You Can Make a Difference
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Dear Diva Readers,
Many of you know I lost my home in a fire last year on Thanksgiving. It’s taken 4 months of living in temporary housing before we found a new home which we moved in last month on April 1st. Now, our new house sits near empty as we one piece at a time buy purchases to make our house a home. It was an air mattress at first, then they delivered the mattress for our bed – but we have to wait another 2 months before the bed itself is delivered. It’s not been easy and these 6 months since the fire have felt like an eternity. Perhaps it’s for this reason that my visit to New Orleans last month hit home more than I expected. It’s been 8, nearly 9 years since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005 and yet many residents in New Orleans still do not have homes and/or are still living in unrenovated homes. One of the couples we meet in New Orleans on #BlogTourNola who particularly touched my heart was Joe and Gloria Robert of New Orleans.
~ Photo Credits: Linda Merrill of Surroundings ~
They were newlyweds looking forward to a bright future together when Hurricane Katrina hit. They had lived in their new home only one month before Katrina slammed the city and they lost everything when the levee behind their house was destroyed – one of 53 levees in the city breached by the storm surge – and canal water swallowed the home. The Roberts evacuated the city, staying with various friends and relatives. When the flood waters receded weeks later, Joe and Gloria moved into a pop-up camper in their driveway for a while, but they’ve also been staying with a family member as well.
Nearly eight years later, Joe and Gloria’s house is still uninhabitable. While a new house has been framed out, the building lacks essentials including electrical, drywall, flooring and plumbing. Because Joe is a contractor by trade, he has the skills to work on his house, but he has generously donated much of his free time to volunteering with St. Paul’s Homecoming Center , helping to rebuild other people’s houses. You’ve heard the expression about the cobbler’s children having no shoes? Well that’s Joe. He’s spending all his time and resources helping others.
Joe works on his home little by little, but is often derailed by setbacks such as having his house broken into and his tools stolen. Even though Joe was forced to save up until he could replenish his tool supply, he has not lost his faith in humanity and happens to be one of the most gracious, humble human beings you’ll find.
Fortunately, Joe and Gloria received some good news recently when Storehouse of World Vision selected the couple and their house for a rehab project. A few weeks ago Storehouse joined forces with the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and St. Paul’s Homecoming Center to help rehab kitchens and baths in three houses as a lead-in to NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) which I had the opportunity to attend with #BlogTourNola on April 19-21 in New Orleans.
The Fund Raiser for Joe & Gloria is affectionately being called “Joe to the World”!
While Storehouse and NKBA partners have donated materials, appliances and labor for a new kitchen and bath in the Robert’s house, the rest of the unfinished home still needs lots of TLC. And that’s why World Vision has agreed to dedicate a page to Joe Robert and his story as well as a link to a fundraiser just for Joe. This donation page is coded so that all funds received on this link by May 15 will go to Joe Robert and the folks at St.Paul’s Homecoming Center.
Dear Readers, I ask you to join me in helping give Joe & his wife Gloria a home. You can make a difference in one person’s life – a person who has dedicated the last 8 years to making a difference in other people’s lives. Having lost my own home through a fire I can tell you recreating a home is healing – please join #BlogtourNola, NKBA, KBIS, Storehouse World Vision, and St Pauls Homecoming Center in helping to provide the basic necessity of helping to provide a roof over one’s head
More About Storehouse of World Vision
World Vision’s Storehouse network is comprised of six warehouses across the U.S. that receive corporate donations of new, top-quality goods made available to local community partners for distribution. Goods that are distributed include building materials, school supplies, personal care items, and clothing to over 2.2 million people in low-income communities annually.
More About the National Kitchen & Bath Association
Now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is a not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS®). With nearly 60,000 members, the NKBA has educated and led the kitchen and bath industry since the association’s founding in 1963. The mission of the NKBA is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices, and provide leadership and direction for the kitchen and bath industry worldwide. For more information, visit the NKBA Press Room or
call 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522). KBIS and NKBA are registered trademarks of the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
You can make a difference!
The Antiques Diva®
(seen here with BlogTour Friends)
Insider Antiques Diva Tips from San Gimignano
10 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
Yesterday we were in one of my favorite villages in the world with a group from Texas, helping Red Shed Tours as their on-the-ground step-on guides for their Tuscan Group Tour… and I couldn’t help but to share with you our insider Antiques Diva tips from San Gimignano on how to make your own Tuscan Tour!
Our Tuscan Antiques Diva Guide Susan Pennington writes in today sharing with you all the Diva Details for an afternoon in the “Manhattan of Tuscany”! Okay – this place is a far cry from NYC – but believe it or not it was once shadowed by over 70 towers surrounding the village!
Susan explains….
San Gimignano was built by powerful sparring families vying for importance and status, built during the medieval period and massive economic boom for the city, which sat on the pilgrim’s trail from Rome to Canterbury. It was also famed for its spices, in particular saffron. Today only 9 of those towers still stand but it is still as impressive as it was 900 years ago!
If you’ve got an afternoon on your own in San Gimignano you’ll have a ball! From Porta S. Giovanni runs the main street. Initially overwhelming, the town is actually a great place to shop for ceramics, baskets and leather ware, the prices are surprisingly competitive with other towns and considerably cheaper than Siena. There are lots of art galleries, contemporary jewelers, ceramic shops as well as all sorts of wonderful things made from olive wood…perfect Tuscan things to take home.
But make sure you make it all the way up to the duomo. Not least for the mouth watering ‘gelateria’ in the corner of the square. From the duomo take Via S. Matteo which leads down to the gate.
About two thirds of the way down is ‘Le Antich Essenze’ at n° 61. Here they make and sell their own hand-made soaps; totally natural with locally grown herbs, fruits and flowers, wheat, sage, olive oil and lavender.
Almost opposite at n° 70 is ‘Ieri & Oggi’, run by two sisters, Silvia & Roberta. They have beautiful linens, towels and fabrics, many of which are hand worked by themselves with croqueted borders and embroidered designs in typical Tuscan style. A little further down on the right is a small alley (via San Martino), almost immediately on the right as you enter is a tiny little studio ‘Barceloneta’ where Lucia decorates furniture. As you might imagine from the name of the shop, she’s Spanish, not Italian, but has great style and that’s what counts!
Just a little further down Via San Matteo at n° 81 is Mario Curini, a cavernous antiques shop with all sorts of things from repurposed pieces to delicate blown glass, medieval chests to wrought iron torchieres.
Thankfully here not everything closes at lunch time but you might like a little snack attack. Here are a few of our favorite Antiques Diva dines:
Trattoria Chiribiri. Pass thru’ the main archway S. Giovanni, go up the steps immediately to the left just thru’ the main arch. Piazza della Madonna, 1 A tiny place but with big food!
‘Ristorante Dorando just off the main square in vicolo dell’ Oro, 2 is set in an old cellar and quite charming. Tel: 0577 941 862 closed Monday
Le Terrazze just beside the hotel ‘La Cisterna’ in the square by the same name is a little more formal, set on the first floor it commands magnificent views over the surrounding countryside… the food is good too!
There are also lots of bars where you can find a great sandwich and ‘Enoteca’s’ which offer not just wine for tasting and purchasing but also light traditional fare such as wild boar salami, ‘pecorino’ sheep cheese, cold cuts and conserved vegetables, such as grilled bell peppers, olives and porcini mushrooms.
While in San Gimignano make sure to also stock up on your Tuscan food-finds! There are so many pastas, dried herbs, sausages and wines for sale at the various gourmet shops in town that this an ideal place to stock your cupboard.
Buon Appetito!
The Antiques Diva & Your Tuscan Antiques Diva Susan
Arezzo Flea Market Tips
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Dear Diva Readers,
Mamma Mia, I rarely blog while I’m in the midst of doing a tour, preferring usually to wait til I’m home afterwards. But we’ve got a white-label tour in Italy with Red Shed Tours this week where we’re acting as step-on guides for another tour company who specialize in group travel, and yesterday we were in Arezzo. Arezzo inspires me and has me spinning around in circles…. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
In fact if you’ve seen the movie Life is Beautiful, you’ve already got the town of Arezzo in mind. It was filmed here. This ancient Tuscan city with its Roman ruins, medieval walls and Renaissance architecture has always been a magnet for art lovers and it’s home to many famous artists. In fact have you heard of the Vasari passage in Florence? Well you can visit its designer’s home in Arezzo! Giorgio Vasari, who conferred with the Medici family in Florence, designed the famed but exclusive corridor that runs through the Medici’s original residence at the Uffizi, now the renowned picture gallery to their new residence at the Palazzo Pitti. It was built just above the Ponte Vecchio bridge which at the same time was filled with Butcher’s shops so they could walk above the rif raf of the city and avoid any unpleasantries. Also in Arezzo you can visit Piero della Francesce’s magnificent frescos at the Basilica of San Francisco.
Normally Arezzo is a quiet and tranquil city…. Except for the first weekend of the month when The Antiques Diva & Co storms into town all a gaggle!!! 500 vendors take over the Piazza Grande, sprawling into the surrounding streets and alleys from north to south, east to west. A quirky cast of characters set up shop and fill your ear with elaborate stories about their treasures.
Arezzo really is an Aladdin’s cave where you can find antique and vintage furniture, fine and costume jewelry, wonderful paintings at a steal, religious artifacts, crockery, glass, kitchen and cooking items, silver, ceramics and books. In short at the Arezzo Flea Market you can find anything and everything from the serious antiques to fun collectibles. It’s practically impossible to go home empty handed.
In Italian, though, when it comes to bargaining you need to remember the Italian method is not aggressive… it’s more sympathetic in tone. As it is in most things in Italy it’s based upon a rapport, so patience is needed. First you ask the price. Then you pause to think. If you feel the price is fair – you pay it. No bargaining for sport. Then if you really do want it, ask for a better price, and if you’re buying more than 1 item you’ll increase your odds of getting a discount. Vendors will always give you a receipt at the Tuscan flea markets as there are controls in place by the government to ensure they do. Because the items are classified as “used” there will be nothing to claim back at the Tax Refund office when leaving Italy as used items in Italy are VAT exempt.
Cash is king in the flea market scene… but some vendors will take credit cards. These are minority and cash will always get you the best price. All over Arezzo on the main roads you’ll find ATM’s dotting the side of the street so getting money from the machines wont be a problem. But come prepared. Did you know in Italy there is a legal limit to how much you can withdraw per day? The maximum limit in Italy to withdrawal from your bank (regardless what your bank tells you your daily limit is) is 250 Euro – so you’ll want to plan ahead to make sure you have the cash needed to shop the Arezzo Flea Market.
Happy shopping!
Ciao Bella,
The Antiques Diva®
#BlogTourNOLA – National Kitchen and Bath Association
2 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
This is my month for attending awards shows! In my last blog post I was telling you about the Young Guns competition, today it’s NKBA – The National Kitchen and Bath Association’s annual award ceremony. While in New Orleans (in my mind you’re reading that with the appropriate southern drawl) as part of #BlogTourNOLA, my interior designer and design blog friends and I were lucky enough to be invited to attend the KBIS (Kitchen and Bath Industry Show) when NKBA announces the winners for the Best Kitchen and the Best Bath during their annual NKBA Design Competition.
Given this was an event for interior designers DESIGNED by interior designers, you can imagine the venue was simply to die for – the coup de grace of the raw warehouse space of Republic was the clustering of crystal chandeliers hanging above center stage and just opposite our dedicated #BlogTourNOLA table in the gallery overlooking the stage. We moved & shook with other design professionals and when the winner for the 2013 Best Kitchen design was announced to be Wendy F. Johnson our #BlogTourNOLA crowd erupted into a roar of applause. A few days later some #BLogTourNOLA friends and I found ourselves dancing at the Spotted Cat with Wendy and I must tell you this girl dances with as much passion as she designs!
As a newbie to the world of Kitchen & Bath Design, I quizzed my friends about the NKBA. While I work with a lot of interior designers in my profession leading antiquing buying tours and offering buying services for interior designers and antique dealers (as well as non-trade, mere shopping mortals) I don’t know much about how the Kitchen and Bath Industry works. While sitting at our table at the awards, I asked my friends (many of whom are NKBA certified as well as interior designers), “When you’re ready to remodel your kitchen or bath, don’t a lot of people just hire a contractor and hope for the best?” My friends nodded, “Yep – and that explains a lot of the poor kitchen design we see. What you should do is have your builder work together with a NKBA designer – the result will be the most beautiful and functional kitchen or bath for your home!”
When doing a kitchen or bath, always consult an expert. Choosing the right design professional is an important decision for your project’s success. By selecting an NKBA-certified designer, you will be working with a professional who has demonstrated comprehensive knowledge in kitchen and bath design, as well as construction, mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. These are designers who adheres to a strict code of professional conduct. NKBA designers recognizes the importance of consumer health, safety, and welfare in kitchen and bath design – and best of all the NKBA provides training and tools specifically for their members so their designers can meet their clients needs and wants and creating designs that meet and exceed these requirements.
In fact the NKBA website has a great video which highlights why one should work with an NKBA designer.
I love pouring through Pinterest and getting inspiration – but for Kitchens & Baths I’ve discovered something better than Pinterest or Houzz!! The NKBA website has a slew of kitchen p*rn!! Hundreds of photos of dream kitchens designed by their own NKBA professionals.
If you’re considering a Kitchen or Bath Remodel, why don’t you reach out to the NKBA using their online resource for finding an NKBA professional near you.
Ta Ta For Now,
The Antiques Diva®
National Antiques Week – The Awards
1 CommentDear Diva Readers,
I was delighted that after this last month – which has literally found me on 3 continents in a months time (India, America & Europe) – that I was able to take time out of my busy travel schedule to attend the Awards for National Antiques Week at The Decorative Fair in London. Gail Mcleod - The Antiques Diva & Co’s English Agent who manages our antique buying tours for the UK and our buying services – just so happens to be founder of National Antiques Week and she finagled me an invite to this prestigious invite. This meant I was able to rub shoulders with the movers and shakers of the England antiques trade such as Spencer Swaffer, Martin Johnson and the Fontaine boys and even shared a glass of bubbly with famous interior designer Nicky Haslam!! My friend Ronda Carman of All the Best blog (and author of the fabulous new book Designers at Home) must have had burning ears for we chatted about her fabulousness over our coupe de champagne!
Publisher Homes & Antiques, Judith Miller and Winners Debbe Perry & Jim Broomfield of Brackley Antiques Cellar
The awards being presented at the event were two fold – first there was the Homes & Antiques Magazine award for Best Shop of the Year. Drum roll please… and the winner of Antiques Centre of the Year for the UK is Debbe Perry & Jim Broomfield of Brackley Antiques Cellar!
