Introducing the brass section

We did a product review for Wayfair the other day in which we created an autumn table setting – all dark and dramatic – with shimmering metallics, fruit, berries, pine cones and so on. It was a pleasure to take the photos as we love this time of year (Justin prefers it to summer, actually). It got us in the mood for autumn pleasures. If the weather is kind, there are glorious autumn walks to be had amongst the turning leaves, inviting country pubs to rest in… and then hunkering down in a cosy house.

So what makes it feel cosy? How do we achieve our Pennine version of Hygge! Well, there’s the beloved wood burning stove to start with (now in both the lounge and a bedroom). Then all the little extras – woolly jumpers, thick socks, warm blankets, mugs of hot tea, fairy lights… and of course candles. We had them accessorising the aforementioned autumn table setting – and have them dotted around all over the house.

Nothing beats the twinkling light of real candles in the evening – and we’re often amazed at what bargains there are to be had in antique centres, charity shops and auctions when it comes to candle holders – in particular, vintage brass ones. The pair shown are a recent acquisition and demonstrate the point perfectly. A very sweet pair of small Georgian brass candlesticks – £12 in our local antiques centre.

We often see nice examples when we’re out and about. We love the mellow colour of antique brass – it’s got such warmth – and the way candle light shimmers on the reflective metal surface. The combination of brass (and other metallics such as copper and pewter) with the dark paint shades that are very much in vogue in home and restaurant interiors at the moment, looks really fabulous. The antique examples are such good quality too – they have good weight, craftsmanship and nice detailing to them.

And don’t worry about finding pairs. Some were made as single candle holders of course, but even if they were made as a pair and one’s missing its partner, just make a collection of the odd ones. The different shapes and heights look fabulous grouped together.

So, here ends the promotional advert for the brass candle-holder association!! No not really – and we haven’t got a job lot of 500 brass candlesticks to sell either. We just thought it was worth highlighting the amazing bargains that are out there – and hopefully get you in the mood for autumn too!

Our ever-changing spaces

Today’s post is very photo orientated. We just thought that we’d share a few images of how our two ever-changing spaces are looking at the moment. We’ve had some quite serious illness in the family over the last few months – both human and canine – which really has required lots of our attention and time. We’ve managed to keep on top of the blog, but we’d be the first to admit that our internet shop has suffered a bit. We’ve relied on these ‘physical worlds’ for selling most of our stuff of late.

Our original pitch still has its vintage feel. In fact, one wall looks like an old grocery store at the moment with its brushes, soap, polish and old tins!

There’s a nice Ladderax unit to another wall. We actually had seven of these! We’ve kept one for our house and have sold five in a few weeks – this being the last one remaining. It’s not surprising, as they’re such a fabulous design. They look great with their simple, mid century modern styling – and are so flexible in terms of where you position the shelves and cupboards – they’re easy to erect or move too.

Elsewhere is the usual mix of furniture, crockery, artwork, fabric, lamps and so on.

We’ve had some interesting chairs this month such as this lovely 1960s wicker hanging model.

Also, this 1950s red leatherette tilt back armchair. We’ve not established the designer as yet, but it really does have the look of Ernest Race about it.

And how about this fabulous plastic weave chair in purple? It’s in great condition and the first time we’ve had one in this colourway.

In fact, there’s no shortage of eye-popping colour wherever you look at the moment!

Our second shop space across the road has a slightly different look. Traditional antiques rub shoulders with mid century modern. It’s a bit more edited and pieces are given a bit more space to breathe.

We love these much earlier pieces and have objects that date from the 16th to the 19th century. They have such character and history.

It’s not always easy mixing such divergent periods and styles, but we have a very eclectic mix in our own house – so a shop space offering the same range of items was irresistible. There’s only one thing left for the customer to do – decide what fits in their own home – and what works well together for them!

You’ll spy another one of those Ladderax units – a very dinky, cute little one this time (just sold). It’s currently displaying an assortment of lovely sculptural glass and the classic Cylinda Line tea set designed by Arme Jacobsen.

