Just Restored - Before & After

New Shipment Arrived

Our new shipment of antiques is just in and I've just managed to climb over the piles and made it to my desk after a week of not being able to get in. It is always lovely having everything in and of course I'm already studying the bits that I love to work out if they'll fit in my new home - there's actually quite a mix in this time and I'd say something for all tastes.

Four favourites this week...

On another note, now that I have managed to make it back to me desk I've discovered these beautiful little baby roses that I was given the other week. They're beautiful with different colours of pink and yellow and the little red flowers, speckled beautifully with little hints of yellow as if someone has dabbed them softly with a paintbrush. They've dried now which is how I actually prefer roses, and they've retained their gorgeous colour which has just deepened with age. So, I'm going to whip them home for some home made potpourri for my drawers. 

Marie Antoinette

On a recent trip to Paris, we visited Versailles for the 3rd time, but it had been many years since I had seen it and through vastly different eyes. The last time was as an eighteen year old recovering from the night before's rather horrendous hangover and some of the finer details did not perhaps make the impression they should have. 

The stand outs though, were without a doubt this beautiful window handle in the 'Hall of Mirrors', (which I had to try very hard not to remove) and Marie Antoinette's stunning bedroom. It's hard to believe standing in that room, that there came a day when that enormous power and wealth was rendered insignificant.

Photos for the few who have not seen it...

Amongst the Trees & Flowers

 

It's always so lovely to see my pieces 'in-situ', like this beautiful 19th century bronze fountain that has found beautiful home amongst the trees and flowers.

And...I've been looking for a pair of 19th century French beds forever. Look what I just found!!

 

My Antique Buying Adventure

Happy new year! A very belated one...

I must apologise once again for the lack of entry of late, however I've been scouting Europe to find goodies to bring home, and if I'm honest, I've been distracted by the rows of pain au chocolat.

I saw and bought so many beautiful things it really is difficult to do justice to it in a few words, so I've taken a few photos to give you a little snapshot of the trip.

French Antique Bombe Commode 

I especially loved these two pieces. One for its beauty and name, the other for its subject. The above is described as a very fine quality late 19th century french Louis XV bombe commode with the most exquisitely detailed ormolu (gilded bronze) mounts and radiating sunburst veneers. And...if you look closely, you can see these radiating out from the centre of the commode like the rays of a sun. 

View detailed images or enquire.

Pair French Art Deco Figures

I need hardly explain why I feel in love with this little pair of French Art Deco ormolu girls, off to bed...

View detailed images or enquire.

Following is just a number rooms that I fell in love with in various places that I went, all of which has incorporated some form of antique, whether it be furniture, textile or art.

 Well maybe not this one but it was cute.

 We ended our adventure in Paris, and unwittingly stumbled into an antique exhibition running at the Louvre. It was quite simply breathtaking. One of the vendors had on display the piano below. I'm ashamed to say that the only French I can speak is 'C'est Combien' so unfortunately my vocabulary did not extend so far as to be able to read the description. But a piece like this can't really be described anyway, so what better way to capture it than a few photos. Enjoy!

The ladies that offered to jump into my suitcase before the plane took off, you can at the very least rest easy knowing that while the antiques and rooms were beautiful, the weather was grey and wet...just for a change.