Peter Cameron at the Art Antiques London fair

I popped into Art Antiques London by the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens a few days ago, which really is the most glamorous antique fair here in London!

Entering the venue is just amazing, as such impressive and beautiful paintings are hanging on the walls, fascinating sculptures are propped up on stands everywhere and if you take the time to read the descriptions you realise what a wonderful part of history you are getting to take part of.

Both photos above are from Peter Cameron‘s collection…

My invitation came from a very skilled antiques dealer, Peter Cameron, whose collection you can see at Vault 57 in The London Silver Vaults.  Peter has been dealing in silver since 1974 and I have found that there is always a fascinating story behind these traders choosing this career path, and Peter is no exception.  You can read his story here.

I arrived quite late at the fair, but still managed to get some photos of this goregous collection before it closed for the day.

Peter Cameron

So here you can see my ideal dressing table… a girl can always dream, right?  A glorious gold mirror with such intricate detail, and I would of course use the tray and bowls for jewellery!

Peter Cameron

 

Peter Cameron – Newlyn Enamel Studio.  A napkin ring, London 1911, R.T. Dick 

I am so planning to one day buy some antique silver napkin rings by the way.  They add such an elegant touch to the table and make such an interesting table conversation topic!  In Cape Town a friend of mine has these small, antique silver place card holders, that always make me sigh deeply with love.  Imagine the dinner parties that they have seen through the years!

And just on another brief note: gosh how rewarding it is to photograph silver and gold pieces!  When you get the light right, they really do stand out and their full beauty almost almost comes through completely – obviously they will always be more breathtaking in real life!  Which is another reason I would encourage you to visit an antique fair this year.

The beauty and uniqueness of these pieces are impossible to replicate and I am hoping that you will be inspired to one day start buying antiques.  Remember that in most cases they will last you a lifetime, as the quality was just wonderful back in the days, and it is quite the investment, as you won’t have to buy a new wardrobe or dining table ever so often!

Your Secret Jewellery Collection – the Before and After-chapter

Today’s secret jewellery collection has been sent in by a young lady who has recently moved house, which means that we are being treated to the before and after photos of the treasure trove:

The before-photo of her collection…

Above is a shot of her old collection, where some paintings by Helene Schjerfbeck (1862-1946) can be seen in the background.  Helene is one of the most important Nordic artists and was an artistic child prodigy; she was accepted as a drawing student at the Finnish Art Society in 1873 at the age of eleven, which was a full five years younger than the average student.

The national gallery of Finland, Ateneum Art Museum, are giving us a very interesting background on Helene if you are keen to read a bit more.  I have also been looking up some of her works in connection with writing this post, and completely fallen in love with Dancing Shoes, 1882.  Have a look online and let me know what you think of her paintings – did you find a favourite?

… and after-photo number one…

And here are the after shots of the jewellery collection!  I love how the tones go so well together and makes it all look incredibly elegant.  We have already dipped our toes in the beautiful land of Iittala-design, and we are now continuing down this path, as today we are presented with this lovely Iittala Vitriini jewellery box and the Mariskooli.

Since Iittala Vitriini come in different sizes you can keep everything from small earrings and rings to bigger bracelets and necklaces in them – you can also easily match the colours as you wish within the collection.  The same goes for Mariskooli, although my favourite size is the one you can see above, the Mariskooli 15.5.cm, as it is the only one that fits all of my lovely necklaces – and clearly this young lady agrees.  The beautiful gold mirror is from an antique market and the metal case is from Spitalfields Market.

… and after-photo number two!

We can also see a few Chanel perfumes above, which I think is a lovely choice as perfumes by your jewellery make the collection look even more beautiful and elegant.  My thoughts are immediately drawn to 1920’s dressing tables with the big mirrors, pump perfume bottles, jewellery and make up.

And while we are on the topic: the one thing we have learnt is not to allow any perfume to go onto the jewellery, as it makes the metals go dull.  So always put your makeup and perfume on before your jewellery – just like our grandmothers did – and it will remain beautiful for a long long time.

So thank you so much dear for sharing your beautiful collection with us – I am sure that today’s post will inspire some of you to revamp your jewellery corners!

Our previous Your Secret Jewellery Collection posts can be found here, in case you have missed out on any of them.

A walk through sunny Brighton…

I have had a few questions about Brighton from you lovely readers, so I wanted to take you along on a stroll through the town to finish off our Brighton-chapter.  Let’s start at the Lanes and walk all the way down to the beautiful Brighton Pier.

 Yes please, I can totally see myself living on this delightful road!