And just to prove that this place really does span eras, sitting against the same wall is an oak gate-leg table dating from about 1680. Vintage industrial storage rack and printing blocks atop. Also, a very sweet 18th century oak spoon rack on the wall – and a couple of framed silhouettes which we love. They look great against dark grey walls! The original vintage TWA travel poster dates from the 1960s and was designed by David Klein.

Here are a few more images so that you can have your own little virtual browse. Any questions, feel free to ask. And of course, if you’re ever near Todmorden – drop in!

…and fear not internet browsers – we’re back on the case now and will be photographing & listing some lovely postable items for the web shop this week.

Our new shop space

In a recent blog post about a Blomus tea set, we mentioned our new shop space.

Well, here it is! It’s an attractive corner plot directly opposite the antiques centre from where we currently sell. This was a good opportunity to spread things out a bit. We’re sharing the shop with a couple of other dealers.

Our space has got a lovely, big display window.

…and a neglected window box which had potential to look very pretty.

So, what to do next! Mmmm… let’s mull this over.

We moved into the space over a couple of days. We wanted to combine our twin loves of mid century modern and rustic country styles.

And here are the results. We hope it looks like the kind of shop in which you’d like to browse. If you ever get the chance to visit, we’re right next to the library in Todmorden – at the junction of Hall Street and Rochdale Road. Picturehouse Antiques, where we also sell from, is directly across the road – and there are loads of good places to get coffee and cake close by!

Justin took lots of snaps which we’ve included below to give you a good feel of the new place. We hope to see you there one day!

Watts & Co church candles

Autumn has most definitely arrived – crisp, misty mornings; the red, russet & golden trees; long shadows and chilly nights. It’s a time for being outdoors, collecting acorns and conkers, kicking fallen leaves, watching migrating birds overhead – in fact, not much beats a long autumn dog walk, then returning home to a hot cuppa.

But perhaps what we love the most about autumn evenings is being indoors with fires crackling and candles glowing. We think of it as an opportunity to indulge rather than lamenting the end of summer. It’s a time to make the house warm & welcoming, to eat comforting food and revel in the magical nature of the season – making the ordinary & everyday a bit more extraordinary.

The Danish, who experience a long period of darkness and cold temperatures, have a special word for it – ‘Hygge‘ – pronounced hoo-gah – a difficult word to translate directly – we’ve read a few versions. Words like cosiness, security, familiarity, comfort, reassurance, fellowship, simpleness and living well are often used to describe the idea of hygge. It’s all about celebrating the small pleasures in life of which the home is an integral part – especially at this time of year. We’ll be spending much more time indoors in the coming months – and the shortening days means stocking up on the coal, logs and candles to facilitate our Hygge!

Watts & Co offered us some of their church candles to try, so of course we were very appreciative. A lovely selection arrived this week, beautifully wrapped in string & brown paper with elegant, lavender-coloured labels.

Tradition and quality are the corner stones of this family-run company. Based in Westminster, they’ve been supplying ecclesiastical accessories since 1874.

Their candles are hand made in England using natural beeswax, which burns for almost twice as long as paraffin wax – and they’re a lovely cream colour rather than the stark white of cheaper candles. Beeswax also tends to burn more cleanly, without dripping or giving off smoke or soot – imparting a rich, warm glow to a room.

There’s something enchanting about fairy lights, the flames of real fires and flickering candles – they add such a magical atmosphere to the house. They soften hard surfaces such as stone with their glow – and nothing brings out the patina in wood like candlelight.

You just want to snuggle in, read a book, watch a film, eat nice food, drink a glass of wine… and generally slow down a bit.

We’ve got antique candle holders & sconces dotted all over the house. In fact, we never let a nice ones escape if we come across them at auction or markets these days. We’ve even started acquiring other candle related items such as storage boxes, match holders, snuffers and dowsers – so every room has items easy to hand.

The holders all take different-sized candles; luckily, all can be found on the attractive Watts & Co website. Amongst the church supplies, you’ll also find other products that will suit domestic interiors – we’ll be trying some of their gorgeous incense for sure.

We’re prepared, stocked up and looking forward to autumn. It’s a glorious season and we love it!

[disclosure*]

H is for Home Harbinger

Tag: antiques

Introducing the brass section

Our ever-changing spaces

Our new shop space

Watts & Co church candles