An armchair belonging to Marie-Antoinette — was sold at Christie's. Guess how much it fetched. Updated July 9, 2015: As Lot 18, the gilded Marie Antoinette armchair sold within the first 30 to 45 minutes of Christie's sale. It was estimated to fetch between half and three-quarters of a million dollars. Auction sales prices are always unpredictable and this last highly … [Read more...]
Sofa Story
A work of art, this antique needlepoint sofa has stunning details and a fascinating history. During the late 18th century English women were known for certain attributes: the size of their hair and the cut of their dresses. Georgiana Cavendish -- the ill-fated Duchess of Devonshire – also was a famed beauty, disastrous love affairs, and gambling compulsion eventually did her … [Read more...]
Mantel Jars and Vases
Sets of ceramics, known as garniture, have been timeless fireplace mantel decoration for centuries. It’s always fascinating to see the creativity people bring to the decorating a fireplace mantel. Inevitably, the fireplace becomes a focal point in a room. Because fireplace walls tend to be symmetrical (and problematic if not) the starting point, in my mind, is a quick look at … [Read more...]