summer—at LEO Design. Over the next few days, we will present some of our favorite felines, currently in-stock in the LEO Design on-line shop.
Shown here, a stalking lion, crouching, creeping, preparing for the strike. Most lion bookends capture the "Majestic Lion"—a regal feline posing for the sculptor. Here we see him in-action. The sculptor has beautifully captured the tense, coiled energy of a big cat—ready to pounce. Our hunting hero is shown atop a jagged rock, perhaps a jutting cliffside or promontory. It's a nice, old-fashioned aesthetic, beautifully sculpted in the early Twentieth Century.
LEO is here, monarch of the zodiac! And, of course, that lucky lion is the namesake of our little shop, LEO Design.
For the next few days, we'll be sharing some of our favorite LEOs—now on-line and available for purchase on our website.
Shown above, a nicely-cast spelter lion. The details are superb and the cold-painting (that is, done after casting) is lovely. It is not marked but I suspect it was made in Austria or Germany.
We're in the final weeks of Cherry Season—that time of the year when domestic cherries are at peak harvest. But you can have cherries all year long—with this handsome brass wall plaque depicting drooping clusters of cherries and the leaves which shelter them. This English Arts & Crafts plaque will enliven "that perfect little spot which needs a little something." It was made around 1900 or shortly thereafter.
We've spent the last few days—during the Dog Days of Summer—sharing a few of our favorite dog-related items, now available on the LEO Design website.
Let's end our parade of playful pups with this duo of eager Scotties—a pair of bookends made in the Twenties or Thirties. Beautifully cast—with handsome detail—and patinated with a rich bronze finish. A verdigris bronze patina suggests grass growing around the fence. Who among us wouldn't delight at coming-home to such a joyful, loving pair of loyal friends?
This vigilant terrier will stay his post all day long—while also holding-open your door. He was cast in iron and hand-painted by Hubley in the early Twentieth Century. Hubley was founded in 1894 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They made toys and decorative objects including bookends and cast iron doorstops. In time, they produced cap guns and are best known for making collectible scale models of automobiles after World War II. This terrier can still hold-open a door. He would also look terrific on a mantelpiece, on a desk or guarding a windowsill.
In "The Olde Days," cigarettes and the sporting life went hand-in-hand. Thus we have here a cast brass ashtray of two English birddogs, emerging from the water, in pursuit of their assignment: to gently retrieve their master's (or mistress's) birds. The bas relief sculpting is nice: interesting, detailed, full of energy. And one need not smoke to make use of this English brass tray! At bedside it would make a great place to keep one's rings or cufflinks—or perhaps a supply of collar stays. On the desk, it could hold one's clips or coins. And, at the front door, it's a great place to stash one's keys—from where one will always remember where to retrieve them. And, for those who smoke,...
We're spending a few days—During the Dog Days of Summer—sharing a few of our favorite dog-related items, now available on the LEO Design website.
This little fellow—a cast iron pup—is painted black and trimmed with a red bow. It was probably a child's collectible toy in the Teens or Twenties. His slouchy demeanor and attentive gaze are captivating—and oh, so cute.
Over the years, I've bought and sold hundreds of pairs of bookends. A good percentage of these have featured dogs. And a good number of those dogs have been terriers. And, yet, I have never come across this pair of bookends before.
I love the sculpting on these bookends: the dog is handsome, alert, and inquisitive. The sculptor has captured perfectly the attitude of a terrier. The color is rich and waxy. And the mark on the back—one I have not encountered much—tells us that this pair of bookends were made in New York. There were some foundries in New York City, though most of the country's brass foundries were found in Central Connecticut.
We're spending a few days—during the Dog Days of Summer—sharing a few of our favorite dog-related items, now available on the LEO Design website.
When it comes to Hollywood Style, few dogs can beat a Terrier—especially a Scottie. This fabulous pair of American Art Deco bookends are made of "Silverlite"—a proprietary material of the Russel Studios in Chicago. Our Scottie, proudly alert, stands before a magnificent Art Deco architectural backdrop. The bookends—the architecture, the silver color, the Scottie himself—scream "stardom!"
