Homes & Antiques February 2022

Although Valentine’s Day is not a celebration we take especially seriously at H&A , there is no denying the saint’s influence on art and antiques over the centuries. And, with that in mind, you’ll find that a number of our features have a somewhat romantic air. On page 34, Willa Latham traces the history of the charming putti and whimsical depictions of Cupid that appear on so much early British porcelain, while our Style Now wishlist (p32) is devoted to loving cups. In his regular column, Luke Honey discusses the extraordinarily elaborate cages commissioned by wealthy enthusiasts for their beloved birds. And on our travel pages, Rhiannon Batten has sought out the best escapes for a romantic weekend away (p120). Elsewhere in this issue, Janet Gleeson examines the emergence of…

Janet is an established freelance journalist, author and stylist, specialising in writing interiors and lifestyle features for a wide variety of national and international publications. (@janetmcmeekinwriter) ‘My vintage printer’s tray means a lot to me. It’s the perfect place to display treasures that I’ve collected, from an antique silver box containing my son’s first blonde curl, to an heirloom gold ring.’ Tamsyn is a photographer and stylist, who is passionate about telling the visual story of homes and collections. On her blog she shares her story of creating a beautiful home with thrifted, antique and vintage pieces. (@tamsynmorgans) ‘I collect old furniture and textiles, because I love the faded colours and the patina; they add layers of warmth and history to my home.’ Alice is a writer, stylist and online fair organiser. (@alice.roberton) ‘Having grown…

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 Fantastic beasts I really enjoyed reading Willa Latham’s article about the porcelain painters of the 18th century and particularly Jefferyes Hamett O’Neale’s fabulous lion. Clearly the man had never seen a lion and was relying on a described image for his depiction, which explains its odd appearance. In Sheffield’s magnificent Cutlers’ Hall, there is a profusion of images of elephants whose ivory, in less enlightened times, was used for handles. There too, most of the elephants are rather weird looking and some are positively surreal as the artists had never seen one. Imagine describing an elephant! It’s interesting that these animals which are now so familiar to us were such rare and exotic beasts back then. Fiona Rusling, Sheffield Lucky escape Having read…

1 the ANTIQUE SENTIMENTAL JEWELLERY With Valentine’s Day coming up, our thoughts turn to special gifts for loved ones. Sentimental jewellery dates back to the late 17th century but its heyday was the period from 1760 to 1860. ‘Popular motifs include serpents representing eternal love, forget-me-not flowers, hearts, and ‘fede’ – two clasped right hands from the Italian mani in fede meaning ‘hands in trust’,’ says Jennifer Tonkin, Bonhams’ senior jewellery specialist. Also, from the late 18th century it became fashionable for lovers to exchange eye miniatures for viewing in private. ‘George, Prince of Wales, and Maria Fitzherbert famously exchanged eye miniatures. Only the owner of the miniature knew who the eye belonged to and many were lost or discarded after the owner’s death, making them less common today,’ adds Jennifer. At auction,…

A Victorian carriage with strong Devon connections has been donated to the National Trust’s Carriage Museum at Arlington Court in Devon. The carriage, which was owned by the Chichester family (one of the most prominent families in Devon for 500 years), was driven by coachman Thomas Pedler to take members of the family from their home, near Barnstaple, to town and back. It was donated by Thomas’s great-grandson Garth Pedler, who acquired the carriage in 1996. The vehicle, which is bright yellow with a black roof over the passenger compartment, still carries the crest of the Chichester family. Originally designed as a family travelling carriage, it was later converted into a larger, less formal, carriage for regular family use. Now joining the collection of more than 40 historic carriages at the…

“We tell the story of Petersfield and the surrounding villages through the museum’s 22,000 objects. Our collections range from artwork by a local artist called Flora Twort, who was working here during the 20th century, to historical costumes donated by the local school, Bedales, which had used them in theatrical productions. Our social history collection covers a wide range of economic and cultural history from the Petersfield area. Between 2014 and 2017, the museum undertook archaeological digs on Petersfield Heath. We uncovered bronze age burial urns from a cemetery and found the fossilised remains of a wooden handle that would have been used to carry a sack of cremated remains to the graves. Nothing like that has ever been found before, and The British Museum was quite interested in it. We…