One of my favourite things about the town is the vast amount of small independent shops: carefully selected cheese and saucisson shops, vintage cafes so beautifully decorated and sweet shops importing little treats from every corner of the world.

Well hello Swedish sweets at Cyber Candy!

Charlie would be in heaven here!

If you are missing your sweets from back home you are bound to find them in this little gem of a sweet shop

I have never seen such a wide selection of root beer! 

The outside is just as sweet as the inside – Cyber Candy on 15 Gardner Street

The Laine Deli, 31 Trafalgar Street, Brighton

 

Catwalk Cakes, 22 Bond Street, Brighton

Such a charming little café – Catwalk Cakes (love the name too!)  I will try it out next time as the customers looked incredibly delighted with the place.  

 Brighton Pier with its gorgeous white design and wonderful funfair:

I absolutely adore old merry-go-rounds as they are so romantic and always make me think of old movies, like Marry Poppins.  You might remember when they leave the funfair behind and ride away on the horses?  We passed this one in the sunset with the light reflecting so beautifully off the horses too…

Seagulls in flight…

So thank you dear Brighton for having us, and we look forward to seeing you very soon again!

An equestrian art exhibition out of this world

Nichola Eddery’s art exhibition at the Osborne Studio Gallery

This week I attended the private opening of Nichola Eddery’s art exhibition at the Osborne Studio Gallery.  Nichola comes from a family of equine enthusiasts, which combined with her wonderful artistic training has result in the most exquisite equestrian art, that we are now so fortunate to be taking part of:

 

Stallion Movement Study II – Charcoal and chalk on green paper, 20 x 26 in

The drawings and paintings of the horses are just magnificent, as she always seems to catch them mid-movement.  Not a breeze through the mane or a stirring of a muscle has been left unattended by the brush, and I always expect the horses to take a step out of the painting any moment and walk away.  

Rearing Study – Charcoal and Chalk on Green Paper

 

In an ideal world (for me) I would have bought every piece, and as it turns out a large part of the exhibition sold out on the first day

Poster Study, Jockey in Blue, Pink, Silks, Green… – Oil Canvas on Board

Stunning portraits, one of Nichola’s specialties 

 

 I always marvel at Nichola’s portrait work, as she is able to bring out such incredible depth and beauty in her subjects.  Going to the races never seemed more romantic…

Ladies Day – Sepia, sanguine and chalk on cream paper, 16 x 20 ins. 

Nichola’s sister in the portrait above is wearing a pair of her grandmother’s earrings; square shaped with a centre pearl surrounded by glittering diamonds.  To the opening of the exhibition this week she wore her grandmother’s pearl brooch and a stunning aquamarine ring:

Antique pearl brooch – the ideal accessory for perfecting that white shirt-look

 Antique aquamarine ring – it is all about the cocktail rings ladies!

Now let’s take a little wander into the gallery garden:

I love the beautiful garden at the Osborne Studio Gallery with its wonderful sculptures and setting…

 

Osborne Studio Gallery garden sculpture

Another beautiful garden sculpture at the Osborne Studio Gallery

And finally, the artist herself, Nichola Eddery, by the painting Running like the Wind – Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 ins.

Delighted to let you know that the show will be running until 5th July, so do pop by there and and see these stunning creations for yourself.  You can read more about Nichola’s background and training on her own website.

Kate & Aud in Brighton

As I zigzagged down Brighton’s charming streets – among the many shops, skateboard riding dog-walkers and ladies dressed in vintage top-to-toe – I suddenly found myself outside a rather quaint looking vintage clothing shop: Kate & Aud.  I couldn’t possibly resist this lovely shop window and had to pop inside for a closer look: 

Kate&Aud – 27 Trafalgar Street, Brighton

A sneak-peek through their shop window, where the most alluring old pieces were on display

The shop was so nicely decorated and it felt like stepping back in time when I walked around among vintage pieces, remade vintage clothing, handmade leather bags, and jewellery – all very reasonably priced too!  Downstairs I was browsing through their lovely clothing collection, and all this charming jewellery so cleverly hung up on an old mannequin:

Lots of ethnic-style jewellery in various colours and metals

 

It is all about presentation – with a shop decorated so beautifully, you can’t help but lose yourself in all the fascinating pieces that are for sale

Perfect for those sunny summer days – that are bound to come soon!

I then realised that there was an upstairs as well, so I walked up the winding little staircase and found myself in yet another room filled with old treasures…

 

Make sure you have a good chunk of time to spend on browsing through the railings of vintage pieces.  Grab a few items that might not be your style at all and give them a try – with vintage you never know what to expect until you are actually wearing it!

