Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2021 i Homes & Antiques

Comfort and joy, it says on our cover, and that’s what we hope this issue will bring. If ever there were a time to settle down with a joyful and comforting copy of H&A, this is surely it! Our January issue is always an oddity: it heralds the start of a new year and yet lands on the newsstand long before the old one is out. We’re embracing this quirk of publishing by offering you a second helping of Christmas, alongside features that look ahead to 2021. Turn to Selina Lake’s uplifting seasonal styling (p35), where you will find inspiration for beautiful table settings and gift wrapping ideas. If you’re looking for an alternative to the traditional Christmas turkey or something novel for New Year’s Eve, our Dickens-themed feast on…

Bowled over I enjoy Homes and Antiques as a long-time subscriber, and would like to share my Wedgwood bowl story. This bowl has been a favourite of mine since 1959, when I saw it in Mrs Kemis’ China Shoppe in Waterton Village, Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, AB Canada. It was marked down to $20 (Canadian) because the terracotta colour had been discontinued. Being only in junior high, my mom thought me too young for the bowl. She bought it as a thank you gift for my aunt Toots, who’d lent us her cottage in Waterton. The bowl came up many times over the years as a sorely missed opportunity. Imagine my surprise when Aunt Toots gave me the bowl as a wedding present in 1976. Forty-four years later, it’s…

Soft touch Bring the cosiness of velvet into your home with cushions, chairs, sofas, stools and snuggly quilts…

The Ceylan (budgerigars) vase, introduced in 1924 by René Lalique, has risen in value over the years. With its frosted, opalescent, milky blue colour that no one has been able to emulate, and the endearing frieze of budgerigars or lovebirds, it’s immediately recognisable as Lalique. Collectors hunt for coloured Lalique vases too, such as the Formose (goldfish) design of 1924, in the form of a goldfish bowl decorated with fan-tailed fish. Lalique lovers covet this vase and acquiring it in as many colours as possible is a passionate pursuit. Joy will be hosting an auction dedicated to Lalique on 28th April at The Mall Galleries, London. lyonandturnbull.com…

Celebration FEAST The dining table really takes centre stage over the Christmas holidays. This year looks likely to be a quieter celebration than usual, and so there is all the more reason to make it as special as you can. With fewer people to cater for, you can go to town with beautiful flowers and favourite antiques. Look for drinking glasses in jewel-bright colours and arrange flowers to match. Here, blue glass looks beautiful alongside the rich red of the amaryllis posies. Tealights and tall candles in brass candlesticks complete the look, which is joyful and relaxed. The art of PRESENTATION Bright ribbons and pretty wrapping papers add to the excitement and pleasure of both giving and receiving gifts at Christmas. And creating fabulous-looking parcels is not necessarily complicated or…

Audra Daws-Knowles has always collected, worn and loved brooches, so it was only natural that she started selling them. Her curated collection of affordable antique, vintage and retro jewellery, with a focus on brooches dating from the 1880s to the 1980s, can be viewed on her Instagram account and website, arranged on the latter into periods and styles. Her buying trips have taken her to auctions, fairs and sales across the UK as well as France, Belgium, Germany and North America. audrasbrooches.com; @audrasbrooches…

RECLAIMED CABINET To introduce personality to her new bathrooms, Vicki made use of junk shop and antique units, which she brought from her previous home in Somerset. The slatted doors and distressed panels of this industrial cabinet contrast with the sleek porcelain basin and contemporary tiles from Mandarin Stone. Try salvage yards, Scaramanga or Retrouvius for a similar piece. MID-CENTURY SIDEBOARD Here, a mid-century sideboard has been used to mount a Belfast-style sink in a family bathroom. Units like this can be bought for little more than £100 in charity shops or at auction, or by using websites such as eBay or Gumtree. In this instance, the homeowner has installed a length of marble-effect quartz kitchen worktop under the basin, which is easier to clean and creates a more unified…

Come on in……

JANUARY 15th The Historical Collection of Natural History and Taxidermy from Hodnet Hall, Tennants Tennants holds regular natural history sales, but the Hodnet Hall collection is a one-off, comprising antique taxidermy and hunting trophies prepared by leading London taxidermists. The rare cache was amassed between the 1870s to the 1930s on trips to India and Africa – expect competition for the best lots. 19th & 20th Fine Art, Antiques & Ceramics, Chorley’s Find rich pickings at Chorley’s quarterly sale, where over 1,000 lots include a collection of early English porcelain and antiquarian books from Spetchley Park (Chorley’s sold the house contents a year ago). Here, a Coalport dinner service estimated at £70 rubs shoulders with Chelsea porcelain worth £20,000. 20th The Ski Sale and Prints & Multiples,…

