The King of the Jungle doesn't mind helping-out in the kitchen. This English bronze mortar and pestle is small but handy—not to mention, stylish. Use it to pulverize fresh herbs and make small batches of culinary pastes. You will find-out more about it by clicking on the photo above.
Another LEO tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Just remember: not all LEOs are boys! This cast bronze lioness will stalk your desk with style—holding-down your papers, if you wish. Click on the picture above to learn more about her.
Another LEO tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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This little LEO—made of cast bronze in California—has the word "Courage" impressed upon his tummy. Though small, he is full of style (and substance). And a welcome gift for any LEO in your life. Click on the photo above to learn more about him
Another LEO tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Welcome, LEO! It was 28 years ago, this month, when we first opened our doors on Bleecker Street. Boy, how things have changed! One thing that has not changed is the enormous pride LEOs take in their sun sign, the lion. Therefore, indulge us why we share a "parade" of lion items over the next several days. Shown above, a pair of cast iron "Proud Lion" bookends from the 1920's. They have been cast in fine detail and finished with a copper patina. Made in the 1920's, they will be warmly-received by any self-respecting LEO. Please click on the photo above to learn more about these bookends. And, by the way, LEO extends from 23 July to 22 August. Another LEO...
"Brutalist" design took-off after World War II. It began in the world of architecture, inspired by the design of Le Corbusier—in particular, with his use of unfinished poured cement as a building material. The French word for "raw" (unfinished) cement is Béton-Brut, which (one theory proposes) may have provided the genesis of the word "Brutalist." Cast cement was seen as a revolutionary material in architecture. It was inexpensive, suitable for expressive, novel shapes, and it was "honest" (meaning it duplicated its mould perfectly and presented itself without embellishment or affectation). For better or worse, cement became a very popular architectural material in the 1950's , 60's and 70's. Novel architectural trends spread throughout the design world, including to the decorative arts...
It’s already happening—the Dog Days of Summer have arrived. Hot. Smelly. The crosswalk seemingly sinking beneath our feet. But where does the term originate? It began in ancient Rome. Astronomers noticed that during the period when Sirius (also called the “Dog Star”—and the brightest star in the sky) rose and set alongside the sun, the […]
Let's wrap-up this little parade of green pottery with another studio-made piece, this time crafted by Walter & Gisela Baumfalk. A fine crystalline glaze lies atop a metallic gunmetal undercolor. The tapering form culminates in a lipped top band. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
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This European hand-thrown stoneware pitcher is dressed in a metallic gunmetal and mossy-green glaze. The piece has—at once—a naive, folk craft sensibility and a highly sophisticated Modernist edge. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More green ceramics tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Though LEO Design has a broad selection of German ceramics, East German ceramics are much less common and a bit harder to find. The example above, by Karl Jüttner, was made in the Seventies. A hand-incised pot is finished with an organic metallic-moss green glaze. Learn more about it by clicking on the photo above.
More green ceramics tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Though Kermit the Frog might disagree, green is easy. Green—the color of leaves, grass and moss—is restful, restoring, and blends beautifully with wood in an interior environment. I especially like dark, mossy (and a little muddy) greens which give me a sense of cool comfort. The pitcher above, made in the 1960's or 1970's, was crafted by Übelacker, West Germany. The Cubist relief is reminiscent of the Modernist sculpture of Louise Nevelson. Nevelson was born in The Ukraine in 1899 and emigrated to The States with her family as a schoolgirl. Her sculptures were made of found objects, usually wooden, which she assembled in wall-mounted or freestanding "shadowbox" style assemblies. They were often painted monochromatically, often black or white. Nevelson's sculptures can...
On this day in 1486, Florentine artist Andrea d’Agnolo di Francesco di Luca di Paolo del Migliore was born to a tailor and his wife. At eight years of age, the boy was apprenticed to a goldsmith, and, later, to a woodcarver and painter. Before long, Andrea opened his own studio (with a partner) […]
We'll end this little space trip of otherworldly, planetary ceramics with another piece by Ruscha. Glaze master Otto Gerharz has crafted a rich—call it sublime—glaze which captures the mystery and romance of the moon. It was made in the 1960's or 1970's and can be found by clicking on the photo above.
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Here's another wonderful glaze, made by Ruscha's glaze master, Otto Gerharz. Unlike some of the "lunar glazes" shared in the past few days, this glaze is more verdant—like a gassy, oxygen-rich planet. One would suspect that life does exist on this organic planet. The mossy bluish-green overglaze hovers over a slightly metallic brown undercoat. It was made in the 1960's or 1970's and you can find out more about it by clicking on the photo above. More Space Age ceramics tomorrow. LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com). Follow us on Instagram: "leodesignhandsomegifts" Follow us on Facebook: "LEO Design -...
