Eclectica Antique Shop – chapter III

We have reached the final chapter of our Eclectica Art and Antiques-adventure, and today we are exploring the upstairs of the shop.  When you first enter an antique shop it can seem a bit overwhelming, with lots of things everywhere, and it takes a little while to start seeing pieces that are of interest to you.  The more you visit them however, the better you will get at spotting your favourites.  Of course it also helps when the shop is brightly lit and tidy!  We found a beautiful piece from Villeroy and Boch at Eclectica and I was wondering if you can spot it in the photo below?

Eclectica’s stunning collection of antique paintings  

… well here it is:

Villeroy and Boch German 19th Century R7500

Villeroy and Boch German 19th Century R7500

I popped over to the Villeroy and Boch website and was positively surprised to find a whole page dedicated to Swedish Christmas!  There is a picture of your typical Swedish countryside cottage: painted red with white corners and window frames in knee-deep snow – so breathtakingly beautiful.  The design of the piece above is so pretty, I love the colours and the two guard dragons.  However, I can’t figure out exactly what it is – any ideas?

Ceramic Lamp 20th Century R4900

Antique ceramic lamp

Then there was this beautiful ceramic lamp which I couldn’t help but photograph.  It has such an intricate pattern and the gold details perfect the other colours.  It has that understated elegance we so often look for and would just love to have it in my living room!

“Rooftops” – oil painting by South African artist Gail van Lingen

They also had so many beautiful paintings hanging in the shop and you should see the one above in real life!  The cliffs plunge so beautifully into the ocean and I love how clear the water is; you can almost see the rocks continue into the depths, with soft waves playing on the surface.  The painting is called “Rooftops” and I must say that it is a favourite subject of mine.  Here in London there is a beautiful view when you are on the District Line, going from Parsons Green to Putney Bridge, on your left hand side.  The tube carriages fly by a sea of tin roofs, with a couple of red brick houses so proudly stretching up towards the sky in their midst.  For me rooftops are easily the most beautiful view you can get in a city – what about you?

Eclectica Art and Antiques, Wynberg, Cape Town

A big thank you to Eclectica for having us over!  You can find the other two blog posts here:

Eclectica Antique Shop in Wynberg, Cape Town – chapter I

Eclectica Antique Shop in Wynberg, Cape Town – chapter II

Eclectica Antique Shop in Wynberg, Cape Town – chapter II

As promised, here is the second part of our visit to Eclectica, the lovely antique shop in beautiful Wynberg, Cape Town.  I would like to dedicate today’s post to their fabulous collection of antique sculptures:

Demitri Chiparus (1886 – 1947) Lady and the Lionesses

I was especially fond of two sculptures (above and below here) and it turned out that they were made by the same artist – Demitri Chiparus (1886 – 1947).  Chiparus was a Romanian artist living in Paris during the Roaring Twenties, and he designed the most stunning Art Deco decorative bronze sculptures.

He drew inspiration from Russian dancers, ancient Egyptian art and French theatre and was especially skillful in capturing movements.  He presented his subjects in the most elegant ways and we have a wonderful example in the photo above, where you can see how the hemline drapes around the lady’s legs in the most lifelike-manner.  She has also been captured so beautifully mid-movement with her two lionesses.

The beautifully decorated upstairs…

Demitri Chiparus “Friends Forever”

Demitri Chiparus “Friends Forever”

The Art Deco movement was inevitably influenced by ancient Egypt, with the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, which also became a prevalent feature in Chiparus’ pieces.  He never visited Egypt, so his sculptures of Cleopatra and Egyptian dancers were created with a vivid imagination and were not necessarily historically accurate.  I would however say that this is the case with so much art in the world; personal interpretation is predominant even when the artist has seen the subject in question with their own eyes!

Bronze statue and clock

Bronze statue and clock

I also loved the clock sculpture above, with the man and his horse caught in a struggle.

Maurice Guiraud-Riviere Art Deco Gold Patina Bronze Sculpture

This was another extraordinary sculpture of two dancers, made by the Art Deco sculptor Maurice Guiraud-Riviere (1881-1947).  He mostly created bronze sculptures portraying women, sports, aviation and cars.

Eclectica Antique Shop in Wynberg, Cape Town – chapter I

Eclectica Art and Antiques, 11 A Wolfe Street, Chelsea Village, Wynberg, Cape Town

On my way back from Long Street in Cape Town – where I visited our favourite Jewel Tree and Joy’s Collectables – I stopped by a beautiful looking antique shop in the heart of Wynberg.  The first thing that I noticed was the wonderful condition of the pieces of furniture, and secondly I loved how bright and welcoming the shop was.  There is nothing better than visiting antique shops that are light and airy, as opposed to the ones that make you feel like you have just entered a dark coffin!

