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Campaign Furniture Comes Home From the Wars

Handsome Mahogany Campaign Chest On Chest, Circa 1850.

by Lisa Hammel, The New York Times, November 5, 1966

Nineteenth-century campaign furniture, is as square-shouldered and bristling with brass as a four-star general.

Campaign furniture refers to those normally austere pieces used by army officers in the field or naval officers at sea. The explanation for its popularity may lie in an offhand remark made by a furniture buyer, who recently referred to the style as “basically boxes.” Basically boxes is right, yet it is probably the simple rectangular lines of the pieces that make them work well in modern rooms, in many period settings or in a mixed decor. The austerity of shape is offset, however, by the warm gleam of brass hardware. Traditionally on these pieces, drawer pulls are recessed rectangles; corners are capped with metal, and sometimes a strip of metal edges the top of the chest or desk.

Although the idea of field furniture is as old as war, the pieces seen today date mainly from the Napoleonic era in style. Some authorities believe the chests were based on the much older portable oriental chests, the boxy frames of which were decorated with a similar metal trim. The military and naval chests of Napoleon’s day were made so they could be stacked, and many of today’s still can be. Handles on the sides facilitated carrying.

Almost all the old pieces are mahogany. Contemporary versions might be anything from rosewood to brightly colored lacquer.

While the pleces may no longer be used under the narrow panoplied tent, or inside the captain’s snug cabin, observers of today’s decorating scene point out that the add-and-subtract, semi-portable pieces have a peculiar usefulness for today’s space-cramped, on-the-move population.

Campaign Furniture Comes Home From the Wars, by Lisa Hammel, The New York Times, November 5, 1966, Section R, Page 36 – New York Times Archive.

Lisa Hammel (1928-2019) was a staff reporter with the New York Times covering women’s news and education. She later wrote about crafts, artists and exhibitions and interviewed figures such as Edward Albee in their homes. She won a major journalism award in 1969 for an interview with Dr. Spock. In 1978, she became founding editor of Antiques World magazine.

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A Classic Upholstered English Wing Chair: Grounded In Comfort, Solidity And Surety Of Outline.

“The English wing chair, in which we sit protected and alone and enclosed, facing the warmth of the fire, embraced by wings as if those of a soft sheltering angel. The wing chair’s heaviness and solidity stipulate a different form of life, one of security, of solidity, of immobility, of peace. The wing chair goes with the bourgeois interior, the hearth, with an Englishman’s home being his castle. One is padded, buffered, cosseted, soothed. One’s chair is one’s signature.” 1

The wing chair is a high backed, upholstered easy chair with side wings, or ear pieces, on either side of the chair back. It was originally a mid 17th century design. Sometimes referred to as a library chair, grandfather chair, forty-winks chair, or saddle-back chair— the wing chair would often be situated alongside or in front of the hearth. The “wings” would shield it’s occupant from drafts, muffle unnecessary sounds and distractions, and perhaps best of all, trap the warmth from a fireplace into the area where you’d be sitting. 2

Here: A handsome mahogany frame upholstered wing chair with rams head carved legs, English, circa 1880. on Queen Anne legs and pad feet, a distinctive split double-scroll ram’s head motif on the two front legs.
height: 43 in. 109 cm., width: 34 in. 86 cm., depth: 32 in. 81 cm.
seat height: 18 in. 46 cm., arm height: 26 in. 66 cm.

Further readings and sources:

  1. Danto, Arthur C. “The Seat of the Soul: Three Chairs.” Grand Street 6, no. 4 (1987): 162–63. https://doi.org/10.2307/25007019.
  2. see The Fairchild Books Dictionary Of Interior Design, 4th Edition by Mark Hinchman https://www.fairchildbooks.com/shop/the-fairchild-books-dictionary-of-interior-design-1
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Giving Holiday Gifts To Friends Is Often Like ‘Bringing Owls to Athens’.

