Breathtakingly Beautiful

I tried to find more information on this grand interior but couldn't. The walls are beautiful as are the pair of chairs flanking the tree mural. via

Gathering Wood and Walking a Pig on New Year's Eve

"MAY YE NIVER WANT AUGHT

NOR A FRIEND TO SHARE

IT WI YE"

This is an original artwork on a card in my collection that I framed and love. This is my sentiment to you for midnight tonight and beyond in the New Year and forever. xo

Interesting Antique Calligraphy

Superimposed Letters Spelling the Names of Illustrious Women of Ancient Rome: Faustina, Lucretia, Virginia, Vittoria, Giulia, Flaminia from Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta or The Model Book of Calligraphy (1561–1596) by Georg Bocskay and Joris Hoefnagel. 

Original from The Getty.

THE GOLDFINCH

Carel Pietersz Fabritius, the most promising student of Rembrandt, famous for his painting “The Goldfinch,” died young at just 32 in 1654. He was killed in an explosion. (Not what you were expecting, right?) The city of Delft’s gunpowder magazine unexpectedly exploded, destroying about one-fourth of the city and killing Fabritius. Dying young does not mean the end of a painter’s career – just look at Van Gogh. But unfortunately for Fabritius, most of his paintings were also destroyed in the explosion. Only about a dozen of his paintings survive today. (Source: Wikipedia) photo source

Elizabethan Black Rabbit

Who doesn't love a beautiful rabbit wearing a ruff? via

Hooked Rug and Painted Furniture

I adore every single thing in this photo posted on Instagram by @patrickbell.oldehope, one of my friends when I was in the antiques business too.

Interior Design Oil Painting

Peter Brown, Moses Back From His Walk, 2020, Oil on board via This oil painting is about a dog coming back from a walk but the architectural detals and interior design seem to be the main theme. Peter Brown is certainly a house-proud artist, isn't he? I love the reflections on the beautiful wide board floor and the fine  woodwork. I hope Moses wiped his paws. Happy Monday. xo

Current Obsession: LOVEJOY on AcornTV

As I have discussed many times, I cut the cord with cable last fall and haven't looked back. I have an inexpensive indoor antenna and I get plenty of channels free of charge on my Air Antenna from Walmart. I bought a used Apple TV, 3rd Generation for $45 for my living room TV. I bought it on the NEXTDOOR APP from a neighbor. It is fine for me since I don't have a smart TV and don't mind searching for something to watch on my iPad. I just got a Chromecast 3rd Generation for my bedroom TV from Target for $29.99. My bedroom TV set is not connected to anything but the electric plug. It doesn't have the rabbit ears antenna my living room set has. I hooked up the Chromecast and now I can stream 2000+ Apps from my iPad. I am in heaven. Lately I have been watching all the old LOVEJOY programs I used to enjoy on PBS. It is a very old series that I discovered very late before PBS canceled the show in my area. It is all about an antiques dealer in England and his two sidekicks and each episode involves a mystery of some sort. The character who plays interior designer Lady Jane is Mrs. Hughes on Downton Abbey when she was young. You will recognize her voice immediately. Read more about this delightful 6-Season program here. I just finished Season 3 and have three more seasons to go. I watch at least one episode every night in my bedroom. I think Acorn TV is the best streaming service to have and the most reasonably priced. If you sign up for one year it's only $5 per month. LOVEJOY is so old you can only find it in a search on Acorn. The cell phones from this time period are are HUGE! Let me know if you are already a fan. If you are not, let me know when you become one. xo

Antique Door Hardware

It is lovely to see such an exquisitely beautiful doorknob and lock set on interior double doors. One only hopes the original key is still available. Love this! via

1909 Painting: A Bed of Poppies

Maria Oakey Dewing (1845–1927), A Bed of Poppies, 1909. Oil on canvas, 25⅛ x 30⅛ inches. Courtesy, Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, gift of anonymous donor (1931). 

Source: The Artist's Garden: American Impressionism And The Garden Movement, 1887—1920 A very good read.

