Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2022 i Homes & Antiques

Welcome to the Christmas issue of H&A, where you'll find this month's houses at their festive best. Home is very much where the heart is at this time of year, and all four houses prove there is fun to be had in dressing each room for the season's celebrations. For the founder of V V Rouleaus Annabel Lewis, ribbons and trims feature heavily, but it's her love of floristry that really shines through in her gorgeous Cumbrian farmhouse (p66). Meanwhile, Trine Brunsvig's tiny Copenhagen apartment feels just as Christmassy, decked with homemade paper stars and vintage baubles. On page 86, Celia Rufey continues the handmade theme in her column, in which she shines a light on gifts made from antique and vintage textiles. Meanwhile, Kiera Buckley-Jones shares inspiring ideas for…

In the first major examination of majolica in nearly four decades, this exciting show explores the incredible range of the popular glazed earthenware made by a variety of British and American potteries. Majolica ware was first introduced by Minton & Co at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was a pretty instant hit, thanks to its vibrant colours and because it tapped into Victorian interests: the natural world, new foods and popular culture. This exhibition, which has travelled from the Bard Graduate Center Gallery in New York and is only appearing at one location in the UK, features significant pieces from private collections in the United States as well as the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery's own collections. stokemuseums.org.uk…

Wild Side Hampshire-based family business Linwood presents Wild Life, a collection of five patterns in a rich and moody palette on a luxuriously soft and hardwearing velvet fabric. Wild, the signature print, features a menagerie of parrots, lions and flowers - maximalism at its finest. From £80 per metre. linwoodfabric.com…

Talking Shop When I was young, my mum would take me to car boot sales, and as a teenager I was obsessed with television programmes like Bargain Hunt and Antiques Roadshow, so I've always had some insight into the antiques world. I used to get the Miller's Antiques Handbook every year until my early twenties. I learnt a lot from those; more so from the pictures as I could look at the designs and see how they were made. A lot of my knowledge came from a love for old things, without ever realising it would become my job. I began my career as an estate agent, but while I was selling houses, I'd be more interested in the things inside them. I ended up clearing a couple that I'd…

Colour Block FLOOR_STORY has collaborated for a second time with textile designer and lecturer Kangan Arora on a collection of rugs and runners. The 10 new designs were conceived during a lockdown and are a celebration of colour and print, constructed using a mixture of hand-knotted, tufted, and handwoven techniques. The results are highly textural and threedimensional. Prices for the Harlequin rug, pictured, start from £1,370. floorstory.co.uk IN THE FRAME London's Lillie Road is a haven for antiques lovers with 22 antique and vintage stores. Nestled among them is Canford & Co Frames, picture framers who offer a wide range of finishes as well as conservational mounting. You will also find an ever-evolving selection of antique paintings and objects, sourced from the south of France and the UK. An Aladdin's…

We're giving you another chance to subscribe to Homes & Antiques at a fantastic saving of 38%, and get this festive Emma Bridgewater mug and plate set as a special treat. As a subscriber, you'll receive each issue straight to your door, packed with all your favourite features and beautiful homes to explore. I hope you'll take advantage of this great offer! PS Subs copies are now posted in easy-to-recycle paper – no more plastic wrap! SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS HawthornBerries ontheshopprice Payjust byDirectDebit ofyourfavouriteinteriorsmagazine, filled with beautiful ways to mix old and new in your home…

Table Settings Homely HERITAGE For a classic Christmas table setting with a twist, choose a red base colour and add pink, amber and green accessories for a rich effect that isn't too formal. Blend antique tableware and glasses with artisanal block-printed table linen, as layering is key to creating a homely setting for your dinner guests. There is a nostalgic element to this aesthetic, so use your existing vintage Christmas decorations and ribbons to tie around napkins. Ivy and red berries draped along the mantelpiece create a showstopping arrangement, while an ornate candelabra on the table will add gravitas. Opulent GREENERY Foraged foliage is the influence behind this look, so focus on fir and seasonal greens along the entire length of the dining table (the looser the arrangement, the better).…

