Delft Envy: Treasures on Tuesday
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>Did you read that last blog entry on save the Dutch Date for the upcoming Oude Kunst en Antiek Beurs Fair in Delft and get total Delft-envy? Have no fear; even if your travels aren’t taking you to Holland, you can still Bring Holland Home by shopping “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva™, allowing you to make the trip without even leaving your armchair! And remember, at “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva we offer FREE international shipping!
Here’s just a few of our Delft Treasures:
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 360px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TE6tIcrwptI/AAAAAAAAFC8/7V-J2MNcD4s/s400/by+appt+only+vs+2.jpg” border=”0″ />Happy Shopping,
Guest Blog: Souvenirs de la Reine: Shopping for Blue Onion Pottery in Berlin
to 10px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV4kQRPHI/AAAAAAAAE7w/Pee5tNbHvmY/s400/blue2.jpg” border=”0″ />So it’s no surprise that many of my antiques are blue. The white shelves surrounding my fireplace are carefully arranged with my blue travel treasures:
- blue and white tulip vase from Delft, Holland
- cobalt blue vase studded with silver I found in a souk in Marrakesh
- petite blue oil painting of Paris
- blue and cream Dutch KLM house found in an antiques shop in Amsterdam
- blue swirl glass bowl from Kosta Boda I found at their outlet store in Sweden
- pale blue Limoges oyster plate I found in Savannah
- dark blue fleur de lys on white platter from Madrid
- blue and white taper candles from France
- cobalt blue and white cake plate from Royal Copenhagen I found in Copenhagen
to 10px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV5U5PW8I/AAAAAAAAE8A/33YhuR8DHe0/s400/blue+3.jpg” border=”0″ />Are you seeing a pattern? So on a recent visit to The Antiques Diva in Berlin, I had a mission: a piece of my favorite German Blue Onion Zwiebelmuster pottery. I have pieces in both the German Meissen pattern and the Czech pattern, I’m all inclusive!
And not only did I want Zwiebelmuster, I wanted antique. And more specifically, I wanted a lidless Zwiebelmuster crock to put on my stove and hold cooking utensils. The Antiques Diva was on the case! Our first stop (after Starbucks for my daily addiction of a Tall Skim Chai Latte, extra hot bitte) was the Berliner Antik und Flohmarkt. And as we wandered the stalls, the Diva introduced me to a vendor specializing in blue & white. It was love at first site. And as I browsed the crowded shop, I found my newest treasure:
to 10px; WIDTH: 322px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 243px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV5BVDleI/AAAAAAAAE74/zHPXAJimRjU/s400/blue4.jpg” border=”0″ />If you look at the two crocks I’m holding, you can see they both say the word cocoa in German: Cacao. and Kakao. As I had only seen cocoa spelled with a “k” auf Deutsch, we were treated to a little history of German grammar lesson by the proprietor. Herr explained, “In the early 1900s, the German government implemented the Deutsch Rightig Sprechen und Schreiben. These new grammar laws standardized the spelling, pronunciation and punctuation of the German language throughout the country. As a result,Cacao. became Kakao.”
Who knew?to 10px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/TChV5hQQLrI/AAAAAAAAE8I/UE3NA9O2ZvQ/s400/Picture1.jpg” border=”0″ />If you, too, love the Blue Onion pattern, you may be interested to know:
- it’s not an onion at all, in fact it’s a pomegranate!
- this pattern was copied by Meissen from Asian pottery in the mid-18th century, and soon copied by other pottery manufacturers, most famously Czech factories, who produced a much more affordable version
- Meissen Zwiebelmuster is treasured by traditional German housewives. In fact, when I travel Germany visiting my many family members, I’m always served kuchen und kaffee on their treasured Zwiebelmuster
- Blue Onion is readily available in the US online at ebay or Replacements
La Reine’s Shopping Tip:
You can find your own blue “Treasures” by The Antiques Diva by shopping her new online brocante. Recent blue treasures include vintage Delft pottery, tiles, and vases.
Happy Shopping!
La Reine
PS. Enjoyed today’s post? You can read more a La Reine’s great blogs at She’s Shopping Now!
Art Beat: The Wine Guy in Print!
Dear Diva Readers,
to 10px; WIDTH: 170px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S3hGxIGdMwI/AAAAAAAAEQA/v3ffaNsN9v8/s400/artbeatjan2010.jpg” border=”0″ />top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>The Antiques Diva wasn’t the only one to make a guest appearance in the January 2010 issue of Art Beat (see recent blog). My husband, The Wine Guy, actually had his own column in last month’s Art Beat, sharing advice on Pairing Wines with Desserts!
While you can actually read his article (as it was first seen on The Diva blog here), I just had to show off my husband’s first tear sheet!