Seek independent consultation from a reputable dealer or expert when you’re starting out – their expertise will guide you, and help you to determine genuine and well-priced pieces. Hallmarks can help ascertain quality and provenance: ‘Newer British pieces will contain British hallmarks, showing the fineness and age of the piece,’ says Nicola Whittaker of Fellows Auctioneers. ‘Antique items (pre 20th century) won’t necessarily have these but the marks are useful to tell fineness and age at a glance. If an item isn’t British, you can look for other countries’ marks – for example, the French hallmarking system dates back to the 13th century. Such marks will help determine the quality and the carat of gold. Not all pieces have them, but it is a good indicator.’ If you want to…

SMOKING BUY The Victorians and Edwardians went in for wooden boxes, such as this lovely brass-bound cigar box, with compartments for matches and cutter. Estimate £60–£70 STYLISH SPOONFULS If antique spoons are your thing, a pair of Old English pattern silver sauce ladles, made in 1792, would be a lovely addition to the cutlery drawer. Estimate £80–£100 BEAUTY OF YOUTH A pencil and watercolour portrait of 17-year-old Oliver Messel, the costume and set designer, was inherited by Lord Snowdon. Estimate £3,000–£5,000…

I grew up in the Yorkshire Dales and, after my degree in Costume Design and the History of Dress, my Dad suggested trying to get some work at Tennants, one of the biggest auction houses in the North and two minutes from home. I started portering and helping out in the textiles department and over the next few years worked my way down the country, ending up at Sworders in Essex, where I specialised in jewellery and took a diploma in gemology. I’m an auctioneer too and I love that side of it – sale day is great and you see the results of all that hard work. I joined Catherine Southon’s auction house last February. Every day is different, but typically I’ll be valuing clients’ jewellery in the office…

Sussie Bell photographed ‘Winter Spice’ Sussie has worked as a photographer for many years and loves combining her passions for antiques shopping, flowers and photography when she works on shoots for H&A . ‘My favourite walk on New Year’s Day is Avebury stone circle in Wiltshire. It’s steeped in history, mystery and magic and exploring the earthworks around the ancient village feels like an uplifting and spiritual way to start the new year.‘ Huntley Hedworth photographed ‘Considered Simplicity’ Huntley studied Ceramics and Fine Art at Farnham School of Art, returning professionally to his other love, photography, when he hit 30. ‘One of my favourite walks starts near Easton in Gordano, Somerset, and includes part of the Gordano Round. It has classic, uneventful countryside, deep wooded valleys, quiet lanes…

A seasonal floral arrangement in an antique vase is the perfect finishing touch to any room, which is why we’re thrilled to be teaming up with floral studio Pampas & Bloom. The company is offering H&A readers 20 per cent off its fabulous collection of dried flowers and grasses. Founded by Amelia Harker and her sister Louisa, Pampas & Bloom focuses on creating stylish dried flower arrangements that bring colour and texture to a space, as well as being naturally long-lasting. For an understated addition to a mantelpiece or window sill, why not opt for a Mini Bunch Gift Set (£18) of dried foliage to display in a glass milk bottle or bud vase? You could always ramp up the drama with a plume of Black Pampas (£48) or keep…

Woven poetry Bobbin furniture both new and old is being lovingly embraced in interiors at the moment. These beautiful Julian Chichester Bobbin chairs look particularly stunning upholstered in extra fine merino wool fabric by Johnstons of Elgin. Woven in Scotland, the geometric Sonnet Sateen Jacquard in Neptune and sheeny Tivoli Mélange Sateen in Jeans are £118 and £106 per m respectively. johnstonsofelgin.com; julianchichester.com Eco gift bags Ditching unsustainable packaging and wrapping is en vogue this Christmas. The British Fashion Council has teamed up with John Lewis & Partners and Bags of Ethics to create reusable fabric gift wrapping bags designed by Giles Deacon and Preen By Thornton Bregazzi. The bags are made from organic cotton and can be reused once given to continue wrapping gifts or repurposed for a second…

Jewel-like in its intensity, Bristol Blue has an allure that isn’t hard to appreciate. ‘People tend not to buy it to use, but because it’s so pretty to look at,’ says glass dealer Jeanette Hayhurst of the brilliantly coloured glass that has long enchanted collectors. ‘Other countries made blue glass, but it isn’t the same colour. This is very distinctive – and very British.’ The story of blue glass begins in the ancient world, but Bristol took centre stage in the mid 18th century, after a local chemist, William Cookworthy, acquired a monopoly on the rights to import ‘smalt’ or cobalt, the raw material used to create the brilliant hue, from mines in Saxony. The city port was already an important centre for glassmaking, and the production of coloured and…

