Ruby Read March, 2014

Ruby vintage begins here

March 2014

Published by

V Magazine’s

IT’S ALL

ABOUT

BLUE

&

WHITE

Michael Gleeson My Favorite Finds

Marcia Sherrill Must Haves

Eye on Design Decorating with Blue & White

By The Sea

Ocean Landscapes

All That Glitters

Charmed, I’m Sure

Finis

Year of the Horse

So it’s with great irony that I am drawn to blue and white designs and at last count, there are 16 pieces of English and Chinese porcelain (three lamps, three urns and numerous planters, platters and plates) in my den alone. I think it’s safe to say we can now discount my theory.

Blue has always been a staple in interior design. Credit goes to the versatility of the varying shades of cobalt, powder, sky and ocean blues or perhaps the fact its beauty is even more prominent when paired with white. The clean fresh styles of a blue and white color scheme – whether it’s a simple arrangement of jars or a riot of blue on blue color – works for both contemporary and classic interiors and is here to stay.

This month at Ruby Read we celebrate this timeless color combination. With warm weather on the way, it seems an appropriate time to focus on blue and white that is synonymous with spring itself. Writer Candace Manroe demystifies the design process (featuring the work of fashion turned interior designer Carolyne Roehm who loves the hues so much she penned the book A Passion for Blue and White). And writer Elizabeth Hickman gives us a history lesson on identifying and collecting blue and white transferware.

I hope all of you survived the brutal winter months and it’s comforting to know that March is finally here. For my first rite of spring, a few hyacinths placed in a pair of blue and white planters will do the trick.

Letter from the Editor

Photo credit: Russ Harrington

I have always said you can tell how people decorate their houses by the colors they wear. (For me that would indicate I reside in black and white interiors, which is ironically not the case). I seldom wear green and don’t own a single blue item of clothing (except for a few pieces of turquoise jewelry) and quickly repainted a master bedroom years ago as the soothing grey blue tones quickly bored me.

Happy Collecting!

Cathy Whitlock Editor-in-Chief cathy@rubylane.com 3

Table of Contents 6

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30

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15

3 6

Letter from the Editor V Magazine’s Michael Gleeson My Favorite Finds

34 38

10

Marcia Sherrill

15

History Lesson

20

Eye on Design

30

By the Sea

34

All That Glitters

36

The Calendar

38

Finis

Must Haves

Blue & White Transferware

Decorating with Blue & White

Ocean Landscapes

Charmed, I’m Sure

Upcoming Events

Year of the Horse

Ruby Lane is the premier online community of over 2,400 individually-owned shops from around the world offering antiques & art, vintage collectibles and jewelry. © Ruby Lane 2014 | © Ruby Read 2014

My Favorite Finds 6

V

MAGAZINE’S

MICHAEL GLEESON

Ruby the shops of y b s p o st n ael Gleeso iate Market c h o ic ss M A ’s s e A in s. z a d rite fin V Mag newest and w of his favo e fe th a g re in a d sh n fi to Lane e job of ncepts for th the enviable o s c a e h v e ti a h re r, c o Edit e the are a gem for at help defin e n th a s L m y e b it u R st e le coo e ites lik that can be th ion pages. “S s sh d n fa fi ’s e re in ra z a e g ma y provid ork since the w ys. f o e n li y m shoot,” he sa to o h p a to n perfect additio

Vintage Borsalino Gran Lusso Hat Borsalino is the Italian king of hat makers.

This piece will make a guy stand out at any black tie event.

Big E Levi Denim Jacket 2 Pocket 1958 It’s hard to find a vintage denim jacket that has the right fit, color and style. This seems to be the perfect one! From the always classic Levi’s, you can wear it out in spring or layer it under a coat during winter.

Vintage Taxco Mexican Silver Bracelet Since I grew up in Mexico a part of my heart is always there... I have great respect for its arts including silver work.

This great Mayan Art inspired bracelet reminds of school, learning about gods and goddesses which always thrilled me.

This could be Ixchel -the Goddess of Love.

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Victorian Silver Coffee Pot W&J Barnard England I love coffee and what better way than drinking it from this stunning silver pot.