I first remember seeing vintage baubles when I was a little girl. We had a few at home with pretty hand-painted flowers on them, which I believe came from my nana. But one year, our cat pulled the Christmas tree down and the baubles smashed on the floor. Then about 30 years ago I saw some in a charity shop, which made me feel nostalgic; reminding me of the baubles from my childhood. They weren't fashionable back then, so no one was really buying them. I started stringing them up – I had a little garland of about four. From that point, it grew into an obsession. If I'm honest, I don't know a huge amount about their history, but I favour vintage glass baubles from Russia, Germany and Ukraine…

1 To get to know the range of drinking glasses that were made in the 18th and 19th centuries, pay a visit to one of these collections: The newly opened Stourbridge Glass Museum combines two fine collections of antique glass, that of the former Broadfield House Glass Museum which closed in 2015, and the bequest of dealer Eila Grahame whose antique glass shop was in Church Street, Kensington (stourbridgeglassmuseum.org.uk). At the V&A in London you can browse the glasses collection held in the Ceramics Gallery at the very top of the museum (vam.ac.uk). The Tibbenham Glass Collection – Frank Tibbenham's collection of 487 English drinking glasses from the 17th to the 19th centuries, is housed at Christchurch Mansion, Christchurch Park in Ipswich, Suffolk (ipswich.gov.uk). 2 Read up: three good books…

For Christmas morning, or as a refreshing palate cleanser between courses, Champagne Gosset, Blanc De Blancs, Brut £58, is the perfectly balanced choice. Gosset are near neighbours to Bollinger in the Grand Cru Champagne village of Aÿ, and this Blanc de Blancs (100 per cent Chardonnay) is elegant and refreshing, with notes of spring flowers and mirabelle plums. Depending on the sides, and how you make your gravy, turkey can be extremely versatile: pairing well with either a rich white wine or a smooth red. The 2018 Bourgogne Blanc, Clos-du-Château, Domaine de Montille £29.95, is a gorgeous white Burgundy, smooth and silky in texture, with a hint of toasty oak to add complexity. Not so heavy it will overpower the meal, but more complex than a Chablis, this is the…

The most expensive bottle ever sold at auction was a red Burgundy. Sotheby's secured £422,310 in October 2018 in New York for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 1945, (pictured left), from the personal cellar of noted Burgundy producer Robert Drouhin. To compare prices for this wine, the 1995 has jumped from £6,000 to £333,160 in the last decade, the 1996 from £6,460 to £219,000 and 1999 from £10,260 to £336,000. In Claret, first growths of good-to-great years will always be in demand. Lafite-Rothschild 1990 is up from £5,690 to £9,390, and the 2003 from £6,610 to £9,300. Second growth like Léoville-Las Cases from a wellchosen vintage can also score: 1982 up from £2,970 to £4,960. All price records are from Liv-Ex (an online price tracker and trading portal). All prices…

Tell us about your home… It's a three-bed, detached, brick-built cottage in a small Leicestershire village. We think it was built around 1870, but haven't been able to find out for sure; the cottage and most of the houses in the village were part of the Crown Estate, so were recorded as part of the Estate rather than individual houses. I'd been looking for a period property that I could renovate –this cottage is filled with period features, such as the wooden beam across the fireplace, little cupboards in the alcoves and many wonky wooden doors. What was the living room like when you moved in? After being owned by the Crown Estate, the cottage was rented out, then left empty for about 18 months, so it wasn't in the…

THE ANTIQUE Tumblers and tots As the nights get icy, warm the cockles of your heart with a tot of whisky served in an antique glass. Tumblers, also known as lowballs in the 20th century, were made to hold spirits and sometimes beer. Short in height, they are perfect for cradling in front of the fire as you sip on your favourite nip. There are many 18th and 19thcentury engraved and acid-etched tumblers available at auction; they feature historic naval victories, famous bridges (such as Sunderland Bridge), mottos, initials, dancers, hunting scenes and all kinds of leaves and flowers. There are also plainer versions to hunt for in blown glass and cut glass. Full of black humour, ‘last drop’ whisky glasses are decorated at the bottom of the glass with…