… don’t leave any corners unexplored as you never know what might hang at the end of that railing

This charming boudoir screen add that perfect touch of glamour to the shop – and I of course love everything with beautiful little birds on them!

Beautiful vintage hat to crown your outfit and with its soft tones it goes so well with the pearl necklace and light blouse

 

I can imagine these worn for example with a floral vintage dress 

 

An old photo features in this jewellery cabinet and emphasises the vintage look and feel

… beautiful details can be found throughout the shop…

Thank you Kate & Aud for having me – and with your stunning collection you are bound to see me very soon again!

A Hope & Harlequin saga

From time to time a shop unexpectedly sweeps me off my feet, which is exactly what happened on Friday in Brighton, when I visited Hope & Harlequin:

Hope & Harlequin 31 Sydney Street in Brighton

You might remember that we first met Hope & Harlequin at the Frock Me! vintage fair in April, where their stall blew us away with their soft summer hues and stunning designs.  Well, when I received an invitation to visit Brighton I made sure that they were at the top of my list of places to visit, as that lovely stand made me wonder how they would have styled their own shop!

This stunning dress completely distracted me from my photography.. 

The red dress above was hanging at the front of the rail when I went in to take photos, and I immediately had to stop what I was doing and take a closer look.  The colour is just exquisite, and you should feel the fabric!  It will drape around you so beautifully, and be perfect for that special summer party, or maybe you would wear it to the races with a lovely hat or fascinator?

One of the services that they offer is bespoke recreation of dresses and vintage wedding originals, and this dress is an example of a recreation of a vintage dress that belongs to one of the Hope & Harlequin ladies.

The blues and turquoises are just waiting to be worn with a crispy white summer dress… 

This 50’s prom dress in lace and tulle is such a Midsummer Night’s dream!

A wide range of styles, all so tastefully presented throughout the shop

You know how I love sparkle and shine, and you can never go wrong with feather accessories!

A shoe collection to die for…

Eventually I ventured toward the back of the shop, where the most magnificent collection of wedding dresses was awaiting me…

Above a humble introduction to the wedding dress collection – all these shades of white…

You know how much I adore Audrey Hepburn, so you can imagine my dreamy sigh when I saw this glorious wedding dress; yes it is called The Hepburn…

… with a few carefully chosen accessories to perfect the look…

 

… all in the air of vintage of course!

This breathtaking wedding dress is the ‘Hepburn’, a Made-to-order silk taffeta dress, based on an original 50’s ‘ Worth’ gown.  There is a six month order time so do make sure you are getting in touch with Hope & Harlequin in good time – and the price tag says £2000.

I then found the most beautiful lace wedding dress… 

A close up of the intricate lace pattern

I also just had to take pictures of this stunning lace wedding dress, which was so sheer to the touch and incredibly beautiful in its simplicity.  The drop down waist brings thoughts back to the magnificent 20’s designs, and I would love to see it worn with a gorgeous, sparkling 1920s headpiece.

Another stunning tulle and lace dream…

… a close up of the design that creates such a romantic look…

… and what a reasonable price for a wedding dress!  

Every bride has her own style and I know a few of you that would look just stunning in this lace and tulle treasure from the 50’s!  With some simple yet elegant accessories that wouldn’t steel the attention away from the design, and your hair so beautifully done up, you will be floating down the aisle…

Also the perfect place to go shopping a wedding guest-outfit!

What I love about vintage dresses is that you can find such gorgeous designs for almost no money at all, so if you don’t have a huge budget you can still find your dream dress!  And why worry about spending far too much on a dress that you will wear only once, when you will look your most gorgeous no matter what you wear on the day?  I am also all for vintage wedding dresses as the thought and time that have gone into making them are just amazing. 

And then there were the shoes..

… in all styles…

… not to mention the stunning wedding accessories… 

… again, so reasonably priced yet beautifully made…

Now do tell me, which one of the three wedding dresses is your favourite?

And thank you Hope & Harlequin for having me, you can rest assured that I will return very soon, that red dress at the top is in my thoughts constantly…!

Your Secret Jewellery Collection – the Dubai chapter

Today is Wednesday, which of course is Your Secret Jewellery Collection-day, so let’s see what you, our darling readers, are treating us to today:

 

This postcard is from Dubai, where our lovely lady has chosen to display her dazzling wedding rings in Iittala’s Vitriini bowl.  We also love how she has decorated her jewellery shelf with the Kastehelmi candleholders, that create the most beautiful glow with some candle light.

Sweet and fun colours with a wonderful message – what more do you need create a happy jewellery shelf?