Brackley Antique Cellar is the largest purpose-built antiques centre in the Midlands of England with over 160 independent dealers, 30,000 sq ft of antiques and collectables, under one roof and all on one level! It has Diva-Divine written all over it. The presenter for this competition was Judith Miller - Miller is THE Goddess of Antiques. Moreover, she is a delight – she’s a fountain of information – and quite simply as friendly as she is informative. NEWS FLASH for my American Readers – Judith will be in NYC and Houston this November and is making special bookings for talks, book signings, etc. Stay tuned for more details.
Nickey Haslam and Mark Hill
For the Young Guns competition the presenters were also equally high profile! In order to be eligible for the Young Guns award you had to be an antiques vendor under the age of 39. I was thrilled that by a hair I was still in the age bracket categorized as YOUNG! The award presenters were Nicky Haslam, Mark Hill and George Johnson.
AND THE WINNER OF THE YOUNG GUNS AWARD IS…. TIMOTHY MEDHURST!
Photo: George Johnson, Nickey Haslam, Timothy Medhurst of Reeman Dansie Auctioneers and Mark Hill
The Winner of the 2013 Antiques Young Gun was the 21 year old Timothy Medhurst of Reeman Dansie Auctioneers whom the judges all agreed was an outstanding ambassador for the trade based on his enthusiasm and energetic support for the campaign, his willingness to promote his fellow dealers and his absolute commitment to his profession. Well done Tim!!
Joint runners up were: Keeley Harris who owns Discover Vintage and runs multiple events across the UK including Festival of Vintage. The judges agreed that Keeley’s achievements and hard work together with her ability to include and work with her peers has really put her on the map and we felt that her success will be an encouragement for other young dealers in the vintage trade.
Chris Oxley of the family firm P A Oxley Antique Clocks has been a pivotal member of the Antiques Young Guns group on Twitter and has been a fantastic supporter of the campaign and his fellow Young Guns. Chris has displayed a heartfelt commitment to the family business since his teenage years and has taken the business – a traditional and highly respected business – into the 21st Century with gusto.
Special Award: George Johnson, Alys Dobbie of Nana Dobbie, Nickey Haslam and Mark Hill
The judges were delighted to be able to award one extra prize on the night, having struggled to select just three winners from such a starry line-up! One of my favorite London haunts – Alfies Antique Market - generously offered a free stand at this famous and iconic London landmark antiques, vintage and Mid C Retro emporium for two months in the summer of 2013 and this award went to Alys Dobbie of Nana Dobbie who the judges agreed was the ideal person to make the very best of this opportunity. Alys has established a destination vintage and Mid C shop in Brighton and works with her father to manage another Nana Dobbie shop in Cornwall. She is perfectly poised to take London by storm and what better place than Alfies? Alys has a great sense of personal style and her shops reflect this and at Alfies she will have the chance to meet and interact with seasoned and experienced dealers – a true Young Gun experience.
All the Young Gun shortlist will benefit from a fantastic package of prizes from the generous sponsors including: Hotel Una Brighton; Cooper Antiques Fairs; Penman Antique Fairs; On-Line Galleries and Antiques are Green.
Congrats to all who received the awards and a special shout out to our Antiques Diva English Agent Gail McLeod for her tremendous work she does promoting the antiques trade in the UK. I’ve said it for years that Gail is the most connected woman in antiques in England…. And seeing her in action at the awards Thursday night had me brimming with pride that she was part of our team. Gail is not only a member of the Diva Team, but she’s a dear friend and business mentor. We love you Gail!! Congrats on another successful National Antiques Week.
Gail McLeod – Founder of National Antiques Week and the English Agent for The Antiques Diva & Co
Warm Regards,
The Antiques Diva®
Diva Does Decorative Fair at London Battersea
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Dear Diva Readers,
As I write this post, it’s late at night – the night before The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair 23-28 April 2013 Battersea Park, London SW11. My heart is pounding, I can’t sleep. All I can think about are ANTIQUES – tomorrow I’ll be arriving the pearly gates of great decorative antique pieces. I’ll be bringing a VIP Aussie client with me to shop – but I must confess – I might have to break my cardinal rule not to shop on tour with this client. The fair is just going to be that good! Bloody H-E-Double Hockey Sticks, my purchases just might break the bank.
This fair will host more that 140 of the top decorative antiques trade. Anyone who has watched Million Dollar Decorators knows this fair is a 1st port of call for decorators worldwide – I particularly loved the episode in season 1 when Kathryn Ireland went to the show to decorate an old flame’s English country house. And Martin Lawrence Bullard is famous for haunting the affairs. But it’s not just Big Names in Lights that shop here… many of the American trade buyers who have built a name for having the best inventory in stock come over specifically for the event three times a year to see wonderful objects, furniture and works of art of all periods to tempt every aficionado of fine interiors. Traditional accessories from kitchenalia to wine glasses, textiles and quirky decorations such as antique shoes alongside ‘Grand Tour’ intaglios displayed under domes and taxidermy also under glass domes on a grand scale. The fair is also a serious source for good antique furniture from early English oak to Georgian walnut and Regency mahogany with Arts and Crafts and Art Deco pieces appearing more and more frequently.
Anyone who has followed the publicity surrounding Antiques Young Guns will have noticed that the main event will be hosted at this venue which is the ultimate source for discerning homemakers, designers and trade. The event, still known in the trade inner circles as “the Decorators’ Fair” is indeed an event for the Young Guns of the trade to aspire to and thanks to the generosity of the organiser David Juran they will have a bird’s eye view of this storming event from the complimentary stand in the foyer where a very varied selection of contributions from The Young Guns will be on display and for sale. The chance to submit stock to be showcased at what is an elite event for the more experienced members of the trade – The Heavy Artillery – was a driving force behind so many entries in the competition.
Keil and Stuart, the Fontaine boys, are now in their sixth year at The Decorative Antiques and Textiles Spring Fair and they seem to be on a gilded path with one successful fair after another, not forgetting their debut at Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair last year which was a sell out. Their prominent stand just inside the main arena at Battersea is always a buzzy hive of activity and a quick check on their web site this week confirms that they have been on yet another buying frenzy in France. The boys seem to have a policy of keeping the stock fresh at all times in the former town laundry which they have artfully transformed in Margate, Kent. They have regular sales of existing stock when prices really are slashed together with their annual boozy and lively “deballage” where they also showcase new stock, and then off they go to France to replenish it all with fresh delights. They have an extremely sharp eye for trifles and baubles you did not realize you simply could not live without but they are also very clever at structuring all of this with sleek usable furniture – each piece with an arresting little detail to give it that little flick.
Somebody who is heading along his own gilded path is Young Gun George Johnson, aged 35, who owns Lady Kentmores in Callander up the picturesque Trossachs region of Scotland. George has in a very short space of time made a name for himself in his role as one of the four hosts on Channel 4′s Secret Removers and since this appearance has been offered a new role in another nationwide show still under embargo! George writes regularly for my colleague Gail McLeod’s website Antiques News and Fairs and a number of other trade press and has recently been snapped up to write a column for Money Maker Magazine, giving tips on how to make a profit from collectibles. You might recall that I described his shop as “a cocktail stirred but not shaken!” – a confection of curios, collectibles and the macabre.
As a key member of the crack team of judges for Antiques Young Guns, George was not eligible to enter the awards but he is able to display some of his stock on the Young Guns stand at Battersea. He has chosen two of his favorite pieces of taxidermy which he acquired after a lengthy and circuitous journey to a remote castle in the North of Scotland where the Laird had invited him to come and buy a few pieces. George found the journey home a lot more enjoyable with some prize examples of pre-war taxidermy in tow!
SO… on Thursday of this week – April 25th,2013 – I’m lucky enough to be returning back to Battersea (after shopping the Cotswolds and Sussex) to attend the Antiques Young Gun Competition!! The contenders for winning the award of brightest light shining in the trade – in the under 39 category include:
Profiles of the shortlisted entrants for the 2013 National Antiques Week Young Guns award:
Robbie Timms (30), Bedfordshire
S&S Timms Antiques from Ampthill, Bedfordshire, one of the founding members of the original #AntiquesYoungGuns. He brings a new outlook to the traditional furniture side of the trade. Robbie launched the world’s first antiques shop iPhone/iPad App. Joined the family antiques business aged 16, and has ‘upped the ante’ by exhibiting at the UK’s top fairs.
Natalie Smith (32), Woodbridge
www.woodbridgeantiquescentre.co.uk
Opened her own antique centre at only 26 years old and proves that antique centres are not just an old person’s game. Got the antiques bug while visiting car boot fairs with her dad, took a degree in Italian, worked for a jewellers in Venice but really got into dealing when she helped sell some of her father’s collections.
Keeley Harris (36), York
Runs Discover Vintage & Vintage Emporium, has been making waves from her shop in York and from the various fairs she runs throughout the country. Fell in love with a Victorian doll’s house aged eight, and spent her teens buying at car boots and charity shops to sell on at antiques fairs. Interim jobs in events have helped her create very interactive vintage shows.
Kieran Mathewson (26), Herefordshire
Dealer in tribal art, architectural reclamation and country furniture. Has carved out a career through determination and a love for objects. First struck aged eight by a pewter tankard in a South African antiques shop that looked like one he had seen in a pirate movie -”I remember my heart racing, wondering about its history. That feeling is a high I have been chasing ever since!”
Paul Jones (29), N. Wales& Chester
Runs Morgan Fairs in Wales and has his own shop in Cheshire specialising in Victorian pine and country furniture, and smaller items including books, folk art and kitchenalia. His parents are in the trade (specialist Welsh and vernacular furniture dealers).
Paul was a mechanic until he realised his heart was really in antiques. Dealt at fairs for two years before opening his own shop.
Timothy Medhurst (21), Chelmsford
Turned a childhood love of coins in to a career as an auctioneer specialising in the numismatic world. Determined to bring a youthful edge to a field sometimes seen as old and stuffy. The youngest of our short-list, Timothy aged 10 was first amazed by a Victorian crown coin shown him by his grandmother. That sparked a collecting craze he developed into an online dealing business whilst still at school.
Matthew Nunn (37), Reading
Runs Apsley Antiques Ltd & Fleaglass Ltd and has been bringing the scientific antiques market to a whole new generation.
Spent years working in engineering but was hooked on antiques as a child, and started dealing when eBay launched.
Adam Partridge (39), Macclesfield
Adam is still a young gun, but has achieved so much in auctioneering after some major early set-backs. Well known from TV (Flog It! et al). His first purchase: a small oil painting, bought with pocket money aged eight, which he still has. Read classics at Oxford but spent more time haunting fairs and auctions.
Sam Loxton (33), London
Travels the world sourcing the finest jewellery for Lucas Rarities Ltd and has a love for the finest items. In his words: “I consider myself a champion of antique jewellery…” He adored old books and antiques; soon after school he was offered two jobs at once – with the National Art Library and with Christie’s as a porter in the jewellery department. He took the latter and has been utterly dedicated to jewels ever since.
Chris Oxley (36), Wiltshire
Another founding member of the #AntiquesYoungGuns, busy rejuvenating the timeless world of fine clocks. His parents established P.A.Oxley Antique Clocks, and Chris started going on buying trips with them from the age of 10. He joined the business after leaving school, and now runs it with his mother.
Alys Dobbie (29), Cornwall& E. Sussex
Owns two vintage shops under the Nana Dobbie brand, one in Brighton and one in Lostwithiel, Cornwall; causing a stir in the 20th century collectables and vintage worlds. Another who fell in love with ‘retro’ whilst car-booting with her dad. Tried art college but couldn’t resist temptation to deal. Studied in order to do her own modern furniture restoration, and says her business has only ever used recycled packaging!
James Gooch (30), Bedfordshire
Another founding member of the #AntiquesYoungGuns, runs Doe & Hope, a web-based antiques and curios shop that aims to bring a bit of fun and showmanship to the trade. Early obsession with antiques television programmes. With a BA in film & video, he first worked as a runner and researcher in TV production. A small legacy from his grandmother was what prompted him to set up shop.
For full exhibitor list and times see The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair website! In the meantime – I cannot wait to see you in London!!!
Let the shopping commence!
The Antiques Diva®
NATIONAL ANTIQUES WEEK – THE MAIN EVENTS!
Please visit National Antiques Week Main Events feature with images and full details of all events and promotions.
We are delighted to report on the main events for National Antiques Week which in addition to the Antiques Young Guns campaign culminating in a sparkling evening to celebrate National Antiques Week with an awards ceremony followed by a party at The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair.
Getting Steamy In New Orleans
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Dear Diva Readers,
I’ve got the #BlogTourNola Blues… while I had the time of my life, I’m utterly depressed the trip is over. I didn’t want to leave Crescent City – such were the food, the fun, the friends and the fantastic designs. The trip was – AMAZING – and – down-right exhausting. After all that fun, my #BlogTour amies and I decided we definitely needed a SPA BREAK! And where better to go than my favorite chain hotel – The Ritz Carlton?
Located on the edge of the French Quarter, this hotel features a destination spa – with over the 25,000-square-feet of award-winning spa facilities and fitness centre with full range of therapies and treatments.
The Ritz-Carlton Spa, New Orleans features 22 treatment rooms, over 100 therapies, a Spa Café, a fitness center, retail store, complimentary valet parking and more. Even more The Spa was selected as a Top Hotel Spa in the United States and Canada by Travel + Leisure magazine and selected by Elle magazine as one of the Top Ten Spas in the United States. What makes The Ritz-Carlton Spa, New Orleans stand above the rest is not only its physical decor but the fact that they only use the best products and brands in their spa – that’s why it’s no surprise that they have included a steam room from #BlogTourNola sponsor Mr. Steam to help their clients relax diva-style in Nola.
A visit to a Mr Steam steam room is guaranteed to relax every muscle in your core . Steam rooms provide many therapeutic services – they help you relax, relieve stress and sore muscles, improve blood circulation, rejuvenate skin and reduce sinus congestion… not to mention steam hydrates skin pores and opens them up so that toxins can be flushed out.
I love nothing more than taking time out of my busy travel schedule (did I mention I was on 3 continents this month?) to pamper myself – diva style – and for me steaming is a regular part of my health and beauty routine. But I usually do it at my esthetician or spa… until meeting Martha Orellana, Vice President of Mr. Steam – a woman I like to call Mrs Steam – I didn’t know it was possible to have the spa experience at home!!