Often, buying holiday gifts for well-to-friends is like ‘bringing owls to Athens‘. We suggest a unique bronze owl inkwell from the late nineteenth century now mounted as a table – desk lamp with a painted metal shade .

The idiom, “to bring owls to Athens”, is an ancient Greek proverb ascribed to Plato by Diogenes Laërtius (d. 180 – d.240) biographer to the Greek philosophers. 1

It is said that an abundance of owls famously roosted in the rafters of the original Parthenon (before it was burnt down). The owls became a symbol of the city over the years and were sacred to Athena the goddess.

The silver coins of local Athenian currency featured an owl. The Athenians mined their own silver and from this they minted their own coins, so they had need of nothing more. The proverb is stating that to bring owls (either the birds or coins) to Athens would be a pointless exercise, because they have plenty of their own, anymore would be superfluous. 2

The owl symbolizes wisdom, intelligence, protection, and vigilance. During the Victorian period of the 19th century, owls found their way into nursery rhymes. Lamps and andirons were decorated with owls; the birds came to be associated with libraries and learning. The depiction of owls was just as prevalent during the Arts & Crafts movement.

Further readings and sources:

  1. Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diogenes_Laertius/Lives_of_the_Eminent_Philosophers/3/Plato*.html
  2. The Idioms https://www.theidioms.com/bring-owls-to-athens/
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Straw Work

(excerpted from Antique boxes, tea caddies, & society 1700-1880 Antiqone Clarke & Joseph O’Kelly, copyright © 2003)
Straw marquetry is usually referred to as Napoleonic prisoner of war work. The reason for this is that most pieces available today were made in England in prisoner of war camps and prison ships between 1793 and 1815. Dartmoor and Norman Cross were two of the chief centers, but such prisons were scattered throughout England with some the work dating back to 1756.

Napoleonic Period Prisoner of War Straw Work Box, Straw Marquetry Work, English Circa 1780.

Considering the living conditions in such camps and ship hulks, this extraordinarily beautiful work is a celebration of the human spirit over adversity. The technical expertise and the design sense displayed on many pieces are remarkable. Furthermore, the sensitivity of composition, color, and use of material on the best work is breathtaking. The humble materials in the hands of people brought low by circumstances were transformed into treasures reflecting a world of imagination and culture. It is as if the prisoners’ intellects soared while their bodies were confined.

The prisoners sold their wares in the prison markets, where they had the opportunity to interact with the world outside and earn some money towards their keep. Work was sometimes directly commissioned, with the patron providing some of the more specialized materials, such as dyes. There are traditional recipes using chemicals and natural processes and materials for dying straw, as well as theories as to when the straw should be gathered and how it should be kept. However, by the end of the eighteenth century and in prison circumstances, the dying was done by more direct methods.

The prisoners, who were French or Dutch, brought the knowledge of straw work with them. Straw work had been practiced in many parts of the Far East and Europe for centuries.

Napoleonic Period Prisoner of War Straw Work Box, Straw Marquetry Work, English Circa 1780.

The technique of straw marquetry appears to be more or less universal. Basically the straw was split, flattened, sometimes bleached and dyed, and then glued onto the wood, or first on paper which was then glued onto the object. Care had to be taken in the application of appropriate pressure to insure the adhesion and flatness of the delicate material. Blotting paper was used to absorb the extra moisture from the glue. Sometimes geometric shapes such as herringbone, lines, chequered squares, and other designs were cutout of long strips of straw that were first glued on paper. For example, lines cut diagonally could give long lengths of sharply defined herringbone designs. These were inspired by traditional tapestry designs, such as the Italian bergamot pattern

The designs on the boxes follow the traditions of other arts. Early boxes on the whole represent scenes typical of period painting and tapestry, framed by designs within contemporary conventions. From the end of the eighteenth century, some boxes follow the neoclassical traditionof arrangement and ornament, although the motifs are often more realistically depicted than in similar wood marquetry. Geometric patterns are also strong within straw work tradition. Sometimes they are used as part of a complex design incorporating representational parts and sometimes as an overall cover for a complete box. Such designs make use of the particular quality of straw, which reflects light according to the way it is arranged. Subtle effects of color and sheen can be achieved by clever juxtaposition of straw following different directions.

