Homes & Antiques March 2022

Welcome to the March issue of H&A, which is filled with our usual mix of stimulating features, beautiful interiors, covetable antiques and expert advice. Fans of the Antiques Roadshow will enjoy Janet Gleeson’s lovely account of filming in Edinburgh last summer (p86). Reading her interviews with presenters and crew, I was not only struck by the show’s remarkable longevity, but also by the way it taps into a near-universal fascination with the past. And this fascination is, of course, key to the appeal of antiques: they bring history to life, holding the stories of our forebears and allowing us, in a very literal sense, to connect with them. Moorcroft is a name that regularly pops up on the Antiques Roadshow and, this year, the company celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth…

Homes & Antiques, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST homesandantiques@immediate.co.uk facebook.com/homesantiques twitter.com/homes_antiques instagram.com/homes_antiques pinterest.co.uk/homesantiques Post-lockdown Fix After a long lockdown not being able to get to the library for my Homes & Antiques fix, I am loving the inspiration. The October article on sisters Louise Hodgins and Suzanne Branfoot showing items from their online store prompted me to style my own little table. Thanks for giving me a lift. Helen Vavala, Melbourne, Australia A Stitch in Time I have just reread the ‘Fabric of Life’ article by Celia Rufey in your January issue, and looked more closely at the picture of the sampler worked by Sarah Burcher in 1804. About six years ago I went to Detling Antiques Fair in Kent with my mother. One of the stalls was selling a collection of samplers, and two of…

1 the ANTIQUE FLOWER BRICKS Spring is here and Mother’s Day too, and our thoughts turn to bringing cut flowers into the house. Back in the 18th century there was a fashion for using ‘flower bricks’ to display sweet scented blooms such as daffodils, lilac, roses and daisies. These sturdy, decorative vessels were often made in pairs, presumably to put on either side of a dresser, shelf or mantelpiece. They often rest on bracket feet and usually have a central opening to pour water into, plus a collection of smaller holes (often 12, six on each side) to place single stems in. Historic evidence for their use as domestic flower containers has been found by researchers at the Victoria and Albert Museum on an antique painted chimney board depicting them thus, and…

A rare and beautiful spinet that once belonged to Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples (1782–1839) was sold at The Cotswold Auction Company’s Christmas sale on 14th December, predictably attracting a raft of attention. The figured wood and satinwood-lined spinet had been passed down through generations of the Hepburn family after it was given in 1828 to George Hepburn, thought by the family to have been one of Caroline’s lovers while she was in Trieste, Italy. The piece, which measures just 68cm x 39.5cm, sold for £2,528, reaching its estimate of £2,000–£3,000. Caroline was Napoleon’s sister, and married a general on his staff, Joachim Murat. Napoleon made the couple King and Queen of Naples in 1808, but their political ambitions saw them ally with Napoleon’s enemies and Joachim was executed in 1815.…

“I have been working at Dulwich Picture Gallery for over six years; I started as Assistant Curator and was appointed as Curator of the gallery in November 2021. Previously, I worked at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and The National Gallery, where I was selected onto their highly competitive curatorial training scheme. I am a specialist in 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting, but the breadth of the Dulwich collection means I can stick my nose into other areas too, which I think helps to satisfy my natural curiosity. As the world’s first purpose-built public art museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery is a truly special place, combining inspiring architecture and incredible Old Masters, all within the idyllic surrounds of Dulwich Village. I love the gallery so much, I even got married here! There is…

Iconic vessels The beautiful enamel jugs from Falcon serve all manner of uses. Not just for table water, filled with seasonal flowers, they also make stunning vases. They come in three sizes and various colours, including our favourites, Spring Green and Samphire Green. They also look good sitting empty on a shelf when not in use, starring as part of a kitchen display rather than hidden away in a cupboard. From £26 for a one-pint jug. falconenamelware.com FRILLS & SPILLS A giant bath mat with ruffles? Yes, please. This beautifully handwoven mat with frills and a coloured trim, made from reclaimed cotton, is much more than a household essential – it’s the icing on the cake for your dream bathroom. £50, from Matilda Goad. matildagoad.com A DOSE OF NOSTALGIA Fashion stylist and TV presenter Louise…