Martha Orellana, Vice President of Mr. Steam, one of the country’s’ largest manufacturers of steam generators
Forget the Ritz baby, I’m bringing Mr Steam home for my next spa date! If there is a face to Mr Steam – it’s Martha’s. When a VP could be the model for their own companies media campaign you know the product she’s using is spot on! Having the chance to tour New Orleans with Martha this week I was able to see how she pours her heart and soul into her company and as a result of her dedication to her product, she is a picture perfect vision of good health – great skin and a gorgeous glow. Of course, Martha doesn’t just hit the steam room once a month at the spa – she has incorporated it into her regular life.
The Mr Steam motto is “Making Wellness a Way of Life”. For over 50 years, informed architects, builders, remodelers, and consumers have chosen Mr Steam as the premier source of upscale, and high quality steam products including towel warmers, shower speakers, shower seats, aromasteam and chromasteam™ systems. Should you be thinking about creating your own home spa – Consider Mr Steam!
Happy Spa-ing,
The Antiques Diva®
Blog Tour New Orleans: Day 4
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Dear Diva Readers,
It’s all about KBIS today - The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) being held in New Orleans this April 19-21, 2013 (Friday thru Sunday) at the Convention Center. Because #BlogTourNola never does anything without creating a buzz, we’ll be kick starting the day with Beignets & Bubbly, a media get-together of epic proportions where over 200+ top designers, design writers and editors mingle while attempting NOT to get sprinkled with delicious white powdered sugar from the doughnuts! We’ll also be taking a series of VIP media tours into some of our favorite vendors at the fair.
We’ll start the day with a media event at Wilsonart – one of America’s leading brands for countertops before meeting Danny Seo who will be talking about eco-friendly home remodeling.
Through his best-selling books, television programs, products, magazine columns and his how-to lifestyle lectures, Danny Seo continues to share the creative ideas that have made him America’s leading lifestyle authority on modern, eco-friendly living.
Next up we get more time with Silestone after spending yesterday afternoon with their reps as we toured houses in the Make It Right foundation where Silestone is a key sponsor in donating materials for these incredible innovative rebuilds. It is incredibly moving to see how this company gives back – truly investing in the future of New Orleans as they help residents rebuild their homes. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Silestone, they are the world leader in natural quartz surfaces for kitchens and baths.
For this next media tour with Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet I’m praying they will be giving samples…. Kalamazoo is bringing the pizzeria home with their Artisan Fire Pizza Oven. Then we’ll be heading over to Toto… TOTO is the world’s largest plumbing products manufacturer. They offer a complete line of commercial and decorative plumbing fixtures and fittings, faucets, accessories, shower and flush valves, as well as lavatories, toilets, Air Baths and urinals
After all this media buzz at KBIS we’ll have worked up an appetite. But have no fear because our sponsors Poggenpohl/Blanco/Silestone are having us to their showroom for a special private dinner!!!
Today is going to be a day devoted to learning more about some of the key brands in the kitchen and bath industry. While I personally don’t work in Kitchens & Baths, I love the opportunity to better understand the house as a whole so that I can learn how the whole house functions together in great design.
Warm Regards,
The Antiques Diva®
Blog Tour New Orleans: Day 3
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Dear Diva Readers,
When you imagine the flickering fantasy of New Orleans it’s the lanterns dotting the French Quarter that casts a romantic glow in your mind. But did you realize that in a day and age of increasing globalization, this city’s iconic copper lanterns are still made locally by hand using old world techniques in a family-run business here in New Orleans?
I’m delighted that this morning we’ll start our day out with BlogTourNola getting to know the family who runs Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights and having an opportunity to explore their factory. This company was first founded in 1945 and revolutionized the gas lighting industry – 6 decades and 3 generations later they’re still going strong supplying not only locally but in 29 countries.
And speaking of strong, perhaps I should mention I like my coffee strong. We’re heading out the door to tour their shop with #BlogTourNola at 7am, and rumor has it that Beignets and Coffee will be the olfactory pied piper should any of the Bloggers stay out too late the night before. I must confess the first night on #BlogTour I joined a few friends on our roof-top terrace to dip our toes in the pool and continue chatting in a more intimate setting!
While #BlogTourNola involves a LOT of wining & dining, it’s really all about design and in essence design is popular because it is through design that each makes our house a home, giving our homes a personal stamp. But what if you didn’t have a home? With the advent of new “news and natural disasters”, Hurricane Katrina may seem a long time ago – in fact, it was nearly 8 years ago – and yet New Orleans is far from being completely renovated and there are a lot of residents still displaced from the disaster.
One of our #BlogTourNola sponsors – Silestone – has been actively involved in the restoration efforts – they are a key partner in Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation. Silestone will pick us up downtown and bring us to Gentilly in the north of New Orleans – one of the hardest hit areas during hurricane Katrina where many families lost everything they owned.
Photo Credit: The Examiner
Three families are now able to move into their newly remodeled or rebuilt homes through the help of The Storehouse of Worldvision which supplies building materials to over 2 million people in need, annually. The Storehouse project is supported by many great corporate sponsors and manufacturers of building materials and home products, including BlogTour sponsors the NKBA and KBIS.
We at #BlogTourNola are proud to be among the first to tour the completed homes and share more about this important project. We’ve been invited to do this, to spread the word that the work is not over yet. Our# BlogTourNola community has a combined reach of 1 MILLION Twitter followers and we’re hoping to use the power in our tweets to make the world aware that there is more work – and help needed – here in New Orleans.
Next up we’ll visit an amazing modern architectural project. With Hurricane Katrina, these new Modernist designs are the “new” New Orleans. Brad Pitt’s foundation has produced over 80 homes and involved many local architects in addition to industry icons like Frank Gehry.
As the afternoon gives way to evening, we’ll continue celebrating design, attending the NKBA Design Awards night and dinner.
Net, net – today is guaranteed to be another amazing day in New Orleans!!
Stay Tuned for more Blogs from Crescent City!
The Antiques Diva®
Blog Tour New Orleans: Day 2
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Dear Diva Readers,
Let’s face it – coming to New Orleans for design inspiration was only part of the story…I also came here to eat, New Orleans Style, from crayfish to beignets.
#BlogTourNola sponsor KBIS knows the way to my heart. While the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show at the New Orleans Convention Centre is still being set up behind the scenes with the official show running April 19-21, the show coordinators are taking me and the rest of the #BlogTourNola crew to breakfast this morning at Luke to whet our appetites for what’s to come later at the show.
Photo Credit: Travel Muse
Chef John Besh runs this famous grand old Franco-German brasserie Luke in the style of the famous New Orleans brasseries of yesteryear . Since opening in 2007, Luke has been hailed by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure for its “disarmingly home-spun culinary touches and broad-shouldered dishes that satisfy something more than just an appetite.” While filling up on breakfast foods, er… I mean preparing ourselves for the hard-core work we’ll be doing later in the day, we’ll learn more about KBIS while discussing innovative kitchen and bath designs and the new products we’ll find at the KBIS Show.
Then we’ll head out for a streetcar ride to tour the Garden District, Audoban Park and Zoo and Tulane University. You’ll want to make sure to follow me on Facebook so you won’t miss one photo from #BlogTour Nola.
Next up, Shaun Smith will be taking us on an antiquing & design tour in New Orleans, visiting the shops on and around Magazine Street!! For me this a real treat – normally I’m the one leading the antique shopping tour and it will be such a pleasure to be able to sit back as the tour-ee for a change!!
Shaun Smith is a residential and commercial design firm and boutique based in New Orleans and they have a passion for creating, stylish, organic, and contemporary spaces utilizing a mixture of modern and rustic design components with simple and clean lines. They truly capture New Orleans living in a way that rejuvenates, inspires, and encompasses the essence of living well.
Photo Credit: bywaterboo.blogspot.com
Photo Credit: bywaterboo.blogspot.com
Needless to say I cannot wait to see what insider NOLA décor shops they highlight on their tour today - And don’t worry – I promise to share everything I learn with you. No way I’m hiding this light under a bush, oh no! In fact, if you are on Twitter, you can follow me @TheAntiquesDiva for live tweets or check out the hashtag #BlogTourNOLA so you can read not just my insights on our tour but my BlogTour companions insights as well! We’ll finish our tour in the Shaun Smith Home Shop.
And just when I thought I’d died and gone to New Orleans, it gets even better. After spending a fabulous afternoon doing my favorite pastime (and profession) – Antiquing – this evening we’ve got a date with my design hero, Miles Redd, for cocktails at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art!
Miles Redd is an internationally acclaimed interior design sensation, known for his quirky brand of cozy glamour. An Atlanta, Georgia native turned New Yorker, his work has been published in Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Vogue, House & Garden, Domino and W magazines…. And as of last fall, Redd’s fabulous “The Big Book of Chic” (published by Assouline), has hit the shelves. This is an inspirational resource and compilation of all things chic, lavishly illustrated featuring a diverse selection of his unique interiors, a visual feast for anyone interested in spirited, eclectic design.
If you’re as smitten with Miles as I am you must take some time to listen to this interview with my fellow #BLogTourNola compatriot Linda Merrill of Surroundings – posted on her popular interior design podcast The Skirted RoundTable.
Miles Redd – Elle Décor
Miles Redd in Texas
Loaded down with a freshly signed design book… next up, it’s time for JAZZ!!! You CANNOT go to New Orleans and NOT listen to music! So we’ll skip out of the Ogden and over to Lafayette Square for “Wednesday at the Square”. This is part of a series of twelve free outdoor concerts from early March through late May by well-known New Orleans and Louisiana artists. Tonight we’ll be listening to The Revivalists + Disco Demolition Knights. Elevated above the crowd on a big sound stage, each week bands perform a wide variety of indigenous musical styles, including jazz, rock, funk, swamp pop, Latin rhythms and more.
Photo Credit: Off Beat Magazine
Once our toes getting tapping, we’ll leave the muggy outdoors to get steamy INDOORS …. Get your mind out of the gutter. We’re going to dinner courtesy of Mr. Steam! You’ll remember that Mr. Steam is one of our #BlogTourNola Sponsors.
Mr.Steam® makes the world’s most luxurious steam showers and steam baths for the home and for the spa – not to mention diva worthy towel warmers! They’re taking us to Bayona where Louisiana native Susan Spicer defines her cooking style as being ”New World”. She’s known for her imaginative dishes on a constantly changing menu served in an early-19th-century Creole cottage that glows with flower arrangements, elegant photographs, and trompe l’oeil murals suggesting Mediterranean landscapes. Rumor has it that this is the place to eat dessert first, lest you’re too full to eat dessert. I’m having fantasies about that maple-semolina cake with golden-raisin compote and pomegranate sauce.
The only thing I love more than food, antiques and travel is taking time to go to the spa – unfortunately it’s something I don’t do nearly enough. When I do go one of the first things I do is plan time in the steam room before the sauna and then an ICE SHOWER. With Mr Steam, it’s now possible to have that Spa Experience at home, avoiding what #BlogTourCologne alumni Paul Anater calls “Being Naked in Public”. One of the products we’ll be learning about is the iSteam, a new home steam shower experience that marks a new era in bathroom remodeling options. As easy to use as a smart phone, the beautiful graphics of the iSteam touch panel are unprecedented in steam controls. With a swipe of the finger, the iSteam’s intuitive touch screen navigation allows the user to seamlessly control temperature, time, aroma, chroma, audio entertainment, and overall steam system functionality. You can even use iSteam’s accessory commands for optional chromatic lighting and aromatic infusers to transform your shower into a sensory spa. Now this sounds like an experience fit for a diva.
In fact, this whole day is Diva Worthy! From Shaun Smith Home, to Miles Redd to Mr Dreamy, I mean, Mr Steam…. Today in New Orleans is Drop Dead Diva!
The Antiques Diva®
Timeless Antiques in Belgium
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Dear Diva Readers,
I’m really not supposed to pick favorites in my clients or my vendors… but here’s my Diva Confession du Jour… I do! And between you and me, Tijdloos Antiek in Belgium happens to be on the top of my favorite places to take clients to shop in Belgium for French Antiques.
First off, the vendors – Roderic and his wife, Evy – are simply wonderful. They are as nice as they are informed about their inventory. Next up, they always treat my clients with such incredible customer service, going that extra mile to help Antiques Diva® clients find what they’re looking, sharing historical information (not to mention coffee and cookies) as well as answering a slew of Q’s .
And then there is their inventory – which is DIVINE. Tijdloos Antiek has good quality, gorgeously restored pieces and very reasonable prices. I also like that they are creative – they aren’t afraid to repurpose pieces for modern living, for example cutting down tables to make coffee tables! Clients go mad over these repurposed pieces!
With between 200 and 300 pieces of 18th and 19th C furniture in stock their store has gorgeous farm tables, wardrobes, cabinets, bureaus, secretaries and more! Their pieces are beautifully and lovingly restored and net net, if you’re looking to buy wholesale in Belgium, Tijdloos Antiek gets The Antiques Diva® Seal of Approval!! Thanks Roderic & Evy for being you!!
The Antiques Diva®
PS. If you’re going to Belgium, why not book a 2, 3 or 4 day Belgium Antiques Diva Tour so you can find more great warehouses like Tijdloos Antiek. Email toma@antiquesdiva.com for more details.
Blog Tour New Orleans: Day One
3 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
You’ll remember last March 2012 I had the incredible opportunity to attend #BlogTourNYC as part of a design initiative created by Veronika Miller, the brainchild behind the world’s best interior design resource catalog and networking platform Modenus.
Well, drum roll please… no wait… let’s pull out the full on orchestra!
This pic was taken this weekend at the New Orleans French Quarter Festival
#BlogTour is back… and this year I’m going to New Orleans, with #BlogTourNola!
In fact, I SHOULD say “I’m in NOLA” as I came to town a few days EARLY to warm up the crowds and get the party started early for the rest of the BlogTour crew! When my editors at a UK publication heard I was going to be on this side of the pond, they sent me on assignment a little early so I’ve been doing a little antiquing, New Orleans style, scouring the south to see whats chic for an upcoming print feature.
The Blog Tour New Orleans Crew - Meet the Bloggers!
Today – Tuesday, April 16 – I will meet up with the Rest of the #BlogTourNola gang as they arrive in town to join me with Modenus for a full on 4 days of fun and festivities meeting sensational sponsors and expanding my design repertoire! Together with the entire #BlogTourNola Team I will be covering NOLA’s design scene, antebellum architecture in the Garden District, Creole architecture in the French Quarter and a selection of very modernist developments in the parts of town that were most heavily damaged during Hurricane Katrina.