We now find ourselves in "The Dog Days of Summer." This year, the period spans from 3 July through 11 August—the period during which Sirius the star appears on the morning horizon and travels its visible path across the sky.
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Its name comes from the Greek, meaning "glowing" or "scorching." It keeps company with a larger cluster of stars, a constellation, called Canis Major (meaning "The Greater Dog"). For millennia, humans have noticed, studied and tracked this special star—often attributing great power to this celestial fixture.
Happy Independence Day! When ranked lists of American presidents are compiled, Abraham Lincoln is usually found sitting at the top of the list. Less frequently, he earns second place (behind President George Washington). When asked, "Why is Lincoln number one?" the answer is a reflexive, "Well, he saved the country." This answer is good and true. But there is more to Lincoln—the man—that makes him a role model for all Americans, even today. In my view, he possessed several qualities and achieved signal accomplishments (in addition to "saving the nation"). Most importantly, Lincoln expanded liberty and freedom to more Americans. He moved the country one (giant) step forward on its trudge towards "Liberty and Justice for All" (a march still...
In the Hebrew Scriptures, Wednesday is the fourth day of the week. Genesis tells us that God created the Sun, the Moon and the stars on this, the fourth day. The greater orb, The Sun, would rule The Day. The lesser orb, The Moon, would rule The Night. Similarly, most Muslims view Wednesday as the fourth day of the week (which begins on Sunday). In those countries which observe Friday as "the day of rest" (for example, Iran, Somalia or Djibouti), Wednesday is their fifth day. Most modern Christians consider Wednesday the third day. In German, Wednesday is called Mittwoch (that is, "Mid-Week"). Finns say Keskiviikko or "Middle-of-the-Week."
At LEO Design, Hanukkah is coming early this year. I just received my cast bronze Hanukkah Menorah—beautifully-sculpted in the form of a wind-swept cypress tree. As beautiful as it is for Hanukkah, one might just want to keep-it-out all year 'round. Atop a mantelpiece (where one cannot see the candle holes), one might not even realize that it's a menorah. Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome piece—which is sure to become a treasured family heirloom. An interesting fact: this year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of 25 December—Christmas Day. Of course, Hanukkah falls on different days each year (as it follows the ancient Hebrew calendar which is based on the cycles of the Moon). ...
On this day in 1917, the first Pulitzer Prizes were awarded—in three categories: Biography, History and Journalism. They were awarded by Columbia University in New York, thanks to an endowment by Hungarian immigrant, József Pulitzer (1847-1911), who had made a fortune in American publishing. It was Pulitzer's bequest which had established the Columbia School of Journalism in the first place. Pulitzer was born to a Jewish family in Southern Hungary, near Romania. His father was a successful merchant and eventually moved the family to Pest (along the Danube River, the eastern portion of Budapest). The Pulitzer children were privately tutored, learning French and German. When Pulitzer's father died, however, the family went bankrupt, forcing the young József to find work....
On this day in 1946, the people of Italy voted to abolish their monarchy (54% to 46%) and the Republic of Italy was born. From this point, by law, no male heir to the crown (or queen consort) was allowed to set foot on Italian soil. Within 11 days, King Umberto II left Italy peacefully, never to return. He lived most of his final 37 years in Cascais, along the "Portuguese Riviera." This last Italian monarch, Umberto Nicola Tommaso Giovanni Maria di Savoia, had only been king for about five weeks. His father, Vittorio Emanuele III (who had ruled since 1900), stepped-down and let his son succeed him. The former king, Vittorio Emanuele III, was exiled to Egypt and died...
Richard Wagner was born on this day in 1813, the ninth child in his family. His father died when Richard was six months old and the boy grew-up believing that his stepfather, Ludwig Geyer (a playwright and actor), was his biological father. Young Richard took music lessons and was enchanted with the theatre. He participated in Ludwig's stage productions. While he struggled with the technical rigors of piano exercises, he was able to write music and reproduce opera scores by ear. He also pursued playwriting. At 13, he began writing a tragedy which he hoped to musicalize. The next year, after he first heard Beethoven, he wrote a piano transcript of the composer's Ninth Symphony. Mozart inspired him, too. Wagner...
