Designer Desire: Vera Neumann

Vintage Vera Neumann mosaic | H is for Home

Vera Neumann was an American graphic designer best known for her bold, bright, beautiful silk scarves stamped with her little ladybug symbol.

After her death in 1993, the rights to her work were sold and leased to various organisations, who reproduced her designs on clothing and homewares. The most recent I could find was a line of scarves by Target in 1993.

Black & white portrait of Vera Neumann

There’s a lovely looking book all about her work that I wouldn’t mind getting hold of – it’s entitled Vera: The Art and Life of an Icon.

Although there’s a lot of her work still on the market, alas, it’s mostly located in the USA. However, the prices start at such a reasonable level and a scarf is so light that postage costs shouldn’t be exorbitant.

Image credits:

Etsy | 1st Dibs | Replacements | eBay

Forthcoming Attractions: Mid September 2011

"Forthcoming Attractions" blog post banner

selection of vintage items soon to be available from H is for Home including Briglin Pottery coffee pot, Cathrineholm coffee pot, orange enamel coffee pot, vintage Vera pillow cases, 4 Chance Glass pin dishes, pair of green enamel candleholders, Robert Welch for Old Hall stainless steel mustard pot & spoon, set of 6 Wostenholm stainless steel dessert spoons, Smiths desktop thermometer and pair of Italian Ceramica Di Milano handpainted lidded pots decorated with female figures

Here are some forthcoming attractions for mid September… photos taken on a rare, sunny afternoon by recent standards.

selection of vintage items soon to be available from H is for Home including Briglin Pottery coffee pot, Cathrineholm coffee pot and orange enamel coffee pot

We start with a trio of coffee pots. At the back is a tall coffee pot produced by Briglin Pottery in the 1960s – in our favourite wax resist sunflower design. To the foreground are two enamel pots – the orange one (dating from the 1960s/70s) has no maker’s marks, but is a fabulous colour & shape. The green & white pot is by Cathrineholm of Norway – from the much in demand ‘Lotus’ range designed by Grete Prytz Kittelsen in the 1950s.

vintage Robert Welch for Old Hall stainless steel mustard pot & spoon and set of 6 Wostenholm stainless steel dessert spoons

Moving onto some Mid Century Modern stainless steel. First we have the little mustard pot still with its original spoon. This was designed by Robert Welch for Old Hall.  The set of tea/dessert spoons was produced by Wostenholm of Sheffield – we love their big moon shaped bowls.

selection of vintage items soon to be available from H is for Home including vintage Vera pillow cases for Burlington and a pair of green enamel candleholders

Bedroom items next – some unused 1970s patterned pillowcases in shades of orange and two green vintage enamel candle holders.

set of 4 vintage Chance Glass pin dishes

This set of snack dishes was made by Chance Glass – pieces with this psychedelic swirl design are steadily getting more sought after.

pair of vintage Italian Ceramica Di Milano handpainted lidded pots decorated with female figures

We think these two lidded pots might just be our favourites in the whole collection.  They’re Italian, hand painted and date from the 1950s. A pair of domestic goddesses!!

vintage Smiths desktop thermometer

And last but not least, we have this rather nice desk thermometer produced by Smiths in the 1950s or 60s. We fear its needle is about to plummet!