Shockingly, 8 years after Hurricane Katrina ,many of these areas are still not rebuilt and families were never able to return home. Hopefully the coverage from BlogTour will spark renewed interest into this situation – in fact, many people are simply unaware the problem remains and that the newly funded development could also mean jobs for many in the area. Your support in helping #BlogTourNOLA share the message by retweeting and sharing the message on Facebook would be greatly appreciated for our initiative.
Last year, NYC was a crash course in interior design as we met some of the top movers and shakers in the Big Apple at the Architectural Digest Design Show. This year in Crescent City we will be beating a different drum – we will be spending 2 days at KBIS – the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show at the New Orleans Convention Centre.
This is the main event for the Kitchen & Bath industry and it is an inspiring, interactive showcase of everything new in the field, where the brightest and best designers and brands assemble to spot trends, experience product introductions and find the practical solutions and valuable connections that will take them into the future. As you know for my antique buying tours in Europe we work with both tourist and the trade – antique dealers, interior designers and architects. For my trade clients, this is one of the biggest shows they attend each year and I’m delighted I’ll be able to join several of my top clients this year in person at the show as we discuss how the trends impact their design needs.
Now… you know me. I LOVE FOOD and I’ve got to tell you New Orleans is a fabulous place to host a Kitchen show… because this is a serious Foodie town! From poboys, jambalaya and gumbo to beignets and chicory coffee… this diva has some serious eating to do while she’s in the house.
We’ll kick off our #BlogTourNola events with a dip into our hotel bar tonight before walking through the French Quarter to Sobu Nola – a restaurant that Esquire Magazine voted one of the Best New Restaurants in America.
Photo Credit: © Michael Kleinberg
In addition to KBIS serving as a wonderful sponsor, our other sponsors for this week’s fabulous festivities include:
Blanco – For three generations, BLANCO has quietly and passionately elevated the standards for luxury sinks, faucets and decorative accessories.
Du Verre - Du Verre Cabinet Hardware and Bath Accessories, Du Verre has begun transforming its manufacturing process to reflect global concerns about sustainability
Mr. Steam - Mr.Steam® makes the world’s most luxurious steam showers and steam baths for the home and for the spa – not mention diva worthy towel warmers!
NKBA – The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is an international non-profit trade association for kitchen and bath professionals. They provide resources for consumers and industry professionals and promotes professionalism and ethical business practices.
Poggenpohl - Poggenpohl is a time-honoured kitchen brand and one of the world’s best-known. The design and production of these exclusive kitchens is carried out in Herford, Germany with distribution to all continents. Complete kitchen solutions are sold to end-consumers through about 35 Group-owned stores in major cities, to independent kitchen stores and to business customers in the project market.
Silestone - Silestone is the world leader in natural quartz surfaces for kitchens and bath – its natural quartz surfaces are treated and created to decorate today´s kitchens and bathrooms in a range of attractive quartz colors and extraordinary quartz textures with top-quality performance. It is the only countertop with a bacteriostatic protection that guarantees maximum hygiene on its surfaces.
Toto – Toto was Dorthy’s dog in the Wizard of Oz… er, wait, That’st he Wrong Toto!! I mean Toto TOTO is the world’s largest plumbing products manufacturer. They offer a complete line of commercial and decorative plumbing fixtures and fittings, faucets, accessories, shower and flush valves, as well as lavatories, toilets and air baths.
This week as I report you LIVE from NEW ORLEANS these SPONSORS will be key players in all we do!!!
Stay tuned for more #BlogTourNola coverage!!
Laissez les bonne temps roulez,
The Antiques Diva®
The Antiques Express to Provence
1 CommentDear Diva Readers
Looking to book an Antiques Diva Provence Tour? Then now’s the time to go South with The Antiques Diva® & Co and OuiGo – pronounced “We Go”.
This a new, low-cost TGV train taking you from the Paris suburb of Marne La Vallée (think Disney Paris) to Marseille, Montpellier, Lyon, Avignon, Nîmes, Aix-en-Provence and Valence. With destinations such as these, I call OuiGo The Antiques Express!! The trains are even decorated in hot pink and baby blue to add to the diva experience!!
The new service starts on April 1st, offering promotional fares starting at €10 and saving you more money to spend shopping for antiques!! Make sure to prepay your luggage as prepaid luggage costs €5 per bag while showing up at the train with luggage runs €40!
Should you need some on board reading while taking the train down yonder to the South of France, I’ve got just the thing for you! Belle Inspiration has just done a fabulous interview with Antiques Diva Tour Guide Melanie about our antique buying tours in Provence!! Click on the picture below to discover Provence done Diva Style!
Bon Voyage,
The Antiques Diva®
Vintiquing in Budapest
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Dear Diva Readers,
Have you seen this month’s March issue of Homes & Antiques!?! My article Vintiquing in Budapest made a blurb on the cover!!!
You can find the full article on page 136 – 140 but for those of you who don’t have access to this fabulous publication, which just so happens to be the official magazine of The Antiques Roadshow, I’ll share info on one of my Budapest Shopping tips!
FORDOVA ANTIKVITAS
Hajós utca 16-18
Judit Dombi’s sprawling 3 story bric-a-brac shop near Opera “specializes in Not specializing”. Along with her mother and aunt, Judit shares a gaggle of information on her collection spanning vintage clothes to an array of lighting from every era, a plethora of porcelain at various price points, tchotchkes and art deco. Bargains abound in the basement flea market. A cheery post-war orange and black tea set from the Hungarian manufacture Granit with a starting price of 18,000 Ft (50 £) caught my eye. The more interest I showed in the piece, the lower the price became.
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I simply loved this shop and in fact a subscriber to Homes & Antiques agreed with me! She just emailed my editor the following letter!
Dear H& A -
It was our 10th Wedding Anniversary in February, and to celebrate I
booked a surprise weekend in Budapest for me and my husband. Therefore
I was really excited when a few days later my March issue of Homes and
Antiques came through the letterbox featuring Budapest as the
Vintiquing city of the month. We took your advice on many of the
sights we chose to see; a warm respite from the freezing weather in
the Szechenyi Baths, a latte and piece of cake in the Gerbeaud cafe,
and although we didn’t manage to get to the flea market, we tracked
down one of the shops you recommended, Fordova Antikvitas where my
husband bought me a charming blue stone bird brooch (attached).
Budapest was so beautiful and we’ve taken plenty of close up photos of
the wonderful detail abounding in the city, hoping to frame them and
put them up in our home. I attach a close up of the roof of the Matyas
Church in Buda and also a shot of the wallpaper in Gerbeaud.
Thanks again for such a timely and helpful guide to our weekend away!
MK
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And I have to say Thanks MK and Thanks Homes & Antiques!
Happy Travels in Budapest!
The Antiques Diva®
Girls Guide To Paris Interview
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Dear Diva Readers,
I just had to write and share with you the details of an interview I recently gave with my favorite online Paris Resource…. Girls Guide to Paris. In this interview I answer questions such as “How I became The Antiques Diva®” and dish on details of my favorite flea market tour we offer at my company! I give tips on bargaining in the Paris Flea Markets and answer the question “How do I know if I got a good deal?” I even confess that I’m my own worst client while sharing details of what my recent purchases have been!
If you’re not already reading Girls Guide To Paris you better rush out and join this online community today. While the site “technically is for girls”, boys are invited too – to read fabulous French inspiration on the most fabulous city in the world. From dining to shopping and beyond, this collection of Paris insights is priceless.
Whether you are in the mood to book a recommended hotel room on the site, sign up for a Paris tour, or just peruse their list of fab restaurants, Girls Guide to Paris keeps up with the best and latest, enabling traveler and resident a glimpse into all the goodness the City of Light has to offer… they also have a TRAVEL CLUB whereby you can book all your favorite tours, including our Antiques Diva Paris Tours!
Enjoy The Antiques Diva® interview!
Au Revoir!
The Antiques Diva®
Antiques Diva Virtual Buying Tours
3 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
Recently Modenus – the best design resource on the net – posted an article regarding our buying services and it occurred to me I was positively negligent in not sharing those details with you here on my own blog!!! You know us as an European Antique Shopping Tour company… and when you’re in Europe and you want to go antiquing, we’re you’re first stop for taking an antiques shopping tour. But what IF you can’t come abroad!?? We know you WANT to travel overseas, but sometimes LIFE gets in the way…. you have work and family commitments or sometimes the cost of the trip + the cost of the purchases is simply too much on the budget. But that doesn’t mean you don’t still want to go do shopping in Europe. That’s where we come in… we can buy on your behalf, giving you access to our sources in Europe and letting you shop from across the pond!! While we offer antique buying tours, we also offer shopping services for our clients – both Trade & Private individuals.
How It Works?
When we buy for a client, we ask a lot of questions about what you’re looking for.. We want to know you and your style inside out. Clients email us photos from pinterest or scanned from magazines, books, etc saying “I want everything in this picture” – sometimes antiques dealers even send us emails saying “see my competitors website… I want what she’s got!” as well as links to their own site to help us get a feel for their shop. Some clients are decorating their own home and are looking for a key piece so they email pics of their living room telling us what they’re looking for and the space they are working with.
Once we get those pictures and links to websites our job is to do that little thing we do. When you tell us what you’re looking for we go to our best contacts and get you photographs of the inventory we recommend for you. Some of the things we suggest will be in response to what you’ve told us you want… but other things we suggest are things we think you might like. You’ll get a lot of pre-choreographed photos sent to you. We understand you need to kiss a lot of frogs to find your perfect piece… so we’ll give you variety in colors, in scale, in quality, in age and in price.
After we’ve sent you photos you’ll come back to us and say “ugh hate photos #17, 22 and 36” giving us feedback on what you don’t like so we refine our search… but here’s where it gets good, you’ll say “OMG where have #12, # 16, # 33 and #42 been all my life. BUY THEM”. A lot of the vendors we go to are wholesale dealers only – and they don’t negotiate. On those vendors we’ll say – the price is X and X is what you’ll pay. BUT – then we’ll tell you but photo # 16 and 42 are vendors who will negotiate and we’ll go to town on your behalf.
How Do You Get It Across the Pond?
At The Antiques Diva & Co we not only help you source, but we then also liaise you with international shippers. When it comes to international shipping there are always problems (things break, shipments are delayed, etc. etc.). The shippers we work with are not perfect, but either they work with us to fix and resolve the problems that invariably occur when international shipping is in place or we stop working with them, so we have a refined tried and tested network of international shippers we rely upon.
We’ll take your purchases from maybe 5 or 10 different sources – often in different countries – and help you coordinate ONE shipping. This one shipment saves you money off if you were buying direct from each of these vendors – and each vendor was shipping separately.
We’ll sticker your purchases, fill out your shipping purchase orders, even take Tylenol on your behalf as we handle headaches and liaise with an international shipper to get everything across the pond to you.
Why Shouldn’t You Just Shop Online for European Antiques?
You and I both know that the fact is you can scout webpages and search out European antiques all by yourself all over the web… the internet has made the world really small that way. So why would you hire The Antiques Diva & Co to scout in Europe to source goods for your store when you could skip the middle man and shop yourself online? The problem with buying online is that you don’t always know what you’re buying or if it looks as good in person as it does in the photos. You don’t have relationships with the dealers nor someone to vet the inventory on your behalf before you pay a bundle to get it carted halfway around the world. You don’t know who you should trust or shouldn’t. When buying online you just click “add to cart”, no negotiating takes place, so you never really know if you’re getting the best price or if you could have gotten a better price. And if you want to buy from multiple stores, shipping becomes a disaster because you’re paying more to ship a few things individually than to bulk everything from various sources when shipping them in one lot would have cost a whole lot less. And MOST importantly… and here’s the kicker… the best sources in Europe aren’t online.
Most wholesale warehouses in Europe and the UK don’t sell on line, they provide an exclusive service to their trade clients by keeping their prices & inventory off the web for the discrete few who are lucky enough to gain entry into their world. That’s where we come in. The difference between Old World Culture and New World Culture is the secret handshake. In Europe having an introduction gives you entry into an inner circle you can’t gain access to on your own. Our job – whether you’re on a To The Trade Antiques Buying Tour or using our buying service – is to show you the secret handshake and introduce you to the people in Europe you need to know.
For More Information?
Contact me toma@antiquesdiva.com – I’d love to chat to discuss how we could give you access to Buying Abroad!!
Warm Regards,
The Antiques Diva®
The Antiques Diva Does Scandinavia
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Dear Diva Readers,
When it comes to antiques, Scandinavian 18th and 19th C furniture has long been considered the Holy Grail as dealers, designers and decorators seek Gustavian and Rococo painted furniture as crowning pieces in their collections. Because Swedish antiques are known for demanding top dollar abroad, only the crème de la crème has had access to them in the past, but drum roll baby…. The Antiques Diva® & Co is now offering Scandinavian Tours and travelers are given an exclusive opportunity to buy Swedish antiques at wholesale prices that are half of what’s typically found across the pond. You won’t just get the opportunity to shop where the dealers shop, you’ll get to shop with a top Swedish antiques dealer.
Antiques Diva Guide Daniel Larsson – make that Divo Guide and owner of the eponymously named D. LARSSON Interiör & Antikhandel – has one of the best choreographed antique collections in Sweden in his Helsingborg-based store. And he has the distinction of being our first DIVO GUIDE on The Antiques Diva® team.
As leader of your tour he will share with you insider hints and tips, telling tricks of the trade, sharing the history behind certain pieces, explaining regional differences in Swedish antiques, authenticating purchases and giving advice on what to watch out for in spotting reproductions and fakes. Sometimes the hardest thing about buying antiques abroad is the uncertainty in knowing if the piece you’ve picked is what the dealer claims it to be, but with your Divo on your side, you can shop with confidence, knowing you’re gaining access to the best collection at the best prices on the planet. You don’t pay tourist prices when you shop like a local or a dealer for a day.
Offering 1 to 4 day tours that are guaranteed to take you off the tourist track, Daniel will take you deep into the Southern Swedish countryside to a slew of secret sources that you would never find on your own. Some of these trade sources and trade stores are so hidden they don’t even have names on their doors. Shopping might just be a religious experience when you visit one wholesaler who houses his collection in a former church, and it’s all aboard when you stop off at a former train depot turned by-appointment-only store. Whether you’re trawling a giant warehouse or shopping your way through a rambling private mansion you’re guaranteed to find an assortment of quality Gustavian and Rococo pieces from Swedish chairs to cabinets and chest of drawers. You won’t want to go home without scoring the perfect souvenir. What about a long case clock, gilt candlesticks, sconces or mirrors? There is something for everyone. Some clients seek perfectly packables that can be tucked in their suitcase while others take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to buy abroad like the dealers do.
