Unearthed
In a country known for its lively azulejos (tiles) and clay crafts, local studio pottery in Portugal has remained practically unknown, yet throughout the last century, a considerable number of potters and visual artists -- from Portugal as well as Germany, Hungary, and Mozambique, among other countries -- have created an original corpus of work. Based on what is probably the most comprehensive collection of local ceramic art, this publication discusses with greater detail 30 potters' work and is illustrated with over 300 ceramics. It covers the entire 20th century, but gives particular emphasis to the 1950s and 1960s, when there was a boom in interest for the discipline, and when both state and private patrons commissioned significant artworks. This is the first seminal study of such an eclectic production, aiming to become a standard reference for the general public, collectors, and museum curators.
All Walks of Life
All Walks of Life offers a unique opportunity to get to know the 18th-century people of Saxony, Paris, London, and St. Petersburg through the Meissen porcelain sculpture of The Alan Shimmerman Collection. Johann Joachim Kaendler, along with his fellow modelers and painters at Meissen, captured glimpses of everyday life by paying meticulous attention to the smallest details: the carefully arranged tray of a trinket seller, the personal writing of a love letter, the larding tools of a cook preparing a hare. The Shimmerman Collection's focus on groups of town criers and artisans provides a fresh look at the creation, production, and distribution of Meissen porcelain. The publication includes the first comprehensive scientific analysis of a major collection of Meissen figures.
Starting to Collect Antique Porcelain
Forming a collection of antique porcelain is surprisingly simple with the aid of this book, written by a foremost authority. John Sandon presents the essential information in a style which is both accessible and readable, offering all manner of practical advice to the novice and beginner. - Where should you buy, what should you look for and how do you avoid fakes? - Should you get a damaged piece restored? - How much should you spend? The answers to these questions and many more are clearly presented. Clear color illustrations have been carefully chosen to show the unique attributes of each kind of porcelain. Each entry lists specialist books which offer more information. This guide concludes with a general bibliography, details of makers' marks and the dates of Chinese reigns. Altogether this is a very special kind of reference book; its readable and knowledgable yet compact presentation will be appreciated by committed collectors and enthusiasts whilst giving the novice the confidence to follow in their footsteps.
Every Object Tells a Story
What is assembled here might look like a modern 'Cabinet of Curiosities', an assemblage of the exotic and curious from the four quarters of the world. There is an intention behind it, however, that goes beyond presenting a wide variety of curiosities. We are today linked up to all those four quarters, and while a huge amount of information is available to us, unlike to those who awaited the ships in the ports of Amsterdam, Genoa, Lisbon, London, Marseille, Seville or Venice, the horizon of what interests us seems to have shrunk. The art market is an interesting barometer of this shrinkage. The point is, therefore, that we can connect with the whole world on a much more profound level than can be gained from package touring, through the possession of, and study of even the most modest objects of different cultures. The purpose of collecting, as Moliere might have put it, should not be limited to becoming rich through the investment in one's purchases, but to become enriched through the possession of what one has acquired. Highlights include: the silver libation cup of Mongke Khan, grandson of Genghis and ruler of an empire that stretched from modern Bucharest to Peking, and Karachi to Novgorod; the apple from the Garden of Eden - a silver pomander belonging to the Stuart Kings, with bite marks, opening to reveal a silver skull; a Scythian (6-7th centuries BC) jade pendant of the endangered Saiga antelope, as nely carved as anything by Faberge; a bronze Bacchus head from a tripod table belonging to the Emperor Augustus; a limestone bear carved in 3rd millenium BC Bactria.
Abr
Ikat textiles, known as abr in their lands of origin in Central Asia, are beloved by collectors, decorators and textile devotees across the world. This book presents a new approach to the intricately patterned silk textiles by focusing on complete robes from a major private collection. These items of clothing tell stories about their wearers: their home, identity and place in society. By studying the history, making, and changing fashions of ikat robes, the past is brought to life. It quickly becomes clear that the power and influence of Central Asian costume reached far beyond the borders of modern Uzbekistan, inspiring imitations and providing visual stimuli for avant-garde artists. With stunning photography and previously unpublished research findings, this publication is a new take on ikat costume for those interested in the history of textiles and fashion, but also for those wishing to admire the sheer beauty and exquisite craftsmanship of these remarkable textiles.
Fortune Telling by Japanese Swords
Ein Buch 羹ber die Vorhersagung von guten und schlechten Lebensgeschicken anhand der Klingen japanischer Schwerter.
