DC Spring 2008

A few Treasures from Indonesia

It has now been a decade since I made the the year long trip around the world. Of course I'm ready to go again but that may have to wait a bit as life's responsibilities always get in the way. Over the weekend I brought out a couple of treasures from the trip to show some top design folk here in Washington DC. To my pleasure these plates drew many an OOH's and AHH's.

Ten years ago on a very hot day I was wandering the alley's of a beautiful island in Indonesia when I came across this dinnerware. The Southeast Asian markets were in turmoil at the time and prices were incredible. That being the case I purchased a huge amount of this china. Most of it is still wrapped in its original packing material which I retrieved from a warehouse in Jersey City nine months after its purchase. The time has come to let some of it go. I have these two patterns in Chargers, Salad bowls, Tea Cups and Saucers, Coffee Mugs, and even a few charming salt and pepper shakers. I'd love to see if there's any interest in them and to get your comments on their appeal. Ebay may be their final destination but for the moment I hold on to the collection for the expert eyes of the design field. FYI the plates are charger size as I was a neophyte bachelor when I bought them. additionally the yellow pattern comes with all the different animals that are on the yellow and green pattern. And yes, if the pattern looks familiar, like from a store whose name begins with an "H", I think the locals took that idea.

A Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all from One Irish American

A beautiful watercolorist and person

I just received this watercolor painting from an old friend and very special person. Joan Brady has worked in this medium for years and her work hangs in some of the great American homes. She always has just the right picture and thoughts to put things into perspective. You can email me if you'd like to see some of her other works.

The Fifty Greatest Works Of Art

The Telegraph UK has an interesting post highlighting it's view of the Fifty Greatest Works of Art and how easy or hard it is to see them in person. Well worth perusing but of course not the definitive list.

Birds, Bees and Blooms and Turtles

I recently stumbled upon the University of Glasgow's Special Collections website and proceeded to spend a few hours gazing at the most beautiful old prints. Here you will find a selection of groundbreaking and wonderfully illustrated natural history books, from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries. All I could think of was covering my walls with some of these fantastic illustrations. I've selected just few to give you an idea of what a great resource this collection is for ideas and an appreciation of truly great art.Though I must say that I've always loved Turtles.

Economic Sensibilities and the Auction House

The evening news is over and the martini has put Monday behind me. Between the stock market's continuing plunge and aside from Wall Street's collective Champagne corks popping over Governor Spitzer's transgressions, its time for seekers of value and finds to return to one of my true loves, that being the Auction House.

Just a few years out of college and with very little money to my name, a lovely British lady married into a fine Washington family introduced me to the world of auctions. I found myself out on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in three huge fields of human debris and valuables. Those days of watching and learning instilled a life long love of the auction business. I freely and with pleasure admit that a majority of the furniture I now own came from the auctioneer's gavel, and what fun it is!

I have found over the years that most people are intimidated by the auction process. We Americans are used to walking in and paying the price on the sticker. But we're one of the few people on the planet that operate this way. I've learned in my journeys to Southeast Asia, Turkey and beyond that the asking price is only entering the starting gate. As a matter of fact you're considered to lose face if you don't bargain, but thats another story.

Lets start simply by reviewing a local auction house and Washington institution known as Weschler's at 909 E Street behind the FBI Headquarters. In operation since 1890 its a great source for furniture, art, ceramics and everything in between here in DC. While they hold five or six major auctions a year ( which is the really good stuff) they also hold weekly auctions where I have found great finds.

If you get the opportunity, visit them on your lunch hour on Mondays to see what will be auctioned on Tuesday. If there's something that catches your eye but you can't come back for the auction there are staff that will take your bid and try and get you the piece. True auction hounds frown on this practice as it tends to up the bidding price from the start.

The most important piece of information however is what you will pay for the honor of bidding and what you must always remember. That is the Auction House service charge and sales tax, to be added in, which according to house rules can add 25% to the final price. Thats why when bidding on a piece you always have to have a number in your head at which point you drop out of the race. And a race it is. The auctioneer moves and speaks very quickly, don't let this deter you from your quest. That's part of the fun. Your heart will race, your hand will be jumping up. Its great fun and very addictive after you've made that first great buy.

If your a complete beginner I urge you to attend one of the six yearly major auctions, always on a Saturday. Just walk in and take a seat and watch the process then wander around downtown for a nice lunch. Its a great way to spend a weekend outing and learn about a great deal. Here are a few pictures from their last major auction which shows some beautiful pieces that you'll be hard pressed to ever find in a store.

A Good Way to Face Mondays

To the uninitiated, an example on why Youtube can beat watching that large old box in your living room. Time and technology will bring this all together. I give you a taste of Nalts. To see more, which the kids go crazy over, just go to Youtube and type in Nalts. He's my kinda guy. And so here is a video on facing Mondays. /www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko-7OagQbQs

Washington Home Furnishing Part Four

Before I turn to another subject, I would be remiss in not covering John Rosselli on Wisconsin Ave. A part of the Rosselli Antiques and Home Furnishings Company based in New York City this store is also a must see in the tony part of Georgetown. You'll walk in and want everything and if your purse strings are loose you can walk out singing. Its also a great source for fabric. If you love Monkeys and Turtles and beautiful wooden pieces this is well worth a visit. Don't miss Peter Quinn's warm welcome and his beloved Jack Russells resting in the warm window.

Washington Home Furnishing Part Three

Day Three of covering home furnishings in our nation's capital must include the eclectic and always surprising Gore Dean. This is a store for drama and pleasure. We Washingtonians are hard workers and this store is a respite from the power game that we play so well. Its a place for the unexpected find and the one of a kind secret treasure. Expect to pay for that. But it's also a welcoming place and great store to seek out and peruse after that Sunday afternoon Starbucks caffeine rejuvenation stop. They have recently moved to a new location at 3214 O Street, NW
Washington DC and have a new store in Baltimore at 1340 D Smith Avenue.Here are a few pictures of their offerings.

Washington Home Furnishing Part Two

Another great addition to home furnishing in Washington is a relative newcomer And Beige. This store offers sumptuous offerings where you'll rarely go wrong. I love the direction that it gives its customers, " Take that piece and work from there." It' s location in the Adams Morgan part of the city was a daring move that proves that the younger clientel of this ca[ital city has as much style as any of the power establishment.

Home Furnishing in Washington DC

It used to be said that the Georgetown, Potomac, McLean, Chevy Chase Interior Decorators had to go to New York to furnish their clients homes. That is no longer the case. The Design Center of Washington provides all the resources you'll find in New York, Chicago or LA. The Washington Look is at once traditional and forward looking. Thanks to our most often temperate climate indoor and outdoor spaces are very important to us Washingtonians. Here we'll show what is some of the best stores in town to find the perfect piece. For starts let's begin with the Kellogg Collection, a Washington Institution. Created by the gracious, hard-working Pam Green, The Kellogg Collection is celebrating it's 25th Anniversary. It's a great source for the classic American/English home and it's great secret is the designers behind the scene. When your looking for that great Club chair or Sofa you can often find exactly what your looking for inside the store, already made. It can take the entire process of creating that custom look and the months that can take off your shoulders.