Tag Archives: antique

Chintz: Beyond the slipcover

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(Important note: Zoë Josephine Lind was born to my daughter and son-in-law at 7:25 p.m., last Friday, as the Predators were knocking off the Red Wings. She weighed in at 11 lbs, 4 oz. A c-section was not required. Heroes do play here.)

Chintz brings to mind a down-stuffed chair, a sofa worn soft by family and friends. It's where a piping cup of tea is sipped, a novel is read, rain is heard on the window pane.

It's also a style of pottery that features "tightly grouped, highly detailed and vibrant all-over floral patterns," as described on the website for Royal Winton. There is plenty of chintz ware to be found in gift shops and among the department store tabletop displays.

But Royal Winton chintz sets the standard. Originally know as Grimwades, the artisans at the Royal Winton factory still produce this most English of tableware.

My first encounter with chintz ware was a bonbon stand not unlike the one at right, which I recently added to my collection. Details of the pattern, Royal Winton's Florence, below. The black background is particularly stunning, I think.

One of the richest patterns is Julia, below right and at top, from my collection. Like Florence, Julia is still produced. Notice the art deco influence in the shape of the nut dish, at top, next to my grandmother Mammy's portrait. She was something of an art deco design during her dance card days.


Note a couple of other patterns, below, from the Royal Winton website. Brings to mind clotted cream and scones.


Keep an eye out for Royal Winton or Grimwades chintz ware. eBay is a good place to browse and learn about the patterns, including old ones no longer in production. There are plenty of plates, dinner-size and smaller, and cups and saucers. I look for the odd little piece. Bargains are rare to non-existent.

But when you find one you can afford, don't miss out on it, especially if you like a plump, worn, slipcovered sofa on a rainy afternoon. A piece of Royal Winton chintz ware completes it.

à bientôt...Tatie

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La Poste: Time to get fresh

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Eggs as seed planters Here we are again, yearning  for spring and finding glints of light and life amid the rich brown of sleeping earth. Like eggshells as fresh-looking seed starter pots. Remodelista included some rich, sleepy browns in its 28 February files, in a couple of totally unrelated items.
  Aged tin ceiling tiles grow fresh against a clean white wall The brown of the ancient pressed tin fleur de lys ceiling tiles grow fresh, sitting above washed white tile walls, at Iris Café in Brooklyn Heights.
  Fresh restored bricks stand up to the baroque detail of old frames I find restored bricks and brick walls to have a clean, fresh feel. The wall above, also at Iris Café, stands up well to the baroque detailing of old picture frames.
  Seed frames amid stones and bricks of a Victorian yard Meanwhile, back outside, the bricks and stones of a Victorian yard in Cornwall, England are made fresh by white cold frames sporting tender sprouts. Speaking of sprouts, stay tuned. Something fresh and fancy coming soon! à bientôt...Tatie

(La Poste is a frequent feature where I share some little bit of design or creativity found in my email inbox.)     

La Poste: Heathrow without tears

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Instead of taking that expensive and overly long taxi ride into London upon arrival at Heathrow, here's an option: a warm little village inn and pub just a short drive away.

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From Remodelista.com comes word of The Crown in Amersham. This is the England that most of us think of and want to visit. With traditionally outfitted lodging,The Crown is said to offer better fare at table than you might expect in Britain, with a chef on the place. (Candidly, I always enjoy a hearty English pub supper topped off with a sticky pudding.)

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The lovely old courtyard of the traditional coaching inn adds to the restful atmosphere, which, for me is an absolute must after a grueling trans-Atlantic flight. It also would make a nice last stop before heading home.

à bientôt...Tatie

La Poste is an occasional feature in which we share news from our e-mailbox or elsewhere on the Web.

La Poste: Haberdashery, high tea and sterling

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Silver trays Fine silver along with rich wood and upholstery make a combination that hits on so many senses: touch, taste and, of course, visual. Perhaps there's no finer way to serve something for the senses than with vintage silver butler trays, above. Add an element of men's haberdashery for a peppery note, and you have the intriguing highlights of a recent Remodelista report. Fine shirting upholsters chair One item presented Obsolete, a Venice, California, furniture maker and their chair that's all tufts and men's haberdashery tailoring. This piece is upholstered in men's fine shirting. Silver tea setting It's not much of a jump at all to a table appointed for tea at the Wolseley in London, where late afternoon light reflects off a silver tea setting and an intimate gathering among friends. Library chair upholstered in men's suiting Then, it's back to the deep and delicious tones of Obsolete's library chair upholstered in men's suiting. I'm longing for crisper temperatures and the shadows they cast that remind me of a European autumn. These treats for the senses almost hit the spot. á bientôt...Tatie La Poste is an occasional feature of Atelier Chéri where I share a particularly good blog post or newsletter item from my email inbox.

