A caryatid is an architectural support sculpted in the form of a female figure, most used in classical architecture as a decorative alternative to the basic column support. Perhaps the most famous example can be seen at the Erechtheion or Temple of Athena Polias at the Acropolis in Athens. Although the caryatids currently in place at the Erechtheion are later replicas, five of the originals can be seen at the nearby Acropolis Museum.
In an interview originally conducted for the BADA Young Friends magazine “Inherited.”, editor Beth Hodges meets milliner Lottie Fenby.
This month, Inherited. is exploring the craft of Millinery. Before we introduce this month’s maker in the spotlight, it is important for us to take a look at the rich history that has led Lottie Fenby to be in the profession she is today.
With grateful thanks to BADA member David Buck of Steppes Hill Farm Antiques.
The vesta case or match safe as they are known in the US, is a small pocket-sized receptacle designed specifically for carrying friction matches. First invented by the English chemist John Walker in 1826, friction matches could ignite accidentally when carried loosely so the vesta case quickly became an everyday essential.
Invented in 1641 by the German soldier and amateur printmaker Ludwig von Siegen, mezzotint is a monochrome printmaking technique that allows the maker to create subtle mid-tones between black and white. The term itself derives from the Italian ‘mezzo-tinto’, meaning half-tone or half-painted.
One of the cornerstones of early British Art Pottery, William De Morgan’s beguiling creations are amongst the finest of the Arts and Crafts movement. A prolific producer of household tiles, his iconic designs became an essential and often imitated element of mid-Victorian interior design.
Biedermeier is a cultural movement that originated from Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and the subsequent political reorganisation of Western Europe. As France’s influence waned and a new era of peace and stability settled over the continent, so the concept of Biedermeier evolved in Austria, Germany, Northern Italy, and Scandinavia.
Founded in Paris in 1847, Cartier is one of the world's leading brands in designer jewellery, fine watchmaking, and luxury leather goods. Famously described by King Edward VII as "the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers", their eye-catching works are worn by royalty and celebrity worldwide.
In stark contrast to their contemporary image, the Cartier story began with relatively humble origins. Founder Louis-François Cartier was born in Paris in 1819 to Pierre, a metal worker by trade, and Elisabeth, who worked as a washerwoman.
Egg and dart is a style of decorative motif commonly used in neoclassical architecture, furniture and silverware. The design is comprised of alternating bas-relief ovoid objects, and pointed V-shaped ornaments, resembling eggs and arrowheads. Hence the unusual term egg and dart, although the style is also known in some circles as 'egg-and-anchor', 'egg-and-tongue', and even 'egg-and-star'.
Renowned for his vivid and vibrant works, French post-Cubist painter Claude Venard brought a palpable and compelling joie de vivre to his oeuvre which continues to resonate with new audiences the world over.
Born in 1913, Venard enrolled in the Ecole des Arts Appliques, Paris at age 17, where he began to develop his charismatic style. In order make ends meet, Claude supplemented his studies by working as a restorer at the Louvre, work which also provided valuable experience for his blossoming talents.
BADA member David Buck of Steppes Hill Farm Antiques explores the history of the Mote Spoon.
The tiniest mote of dust, or a tiny piece of a substance; a speck, is how the Oxford English Dictionary describes the Old English word 'mote'. Despite its high price and desirability, tea would still have been imported and sold in a relatively crude state in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, containing plenty of dust and large tea leaves or motes.
Originally conceived in the mid-17th century, the bracket clock was designed as a small wall-mounted timepiece. The earliest versions were powered by a weight-driven pendulum and stood on a matching wall-mounted shelf which allowed space for the weights to hang. Hence the term bracket clock.
A corner stone of English vernacular country furnishings since the early 16th century, the cricket table is one Britain’s most popular and practical pieces of furniture.
Constructed in durable native English hardwoods, such as oak, elm, ash or sycamore, cricket tables are incredibly versatile and virtually indestructible. The classic table traditionally takes the form of a rounded top, standing on three splayed tripod legs, united by an under-tier shelf or stretcher.