Dutch Watercolor, Willem Stee

When browsing through Ruby Lane painting and instantly fell in love with it love the idea behind shepherds and she mind waking up every morning and see

Chic Pair of Painted Marble Top Bedside Tables Here is an investment set that will upgrade any bedroom.

19th c. Louis Vuitton Tr

Such a meaningful piece! Thi not only a beautiful collector travel and a historical landmar chic furniture piece at any coz 8

elink II (1856 - 1928)

e’s offerings, I found this t; the colors are beautiful, I eep, so calming... I wouldn’t eing this painting.

Authentic Hermes Silk Twill Scarf Thalassa

by P. Peron 1973 When it comes to silk scarves, Hermès is at the top of the list! I love this THALASSA BOATS print as it is colorful and happy. I would frame it and hang it on a white wall.

runk

is Louis Vuitton trunk is rs item but a symbol of rk that can be utilized as a zy living room.

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Marcia’s Must Haves

The

LIST

Ruby Read Brand Advisor and Creative Director, Marcia Sherrill, is both a fashion and interior designer.

A member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, she sells her accessories and home furnishings lines worldwide. Marcia shares with us her absolute Must Haves from the shops of Ruby Lane.

19th C. Blue Turquoise Glazed Clock Garniture Set This blue glazed Sevres-style porcelain garniture set with clock is charming as all get-out with its musical putti. My heart just sings.

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Antique French Mirrors Pair, Carved Wood White Blue Painted These Mid 19th Century mirrors are magnificently carved and painted pieces and I cannot believe that with this much detail they have made it intact through all these years. The blue ribbon that weaves through the frame and the Fleur De Lis atop the mirrors gives it such French charm.

Pair of Wedgwood Candlestick Holders I am woozy from Wedgewood. These candlestick holders have what is known as a queensware finish that makes them extra glossy. I particularly love the classical Greek motifs that gives it such an elan.

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Vera Blue Cherry Blossom Special Edition 100% Silk Scarf

Everyone knows I am an unrepentant Vera Scarf-aholic and this Special Edition blue cherry blossom Vera design is silk and almost soars off the page with its various sky blues.

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French Limoges Huge Vase Blue & White Morning Glories Baby Birds c 1875 - 1899 I love the scale hand-painted drop dead gorgeous piece. Decorated by William Guerin of Limoges using the “bleu au grand” or “blue firing” that dates back to the 1830’s, it weighs in at almost twelve pounds. This is the prettiest and surely the heftiest beauty on the block.

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Blue Wedgewood Zodiac Plate Taurus

Yes, this is marked Wedgewood and I want it. It is one of their remarkable Zodiac pieces. I may not be a Taurus but I am bull-headed enough to own this beauty.

Antique Gilt Bronze table clock adorned with blue enamel signed Jean Morel, first half 19th century Dating to the first half of the 19th century, this ormolu gilt bronze clock is a stunner with its enameled blue letters and the circle that says “dieu et mon droit” or “God and my right” which is the motto of the Coat of Arms of the British monarchy. Signed by Jean Morel (who was a supplier to Queen Victoria) it is indeed fit for a royal.

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Fine 18K Diamond Ruby & 8.50ct tw Mystery Invisible Set Blue Sapphire Bee Brooch, c. 1960s

I am all abuzz over this sapphire bee brooch. I get a bee in my bonnet for “mystery” settings and this bee has perfect, flawless surfaces ablaze with stones.

Vintage Stratton of England Blue and Yellow Flowered Compact This is the most divine little compact. Perfect for loose powder perfect for cramming in my Chanel.

Made by Stratton, this is an English sweetheart of a compact. It will dazzle in any handbag.

Mason’s Vista Blue & White vase with cover, 20th century

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I love this Mason’s Vista blue and white with its darling cover. This is a pretty perfect example of English Staffordshire in perfect condition. I love the pictorial scene of a castle or mansion in a verdant setting.