Form is nice—but shapes can be easily copied. It's in the glaze master's secret notebook—properly locked away—that the magic is revealed. And this glaze is sensational! Foamy waves of white pumice cling to an equally-textured grey underglaze. It all adds up to an otherworldly effect—like the gaseous clouds encircling a distant planet. Made by Carstens in West Germany in the 1960's or 1970's. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More Space Age ceramics tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Another little space capsule: this one a Modernist vase by Anton Piesche. First the piece was finished with a metallic gunmetal glaze and then "slashed" to reveal the clay underbody below. It's one of a small collection of "Space Age" ceramics, recently received here at LEO Design. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More Space Age ceramics tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Like the frozen foamy crust on a yet-undiscovered moon, the glaze on this pedestaled ceramic vase has a textured, otherworldly look. Created by glaze master Otto Gerharz for Ruscha (West Germany) in the 1960's or 1970's. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More Space Age ceramics tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Recently I've purchased an interesting collection of European ceramics which have a decidedly Space Age sensibility. The decades of the Great Space Race were the Fifties and Sixties—coincident with the blooming of post-War Modernist design. It is not a surprise that the world's scientific zeitgeist would affect the period's aesthetics. Shown here, an East German studio piece from the 1960's by Heiner Hans Körting (1911-1991) for Danburg Pottery. The hand-thrown piece was modeled with an extended, tapering neck—which was carefully sliced and folded-back to create three curing handles. It was fired with warm sandy and metallic gunmetal glazes. It reminds me of an Apollo space capsule from the glory days of lunar exploration. Please click on the photo above to learn...
Saddled-up! Ready-to-go! But first: a little snack! This pair of cast iron bookends, made in the 1920's, still retain much of their original paint. They are certain to please your pickiest equestrian. Please click on the photo above to learn more about them.
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Vasco da Gama was born to a Portuguese noble family in the 1460’s. On this day in 1497, da Gama set-out from Lisbon with 170 men in four ships—seeking an all-water route to Asia. Prior to this, no European seamen had navigated successfully the treacherous waters of South Africa’s “Cape of Good Hope.” An all-water […]
On this evening in 1907, master showman, Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., staged his first-ever Ziegfeld Follies production atop the roof of the New York Theatre, 46 Bowery, on New York’s Lower East Side. Dressed in elaborate costumes and standing upon fantastical stage settings, Ziegfeld’s hand-picked beauties would sing and dance to the music of American composers […]
From Florence, Italy, comes this little Modernist planter—with plenty of hand-executed, folk craft charm. The ceramic pot is thrown, hand-incised and pierced with a ring of little "clerestory windows" around the rim. Then it's finished with a mottled deep red glaze—a red which the Italians do best. It's a remarkable amount of hand-work on display in this little Italian beauty. Made by Fratelli Fanciullacci in the 1960's. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
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Enter the coming Autumn neat and tidy! This Edwardian English stationery stand will give your desk a bit of organization—not to mention considerable handsome style. Sections of quarter-sawn oak are shaped and assembled into a multi-pocketed rack. You'll find it on our website by clicking on the photo above.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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What does it mean to be "independent"? Does it mean being self-reliant? Self-directing? Free? Or does it mean being separated from the rest of the world? For me, independence means I can be myself—and actualize myself as I wish—provided I do not harm others (or the world they live in). The flip side of "the independence coin" means accepting the differences of others—provided they do not harm me, mine or the world we live in. America's good relations with others has been good for my tiny little business. I have travelled all over the world and built professional relationships with many good people, some of whom have become friends. I've bought items all over the world, shipped them home, and...
On this day in 1819, New York’s first savings bank, The Bank of Savings, opened on Bleecker Street at Crosby. Savings banks had been well-received in Europe in the prior century and both Boston and Philadelphia already had one apiece. They were usually opened by local governments, guilds, or a wealthy, socially-conscious individual with the […]
According to “people in-the-know,” on this day in 1947, an Unidentified Flying Object crash-landed at Roswell, New Mexico. Such believers assert that the U.S. government has sought, since then, to cover-up this alarming—yet compelling—event. Therefore we have “World UFO Day,” a day to build the public’s awareness of (quote) “the undoubted existence of UFOs” and […]
Imagine a world political leader using bravado, war and aggression to generate popular support with his base. That's just what Julius Caesar did—and July is named after him. Gaius Julius Caesar was born on the 12th (or 13th) of July in the year 100 BC. He distinguished himself—amongst the Populares, at least—during the Gallic Wars. As a Roman General, Julius Caesar led (many unauthorized) invasions into what is modern-day France and Belgium, taking the territory and expanding the Roman borders up to the English Channel and over to the Rhine. While these cavalier exploits made him wildly popular with the Roman peasants, it displeased the elite Roman Senate immensely. Though Caesar promoted these attacks as preventative ("attack them before they can attack...