After the first two decades of the nineteenth century, straw marquetry became less fashionable. Perhaps the departure of the prisoners meant a ready supply was no longer there. However, if the demand had remained strong, English craftsmen would have continued the work. Instead, as the nineteenth century progressed, the craft continued to decline. It is more likely that the rise of the middle classes and the demand for goods which looked more “manufactured” spelt the end of this fine craft, which allowed for more idiosyncratic and at times playful interpretations of the world.

Napoleonic Period Prisoner of War Straw Work Box, Straw Marquetry Work, English Circa 1780.

Another factor could have been the cost. A box, or a picture, decorated by prisoners was sold for 20-40 shillings, as much as any quality box was sold for at the time. Free craftsmen could not have competed in a field that needed so much personal time. In spite of presses and mechanical devices for splitting straw, the work still needed skill and hours of exacting work.

For many decades straw work has been neglected. On account of the fragility of the material and the fact that it cannot be refinished, most old pieces show signs of ageing. This has meant that it was only sought after by connoisseurs who had the confidence to display antiques as antiques and not as over restored pieces from centuries past. With the recent advent of the ever more sophisticated collector who demands genuine period pieces, straw work is showing a rapid and sharp increase in price

Exceptional prisoner of war work and early pieces, which are very rare, command considerably higher prices. With scholarship identifying artists and areas of work, these small treasures are fast disappearing into museums and important collections.

excerpted from Antique boxes, tea caddies, & society 1700-1880 (pages 119-125) by Antiqone Clarke & Joseph O’Kelly, copyright © 2003, Published by Schifffer Publishing, Ltd., Altgen, PA

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Wheel Chasers: Historical Paris Street Furniture of the 19th Century.

historical chasse-roues, cast iron ball Paris street furniture and other designs.

Wandering through neighborhoods in Paris, you’ll notice that doorways are often flanked by low structures made either of stone or metal. These guard stones are called chasse-roues (French lit. “wheel chaser“) or bouteroue (“to push the wheel out of the way“). These projecting metal, concrete, or stone exterior architectural elements are usually located at the corner and/or foot of gates, portes-cochères, garage entries, and walls. They function to prevent damage from vehicle tires and wheels. During the period of horse-drawn vehicles, the wheels, including the hub, would protrude beyond the vehicle’s body, and were thus prone to collide with and damage a corner of a building or gate. Chasse-roues were developed as a warning signs: ‘keep back‘, ‘keep your distance’, ‘don’t brush up against me’, and as traffic bollards––or, in the common parlance, ‘traffic cones’ ⚠️😄.  They are a historical item of street furniture and some are still in use today. 1 2 3

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photos: Sylvaine Lang, Moments Parfait blog, Chasse-roues. February 26, 2019

Stone was the favored material for chasse-roues during medieval and Renaissance times but many different cast iron designs were installed during the Haussmannian transformation of Paris. 4 Of the surviving chasse-roues in Paris, many are from that age of economical iron and steel. Cast iron was often preferred because it’s affordablity and versatility. Initially, a pattern or mould of the design––the most expensive part of the process––would be made. Then the molten cast iron would be poured or ‘cast’ into the mould and could take many decorative forms with each subsequent casting being relatively inexpensive to produce. Many ornamental cast-iron pieces from the late 19th and early 20th centuries survive today. These decorative artifacts represent a perfect union of form and function projecting a sense of strength, durabilty and good design.

When automobiles replaced fiacres 5, chasse-roues no longer served their purpose being replaced by objects meant for automobile traffic, such as curbs and guard rails. They were, in fact, undesirable but because they were unusually difficult to remove, most of them were just left in place. Those that remain stand as silent sentinals to earlier traffic on those historic roads. 6

Today these architectural artifacts are treasured for historic reasons and are often protected as part of a city’s cultural heritage.

