Corner of my parlor part two

Corner of my parlor

My Rosewood Rococo Revival furniture is in storage in New Orleans one of the fun places I use to live. So as of now my parlor is almost bare. I did paint the walls a faded French blue from a 1830's Louis Philippe engraving. I hung the antique silk damask drapery that I bought in Baltimore on Howard street. I hung a pair of 1850's portraits of husband and wife on each end of the window. There eyes follow you around the room. In front of one window is a copy that I had made of a 18th century French Louisiana Creole table with Old Paris porcelain objects & carved 18th century water gilded fragments. the other window has a singed 1851 portrait of a woman in mourning in it's original gold gilt Rococo Revival frame. Between the windows are a pair of 1840 late classical chairs from a set of 4 attributed to African American antebellum cabinetmaker Thomas Day. With turn of the century pedestal holding a large 1850's Old Paris porcelain flared vase with painting of people in gondolas in a beautiful land and waterscape . I have been marbleizing the baseboards to look like Black Egyptian gold vain marble popular in America during the first half of the 19th century. I have order handblocked French wallpaper border of red drapery swag with gold tassels that pick up colors in the room. 

                                                                               
                                 Early 19th century style French classical handblocked wallpaper border

Pair of French 1850's Carcel lamps with mid 19th century wax Shrine doll of Jesus I bought in the South of France {note that Jesus is depicted as a boy form the 1850's with popular corn ringlets hair style}

The original hardwood heart pine floors are covered in linoleum and I will restore them. When finished the parlor with have two 1850's New Orleans rosewood sofa's facing each other with a 1840's Empire marble top center table in the center. Side table to the sofa's will be Federal and Empire work tables. Damask covered Rococo Revival arm, side and balloon back chairs will be scattered all around the room. My 1850's Gilt pier mirror with marble top base between the front door and window. A 1820's Baltimore plantation desk made of Cuban mahogany with oval Rococo gilt mirror over the desk. To the side of the sofa a 1830's Alabama made cherry wood jelly cupboard with a pair of 1850's Paris made Carcel lamps made of pressed gilt brass with a 1850's French shrine doll of baby Jesus made of wax, blond human hair under it's original glass dome. When finished the room will be a show place of mid 19th century style and grace although it might not be a comfortable room to sit in for my friends. It's what I want and like. Sometimes you have to treat your self.

1830's Alabama made cherry wood jelly cupboard

Corner of my parlor

Corner of my parlor

I'm restoring a turn-of-the century bungalow in Mobile, Alabama. Although the out side looks like a 100 year old Art's & Crafts home the interior has nice plain details. As I plan to have a more mid 19th century look inside of the home as most of my furniture dates from 1820-1860. The inside needs lot's of work. Plaster repair. The original hardwood floors are covered in linoleum. Two weeks after moving in I was trying to figure out what color blue I would paint my parlor. I had the colors of the room. Blue, Gold and Burgundy. The walls would be some color of blue. My mid 19th century Rosewood Rococo Revival furniture would be covered in a period silk wine damask and a few pieces covered in burgundy silk velvet.

Before moving back to Mobile I bought 4 pairs of burgundy damask drapery that are over 100 years old. The gold would come from the many gold leaf framed artwork, including a pair of portraits in ornate gold frames and a large 1850's gold leaf pier mirror with marble base. Although I know what I like and want I'm not that good with picking color at first. I was going to go with a dark color of blue when my friend David {who is fabulous with color} dropped me off to my home after a lovely visit at his 1859 Greek Revival cottage stepped in for a min. He picked up a 1830's French Louis Philippe engraving I had on the table and held it up on the wall between my gilt leaf pier mirror and antique drapery.

The engraving depicts a nude woman in a bedroom interior. The mat was a topical faded French blue mat you see on Antique French prints. "This is the color you should paint your walls" David said. I looked at the mat and engraving and noticed it had all of the colors of the room in and it worked very well. I said I will paint the room that color, the next day I went to Sherwin-Williams and had the color custom made from the antique mat. Boy that was easy it's nice having friends that can help you out with decorating.