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BY ELIZABETH B. HICKMAN

History Lesson

&

BLUE WHITE TRANSFERWARE

Antique Oyster Plate Blue & White Marguerite

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B

Blue-and-white transferware has long been a favorite with collectors and designers. “People just love blue-and-white, they really do,” says antiques dealer Dora Landey, of South Salem, New York. ”I’m also a collector, which is terrible,” she adds with a smile, “because you fall in love with things.”

It’s hard not to fall in love with transferware, which not only showcases beautiful color but also includes intricate border designs and a detailed scene in the center.

In the early years of the 19th century, English manufacturers started copying the Chinese items that were being exported to England at

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Staffordshire Transferware 18 1/2 inch platter: Rogers: Deer

the time. “It’s interesting to me because the people who designed the transfers started getting more and more English” in terms of their designs,” says Landey.

American historical scenes were produced for the American market. “There are hundreds of them,” says Landey about the historical patterns. Interestingly she notes they are more collectible and expensive than other English scenes. Animals in particular, are another very popular motif. “When the London zoo opened people got really interested in animals,” she says. An entire series, Quadrupeds, included numerous animals and became a top pattern for the Hall factory.

Often, the borders would have been applied by women or children as young as 9 or 10 who worked in the factories. Typically, notes Landey, men would have worked as engravers, and initially engraved the designs on copper plates before they were transferred to tissue.

Staffordshire Transferware ‘Giraffe’ Gravy Tureen Perfect

Antiques dealer Gregory Lovell, with Gregory Lovell Antiques in Hyde Park, Massachusetts, points out that one of the reasons blueand-white earthenware became so popular was because it was an affordable choice for the emerging middle classes at the time.

“Staffordshire started to be collected in the 1860s,” he says, and it has been a focus for collectors ever since.

As a collector and dealer whose focus is on early English ceramics, Lovell notes that many collectors will often hone in on a particular pattern or factory.

Staffordshire Transferware Teapot Leaves and Flowers c. 1830

There are many well-known Staffordshire factories, but along with the famous Spode factory, Enoch Wood exported “tons of transferware,” says Lovell. Ralph and James Clews ran another famed factory, and William Adams was another top maker.

When it comes to color, Landey points out that there really are three different values of blue: a dark blue, a light blue and a mediumtone “British blue,” she says, which is most readily seen on items from the Spode factory.

Price-wise, “the dark blue is pricier than the lighter blue.”

Early Davenport Pearlware Transferprinted Sauceboat with Attached Undertray

The dark, heavy cobalt blue is what people in early America wanted,” says Lovell, adding that the English invented artificial colors, and the light blue is an artificial pigment. By the 1840s and 50s a lot of light blue came to market.

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“Flow Blue” is the name of the blurry dark blue-and-white earthenware that emerged in the mid-19th century and garnered a significant following in the U.S. “A whole load came out of the kiln blurred, and that was the beginning of flow blue,” says Landey. The British promptly sent it to America, where it turned into an instant hit.

“They loved it here,” adds Lovell, noting that the items, which were initially sold as seconds, were very popular from the 1840s to the late Victorian era.

In general, the market now favors buyers and collectors. “At this time, good early pieces are attainable due to the price situation today,” says Lovell.

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Blue & White Enoch Woods & Sons English Scenery Woods Ware Vegetable Bowl

A lot of transferware from the early 19th century is not going to be marked, and collectors should know that any item marked “Made in England” is going to be a later piece from the 1890s to present, says Landey.

“The important thing for a new collector to remember is if it says made in England or England it is not early,” she says.

Collectors should also be aware that copies were made, too, especially of rare older pieces.

Good dealers are happy to educate serious customers who wish to learn more. “I think it’s a field that’s fascinating,” says Lovell. “The more you learn the more you want to learn.”

English Blue and White Porcelain Covered Vegetable or Entree Dish

TRANSFERWARE Early Wedgwood Blue & White Transfer Vase - “Chinese” - Transferware

Transferware refers to the ceramics that were developed in the mid 18th Century in England that were decorated with repeated, standardized designs.

The designs were ‘transferred’ to the item by way of printed tissue paper, and the items were glazed.

Transferware is usually earthenware, a low-fired ceramic that is porous unless glazed, and is still being made today.