What to Sell Now Axel Salto is considered one of the most important Danish artists of the 20th century. While predominantly a ceramicist, his output also included illustrations, textiles, jewellery and graphic design. Born in Copenhagen in 1889, Salto began his career as an artist in 1911, and met important figures such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse on a trip to Paris in 1916 that had lasting effects on his work. From the 1920s, his career as a ceramicist really took off and he exhibited at the 1925 L'Exposition Internationale in Paris. Salto's ceramics often have organic, natural forms and are richly glazed, and he worked primarily with the Royal Porcelain Factory in Copenhagen. He achieved great acclaim for these pieces, receiving numerous accolades including the Eckersberg Medal in…

Fabric Wallpaper…

LUKE HONEY'S In Tchaikovsky's delightful Christmas ballet. The Nutcracker, a wooden nutcracker comeg to life on Christmas Eve, turning from a children's toy into a handsome prince. The humble nutcracker's association with Christmas is a relatively recent phenomenon; nutcrackers have been with us for thousands of years. Nuts have formed part of the human diet since prehistory: stones, used for cracking open nuts, have been found in archaeological excavations dating back 4,000 to 8,000 years. The National Archaeological Museum of Taranto, Italy, holds the earliest known nutcracker in its collection; shaped as two clasped hands in bronze and decorated with serpentine bracelets in gilt, it's an object of extraordinary quality and beauty. Historians date it to the third or fourth century BC. Ancient nutcrackers were made from metal and operated…

Christmas Gift Guide Comfort… Tactile gifts that create a sense of calm …and Joy Presents to make your heart swell…

With its elegant sofas adorned with cosy throws and cushions, antique furniture decorated with seasonal arrangements, and vintage glassware twinkling in the candlelight, it's difficult to imagine that just three years ago, this timber-framed home in a pretty Hertfordshire village was a leaky shell with half-painted walls, holes in the ceilings, and rubbish strewn everywhere. ‘This house ticked absolutely none of the boxes on my list,’ explains owner and regeneration consultant Kate Pinnock. ‘It was in the wrong location, and it needed far too many urgent repairs - there was water running in through the windows despite someone “fixing” them with gaffa tape, the shower had collapsed into the floor and the electrics were highly questionable; it also smelled really bad.’ Having spent many years rescuing derelict buildings for work,…

House hunters so often sidestep the sort of property they'Ve set out to buy that it's almost become a matter of course. Something of the kind happened when antiques dealers Erna Hiscock and her husband John Shepherd decided to downsize, and move out of town to the Kent countryside. They had no desire to take on the kind of renovation they'd worked on the 17thcentury house they were selling. But when John saw a familiar house online, plans began to turn. ’We'd driven past this house many times but had no idea it had a barn at the back, a oneacre paddock and a view over Romney Marsh.’ On the other hand, it hadn't been lived in for three years or updated for 30, and needed total renovation. ’Although this…

Jill Perry of Norfolk Decorative Antiques explains the practicalities of buying a chandelier: 'With a ceiling height of 12 feet, you can think about a chandelier of up to four feet, but most modern homes will need something smaller and will usually only accommodate a chandelier that is as wide as it is tall; say two feet by two feet. When measuring, bear in mind that the chain isn't included in the dimensions. 'If you live in a little cottage with beams and low ceilings, and still long for a chandelier, one option is to hang it above the dining table – it turns a meal into a proper occasion. The bottom of the chandelier should be above the eyeline of the tallest seated diner. ‘Sometimes we're asked if a…

Collecting Wine Glasses In Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management published in 1861, a section on beverages includes a recipe for Champagne-Cup, aeelebration drink ‘suitable for pic-nics, balls, weddings and other festive occasions’. To make it, a quart bottle of ‘brisk’ Champagne (bubbly, rather than ‘still’ or ‘non-mousseux’ Champagne which was also drunk at the time) is mixed with two bottles of Soda-water, a liqueur-glassful of brandy or Curaçao, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. Apart from the fact that the blend is then poured into a large silver cup to be passed to each guest in turn, the recipe doesn't sound too far from today's Champagne cocktail, served in acoupe and guaranteed to get the evening going. For centuries, wine in all its forms – red, white, Champagne, liqueur, sherry,…

