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Forms with Resonance: Garden Drum Stools
Continue ReadingPerhaps the most recognizable form in Chinese furniture is the classic drum-form. Distinguished by its rounded shape and barrel-like swell, the Chinese drum stool could be found all throughout the traditional home – whether placed beside a table for a lively group gathering or tucked within a garden for a moment of quiet. Drum stools […]
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Collection Spotlight: Pottery to Guide the Spirit
Continue ReadingEarthy textures, sculptural forms and a natural palette of creme white, rust red and terracotta orange – some of the many reasons we’re in love with the extraordinary early ceramics of China’s Yunnan province. We’re honored to have recently become stewards of a rare collection of 14th-century offering vessels from Yunnan, each one utterly unique […]
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Collection Spotlight: Horse Eyes from the Kiln
Continue ReadingThis lunar new year, we usher in the Year of the Fire Horse, the 7th animal of the 12-year lunar cycle and a powerful creature associated with strength, peace and imminent blessings. Horses are celebrated in Chinese art in various forms, shown as faithful steeds in scroll paintings & screens or as celestial beings in […]
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Quiet Luxury: Lozano Jolas Interiors at the 54th Cooks’ Home Tour
Continue ReadingWith an eye for sophistication, it’s no wonder design firm Lozano Jolas Interiors was invited to redesign a featured home in the 54th Annual Cooks’ Tour benefit, a one-day tour of four magnificent properties across Chicago’s North Shore in support of the Rush University Medical Center. Partnering with PAGODA RED to create an unforgettable experience, […]
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Blue & White: Designer Suzan Hadaway on Collecting
Continue ReadingOpen a decor magazine, or your design socials, and an encounter with blue & white Chinese porcelain seems inevitable. There it is, on a mantel in London, in an elaborate tablescape in Paris, on the white oak shelves of a sunny loft. The centuries-old craft, with its endless pattern variations and perennially popular colorway, has […]
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Fashion’s Eye on Monstrous Beauty: At The Met with Betsy Nathan & Sarah Hand
Continue ReadingThere’s still time to catch Monstrous Beauty: A Feminist Revision of Chinoiserie at The Met on view through August 17th. I was lucky enough to see it with my dear friend from Hamilton College, Sarah Hand. She has extraordinary taste and has been a fashion insider for over 30 years. While I was visiting New […]
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Hints of History: Alice Benjamin & Andrea Schumacher Make What’s Old New Again
Continue ReadingInfusing soul and depth to a space—be it in a contemporary or vintage home—is a top priority for many of our favorite designers. This is where antiquities play a pivotal role, making a home feel collected, thoughtful and, perhaps most importantly, deeply personal. The delicate craftsmanship of Qing dynasty Chinese latticework and vernacular furniture adds […]
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Sculpting with Color: The Art of Peking Glass
Continue ReadingAlthough practiced for centuries, Chinese glass-making gained prominence during the Qing-dynasty with the introduction of Peking glass. Originally used for the production of snuff bottles, a favored imperial gift, Peking glass has origins in the Kangxi period (1662-1722), when the Emperor first established a glassmaking workshop in the imperial palace in Beijing. Adapting Italian glass […]
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Pipe Dreams: The Opulence of Chinese Opium Accessories
Continue ReadingBeginning in the 18th century, recreational opium smoking became an entire culture unto itself, replete with beautifully crafted paraphernalia that provided an opportunity to express one’s taste and aesthetic refinement. We’re honored to have recently become stewards of a vast collection of antique Chinese opium accessories. A feat of collecting that took a decade to […]
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As You Wish: The Ruyi Symbol and Magical Mushrooms in Chinese & Japanese Decorative Arts
Continue ReadingIn modern pop culture, “as you wish” is the catchphrase of secretive pirates and all-powerful genies. Say it aloud at a party, and film fans will immediately think of Wesley’s devotion to Buttercup in The Princess Bride. It’s a phrase from fiction, one that builds on our fascination with objects and people that could magically […]