Staffordshire Pitcher with Scrolled Decoration, Ridgeway, C 1840

For more information and resources, including thousands of pattern identifications, consider the Transferware Collectors Club, www.transcollectorsclub.org 19

Eye on Design

BEAUTIFUL WITH

&

BLUE WHITE

BY CANDACE MANROE

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Potter Style

Blue and white is bullet-proof as a color palette for the home. Though rooted deep in the past, it’s a timeless twosome, ever open to fresh interpretations and inventive expressions. Its use on Chinese porcelain dating to the late 8th or early 9th centuries paved the way for the color scheme’s introduction into homes and palaces. Then, the development of blue and white prints on fabrics in France in the 18th century solidified the delightful color duo’s place in the home.

Even without appearing as a paint color or fabric pattern, blue and white can make a distinct decorating statement in the home when introduced through accessories. Blue and white Chinese export, Wedgwood, and Delftware are just a few housewares collectibles that sport the classic colors. Stocking up on vintage pieces is a fun and easy way to enliven rooms with winsome blue and white, whether as accessories only or in tandem with fabrics and painted finishes. Plus, aside from their compelling colors, vintage pieces carry intrinsic charm that adds character and history to a space.

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“I’ve always admired the dining room in the castle, just outside Antwerp, in which the antique dealer and interior designer Axel Vervoordt makes his home,” writes designer and society maven Carolyne Roehm in her newest book, A Passion for Interiors. “It’s an extraordinary fantasy space, the walls of which are decorated with Chinese porcelains that were salvaged from a centuries-old sunken ship.”

Vervoordt’s use of old Chinese porcelains to set a room’s décor inspired Roehm’s design of the master suite in Westbury, one of the homes featured in her new book. The porcelains at Westbury are Delft, “but the effect is similar,” she writes. Any blue and white vintage collection can instantly bring life to a room.

“What a difference color makes,” Roehm continues. “My passion for blue and white is such that it could fill a book.” (And it has, in 2008’s A Passion for Blue and White).

Her own Connecticut country house, Weatherstone, is packed with ideas for how to use vintage to declare a blue and white scheme: Chinese export, blue-and-white fabrics and painted furniture, blue stone surrounds on fireplaces, blue checks painted on bleached floors, and elegant antique picture frames crafted of blue lapis and goldleaf are just a few. Less pricey quick color fixes include using blue matting to bring the palette to picture frames, or painting a piece of architectural salvage white, as Roehm did with the 18th-century Swedish decorative trophy above her fireplace. She made a trip to Home Depot for white paint: “All my friends were horrified, but I wanted something in that spot that matched the walls.”

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What’s so special about blue-and-white? Let’s start with blue. Does it really surprise anyone it’s America’s favorite color, given all the interior design stories that confirm exactly that? While color trends come and go— for example, Pantone’s pick for trendiest hue this year is “radiant orchid,” replacing last year’s winner, “emerald green”—blue remains above it all, unaffected by fads, the perennial favorite of the majority of people.

And its staying power isn’t limited to the United States. Studies reveal that blue is the most popular color across the globe, regardless of a region’s climate or the perceived temperament of its people. It’s the favorite color of 42 percent of Americans, 44 percent of Brazilians, and 47 percent of Germans. Worldwide, forty percent of all people prefer some shade of blue.

The psychological impact of any color figures strongly into its popularly, particularly in home decorating. Based on that, blue is popular in the home for good reason. As the color of sky and sea, its effect on the emotions is to soothe and calm—exactly the opposite of red’s, which is to alarm and stimulate. The peaceful tranquility brought on by blue makes it the go-to hue for the bedroom, where restfulness, serenity, and a sense of refuge are desired.

Blue’s partner, white, fares not nearly as well solo. In fact, research shows white is the least popular color in the world. Why, then, when combined with blue, does it make magic? The answer is simple.

White is the perfect foil for blue to strut its stuff.

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It’s a snowy-clean canvas that allows the natural beauty of blue to shine at its best advantage, appearing rich and delicate at the same time. Close your eyes and visualize how powerfully a few pieces of blue-and-white Chinese export punctuate a living room’s blank white walls. Or how a long blue-and-white striped tablecloth can serve as the focal point that transforms a non-descript dining room into one that’s inviting.