There's a huge variety of antique glass shapes, and no hard-and-fast rules about use. Here are some of the designs to look for: Funnel A classic short cone shape often seen in 18th-century wine glasses, with air twist and opaque twist stems. Bell This looks like an upsidedown bell, a lovely shape for drinking from. Trumpet More flared and elongated than the funnel shape. Drawn Trumpet A longer version of the trumpet shape. Tulip Shaped like the cupped lower and sometimes seen on late 19th-century rummers. Round A ball-shaped bowl, as seen in hock glasses. Ogee A slightly flaring, rounded shape rising from a pinched bottom. Double ogee An ogee with an even more open and extravagant ogee on top, often seen in rummers. Bucket A large bucket shape rising…

Shakespeare declares in Henry IV that ‘a man cannot make him laugh’ because ‘he drinks no wine’. Certainly, fermented grape juice has given the world great pleasure over the centuries, and even more so when it may be enjoyed either at no cost, or greatly subsidised. The secret is to purchase soughtafter wines that will rise in price (top Bordeaux and vintage Port from leading years, such as Châteaux Haut-Brion, Lafite-Rothschild and Latour). Keep them until close to maturity and then sell a case or two to subsidise your personal needs. Almost all wines for investment are reds, with a few exceptions, and the wines that command the highest price increases are blends. The careful alchemy of blending, frequently involving expensive new French barrels for maturation, is well rewarded. Although…

En primeur Wine offered while still lying in barrel. Excise duty Tax on alcohol, based on alcohol content (eg £2.23 for wine up to 15 per cent, but £2.98 for 20 per cent, like Port). First growth Top wines classified in the Bordeaux 1855 classification. Imperial Large bottle equivalent to eight Bordeaux bottles. Jeroboam Large bottle equivalent to six standard Bordeaux bottles or four Burgundy/Champagne bottles. Magnum Large bottle equivalent to two 75cl bottles. Methuselah Large bottle equivalent to eight Burgundy/ Champagne bottles. Salmanazar Large bottle equivalent to 12 Burgundy/ Champagne bottles. Woody Smell from keeping wine too long in cask or in a barrel made of defective wood. Not unpleasant on an immature wine, but a fault on a mature one.…

Maximalist Marvels Eco-paint specialist Victory Colours has partnered with maximalist design house Olenka Design to dip its toe in the luxury wallpaper market for the first time. The new collection is made up of four designs (Alice, Milana, Velina and Neva); statement floral prints in various hues, from bold tropicals to subtle pastels – just the thing to provide a lush, glamorous backdrop in your home. £140 per roll. victorycolours.co.uk BATHING BEAUTIES With sleeker, more angular lines starting to make waves in the realm of bathroom design, Waters Baths of Ashbourne has a selection of tubs that embrace this aesthetic, inspired by the industrialist and modernist styles of the 1920s and '30s. The simplicity of the range exudes elegance, and offers food for thought for anyone wanting to step away…

CHRISTMAS JUMPERS Dundee is known as the city of ‘jam, jute and journalism’. Now the local V&A is adding jumpers to that list. This winter, in collaboration with textile designer Donna Wilson, it's selling Fair Isle jumpers inspired by a historic piece in the museum's collection, along with matching Christmas decorations. shop.vandadundee.org Holiday Reading One to relish over Christmas, Lucy Lethbridge's new book, Tourists, offers a history of British tourism from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the 1970s and beyond. From the instigation of the Association of Cycle Campers in Berkshire in 1901, to the roots of the holiday selfie in Zermatt in 1864, it's packed with vagabonding titbits. bloomsbury.com Ahead of the Curve The original entrance arch to the Fonthill Estate, the Grade I-listed Great Arch at…

Matthew Adams has made a notable career out of organising quality fairs in the capital. He started out in the late 1970s, selling at fairs and markets around the UK and in New England, USA, before launching the world-renowned Stables Market in Camden Lock in February 1981, at the tender age of 24. In 1989 he took over the running of a small markets business; a happy accident that changed the course of his life. Initially holding fairs in London and Brighton, he eventually settled on two strong central-London events, which continue today with the support of his family. How long have you been running the Fair at the Royal Horticultural Halls? I ran my very first ‘Horti’ fair in May 1989 and have since organised an antiques fair here…