Tomorrow we roll into July—and a hot, sticky summer. Maybe this little guy will help to keep us cool. He was made in Denmark for Royal Copenhagen in the 1960's or 1970's. Let him keep you company on your desk or coffee table—and, just maybe, he'll bring you back to a crisp, cool wintery day. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it
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This little Dutch bowl was made in Gouda, Netherlands and is dated 1925. Romantic "Orientalist" tendrils of hand-painted color swirl with confidence worthy of Leon Bakst's Scheherazade stage design for the Ballets Russes. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
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From the Mid-Century, a set of six Modernist highball glasses, each topped with a wide rim of mirrored silver banding. They are certain to smarten your barcart, just in time for your next cocktail or dinner party. Click on the photo above to learn more about them.
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Father and son team, Franz Detleff Goebel and William Goebel, founded F. & W. Goebel in 1871. Soon afterward, they discovered their niche: beautifully-crafted sculptures and figurines aimed at the collector’s market. For the next 140+ years, the company has grown and evolved—all the while adapting its product to satisfy the tastes of the times. […]
On this day in 1870, Congress declared Christmas a U.S. Federal Holiday. With five months to go before the start of this year’s Holiday Season, LEO Design is already writing orders, traveling to build-up inventory, and preparing for another busy December. Here’s a picture of a punched-tin Christmas sign which I just found in Western Pennsylvania and may […]
We end this little parade of Gräflich Ortenburg ceramics with this red and black glazed "club form" vase. A bulbous base tapers to a corseted neck. Made in the 1960's. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
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This simple, beaker-form vase is "elevated" by a small (but elegant) foot. Glazed in red and splashes of black. Made by Gräflich Ortenburg in West Germany. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More Gräflich Ortenburg ceramics tomorrow.
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Here's another of the Count's pieces: a conical vase finished with red glaze and splashes of black. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More Gräflich Ortenburg ceramics tomorrow.
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The Count Alram Graf zu Ortenburg was born in Budapest in 1925—heir to a German estate and a famous, aristocratic lineage. When his time came to inherit the family property, he sought a way to make the estate profitable. Since there were many clay pits in the area, he decided to open a ceramics workshop in the west wing of his castle, Schlosses Tambach, in 1946. Initial production focused on ornate, highly painted ceramic vases, bowls and teacups. But exciting Modernist design—especially out of Italy—caught the Count's eye and he re-aligned the studio's aesthetic to take advantage of this new post-War trend. Gräflich Ortenburg's work were known for their heavy, rounded, Bauhaus-inspired shapes—made of dark red clay. Their glazes were luxurious, thick...
This morning, at 6:07 Eastern Time, the earth hit its Northern Summer Solstice—that is, the point at which the Earth’s Northern Axis tilts closest to the Sun. For us here on Earth (or, at least, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), the sun will be most northerly in the sky—and the day will be the longest of the year. That’s right: starting tomorrow, the days will begin to get shorter. And, while that might be a little depressing for us, our brothers and sisters in the Southern Hemisphere will rejoice; down south, the days will begin to get longer. At the North Pole—and for countries near the Pole—the day could be endless. In parts of Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia...
Today is the last day of Spring—and I, for one, am sorry to see it go. It seems that Spring only just got here! But Summer's nice, too, and it begins tomorrow at 6:07 am Eastern Time. What's really nice about summer is dressing the part—for, in the summer, luxury meets casual unlike during any other time of year. Classy summer gatherings—polo matches, cricket tournaments, Hamptons lawn parties—require that delicate balance of good taste and summer fun. And these Art Nouveau cufflinks, shown above, are ready to play their part. Imagine them on a white (or pale blue) linen shirt. They are made of sterling silver, etched with radiant guilloche centers, and finished with turquoise and crisp white enameling. Please click on the photo above...
Although The Emancipation Proclamation was passed on 22 September 1862, and it was supposed to be effective—nation-wide—on 1 January 1863, Texas had other ideas. It seems a contingent of anti-government Texas zealots refused to observe the new American law—something about Federal Oppression and States Rights. So, Texans never informed their slaves that they had been […]
We are just a few days away from the Summer Solstice—the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The further North one goes, the longer the days will be. In Scandinavia, Canada and Northern Alaska, the sunlight may seem endless. In Russia, they call this season the "White Nights." Saint Petersburg has elevated this celebration to an art form. Beginning in late May, the city's important Mariinsky Theatre begins scheduling impressive opera, ballet and orchestral music performances. Later in the season, carnival celebrations dot the city—including period carriages, actors dressed in Eighteenth Century costume, and reenactments of historic events from the time of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. And in Saint Petersburg's Palace Square, tens of thousands...
“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years!” – Mark Twain A word of thanks and a wish of happiness to all fathers—and father figures—on their special day. Shown above, an Italian sand-cast pewter minute glass, now in-stock at LEO Design. May it help us to remember how very precious is the time spent with our dads. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it. LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next...