Color preferences are developed at early age and can last a lifetime, according to the folks at Crayola. Blue, introduced by the company in 1903, still ranks number one more than a century later. Out of America’s five favorite Crayola colors, four are variations on a theme of blue: cerulean ranks number two; midnight blue, number four; and aquamarine, number five. The third most popular Crayola color isn’t a shade of blue but a close cousin, “purple heart.”

As the adult equivalent of playing with the coloring box, decorating the home follows similar rules. Blue on white rules.

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PICKS

FROM THE LANE

Small Five Piece Garniture of 19th c. Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Vases

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Antique Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Storage Jar and Cover Qing

19th century Japanese Blue and White Imari Vase, Meiji Period

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By The Sea

OCEAN LANDSCAPES Landscape paintings of the sea are a natural when it comes to the blue and white palette of an interior.

Bring a touch of ocean blue into your room with one of the selections from the shops of Ruby Lane.

Sea Scape Oil on Canvas by Listed Artist Meeuwis Van Buuren

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Laguna Beach Seascape by Sawdust Festival Artist Rachel Uchizono

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Fine Wells Moses Sawyer Oil Painting of a Sea Ship on the Mediterranean with Elba in the Distance

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Sea View Landscape oil on board

by Kevin Yuen

Emil Carlsen Oil Painting of a Summer Day at Sea

19th c. Am. Seascape, signed “W.F. Halsall”(1841-1919)

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All That Glitters 34

Charmed, I’m Sure

WHETHER DANGLING ON A NECKLACE OR GROUPED IN A CLUSTER ON YOUR WRIST, THE ALLURE OF CHARMS IS BOTH PERSONAL AND IRRESISTIBLE. HERE ARE A FEW ITEMS TO ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION...

1980’s Chunky Vintage Glass Heart Charm Bracelet

Tourist Souvenir Puerto Rico Enameled Charm Bracelet - 1960s

Vintage Victorian Style Music Clock Ballet Charm Bracelet Victorian Revival Slide Bracelet 35

Calendar of Events

ONGOING

Gilded New York Onging Museum of the City of New York New York, NY www.mcny.org

Hello My Name is Paul Smith Through June 22, 2014 Design Museum London, England www.designmuseum.org

ONGOING

ONGOING

American Red Cross Designer Showhouse Through March 22, 2014 West Palm Beach, FL www.redcross.org

Downton Abbey Costume Exhibit Through January 4, 2015 Winterthur Museum Wilmington, DE www.winterthur.org

ONGOING

Trend-ology Through April 30, 2014 Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY www.nycgo.com 36

ONGOING

March

6-9

La Quinta Arts Festival La Quinta, CA www.lqaf.com

March

7-8

Fort Worth Show of Antiques and Art Fort Worth, TX www.fortworthshow.com

March

12-16

Architecture and Design Film Festival Los Angeles, CA www.adfilmfest.com

March

14-22

Asia Week New York, NY www.asiaweekny.com

March

19-20

Westweek 2014 Los Angeles, CA www.pacificdesigncenter.com

March

20-24

Dining by Design New York, NY www.diffa.org

March

20

DCharleston Symphony Orchestra League Designer Showhouse Charleston, SC Through April 19, 2014 www.csolinc.org 37

Finis

THE YEAR OF THE

HORSE 2014 marks the Chinese New Year of the Horse so celebrate with a few equine collectibles from the Ruby Lane Shops.

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1. Charming Vintage Ceramic Handmade Horse 2. Four Essex Crystal Horse Head Buttons / Cuff Links 3. Vintage Belt Buckle with Horse Silhouette under Lucite 4. Horse Head Carved Parasol Umbrella Handle 5. Fabulous Victorian Bronze Figural Horse Inkwell 6. 19th C. Oil on Canvas of Horse by James Lynwood Palmer 7. Vintage Art Deco Sterling Silver Pipe WIth Racing Horse and Jockey 8. Small Painted Wooden Rocking Horse

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