Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2020 i Homes & Antiques

Christmas always takes me by surprise. It’s not a moveable feast, unlike Easter and Eid, so there’s no excuse – just a dogged refusal to engage until at least mid December. This would be fine if I was even a tiny bit organised; but I’m not. So the final run up always sees me in a distinctly bah humbug! mood. This year, however, I went to the other extreme. I embraced the festivities back in July, when Rose Hammick, who styled our Christmas shoot, started calling in decorations and props. I hope you’ll enjoy her magical dose of escapism on page 39, which also contains plenty of simple, seasonal fixes for anyone else with a tendency to leave it all to the last minute. Our houses, from p61, are also…

My great-grandfather was given this dagger, known as a katar, by his employer, the Maharaja of Baroda, in the 19th century. He was the maharaja’s traditional medicine doctor, or hakim. Family tradition has it that, having shot a tiger on a hunt, he climbed from the shooting point in a tree to start skinning it – but it wasn’t dead. Giving it his left arm, he drew the dagger and dispatched the tiger, but his arm became septic. He refused an amputation, because it would mean he could never hunt tigers again, and died from the wound. When my father, who had come from India in 1937, returned in 1949 to collect his possessions, he discovered that his mother had sold them all, except this. It now rests on his…

Golden light This enormous vintage Italian gilt tole sconce shines bright among the stock for sale on new website Hutt, run by Mollie Riach from Bristol. Read more about Hutt in our round-up of online stores in the January issue. We’ve gathered together the best online shops so you can do your last-minute Christmas shopping from the safety and comfort of your sofa. huttdecor.com Comfort and joy Artist Unity Coombes spends time studying museum collections for inspiration, whether it’s Staffordshire figures or an embroidered Japanese kimono. Her joyful collection of miniature gouache paintings (£30 each) of little vessels, characterful dogs and winter foliage, created in her small studio in Oxfordshire, are affordable artworks to collect and cherish. ‘I like to play with representations of ceramics, textiles and birds,’ she says.…

1. Begin by wrapping a length of ribbon around an orange, fixing the ends with a pin. You can leave it like this or wrap ribbon around the other way, to look like a parcel. 2. With a needle, pierce the skin in any pattern you like, pushing a clove into each hole. 3. Place the finished pomanders in a lovely bowl or dotted along the centre of the dining table to gently fill the air with their aromatic scent. 4. If you want to make these in advance, you will need to allow the fruit to dry out. This can be done by storing each pomander in a paper bag in a warm dry place, such as an airing cupboard, or a shelf above an Aga.…

Amynta Warde-Aldam’s home serves as the perfect demonstration of her decorating style. Each room is a joyful mix of antiques, pared-back contemporary pieces, bold fabrics, pretty wallpapers and unexpected colour combinations. Until recently, the house belonged to Amynta’s husband Jamie’s parents. Built in the 1790s, it sits in around an acre of private garden on a country estate that has been in Jamie’s family for generations. Remodelled in the 1980s and decorated in tune with the times, it was in need of updating. Amynta describes the way the house has been chopped and changed over the years as ‘not entirely sympathetic’, and much of her work has focused on softening some of the harsher aspects. ‘It lost character,’ she explains. ‘Both the staircase and the entrance were moved and it…

A fireplace contributes to a decorative scheme just as much as a sofa or a piece of artwork but is far harder to replace. So first and foremost, buy something you love and will enjoy looking at every day. Secondly, select a material that works with the rest of your furnishings. Scale is another factor. If you want a fireplace shelf to display photographs or hang a mirror above, make sure the shelf isn’t too high. If you have a listed property then it’s often necessary to source a fireplace that is contemporary to the building. A conservation officer may even ask you to choose something of a particular style within that period (the 19th century alone encompassed the Gothic Revival, Arts and Crafts, the Aesthetic Movement and Art Nouveau).…

‘Having grown up surrounded by 18th and 19th-century glass, my interest in this material began at a very early age. I can remember helping my father assemble chandeliers as a young boy, passing pieces to him up a ladder and helping him to restore items. As soon as I left school I joined the family business, becoming the fourth generation to do so – you could say it is in my DNA! For me, the appeal of antique lead-glass crystal is in the variety of designs. I’m fascinated by the history of the pieces, and the craftsmen who sculpted the material, making it so collectable today. My particular passion in antique crystal is lighting: candles flickering from candelabras or candlesticks on a dining table have a timeless appeal, while chandeliers…