The 1830's engraving that started it all

I decorated a corner of my parlor in the early 19th century Federal style. Painted Baltimore Classical fancy side chair circa 1830-40. Painted Baltimore Federal pier table attributed to John and Hugh Finlay circa 1810-1825. On the pier table a 1790's Old Paris porcelain Neoclassical Navette shape dish by painted by the Deroche factory and made by the Petit Carousel factory in Paris . A pair of reproduction 18th century style brass candlesticks. A rare French Empire ormolu gilt chariot clock circa 1805. Over the table a 1820's Thomas Sully framed pier mirror found in Baltimore. Over the chair a Louis XVI framed Old Paris porcelain painted plaque of a American subject with Greek Revival building in Background. I marbleized the baseboards to look like Black Egyptian gold vain marble popular in America during the first half of the 19th century.                                                                  

 

1839 pincushion that belonged to King Jerome, brother of Napoleon

Detail of stuff

On the chair a dated 1839 pincushion that belonged to King Jerome of Westphalia, brother of Napoleon. The central figure of Napoléon hand embroidered is coped from the figure of Napoléon on the bronze NeoClassical Column in the Place Vendôme in Paris, France. Jerome had visited Mobile, Alabama in the 1820's and his guitar is in a period house museum here in Mobile. On the table a 18th century cup and saucer made by French Queen Marie Antoinette's Paris factory called Rue Thiroux decorated in the cornflower pattern that she made popular during the last quarter of the 18th century.  
                                                                       

1830's Paris porcelain portrait of a American gentleman with detail of a Greek Revival building and dome.

                                                                           

Period still life

I love nothing more then decorating with period Antebellum Antiques. I set up this display a few months ago after I bought the beautiful early 19th century American flint cut glass pedestal bowl at a antique mall in Fairhope AL, I like going antique shopping with other like minded Antique enthuses like my dear friends David & Simona. They own a 1859 center hall Greek Revival cottage here in Mobile, Alabama. We like to play a game when we go to Antiques shops to see who can find the best antebellum item for a good price. I won that day as this rare American piece of glass was 75% off I don't remember the price but when I paid for it, it was a little over 10 dollars with tax. The deal of the day! The background for this setting is a Baltimore 1820's Federal Plantation desk made out of flamed Cuban Mahogany. Next to the glass bowl is a 1850's Old Paris porcelain flared vase with red clover I found in a field. Just visible next to the vase is a hand carved French Napoleon lll 1850's gold leaf drapery rod end.

How would beignets & café au lait be served 200 years ago?

I don't have a lot of time on my hands but when I do I like to treat myself in first half of the 19th century hospitality style. Having discovered the secret ingredient left out of the Café du Monde beignet mix {salt & suger} I have been making beignets almost every day. One day I thought If I were living 200 years ago how would this New Orleans Creole treat be served. As I love to stage I look thru my collection of decorative arts and found all of the components to set up a early 19th century feast. Late 18th century English serving dish marked by Royal Crown Derby with gold gilt lion face mask and handpainted cornflowers one of French Queen Marie Antoinette's favorite flower. Because of her, porcelain painted with cornflowers became popular during the last quarter of the 18th century. The plate also painted with cornflowers and gold gilt stars is attributed to the English Royal Crown Derby factory but is unmarked, dates from the late 18th century early 19th century. The Rare Empire Paris porcelain café au lait Cup and saucer painted with a exotic tropical bird dates from the early 19th century as well as the American Philadelphia made coin silver spoon next to the cup. This was a treat to experience food as it would have been served 200 years ago!

1850's Lithograph of boy in a dress I got for $26.00

Portrait of a boy

I woke up Friday morning around 5am to go to a Mobile, AL antiques estate sale at 8pm. Friday is always regular price day at estate sales so I just go to look and see if there is anything I want on Sunday when the prices are 60% off. I ended up buying a Napoleon lll 1860's Old Paris porcelain vase & a very well done early 19th century oil genre painting of a man playing a violin at regular price. I did not want to chance out on theses two pieces disappearing before Sunday discount day plus the price was right for them.

Old Paris porcelain vase I bought

Oil Painting I bought

There was a few pieces that I would come back for on Sunday. One half of a 1820's Baltimore made Mahogany banquet table that once belong to a good friend that has passed. A 1840's cut glass grape etched decanter. Some 18th century style Louis XVI wall brackets, and my favorite a large mid 19th century hand colored Lithograph of a boy in blue dress sitting on a pillow with drum by hissid in it's original Black walnut and gold leaf liner frame.

The hand colored Lithograph reminded me of the work of American Lilly Martin Spencer, one of the most popular and widely reproduced American female genre painters in the mid-nineteenth century. She painted domestic scenes, women and children in a warm happy atmosphere. The colors of the Lithograph would go well in my blue, gold and Burgundy parlor furnished with 1850's American Rococo Revival rosewood seating furniture accented with Federal & Empire tables.

Something told me I should buy this lovely painting Friday at the regular price of $65.00 but I wanted to take that chance to see of I could get it for 60% off the already low price on Sunday morning. After thinking about the painting all Friday night I thought I should get it the next day @ 30% off. I had to go out of town the next day to pick up some French chairs and would go after. But the chairs tuck too long to puck up as I was in traffic for over a hour coming back due to a accident. I did talk to my cousin that went and the painting of the boy was still there.