A father's greatest treasure is his children. That is, of course, until he has grandchildren! For his less-significant treasures, how about a little hand-carved wooden treasure chest? Delicately chip-carved and incised in Poland, it is a nice place for keeping a few cufflinks, rings or collar stays. It is a convenient place for stashing the keys. And it would be a handsome receptacle for clips or rubber bands on the desk. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it. LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com). Follow us on Instagram: "leodesignhandsomegifts" Follow us on Facebook: "LEO Design...
Rupert Bear was brought to life on 8 November 1920 under the pen of English artist Mary Tourtel. He was commissioned by the Daily Express as a means of luring readers away from rival newspapers. Over the years, a succession of artists have inherited Tourtel's creation—and, indeed, the comic strip still runs to this day. In it, Rupert Bear and his best friend Bill Badger have adventures with their many chums, including Edward Trunk the elephant, Willie the mouse, Pong-Ping the Pekingese pup, twins Reggie & Rex Rabbit, and Ming the dragon. The little brass sculpture, pictured above, was made in England in the 1920's. He will be a faithful companion on dad's desk or bedside—and may remind him of the many bedtime...
The quadrennial FIFA World Cup begins today in Russia. "Russia?" you ask. Umm-Hmm. And on Day One they play . . . Saudi Arabia! It seems Russia is everywhere these days! In this one case, however, America will not be in-collusion: the U.S. failed to make it into the final 32 qualifying teams. (So much for Making America Great Again). The U.S. team does have notable company on the sidelines: Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Cameroon, Ghana and Ivory Coast all failed to make it into the tournament. Fox Broadcasting, which had already purchased the U.S. rights to cover the games, is concerned that American viewership will be even lower than usual (given no American team in the competition). Instead, they will...
If your dad's a teacher, this gift will hit the mark. But even if he isn't, he may relish the opportunity to ring for a little attention. Made in England during the 1880's or 1890's, this bronze Aesthetic Movement school bell is topped with a turned ebonywood knob. Large and heavy, it is certain to be noticed—sitting on a desk or being shaken with vigor. Click on the photo above to learn more about it. More Father's Day gift ideas tomorrow. LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com). Follow us on Instagram: "leodesignhandsomegifts" Follow us on Facebook: "LEO Design - Handsome...
Perhaps literature strikes your father's fancy. Or—wow!—poetry. Here's a pair of bookends which celebrates two writers of note. Alexander Pope and Andrew Young were both British poets—the former an Englishman, the latter a Scotsman—and both men were influential in their times. Pope (1688 – 1744) had a difficult early life. As a Catholic, he was not allowed to go to school (due to the English “Test Acts” which banned Catholics from teaching, attending college, holding public office, or going to Catholic grade school). Alexander was homeschooled, for a time, and later attended an illegal, underground school. When a law was passed disallowing Catholics from living within 10 miles of London, his family moved to the country and the young man’s...
Sand-casting is an ancient method of metalwork whereby the original item (to be duplicated) is pressed into a tray of sticky sand. When the object is removed, it leaves behind a depression into which molten metal is poured. After cooling, the newly-cast piece is retrieved, cleaned-up and ready for the next manufacturing step. It's a very simple method and not highly sophisticated, thus, metal objects made this way are subject to small manufacturing idiosyncrasies (pock marks, burrs and wavy surfaces). In the case of this Italian sand-cast pewter photo frame, little flaws simply serve to add charm to the piece—and underline the frame's handmade bona fides. Shown above, a 5x5 frame with tight all-over stippling. It is one of many...
In the 1920's—a few years after most middle class men lost their valets—someone invented snapping cufflinks (like the pair shown above). The idea was simple: before putting-on the shirt, the two halves of one cufflink could be inserted into the button holes on each cuff (using two hands). Once all four "halves" were in-place, the man could don the shirt and simply snap the links together. This made dressing alone easy and fast—no more struggling with one hand to insert an unwieldy cufflink on the opposite wrist. This style of snapping cufflinks only enjoyed a brief period of production. By 1941, the U.S. was drawn-in to World War Two and men's jewelry makers suddenly were busy making accessories (cufflinks, pins...
If you ask me, The Gothic remains the highpoint of all architectural design—followed closely by the Gothic Revival. I love the soaring look, the interplay of heavy and light, and (especially) the handcraft which adorns all Gothic structures. Add to that the fact that some Gothic structures are approaching their one thousandth birthday! These bookends—two arched windows, each one trimmed with a bit of trailing ivy—were made in the 1920's and provide a light touch of Gothic genius. They are heavy and handsome—and would look great on your bookshelf, desk or mantelpiece. Please click on the photo above to learn more about them. More Father's Day gift ideas tomorrow. LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we...