Michael Baggott Passionate about silver since his school days, Michael has a keen interest in early spoons and is a specialist in hallmarks. His online store is brimming with antique silver, with prices starting at just £20 for those wishing to start a collection. Expect to find provincial and continental smallwork, boxes, mugs, napkin rings and countless spoons, of course – the perfect gift, says Michael, for christenings and weddings, baggottsilver.com Lennox Cato Antiques dealer and Antiques Roadshow specialist Lennox – who runs his business with wife Susan in Edenbridge, Kent – specialises in 18th-and 19th-century English furniture but also has a great passion for silver. His inventory will always feature some fine pieces. Currently there–s a cl902 Edwardian silver cigar case (£425), a cl780 toothpick box (£550) and a…

With one or two gaps, I've been looking after the Pollock's collection for nearly 50 years, and am currently the trustee curator. As with many Pollock enthusiasts, I first became involved with the museum as a schoolgirl, going on to work there when it moved into our current buildings in 1969. Alongside this I trained at art school, and then split my time each week between teaching in schools and colleges, as an art textiles specialist, and curating the collection. I have two kinds of typical day - at the museum you'll find me examining and recording the toys, organising the stored collection, changing displays and answering enquiries. Equally fascinating are days spent in my home office, updating the catalogue with new research. Increasingly, we have interesting links and collaborations…

What to Buy Now Wood engraving, a form of relief printmaking, was widely used in the 19th century to illustrate newspapers and books, before being replaced by photography. But the art form saw a resurgence in the 1920s when artists Eric Gill and Gwen Raverat founded The Society of Wood Engravers, and wood engravings became popular again with publishers and commercial companies. Among the most collectable names (along with Gill and Raverat) were Eric Ravilious. Christopher R. W. Nevinson, Agnes Miller Parker and Clifford Webb. Interest in wood engravings is on the rise as part of the burgeoning demand for 20th-century Mod-Brit works of art, but there are still bargains to be found. In a recent Art & Design Sale, Cheffins sold a 1934 Eric Ravilious print for £1,100, a…

Too often regarded as something of an afterthought, curtain poles and finials are key to ensuring that curtains look and hang as they should. With 13 different collections, each of which includes a wide range of options within a theme, Byron & Byron is the go-to company whatever your needs. From the gothic theatricality of Manor, to the quiet simplicity of Rustica, which takes its inspiration from the classic English country cottage, there is something to suit all tastes. A bespoke service can tackle the challenge of difficult spaces. byronandbyron.com…

MERCATUM CHRISTMAS ARTISAN MARKET Killing two festive birds with one beautifully wrapped stone, Haddon Hall's winter fair offers both the chance to track down one-off gifts and to soak up some seasonal magic, with a mulled wine or hot chocolate in hand as you shop. Spread between the decorated 900-year-old Hall itself and a cascade of marquees set Up in the courtyards and gardens, you'll find everything from jars of local honey and handmade decorations to elegant wreaths, handwoven scarves and pretty prints. DETAILS: Various dates between 17th November & 4th December at Haddon Hall, Derbyshire (haddonhall.co.uk) THE HAND SALE The one that, arguably, kicked it all off, this well-loved, bi-annual London fair has been going for over two decades. As popular among lovers of homewares as it is with fashion…

As a primary school teacher, Trine Brunsvig is surrounded by happy, expectant students throughout December, which always gives her own Christmas spirit a bit of a boost. She loves to see all the lights and colours that are amplified in Copenhagen as Christmas approaches, while in her own apartment the colours, the cosiness and number of candles are also dialled up a little. At the very beginning of December, the Christmas decoration boxes are opened up, baubles are rediscovered, and Trine begins the annual ritual of decorating her home. ‘When it comes to my Christmas decorations, some are inherited, others are traditional and some are quite alternative. I have made a lot of them myself, and a few were bought on my travels between Christmas and New Year,’ she says.…

Antique textiles tell stories and people love to hear them. As gifts, their message is clear and says ‘chosen with care’. Christmas giving operates at many levels, from small tokens of esteem or grateful thanks, to something special to match a particular interest of a family member or good friend. Many of the stories old fabrics tell include reuse, such as when a piece is damaged, leaving a question mark over the section that's left. One dealer with an answer is Carla Walls, partner at Garden House Antiques in Petworth. She trades in decorative textiles and is also known for her strawberries made from scraps of antique textiles. ‘Some years ago, I acquired a Victorian pincushion in the shape of a strawberry,’ she explains. I decided to unpick it to…