Royal Nap: The Most Noble Andrew, 11th Duke of Devonshire

The Most Noble Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire napping in his library at Chatsworth. via
I have posted this photo before but since we are all staying at home and spending a lot of time on our sofas, I thought you would enjoy seeing it again.

He once told an interviewer: "Wonderful things have happened in my life — it's time my son had his turn. When I was young I used to like casinos, fast women and God knows what. Now my idea of Heaven, apart from being at Chatsworth, is to sit in the hall of Brooks's, having tea."

Potting Sink and Antique Architectural Salvage

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This piece of antique architectural salvage is in the garden under my balcony outside my mother's patio. It came from a local house where I bought it. The man said his dad removed it from an old building in Newark NJ that was being demolished. It was a roof element on one of the dormers. I love the form and the original surface.

RARE Antique Figural Drinking Game Glass

A 17th-Century Drinking Game

This glass was designed to drench the drinker in alcohol, and put on an entertaining display for onlookers. What is better than that?

“Joke glasses” challenged drinkers to figure out how to get the alcohol out with minimal spillage. If they spilled? The glass then refilled. This one is the world’s only intact example resembling a man.

The Head

In the collection of The Getty Museum

It is really hard to grasp the rarity of this intricately beautiful example, especially since it is in three pieces --the body, the funnel, and the head. How in the world did it survive since the 1600s??????

I found this when I was searching more of those hilarious photos of people who are enacting art in their homes while in quarantine. It was started by the Getty Museum on Twitter. You can see more if you go to Twitter and search #betweenartandquarantine -- I can't get enough and really enjoy seeing what people are doing at home while in isolation. Be well and be safe. xo

April First. A Frog and A Rabbit

My antique cast iron frog that looks right into the window of my pantry where I sit to pay bills. He has a hole in his mouth because he was once a fountain. I set my iPhone camera on portrait mode to blur out the background. I so love this feature.

Hare and Quail by Australian artist Anita Mertzlin. Found on Instagram @glendoghalcottage

Happy April Fool's Day. No jokes here. Ready to jump into bed now. xo

18th Century Paper Cut Flower by Mary Delaney

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Cut paper collage by Mary Delaney, English, 1700-1788. She began making these lovely intricate paper flowers when she was 70. It's never too late to start being awesome, is it? xo
Be sure to click on the link with her name -- her biography is fascinating reading!

Antique Wirework Find

My Valentine to myself. Yesterday's find at an estate sale is so exciting. I love this piece of wirework and will have fun finding things to display in the baskets. Fruit for now. I used the portrait mode on my iPhone for this photo. Have a great weekend.

Simpkin 1902 - Beatrix Potter Artwork

Simpkin at the Tailor’s Bedside, c.1902 by Helen Beatrix Potter (English, 1866–1943)

This is yet another illustration that is new to me. It is very charming, isn't it. The tailor of Gloucester appears to be doing needlework in bed and kind Simpkin is bring him a cup of tea. I love the big bed with a window view. The bedding is quite lovely too. xo via

Folk Art Cat - Winter Show @ The Armory in NYC

"We generally cast our affections with dogs in the pet department, but there’s something pretty lovable about this c. 1840 watercolor gray-and-white cat. Poor mouse …"

I think this cat looks exactly like a dog. 😊

Offered by: David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles American Antiques booth at Winter Show.
Click on link to see many more photos of the wonderful antiques and folk art being offered at this annual event. Article from The Magazine Antiques.

Flying Staircase at Shirley Plantation

The flying staircase at Shirley Plantation, Charles City County, Virginia. Shirley is one of Virginia's oldest plantations, founded in 1613, and construction of the current house began in 1723. Eleven generations of one family have lived in the mansion, and descendants still operate it as a farm. via

I never cease to be amazed at beautiful architecture created without the aid of power tools.

Nature's Christmas

How darling! via

Anne Anderson, “The Busy Bunny Book” illustration, 1916 (by Anne Anderson and Alan Wright)