On one of our recent excursions into Paris, we found a lovely patinaed pair of iron ball, “boule”, chasse-roues which we had electrified and museum-mounted as an impressive pair of table lamps.7 ^jh

Pair Of Iron Ball, "boule", chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, circa 1870.
Pair Of Iron Ball, “boule”, chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, circa 1870.

Further readings and sources:

  1. Moments Parfait, https://www.momentsparfaits.com/blog
  2. The Parisian Fields, Noman Ball, June 2011, https://parisianfields.com/2011/06/26/the-art-of-the-chasse-roue/
  3. Un jour de plus à Parishttps://www.unjourdeplusaparis.com/en/paris-balades/balade-belleville-menilmontant
  4. Haussmann’s renovation of Paris, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussmann%27s_renovation_of_Paris
  5. A fiacre is a form of hackney coach, a horse-drawn four-wheeled carriage for hire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiacre_(carriage)
  6. Revolvy : https://www.revolvy.com/page/Guard-stone
  7. Pair of cast iron ball chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, Circa 1870 at Garden Court Antiques, https://www.gardencourtantiques.com/shop/pair-of-iron-ball-finials-now-mounted-as-table-lamps-french-circa-1870/
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An Archeaological Mystery: Discovering The Riace Warriors August, 1972.

Diver, Stefano Mariottini with bronze Riace Warrior statue, Aug 1972, Italy

On August 16, 1972 Roman diver, Stefano Mariottini, made a “macabre” discovery. He was diving at a depth of 8 meters in the waters of Marina di Riace (Reggio Calabria), when he noticed a hand sticking out of the sandy bottom. He began digging in the murky sea floor until it revealed at first a face and then a full body. Indeed, there were two bodies; one lying on his back another lying on it’s side. These are what are now known as the Riace Bronzes. Both statues are almost two meters in height.

In the following days municipal divers tied ropes to balloons that were then filled with air lifting the bronze statues to the surface. Statue B was recovered on August 21st, while Statue A was retrieved the next day (It had previously fallen back to the bottom once before being brought safely to the beach).  1 2 3

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The Riace Warriors (also referred to as the Riace bronzes or Bronzi di Riace) are two life-size Greek bronze statues of naked, bearded warriors. The statues are currently housed in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in the Italian city of Reggio Calabria. The statues are commonly referred to as “Statue A” and “Statue B” and were originally cast using the lost-wax technique 4.

These two warriors are an example of the severe style. The Severe or Early Classical style describes the trends in Greek sculpture between c. 490 and 450 B.C.E. Artistically this stylistic phase represents a transition from the rather austere and static Archaic style of the sixth century B.C.E. to the more idealized Classical style. The Severe style is marked by an increased interest in the use of bronze as a medium as well as an increase in the characterization of the sculpture, among other features. 5

The two statues are thought to represent Tydeus (Statue A) and Amphiaraus (Statue B), two warriors from Aeschylus‘ tragic play, Seven Against Thebes  (about Polynices after the fall of his father, King Oedipus) 6 and may have been part of a monumental sculptural composition. The statues have lead dowels installed in their feet, indicating that they were originally mounted on a base and installed as part of some sculptural group. 7

Large cast bronze of head and torso, modeled after the Riace Warrior B; 20th century;
Large cast bronze of head and torso, modeled after the Riace Warrior B; 20th century;

Currently, we have an imposing and detailed cast bronze torso and head modeled after the Riace Warriors, Warrior B. on display in our gallery at 1700 16th Street in San Francisco 8 ^jh

Further readings and sources:

