Where have you been?
A question you may have asked of me since it’s been a few weeks
since my last posting. It’s also a question I’ve been directing toward several
of the new arrivals at the shop.
For the past year, visitors to the "inner sanctum" of Redeux –
“the spa” – have glimpsed a rather large object that has been kept under wraps. Some may have even
seen some of its detail carvings or the remnants of a somewhat shattered foot poking
from the protective blanket. Its size
alone was enough to cause the procrastination of the work needed to be done.
But, more daunting was the fact that I knew that this particular piece was
really something. It had a history – even if I didn’t know what, exactly, it
was. Pieces like this weren’t made for a mass market or a casual buyer. O.K.,
so what is it?
It’s art, created in a bookcase. Standing at about 6 feet tall,
it has double glass doors and several shelves. And, original glass, waves and all. Its varied-grain oak perfectly fits into its Victorian design. But, the carvings. The carvings
give it life.
The open-mouthed lions carved into the center and front edges have guarded generations of books. My work on
this piece is nearly done. I know my limits. I also know that with a piece of
furniture such as this, less is definitely better. All that remains is a final
buffing, re-installing the shelves and getting a better idea of its pedigree. And, then its journey will
continue.
Redeux, as you know, focuses on vintage rather than antique.
This past month, however, several furniture pieces that are true antiques have
made their way to our shop. Some called out to me. Some were entrusted to us to
restore and to then find them new homes. It’s a trust I do not take lightly.
So, our collection right now has a lot of pieces not usually found in many
shops, certainly not at Redeux.
Mid and late 19th
century farmer’s tables - in cherry with turned legs and in oak with heavily reeded legs,
a painted Victorian era plant/side table with marble top and an elegant flame mahogany Empire chest of drawers
– all of these periods and
pieces - and more - are now at Redeux.
To each of these pieces I had asked,
“Where have you been”? Now, I wonder, where will they go?
In my last posting I mentioned Lauren Aronoff, the artist
whose latest collection of work, both on canvass and furniture, will be unveiled
at an upcoming show at Redeux. Watching Lauren at work these past several weeks reminds me of a book I
read some time ago that was a collection of essays edited by Gregory F. Pierce
– “Of
Human Hands: The Spirituality of Work”. Whether she is painting a garden
scene, a single flower, an abstract or her favorite animal friend, Ms Aronoff
brings something very special to her work. Watch for the announcement of her upcoming show.
While I may not have posted on this blog for a few weeks, you all were certainly on my mind. Whether scouting for special items to fulfill as many requests as possible or working in "the Redeux spa" to give just the right makeover to each piece of vintage furniture, you were in a very real sense right there with me. Without you Redeux would not be possible. Thank you for your support, encouragement and ideas. If you'd like to post something on this blog or send me an email, your comments are always welcome
Speaking of thanks, Gary Wood garyrwood.com gets a special thank you for providing me with some very special varnishes and wax. This past month these materials proved their worth in gold on the Empire and farm table pieces.
Also, Jim Young of Old Gold Furniture Restoration in Black Rock was helpful in advising me on a few pieces.
Of course, The Redhead. Without her...nothing...
Looking forward to seeing you soon. Tea is always on!
Bill