Toy story This teddy has been in our family for quite some time. I don’t think it was made by Steiff. I would like to know how old you think it is. And, secondly, if it is worth getting him repaired professionally. As you can see, he is a little threadbare! He also has something hard in his stomach, but I don’t know what it is. Sarah Wilson, Southampton This much-loved teddy was probably made during the 1920s. It is difficult to be sure of a maker – it could be French, but my instinct says that it’s British, but not one of the big teddy bear makers. The hard thing in his belly would have been a ‘growler’ [a mechanism that made a growling noise if the teddy were…

Bronzed Beauty Choosing turkey for Christmas? Essex KellyBronze birds roam free in woodland, resulting in free-range meat that’s full of flavour. And, this year, the farm is even operating a special drive-through click and collect service. Whole turkeys cost from £76.71. kellybronze.co.uk Dick & Angel: our favourite culin›y antique ‘It’s called a Manche a Gigot and is a meat bone holder for carving lamb. We purchased it many years ago at Battlesbridge Antiques Centre in Essex. We love it because it’s functional and elegant. It’s over 100 years old and will last for another 100 years!’ Dick and Angel Strawbridge are stars of Channel 4’s Escape to the Chateau, which returns in November. Shining bright Antique silver accessories will bring sparkle to your dining table Gold Standard The Artisan Stand…

Corkscrews Online, corkscrewsonline.com – collector Peter Borrett’s website with many corkscrews listed for sale, plus useful buying advice including how to spot fakes. Andre Burgos Epicurean Antiques, andreburgos.com – an American dealer with a great selection of European and American corkscrews. Corkscrew Appraisals, corkscrewappraisals.com – collector Steven Webb’s website has a small selection of collectable corkscrews for sale. The Virtual Corkscrew Museum, bullworks.net/virtual.htm – collector Don Bull sells via his informative website.…

Charlie Lyon curated H&A’s Christmas gift guide Charlie is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for homes and interiors. ‘On Christmas Eve I always go home to the village I grew up in. I place my presents under the tree for my family, we have a drink, then it’s off for a tour of the neighbours’ homes. In each house there’s usually good champagne, wine and delicious homemade nibbles!’ Catherine Gratwicke photographed our Christmas shoot Catherine trained and worked as a textile designer before becoming a freelance still life and interiors photographer in 1998. ‘I love going to get the tree with my husband and two children. We always get it from the beautifully festive W6 Garden Centre in Ravenscourt Park and then spend the afternoon…

1 the ANTIQUE MEAT DISHES Of all the tableware you might have on your dresser, the star must surely be a decorative meat dish. If you haven’t inherited one, there’s still a good supply at auctions and fairs. In fact, they are better value than ever, as prices have dropped significantly over the past two decades. Depending on quality and rarity, expect to pay anything from £20 to £500 or even £1,000 for rare pieces that you would probably display rather than use. Dishes for roasted joints of meat and fowl were produced in prodigious quantities in the 19th century, and well into the 20th century, too. If proper kitchen antiques are your thing, look out for dishes that have wells and drainage channels for collecting the juices. 2 the…

Dosed with romance, nostalgia and a wealth of fascinating historical detail, antique county maps make lovely presents. The best examples are decorative, with rich original colours and artistic embellishments. This hand-coloured map of ‘Yorkeshyre’, c1610, drawn up by the notable 16th-century cartographer John Speed, recently sold in one of our auctions for £170. We regularly have others from as low as £30, zooming up to £500 for rare examples in excellent condition.…

As we are spending more time at home, now is the perfect opportunity to learn new skills. And, this month, we’re over the moon to be teaming up with Create Academy to offer H&A readers a 15 per cent discount on its exclusive interiors and floristry courses. Taking place entirely online, the two Create Academy courses cost £127 each, and are taught through five hours of beautifully filmed ten-minute lessons. Those who want to decorate their homes like a professional can join renowned interior designer Rita Konig. Rita has an eye for refined and relaxed interiors, and her ‘Guide to Interior Design Course’ offers you the opportunity to create a home you’ll adore, whatever your budget. Budding florists can learn insider tips from leading floral designer and author Willow Crossley,…

