Jean Painlevé jewellery : of seahorses and cinema
Wear a piece of Jean Painlevé bakelite jewellery, and you’re not just wearing Art Deco, but also a slice of cinema history.
Mado Jolain – mid century ceramics for all seasons
Mado Jolain – a ceramist for all seasons This month, we couldn’t resist featuring this uncommonly stylish 1950s vase, which is currently available to buy. With its organic shape, elegant proportions and swirly, bubbly decor, it has pretty much all you could ask for in a vase by the French ceramist, Mado Jolain. The early…
Jean de Lespinasse – from industrial to desirable
Jean de Lespinasse – from ‘industrial’ to desirable
Today, Jean de Lespinasse pottery is sought after by private collectors and interior designers. Quite the turnround for a discreet mid century studio dismissed in its day as ‘industrial’….
A rare glazed stoneware vase by Jean Langlade
A rare stoneware vase by Jean Langlade Jean Langlade pottery is rare, so I’m delighted to be the custodian of this elegant vase… at least until it finds its next owner. Soft shades of blue, turquoise, ochre and pink meet and blend beautifully. Tiny pinholes and a slightly granular aspect in places add an unconventional…
A little history of the French designer silk scarf
Nothing says French chic more than a silk scarf. This month, we dive into the frivolous, floaty, feminine world of the vintage French designer square.
Portrait of a French antique hunter: Maurice Ravel
Portrait of a French antique hunter : Maurice Ravel
A glimpse into the private world of Maurice Ravel, composer and collector extraordinaire
Discovering Jacques Pouchain pottery, Atelier Dieulefit
Close-up on Jacques Pouchain, Atelier Dieulefit Buy now This month, the spotlight is on mid century French ceramist, Jacques Pouchain (1925-2015). His pottery could be functional and abstract, figurative and playful – but it was always modern. And so it feels, still, especially pieces from his personal production of the 1960s and 1970s. This tall…
Robj Paris – a true taste of Art Deco
We recently acquired this quirky quartet of Art Deco liquor bottles by Robj Paris – they’re available to buy here. But who or what was Robj? Time to revisit the story behind these whimsical objects from the Jazz Age…
Why pottery lovers can’t resist La Puisaye
Why pottery lovers can’t resist La Puisaye This summer, we went pottering in a town famous for a 500-year-old stoneware tradition – and for sparking off a French ceramics revival. Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye is one of those beguiling Burgundy towns surrounded by rolling countryside, where chateaux pop up over every hedgerow. Oh, and also this rather lovely…
How the SAM shaped French design
The Salon des Arts Ménagers – SAM for short – was France’s own “Ideal Homes” Exhibition. From 1926 to 1983, with a gap during WWII, it influenced popular French home design and aspirations like no other event.