Affordable Art and Antiques Tat London Charlie Porter started Tat four years ago as a side project to her job as an interiors stylist. She loves junk shops and car booting so, to indulge her passion, she decided to open an online shop selling what she describes as ‘low brow’ pieces. ‘I never think I specialise in anything, I buy what I like,’ she says. ‘But it would seem I like a lot of 20th-century European art and any sort of sconce – it can range from 17th-century to the 1990s. As long as you can put a candle in it, I will buy it.’ tat-london.co.uk; @pile_of_tat Perfect English Stuff Scroll through the squares of Instagram seller Elizabeth Kemp’s account and you’ll find all manner of antique and vintage decorative…

There is a strong sense of family history in Charlotte and Tom Gaisford’s home in Northumberland. It is the place where Tom was born and the house and farm have been in his family for several generations. Furniture inherited from both sides of the family grace the rooms and Charlotte’s bold and bright textiles are evident throughout the house, which was once two cottages and a barn. ‘We moved here to Northumberland when our sons were born and long before I was a fabric designer,’ explains Charlotte. ‘Before that we had lived in Lancashire and then in France, but we decided we needed to be nearer to family.’ Following a period renting one of the houses on the estate, the couple decided to take on a longer-term project converting a…

‘I wanted to bring those wintry walks in nature and the sense of calm that comes with that, into my home, so I decorated almost solely with materials gathered on my walks in the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park,’ says Wilma. The expanse of dunes and woodland just outside Haarlem provided Wilma with branches, pine cones and leaves which, back at home, she turned into a little forest. ‘I only take home what’s already on the ground – I don’t pull things out of nature,’ she says. So, when it came to creating the magical decoration in the bedroom, Wilma searched the sand dunes for the perfect pine tree branch. ‘After cleaning off all the sand, I hung it above my bed with strong cord and then attached helleborus blooms (bought from…

Old doors are generally much better made than new ones, and much better value. Victorian craftsmen made doors by hand, with proper joints, and sourced from better stocks of slow-grown timber. Victorian doors have already lasted at least 100 years – it’s likely, if cared for, they will last another century or more. Unless made to the same standard – which can be done but is very expensive – modern doors tend to be factory-produced from inferior materials. By default, newly made doors will be weaker and more prone to warping and expansion… and often the proportions are all wrong. When shopping for a salvaged door, bring a photo of your house. Look at your neighbours’ doors if the house is similar and ask your salvage dealer if the door…

The Aztec word for gold, ‘teocuitlatl’, literally translates as ‘excrement of the gods’. This divine association gives some indication of the importance that has been placed on this dazzling metal by civilisations throughout history. It is one of the oldest metals to be discovered and prized – gold artefacts found in the Varna Necropolis in Bulgaria show that it was being worked as early as around 4600 BC, and its age-old attraction can be seen in its numerous uses, from coins, medals and religious artefacts to Egyptian burial masks and throughout art history, from early Christian altarpieces to Gustav Klimt’s famous ‘Golden Phase’. Our fascination for this precious material has endured, and gold even represents a versatile, luxurious staple in today’s interiors, whether you’re bold enough for the all-out decadence…

AC SILVER 35b St Georges Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 2SU 0191 240 2645 acsilver.co.uk THE ANTIQUE JEWELLERY COMPANY 49 Maddox Street, London, W1S 2PQ 020 7206 2477 antiquejewellerycompany.com BENTLEY & SKINNER 55 Piccadilly, London, W1J 0DX 020 7629 0651 bentley-skinner.co.uk FELLOWS AUCTIONEERS Augusta House, 19 Augusta Street, Birmingham, B18 6JA 0121 212 2131 fellows.co.uk PUSHKIN ANTIQUES Shop 111, Lower Floor, Grays Antiques Market, 8 Davies Street, London, W1K 5LP 020 8554 4300 pushkinantiques.com…

According to British linguist Alan S.C. Ross, author of U and Non-U: An Essay in Sociological Linguistics (1956), ‘Non-U’ (non-upper class) people use the word ‘serviette’ whereas ‘U’ (upper class) people use the term ‘table-napkin’. This is, he notes, ‘…perhaps the best known of all the linguistic class indicators of English.’ He argues that the middle classes use ‘fancy’ words to make themselves sound more refined, while the upper classes, confident in the security of their social position, use the same plain words as the working class.…