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Moreover, I had to draw your eye to his new logo!
The Wine Guy – The grapes beg to him, “Drink Me!”
Sante!
The Antiques Diva™
(seen right with The Wine Guy)
Belgium Brocantes & Antique Salons: Calendar 2010
January 22-31, 2010
to 10px; WIDTH: 289px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S0ywOFH-UqI/AAAAAAAAD9g/u46Uw18lsZM/s400/BRAFA10logo.jpg” border=”0″ />topDefault.aspx?tabid=1&lg=en” target=”_blank”>BRAFA: Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair
Tour & Taxis Bldg
Avenue du Port 86C
Brussels
11am-7pm Daily
Late Hours until 10.30pm on Jan 26 & 28
– Guided tours by a BRAFA associate are daily at 3pm. Inquire at ticket counter for details.
– The 130 participants represent different countries such as Belgium (60%), France, Germany, Great-Britain, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Portugal, Russia, Spain, USA and Switzerland
topDefault.aspx?tabid=26&lg=en&switchportal=0″ target=”_blank”>AIRFARE & topDefault.aspx?tabid=28&lg=en” target=”_blank”>TRAIN DISCOUNTS to BRAFA AVAILABLE!!!
to 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 92px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S0yxKZEFz9I/AAAAAAAAD-4/RjNfTnck-ew/s200/brusselsair.jpg” border=”0″ />topDefault.aspx?tabid=26&lg=en&switchportal=0″ target=”_blank”>Brussels Airlines offers promotional rates for BRAFA visitors and exhibitors: valid from 15 January till 5 February 2010, 25 %* on b.business and b.flex economy and 15 %* on b.light economy rates.
to 10px; WIDTH: 170px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 67px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S0yxKMflDLI/AAAAAAAAD-w/kTef_wQ89gM/s200/Thalys.jpg” border=”0″ />Make your journey easier by travelling on topDefault.aspx?tabid=28&lg=en” target=”_blank”>Thalys when you go to Brussels from Paris, Cologne or Aachen. Benefit from the Thalys preferential rates to go to the fair: -50%* in Comfort 1 and -30%* in Comfort 2 on the Hi-Life price.
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March 19-28, 2010to 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S0ywUtDtQAI/AAAAAAAAD-A/3VGaMq-45m4/s400/logo_eurantica.jpg” border=”0″ />Eurantica 2010 – Fine Art & Antique Fair
Brussels Expo
Palais 5
Place de Belgique # 1
Brussels
(enter via cote Atomium)
Hours: 2pm-7pm (Mon-Fri)
11am-7pm (Weekend)
March 25: Late Night until 10pm
– Free Entry to Ladies on Ladies Day Jan 26 (2pm-7pm)!!!
– 150 leading antiques dealers and art galleries of Belgium, Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy who are to exhibit at the Brussels Expo Hall 5.
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April 3 – 5, 2010to 10px; WIDTH: 283px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S0ywOmucr1I/AAAAAAAAD9w/FNfTpngE29w/s400/Ciney+Puce.jpg” border=”0″ />Ciney Expo
3 rue de Marche Couvert
Ciney, Belgium
Hours: 10am-7pm Daily
– Over 700 Vendors!
– Professional Day April 2 – Antique Dealers get 1st dibs!
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October 2-3, 2010to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S0ywO0MRuXI/AAAAAAAAD94/aa-W5LqoeO4/s400/crystal-glasses_preview.jpg” border=”0″ />Foire du Verre
Centre Sportif, Rout d’Ohain
Lasne, Belgium
(Just 5km from Waterloo!)
Hours: 10am-6pm
– A “Glass Fair” unique to Belgium
– Over 4 soccer fields filled with glass and crystal, antiques vintage & collectibles!
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Mid-November 2010 (Date TBD)to 10px; WIDTH: 264px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/S0ywNk2TOWI/AAAAAAAAD9Y/vA4eBfZ4RFU/s400/antica2009.jpg” border=”0″ />Antica Namur: Salon d’art et d’antiquites
Namur Expo
Ave Sergent-Vrithoff, 2
Namur, Belgium
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR 2010 DATES and HOURS of Operation!
To view photos from 2009’s great event, click here!
Happy Shopping in 2010!
The Antiques Diva™
(seen right hitting the fleas in Tongeren, Belgium)
Last Minute Diva – USA EDITION – Hunt Slonem Auction
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>On Saturday, October 24th, Stair Galleries (in Hudson, NY) will host a single auction of the Hunt Slonem Collection from Edgewood Terrace. In case you aren’t familiar, Hunt Slonem is a New York artist known for his exotic, vibrantly colored, neo-expressionist paintings and incredible collection of 19th Century gothic revival furniture which has filled his home – the historic Cordts mansion in Kingston, NY – for the past eight years. Hunt has had over 150 solo exhibitions and over 75 museums include his work in their collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum. He is adored by celebrity collectors including Sharon Stone, Gina Gershon, Brooke Shields, Julianne Moore, Mandy Moore, Kate Hudson and J.Lo to name a few.