Perhaps your dad has an advanced aesthetic style. How about a handsome English Art Deco rosebowl from the 1920's or 1930's? It was made by Pilkington Royal Lancastrian and straddles the Arts & Crafts and Art Deco periods. The vertically-ribbed form is incised with a meandering Greek Key motif. The piece is then finished with a dappled ombre glaze—lighter at the top and darker at the bottom. The color is reminiscent of the way sunlight filters through increasingly deep waters. It looks great by itself or brimming with roses, gardenias or peonies. Click on the photo above to learn more about it. More Father's Day gift ideas tomorrow. LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate...
"The Song of Hiawatha" is an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, published in 1855. It follows a number of American Indian characters—notably the warrior Hiawatha and his lover Minnehaha—along the southern shore of Lake Superior. It was an immediate success, selling over 50,000 copies in its first two years, and it created an indelible impression of Indian life and people in the popular imagination. Critics view the poem as the romantic creation of a non-native writer and Longfellow's source materials and understanding of real Native American culture have been called into question. Nevertheless, it is a monumental work of American Romantic literature and it played an important role in Nineteenth Century popular culture. The bookends, above, present quotes from the...
Dad's toga party days may be well behind him—but a glimpse of the glory days might not be so bad. This band of Trojans—nice, quiet warriors—will keep his bar cart stylish and the furniture from developing water rings. These eight coasters were made of glass in the 1960's or 1970's and they are dressed in a mirrored finish.
More Father's Day gift ideas tomorrow.
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One day ago, in 1878, José Doroteo Arango Arámbula was born in the small village of San Juan del Rio, Mexico. He is best known by his nickname, Pancho Villa, and was a key figure in the Mexican Revolution which began in 1910. Pancho Villa and his fighters supported Francisco Madero, an advocate of democracy […]
Like Dad, this Edwardian English quarter-sawn oak stationery stand is handsome and useful. Made around 1905, the highly-figured oak is shaped with waves and assembled with finger joinery. It will bring a sense of organization and architecture to your desk or countertop. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More Father's Day gift ideas tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Soap-on-a-Rope has always been a Father's Day favorite. I remember buying a bar for my dad when I was a young boy. There's something so manly about it—the no-nonsense practicality, the simple functionality, and, of course, the lingering masculine smell. Hanging from the shower head or water tap, a bar of the soap will stay handy and neat (never dissolving into a slimy goo). Alas, making soap-on-a-rope is a labor-intensive (and vanishing) tradecraft. Luckily, our soap maker in Portugal, Claus Porto, still makes the suspendible bars. Click on the photo above and learn more about it. Other Musgo Real products are also offered on-line—as a gift pack or a la carte. More Father's Day gift ideas tomorrow. LEO Design's...
Perfect for Father’s Day: a collection of classic men’s Musgo Real products from Claus Porto, Portugal. He’ll start in the shower with the body soap, shave next with the luxurious shave cream, and finish-off with a splash of the aftershave. These products will help make his mundane morning ablutions a little less tedious, a little […]
Father's Day is just over two weeks away—and we'd like to share some Handsome Gifts ideas for dads. Please visit our on-line store. And check our homepage, where we've highlighted a handful of great gifts suitable for a man who means a lot. Shown above, a pair of American Art Deco cufflinks, from the Thirties, with white-enameled bezels. Their iridescent black mother-or-pearl faces make them an easy match with almost any color shirt: blue, pink, grey, green, black, peach, tangerine, lavender (and, of course, white). This makes them a particularly good choice for a man who doesn't have a large cufflink collection. Please click on the photo above to learn more about them—and peruse our large collection of handsome cufflinks...
Summer is nigh and my travel itch is needing a scratch! Travel has always fascinated me—as it has captivated centuries of people before me. And, despite my mother’s warnings before I take flight—"The World today is just crazy!"—I still believe crossing oceans is safer today than it was 150 years ago. Take, for instance, travel from New York to Hawaii, where I visit my family once or twice a year. Nineteenth Century Boston missionaries might spend 8 or more months at sea, heading south around the tip of South America and then thousands of more miles across the Pacific. I’m not sure how they ever hit the right (rather small) spot! And, no doubt, at least one soul would perish...