This week we're sharing some of our favorite Springtime cufflinks—like the smart and handsome pair shown above. Bold stripes of lime green and bright white enameling add fresh Springtime energy to this pair of English Art Deco sterling silver cufflinks. They're sporty, clean, and perfect for Spring and Summer.
Cornflower blue—with its blush of purple—has always been a favorite color of mine. As it was for Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer. The cornflower is the national flower of Estonia. And the "Cornflower Blue Sapphire" is the most valuable of all sapphires.
This pair of Art Deco enameled cufflinks juxtaposes most-satisfying cornflower with the crisp contrast of bright white. Perfect for Spring—and into the Summer, as well.
Spring, glorious Spring! New growth. Fleeting flowers. Getting dirty with Winter clean-up, early weeding and fresh plantings.
One of the most beautiful parts of Spring—aside from the longer and warmer days—is the soft Springtime colors. So, this week, we will be sharing some of our nicest "Spring Beauties": cufflinks which capture the soft beauty of the season.
Shown above, a pair of sterling silver Art Deco cufflinks with soft celadon green enameling. Swirls of machine-turned guilloché provide subtle, radiant energy.
Heraldry is "the system by which coats-of-arms and other armorial bearings (that is, "military symbols") are devised, described and regulated." To some, the study of heraldry may seem like a frivolous pursuit. But the "art and science" of heraldry is deadly serious to those who employ it: monarchies, militaries, religious denominations, aristocratic families, and hierarchical societies. The use and regulation of heraldry is all about propriety and rules. Different institutions—sometimes over centuries—have developed heraldic customs and subtleties that must be complied with, monitored and enforced.
Mayo, Maypo, Maypole, Maple. Some days the puns flow more easily. Today's not that day.
Day-in and day-out, regardless of the month, this maple "dish" remains handsome and moderately useful. It is cast of pewter and finished with a brassy wash. The dip in the center makes it perfect for holding a few small objects: paperclips, cufflinks, rings or house keys. It would also "present" a small stack of business cards with "North-of-the-Border" style.
Like the candlesticks we shared earlier this week, this elegant pair of American Arts & Crafts candlesticks have a botanical inspiration. The "cups" resemble tulip buds, just ready to open. The shafts reflect tapered, tightly-bundled tulip stems. And the "bobeches" are cut into a scalloped, petal-form shape. The entire candlestick is hand-hammered and silver-plated. They were made in Meriden, Connecticut around 1910.
On 5 May 1862, Mexican troops successfully defended the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe from the larger, better-equipped French forces of Napoleon III. The two forts sit atop a hill overlooking the city of Puebla (about 75 miles Southeast of Mexico City). Although the French came back the following year—and took Puebla—the 5 May event served as a motivating rallying cry for Mexican troops.
Today, Cinco de Mayo is more-widely celebrated in the United States (as a celebration of pan-Mexican culture) than it is in Mexico. However, in Puebla, the day remains important and one can visit two forts which are now history museums.
Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, called Honu, have always been found living in and around the Hawaiian Islands, where I grew up. When I was a boy, most people thought of them as cute, nothing more. Other people hunted them, mounting their lacquered shells on their walls as trophies. But, since I left the islands for college in the early Eighties, Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles seem to have crawled back, regaining their ancient, iconic status as native, indigenous creatures—as symbols of Hawaii and its people.
As a LEO, I am fond of cats reflexively. (I also love dogs and have one, Benji.) Alas, I remain unaware of any non-shedding cat breeds. Therefore, my appreciation for cats remains at a distance, for now. The cast iron cat doorstop, shown above, was made by Hubley (in Lancaster, PA) in the Teens or Twenties. It leaves no scattered fur, it scratches no upholstered furniture, it requires no litter box. It is, though, beautifully sculpted—the artist capturing the arched-back energy of a stretching cat (which appears to be smiling—or, perhaps, scowling).