A AGA agaliving.com Amara amara.com &Klevering klevering.com Angel & Boho angelandboho.com Anna New York annanewyork.com Anthony Outred outred.co.uk Anthropologie anthropologie.com The Antique Jewellery Company antiquejewellerycompany.com The Antiques Warehouse theantiqueswarehouse.com The Architectural Forum thearchitecturalforum.com Atkin and Thyme atkinandthyme.co.uk Audenza audenza.com B B&Q diy.com Barker & Stonehouse barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Beardmore beardmore.co.uk Bentley & Skinner bentley-skinner.co.uk Bombki bombki.co.uk Bonhams bonhams.com The Bristol Artisan thebristolartisan.com Bristol Reclamation instagram.com/ bristol_reclamation C Canterbury Auction Galleries thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com Catherine Southon catherinesouthon.co.uk Cfleursdesign etsy.com/uk/shop/ Cfleursdesign Charlotte Gaisford charlottegaisford.co.uk Cheffins cheffins.co.uk Chiminea Shop chimineashop.co.uk Choosing Keeping choosingkeeping.com Chorley’s chorleys.com Clarke & Clarke clarke-clarke.com Colefax and Fowler colefax.com Collinge Antiques collingeantiques.com Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk The Culture of Art cultureof.art Curated Living curatedliving.co.uk D The Decorator Source thedecoratorsource.co.uk Designers Guild designersguild.com Design Vintage designvintage.co.uk Dobbies dobbies.com Dominic Winter dominicwinter.co.uk Douglas Watson Studio…

1 the ANTIQUE TABLE LUSTRES Lustres were predominantly made of glass, sometimes with ormolu mounts, and decorated with long, faceted glass drops to catch the candlelight. They were fashionable in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and top names include Blades & Co and F&C Osler. ‘These Regency pieces tend to be more refined, with sharper cutting and a classier look. They often had sconces for candles too,’ says Alex Froggatt of Sworders. Lustres from this time can fetch several hundred pounds at auction, while those attributed to Blades or Osler can make thousands. ‘At the most accessible end of the market are mould-blown Victorian pieces, which can be identified through a hollow foot, with every surface created within the mould,’ says Alex. These lustres, often in opaque turquoise,…

Antique globes show the world as it was during a snapshot of time and were often out of date just a few years after they were printed. They are always in demand. Look for those with unusual features such as Africa marked as ‘undiscovered parts’, California depicted as an island, and Australia shown as ‘New Holland’. There were many types of globe made in the 18th and 19th centuries and prices depend on size and rarity. At auction, the large and impressive floorstanding library globes range from £6,000 to £60,000, while table globes start at a much more affordable £200 up to £20,000 for a very rare example.…

This Month: Tartanware I’ve had a thing about Scotland for as long as I can remember. For the romance of the Highlands: the mountains, glens, peat and heather; haggis, shortbread and single malt whisky; the Loch Ness Monster and Highland cattle; Bonnie Prince Charlie, midges and bagpipes. And at the very top of the list, we must, of course, place tartan – the chequered cloth, which, for so many the world over, is the symbol of Scottish identity. Tartan, at least in its modern form, is not perhaps as ancient as one might imagine. It’s thought that until the invention of regimental tartans in the mid 18th century, patterns (or ‘setts’) derived from local areas or Highland districts rather than specific clans, surnames or organisations, especially if natural dyes were…

The tempting mélange of French furniture, blue and white pottery, verdure tapestries, Old Master paintings and antiquarian prints that fill Julia Boston’s King’s Road shop reflect a keenly honed eye and a business that has triumphed despite significant changes in fashion over two and a half decades. Her introduction to the world of antiques started early. ‘I was brought up with antiques around me. As a child I was taken to Portobello and Bermondsey because my mother also loved antiques.’ At the age of 17, Julia started work with a Greek picture restorer, and later went on to start a framing and gilding business. Her dealing career began modestly, with an interest in prints. ‘It was in the days when prints were terribly in. I was buying them for myself…

• My mother was a huge influence on me, she used to be an interior designer and curtain maker in the 1980s, and I was lucky to have grown up with some classic names in the interior design world. • I look to Jane Churchill for all her blue and white stripes and checks, and Nina Campbell for her classic British style. • I love the classic country house look, but with a bit of a twist. Vanessa Arbuthnott does this so well and I love the colours she puts together, making the country house look so trendy! • I recently did Rita Konig’s interior design course, which I loved. Now I make sure I have a place for my drink and my reading light in my drawing room –…