  1. Excerpt from Radici, Chi Sono? Da Dove Vengono? Chi Fu L’Autore E Perché Sono Finiti In Fondo Al Mare? Il Mistero Dei Bronzi Di Riace È Aperto., Jul 2016. https://www.radici-press.net/chi-sono-questi-due/ 
  2. Vanity Fair Italia Bronze Statues: who stole the third man? As promised by Vanity Fair, here are the documents and photos, discovered by Professor Giuseppe Braghò, which demonstrate the theft of the “kits” – shield, spears and helmets – of the two most famous Greek statues in the world. And also the existence of their “brother” https://www.vanityfair.it/news/italia/2012/08/16/bronzi-riace-40-anni-dopo-terzo-bronzo-rubato-furti
  3. Strettoweb, Reggio Calabria, today the 45th anniversary of the discovery of the Riace Bronzes: an exciting story, “16 agosto 1972: 45 anni fa Stefano Mariottini ritrovava i Bronzi di Riace nei fondali del reggino Reggio Calabria, oggi il 45esimo anniversario del ritrovamento dei Bronzi di Riace: una storia emozionante”, August 2017, http://www.strettoweb.com/foto/2017/08/16-agosto-1972-45-anni-fa-stefano-mariottini-ritrovava-i-bronzi-di-riace-nei-fondali-del-reggino-foto/448020/  
  4. Lost-wax casting, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost-wax_casting
  5. Riace Warriors, Catherine E. Olson, Furman University, Scholar Exchange, https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/art231/40/ 
  6. Seven Against Thebes, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Against_Thebes
  7. Excerpt from an Essay by Dr. Jeffrey A. Becker,  Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/early-classical/a/riace-warriors
  8. Large Scale Cast Bronze Grecian Torso; modeled after the Riace Warriors (b), 20th century at Garden Court Antiques, https://www.gardencourtantiques.com/shop/large-scale-cast-bronze-grecian-torso/ 
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Demystifying Antiques: an ASID Evening Event

It’s our first event in tandem with epoca in our new location: 1700 16th Street in San Francisco. We set out to demystify the sometimes esoteric world of buying and decorating with antiques.

This is an ASID Members Event for those who intend to buy, design, decorate and collect antiques & mid century modern furniture for clients and their own enjoyment.

Furniture is best experienced ‘Hands-On’. In order to do design, you must look, touch and feel pieces. As of late, the trends, when shopping for antiques & midcentury, presupposes one may rely solely on the internet and furniture web portals to make critical decorating decisions & choices. “Jpegs” are fine for previewing a lovely cabinet or chair but it’s likely you’ll be disappointed once the piece arrives. It is counterproductive to think that one doesn’t need to feel, see, experience a piece of furniture in-person.

Design & Decoration is a Hands-On Affair and So Is Shopping for Antiques & Vintage Pieces!

Experts learn by traveling locally and to various far-flung places. It is edifying to experience in-person, a lovely gilt wood mirror or sterling silver chandelier. You grow by looking, holding, touching these articles and by traveling places and meeting various dealers and resources––whether it’s that vintage store in the Mission or with your own car & driver visiting the fabulous Flea Markets of Paris & throughout the bucolic English Countryside.

So, don’t be shy. Visit the dealers’ shops & galleries available to you. See what catches your eye. Be persistent and ask questions. Dealers love to talk about their pieces, and the more questions you ask the more you will learn, and understand developing your own eye. You can learn a lot by expressing genuine interest and engaging with the different dealers and galleries. San Francisco has a full panoply of artisans, crafts persons, designers and design resources at your behest. Our Design & Decorative Arts Community is rich with history and bonhomie.

The good dealers know their stuff. When you the find ones you like and trust, establish a rapport with them. These professionals will teach you a lot.

Read books! ..consult internet guides, take-in lectures ( i.e. ASID, Institute of Classical Architecture and Art (ICAA), Art Deco Society of San Francisco, San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show ). Compare the information you read to the knowledge you gather through your conversations with the various dealers. And by all means, share your own growing expertise to “pay it forward”.

