julia oh julia!

One of my latest internet finds. Contemplating Fornasetti. He's always near the surface of every design measured thought. And right now I am warming up to putting his black ink icons on my white skin.

Melanie Pullen: "High Fashion" Crime Scene Photography

A little bit jealous and of course curious, I came across photographer Melanie Pullen today. Melanie seems to have churned out some beautifully haunting photographs on point with something that is at once shocking and ethereal. While they may be more easy on the eyes than original (so many have gone this route before her), they are certainly entertaining to peek at. Though she's especially found her groove in the examples which invite more interpretation and don't quite scream "dead woman".

Here's a bit of Melanie's bio from her site: "Self-taught and raised in a family of photojournalists, publishers and artists, she began the present project after seeing a copy of Luc Sante's book Evidence (1914-1919) about crime scene photos from the New York Police Department. While the disturbing stories behind the pictures intrigued Pullen, she was more interested in the minute details: the material that made up the images and told a story. Prior to the mid-1950s, the nature of the criminal photographs was fundamentally different from their present, clinical form. Given the complexity of cameras earlier in the century, most crime scene photographers had both artistic and professional experience...Inspired by such images, Pullen conducted extensive research in the LAPD archives that yielded a wealth of vintage sources to work with." Above are some of my favorites.

Recommended: Eugene Atget, Alexander Gardner, Jacob Riis and Arhtur Fellig

Just a few favorites

There is hardly anything I'd refuse from this store, but these few pieces from Anthropologie are especially worth lusting over, and maybe even a little splurge.

Animal Shot Glasses

I came across these funny little shot glasses about a year ago, and luckily happened upon them again today. They're pretty brilliant.

Like Mother Like Daughter

I have for years witnessed my mother's own color driven madness, not allowing us to use certain glasses with particular dishes, and oh, cobalt with that purple? She has always been painstakingly color conscious, not to the point of being high maintenance, but always showing a sincere appreciation for melding the right hues and forming a perfect palette. Now it would seem I am following her lead, be it from those past influences or perhaps my own interest in the art of serigraphie, in which color is truly the "medium" from which you create. Either way, the reaches of this obsession have carried over into my search for dinnerware. A $10 collection of small quality thin type glassware in amethyst, aquamarine, vaseline, smoke and amber was enough to start me off. And here now I have just added this set to my collection.

If I Had Me a House...

...then this Ebay pick would make a grand statement in my hypothetical guest bedroom. The paired down boxy shape of this bedroom furniture looks so grand in black lacquer. And the twin beds are, dare I say it, precious as a pair. To me it combines headboards that are traditional in nature, with McCobb style dressers, and then throws in a little Scandinavian homage with the chair. If only me and my hypothetical house had the money and time to drive out to the Bay area and snatch these up.

Greek Key on a Shoe String

As is customary, I spent last Saturday at Scott Antique's Mall searching for a Jere. Well, I did happen to find a couple, two that had been destroyed by spray paint of the black and purple variety, respectively. Sad as I was, I did manage to find a matching pair to my nameless (I think it's Milling Road by Baker furniture company) chair. Or so I thought. I got home, put the chairs side by side, and realized that my chair was not as unique as previously thought, in fact I was looking at a rip off of what seems to me a rather strange design to rip off. I'll post pictures later. But the real find, which didn't make it home with me, were a pair of Greek key benches, gilted gold bronze and covered in hyde. The $1100 asking price seemed fair, I know 1stdibs features the same beauties for somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,400 for ONE. So I did a little bit of research, and found a brilliant knock off--only $223! Add in one leafing kit, a little elbow grease and you're golden. Check it out here, it's the last one, or take a look at Atom Designs

Bookish Delight

Aside from all the pillows I've made, the awesome furniture I've found, and even that continuing search for my own Jere to own, the thing I am truly struggling with is the perfect tableaux. Certainly a pair of attractive bookends would do my living room server some good. Though the search will have to continue because with the professional Ebay bidders and sniper programs, four seconds remaining did not allow me to be the fair recipient of the third pair (signed Jere, of course).

Oh Lordy: Hollywood Rengency converts

Searching through the pages upon pages of Ebay litter, I found this number. Black lacquered veneer & asian style brass pulls present this dual function piece--both server and table. Pull out the outer edges to legs, add the included three leaves, and good god! The overall cleverly hidden functionality alone makes my design hungry head spin. Faring the $250+ shipping fee alone, I might just make it mine.

If Money was No Object...

...then I'd be the proud owner of this Edward Wormley desk. Perfect objectification of Wormley's own words--"modernism means freedom- freedom to mix, to choose, to change, to embrace the new but to hold fast to what is good." Through his collaboration with Dunbar in the early thirties, Wormley swelled from dropped out art student to household name, gaining success for subtly warming the public's admiration for modern by selling styles that fused a myriad of design traditions. It's no wonder that his furniture fetches so much, as mid-century, retro or not, this desk can easily carry itself to the next century. And working with a company that never mechanized their production, hand making every line it put out, the Dunbar name alone adds to the price tag.

My ebay pick of the week

And I Quote "Best Armoire Ever"

I highly recommend, for those of you who never venture to Decatur, or maybe have missed the spot, Victory Vintage. Most of the pieces are of Mid Century decent, i.e. Jens Risom, Eames and the like, but here I found a new addition to my sad little bedroom that is likely of English decent. I subscribe to the store's monthly or so email newsletter and was thus introduced to my future lover. Now, I've posted a couple of pictures of the piece, the same two they hosted on their site, and agree with me please, the piece seems rather large, more or less typical armoire size. Well, this first impression didn't hold as I went to visit the piece and it's actually shorter than I am (for reference I like to say I'm 5'3"). It's hardly two feet wide too. But with my compact bedroom, and three flights of stairs, I cannot contain my excitement. Please check it out : Victory Vintage

Look at me I have a SYSTEM

Well being that I do in fact want to post more regularly, I've decided that with as much time as I spend on Craig's List and Ebay searching for hidden finds (vintage is better remains my personal slogan), I might as well do a weekly or week and a half-ly, depending on my devotedness, EBAY PICK OF THE WEEK or MONTH...or now. And might I add that with people taking the most painstakingly attractive photos of their auction items, I get a very handsome electronic portfolio of 'wants' and ideas. Thank you auctioneers.

Anyway, seeing as how I've recenly switched my focus to my lackluster, more like completely lacking bedroom set, this desk stole my heart. I love that it is asian inspired (that seems to be my current addiction). But more, it mixes chrome and brass...ooOOoo. I've already bid $250 on it, and the reserve hasn't budged. :( Add in shipping and I might just have to continue my search for the perfect desk, but here it is in all its glory.