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/St3iUJnGYxI/AAAAAAAADqI/0TWcgpmSIcI/s400/Hunt+Slonem+2.jpg” border=”0″ />
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 297px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/St3iTqjkzeI/AAAAAAAADqA/3yipoaFtSeM/s400/Hunt+Slonem.jpg” border=”0″ />
to 10px; WIDTH: 343px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 368px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/St3iUxOH1hI/AAAAAAAADqQ/voewx5ZSXvo/s400/image004.jpg” border=”0″ />This rare sale, sparked by the artist’s decision to focus his attention on his two plantation homes in Louisiana, will include the entire contents of his massive Gothic Mansion in Kingtson, a vast collection of Gothic revival furniture, decorative arts and fine arts as well as a number of 20th-century paintings, prints and photographs including a few works by Francesco Clemente, Rainer Fetting, Adam Fuss, Alex Katz, David LaChapelle and Christopher Makos.
to 10px; WIDTH: 329px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/St3iTISIP8I/AAAAAAAADp4/c_W-gGHTA5w/s400/1164.jpg” border=”0″ />
to 10px; WIDTH: 322px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/St3iqaCIqpI/AAAAAAAADqg/TVKQSbr5uiw/s400/Lot+476.jpg” border=”0″ />All prices range from just $50 – up to $20,000, a rare opportunity to own something from the artist’s personal collection!
Who: Stair Galleries
When: Saturday, October 24, 11:00 a.m.
Where: Stair Galleries
549 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
* Bidding is available in-person, online (online bidding available here), by phone, and by absentee bid
Phone: 518.751.1000
* Phone bidding must be arranged by 5pm, Friday, Oct. 23
Going, Going, Gone!
The Antiques Diva™
Guest Blog: Lady Lotus – Are You Next on the Jewelry Chain?
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>Dangling from my wrist these days is an amazing bracelet made from Euro coins. The gold and silver match everything and the piece is curious enough to evoke conversation, most of which start out by me proclaiming that the best part of living in an American university town is being surrounded by amazing local artists. One of my favorite designers, Danya Roselle, is the artist who crafted my new favorite piece.
to 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/SsozWI0BBFI/AAAAAAAADm4/cnEb9IcDIxE/s400/IMG_3267.JPG” border=”0″ />She normally provides the Euros, but in my case I gave her the ones I wanted because my husband and I had great fun picking them out on our recent trip to Paris. In the end, I settled on a 2 Euro France, flanked by 1 Euro Germany and Italy. The silver swirly bits are Danya’s own making and the bracelet was specifically crafted to fit my wrist. And all this for only $81. I normally wear the “back” side up so that I can see the country designs instead of the numbers, but it looks lovely both ways. And I also turn a deaf ear to anyone who mentions that defacing money is probably frowned upon … a benefit of living in the US is that hardly anyone knows what foreign money looks like!
When La Reine saw my bracelet, she immediately ordered one of her own. Are you next on the jewelry chain??
Happy Shopping!
Lady Lotus
The Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam, London, Brussels & Beyond…
to 10px; WIDTH: 130px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 54px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/SrUM0l5exNI/AAAAAAAADj0/rC0F2Hh3PTw/s400/aaf.gif” border=”0″ />Whichever side of the pond you live on (and whatever pond that might be), add The Affordable Art Fair to your list of upcoming outings. With opportunities to buy art from leading, carefully selected vendors at prices as low as 50E ($100) moving upwards to 5,000E – ($10,000), top quality, contemporary art is available at prices that make it possible to pursue your passion for becoming an art collector!
The Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam
29 Oct – 1 Nov, 2009
Gashouder & Transformatorhuis, Westergasfabriek-terrein
The Affordable Art Fair London
22-25 Oct, 2009
Battersea Park
The Affordable Art Fair New York
(Sadly 2009 dates have passed – so stay tuned for May 6-9, 2010)
7 West New York
The Affordable Art Fair Sydney
22-25 Oct, 2009
Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park
The Affordable Art Fair Melbourne
(Sadly 2009 dates passed, stay tuned for April 2010)
The Affordable Art Fair Paris
(Sadly 2009 dates passed, stay tuned for June 2010)
The Affordable Art Fair Brussels
Feb 5-8, 2010
Tour et Taxis, Shed 1
Until Next Time,
The Antiques Diva™
otherwise known as The Art Diva!