Whether you’re looking for a consolidated shipment for 1 or 2 perfect pieces or a whole container load, Daniel can liaise you with international freight companies, helping you ship your purchases Home Sweet Home from Sweden. On tour he will not only help you fill out the complicated customs paperwork but secure appropriate export papers and find affordable shipping solutions for bringing Sweden to your door.
Do note this tour includes a fair amount of driving, and you’ll enjoy the back roads and scenic views as we drive from one location to another on the back roads of Southern Sweden.
Let the Shopping Commence!
The Antiques Diva®
Not Exactly Antiques
No CommentsDear Diva Readers,
Recently The Antiques Diva & Co sat down with Paris Nook to chat about La Dolce Diva! You can read my conversation with Robert Kelen on their company blog as I share the behind the scenes story on The Antiques Diva & Co. As Robert & I chatted, he said, “You know, I don’t exactly do antiques… but I do sell gorgeous French and Italian custom-made furniture.” Knowing that antiques are always the solution for every design situation, I inquired for more information on his products.
Paris Nook actually began with an Italian accent. He started to import beautiful furniture from Italy to clients all across the United States and in Canada, but expanded their horizon to the artisanal furniture of France.
Antiques Diva:
How did you get started importing French furniture to America? What’s your story?
Paris Nook:
For years we’ve been importing classically styled Italian furniture, direct from small artisan producers in Italy — primarily dining room furniture, but also living, office & bedroom furniture. As we were exploring ways to serve our clients even better, it became clear that French furniture would be a great additional to our offering. And because Italy and France are right next to each other, adding authentic French furniture the mix meant that we could readily leverage our experience bringing Italian furniture to the United States.
Antiques Diva:
While you sell modern day French furniture – these pieces have the classical lines from the past – how do you see antiques mixing with your inventory?
Paris Nook:
Our specialty is in connecting clients who have an affinity for classic European elegance, style and quality with the small artisan furniture producers who can help them realize their dream pieces of furniture. We don’t directly sell antique furniture, but are often called on to help realize the perfect match to a client’s existing antiques, or help produce the classic style of an antique they may have seen somewhere before but to fit their design needs.
Antiques Diva:
What’s your favorite piece in your collection?
Paris Nook:
I really enjoy the excitement our clients express when the furniture that’s been made just for them — in France or Italy — finally arrives in their home. So happy clients are the favorite pieces for me. (But I also like the little surprises in many of the pieces in our collection — like a hidden drawer here or self-storing table leaf there.)
Antiques Diva:
Before having kids and starting this business you traveled for 8 months… where did you go? And what inspired you? I always say that for perfect décor a home should reflect the person who lives there – that if someone walked into your home they should know where you’ve been, did you pick up any pieces on your travels that decorate your home today? Or has travel influenced the way you live? Decorate?
Paris Nook:
We were inspired by a desire to see more of the world, and to travel as long as we could before starting a family. We finished our around-the-world adventure hitting several points in Europe, including Paris (which both my wife and I love). But before that, we spent many weeks in parts of India and Asia. Hand carved bowls from Vietnam, and hand woven rugs from Turkey and India would probably be the most striking signs of our travels to someone visiting our home today.
Antiques Diva:
Where can Antiques Diva Readers buy from your collection?
Paris Nook:
Our Authentic French Furniture is available at Paris Nook.
Our Italian Furniture collections are available at ItalyByWeb.com.
Best Restaurants in Paris – from a Local’s Point of View
4 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
Probably the 3rd most asked question I get via email from clients booked on our fabulous Paris Flea Market Tour after “What Paris hotels do you recommend?” and “Can you help us with international shipping for our purchases?” (yep, we’re happy to liaise you with a shipper) is “Where should I eat when in Paris?”
While it’s always fun to hit some of the famous Parisian places like Les Deux Magots, Angelina’s Tea House, La Tour D’Argent or Les Ambassadeurs, most clients also want to know where the French go out to eat in Paris. Who better to answer that question than Antiques Diva Guide Danielle P, a Parisian native, who dishes on where she dines in Paris when she wants to get off the beaten path away from the tourists!
Danielle loves Clos des Gourmets.
But her all time favorite Parisian Restaurant is Caves Petrissans. With such a convenient location nearby Place Charles de Gaulle it’s surprising that this wine bar isn’t heaving with tourists. Mention Antiques Diva Guide Danielle and you’ll be treated like friends when you tell Marie-Christine you know her! Danielle and her husband have been so often that she became friends with the owners. Do note this local restaurant tends to be closed on weekends.
If you’re staying on the Left Bank, you might want to consider Atelier Maitre Albert a lovely place in a lovely street in a 17th century area close to the river. With a menu around 36€ it’s a bargain!
Café Constant is another Parisian favorite and it happens to be nearby La Fontaine de Mars.
Nearby Danielle’s Parisian apartment she often dips out for a bite to eat at Le Brandevin for traditional French cuisine.
Now this last tip may not seem very French, but Parisians LOVE Japanese food. When you’re shopping on Rue de Passy, you can easily dip over to the Japanese restaurant Akasaka on the nearby Rue Nicolo. In addition to being Danielle’s favorite Japanese place it’s also a favorite with French actor Gerard Depardieu!
Bon Appetite!!
The Antiques Diva®
Crazy for Cocktail Rings
4 Comments
Friends La Reine & Lady Lotus shopping & drinking Champagne with me in Berlin
Dear Diva Readers,
My friend “La Reine”, author of She’s Shopping Now (and social media guru of Hire Catherine) just sent me a note saying, “This article on RueLaLa reminds me so much of our girls trip in NYC a few years ago. Remember the cocktail ring you bought at the Green Market?”
Remember the ring?? It’s my Favorite! I paid a mere $12 dollars for the ring and didn’t even have the heart to negotiate as I liked the piece so much. Years later I still get compliments on the stunning bauble and when I confess what I paid (I can’t help myself but to share the news that I got such a good deal) people gasp, “NO!! I would have thought that you paid a few extra zero’s than that!”
Costume cocktail rings can be shockingly good values when picked up at flea markets – and they are usually available in abundance.
Following La Reine’s lead I popped over to RueLaLa to read about the Cocktail Rings Storied Past and loved these tips so much I had to share a few details:
The cocktail ring actually originated in the 1920′s during Prohibition. Flapper Girls would wear oversized rings on the hand with which they held their illegal cocktails!
Later on during the women’s equality movement, the cocktail ring defined the modern-day “independent woman”. Wearing a ring you bought yourself (instead of a ring purchased by a man) was a sign of autonomy! (note to my husband, I won’t feel you are hampering my rights if you want to buy me a ring.)
By the 1950’s the cocktail ring was no longer controversial… merely chic! Ideal for playing dress up and wearing to the now-more-mainstream cocktail parties!
DIVA TIP:
Today – the Cocktail Ring is the PERFECT SOUVENIR to buy at the flea markets when you’re traveling. It’s small, easily packable, and always a conversation starter, not to mention inexpensive and readily available at almost any flea market.
Flea Market Shopping for Cocktail Rings
Where I bought mine?
Green Flea Market NYC
Where?
A great location on the Upper West Side. Columbus Avenue between W. 76 & 77 Streets
When to Go?
Sundays 10 AM to 5:30 PM (Nov.-Mar.) and 10 AM to 6 PM (Apr.-Oct.)
All this talk of cocktails has me thirsty… Cocktail anyone?
The Antiques Diva®
In the Press!
4 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
The Antiques Diva & Co is in the press again!! Diva Guide Jennifer ROCKED an interview with CNN Travel, sharing her Paris Shopping Tips! As CNN explains, Jennifer’s job at The Antiques Diva & Co is to help find shopping alternatives to guidebook favorites, creating custom shopping experiences for her clients.
“I often like to combine shopping with history and Paris is a great place for that,” Jennifer says. “Fortunately, there are still places to find true treasures, one-of-a-kind objects, and inspired purchases at any price that are unmistakably Parisian.”
Jen’s tips in this article include: Avoid high expectations, Always use your “Bonjour” and “Merci” courtesies in stores and slow down and give in to the Parisian way of shopping.
To read more of Antiques Diva Tour Guide Jennifer B’s shopping tips in Paris see CNN!! And be sure to read our “In the Press” section on the Antiques Diva website for other press features.
Happy Reading,
The Antiques Diva®
Marseilles European Culture Capital
4 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
This year is an exciting year for the South of France…. Marseilles has been chosen as the European Culture Capital for 2013! I’ve interviewed Antiques Diva Tour Provence Guide Melanie, asking her why Diva Clients traveling to France should visit Marseilles.
Antiques Diva:
Why choose Marseilles ?
Provence Tour Guide: Melanie
Tourists often think of Marseilles as being the second largest city of France but it is really made up of several villages. It doesn’t look or feel like you are in a big city . You can easily walk and enjoy la dolce vita in Marseilles! It’s a small big town!
Antiques Diva:
Tell me about the vibe in Marseilles.
Provence Tour Guide: Melanie
You’re right Diva, it has a certain vibe…. Marseilles is the gate between Europe and the ” Orient”. For centuries it has been a multicultural city. As an Antique Shopping Tour Guide in Provence you know I love antiques and that isn’t just limited to art and furniture, it’s architecture as well. Marseilles is a real life antique city where you can plan a perfect day….
Antiques Diva:
And what is that perfect day?
Provence Tour Guide: Melanie
Start the day by visiting Roman ruins then take a boat to visit the castle of Monte Christo in the Alexandre Dumas’ story and finish your day by admiring the architecture of the Famous Le Corbusier.
Antiques Diva:
Before you were an antiques dealer and Antiques Diva Provence Tour Guide you were an art auctioneer… does Marsailles have art?
Provence Tour Guide: Melanie
Does Marseilles have Art!?!? Is the Pope Catholic?? Marseilles is one of the keys of the birth of Modern paintings (Impressionism, Cubism, Fauvism) with its harbour of L’estaque : Cézanne and Braque came there but also Dufy, Renoir, Derain and much more!
Antiques Diva:
How would you finish a perfect day in Marseilles?
Provence Tour Guide: Melanie
After a long day, it’s obligatory to sit in one of the cafés on the beachfront to enjoy the sunset, drinking a “pastis” – a local drink – and then eat one of the many famous Provencal dishes such as ” Bouillabaisse” ( fish soup).
Antiques Diva:
Anything else you want to add?
Provence Tour Guide: Melanie
Don’t forget that not only has Marseilles been chosen as this year’s European Capital of Culture, but Marseilles has also been chosen as the 2nd best place to go in 2013 ( just right after Rio) by the New York Times – even calling Marseilles one of the world’s sexiest, most affordable destinations!
You will love Marseilles for its history, for its beauty, for its culinary culture, for its pluriculturalism… All this and we haven’t even talked antiques. You’ll have to have me show you my favorite antique trade warehouses another time. Marseilles is the perfect place to enjoy your stay in Provence and its wines and its country side.
To inquire about our Provence Antique Shopping Tours Email info@antiquesdiva.com
Avignon Antiques Fairs Trade Exclusive
2 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
Extra, extra read all about it… If you’re an Antiques Dealer wanting to start buying antiques abroad in France this secret, To The Trade Only Antiques Fairs in Provence happens to be one of the best addresses to do so! On the arm of your Diva Guide, a native-speaking French antiques courier, you’ll gain access to a slew of bottom dollar, er make that euro, priced French antiques, vintage, and more whilst rubbing shoulders with some of the top dealers around the world. I must confess I like the fair for the people watching as much as I do for the shopping as it’s a veritable who’s who of antiquing.
Shopping these trade fairs is NOT for the faint of heart. You need to queue before the fair opens and the doors open for the event at 8am on the nose! Elbows fly as dealers push and shove to get first dibs on buying antiques in Provence. It’s a mad house and one that I personally don’t brave without French reinforcements – but it is some of the most exciting antiquing in France! Don’t worry about getting the goods home, we’ll liaise you with international shippers ready to pack and carry!
But I’m sooo sorry – if you’re a mere shopping mortal and not an antiques dealer or interior designer this fair is not the fair for you!! It’s reserved only for professional traders on presentation of your pre-approved trade card.
We’ve got the dates on tap for 2013 so you can start planning your travels this year! Join us in Avignon for these Special Trade Fairs:
Monday, 18 February 2013
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Monday, 15 April 2013
No Way Jose, May’s Out – No Planned Fair
Monday, 3 June 2013
Monday, 1 July 2013
Sorry Charlie – No August Dates, it’s too hot to shop anyway!
Wednesday, 18 September, 2013
No dates in October – those vendors have got to stock their stalls sometime
Monday, 4 November, 2013
Monday, 9 December 2013
Want to learn more about how you shop like the pros? Email info@antiquesdiva.com
The Antiques Diva ®
Treasures at the Ritz
5 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
The Ritz renovation in Paris has me all a tizzy wondering when I’m going to be able to get my hands on the items they are sure to sell while doing the makeover. News of the first treasure from the Ritz has hit the market in an upcoming Christie’s sale on 15 April 2013.
A previously unrecorded painting by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690), official painter to the ‘Sun King’ Louis XIV, has been discovered hanging in the Coco Chanel Suite at the Hôtel Ritz in Paris by the chi chi London-based fine art consultant Joseph Friedman. Formerly Curator of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s residence in Paris, Friedman was advising the hotel on its current €200 million renovation project when he came across the work. The painting, thought to depict The Sacrifice of Polyxena, will be auctioned by Christie’s in Paris and has a pre-sale estimate of €300,000-500,000.
While I fear that painting might be out of my budget, I’m intrigued what else will be up for an auction…. I’m pretty much obsessing over their current auction calendar!
But can you imagine Friedman’s surprise when he realized what the painting was? He said “I literally took a step backwards when I saw the painting. It was clearly the work of a major 17th-century French master.” With his assistant, Wanda Tymowska, he set about examining the painting and Tymowska discovered an inscription ‘C.L.B.F.’, which they realised could stand for ‘Charles Le Brun Fecit’, with a date 1647, potentially making this one of the very earliest masterpieces by the artist. A search of the literature on Le Brun revealed no mention of this painting, but this only increased Friedman’s excitement since it meant that the painting could not be a copy or re-working of some well-known composition but in all probability an original, which despite being in the hotel for decades had somehow gone unnoticed! Think of all the dignitaries who’ve slept in the suite not knowing what lay before them!
The painting was then shown to Christie’s in Paris as well as the acknowledged experts on Le Brun in the French museum world. All were amazed, pronouncing it to be a major, fully autographed work by Le Brun, a highly important new discovery and addition to his oeuvre and to the study of 17th-century French art in general.
The owner of the Hôtel Ritz feels that a painting of such extraordinary importance and value should not remain there when it re-opens in two years time and has therefore consigned it to auction with Christie’s. And perhaps those pennies earned will go towards making the rest of the Ritz more fabulous than it already is!!