On this day in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated and opened to the public on the National Mall in Washington D.C. In attendance was the 16th President’s only surviving child, 79 year-old Robert Todd Lincoln. Begun in 1914, with funds approved by Congress, the Beaux-Arts, Greek Doric Temple was designed by architect Henry Bacon […]
Shields serve a purpose: to protect its bearer from harm be it arrows, lances or clubs. Functional, utilitarian shields should be strong and light, making them portable and effective. The less embellishment they have, the more practical they become. With decorative dress shields, however, the goal is to impress—with wealth, style or military might. Dress […]
On this day in 1588, Spain’s Grande y Felicísima Armada—the “Great and Most Fortunate Navy,” the “Invincible Armada”—set sail from the port of Lisbon, en route to The English Channel and the (planned) overthrow of the British monarchy. The Armada was so large (130 ships, 30,000 men) that it took three days for the entire […]
It's graduation time! And—whether you're leaving high school, college or medical school—it's nice to commemorate the achievement. How about a pair of bookends? Handsome and practical, they will remind you of this special milestone—not to mention, the generous person who presented them to you. This pair of heavy cast-iron bookends were made in the 1920’s by Bradley & Hubbard (Meriden, Connecticut). Despite their drowsy appearance, these monks are fully able to hold up the heaviest of text books—while continuing their science and study. Please click on the photo to learn more about them.
I loved this vase—with its extraterrestrial, otherworldly glazing—the moment I saw it. To me it looks like some far-away, gaseous, yet-to-be-discovered planet. Made by Ruscha (West Germany) in the 1960’s or 1970’s, it could easily be a set model hanging in the background of a Star Wars sky. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
Owls have long been associated with wisdom, knowledge, vision and judgement. The ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena (after whom Athens is named), often was depicted with a little owl. The same is true of Minerva, Athena’s Roman version. And, in ancient times, an owl spotted during a time of crises was considered a very […]
Until recently, England’s Queen Victoria had been the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Some of England’s greatest achievements (and changes) have occurred under a woman’s crown. Each of the “Big Three” (Elizabeth, Victoria and Elizabeth II) enjoyed long reigns and it’s fascinating to contemplate how much the world (and their country) changed during the course […]
Let the countdown begin! Two months 'til LEO!
The day this noble beast followed me home, I photographed him and popped him right onto the website! Beautifully sculpted—and, alas, so much better-looking in-person—this bronze-clad sculpture captures the confident strength (and muscles) of the King of All Animals. Made in the 1920's, he's based on the original design by Antoine-Louis Bayre, the French anamalier extraordinaire from the Nineteenth Century. Please click on the photo above to learn more about him.
Noble steeds strain against the bit—eager for the tournament to begin. Atop them, mounted knights gird themselves for the battle, lances in-hand. Let this pair of bronze-clad bookends add a bit of majesty (or at least a little pomp) to your desk, den or library. Made in the 1920’s, they still retain an impressive portion […]
Gouda is a city in The Netherlands, well known for its cheese and for its hand-decorated art pottery. Most of the Gouda pottery which I buy is from the 1910’s and 1920’s—and hews more closely to the “typical Gouda style” with colorful, swirling, exotic botanical motifs. When I found this piece, I did not know […]
Every few years, I attend a week-long trade show in Frankfurt, Germany. Often derided, Frankfurt is (I have found) a city rich in history and culture. It is home to the world's largest book fair and I've seen many wonderful exhibits at their art museums. I've visited Goethe's home (and birthplace) and found a fair number of nice antiques in the city. Nevertheless, on every trip I try to take one day off to explore another close-ish city. One year it was Nürnberg. Prior to my visit, my only knowledge of the city was the Judy Garland movie “Judgement at Nuremberg.” What I found was another German city with a remarkable artistic past—home to (arguably) the greatest German artist of all...
I love letter racks! Perhaps it’s my ambition to impose organization upon my desk . . . someday. Perhaps I like the combination of antique style and present-day practicality. Or, perhaps, I just like possessing the relic of an imagined, distant, more-orderly time. Shown above: a Nineteenth Century Victorian American letter rack with a […]
Wendelin Stahl was born into a family of great ceramicists in a city best-known for its ceramics. Some might argue that Wendelin became the greatest ceramicist of them all. Born in Höhr-Grenzhausen in 1922, Wendelin studied ceramics at art school and worked in his father’s studio. After World War II, he and his wife, ceramicist […]
In the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries, England was crazy for all themes Asian—tea, ceramics, wallpaper, even light opera. Apparently the infatuation continued through the Twenties and Thirties, as evidenced by these English cast brass Pekingese bookends. Crisply cast—from two separate “mirrored” molds—the sculptor artfully conveyed the “entitled personalities” of these precious pups. Please […]
There’s a long and impressive history of fine metal-tooling throughout the Middle East and North Africa—especially on seemingly utilitarian objects like trays, pots, lanterns and table tops. Since much of the Middle East and North Africa is Islamic, local craftsmen observe the strictures of their religion (to greater or lesser degrees) when it comes to […]
King James of England and Scotland inherited both of his thrones from women. He became James VI of Scotland, at 13 months of age, when his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate. Some 36 years later, when Queen Elizabeth of England died without an heir, James became the King of England and […]
I’m always hunting for cufflinks at LEO Design; they are the perfect “Handsome Gift.” But, as much as I enjoy hunting-down cufflinks, I don’t want to ignore the women. On my recent buying trip to England, I bought a dozen brooches—mostly Victorian and Edwardian pieces—which I hope will please the ladies (or the men who […]
A special Mother’s Day wish for all moms—and for all the women who give selflessly of themselves for the benefit of others. Thank you! Shown above, an attentive mare relaxes and grazes while her inquisitive foal heads-off exploring. Cast of bronze, the mare is $95 and the foal is $68. Please come into the shop […]
For some years, we've proudly carried a line of European “water gilded” gold leaf frames, including the Art Nouveau-style frame pictured above. Made in Eastern Europe, the wooden frames are first assembled, then carved (here with the intertwined “whiplash” bordering), then painted with gesso (to smooth-out the wood, build-up any voids, and provide a suitable surface for the gold leaf). After this, thin sheets of 22 karat gold leaf are laid over the frame and affixed with a special binder. Before the binder dries, the gold leaf surface is “burnished” with brushes, fingers, rags and various rubbing tools to create a smooth surface on the object—which can give the appearance of being made of solid gold.