Here's a little place to safekeep your little treasures. Modeled after a traditional Nineteenth Century British money box, this little steel trunk is painted with the classic English black and gold. It's a great place to stash a couple of cufflinks, save a collection of baby teeth or present that special piece of jewelry.
Three charming monkeys remind us to "mind our P's and Q's." Nicely modeled bas relief primates pose within an architectural proscenium arch. These cast iron bookends were made by Bradley & Hubbard in the Twenties or Thirties. They still have their original golden finish.
Oh, for the good old days! Wasn't life much simpler then? No worries to bear. No hunting for food. No clothes to wash. Well, we messed it up. And our lives have never been the same. The bookends, shown above, capture Eve luxuriating against a date palm tree—well before The Fall. No apple in sight. And, lest you blame Eve for Adam's fall, please recall, in Genesis, God told Adam that he was not to eat of the forbidden fruit. He never gave Eve such instructions. Nevertheless, when God questioned Adam about eating the fruit, he immediately responded, "The Woman made me eat it!" Such an outburst seems prophetic; for millennia to come, such "blame game" responses have echoed through...
This is one way to organize paperwork. And it's branded "Diamond," the birthstone which begins April First.
The organization of paper makes me think of this story from last week:
Deep within the dozens of boxes of "misappropriated and recovered" government documents this year was found an "Official Presidential Order" written sometime during the waning days of 2020. According to Avril Foulin, staff assistant at the National Archive's Stolen Document Recovery Department, the document—which may or may not have been officially processed—was found in a folder, clipped to commercial import invoices for "Chinese Antiq. Style PVC Ecomomy Fawcet (with high-gloss golden color sprayed)." Interestingly, the presidential order under scrutiny may have been related to these cheap and tacky plastic bathroom fixtures.
Skyscrapers! Angles! Silvery-shine! This pair of bookends screams "Art Deco!" They were made in the Thirties or Forties by Russel Studios (Chicago), cast of their "Silverlite" alloy—a blend of aluminum and zinc. Aluminum has been used since the 5th Century BC. It was especially important for dying fabrics and paint-making. Although aluminum ore is plentiful, it still was enormously costly, due to the very complicated processes required to make it useable. It was difficult to separate the pure aluminum from its compounds. We are told that when Emperor Napoleon III of France (who reigned from 1852 to 1870) wanted to impress his dinner guests, he'd have the gold flatware removed and replaced with aluminum cutlery. The six pound "cap"...
When it comes to the arts, I love it all: painting, music, cinema, literature. Fine arts, performing arts, decorative arts. But, of all these disciplines, I think that sculpting will always be my favorite—especially the sculpting of stone. What art-creation could be more difficult, more physically taxing to produce? How does an artist "release" a perfect, delicate work from within the confines of its constricting material? To stand before a magnificent marble sculpture—a cold, dead piece of stone transfigured into a living, breathing human resemblance—is glorious to me. And The Master of All Sculpting is certainly Michelangelo Buonarroti. Michelangelo was a Florentine—born in just the right place at just the right time. Florence, circa 1500, was Ground Zero of...
The Twentieth Century ushered-in a new conception of "The Modern Woman." Even before World War One—at which time many men were sent-off to war and women filled their work world vacancies—change was already in the air. Women were campaigning for the vote. They were entering the workforce. And they were mixing with men (socially and professionally) in more ways than they had in the Victorian era. The Nineteenth Century stereotype of the demure, frail, house-bound woman was being replaced with images of the active, strong and (even) athletic woman. Charles Dana Gibson's "Gibson Girl" was just such a modern woman.
One of the things I dislike about Modernist architecture is its lack of beautiful handcraft—those hand-fashioned details which are the evidence that a human artisan had touched and built it. Masonry. Stone carving. Tile work. Back in the Art Deco Thirties, architects and builders still honored the artistic craftsmanship which gives a building its soul. The builders of Rockefeller Center—constructed during the dark years of the Great Depression—still managed to fund the artwork, the human handicraft, which makes the building special. Inside the building, frescoes by accomplished and famous artists decorate the public spaces: lobbies, hallways and stairwells. Outside, inlaid, painted bas relief panels honor the spirit of industry, commerce, trade work and progress. These exterior Art Deco panels are the aesthetic...