What’s in a Name? Art Nouveau and other Names
to 10px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/SprA2Mm-PII/AAAAAAAADhU/T6rTlGDV-MA/s400/artnouveau2.jpg” border=”0″ />While this might seem like common sense to you, did you realize that the style we typically refer to as Art Nouveau also has a whole host of other names? In Germany it’s called Jugendstil (Youth Style) but in Austria, another German speaking country, it’s referred to as the Sezessionstil. Meanwhile, in the UK, Art Nouveau developed out of the Arts and Crafts Movement and is seen exemplified in Mackintosh’s work in Glasgow, so many Brit’s simply refer to this style as the Glasgow Style. The Americans aren’t any better. We often refer to all Art Nouveau design as Tiffany Style even on pieces that Louis Comfort Tiffany had no hand in designing. The Italians took no credit for the design. Instead, they looked to London’s Liberty & Co department store when naming the movement in their language, choosing to call Art Nouveau the Stile Liberty (Liberty Style). In Spain, Art Nouveau is referred to as Modernisme while in Denmark and Poland, Art Nouveau designs were absorbed into established local movements called Sknvirke (aesthetic activity) and Moda Polska (Young Poland).
All this is enough to give you a headache, but as I wave goodbye, I’ll mention just one more name for Art Nouveau -Wellenstil (or the wave style).
The Antiques Diva™
More on Miro
to 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/ScFE7zetVjI/AAAAAAAACyM/NkjtiM_913M/s320/divas+statue.jpg” border=”0″ />When my husband WG & I stumbled into Miro’s gallery in the charming Bohemian village of Cesky Krumlov, he stood like a Czech god with the sun shining only on him as tourists and customers circled in the shadows. As we studied the sculptures, something about Miro’s work niggled and wiggled in the recesses of our minds, reminding us of another artist whose work we had fallen for while visiting Toronto nearly 10 years prior for my 25th birthday. For years we had regretted not purchasing that piece that haunted us. From time to time WG would comment, “Remember that artist in Toronto?” and I would nod claiming this piece was “the one that got away – our great travel-shopping regret.”
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Crowds stumbled in and out of the gallery and when the tourists thinned, Miro sat on the step next to us and started talking, sharing his life story as we shared ours. He told how before the fall of communism he’d been granted a visa to live in the USA and Canada. He spoke of the cold Toronto winters of where his work had been exhibited and WG’s eyes caught mine as we read one another’s mind – “Could Miro Pozar be the artist that got away? Whose work we’d coveted for so many years?”to 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/ScFE8od-0mI/AAAAAAAACys/kUWsAlvlOV0/s320/miro+pozar+4.jpg” border=”0″ />We’ll never know. Much like reading a book and remembering the main character’s name, but not the author’s, WG & I had over the years forgotten the name of that Toronto-based-artist while the art lived on in our memories. Whether Miro was the mystery artist might have been serendipitous, but it was oddly a moot point in the purchase decision, for upon seeing his chiseled work it was a foregone conclusion that we’d return home to Holland with something from his atelier. We wouldn’t pass a second chance with “coup de foudre” – he wouldn’t be another artist whose work we’d regret letting “get away”.
Miro, upon seeing our joy at his work, offered us a discount for paying in Euros instead of the local currency and smiled as he said, “You are young. The young, they never buy art. It is always the old who buy art. They, of course, can better afford it, but I make art for the young, for the future, not for the past.” He attached the bust we’d chosen to a rolling cart, giving us a stand upon which to display it as a gift with the purchase. As we chatted, he offered to roll the statue to our car which it turned out was parked opposite his atelier and warehouse.
As we drove away, WG released his grip on the steering wheel and reached over to rub my neck, “Do you feel we bought a piece of history?” he asked and with a nod and graze of his leg, I smiled “Perhaps even a piece of our own history” as I thought of that trip to Toronto years prior when we were young and didn’t buy art.
to 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center” alt=”” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kcTb8DnPVW4/ScFFDG0x9rI/AAAAAAAACy8/_ol6sVayPcs/s320/The+Antiques+Diva+and+Miro+Pozar.jpg” border=”0″ />Photo: Miro Pozar – Sculptor – and The Antiques Diva™ along with the statue we purchased
Freakin’ Fabulous – Reader’s Tip
top:2px;padding-right:5px;font-family:times;”>I wanted your readers to know that I just got a really fun book this week. It’s called “Freakin’ Fabulous” (How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate and Generally Be Better Than Everyone Else) by Clinton Kelly.
He has some GREAT tips but does it in such a way that it’s really entertaining reading. It has article titles such as “What’s the one trick that will slim down your entire silhouette and make your ta-tas look va-va-voom?’ and “How do you eat an oyster without getting kicked out of the best restaurant in town?” I think my favorite title though is “Even the prettiest ducks can be ferocious”.
The book is really a hoot! If you get a chance, check it out!