Another English Arts & Crafts brass tray—part of our ever-expanding collection—is shown above. Made by Joseph Sankey & Son, it looks across the English Channel for inspiration from the French Art Nouveau. Please click on the photo to learm more about it.
Lev Samoilovitch Rosenberg—later known as Léon Bakst—was born on this day in Grodno, Russia (which is in modern day Belarus). He grew-up in Saint Petersberg where his grandfather was a skilled tailor whose service to the Tsar was rewarded with a large house and generous wage. Though his middle-class parents didn’t encourage it, Léon was […]
Here's an exquisite gift idea for Mother's Day—as beautifully executed a piece of metalsmithing as we’ve ever had. A scrolling, Art Nouveau botanical motif is repeatedly rendered in each quadrant of this octagonal brass tray. Not only is the design beautifully voluptuous, it is executed crisply and with great precision—obviously the work of a master craftsman. This tray typifies the “more-formal” dimension of the British Arts & Crafts movement, though it would also be sensational (and useful!) in either a highly-modern or rustic country milieu.
I've assembled a collection of handsome English Arts & Crafts brass trays from the turn-of-the-century. Though each is crafted of hand-hammered brass, each is quite different, indeed. Over the next few days, I’ll share three of these trays with you.
Shown above, the work of an accomplished metalsmith. Intertwined shamrocks, thistles, and Tudor roses—representing Ireland, Scotland, and England—bloom along the oval track of this brass English Arts & Crafts tray. Please come into the shop to appreciate it in-person or click on the photo above to learn more about it.
Another tray tomorrow.
On this evening in 1824, with his musical score positioned before him, composer Ludwig van Beethoven stood at the edge of the stage of the jam-packed Theatre am Kärntnertor in Vienna, Austria. The audience was abuzz and the largest orchestra ever assembled for the composer was at-the-ready, prepared to debut Beethoven’s newest (and final) work, […]
A regal lion holds court from this handsome pair of cast iron bookends, made in the 1920’s. Newly in-store, they’d be a great gift idea for your favorite Leo (which begins less than three months from now)—or person of any sun sign. Please click on the photo to learn more about them or come into […]
This sweet trio of bears—Mama, First Born and Second Born—is cast in bronze then hand-finished, patinated and buffed. Individually or as a group, these little critters will remind Mom of her cute little cubs. Mama: $38. Cubs: $28 each. Please come into the shop to see them or call for further information. More Mother’s Day […]
Today is “Star Wars Day,” a day on which sci-fi geeks and film buffs celebrate all things Star Wars. The date, May 4th, was chosen because it sounds like the iconic phrase “May the Force be with you.” The first organized celebration was held in Toronto in 2011. Activities included a trivia game show, a […]
Serve your mother Tea and Scones (perhaps in bed) with this handsome and functional English butler’s tea tray. Lined with rose-printed tiles, the heavy walnut tray is finished with brass handles. Handsome and pretty at the same time—and sure to put your mum into “Queen for the Day” mode. Please come into the shop to […]
On this day in 1955, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama was awarded to “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” by playwright Tennessee Williams. The judging committee, comprised of four critics and one academic, had always been subject to override by the Pulitzer organization—and, in this instance, Joseph Pulitzer, Jr. lobbied hard on behalf of Tennessee […]
Welcome, May, and your birthstone: the Emerald! There are only four precious gemstones—and emeralds are one of them, making them highly valuable. And because emeralds are so susceptible to flaws, a perfect emerald is extremely rare. For this reason, emeralds traditionally are graded with the naked eye (not high magnification) which creates a little extra tolerance for the beautiful green gem. Like other gemstones, color is paramount; great emeralds have a deep, bright color. But clarity is also very important—more so than with most other stones. Emeralds are a variety of Beryl and its green color is due to chromium "impurities" within the stone. They were mined in Egypt as early as 1500 BC. They've also been found in the New...
