by Melody Amsel-Arieli Samplers are pieces of fabric worked to demonstrate mastery of ornamental embroidery stitches and motifs. This fine art arose in the late Middle Ages when English nuns and needlework professionals created exquisite, gold and silver-gilt embroidered ecclesiastical and secular textiles. From about 1350, however, their quality declined. Materials became less lavish, […]
Results of Recent Auctions From Near and Far by Ken Hall A Simon Willard tall case clock chimed on time for $48,800 at an auction held December 7th by Grogan & Company in Boston, Mass. Also, a Chinese silk and metallic thread signature carpet realized $21,960; an E. Howard & Co. no. 10 figure eight […]
Fashionable by Design By Maxine Carter-Lome When you think of luxury brands that have stood the test of time by staying true to its craftsman roots, Hermès is one that comes to mind. From its harnesses and saddles to the iconic Birkin bag (named for Actress Jane Birkin) and scarves that surround you in luxurious […]
by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod $3,521 (19 bids, 3 bidders): Victorian 1870s silk boots – court dressmaker Madame Elise. An extraordinary pair of red and blue silk boots with turmeric yellow ribbon lacing, bells and gilded heels-made to match a silk costume-made by Madame Elise, 170 Regent Street, London, Court Dressmaker by special appointment […]
by Judy Nixon Kent For a collector of ribbon work, nothing is more beguiling than a bevy of beautiful ribbons skillfully twisted and sewn into a garden of glorious flowers. It is an art that most are unaware of, yet for those who have been seduced by its charms, acquiring and admiring it can easily […]
“No single gift is tugging at the heart of a nation of women so appealingly right now as a beautiful Whiting & Davis Mesh Bag.” Ladies’ Home Journal, December, 1923 By Donald-Brian Johnson Photos by Leslie Pina Mesh handbags: what accounts for their enduring appeal? Since debuting in the late 1700s, these bags have continued […]