Take a virtual tour through the Coco Chanel Suite at the Ritz
Ta Ta for Now,
The Antiques Diva®
Valentine’s Sale: I Heart Ham!
2 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
The smell of Ham is in the air…. You’ve heard me wax on for years about The National Fair of the Flea Market and Ham in Paris!! This SPRING we’re doing some SPECIAL OFFERS for blog readers who email me info@antiquesdiva.com saying “I HEART HAM” in the title of their email!
What does this special Paris Antiques Diva Tour entail?? Two Full Days Flea Marking in Paris on the arm of a Diva Guide who knows as much about antiques as she does jambon, giving you entrance into one of France’s most culturally rich antique fairs… which just so happens to be the crème of the crop for decorative antique shoppers in Paris.
The “I Heart Ham” Discount will give you 150 EUROS off of a 2 Day 2 Person Paris Ham Fair & Flea Market Tour if you book a 2 Day tour occurring during March 15 -24, 2013. Tour must be booked by Feb 14th to receive the LOVE this Valentine’s Day!
Is your party larger than 2 people? The bigger your party, the bigger the discount per person we can offer on this special tour!!
We’re going Hog Wild!
The Antiques Diva®
Top Ten Popular Antiques of 2012
4 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
While I’m out of the office this month as the new year starts dealing with post-fire administration, Christian Davies is writing a Guest Blog on the Top Ten Antiques of 2012 to keep you company! Have no fear… I’ll be back at the helm in no time, but for now you’ll love Christian’s tips which come from over 25 years experience in the antiques trade. Christian Davies is head of a self-named and family-run antiques firm based in the North West of England and has a particular passion for furniture from the Arts and Crafts period. Make sure to visit his site for more antique fun!
Guest Blogger Christian says the Top Antiques Trends of 2012 include:
- Furniture: Antique furniture gives buyers a real investment that has both form and function! For this year, French Neoclassical furniture has been very popular, offering stylish curves and scrolling, with embellished gold details. Space Age pieces too were selling well at auction.
- Glassware: This year, Carnival glass has been free flowing in the auction rooms. With a rather unusual iridescence and offering beautiful patterning, it perhaps isn’t difficult to see why the glassware has been popular with buyers. Originally, pieces of Carnival glassware were given away as prizes at carnivals after its original popularity fell.
- Porcelain: Items made from this popular material are some of the world’s most prized pieces and include richly decorated bowls and vases from the dynasties of Ming of Qing. Dolls crafted from porcelain and Franz-stamped porcelain have sold particularly well this year.
- Coca Cola: Antiques from Coca Cola are enduringly popular. Since its creation, the beverage brand has reproduced its famous scrolling script onto a large number of goods, including kitsch advertisements and trays. These items are very popular in 2012, but the more rare items buyers have been looking for include gum wrappers and cigar labels.
- Jewelry: Jewelry is, this year, being bought not just for wearing, but for home décor. Consider framing great jewlery and hanging it on your wall! Pieces this year have been big, colorful, and eye-catching, and have been snapped up by collectors. Pieces of jewelry inspired by nature have also sold very well.
- Occupied Japan: Following defeat in 1945, Japan was told to mark 50% of goods sent out of the country with ‘made in occupied Japan’. ‘OJ’ items are still on the market today and are selling very well. If you’re after Occupied Japan items, keep an eye out for vases and porcelain pieces.
- Lamps: Selling well in 2012, lamps have made an impact in the auction room. Lamps from the Art Deco era have been particularly popular, especially bronze examples, with beautifully detailed figures holding up the glass lamp shade.
- Bottles: In the United States, collecting bottles has stayed consistently popular for a number of years. 2012 has offered no exception – any bottles from fragrance bottles to branded household cleaning product bottles. Collectors are usually keen, and if you’re looking for bottles to buy, here’s some useful information – the ‘ABM’ mark that you might come across on the bottom of a bottle means that the bottle was created on a machine from after 1903. If you come across a ‘Pyro’ marking, this means the bottle was created after 1935, and stands for ‘Pyroglaze’.
- Toys: Antique toys offer buyers a unique view of life as a child in years gone by. Games and dolls have been very popular this year and so too have teddy bears – the more unusual, the better. If you’re thinking of selling antique toys, try to make sure all labels and boxes are included before taking them to be valued.
- Dolls: As some of the world’s most ancient toys – and also used in rituals – dolls were utilised in some way in every section of society. Originally crafted from clay, bone, ivory, and wood, dolls progressed to be made with a number of different materials, including porcelain, rubber, celluloid, cloth, wax, and plastic. This year, a large number of dolls have been sold, and clothes and accessories for them have, too.
As 2012 is coming to an end, 2013 is likely to have a fair few mainstays from the 2012 list. Furniture is likely to stay high up this list, offering function and form and a real investment for buyers. With a vast variety of pieces, styles, and artistic influences, the trade in antique furniture is unlikely to cease its pace yet.
Until next time, happy antiquing!
The Antiques Diva®
New Year’s Greetings
7 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
You might have noticed it’s been ages since my last blog post… 2012 rolled in with a storm in the sky and the year sped by at breakneck speed, a series of awesome events that had my feet barely touching the ground as I was swept away from London, New York, Paris, Provence, Florence, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond. My business has grown more than I could ever imagine. We’ve grown from a simple 1 person business when we started in 2008 to a team of 10 amazing divas without whom I couldn’t do my job. As we’ve grown The Antiques Diva & Co has also had some growing pains as the amount of work required has also exceeded the number of hours in the day and juggling the demand has been a challenge.
As incredibly wonderful as this year has been, it’s been all consuming and bone numbing tiring at times – in 2012 I slept more nights on the road than at home in my own bed. As a result when I was home I found all I wanted to do was nest. Surrounding myself in the familiar was my antidote for my hectic travel schedule – my home has been my safe haven – that place that restored and rejuvenated me.
On Thanksgiving night my husband woke at 1.30am smelling smoke. Our downstairs neighbor had left a candle burning before retiring to bed and it caught his flat and our building on fire. Though my husband, cat and I escaped into the night, our home was lost and we entered the holiday season homeless. Gracious friends opened their home to us and we lived with them from the night Nov 23 until today Jan 2nd when we finally move into temporary furnished housing.
Today, the second day of the new year, we start over – creating a new life, a new home and a new safe haven. Our goal is to find a new permanent place to live by April and these next few months while we live in temporary housing will be filled with house hunting and buying the basics so we are able to move into a new property and start a new chapter of our life.
As the new year is upon us it’s time for new beginnings. I’m not sure what this New Year will hold but as always, one day will lead to another. And for now, that knowledge that life goes on, is enough. Like the Phoenix, we will rise again.
Blessings to you and yours as we enter this new year,
The Antiques Diva®
Happy Holidays
2 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
We are sending you our warmest wishes for a Happy Holidays!!
Your Team at The Antiques Diva & Co
The Antiques Diva® Goes To Bath, England And Barely Leaves her Hotel
4 Comments
Dear Diva Readers,
While the English city Bath might have thousands of hotels, for the discerning traveler with a penchant for the past there is really only one hotel option to consider – The Royal Crescent. In a recent issue of Belle Inspiration magazine I dished about how I spent my weekend in this world-heritage city … and confess that I barely left my hotel. Read on below!
The honey-colored city of Bath, with its plethora of perfectly proportioned Georgian buildings, gorgeous Roman baths, many museums and art galleries has been on my travel radar since I first visited during my university days. In the years since college – more years than I care to count - I’ve been to Bath oodles of times on Girls Getaways and Antique Buying Tours though somehow I had managed to never visit one of my favorite cities on earth on the arm of my one true love. This past March I decided to remedy this situation and gave my husband a formal invitation to join me on a Mr. & Mrs. Smith Weekend in one of Britain’s most famous hotels.
We arrived our hotel, pulling up in front of the most famous crescent in the world, wondering if we’d arrived at the wrong address. Searching for the name of the hotel on the edifice, we found a tiny gold sign announcing the hotel was tucked under a light post on one of the grandest examples of European architecture. A valet stood discretely guard by the front door of the five-star Relais & Chateaux hotel, wearing a top hat that looked so perfectly fitted that it didn’t occur to us that in the 21st century his attire was a tad out of the norm. Before I could say bippity boppety boo, the top-hatted valet magically appeared, opening my door and extending a hand to help me from my carriage, I mean, car.
The story might be perfect for a fairy tale if I told that as I stepped down onto the curb my leopard print ballet flat dropped from my toes. The valet stopped to pick it up but I quickly grabbed the shoe and put it back firmly on my foot. There is only room in this story for one prince. I clutched my husband’s hands and together, fingers entwined, we left our luggage and car behind for the valet to deal with and clicked our heels, finding ourselves standing in the midst of a Jane Austen novel, surely the center of the civilized world.
Stepping inside we were greeted by a grand entrance hall that would have left Scarlett O’Hare swooning with its checkered black and white floor and ceremonial halberds and grand staircase. Antique furniture and paintings faded softly in the background as overstuffed chairs beckoned, having cuddled everyone from Kylie Minogue’s to Judy Dench’s bottom in their comfortable surroundings. Decisively undertone and discrete, the overall ambiance of the hotel felt more like a posh private residence than a populated hotel.
Out the back door of the hotel an acre of private gardens were tucked behind the Royal Crescent in space ideal for either pitching up a game of croquet or taking afternoon tea. Opting for the latter we swished and swirled our tea as if sommeliers from the Far East while discussing in earnest the 10 page treatment menu at The Bath House Spa located behind the main building in the former coach house and stables. One couldn’t visit Bath without experiencing the Roman Baths. Taking a hands-on approach to experiencing history first hand, we booked ourselves a place on the massage table before taking to the waters, soaking in the 12 meter long heated relaxation pool and alternating between the cool and tepid plunge pools. By the time we emerged hours later, the lanterns in the garden had been lit leading the way to the award-winning Dower House restaurant and bar.
When in Rome, do as the Romans…. If the Royal Crescent is known for its gourmet cuisine far be it for me to buck tradition. So dinner in true diva fashion was done in the award-winning restaurant. While there was still a little too much brrr in the air to enjoy al fresco dining, the leafy secluded gardens had me hankering for returning in the height of summer. While this might have only been my first trip to Bath with my one true love, it certainly won’t be my last.
Antiquing in Bath England:
Should you find the discipline to leave the luxury confines of the Royal Crescent Hotel on your next blissful trip to Bath then here are a few must stop and shop antique shops & fairs from locally-based English Diva Guide Gail McLeod with The Antiques Diva® & Co. For more information email info@antiquesdiva.com for details.
Old Bank Antiques
17 Walcot Buildings
Bath
Antique Textiles and Lighting
34 Belvedere
Bath
Piccadilly Antiques
280 High Street, Batheaston,
Bath
Bath Decorative Antiques Fair
7-10 March, 2013
The Pavilion,
Bath
Until next time,
The Antiques Diva®
Napoleon’s Desk
3 Comments
Dear Diva Readers,
My husband has a nickname for me when I’m being a little bossy, which apparently is more often than not. He calls me “Little Napoleon”. It was only fitting then that while visiting Highclere Castle in England this summer that I found myself fascinated with a desk in their collection that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte. Fans of the popular BBC series Downton Abbey will recognize this as the desk where the Earl of Grantham sits, contemplating issues of war and matters of the manor. The show is filmed in Highclere Castle and touring through the castle museum is like stepping into the series!
Both the Empire mahogany desk and chair were believed to have been used in Napoleon’s room at Fontainbleau. The chair, a “fauteuil d’apparat” and desk were made by the famous French furniture makers Jacob Frere, run by Jacob Desmaltiers and his brother George Jacob II. The plain leather top of the desk is paired with ornate friezes of lion’s feet in a faux bronze finish as the legs.
The desk sits in a room embellished with gold and silk 16th C Italian embroideries – it’s technically the Music Room but today more often hosts luncheon parties than jam sessions. It was even used by a past Earl as the Ping Pong room!!!
Cheers!
The Antiques Diva®
The French Antiques World of Melanie Aussandon
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Dear Diva Readers,
Earlier this week I wrote announcing our fab French Antique Buying Tours in Provence, telling you how delighted I was that Melanie Aussandon, the bloggess behind Le Petit Cabinet de Curiosities had agreed to become our Provence-based Antiques Diva Tour Guide helping both dealers, designers and tourists shop abroad.
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Today I wanted to show you inside Melanie’s wonderful showroom in Aubagne, nearby Marsailles. In addition to working as a Diva Guide, Melanie runs a successful antiques business – her showroom open only by appointment is in a French apartment decked out as if someone lives there – but literally everything is for sale!! Here she displays her French treasures which she ships worldwide. My French Life recently did a lovely interview with Melanie where she tells about growing up in France the daughters of interior designers/ upholsterers it perhaps my favorite media blitz I’ve seen on Melanie was the feature Victoria Bliss magazine did on Melanie’s antiques business. As you can imagine I’m delighted that Melanie has agreed to be part of the Antiques Diva team!
Bonne Shopping!
The Antiques Diva ®
Provence Antique Shopping Tours
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Dear Diva Readers,
This might be the best news you’ve read all year! Did you know we are now offering Antique Buying Tours in Provence to compliment our tours in Paris, doubling your Diva Fun in France?
There is no better place to antique shop abroad than Paris or Provence! It is as if one of the Louis’ cast a spell on French finery so future generations would be drawn to the treasures of the Republique. Get ready to sing La Marseilllaiseand to celebrate Bastille Day all year long!
Provence Tours include:
- L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
- Aix en Provence
- Avignon
- Marseille and Aubagne
- Cannes and Nice
Inquire about our special “Trade Only Tours” for dealer/designer extra exclusives not available to the public.
I’m also proud to introduce the newest member of our Diva Team -Melanie!
Melanie is fab friendly and French and fluent in English! The daughter of antique dealers/designers she’s spent her life surrounded by and appreciating beautiful things! Before opening her quirky fresh and eclectic antique shop she studied law, worked as an art auctioneer and made her fame as the bloggess behind Le Petit Cabinet de Curiosities! I’ve followed her galivants online for years and am delighted she’s now part of my Diva Team!
Planning a trip to Provence? You won’t want to do it without this local by your side!
Email info@antiquesdiva.com
Bonnie Shopping!
The Antiques Diva®
How could I forget
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Dear Diva Readers,
How could I forget…. While I was away in Italy at Mercanteinfiera – a gorgeous antiques fair in Parma, Italy – I never rang the opening bell for The National Fair of the Flea Market and Ham in the Parisian suburbs! The “Ham Fair” runs until October 7th 2012 – but don’t worry, if you’ve missed this year’s fair it’s back again in the Spring! Email me toma@antiquesdiva.com for the full on details of our upcoming special Spring tours!