The worldwide Arts & Crafts movement—Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, Secessionist, Mission—shared many similarities, including the revival of earlier historical or aesthetic elements. One of the classic touchstones is The Gothic.
This pair of German Jugendstil bookends are made of hand-hammered steel, punctuated with riveted steel edging. Their thin profile makes them well-suited to a book collection with limited space for a thicker, heavier bookend. Please click on the photo above to learn more about them.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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I've had this piece a handful of times over the years—in white, green, turquoise and carmel gold. In fact, I had one in-stock on the day I first opened my Bleecker Street store in 1995. I like its combination of crisp handsome paneling with its no-nonsense simplicity. And I like that it easily straddles both schools of Arts & Crafts and the Art Deco.
Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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Begun in Canada in 1984, International Workers’ Memorial Day is celebrated to remember those who have perished at work and to highlight the often-preventable nature of such incidents. In the United States, 12 people die every day in work-related accidents. Worldwide, a worker is killed every 15 seconds. Advocates continue to push for safer working […]
The first Arbor Day was held in Villanueva de la Sierra, Spain in 1805. The local parish priest, Father Ramón Vacas Roxo, was “convinced of the importance of trees for health, hygiene, decoration, nature, environment and customs” and decided to plant trees, giving his town “a festive air.” His congregation was enthusiastic. After Mass and […]
A happy fish swims by—solo—in his undersea Garden of Eden. Made in Edwardian England (c. 1910), it will bring a touch of stately whimsy to your desk or hall table. Please click on the photo above to learn more about it.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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On this day in 1792—in the midst of the French Revolution against their monarchy—Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle wrote his stirring call to arms. Eventually called La Marseillaise, after the troops from Marseille who sang the song in the streets, the song was adopted as The Republic’s anthem in 1795. To this day, it is […]
Alfons Maria Mucha (1860-1939) was born in Moravia, today a part of the Czech Republic. He went to high school at the "Gymnázium Brno" while he pursued his passion for drawing. He made money by singing in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (in Brno) where he was artistically inspired by the church's Baroque interiors and he befriended the great (future) Czech composer, Leoš Janáček. He took jobs as a decorative painter, mostly painting theatrical scenery. Eventually he was hired-away to paint stage scenery in Vienna—the cultural center of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Mucha studied in Munich and Paris—where he stumbled upon a lucky break. While visiting a Paris print shop in 1894, he learned that the play Gismonda, staring...
On this day in 1616, William Shakespeare, perhaps the world’s greatest-ever writer, died at 52 years of age. It was one month after signing his will—which began with a convincing proclamation of his vigorous health. While we don’t know how or why he died, one written account (half a century later) describes a night […]
For centuries, China held-tight the secrets of sophisticated ceramics-making—and they weren't about to share them with prying Westerners (who were enchanted with these beautiful and "exotic" works of art). Amazingly, the Chinese achieved remarkable effects with fairly low-tech equipment: brick or mud hut kilns with little windows and doors through which fuel wood, heat and air could be added or released. No gas, no gauges (like thermometers). Ceramics-making is an art form which succeeds or fails with the tiniest changes in material, temperature and time. And, if a ceramicist wishes to replicate an effect, she better know (and have written down!) the precise glaze ingredients, firing time and temperatures used at various points in the process. Form is rather easy to "steal"—and...
On this day in 753 BC (or so the story goes), twin brothers Romulus and Remus founded the great city of Rome. Happy Birthday, Rome! But the story before this founding is as wild and interesting as anything that came after it. Romulus and Remus were the grandsons of Numitor, King of Alba Longa (along […]
From William Shakespeare, Harry Truman, and Queen Elizabeth II, to David Beckham, Penelope Cruz, and Cherilyn Sarkisian (aka: Cher), Taureans have long been pushing-forward, holding-the-line, and making the world a more comfortable place. Known for their determination and sensibility, Taureans are also quite aesthetically-minded. They like comfortable—though not necessarily grand—surroundings and value words, music and […]
I really love hand-hammered copper—and this pair of American Arts & Crafts bookends really scratches that itch. Made around 1910, they boast varying hand-tooling techniques and are finished with a hand-painted emblem. Signed "Craftsman." See them in our on-line store by clicking on the photo above.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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A pair of dramatically-sculpted bison will stampede across your bookshelf in this handsome pair of bronze-clad bookends, made in the 1920's. Enormous herds of bison roamed the American grasslands until the Nineteenth Century, when they were hunted to near-extinction. Today, small herds have made a comeback—mostly in National parks. Weighing upwards of 2,200 pounds, the animal is the largest "bovid" in the world and the largest wild land animal in the Americas. Please click upon the photo above to learn more about these bookends. LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com). Follow us on Instagram: "leodesignhandsomegifts" Follow us on Facebook:...
