1843-53. Link
Something...
1975: Something Charles (Eames) said to Ray, and so she wrote it down: "Any indication of not knowing how constantly great you are is merely a lapse into insanity. C.E. to R.E., Jan. 3, 1975"via Reference Library
Brooch
circa 1400: Perfect. "This heart-shaped brooch with its romantic inscription was given as a token of love. It would have been used to fasten a tunic, gown or cloak. Gold was the most costly of metals, generally used only by royalty and the nobility. It is inscribed and would have formerly been enamelled on the reverse in French, in black letter script, ‘Ourselves and all things at your whim’ ('Nostre et tout ditz a vostre desier'). The design on the front of the brooch, possibly stylised leaves and flowers or feathers, would also have been colourfully enamelled." Link
Quarries
1646: "This panel comprises nine quarries (small diamond-shaped panels) of green tinted glass, each diamond engraved with an inscription. (See Further Information.) They are purported to have been written by Charles I (1600-1649) to his wife Henrietta Maria (1609-1669) on the window of his prison at Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, where he was detained in 1646. There is, however, no evidence to support this supposed provenance. The glass is hand blown and extremely thin, qualities compatible with a 17th-century date." Link
Examples of False Principles of Decoration
1852: "This candlestick was included in the display of 'Examples of False Principles of Decoration' held at Marlborough House, Pall Mall in 1853 and described as follows:'No.87 Candlestick in the style of Louis XV
Observations - An example of the extreme faults of this style; symmetrical arrangement being rejected as a principle, and structured form disregarded, the whole appears the result of chance rather than design. The base is formless, confused and too heavy for the stem, which is in turn structurally broken in two places; the socket has no determinate form, and does not correspond to the cup inserted into it; all that is obtained by this sacrifice of structural and ornamental principles, is the mere glitter of metal.'
Henry Cole and other design reformers of the 19th century believed that museums could be 'antidotes to brutality and vice' and could serve to improve people's tastes and morals. The desire to improve the taste of the public was a strong one in this period as a response to the social problems linked with industrialisation and the perceived decline in British standards of manufacturing and design." Link
Pope & Plante
1851: "Stockings were essential items in everyone's wardrobe. The desire to mass-produce knitted hose spurred technological development, starting with the invention of the stocking frame in the late 16th century and the circular frame in the early 19th century.This stocking was almost certainly a special product for the Great Exhibition. An inscription is unusual in a commercially made garment at this date, but it shows the many different shapes and patterns that the company's knitting machines could produce. The words may be adapted from the Bible: 'Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren...' (1 Pet. 3:8)." Link
This stocking features two colours of silk, a black leg and foot with a white toe and welt. The addition of 'clocks' (patterns worked at the ankle) and decorative patterning in women's stockings was typical in the 19th century.The inclusion of the manufacturer's name and motto in the knitted pattern were special additions for the purpose of the exhibition. Normally the manufacturer was indicated by maker's marks or initials." Link
For Sale: Antique Pillowcase with French Knots
2009: "This is a very nice Victorian / Edwardian Pillow case cover that has not been finished, this is just the top part." Link
For Sale: Antique Linen Coverlet
2009: "Here is a lovely antique spread/coverlet for a four-poster bed. Ecru linen and lace. The lace is beautiful. The inserted panels and the edges both measure about 10" wide. It is in wonderful condition... I see no issues with the lace. The linen on the other hand is quite fragile with lots of small areas that are worn thin with some holes. Over all it measures 93" wide and 97" long." Link
Drawing with French Knots
2009: "French knots are a basic element of embroidery that can be strung together to make lines and shapes." Link
Barack Obama Cross Stitch
2009: "Celebrate a momentous day in political history by crafting your own Barack Obama cross stitch." Link
B & I work in progress: Blueprints
2008: With the holidays approaching this blueprint of a buffet table setting will come in handy as a tablecloth... Special order here.
Chatelaine
1810-1820: " Gold and gilt metal, embossed, cast and chased; bloodstone egg, with enamelled mounts; rock crystal seal. During the 18th century, a fashionable woman wore from her belt a 'chatelaine', or, as it was then known, a 'chain' or 'equipage'. From the chatelaine might hang a range of different objects: a watch, seals, a box for a thimble, or an 'étui' containing sewing, writing or cosmetic implements." Link
Shagreen
1680: "This small book with its matching gold stylus would have fitted into a pocket. It might have been used as a diary or a notebook. The cover is of black shagreen, a type of leather made from shark or fish skin, and decorated with round-headed gold studs. The inside cover is lined with a thick paper painted with leaves in gold on a purple ground. When the book is closed, four bands of engraved gold form a tube into which the stylus fits. The book would originally have held paper, which would have been coated so that the metal stylus would leave a track like that of a pencil on paper." Link
Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
1977: "This photograph is a print made in 1995 from the original transparency. This was used as an illustration in Roger Phillips's book, The Wild Flowers of Britain, which was published in London by Pan Books in 1977. Phillips pioneered the use of photography for field guides to plants. His own curiosity about plants inspired him to produce the book. He was frustrated with the standard flora or field guide that catalogues plants by family and assumes that the user has some specialist botanical knowledge.As a photographer, Phillips set out ‘to make a book in which the visual is paramount’. He organised the contents in a way that was logical and accessible to those without any special knowledge of botany. In fact, he reverts to much earlier models such as the florilegia (decorative flower books) of the 17th century, and arranges the plants by their season of flowering." Link
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