I’ve got to tell you the best news I’ve heard all year…this fabulous fair just got better. One of my favorite Swedish and French vendors – Britt Poulsen of Casa Nova Antiques – is now selling at the Ham Fair. Discover her booth at 6 Rue Saint Sabin and you are destined to go home with the creme de la creme of the inventory at Chatou!
I first got to know Britt at the Bath Decorative Antiques Fair in England via an introduction from my locally based Diva Guide in England, Gail. Immediately upon meeting Britt I explained that we were taking clients on a Scandinavian antiques buying tour in May and the next thing I knew my clients and I had an invitation to her gorgeous home in Copenhagen for lunch! Upon entering her apartment where she sells from her home I swooned in delight – not only were she and her husband among the most gracious antique dealers I had ever met, their inventory was first class! The experience was such that I pitched a home feature chez elle to one of the glossies and will be writing about her for a print publication later this winter. In the meantime I couldn’t wait to spread the word and if you are going to Chatou you must drop in for a quick Bonjour! Britt also is one of the illustrious dealers at The Blanchard Collective in England and so I’ll be enjoying some of her inventory when visiting Blanchard’s booth later this week at The Decorative Fair in London also on concurrently in the UK until October 7.
Happy Shopping wherever your travels take you!
The Antiques Diva®
Get Thee to Mercanteinfiera in Parma, Italy
4 CommentsDear Diva Readers,
Get Thee to the Mercanteinfiera Antiques Fair in Parma, Italy where over 1000 vendors set up shop twice a year in the spring and fall.
For the last decade I’ve wanted to attend Italy’s most popular antiques fair but my plans have been foiled time after time by life, work and other unmovable circumstances and I am aghast to admit this was my first time to come to Parma’s famous fair. Literally anyone who is anyone shops here and I was afraid if I didn’t attend soon I’d have to turn in my title of Diva. This year I decided come hail or high water I was going to make attending Mercanteinfiera my top priority for the fall. When I was invited by the fair to participate as a VIP in their Top Experience it was the icing on the cake… serendipity stepped in, taking me by the hand and paving my way to pleasure, plundering Parma. As they say, good things come to those who wait, but “Mio Dio”, don’t wait too long! Consider this your invitation to join me and my locally-based Diva Guide Susan Pennington next year at my new favorite European antiques fair – Mercanteinfiera in Parma, Italy!!
Mark your calendars and book that airfare baby because the next time the peddlers come to Parma is the 2-10 March, 2013 and 5-13 October, 2013.
What I liked about the fair – aside from its unbelievably convivial atmosphere, abundance of antiques conveniently corralled in one locale, down-right delicious Italian food for every meal and wide variety of inventory at all price points – were the people I met at Parma. In addition to locals and tourists shopping this sensational antiques source I was surprised by the number of top American antique dealers shopping the fair during the trade days. I couldn’t turn around without bumping into someone I knew – or wanted to know – stocking their stores. A highlight of my recent trip to Parma was attending a special dinner at Cordial Verdi with the fair coordinators. I was beyond honored when asked to be on their advisory board to share my advice on how to make this fair more accessible for dealers and tourists wanting to shop the fair.
Having the chance to shop next to the top antique dealers in the USA, including legends such as Marion Harris, Carl Moore Antiques and Alhambra Antiques as well as a slew of designers, architects and “personalities” (such as Seymour Stein), gave me a rush that was better than caffeine or Prosecco…. neither of which were in shortage at the event.
In addition to having great inventory for sale, the fair really worked towards simplifying the process for exporting antiques from Italy, putting a system in place to help foreigners shopping the fair obtain the appropriate export paperwork. On site English-speaking shippers certainly helps in this regard.
Following you’ll find a few highlights of photos taken this weekend at the fair – for more photos make sure to follow me on Facebook @ The Antiques Diva & Co or visit the fair’s Facebook site in English The Merchants Fair Parma Italy or in Italian Mercante in Fiera. The fair continues to run until October 7th so if you’re in Italy at the present moment, drop what you’re doing and Get Thee to Mercanteinfiera!
I’ll look forward to seeing you in the Spring at the Mercanteinfiera! Email toma@antiquesdiva.com for more info on private tours of the fair with locally-based Diva Guide Susan .
Ciao Bella!
The Antiques Diva®
London’s Calling…
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Dear Diva Readers,
London is calling!! Forget the Olympics there is a new game in town!
The Autumn Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair will be held from 2-7 October 2012 in the purpose-built marquee in Battersea Park, London SW, affectionately known as “Battersea” or “the Decorators’ Fair”. Perhaps the reason I love this fair so much is that it is aimed at a knowing audience decorating either their own home or that of a client and looking for a certain eclectic style from metropolitan chic to classic country house English and Continental furniture, period mirrors and lighting, works of art from all periods to the contemporary. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!! All this and more, including a tempting selection of one-off, individual accessories with an enviable choice for the collector, from tribal works to pictures, treen, ceramics and glass will be holding up the walls in marquee this autumn.
Why don’t you pop over to my locally based England Diva Agent’s website Antique News and Fairs and read what more she has to say about it!
You can also get more information by visiting the Decorative Fair website.
Now with all this information on the upcoming fair you might be downright disappointed that with late notice you can’t pop across the pond to attend the fair! Have no fear – the Decorative Fair will be back again – see details below.
Winter Fair: 22-27 January, 2013
Spring Fair: 23-28 April, 2013
Autumn Fair: 1-6 October, 2013
Planning your Antiques Diva England Tour to coincide with the plan would be brilliant! If you’re interested in either a Girls Getaway or a To The Trade Antique Shopping Tour in England, you could start your tour by attending the fair shopping like a world famous interior designer – using sources those same designers would rather you not know about. And then the next thing you know we would bebop you around Britain hitting more decorators sources in Britain. Whether you’re looking for cerebral or academic antiques, the old school decorative look beloved of England’s Country Houses or the quirky brave look of the modern dealer, booking an Antiques Diva Tour to coincide with the Decorative Fair would guarantee you saw the Best of Britain! Go Team GB!!
Stay tuned for my Facebook and Twitter pics coming Live From The Fair!! This year I will be touring with fair with a group of London Design Bloggers on a special behind the scenes tour. Shhhh… Don’t tell anyone but I’ve already had these bloggers custom-made Antiques Diva shopping totes prepared for their tour! Aren’t they gorgeous? These bags are for our VIP tours – when you book your tour make sure you ask about how you can qualify to be a VIP – no, make that VID – Very Important Diva!!
Last but not least before I close and go catch my plane to Parma to attend Mercanteinfiera , I want to tell you about one more special offer. While our tours run year-round and can always be catered to your travel dates, we are starting to offer special tours on set dates available exclusively to our trade clients. We’ve got some trade dates available this fall – email me me toma@antiquesdiva.com to find out more and join us in England for special trade tours between October 15 and 22 and again in November 7 til the 14.
Cheers!
The Antiques Diva®
Money Matters
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Dear Diva Readers,
Today we are talking about money, money, money… Before a client leaves on an international trip I am always sharing a slew of hints and tips of things they should know before they go. Today I’m sharing with you a list my Diva Guide Jennifer in Paris helped me compile of important Money Matters.
° Notify your credit card companies of your travel plans/dates so they do not put a fraud alert on your card and stop it. We see this problem happening repeatedly…even if people have heard this advice, they don’t call their credit card company because they assume they will be fine. Until they are trying to pay for their purchase in Europe, only to receive that frown and shrug from the cashier…card denied.
° Consider increasing your daily cash withdrawal limit as many antique dealers prefer cash – remember if you are working with a shipper you can often pay your shipper for your larger purchases with credit card for a minimum transaction fee.
° Carry a copy of your passport for id and shopping purchases (détaxe in France)
° Ask for a letter from the vendor stating that your new purchase is over 100 years old to avoid paying US duty (exemption for antiques)
° Ask your cell phone phone provider if your phone works in the countries you will be visiting, consider changing your plan if you will need it but do be aware of the additional cost
° Be extra careful with your wallet and smartphones and never leave your purse unattended in a café
° Leave the bling at home, big jewels are not worn as much in Europe plus without the jewels you may get better prices at the market!
° Okay this has nothing to do with money but since we were discussing your jewelry we might as well discuss fashion! Weather can change quickly, pack light layers, trench coat, sunglasses and a travel umbrella. Also save the high heels for dinner and taxis, traveling equals walking so bring comfortable yet stylish shoes.
° Leave a list of credit card numbers etc with a trusted friend so if something does happen you will know exactly who you need to contact
° Consider purchasing travel insurance. If you need it, you will be REALLY glad you did!
° If you rent a car, GPS can be really helpful and worth the extra cost.
° Make sure you have your pin codes for your credit cards as often in Europe you have to pin not sign for purchases.
° Remember in Holland and Belgium many places (grocery stores, small restaurants and shops) don’t accept credit cards. Have plenty of cash at hand, so probably that means you should increase your daily withdrawal limit as recommended above!
Happy Shopping,
Your Team at The Antiques Diva & Co ®
Bringin’ Home The Birkin
No CommentsDear Diva Readers,
Jennifer – one of our Antiques Diva Guides leading tours at the Paris Flea Market- has been an Hermès addict since the age of 13 when she received her first scarf. She’s been obsessed with the idea of owning a Birkin ever since, but the $9,000 upwards to $120,000 price tag stands in her way!
Today, Jen’s “Bringin Home The Birkin” … well, almost!
Diva Guide Jennifer writes:
“For those lusting after one of the most sought after accessories on the planet but without the patience for the year-plus waiting list, why not try an Antiques Diva solution? There are many stores in the Marché aux Puces de Paris in Saint-Ouen that specialize in vintage Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. Just be sure if you go the vintage route to buy from a reliable Antiques Diva approved source as Hermès will confiscate any copies and you will be out the cost of a new car”!
“I myself fell in love with this red Birkin but I fear my budget means I will have to make do with my orange “faux-kin”. A chic new substitute – a tote bag that has the Birkin screen printed on it! At least I can carry my flea market purchases in fun style”!!
“Both can be found at the Marché Serpette at Pierre L”.
(Pierre L, Marché aux Puces de Paris-Saint-Ouen, Marché Serpette, Stand 16, Allée 3).
Bonne Shopping,
The Antiques Diva & Co ®
Flea Market Fun in Berlin
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Dear Diva Readers,
In Berlin this weekend September 1, 2012? Join me at the Antiekmeile on the Suarezstrasse from 12 noon to 8pm for a full on day of flea fun!!!
And save the date – October 13 in Berlin marks the date for the famous Nachtmarkt at Fehrbelliner Platz from 3pm to 10pm!!
Tschüss!!
The Antiques Diva®
The New Old Home
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Dear Diva Readers,
While shopping in a secret antique source outside of Florence this summer with clients on an Antiques Tour I was utterly smitten with the staging of the showroom behind the salvage yard. I thought this bathroom was a wonderful example of how you could make an new house feel old simply by using architectural salvage pieces and antiques. In this instance the copper tub is antique – by positioning it in the center of the newly built showroom it makes you feel as if you are stepping into another time and place. The bold blue wall conjures images of exotic islands in the Mediterranean and the gorgeous gilt antique frames act as art – there’s no need for a painting in them! The piece de la resistance is the marble baptismal along the far wall. It could easily be converted into a sink or fountain. This room works not only because of all the symmetry but also because of the combination of antiques and repurposed items. Decorating in this way is really my passion and I love helping clients find those special pieces that they can use in their own homes!
Ciao ciao,
The Antiques Diva®
September Antiques Calendar
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Dear Diva Readers,
Planning a trip this September in the UK, US or on the continent? Then our friends at Antiques News and Fairs have got the scoop for you! Whether you want to go to the famous Brimfield fair in the good ole USA or to sneak around Scotland or the Netherlands scoring deals, check out this antiques calendar for antique shopping this September!
Happy Antiquing!
The Antiques Diva ®
Jane Austens Antique English Patchwork Quilt
1 CommentDear Diva Readers,
I love visiting house museums as it gives a glimpse into how people lived in the past, bringing to life all the gorgeous antiques I see in markets, warehouses and antique shops.
In the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton, England I found a multi-use piece that intrigued me. This multi functional work table made from Jacaranda wood was owned by the Austen family and was used for writing, chess, backgammon, draughts and sewing. Perhaps Jane herself used the piece when she and her mother and sister worked upon this patchwork coverlet or quilt.
Jane created this coverlet around 1810 using scraps of dresses and soft furnishings traded with friends and family. The museum has in its possession a letter Jane wrote to her sister Cassandra who was visiting their brother asking if she had been able to gather additional fabrics while in the city as the making of the quilt was at a standstill until they had more fabrics. The fabrics used in the quilt seem traditional to our eye today but were actually quite modern during the Jane’s time. We can tell this because many of the patches in the antique quilt contain both the colors red and blue. The process for fixing different colors in the same fabric wasn’t discovered until 1808 – before then if blue and red were both used in the same fabric the fabrics became purple. It’s an easy trick for dating fabrics!
Each diamond shaped patch in the quilt is joined to the next with 4 separate strips of black and white polka dot fabric individually sewn together. All in all it’s a beautiful antique English patchwork quilt – how amazing to think it was made by one of the greatest writers of all time!
Cheers!
The Antiques Diva®
Lady Kentmores Antiques
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Dear Diva Readers,
A highlight of our recent trip touring through Scotland was a visit to Lady Kentmores Antiques. This shop – located at 35 Main Street in Callander, Scotland - is as wonderfully quirky and fun, fantastic and eclectic as the shop owner, George Johnson, himself. Simply put, I loved it! Consider this eccentric shop a “Don’t Miss Stop” on a Scotland Tour with something for virtually everyone.
Trade readers take note: shop owner George is clearly onto something… in a day and age where shop owners are complaining about the lack of foot traffic in their store, Lady Kentmores was positively heaving with customers searching out a random variety of paraphernalia from sensational sixty’s ephemera for mere pence to a thousand quid antique silver brooch. If Lady Kentmores were a martini, it would be equal parts vintage, antique, vaudeville with a dash of freak show – shaken, not stirred.
Look at the loot we bought at Lady Kentmores!! Don’t you just love the Victorian horse slippers I bought as a Christmas present for my rancher father? My niece scored both a dagger and Venetian mask and my husband the gin decanter! Still regretting I didn’t nab that purse!!