Dante Alighieri—Italy's most important poet and one of the all-time greatest writers of the Western World—changed the course of Western literature. He affected the way we think of Heaven and the Underworld. Dante wrote in the vernacular (not in Latin, the language of the educated elite). Furthermore, Dante didn't write in "standard Italian"; he wrote in the dialect of his hometown, Florence. Alas, Dante found himself on the losing side of an ugly Florentine political struggle and he was banished, on pain of death, from his beloved home city. It was in Ravenna that Dante wrote his greatest work, the Divine Comedy. It was in Ravenna that Dante died and was buried (and where he remains to this day)....
I raised horses as a kid. I belonged to 4-H—"The Comancheros"—on the island of Kauai. Through the program, I learned important lessons about horsemanship, responsibility, sportsmanship, and competition. Each day, after school, I had to bid farewell to my friends and head-out to the pasture to ride and care for my horse. Seven days a week. Exercising, grooming, feeding and watering (our pasture land had no plumbing—I had to bring water in numerous 5 gallon canisters). Every couple of months, we had a horseshow which required three or four days of preparation and competition. On occasion, the routine was drudgery; much, much more often, it was incredibly fulfilling. There is an extraordinary relationship which forms between a person and his horse—something...
A pair of male nudes—young scholars—have fallen asleep, heads resting upon their still-open tomes. They are bronze-clad, in which a sculpted "composite plaster" figure is electroplated in bronze. This "bronze skin" can be finished—patinated, painted or both—as bronze would be. Such bronze-clad items had the appearance of bronze but were much less expensive to produce. Think of them as 1920's "poor men's bronzes," sold in gift shops or museum stores (where one might have just viewed the original work). This handsome pair of Art Nouveau bookends appear to straddle the transition where Art Deco design was just around the corner.
A "mirrored pair" of bookends is when the two mates—the two single bookends—are sculpted to face in opposite directions when placed on the shelf. The pair above is a good example: one bookend faces right, the mate faces left. This allows one to place them on the bookshelf, holding-up books, with each one facing-forward. Most pairs of bookends—perhaps 95% of them—are composed of two of the exact same sculpture. In such a case, when in use, one dog will be facing forward, the other will be facing backward (tail-out). Making a mirrored pair of bookends takes more effort and is more costly. Firstly, the foundry needs to create two original sculpted models (and make two different moulds) for each pair...
Spring is here! Today at 11:05 pm is the Vernal Equinox, that day when the Earth's axis is perfectly-aligned with the Sun, such that day and night (on that day) are approximately equal. Equinox means "equal night." Going forward, the days increasingly will be longer than the nights—until the Summer Solstice (20 June), the longest day of the year, after which date the days will begin to shorten.
Speaking of Spring, these bright and cheerful cufflinks are certain to bring a touch of hopefulness to your shirt cuff. They are made of sterling silver and topped with white and lime green enameling
Hooded monks stare-out from these polychromed, bronze-clad Gothic Revival bookends made by J. B. Hirsch in the 1910's or 1920's. The company was founded in 1907, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, by Joseph Hirsch, a Rumanian immigrant. He hired designers to sculpt the original models for bookends, like the pair above. To make bronze-clad bookends, first a model was sculpted. From the original model, moulds would be made in which plaster "composite" duplicates were cast. These plaster sculptures were then electroplated: hung in a vat of water mixed with bronze powder and zapped with an electrical current, during which the bronze powder formed a solid bronze "skin" around the plaster form. Once the bronze skin was attached, the object...
Happy Saint Paddy's Day!