‘I’ve promised my family that I won’t visit certain shops any more,’ laughs Vicki Savage, who transformed what was once a tired Victorian house into a tranquil family home filled with elegant antiques. ‘But most of the time I can’t help myself. Antiques and junk shops just draw me in – I think it’s the hope of finding a bit of magic.’ Something of a magpie for certain shapes and colours, Vicki has gathered an eclectic array of furniture and artworks over the years, moving them from house to house. ‘It’s all a bit random, really,’ she says, ‘but they’re an expression of me.’ ‘I’ve promised my family that I won’t visit certain shops any more, but most of the time I can’t help myself. Antiques and junk shops just…

Sweet dreams Known for its pioneering chemical-free, organic mattresses, it’s no surprise that Naturalmat is shaking up the bedding market with its range of duvets and pillows made from wool. Weightier and more compact than their feather-filled counterparts, wool duvets are also more effective at retaining heat when it’s cold and dispersing it during warmer months. The organic wool in every duvet is entirely traceable from West Country farms. From £85 for a single wool duvet. naturalmat.co.uk Bathing Beauties The trend for coloured baths shows no signs of waning, and bath specialist Victoria + Albert now offers 194 shades across all its baths and basins, with seasonal edits to help those who feel overwhelmed by the choice. This year’s warming winter shades include Wine Red (RAL 3005), Ochre Yellow (RAL…

BATH BESPOKE Using sustainably sourced timber with cutting-edge glazing and draught-proofing technology, this joinery brand recreates classic designs giving a smart update to your period home. bathbespoke.co.uk LONDON DOOR COMPANY The London Door Company designers will visit your home to help you make sure your entrance perfectly complements your home’s character. Everything’s handcrafted in the UK and the company offers a completely bespoke service. londondoor.co.uk TIMBER WINDOWS This company specialises in real wood sash and casement windows and front doors that will enhance the character of your home. It also sells more contemporary bi-fold and patio doors. timberwindows.com…

I first became interested in gold antiques quite by chance. Years ago, I dealt in engravings and prints, but one day I bought a silver brooch and sold it, and that led to braver purchases of gold pieces. I was hooked! Antique gold is quite unlike modern gold as it has a patina that is hard to recreate. Part of the reason for this is that mercury was often used in the gilding process and the result was a lovely buttery yellow colour. The only modern company that comes close to this is the Greek jeweller, Ilias Lalaounis. For me, some of the most fascinating gold jewellery is by Fortunato Pio Castellani. In the mid Victorian period he became a master of the ‘Etruscan Technique’. This was a process of…

Roast goose In A Christmas Carol, the Cratchit children go wild outside the bakery at the smell of sage and onion stuffing, and the whole family admire their goose’s flavour (and cheapness) SERVES 8–10 1 goose, about 5–6kg (with giblets and neck) 1 onion, peeled A few sprigs of sage or thyme FOR THE STUFFING 2 large onions, finely chopped 3 tablespoons freshly chopped sage 200g stale breadcrumbs A little salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 free-range eggs A little hot stock FOR THE GRAVY Goose neck, chopped Goose wings 1 carrot, roughly chopped 1 onion, roughly chopped Giblets 2 bay leaves 6 peppercorns 1 tablespoon plain flour TO SERVE Potatoes and/or root vegetables, for roasting alongside the goose Unsweetened stewed apple Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6. Chop…

Check ahead Please contact event organisers to check for postponements & last-minute cancellations ANTIQUING ON INSTAGRAM One good thing to come out of a rather tumultuous 2020 is a flourishing online antiques industry. With more people shopping this way, new dealers are joining the scene – all thanks to the marvellous efficiency of Instagram. People made redundant or furloughed who had been toying with the idea of making a living out of antiques finally made the leap. No need to find a shop or take on rents and rates – all they needed to do was gather stock, have a good eye and upload images to an Instagram account. Tanya Zendra did just that and launched her business on Instagram this year @tarn_london. ‘Instagram allows me to reach my audience,…

1 . MYSTERY OBJECTS 1. 19th-century skirt lifter 2. Georgian pineapple stand 3. 17th-century treen apple corer 4. 19th-century leech jar 5. Early 20th-century mechanical spittoon 2. TECHNICAL TRIUMPHS a. It was a doll’s house – made for Queen Mary and now at Windsor b. Badminton Cabinet c. Meissen d. Paul de Lamerie e. Whitefriars 3. MAGICAL MASTERPIECES a. Bronzino, An Allegory with Venus and Cupid b. David Hockney c. Hubert Le Sueur’s statue of Charles I d. Canova’s Three Graces, now in the V&A e. Gilbert and George 4. DARING DESIGNERS a. Christopher Dresser b. Sibyl Colefax c. Hans Wegner’s Wishbone Chair d. Eleanor Coade, who invented Coade stone e. Arne Jacobsen designed the original chair, a copy of which Christine Keeler sat on for the iconic photo taken…