HB Edit - Edition 15
Sharing the things on my ebay watch list that I don't have the space or money for, but wish I did.
A short, sharp HB Edit this week. I thought that something was better than nothing, and wanted to share my highlight of London Craft Week while it is still in full swing.
This mirror is so cool. I very much enjoy this Arts and Crafts take on the longstanding antique tradition of insetting a painted panel within a mirror’s frame, and I like that it feels like it could be at home in the Isokon Flats in Belsize Park. I am picturing bright white walls and early 20th century furniture. Very chic.
This chair needs love and there is no denying it (don’t we all?). But I like the shape a lot; again, it feels like a smart and more ‘modern’ take on a more traditional antique shape. It’s compact while still looking generous, and would be good for a more up-right spot rather than full lounge mode.
While barley-twist tables can be two a penny in the second hand furniture world, I think this one is different. The interest X-frame structure adds a distinctively Spanish feel to this, and I love the ebonised finish. A very useful side beside an armchair, or even as a bedside. Not cheap as chips but you get what you pay for sometimes.
A clean sweep of late 19th / early 20th century items this week, what a hoot. I like the mix of shapes in this Art Deco table, which would feel at home in any situation - a trendy warehouse conversion, well to-do London drawing room, or even a countryside snug. It’s expensive by my standards, but literally a quarter of the price of very similar ones from the Battersea Decorative Fair last week.
Feature: for each edition, I will feature a person, object, room or place that inspires me.
This week I am writing about the Wondering People exhibition at the Plain English showroom on Pimlico Road, as part of London Craft Week 2025.
I have been very excited for London Craft Week, not least because my wonderful flatmate Harry works for the festival and has been tirelessly organising the program, curating special events and delivering a world class experience. I visited a few events this evening (Wednesday) on the Pimlico Road, and was inspired by the many talented crafts-men and -women working to keep both ancient practises and new-found skills alive.
The highlight exhibition for me (and one of the hero events in the London Craft Week schedule) is the show curated by gallery Wondering People, displayed in the Plain English showroom. It is called ‘The Art of Slowness,’ and it features the quiet poetry of handmade artworks, exploring themes of slowness, process and a connection to the natural world with work by UK-based artists and makers.
As a long time admirer (and huge cheerleader) of Wondering People - ran by Sophie Merrell and Isabella Rothman - I was especially excited to visit the show, and I was not disappointed.
The artworks are thoughtfully displayed in amongst the impressive craftsmanship of Plain English’s own joinery - work-surfaces, larder cupboards, pantries, shelves and islands - giving a wonderfully lived-in and tangible feel to the pieces. It was a refreshing contrast to the traditional stark, all-white gallery space, and I felt instantly at home with the artworks, imagining how easy, and indeed how wonderful, it would be to live with them.
Sophie and Isabella have impeccable taste, and I can safely say there was not a single piece that I did not want. I was mesmerised by the palette and calmness of Emily Kirby’s ‘Solstice’ as well as by Joseph Goody’s strong use of colour in ‘Oil Paper Study 14.’ While both wildly out of my budget, it made for very happy viewing. Similarly, I find Sophie and Isabella always have a fantastic selection of ceramics, and found Kate Cornelius’ ripple edged vases just as beautiful as the paintings.
The showstopper for me, however, had to be Mathilde Felter’s triptych ‘Somewhere in Japan.’ It is made up of weaving together antique Japanese fabric from the 1940s, in its natural indigo-dyed state, and is hung artfully from a piece of bamboo. To have a textile displayed in the more utilitarian context of a kitchen showroom felt like a wonderful juxtaposition (sorry to use such a wanky word here but it’s true!) and I loved it.
The show will run until Saturday 31st May, and I strongly recommend paying a visit.
More anon!
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