As famous—and popular—as Saint Patrick is, his life is heavily shrouded in mystery. He is believed to have lived in the Fifth Century (possibly, some sources say, the Fourth Century) and was born in Roman-occupied Ravenglass (along the Western coast of Central England). According to his autobiographical Confessio, he was enslaved at the age of sixteen and taken to Ireland where he worked six years as an animal herder. After escaping, he undertook a difficult and dangerous journey, finally reuniting with his family in Britain. He later became a priest and returned to Ireland.
150 years ago, before the advent of domestic electricity (1880-1900) or widespread delivery of natural gas to homes (1890-1910), coal, wood and peat were the most common household fuels. Lighting was provided by candles and oil lamps. Candles were a domestic necessity—and a convenient storage box would be found in the kitchen, if not several rooms of a large home. Candles might be used to keep a convenient flame at-hand. They (or a thin "string-like" candle called a "spill") might also be used to transfer a live fire from one place to another.
A calendar year, on Earth, is 365 days long. However, it takes a little more time than that for the Earth to complete its full revolution around the Sun—365.242374 days, to be precise. (A true "Earth Year" is 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, 1.1 seconds.) This small difference would add-up to 24 days in a century. After 100 years, the calendar would be off by nearly a month. Within 500 years, our Summers would be freezing cold! So, in 46 BC, Julius Caesar instituted a leap day—an extra day added to the calendar every four years—on his new Julian Calendar. This "intercalary date" was still not quite right (the adjustment was too much). So Pope Gregory XIII instituted his Gregorian Calendar (in...
The term "trench art" is used to refer to the folk crafts fashioned of (or partially fashioned of) the used or spare materials of warfare. This art form was especially popular during and after World War One. Trench art was made by all the major WWI participants: England, France, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Australia and the United States. But very little trench art actually was made "in the trenches"—or even on the front lines, for that matter. Much of it would have been made away from the battlefield, for example, at training camps or other military posts. Some might have been made in hospitals by recuperating soldiers. And some may have been made back at home—by soldiers awaiting call-up. Even after...
Can it really be? Spring is three short weeks away! Spring normally arrives on the 20th or 21st of March. However, this year, because it's a Leap Year, Spring springs one day earlier than normal: 19 March. The first day of Spring is also the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox. Equinox means "equal night." The Equinox is the date when the Earth's axis is aligned such that the Sun hovers right over the Equator. On the Equinox, night and day are (nearly) the same length. And, going forward, the days will be longer than the nights. The cufflinks shown here, made in England in the Twenties, are decorated with sunny enameled stripes: lemon and lime. Though they may be worn any...
This week we're sharing a selection of useful wooden items. The wood of this English barrel-form coin bank glows richly. Riveted brass bands punctuate the bulging form. Warm, honest materials meet straightforward function: a handsome place to stash your savings.
Yes, this English Arts & Crafts Letter Rack is made of wood—though it is embellished with plenty of hand-hammered brasswork. A winged dragon stalks in a field of botanicals, while an undulate amethyst glass cabochon floats overhead. The hand-tooled panels are riveted to the oak understructure. This piece is made to hang (on its mounting ring) or it can rest of a flat surface.
If I had to pick one London neighborhood to call my own, it would be Bloomsbury—long a center of London's intellectual, scholarly, medical and literary enterprises. I have been staying in this active, human-scaled neighborhood for decades—surrounded by students and faculty from the neighborhood's several colleges, and employees of the numerous bookshops and many creative businesses in the area. The neighborhood was first called "Bloomsbury"—or, rather, "Blemondisberi"—in 1281, named after the French Blemond family who owned the manor here. In time, King Edward III (who reigned from 1327-1377) acquired the property, still largely rural, and gave it to the Carthusian Monks. Later, when Henry VIII was "disbanding the monasteries," this property was seized and given to one of the King's...
Here's a different take on the Oxford Corner—crisp, bold, structural. Chamfering of the members adds sophisticated elegance to the otherwise simple frame. The extended legs of the Oxford Corners make for simple, integrated "feet."
This Victorian English brass frame was made in the late Nineteenth Century. It would provide a nice "pop" for any picture—especially a dapper black and white portrait.