Imagine a banquet at the 18th-century Dresden court: an orchestra plays, a table bedecked with crystal and silver and huge porcelain centrepieces glitters and gleams, candlelight flickers as diners take their seats. Then something intriguing draws their eye. Groups of small figurines of monkeys playing musical instruments and singing parade along the table. ‘They were meant to be an ice-breaker at a dinner. If you were one of 200 people at court you might not know the people you were seated with, so they were there not just for decoration, but to create amusement and conversation,’ explains European porcelain expert and dealer Serhat Ahmet. Playful, animated and fun, the monkeys rank among the most popular figures ever created by the Meissen factory’s most innovative modeller, the sculptor Johann Joachim Kaendler.…

14in wreath, £65, Yolly. Golden glitter bauble, £25 for six, Cox & Cox. Fern leaf glitter decorations, £3 each, Rockett St George. Robin, £2, Linda Keating. Deep Apricot Petersham ribbon, £2.40 per m, VV Rouleaux. Gold leaf garland, £32.99, Gisela Graham. Orange glass, £6, Wooley Edge. Bobbin angels, £75 each, Paper Sam. Candlestick, £69, Rockett St George. Candle, £6 for a pair, Yolly. Green vase, £60, Vardo. Two gold pomegranate sprays, £25, Cox & Cox. Gilt table, find similar at Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern. Bust, £120, The Long Room. Metal leaf lights, £42, Rockett St George. Pop-out crowns, £28 for four, The Shop Floor Project. Horse hair tassel, £34.95, VV Rouleaux. Match striker, £30, Linda Keating. Tree, £36, Rockett St George. A Bowl of Mandarins scented candle, £35, True…

Moving house will always be a moment when decision making is unavoidable. Even more so if the move is from a large house to a much smaller one. When Celia Rufey downsized from a five-bedroom Victorian house in Devon, where she had lived for 30 years, to a small cottage in London, there was a need to be ruthless. At the heart of the problem was her years of visiting the local market with its vintage and house-clearance stands. ‘This was in the 1980s and 90s,’ she explains, ‘and every week I’d come back with an item, sometimes two. My daughters used to say: “You’ve been buying again, Mum,” and I’d say, “It only cost £1!”’ The imminent move in 2013 presented the difficulty of deciding what to let go.…

Heritage vibe Cricket stumps and croquet mallets may feel far removed from the timeless designs of Burbidge & Son Kitchen Makers. But that’s exactly what Henry Burbidge sold when he founded the company in 1867. The business later specialised in stiletto heels and drumsticks before finding its niche in kitchen design in 1970. Today, there are three Shaker kitchens to choose from and the Somerton, pictured, might just be our favourite. From £15,000. burbidgekitchenmakers.co.uk Jazz age appeal Made popular in the 1920s, where it could be found in everything from drinking glasses to lighting, fluted glass has been rediscovered by designers attracted by its sophisticated appeal. To celebrate its 45th anniversary, kitchen maker Martin Moore has designed a limited-edition Art Deco-inspired butler’s sideboard, featuring stained timber, a quartz top and,…

When you’re starting out, speaking to a reputable expert will help you to navigate the market and avoid expensive mistakes: ‘Find a dealer you trust, and develop a relationship with him or her,’ suggests Robert Marris. ‘Most are happy to pass on their knowledge.’ Lead crystal can be identified in various ways – it tends to be heavier than normal glass, and displays a prism effect when light hits it. Cuts on the material should be smoother than on ordinary glass, and it emits a telltale resonant ‘ding’ when struck with a metal utensil. Simple 18th-century wine or ale glasses can be found for as little as around £40 but good quality early baluster glasses can reach thousands of pounds. ‘Prices vary depending on the bowl, stem and foot formations,’…

Festival cake This spectacular-looking cake is surprisingly simple to make, with most of the effort being in preparing the fruit and nuts. Delicious and impressive, it is a cake that will take pride of place at any special occasion. SERVES 24 150g mixed candied peel 150g organic dried apricots, roughly chopped 450g sultanas 250g crystallized pineapple, chopped 130g crystallized ginger, chopped 250g whole glacé cherries, assorted colours, roughly chopped 160ml brandy 200g salted butter, soft 160g light muscovado sugar 6 eggs 360g plain flour 150g chopped pecans 260g chopped Brazil nuts topping 75g organic dried apricots 100g whole glacé cherries, assorted colours 30g whole blanched almonds 50g pecan halves 3 tablespoons apricot jam (optional) empty 400g can (such as a baked bean can) 23cm/9inch round, loose-based cake pan, lined with…