Instant gratification! Visiting antiques galleries in person means when that when you find that perfect armchair, side table, low table or precious box, you can take it with you which is so much better than the anxiety & added cost of having the piece shipped from–well, who knows where.. Have it now. Place it now!

Recycle, Reuse. The materials and workmanship found in antique furniture just cannot found in the furniture that is mass-produced today. These pieces were crafted with care. They have endured the test of time and they still look fabulous. (How many of us can say that for ourselves?!) These are prized possessions that have been handed down through generations and cared for lovingly. It is our heritage and they are now in our care. We curate these pieces so that they will exist for future generations to enjoy & ponder.

We do hope you’ll join us Thursday, February 28th to enjoy a cocktail, appetizer and some engaging conversation. Come and mingle with fellow ASID members, introduce yourself and circulate through beautiful furniture and accessories.

Since moving Garden Court Antiques at the beginning of 2019 we’ve been hard at work combining our 18th century European country aesthetic with the sophisticated midcentury stylings of epoca. We are more than pleased with the results–its just fabulous: the layering styles, periods, textures, colors is a somewhat maximalist approach that encourages your eye to wander and your imagination to soar.

We look forward to your visit, to get to know one another and..to ‘get educated’!

Jim Gallagher, Curator, Garden Court Antiques.
Eric Petsinger, Curator, epoca

Thursday, February 28 at 5:30 p.m. cocktails & appetizers,
6-ish p.m. brief presentation,
afterwards: mingle-mingle-mingle.

Where: Epoca
1700 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
ph: 415 355-1690

Sign up at Eventbrite:

“…One should always have at least one piece with some age in a room. It does not have to be over-the-top expensive, but antiques resonate with history’s silent voices. The appeal resides in a patina only achievable with time: their very imperfections speak to me of soul and character and life lived.” ~ Suzanne Tucker, Tucker & Marks and The Annual San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show Chairperson [ 1. The Incollect Q+A With Suzanne Tucker, The Collector’s Interior Designer ]

“The intrinsic beauty, the ‘soul’ of an object captivates me. A rich past life is revealed through antiques, but historical context is secondary to their essential visual power. I use antiques in my interiors to elicit emotions from the individuals who inhabit the space.” ~ Timothy Whealon, Interior Designer, Author “In Pursuit Of Beauty” [ 2.  Interior Design Master Class, edited by Carl Dellatore, Rizzoli. p232 ]

“It makes me sad when there are no antiques in a room.” ~ Bunny Williams, Interior Designer, Author

In this image:

  1. A Painted Swedish Chest of Drawers, circa 1880. height: 31 in. width: 42 in. depth: 22 in.
  2. A Boulle Light Blue Enamel Highly Decorative Box With Precious Materials And Brass Inlay; French, Circa 1860; Light blue enamel inlay to all sides; brass moulding around the top and bottom edges. All resting on a rosewood mouleded base; precious materials inlay with rosewood interior; drop down front; working lock & key; Light French polish; height: 4.5 in. width: 10.75 in. depth: 4.5 in.
  3. A French Giltwood Fluted Mirror, circa 1840. An elegantly large rectangular gilded mirror frame with with concave channels.
    height: 48.5 in. 123 cm., width: 29.5 in. 75 cm.
  4. A Pair of 18th Century Italian Carved Limewood patterns used for the decoration in leather wall panels or ceiling panels, now a decorative curiosity. height: 13″ width: 13″
  5. A Pair Of Round Decorative Painted Terra Cotta Victorian Heat Registers
    A Late 19th Century Primitive, Worn, Painted English Milking Stool.
  6. In this photo from epoca: An Ethereal Pair Of American 1960’s Frosted Ice-blue Glass Baluster-form Lamps With Raised Floral Decoration 1960’s. Each tall and striking lamp in a soft frosted blue glass adorned with raised floral decoration; excellent condition with no chips or cracks height: 20″ (top of glass) 32″ (top of shade) diameter: 8″

^jh

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It’s 2018 and Back to Work! Welcoming, Wonderful and Inspiring!