This fierce feline is ready! Ready to guard your precious tomes. This pair of fierce lion bookends was made of cast iron in the Twenties or Thirties and still wears most of his original golden paint. Beautiful, deep bas relief sculpting is well-aged by time—creating the perfect "high/low effect" on the patina, making the sculpture pop. Lions have been portrayed in the decorative arts for thousands of years. And they have been a significant part of European heraldry since the Middle Ages. In fact, every "attitude" (position or posture) of a heraldic lion has a specific name. A lion rampant stands upon its back legs. A lion passant is shown walking. A lion couchant is lying upright, on its belly (like...
Is it possible for one to have complicated feelings towards a pair of bookends? Well, it seems, in this case, I do.
The cast iron bookends shown here, are from the Twenties or Thirties. The workmanship is terrific: handsome bas relief sculpting, ultra-crisp casting, and a beautiful bronzed patina. The details of the unfolding scene—the distant mountains, the dust rising on the prairie, the scrub brush in the foreground—are conveyed with wonderful precision. The bookends are an homage to romanticized Western life—handsomely executed and perfect for any American Arts & Crafts interior.
February is here. And she brings with her the amethyst, birthstone of the month.
Until the Nineteenth Century, amethysts were rare and very expensive. They were considered one of the five "Cardinal Gemstones"—alongside diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Initially, deep purple amethysts—the color of royalty—had only been discovered in Russia and Austria. Medieval monarchs loved amethysts. To this day, Anglican and some Roman Catholic bishops wear an amethyst in their episcopal rings.
According to Ancient Greek mythology, Dionysus—the god of wine—was in-pursuit of a beautiful virgin, Amethystos. Her prayers to remain chaste were answered: before he could catch her, she turned into a beautiful white stone. In his grief, Dionysus poured wine over the stone, turning it violet—the first amethyst.
True, Christmas is eleven months away. But it is coming!
This cast iron "Spanish Galleon" doorstop was made by Hubley (Lancaster, PA) in the Twenties or Thirties. It still has much of its original hand-painted color—though that paint is now well-aged (and full of character). Imagine this doorstop holding the door (or decorating the mantelpiece) of your favorite sailor's den or office. And imagine what style it would bring to someone's house at the shore.
One of the recurring themes of my Journal Ramblings is the confluence of taste, quality and modern production methods. There was a time in the Nineteenth Century—during the height of the Industrial Revolution—when good & tasteful design married the economically advantageous benefits of industrial mass-production. The idea was to create a beautiful original and then to produce them in great quantity—an effort "to bring good taste and quality to the masses." This happened in England and, a little later, in America and throughout the industrializing world. The simple 19th Century letter and pen holder, shown above, is an example of this phenomenon. Two identical "ends"—formed as a pair of flared, booted legs—are spaced three-and-a-half inches apart, joined with rods. A...
Copper has been hammered in Mexico since Pre-Columbian times. Even today, there are certain regions, like Santa Clara del Cobre, where artisans still work the copper—usually in small, home-based "cottage industry" settings. Fathers and sons (and grandsons to follow) have kept their family workshops going for decades. Each workshop usually focuses, specializes, in a certain type of work: perhaps small, delicate vessels, perhaps naturally-rendered fruit shapes, perhaps large, "macho" urns and heavy vases. Each piece is "raised" from a single ingot of copper: repeatedly heated in a bonfire on the end of a tongs and beaten with a series of various-peen hammers. An anvil might be the only other "tool" used. Nevertheless, the metalsmith is able to achieve a balanced...
Zinc is a metal and one of Earth's 118 elements—and useful in many ways. Combined with other metals, it adds strength, corrosion-resistance or other desirable features to an "alloy." Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc (3%-45%, depending on the variety of brass desired). Zinc is sometimes alloyed with copper and tin to make bronze. And nickel silver is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc. Rolled sheets of zinc are used in roofing or atop the wooden countertops in bars. And U.S. pennies, since 1984, are principally plated zinc. In recent years, since the ill effects of lead have become widely-known, zinc has often been used as a replacement for lead (in fishing weights, tire balances and other...