The Place of Objects
An eclectically curated collection reveals a kaleidoscopic portrait of the many and diverse talents working in and around BC's art scene over the past forty years. As a musician, performer, activist, collector, John David Lawrence has long held an important, if underrecognized, position in Vancouver's creative community. After settling in the city in the mid-1980s he participated in and advocated for performance spaces and artist-run centres, building deep roots in the community, and since 2000 he has been the proprietor of DODA ANTIQUES. Over several decades, Lawrence amassed an idiosyncratic personal collection that includes ceramics, Indigenous art, jewelry, folk art, photography, and plant life. Through the stories of some of these pieces and of Lawrence himself, as well as extensive new photography of his holdings, The Place of Objects illuminates the rich cultural production that is often overlooked by Vancouver's established artistic community. Released to coincide with a Vancouver Art Gallery exhibition of 300 ceramic works from Lawrence's collection, The Place of Objects opens with an engrossing conversation between scholar Michael Prokopow and Lawrence that uses specific objects and the diverse areas of his collections to reveal Lawrence's enigmatic biography and ponder the broader cultural obsession with things. The second half of the book features texts by artists, scholars, friends, and curators who highlight objects of art with historical, cultural, or personal significance. The publication also includes a visual index--a two-dimensional genogram of the objects in his collection--to map the tentacular threads that have informed Lawrence's collecting practices over the decades. Contributors: Glenn Alteen, Grant Arnold, Daina Augaitis, Jonathon Bancroft-Snell, Nicholas R. Bell, Dave Carlin, Allan Collier, Diana Freundl, Tyler Fritz, Mandy Ginson, Donna Hagerman, Carole Itter, Jenn Jackson, Corey Larocque, Hilary Letwin, Carol Mayer, Siobhan McCracken Nixon, Edmond Melnychuk, Michael J. Prokopow, Esther Rausenberg, Stephanie Rebick, Debra Sloan, Mr. Smith, Carolyn Stockbridge, Jordan Strom, Andrea Valentine-Lewis, Jan Wade, Laura Wee L獺y L獺q. Artists: Hans Coper, Olea Davis, Walter Dexter, Beau Dick, Denny Dixon, Pat Dixon, Ed Drahanchuk, Axel Ebring, Gathie Falk, Ken Foster, Ken Gerberick, Kathleen Hamilton, Ben Houstie, Avery Huyghe, Tam Irving, Elsie John, Charmian Johnson, Thomas Kakinuma, Zoltan Kiss, Roy Kiyooka, Danny Kostyshin, Zeljko Kujundzic, Corey Larocque, Bernard Leach, Janet Leach, Glenn Lewis, Luke Lindoe, Brian Lynch, Mad Dog, Pat McGuire, Edmond Melnychuk, Philip Melvin, Grace Melvin, Santo Mignosa, Carel Moiseiwitsch, Ellen Neel, Wayne Ngan, Oraf, Davide Pan, Randy Pandora, John Reeve, Bill Reid, Bill Rennie, Hilda Ross, Debra Sloan, Russell Smith, Gordon Thorlaksson, Ron Tribe, Jan Wade, Jean Marie Weakland, Laura Wee L獺y L獺q.
Vintage Rolex New Edition
For over a century, Rolex has reigned as the ultimate symbol of luxury and prestige. More than a timepiece; a Rolex represents power, sophistication, and a rite of passage. The Vintage Watch Company is the only store of its kind in the world, with a devoted client base of devoted Rolex aficionados, from royalty to sporting legends to stars of the silver screen. Father and son John and David Silver have been carefully cataloguing and amassing one of the largest pictorial records of vintage Rolex watches in the world. This new and updated edition of Vintage Rolex, with an extra 48 sumptuous pages of fabulous pieces, is published to celebrate the company's 30th anniversary in 2025 and contains a unique collection of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the store in this time. This edition includes over 2,000 meticulously documented timepieces, spanning early Rolex pocket watches to the revolutionary wristwatches. Featuring classics like the James Bond Submariner, the GMT-Master made for Pan Am pilots, and the Explorer famously worn on the 1953 Everest Expedition, this collection takes you on a captivating journey through Rolex's extraordinary history. Explore rare pieces such as jewel-encrusted Crown Collections, vintage Officers' Pocket Watches, and the sought-after 'tropical' dials, celebrated for their unique sun-faded patina. Or discover the stories behind historic collaboration between Rolex and Tiffany, a co-branding partnership that shaped luxury design history.Whether you're a passionate Rolex collector or a lover of luxury, this book is the definitive celebration of an unparalleled brand. Own a piece of history and immerse yourself in the story of Rolex, the world's most collected watch.