Some close-ups: Antiques + Industrial

Following my popular post on our new house, I received several requests for close-ups on the industrial pieces that we threw into the mix. Here is the wall in the dining room that you couldn't see:


The small cabinet was handcrafted by some Parisian artisans we know who purchase the iron from old factories and re-invent functional uses for it.


I will have to do a whole post on our dear friend, designer and source for them as he was recently featured on the new "Man Shops Globe" series on the Sundance Channel (if you don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry I'll fill you in soon.) On this rather rough iron piece I have two old mercury glass candlesticks and a pair of biscuit porcelain figures one of which was used on my wedding cake. The painting above is a study by the artist Georgette Agutte, for a larger painting that I sold during an exhibition I created surrounding her works in my gallery. She is my favorite artist that I've had the opportunity to represent and I had to keep something for my personal collection. More on her in the future too!


In the niche to the left of the fireplace mantel, I have an antique wedding trunk from the Switzerland. They are called wedding trunks because girls would go filling them with their dowry or trousseau until they were married. It is lightly decorated with a garden urn-turned lamp, a small religious statuette, and a painted porcelain plaque. You can also see in the corner of the photo a painted bench which is not visible in the larger photograph of the room. The purpose of this bench is to have additional seating when we are entertaining, one commenter pointed out that we have seating for only 4 in our living room, well this bench makes it 5 or 6. More than that I don't consider conducive to good conversation.
Our "piece de resistance" so to speak has been our industrial cog wheel center table. It is a really neat piece and I love that it has "ITALY" cast into the base. This is a sign that it is 20th century and not earlier, or it would have read "Italia" instead. I purchased the iron base and then got the beveled top locally--42" was the perfect size. Unlike the candlesticks in my dining room, the mercury demijohn bottle is a reproduction currently made in Poland. We sell them at our shop for $100-$150 depending on the size. They can add just the right amount of "sparkle" to a room. There are a few more further down.


Not only have I begun to mix the industrial with antiques at home but also in our shop. Here is a recent photo of one of the vignettes you would see at Alhambra Antiques if you came in today.

A 19th century trumeau over a factory work table, decorated with some more bottles and some vintage tins. You can just get a glimpse of the industrial lights hanging overhead.
To the left of the console I have this French urn with iron base, another interesting combination of something old and classic juxtaposed with something more recent.



I also just sold this fabulous French Dentist's Cabinet. I loved that it had features of fine furniture, such as a marbletop and cabriole legs while incorporating the functional elements of the glass trays and doors. This must have been one chic Parisian dentist! It is being shipped to Hong Kong for a very cutting edge fashion designer. I'm sure it will look fabulous, I hope she sends me pictures.


Lastly, I also got several requests for my paint color, it is Sherwin Williams Silver Sage 1185. Thanks for dancing with me.