Rococo Style Cabinet, Italian, early 20th Century, Handpainted wood

Oh this Roccoco-style cabinet was just fabulous: beautifully hand painted in Italy sometime in the early 20th century.  Rococo style had its heyday from about 1730 to 1770, but the style lingered on and could be found in furniture, silver and ceramics a long time after that (1).  The style was found less in architecture, as it was developed by designers, as opposed to architects.  This becomes very clear in the asymmetry of Rococo style, where one half doesn’t match the other – so the opposite of for example the structured Art Deco design!

Beautiful handpainted details and I just love the colours here

Rococo Style Cabinet, Italian, early 20th Century, Handpainted wood

We can see the typical natural motifs featured in the painted cabinet above as well as the curved forms that were so common in Rococo.

How much do we love this frosted crystal Lalique cat!

Vincent da Silva – “Walking Cheetah” and “After Remington”

Antique equestrian painting

Petite Chest of Drawers, French 19th century – hand painted, marble top R15500

Porcelain ballerina mid-dance movement

Antique painting

I simply had to take a photo of this painting as this beautiful lady reminded me of a friend of mine!  It is such a lovely painting of a young lady looking so delicate in all her beauty.

I decided to split up our visit to Eclectica into two parts, as there is just so much to see, so we will come back to them shortly to explore their beautiful upstairs area.

Sources:

(1) Rococo History – V&A Museum

Casa Labia in Muizenberg, Cape Town

I couldn’t possibly be more excited about writing today’s post, as we are finally visiting my all time favourite venue: the beautiful Casa Labia in Muizenberg, South Africa.

Casa Labia in Muizenberg, Cape Town

You will see the building on your left hand side when you drive along the Main Road toward Muizenberg from Kalk Bay.  The exterior is very elegant and mighty handsome, but it doesn’t give away the incredible splendour that awaits you inside… Let me keep you on your toes for a little while longer, while we explore the romantic garden at the back:

The garden and outdoor cafe of Casa Labia 

The garden where you can go for a lovely stroll with a view of:

… False Bay with its whales, dolphins and seals!

Casa Labia was built in 1929 as the residence of Count Natale and Countess Ida Labia.  The Count was Italy’s diplomatic representative in South Africa, so it was imperative that the house represented Italy in style as well as character.  He decided to build it in the spirit of 18th century Venice, and in order to get it absolutely perfect the interior decorator Angelo Zaniol was brought over from Venice to carry out the work.

Venetian style curtains

Casa Labia, Muizenberg, South Africa, Venetian architecture and interior decor

All the interior fittings – everything from furniture, mirrors and fabrics – were of course imported from Venice.  Angelo remained in Cape Town for the rest of his life, and some of his works – he was also an artist – are still hanging in the dining room.  On our last visit we spent a long time admiring all the period typical features in the different rooms:

Venetian architecture and design

Everything was imported from Venice when the house was built…

Count Natal Labia died in 1936, and the Government provided a grand state funeral to honour his long association with South Africa.  The Count’s goodness, generosity and hospitality were praised around the country, as he had been a great source of inspiration to so many others.

Countess Ida Labia

Countess Ida moved to Hawthornden, Wynberg with her two sons after the funeral, and for a long time she refused to set foot in Casa Labia.  She only returned in later years to spend summer holidays at the house.  After her death in 1961 the house was leased to various governments and only when the ownership returned to the Labia family in 2008 was the house restored to its original glory and reopened to the public two years later.

The beautifully painted ceiling in the Casa Labia cafe

It is now one of South Africa’s most exquisite multi-functional cultural centre.  I have enjoyed a couple of wonderful lunches in their cafe – and I really must recommend the Spinach and Ricotta Pancakes with Gorgonzola Sauce, as it is just amazing!  The menu is wonderfull planned and I would boldly state that the cafe is the most beautiful place in the world.  The staff is always welcoming and very happy to tell you interesting stories about this little bit of paradise on earth!

The cafe/restaurant of Casa Labia

The cafe of Casa Labia which you can hire for the most wonderful weddings or birthday parties

Casa Labia can now also be hired for events, and it is the perfect venue for weddings, special birthday celebrations etc – you can click here for more information.  The upstairs area has become the home to a contemporary South African art gallery; the newly launched afro-chic CasBah Design Boutique.