Up and early Sunday morning I and a friend was about 15th in line waiting for the doors to open at 10. Standing in line I thought some of theses people are here for my boy, I have to be fast and try not to run over any old people. As the doors open I was the first person to run up to him and grab him off the wall. I was very happy as I got everything I had come for. As I was buying the lithograph I was told by the seller that it came from an Old Mobile estate, even better as I try to furnished my place with local made Antiques or pieces that have been in local collections for a long time like this piece.

I could not wait to get my new found treasure home so I could clean the years of yellow nicotine off of the glass and wax the black walnut frame. After I hung it on my parlor wall. I lit a candle and held it up to the lithograph and found the faint signature "Lafosse" on the velvet tasseled pillow the boy was sitting on. Confirming the lithograph was after Lilly Martin Spencer! Lafosse located in Paris, France Published Lilly's painting into stone lithographs that were latter hand colored and sold to the American public. I was excited to find this signature as I have own her lithograph's of children in the past with the same mark. At a Baltimore auction I bought a 1850's frame with a 1873 Masonic engraving mostly for the frame for $25.00. I When I tuck the Masonic engraving out under it was a 1850's French hand colored Lithograph by the Paris firm Lafosse of a girl playing a flute after a painting from a American female artist Lilly Martin Spencer. Someone had covered over this beautiful work of art over 100 years ago. Now it will be hung in my parlor along with the other Spencer of the boy.

                                       Another Lilly Martin Spencer I own of a girl playing a flute

The subject of a boy in a dress is a rare find today in portraiture although at the time this piece was made, boys under the age of 10 was common sight to have dresses on during the Victorian area. There was lot's of reasons young boys were dresses during this period such as dresses were easer to make then britches. But I like to think this was a way for a mother to have a girl of she had a boy until he was a certain age. There are portraits of boys from this period with ringlet curled hair in girls styles of the period . Some of theses portraits are very hard to tell of they are male. We know some of them are males because the portraits are documented and theses fashionably dressed boys latter became governors of states and other famous people. At the end of the day I AM very happy with my great find that I bought for less then the cost of tax, of the value price that this piece is worth and I was lucky that he waited for me to pick him up early Sunday morning to take him back to a surrounding that he would have been familiar with and a price that he probably original cost 160 years ago.

My latest work "Alabama French Creole"

This is a well appointed bedroom of a Alabama French Creole in the period of the mid 19th century. Most people would not think of Alabama being Creole but Mobile began as the first capital of colonial French Louisiana in 1702. Before New Orleans was founded in 1718. This late 1840's bedroom shows the latest fashion of "French Antique furniture from the warerooms of Prudence Mallard. Born in France Mallard was guild-trained in his native country in the Rococo Revival style. In the 1829 he emigrated to the United States. And in 1830's he opened a shop in New Orleans. The American Rococo Revival rosewood single-door armoire & duchesse, a marble top dressing table for which Mallard is noted for. Over the mantel is a gold gilt large French mid 19th century Rococo Revival mantel mirror. On the mantel a pair of Old Paris porcelain green and gilt trumpet shaped vases with camellias in them, The state flower of Alabama. The portrait or Christ over the duchesse dressing table is Spanish Colonial in a Baroque gold gilt frame. The architecture of the room is Greek Revival with a Faux grained mantel painted to look Black Egyptian gold vain marble. The plaster cornice molding is plain with blue painted walls.

I'm moving back to Mobile, Ala my birth city!!! Well only for 6 months out of the year. My family is giving me a turn-of-the century Arts & Crafts style home in Mobile. I have been away from Mobile since 1992 when I moved to New Orleans with my Mom. Growing up in Mobile when you move away it is a place one never forgets. With is fascinating history, beauty, Small town atmosphere & charm. I miss the deep South as I moved to Baltimore right after Hurricane Katrina. While I have grown to like Baltimore and the East Coast there is nothing in the World like The Deep South. "Dear old southland with his dreamy songsTakes me back there where I belong"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8C8v-ulrXE

The house is located in a part of town known as Down the Bay. It is down the street from a house I grow up in that my Grandmother still lives in. I miss Mobile and also New Orleans and I have friends and family in both places. I feel that I need to do something productive and restoring this house will keep my busy. This home was offered to me a year ago and I turned it down at that time after much thought. In a years time it was offered to other family member and it did not work out and now re-offered to me so it must be meant to be. As my dearly departed friend "Pat" told me when it was first offered to me. " we all go back to our roots one day".

Wish me luck and embark of this endeavor I plane to pack everything up and move this Nov/Dec. The good thing is the house is livable as I can live in it and restore and bad is just about everything needs to be restored. and replaced like the kitchen and bath. But when it is finish it will be a show place.