The Antiques Diva®
Decorating Shakespeare Style
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Dear Diva Readers,
I have a new passion. Recently I visited William Shakespeare’s birthplace while on holiday in the UK and the interiors struck me. Contrary to popular belief Elizabethan interiors weren’t all whitewashed walls and black beams but rather had colorful exuberant wall coverings! From floor to ceiling in Shakespeare’s time they liked to cover their walls with patterns.
We only saw a shift away from the use of wall coverings as Puritanism became more pronounced. By the middle of the 17th century many of the pieces were destroyed as ‘sins of the flesh’ and the whitewashed walls we tend to think of as Tudor decor became de rigeur, remaining so until the middle of the nineteenth century when William Morris revived interest in these forgotten antique textile arts. His interest resulted in the widespread use of wallpaper today.
While today we tend to choose our wall coverings merely for decorative purposes, in Shakespeare’s time they had more significant meaning. Much could be comminicated by your choice of design. Painted wall coverings were meant to impress – to convey wealth and social standing. The various themes in the patterns – whether figurative, floral, renaissance, geometric or imitation panelling – often had meanings hidden within to show religious ideas, illustrating a rise in one’s social standing or showing one’s intellect or education.
The choice of color used in the wall covering spoke volumes. The clearer and brighter the colors used the more expensive they were to achieve. The most usual pigments were lime white, lamp black, red and yellow ochres, red lead and indigo.
Today so few painted cloths survive that they are one of the rarest and least studied forms of antique textile arts. While few remain we know through the reading of old wills and testaments how common they were from the Middle Ages through to the 17th century with virtually everyone from kings to yeomen employing them in their homes. In the humbler residences their function went beyond decoration as they served to keep out draughts and to disguise uneven walls. By the 17th century in England imported cloths were overwhelming English ones, with many coming from the Netherlands and Germany. While visiting Sweden with clients earlier this year on an Antiques Diva Tour we found a wide variety of antique painted cloths in the warehouses up north.
As the Bard said, “Fair thee well on your travels, and by date may we meet again!”
The Antiques Diva®
P.S. Should you want to read more about Elizabethan wall coverings House and Gardens did a great article with Melissa White, an artist who specializes in reproducing Elizabethan wall coverings – or visit Melissa’s own website Fairlyte where she describes the process and the reasons behind it in detail.
Sleep Tight with Jane Austen
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Dear Diva Readers,
This past weekend while on our summer vacation to Great Britain and Ireland my husband, niece and I visited the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton, England. This house is where Miss Austen spent the last 8 years of her life, finishing Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma and many more classics. She died at age 41 after revolutionizing the English novel and making a literary contribution that would leave generations forevermore thankful to her creative spirit and imagination.
At the Jane Austen House Museum we were able to see the small table where she wrote and my niece was able to play piano in Jane’s drawing room where Jane played 2 hours a day, but my favorite room was Jane’s bedroom she shared with her sister Cassandra. The museum didn’t have the actual bed where Jane slept but they did have a period-perfect replacement. Underneath the swaths of fabric decorating the plain headboard and simple round topped canopy, the mattress lays upon a base that looks somewhat like a trampoline. Jute rope is threaded through grooves to pull the bed tight, keeping the mattress from sagging and the bed firm. It was from here the expression “sleep tight” originated in the 16th and 17th C when mattresses rested on ropes that needed tightened frequently to ensure a good nights sleep.
Sleep Tight!
The Antiques Diva®
Macarons at Laduree
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Dear Diva Readers,
One of my favorite places to hide away on a rainy afternoon in Paris is Laduree. This summer my niece Kyrra is visiting me in Europe from the USA. One afternoon, after attending a fashion show at Galleries Lafayette, she and I were meandering Rive Droit and as a cloud was threatening the sky she turned to me and asked, “Can we taste macarons? I always see pictures of them on Pinterest – I want to know what they taste like!”
I think perhaps this girl is my child for she is so much like me I sometimes laugh outloud in recognition of myself! I grabbed her arm, and we strode through the streets to the nearest Laduree.
While I typically tend to haunt the establishment on Rue Jacob and love the interior best of all at the one on the Champs Élysées, we found ourselves at their shop on Madeline, one of the quieter, more intimate locations. The ladies at the table next to us had the bench next to them piled high with Chanel bags from the shop across the road and I tried to sneak peeks into their black and white sacks, hoping for a glimpse of their treasures.
Kyrra and I discussed the menu, going into excruciating details over the intricacies of each flavor and finally chose our assortment. When the delicate morsels were brought to our table I favored the lemon and strawberry bonbon while Kyrra loved the vanilla. We each savored a rich hot chocolate so thick and creamy our spoons could stand up in the middle of our cups, held in place by the gooey melted chocolate alone.
As we sat smiling and people watching and chatting about Paris I was so happy to be able to share my special place with my niece! As Kyrra took the last morsel into her mouth, pinching away a crumb, I informed her that they actually were not that difficult to make and that she could easily make them when she returned home to America. She was delighted in discovering that she could bring the taste of Paris anywhere she wanted – after all, as Hemingway said, “Paris is a moveable feast!”
To make Kyrra’s favorite flavor try Daniel Boulud’s recipe for Vanilla Macarons Recipe as seen in Elle Decor.
Vanilla Macarons Ingredients:
• 1¾ cups almond flour
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 7 egg whites, divided
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 275°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and line with a piece of parchment paper. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar into a medium bowl and set aside. Using a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, begin to whip three egg whites to a medium peak. Meanwhile, combine water and sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Simmer while monitoring with a candy thermometer; be careful not to overbeat egg whites. Remove syrup from heat when temperature reaches 240°F. Continuing to whip the egg whites on medium speed, pour the syrup down the side of the bowl to incorporate slowly. Increase speed and whip until whites form glossy, very stiff peaks. Using a spatula, stir the remaining egg whites and the vanilla seeds into the flour mix, making a smooth paste. With the spatula, fold one third of whipped egg whites into the batter; then gently fold in the rest. Stir until the batter falls in a ribbon when you lift the spatula. Using a soupspoon and your finger, place round dollops onto the baking sheet, about an inch apart. The batter should be stiff enough that the macarons hold their shape. (Cover batter with plastic film when not scooping.) Lightly tap the sheet to settle the batter. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until a light crust forms, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with your choice of toppings (see below). Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the pan 180° and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the cookies and let them cool. Repeat the process until all the batter is used. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for two days, or frozen. Makes 70 cookies or 30 sandwich cookies.
Suggested Toppings:
• Cocoa powder
• Candied orange zest
• Chopped pistachios or other nuts
Suggested Fillings:
• Fresh strawberry slices
• Fresh raspberries
• Nutella
• Fruit jam
• Orange marmalade
• Ganache (recipe follows)
Ganache Ingredients:
• 14 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
• 1½ cups heavy cream
Directions:
Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely dissolved. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Assemble the cookies by placing filling of your choice on the flat side, then topping with another cookie to make a sandwich; or serve open-faced.
Bon Appetite!
The Antiques Diva®
French Furniture Lessons at Chambord
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Dear Diva Readers,
One of the reasons I often take VIP clients on multi-day or week-long tours to the Loire Valley is that it is an excellent way to learn about French furniture in real life. These photos from a recent trip to Chateau de Chambord show some classic French pieces.
Bidet – this bidet is a good example of types of furniture for the express purpose of “hygiene” created during the reign of Louis XV. It was usually accompanied by a “chaise percee” which had a seat that would lift inside of which stored perfumes and sponges.
Lit a la Polanaise -this draped and curtained bed is named after the Polish Princess Marie Leezuiska the bride of Louis XV. Her father was given the Chateau de Chambord as a present from the king but it was so cold and mosquito infested that he happily gave it back to the king, preferring not to live in this palace!
Table a Jeu – the game table was a key piece during the reign of Louis XVI as it embodied the carefree lifestyle associated with playing cards and being entertained
Secretaire a Pente – originally created during the reign of Louis XV this particular piece with floral marqueterie is in the style of his grandson Louis XVI. In English we would simply call this a “writing desk” as the purpose of his desk was to sit and write letters.
Table Desserte – in the Louis’ day this dessert table would have been piled high with accompaniments and a buffet of treats. This particular piece is exceptionally rare as it is original to the chateau and stands today where it stood in the past! During the revolution all the furniture in the chateau was sold and it is one of the few pieces the government was able to buy back after the Revolution to return to its rightful place in the palace.
Chiffonier – this “dresser” traditionally has 6 drawers each to hold different articles for different days of the week! This particular piece is marquetry and in the style of Louis XV.
Coiffeuse – this dressing table is for young ladies to do their hair and make up. The top folds up to conceal a mirror inside!
While you can’t shop at the Chateau de Chambord (save for the gift shop) it is a brilliant place to see and study antiques! I always encourage clients to spend time in museums – or better yet castles and grand houses – as it educates their eye! It’s sort of like how a wine tasting educates your palette.
On that note, sante!
The Antiques Diva ®
Book an Antiques Diva Multi Day French Flea Market Tour!!! Email toma@antiquesdiva.com
Oh la la it’s the Shangri La
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Dear Diva Readers,
It’s a tough job… but somebody has to do it! It’s my obligation to know what’s chic in Paris and I’m aghast to confess I missed the Grand Opening event of the new Shangri La in Paris last year. My job leading antique tours meant I was booked elsewhere, perhaps a custom tour in Madrid or maybe it was London… I forget now, but the point is the Shangri La is the hottest thing to hit Paris since Coco stepped out in a little black dress and I hadn’t yet been to it! Needless to say I had to remedy the situation. You know I love the Ritz in Paris, considering it the ultimate Parisian institution and I’ve got some shocking news – the Ritz is closing its doors for a year long renovation. Rumor has it that the competition with the Shangri La meant this Grand Madame of Parisian culture needed a facelift for she was looking a little tired and dare I say it, old… out of date. Et voila, with the Ritz closing its doors temporarily it was more important than ever that I get up to speed, so I called Allison, one part of the French blog team La Momand said, “Let’s rendez vous chez Shangri La.” Allison was there before I could say “Bonjour Cherie“!
We were suitably impressed, deeming it worthy of an afternoon tea or coup de champagne, loving the ladies loo, and Le Bar, but preferring the quiet intimacy of the empire salon tucked away in a back corner of the establishment. I ordered champagne with strawberry purée, La Mom chose a champagne martini with Campari and martini bianco and my niece Kyrra opted for raspberry juice. When my husband arrived a couple of hours later we ordered a second round, rose wine for Allison & me and a Horse’s Neck for Monsieur!
While we didn’t take the time to see some hotel rooms we felt well-assured this was a place fit for a diva! In fact it was built in 1896 as the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte and this chic hotel in the 16eme arrondissement has The Antiques Diva ® seal of approval.
Cheers!
The Antiques Diva ®
Life’s Moments
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Dear Diva Readers,
While I’m in Paris every other month for work and lived there 5 years, I rarely take time to be a tourist in Paris anymore. Yesterday I attended mass at Notre Dame with my niece who is staying and traveling with me for the summer. As we entered the giant doors leading to the vestibule my soul smiled when we heard the opening hymn for mass. Kyrra and I quickly found our way to an aisle seat to watch the proceedings. Though we are Protestant and not Catholic it didn’t matter that we didn’t know the rites and rituals – our hearts knew what our minds didn’t and quickly felt enveloped in the spirit.
With a sense of awe my 15 year old niece whispered, “Is it really nearly 1,000 years old?” I smiled back, “They started building it in 1160 and it took 180 years to finish.” She let that sink in then sighed a long, slow “Woah – the people who started building it never got to see it finished”.
We imagined what it might have looked like when there wasn’t electricity and stood letting sunlight dapple on our faces through the rose window then continued our tour of the side chapels. I pointed towards a statue of a woman holding a sword and asked Kyrra, “Do you know who she is?”. She read the name in French “Sainte Jeanne D’Arc 1412- 1431″ quickly turning to me inquiring, “They have a statue of Joan of Arc in here??!!” I explained how it was in this very cathedral that the church made the decision to restore her reputation claiming she wasn’t a witch but a divine messenger from God. Her statue stands in a place of honor in a transept to the right facing the alter.
Because we were attending during the last mass of the day we didn’t have time to tour the bell tower, but that didn’t stop us from discussing the cathedral towers most famous resident. Leaving Notre Dame we crossed the road and went to the famous bookstore Shakespeare & Co and picked up the Victor Hugo tome, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”.
My niece Kyrra at Notre Dame
All in all, a perfect afternoon in Paris.
The Antiques Diva®
A Diva Luncheon in Paris
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Dear Diva Readers,
This week in Paris I hosted a special luncheon for my Parisian Antiques Shopping Tour Guides to say “Merci Merci”. These amazing ladies – Kim, Jennifer, Danielle and Laila – are in the trenches shopping the Paris Flea Market with our day tours in Paris, leading clients week in and week out. They know the market like the back of their hand – and that is no easy feat with 13 districts and over 7 miles of antique filled alleyways. When a client asks for something obscure, they know just where to take them, honing in on the part of the market most suited for their diva desires.
For the luncheon I wanted to do something special because I could not do what I do without them! They are the bones of my company, helping me to share the Diva lifestyle in Paris for more clients than I could serve on my own! And each of them brings their own unique talents, eye for style and perspective on Paris.
For planning the fete, I started by choosing an amazing venue. Why do a restaurant when you can do a private residence? I asked tres popular blogger La Mom if she would let me host the fete in her phenomenal Parisian abode. I was the chef for the fete, preparing some secret dishes and my darling niece Kyrra who is spending the summer with me in Europe was the sous chef. Just call Kyrra “La Petite Diva” as she is a Diva in Training and is helping me behind the scenes this summer.
Then it was time to choose the menu.
First Course: Green Gazpacho served in round zuchinni balls
Second Course: Eggplant Parmesean
Third Course: Cod pan-fried in Salty Butter and served with Belgian Shrimp and Lettuce
Dessert: Fresh Strawberries, Lady Fingers and Cream
All in all, it was a delicious time! We kicked off the luncheon with a bottle of Veuve Cliquout before moving onto a divine white wine from Cheverny.
Et voila! Your Paris Diva Guides: Danielle, Kim, Toma, Jennifer and Laila!
Bon Appetite! And Merci to my Parisian Diva Guides!!!!
The Antiques Diva®
August Calendar Antiques News and Fairs
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Dear Diva Readers,
Planning a trip this summer in the UK, US or on the continent? Then our friends at Antiques News and Fairs have got the scoop for you! Whether you want to go to Palm Beach, Knokke, Belgium or the Cotswolds in jolly old England check this slew of antique sources for antique shopping this summer!
Happy Antiquing!
The Antiques Diva ®