The Iittala bowls are just perfect for displaying jewellery, with their simple and elegant lines that lift out the beauty in the gemstones and metals of your favourite pieces.  I have noticed that quite a few of you use them for this very purpose, and I am delighted that we Londoners are able to find these gorgeous Finnish designs at Skandium, one of my favourite shops!

Gosh such stunning rings as well!

Thank you so much lovely for sharing this with us today.  It shows that the only thing stopping us when decorating our jewellery shelves is our own imagination – so do let it run wild and you will create something beautiful!

We are loving this vintage-inspired shelf!  I have been on the look out for some gorgeous vintage suitcases for a loong long time – just like the ones above!

And just in case you have missed the previous Your Secret Jewellery Collection-posts, two dazzlings ones are waiting for you here:

Your Secret Jewellery Collection – part 1

Your Secret Jewellery Collection – the New York Chapter

Blackbird Tea Rooms in Brighton

With the whole vintage world raving about the Blackbird Tea Rooms in Brighton, obviously we had to check it out:

Seating upstairs with old photographs, vintage china and furniture – all creating that authentic look and feel of a traditional tea room 

I obviously jumped at the opportunity to wear some red lipstick and my favourite vintage pearl necklace! 

When we arrived at the Blackbird Tea Rooms on a Friday afternoon we were immediately transported back in time: our waitress, beautifully dressed up in vintage from top to toe, showed us to our table, while Al Bowlly’s soothing voice sang out of the speakers.  I loved how everything – the decor, music, menus, photos – were so well thought through and we almost expected the Fitzgeralds to join us at our table at any moment!

… charmingly mismatching teacups and saucers added to the charm and feel of the era… 

We ordered the Cream Tea and were delighted to see that our tea arrived in beautiful vintage teapots, with lovely little silver tea bag holders on the side.  I can promise you that you will feel like a queen sipping your tea out of a vintage teacup mismatched with another style saucer!  I had the Earl Grey with Blue Flowers, as recommended by our waitress, and it really was such a great choice – what better time to try an exotic blend than this!  The Red Berries Tea so perfectly soothed a sweet tooth and went down oh so well with the scones.

Some gorgeous cream tea…

… with the most amazing scones!

The scones were absolutely delicious and the clotted cream and raspberry jam melted in our mouths, and were of course all served on quaint vintage china.  All these small details added to the exquisite charm of the tea room, and with the sea breeze softly blowing in through the open windows it was the perfect afternoon tea experience.

You will love the decor downstairs, with the funny little vintage tins populating the pretty old shelves and mouthwatering scones and cakes sitting on vintage cake stands:

… the only problem is choosing what to go for, as everything looks delicious! 

… homemade scones just waiting to be eaten…

… not to mention the stunning cakes…!

… such a lovely vintage counter with all these scrumptious sweets on display…

We also popped into the garden, which was so charming with its white walls, old wooden tables, vintage signs and sweet flowers in small teacups.  At the moment they are working on getting some gorgeous wisteria up on the wall, and I simply cannot wait to see the result!

So when you next head out to Brighton do make sure that Blackbird is on your list of places to visit.  Few other venues present such an authentic experience of travelling back in time, and enjoying some truly delicious afternoon tea in such a beautiful setting!

That perfect Father’s Day present

I don’t know about you but I think that buying a present for my father is one of the hardest things to do!  Socks, t-shirts, warm hats and scarves for winter are great, but after a while it does get a bit unimaginative.  So you can probably imagine my delight when I discovered that one of the rooms in Christique was completely dedicated to sports memorabilia and desk items:

I love the variety of sports that they cover, since not all dads are into race cars for example.  There were amazing pieces related to cricket, football, golf, sailing… the list goes on and you should check it out yourself, as you know best what your father would love!

 

… for the football crazy dad…

England vs. Australia cricket memorabilia

… antique golf clubs…

… antique barometers…

 .

All these handpicked items are in such great condition and will look stunning in any house! 

So put your discovering goggles on and dive into this sea of sports memorabilia.  With such a wide selection you are bound to find the perfect present for your father!

Your Secret Jewellery Collection – the New York Chapter

Today’s secret jewellery collection has been shared with us by an artist, currently living in New York.  A link to her website can be found here:

Keeping your jewelley in a beautiful champagne coupe is such a great idea!  It is also easy to do: hang your favourite earrings from the sides of the glass, place your bracelets and necklaces inside the glass et voila!  Now if you, just like our Lady of the Day, love mixing colours, patterns and designs, this jewellery stand will be the perfect expression of your style.  It becomes its own piece of art in your bedroom or walk in closet (one day!!)

Thank you so much for sharing this with us dear, I am pretty sure this will inspire quite a few of us to revamp our jewellery corners!