Happy New Year 2018 from Garden Court Antiques San Francisco!

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

I hope that you all had holidays filled with laughter and love!

Now it’s time to get back to work! There are walls that need color, rooms that need furniture and houses that need to be turned into homes. It is our job to make the places that our clients live and work to be welcoming, wonderful and inspiring. How lucky are we to do this work and how lucky are they to have us!

I am looking forward to working with you in this next year. Please come by and see us at the showroom or take a look at what we have to offer at GardenCourtAntiques.com.

Sincerely,

Garden Court Antiques

Items Featured:


^jg ^jh

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How Jeremy Irons Rescued and Restored a 15th-Century Irish Castle – Vanity Fair, October 2017

Kilcoe’s main living area, known as the “solar,” showcases art and collectibles acquired by Irons in his travels. Photograph by Simon Upton.

We are absolutely taken by this article by David Kamp for Vanity Fair Magazine and this ambitious restoration project undertaken by Actor Jeremy Irons. The fact that he’s a sailor iswell, just bonus!

Its a wonderful read. We encourage you to pick up the October 2017 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine and read it for yourself or view it online.

Below a few excerpts:

In the midst of a creative crisis, the British actor impulsively purchased Kilcoe Castle, a long-abandoned fortress near the water. VF Writer, David Kamp learns how a magical retreat came to be.  Inlaid in the wall of the courtyard, was a pale stone slab. Etched into the slab were the following words

MANY HEARTS LIE IN THESE WALLS.
FOUR YEARS WE WORKED, AND WE
JUST DID THE BEST WITH WHAT WE KNEW.
AND WHAT WE DID YOU SEE.
A.D. 2002

The hard work of making Kilcoe habitable again began in 1998 and took six years, wrapping up in 2004

Kilcoe, while not remotely a faithful re-creation of what it was 600 years ago—it offers such modern features as hot and cold running water, electricity, and Wi-Fi—is a magnificent place: at once stately-home beautiful and slightly mad, a 360-degree immersion in its owner’s eccentric psyche.

As Irons took on the massive project, his wife, the actress Sinéad Cusack notes: it was no coincidence that Irons, who was born in 1948, was soon to turn 50. “I did see it very much as Jeremy’s midlife crisis, and that he should get on with it,” she said. “Also, I understood where the need came from. Jeremy can’t bear waste. He can’t throw things out. I think he saw that castle as a beautiful ruin that needed to be saved, that needed not to die.”

But generally his instincts proved sharp. Early on, Irons noticed twig-like striations in the mortar on the barrel-vaulted ceiling of the main tower’s second floor, which is now a game room occupied by a large snooker table. Doing some research, Irons learned that, in medieval times, builders formed arched ceilings by bending into place a series of large wicker panels made of pliant, weaving-friendly woods such as hazel and willow, and holding these panels aloft from below with strong timber posts. The builders would then lay stones and mortar above the panels. Once the mortar squeezed through the woven panels and dried, the arches would hold themselves, and the underlying timber posts were removed. This backstory warmed Irons to the idea of using wicker panels as a decorative element throughout Kilcoe. He found a German-born weaver based in Cork, Katrin Schwart, to make such panels for the game room’s ceiling, and the results proved so spectacular that Schwart’s ornate wickerwork is now a motif throughout the castle, appearing on guest-bedroom ceilings, in the headboard of Irons’s own bed, and even on the outer frame of his bathtub.

“There’s something about the castle that generates the most extraordinary energy,” Irons said to me. “Everybody stays up ‘til three, four in the morning—talking, listening to music, drinking. You just want to go on, go on. It takes a bit of getting used to, this place. Because it does somehow produce an energy. Have you felt it?”

Kilcoe.
Article by David Kamp.
Photographs by Simon Upton.

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Read the article in it’s entirety in the October 2017 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine and online at https://www.vanityfair.com (yes, we are all subscribers :) ^jh