Check ahead Please contact event organisers to check for postponements & last-minute cancellations ONLINE FAIRS 5th Vintage & Handmade Insta Christmas Fair 10am–4pm @vintageandhandmadefair; vintageandhandmade.co.uk 6th Little Vintage Lover Fair 10am–4pm @littlevintageloverfair; littlevintageloverfair.co.uk 12th The Virtual Christmas Vintage Bazaar @thevintagebazaarevents; thevintagebazaar.blogspot.com 16th So Last Century Virtual Vintage Fair 7pm @solastc; solastcenturyfair.co.uk ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIRS 2020 has been an especially difficult year for the event organisers and dealers who put on the wonderful antiques fairs and markets around the UK. We wanted to do as much as we could to support the trade, which is why we continued with our monthly listings despite so many cancellations. But this month, with so many markets and fairs succumbing to government guidelines, we’ve decided to focus on the event organisers rather…

(Answer printed in the February 2020 issue) Oh Christmas Tree This Italianate villa was constructed in the 1840s and became a much-loved residence for our VIP, with every Christmas and New Year spent here after her husband’s death. Christmas was a more sober affair than at the usual residence, but there would have been a tree with gifts underneath, and a sumptuous feast would be served. In the New Year there was a tradition for charming tableaux vivants, performed by members of the household.…

There’s renewed interest in antique Chinese furniture made for export to the West, not only among UK buyers but also most importantly from the Asian market. In the collection from Chieveley House, Berkshire, which sold at Christie’s last March, we were lucky enough to have a small and well-curated group of Chinese export furniture in the English taste. It performed very well, with a padouk and rosewood dressing table selling for £17,500 (est £3,000–£5,000), a padouk chair at £10,000 (est £5,000–£8,000), and a sofa table at £11,250 (est £4,000–£6,000). With Asian buyers competing against European collectors, these pieces are likely to continue to perform well at auction.…

This Month: Tinsel Pictures and Toy Theatres One of my favourite ‘single owner’ collections was the Sotheby’s sale of Vivien Leigh’s estate in September 2017. As you can imagine, she had impeccable taste. One lot that caught my eye was her set of framed Victorian theatrical tinsel pictures, which sold for a deserved £3,000. They used to hang in the library of Notley Abbey, the 12th-century Buckinghamshire house she shared with her husband, Laurence Olivier. Do you know about these? A tinsel picture is an early to mid 19th-century theatrical engraving on paper – sold as ‘a penny plain, or tuppence coloured’, usually depicting a popular actor of the time in a swashbuckling role: a highwayman, a pirate, a swooning heroine, or a Shakespearean bandit. The print could then be…

Set the tone from the moment you step through the door. Here, a willing ‘maître d’ greets guests with a glass of something delicious… Bright splashes of colour are used to create a twist on traditional schemes. Greens and tones of gold and bronze are brought up to date with a flash of fluorescent coral in candles and ribbons Draw the eyes upwards to a hanging centrepiece or ‘flower cloud’ made from a faux foliage wreath with added berry branches and fern fronds. Coloured glass and decorative china elevate this otherwise simple table setting Wrap up the feasting with coffee and biscotti served in pretty cups and saucers. They don’t need to be a matching set – let your guests choose the design they like best Baking is especially jolly…

THE FOODIE These goodies are ideal for those who love gourmet ingredients and delicious treats with a dash of quirky charm THE GARDENER Delight the keen plant growers in your life with one of these stylish and evergreen presents THE CREATIVE These treats will appeal to anyone interested in design or with a keen eye on future heirlooms THE GLOBE TROTTER Original ideas for those with bags of wanderlust, from practical accessories to little luxuries THE ANIMAL LOVER Paws for thought… and indulge a loved one who is simply dotty about their pets! THE LITTLE ONES Decorations to make their room look sweet plus toys to spark wonderfully imaginative play…

Our pick of the most magical trees...…

Until the late 17th century, the British – like many of their European counterparts – saw their glass demands fulfilled by ‘soda glass’. This lightweight material, which originated in Venice, was composed of three basic components: silica, soda ash and lime. However, soda glass was not perfect and the glass-making industry in England was revolutionised in the late 1600s when George Ravenscroft began exploring the advantages of adding lead oxide to the glass mix. The resulting material – lead glass – was superior to the Venetian product: its appearance more brilliant, its form heavier and better suited to cutting and engraving. This was by no means the first instance of lead being used in glass items – glass with lead oxide content has been recorded as early as 1400BC in…