Jill talks through the logistics of getting your dream chandelier home: 'We transport chandeliers in special wooden crates. The chandelier hangs from a hook in the middle, and then we wrap it with layer upon layer of tissue paper. We recommend using a specialist carrier to transport it. 'People often worry that a chandelier will damage their ceiling. As long as you hang it from a solid joist, 99.9% of the time it will be fine. It's only really big chandeliers, like those designed for ballrooms, that require special support. 'It's important that the light has been PAT tested – most electricians won't install it if it isn't – and that it comes with as much cable and chain as you could possibly need, as they can't be retro-fitted. The…

1 Does the bottom of the foot of the glass have a raised pontil mark? Then it's probably 18th-century, as the pontil marks the place where the glass was cut away from the gather once blown. All drinking glasses were hand-blown until around 1825. In the 19th century, the pontil was often, but not always, polished off, leaving a tummy button-style dip beneath the foot. 2 Is a glass engraved with grapes and vines? Then it was made specifically far wine. If you see hops and hop bines, or apples and apple blossom, these were for serving ale, cider and perry, but can be just as nice to drink wine from. 3 Antique sweetmeat and jelly glasses can have similar shapes to drinking glasses, so look out for the two…

Collecting wine is an investment in your future drinking: there is enormous enjoyment to be found in opening a bottle of wine at its optimum drinking age. And a well-balanced collection Will mean you have wines for every occasion, to savour and share, from special bottles for an anniversary or celebration, to a range of fully mature wines for a Christmas dinner to remember. Start by buying what you love. Don't just add something to your collection because it's in fashion or being talked about; no one wants to end up with half a dozen cases of something you don't really enjoy drinking. Certain classics like Bordeaux, Burgundy and, of course, Champagne never go out of style and are a good starting point. Diversity is key; building a wine collection…

Purchase leading vintages: you won't find these in your local supermarket, so build a relationship with a reputable wine merchant or buy via auction. Seek a minimum of 12 bottles of each wine (or sometimes better for appreciation, six magnums). Retain the original packaging. Buy in bond, meaning an HMRC-approved warehouse, thereby saving VAT and excise duty. Avoid the temptation to try a bottle! A case of wine, minus one, sounds concerning to a prospective purchaser, suggesting the owner was disappointed.…

1. Woman of Substance Estimate £7,000-£10,000 Sold £13,860 Evelyn De Morgan (then known as Mary Evelyn Pickering) was one of the first women to attend the Slade School of Art in London. Each day she took classes in drawing nude and draped models, and figures from antiquity winning prizes for her life-drawing skills. Her attention to detail and verisimilitude is evident in this female nude study; a preparatory drawing for the painting Moonbeams Dipping into the Sea, painted by the artist in 1918 (now part of the collection of Knightshayes Court in Devon). This drawing came up for sale in Christie's Isabel Goldsmith Collection: Selected Pre-Raphaelite and Symbolist Art – 87 lots representing over 40 years of collecting by the daughter of Sir James Goldsmith, the British financier. ‘Isabel Goldsmith championed…

Restore & Renovate Antique bathroom pieces look beautiful, so style is one of their main attractions. Another is that reclaimed items are one-offs, so no one else will have the same bathroom. It's also a green option, giving pieces a new lease of life rather than buying new. It is possible to fit out an entire bathroom with old stuff, but antique toilets can be porous below the water line and cause nasty smells in the bathroom, so that needs to be checked before purchasing. That's not to say you can't find examples in good condition –Victorian toilet pans are so well made, and many are as good today as they were then. To check the pan before buying, look underneath. Turn the pan upside down to see if there's…

PORTRAIT OF AN ANTIQUE I was in the south of France on a buying trip and came across this cabinet at the back of a stall. I fell in love with the richness of colour and the level of craftsmanship. I hadn't planned on keeping it but it fits so well in our drawing’ room… it just squeezed in! This room is what we call ‘The Winter Room’ in our modest farmhouse in Wiltshire. It's the darkest room in the house and, because of it, we have made it as snug as possible, with darker tones on the walls and richer colours. The house is a mid 19th-century estate farmhouse that has been knocked around, so works well with a blend of antiques. I like to mix centuries – decorative…