This Dutch hand-hammered pewter trophy combines elements from the Art Nouveau and the Art Deco. The hammering of pewter was a classic Art Nouveau treatment. The vessel's flaring, trumpet-like shape is punctuated with a pair of feathery, classical handles—a certain Art Deco influence.
The piece is "touch-marked" with the maker's name, "Gero." The company was founded in 1912 in Zeist, Netherlands, near the city of Utrecht. Gero (which is still in-business today) was the first company in Holland to manufacture affordable cutlery. They also produced pewter ware, like the trophy cup shown above, until 1955. A succession of artists and creative directors over saw the company's design, though I am uncertain which artist designed this piece.
It's the New Year! Time to reorganize, refresh, retire that To-Do List, sitting oh-so-long upon the desk. Perhaps this pair of Victorian cast iron brackets—embellished with delicate, pierced "tracery"—will give your storage projects a lift? They were made in the 1880's or 1890's and are six inches in one direction, eight inches in the other. This means you can install a wider or narrower shelf, based upon your needs and the space you have available (supporting shelves from six inches to approximately ten inches wide). These brackets would provide a small but powerful shot of architectural interest wherever they might be installed: in the kitchen, a bathroom, or in the office-den.
When Cyrus the Great founded the First Persian Empire in 550 BC, it was the largest dominion in the world. Such a remarkable empire required cutting-edge defense—in this case, elephants! True, elephants were difficult to train and costly to maintain. But they did provide a competitive edge (at least for a while). When Alexander the Great came to conquer the empire in 334 BC, the elephant troops did cause him a moment of concern. Eventually, however, Alexander figured his way around the elephants and annexed Darius III's enormous realm to his sprawling Macedonian Empire.
I need little encouragement to celebrate—to lionize—LEO. This Turn-of-the-Century cast iron "Ferocious Lion" coin bank will help remind us that LEO starts seven months from today! He is nicely-cast and wears an age-darkened, original patina.
The brass paperclips, shown above, are designed in the form of a lucky horseshoe—and are embossed with a wish for "Good Luck." They have a loop on the back, allowing one to hang the packet of paper sheets on a nail on the wall. They were made in 1870 in Birmingham, England, by M. Myers & Son. Birmingham had a very important "Jewelry Quarter" since the Sixteenth Century. It was here that much of England's jewelry was produced. With so many skilled workers in the area, other small metalworks manufacturers sprung-up: makers of buckles, blades, metal buttons and pen nibs. Besides inexpensive labor, Birmingham also had the materials of production (iron ore and the coal to process it) and the means...
Let's end our array of Holiday miscellany with this handsome Christmas tin from the Twenties. A rather-serious portrait of Father Christmas is surrounded by a wreath-like frame of poinsettia blossoms. This covered box, modest in size, is made of machined steel sheets, litho-printed with this holiday illustration. It was made in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Tin Decorating Company—better know as Tindeco. Today, the box would make a wonderful place to keep holiday sweets. Or, perhaps, small ornaments, strings of glass beads or ornament hooks. It would also make a sublime presentation box for a special gift, packed within. Tindeco was founded in Baltimore in 1914. Within a few years, they were the largest tin decorating plant in the world—with a...
Happy Hanukkah! The Festival of Lights begins tonight at sundown, lasting for eight consecutive nights. Each night, another candle from the menorah is lighted—using the Shamas ("the helper") candle at the center of the fixture. This Modernist Hanukkah Menorah is made of cast bronze. "Hanukkah Sameach!"
This Laub's biscuit tin, made in the Fifties or Sixties, really screams Christmas. Perfect for storing your home-baked Holiday cookies or an excellent place to keep your favorite Christmas ornaments during the off season. Laub's was founded in Cleveland by German immigrant Jacob Laub in 1889. In time, it became the largest independent baker in all of Ohio with 465 employees.. They ran a bakery storefront, home delivery routes, and a brisk wholesale business (to other stores, restaurants and institutions). A box like this would have been used to present their Christmas cookies. Today, it provides a blast of vintage Holiday cheer—and is useful at the same time.