While crystal remains a popular fixture in homes today, providing beautiful decorative items of all kinds, its lead content has been a cause of controversy. To be classed as true crystal, glass must contain a minimum of 24 per cent lead oxide, leading to concerns about lead leaching out of the material. Today, advice varies, and some prefer to keep their crystal antiques purely for decoration. If you do want to use your crystalware for dining, always clean it by hand using a mild detergent, and don’t allow children to eat or drink from it. Crucially, it should be used only for serving food and drinks, never for storing them. And if you’d prefer to admire crystal from a safe distance, there are plenty of places to do so, including…

IN THE MONEY Reflecting the fashion of the time, the brass panels of this late Victorian till are stamped with neoclassical swags, urns and foliage. Estimate £200–£300 USEFUL & BEAUTIFUL A Regency tole peinte oval tray on legs with gilded frame. At the centre is a painted vignette of a boy with two doves. It would dazzle in candlelight. Estimate £500–£800 SOFA SO GOOD Perfect for an alcove or a bedroom, this late Victorian wingback sofa has a mahogany frame. Made c1900, it’s in fine condition too. Estimate £1,000–£1,500…

As the gavel fell at Reeman Dansie Auctioneers in Colchester on 26th November 2014, a round of applause filled the room. An ‘unusual Victorian corkscrew’, estimated to fetch around £400–£600, had sold for an eye-watering £40,000 to an anonymous buyer. It was – and remains – the most expensive corkscrew sold at auction, ever. ‘It was a rare ratchet mechanism Charles Osborne-patented corkscrew made using iron and wood that was in the foundation of the Old London Bridge for 656 years,’ enthuses Reading-based collector and dealer Peter Borrett. ‘Collectors get excited about ratchet corkscrews anyway, but this one was in great condition with an inscription and the provenance was fascinating, too.’ The anonymous buyer turned out to be Ion Chirescu – a wealthy Romanian who has spent the past decade…

ACR acrheatproducts.com Aga agaliving.com Amara amara.com Angel & Boho angelandboho.com Angela Harding angelaharding.co.uk Anna + Nina anna-nina.nl Annabel James annabeljames.co.uk Annie Sloan anniesloan.com AntikBar antikbar.co.uk Apotekarns apotekarns.com Appleby Antiques applebyantiques.net Applecross Antiques applecrossantiques.com Archivist archivistgallery.com Article Somerset articlesomerset.com The Art Stable theartstable.co.uk Astrid Brisson astridbrisson.com Atkin and Thyme atkinandthyme.co.uk Balsam Hill balsamhill.co.uk Besselink & Jones besselink.com Bettys bettys.co.uk Biscuiteers biscuiteers.com Blackwell’s blackwells.co.uk Bowden Knight bowdenknight.com The Bristol Artisan thebristolartisan.com British Colour Standard britishcolourstandard.co.uk Cambridge Imprint cambridgeimprint.co.uk Carse Antiques carseantiques.co.uk Charleston shop.charleston.org.uk Charlotte Gaisford charlottegaisford.co.uk Chelsea Textiles chelseatextiles.com Choosing Keeping choosingkeeping.com ChunkiChilli chunkichilli.com Coco & Wolf cocoandwolf.com Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern crystalpalaceantiques.com David Skinner skinnerwallpaper.com Daylesford daylesford.com Diptyque diptyqueparis.com Dobbies dobbies.com Elizabeth Harbour elizabethharbour.co.uk The English Stamp Company englishstamp.com Everhot everhot.co.uk EW Cousins & Son ewcousins.co.uk…

If you think you know this month’s mystery home, you could be in with a chance of winning this Winterberry half-pint mug, worth £19.95, from queen of colourful ceramics Emma Bridgewater. Based in the heart of the Potteries in Stokeon-Trent, Emma’s factory has been making your everyday cup of tea just that little bit more special since 1985. To see the full range, visit emmabridgewater.co.uk What is the name of the house? A. Osborne House B. Hughenden C. Cronkhill ENTER ONLINE homesandantiques.com/competitions ENTER BY POST Send your answer, name and phone number to: Homes & Antiques, Issue 340, Room with a Clue comp, PO Box 501, Leicester, LE94 0AA Closing date: 15th December 2020 at 11.59pm* *Entrants must be UK residents, including the Channel Islands, aged 18 years or older.…