Over the past few years, the mid-century modern look of the 1950s-70s has become THE mainstream look influencing many of our homes. Although many say that the magazine is dead against today’s eReaders and websites, two brave and innovative publishers have launched marvellous magazines focusing on the area. And proving that the magazine isn’t dead, […]
Well, sort of…a picture of them at least. I can’t pass a charity shop without going in. Fact. Walking to a meeting in north London this morning, I sped past a fair few of them – yippee! On my way back, I popped into them all. I usually head towards the ceramics and glass first, […]
Rummaging around a secondhand bookshop (always one of life’s little pleasures) a few weeks ago, I discovered a small and slim hardbound copy of Sheraton’s furniture designs. It was published in 1946 by John Tiranti, and the simple yet charming, Classically-inspired illustrations inside made me glow. So I spent the £4 the bookseller was asking, […]
Well, that might be an over-statement, as it has its moments, and I ought to be celebrating it after last night. This weekend I bought a mid-19thc Copeland Late Spode stoneware bottle vase in a junk shop in Edenbridge. Yes, just the one, not a pair. And, I know, it’s not my usual thing at […]
The clever, or observant, amongst you will have noticed that 2011 is the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. A landmark event that buoyed up the nation after the war, it celebrated our culture, developments in technology, manufacturing and design, and looked forward to ‘the world of tomorrow today’. The main event was held […]
Uruguay. It’s hardly a place where you’d expect to find much modern design, mid-century or otherwise. Or so I thought in my naïvety. My thoughts of a Cuba-like state of elegant disrepair were blown apart pretty much as soon as we landed. A swish and well-designed airport at Punta Del Este, and an even swisher […]
Taking advantage of the two long holiday weekends, the banker and I decided to blow some of our carefully amassed air miles and seek out some sun by flying to Buenos Aires and Uruguay for a Spring break. We first visited this amazing city three years ago, after hiking the Inca Trail for four days. […]
Working with antiques, vintage and retro, it’s all too easy to forget the artists, artisans and crafts people of today. Their work will become the antiques of tomorrow, and there’s no better time to learn about their work than now – because one can find out about their journey, inspirations and techniques as they happen, […]
With Kate & William’s wedding looming, I’ve been interviewed a fair few times over the past few weeks about what royal wedding memorabilia I like, and which ones I think will be collectable in the future. I don’t collect royal memorabilia, and I knew few people in their 20s or 30s that do, however it […]
In June this year, I wrote about the KlokHeta after a couple told me about their example of this weird and wonderful space-saving Deco device. For those of you who don’t know what it is, you can read the post by clicking here. One of the marvellous things about the internet is the amount of […]
Research into ‘new’ areas of collecting is always an immensely valuable activity for so many reasons. When I first went out to Canada six or so years ago, my eye was caught by a number of extravagant and elegant glass bowls and vases in a rainbow of vibrant colours. You can see an example here. […]
I’m a big believer in synchronicity – if you come across something three times, then it’s worth paying attention to. When our Art Director came over this morning to ask me if I had come across Munny dolls and a shop called Kid Robot, that was strike three. I first came across these cult toys […]