Old House Journal January/February 2022

I appreciate the dedication of the true collector, and the beautiful results. I know that collecting is preservation for the future. But, a confession: I don’t truly comprehend that drive to build, edit, and improve a collection. Some of us are architecture people, I guess, and others are objects people. I love to tour old houses, of any age, restored or decrepit. But so often old houses are owned by serious collectors, and once again I’ll find myself guided through an extraordinary display—of furniture, ceramics, textiles, or liqueurs—while smiling witlessly in the hopes of hiding my ignorance, and my impatience to get back to examining the carved newel or cracked plaster. I myself do have one very small Collection: of Depression glass. The rhyme and reason behind it: (1) I had…

ADVANCED COLLECTING If you collect Winston Churchill memorabilia, eventually you may dedicate an entire room to him, presided over by a life-size figure of the man. See that wonderful study, and collections both serious and quirky, in a new book by John Phifer Marrs. Interiors for Collectors is a delight, its text entertaining and the photographs a deep well of ideas for displaying everything from handbags to Chinese mudmen. Although much of it is about “collecting on a higher level,” the book is not just for those thinking about adding a collections wing. You’ll find family memorabilia, modest displays of silver, and miniature silhouettes along with ideas on arranging china, books, and oil paintings. The last chapter is “The Art and How-To of Displaying a Collection,” and it’s full of great…

1. HIGH PROFILE Designed and hand-hammered by master coppersmith Antonio Ziranda, the Collector’s series copper pitcher is on the tall side, at 17", but its oval foot-print is small enough to fit on a narrow mantel: $490. Cobre/Susan Hebert Imports, (503) 248-1111, ecobre.com 2. SAIL ON, SAILOR “Solla Sollew” is Holly Bird’s interpretation of an English Drascombe Dabber under sail. The 5" x 7" block print is composed of nine colors, meticulously hand-printed by this Roycroft Renaissance Master Artisan. The print is $150 matted, or $270 framed. Studio Ibis, (727) 781-6888, studioibis.com 3. YELLOW ROSES Inspired by the work of Scots designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the cast-pewter Delaney’s Rose suite is shown in enameled blue and yellow. The knob measures 17/16" in diameter. The pull is 3" center to center. $37.99 to $47.99. Notting Hill…

1. THE REAL THING Shown in coated brass, the reproduction showerhead is a close replica of a 1910 original. The head measures 4 ¾" in diameter and comes with a matching pipe shower arm and escutcheon in a choice of five finishes. As shown: $154.90. Bathroom Machineries, (800) 255-4426, deabath.com 2. QUICK CONVERSION Transform an exposed shower in minutes with the Spectra Versa system. The set includes an 11" rain-showerhead, a multi-function hand shower, and a pushbutton diverter. It connects to an existing shower outlet without tools or damage to tiles: $401.20–$502.35. American Standard, (855) 815-0004, americanstandard-us.com 3. OCTAGONAL FLOW Fashioned in classic Art Deco style, the Gramercy wall-mounted octagonal showerhead features a 3 ¾" diameter head and comes with a 7 ½" arm and octagonal escutcheon. Made in Brooklyn, it comes in 25 finishes,…

GOONLINE TO VOTE! READERS’ PICK FACEBOOK.COM/OLDHOUSEJOURNAL NEW BERN, NC /$319,900 This rambling, 1917 Arts & Crafts bungalow is enfolded by a wraparound porch and a porte cochere. Inside: grand, paneled entry foyer, multiple colonnades between formal rooms, a coffered ceiling in the dining room. MINNEAPOLIS, MN /$389,400 Many period details remain in this 1921 stucco bungalow—from a brick fireplace flanked by original cabinets to double French doors between formal rooms and a built-in buffet in the dining room. The oak floors are original, too. SACRAMENTO, CA /$599,000 A classic 1912 California Craftsman bungalow in dark shingles, this one has exposed rafter tails and its original front door. Formal rooms downstairs have coved ceilings. Most of the trim and wainscots have never been painted. TAYLORS, SC /$375,000 A storey-and-a-half Arts & Crafts bungalow with a full porch, this ca. 1930 home…

We’ve been working hard on our 1929 Craftsman home. When I posted our kitchen remodel on a Facebook group home page, I was encouraged to send pictures to OHJ. To think, a year ago we were washing dishes in the bathtub—and there was a gaping hole in the bathroom wall. We have more to do, but I’m pretty proud of how far we’ve come. We bought the house, a stuccoed bungalow, in July of 2020; basically, every room needed some love. It’s a solid house with lots of original things still intact—only one family had owned it before we bought it from the daughter of the couple who built it. We removed carpet in most rooms and three flooring layers in the kitchen to find beautiful pine floors. The kitchen and single…