Bru Jne 11, a French doll who's pretty in pink

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Of all the French antique dolls, I believe the Bru dolls are some of the prettiest. That's why I enjoy recreating the 18" doll known as Bru Jne 11. Above is my latest version.

As a trained Doll Artisan, I paint the features like the original dollmakers did in the Bru atelier, or studio. The tiny lashes and brow strokes, the lips and the blush of the cheeks are as close as possible to a picture of an actual antique, which I go by when painting.

I did something new with this bébé, as this type of doll is called: I created handmade earrings from old Haskell-style nailhead beads. I found a huge lot of these beads on eBay, with doll earrings in mind, and this was the perfect opportunity to use them, since the original Bru Jne 11s also had pierced ears.

I love making the dolls, but my greatest passion is in designing and creating their clothes. I chose palest pink French organdy for this doll's frock, and I highlighted it with antique lace and a rayon ribbon trim. I used an unusual old length of lace from my collection, with antique lace insertion and edging already assembled to make just the right width for the collar and dropped waist skirt. I set the collar off with an heirloom knotted bow made of the tiniest rayon ribbon.

The bébé shows off her elegant ivory pointed French doll shoes that tie with pink rayon ribbon. I made her socks from a delicate piece of antique lace.

I found some wonderful wide French taffeta ribbon at Textile Fabrics here in Nashville. It makes the prettiest bustle to these old-fashioned dropped waist dresses. I repeated the effect with the bow in her hair.

This bébé doesn't mind showing off what she's wearing beneath her frock: a "combinaison" (one piece combination of bloomers and camisole) made from an old piece of eyelet fabric. Like just about everything else she is wearing, it is trimmed old pink rayon ribbon.

One other detail: She wears a handmade human hair wig. The old doll wigs were made either of combed mohair or human hair. I prefer working with the latter. After sewing wefted lengths of it to a wig cap, I cut and style it. I really like the chestnut color and natural curl of this wig. (I buy the wefted hair weave from hair supply shops.)

One of the great things about the craftmanship of antique reproduction dolls: It gives 21st century doll lovers a chance to own a doll that looks almost exactly like the antiques at a fraction of the cost. Unlike many reproduction dollmakers, I am particularly proud that I can offer these dolls to you at prices that are accessible.

I love sharing these beauties with you, and there will be more in the weeks to come. A great Christmas surprise for someone special!

à bientot....Tatie

La Poste: Banish the chill as blossoms burst forth

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Are you listening for that soft pop! that sounds when spring's first lush blooms burst open? I hadn't given it much thought until I ran onto these busty blossoms, above and below (ranunculus, peonies perhaps) at Paris Apartment.


As we shake off that last blast of cold here in Middle Tennessee, I went on a little blog odyssey. I was in search of something to brush away the cynicism of March's damp chill.


What holds more promise than wild violets and snowdrops and grape hyacinth? Thanks to the garden at Trouvais for this sweet reminder.


Many thanks to Faded Charm Cottage for sharing your first forsythia cuttings of the season, above.


Count on La Pink Paperie to put the prettiest posies on paper, with a rococo flourish, above.


I'm not sure that anything makes a prettier table than a prim sterling vase filled with lusty blossoms, like those above from Chic Provence.


How about waiting out winter's dying breath in a glass conservatory like the ones above and below? Thanks to my friend at Aged and Gilded, who always finds fantaisies like these to feed our dreams.


Hang in there, for it'll only be a few weeks until we're enjoying coffee in the morning and a glass of something wonderful at sunset in a place like the one pictured below, courtesy of Louisville's European Antique Market.


Whimsical Easter treasures coming very soon. à bientôt...Tatie La Poste is an occasional feature of Atelier Chéri where I share a particularly good blog post or newsletter item from my email inbox. Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A silver spoon and a mother's love

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collection of old English baby high chairs As a guest this week in a lovely Nashville home, I was thoroughly enchanted with the hostess's collection honoring her three children. The centerpieces were three English antique (I'm going to say Queen Anne) high chairs with tapestry upholstered seating, two of them above. Shadow box with baby mementoes Above each high chair was a shadow box that captured memories of each child: sterling silver, trinkets, birth announcements, and the child's name written in his or her own hand. Early English baby high chair The assemblage of the three chairs, each slightly different, touched something in me. I adore antique and vintage baby things, and have a collection myself -- but nothing so stunning as this. collection of sterling silver tongs for sugar cubes Atop the tray of one of the high chairs was a collection of sterling silver sugar cube tongs -- just the right touch of petite for such a charming tableau. (Apologies for the grainy images -- only had my phone camera with me, but I didn't want to miss these treats.) à bientôt…Tatie