Featured Stairing Contest (Tour)

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by Ghopper1924, Jun 17, 2021.

  1. Ghopper1924

    Ghopper1924 Well-Known Member

    I'll be indisposed for a few days, so I thought I'd present another tour. The staircase in our house is 2 1/2 stories. When we first moved in, we refinished and renovated the spindles and most of the treads, and it took us 30 straight days! Errr.....Needless to say, the twists and turns afford us a few places for our favorite antiques, so here goes....

    This walnut pier mirror dates to 1875 and was made in the U.S. Midwest. It's behind our front door. the early 20th Century vase consists of 3 fully articulated dolphins cradling Waterford glass.
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    Beginning our journey up, there are 3 John Demartelly lithographs climbing with us on our left. He was a Midwest regionalist who worked in Missouri and Michigan. He was good friends with Thomas Hart Benton:
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    At the top of the first flight of stairs is the landing/foyer for the first floor. To the right is a robust Berkey & Gay walnut parlor table ca. 1875-80, supporting a ca. 1890 aesthetic movement bride's basket by James Tufts, founding family of Tufts University in Boston, an Ansonia Monarch clock ca. 1890 from New York, and an aperitif set ca. 1920 on a Mexican silver tray. There is a walnut shelf with a stag's head and ebonized decoration ca. 1885 to the right.
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    To the left is a heavy walnut "silver dust" mirror ca. 1870 along with a Berkey & Gay parlor table ca. 1880. Both have been in the family since they were made. A recent Waterford vase sits on the table top. There is a ca. 1930 cast-iron Boston Terrier on the floor.
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    To the right is a Berkey & Gay (notice a theme here?) coat tree, which appears in their 1880 catalog. On it are a Schneider vase ca. 1925, 2 mourning purses and a shawl, and a number of colored glass parade canes from glass making guilds in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan ca. 1890-1920. There are cast-iron Scotty dogs from Hubley ca. 1930 and a runner from ca. 1920 on the floor.
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    Climbing the stairs to the second floor landing, ahead of us is an aesthetic movement pier mirror ca. 1885 from New England. To the left is an 1880s clock with an English case and a U.S. movement. To the right is a stained glass window from a demolished local church ca. 1900. On the mirror's marble shelf is a large brilliant cut glass vase and a roundel made by John Hammon Miller in Hannibal, Missouri, for a curtain tieback which we no longer have. There's a grasshopper on the window sill next to a small Miller vase.
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    Crossing to the right is a Maxfield Parrish print of "Daybreak" from 1924 in its original frame, sanctioned by Parrish himself. To the left is a ca. 1900 plant stand with a 1940s McCoy vase and a contemporary vase beneath. On the wall is a recent abstract by Des Moines, Iowa artist Chris Vance.
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    On the second floor is a rosewood etagere made by J. and J. Meeks in New York in the 1850s. It has a wave clock from France ca. 1890 signed "Rancoulet," a Pairpoint vase dated 1888, figurines by Royal Copenhagen and Lladro, a painted blue glass biscuit barrel ca. 1890, a Wavecrest "Egg Crate" biscuit barrel, paired vases from 1936 by Muller Freres, France, Japanese ivories, American Brilliant Cut pieces, and a Legras bud vase. There are canes in a McCoy umbrella stand ca. 1900, and an 1880s child's rocker has a Howdy Doody figure from 1948 with a favorite book.
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    Across the stairwell from the etagere is a French tapestry ca. 1870 depicting the Tree of Life. The Lion of God slumbers in the tree roots.
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    And finally, here is a mahogany "whatnot" with Ms. G's collection of Beatrix Potter figurines. There are ALOT of them! :)
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    To be continued......
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2021
  2. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    Thanks for the tour! I love your place and display of all these beauties!!!
     
  3. johnnycb09

    johnnycb09 Well-Known Member

    What a treasure house you have ! So much to lust after,but those glass canes might be the ones I crave the most. Ive got a Daybreak myself,but a newer issue. I adore Parrish. Im loving the Beatrix Potter stuff too,and the furniture.I just dont know what Id choose!
     
  4. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

  5. Pattywithay

    Pattywithay Well-Known Member

    Beautiful. I adore hall trees and would have several if I had room for them. Alas, I have to settle for one. Thank you for posting these pics!
     
  6. Ghopper1924

    Ghopper1924 Well-Known Member

  7. Potteryplease

    Potteryplease Well-Known Member

    Another amazing tour! So nice to check out...
     
  8. sabre123

    sabre123 Well-Known Member

    Your house is gorgeous, Ghopper. If I came over, I'd have my flashlight out looking closely at everything!
     
  9. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    Well, Mr. G, I have to say, and I only say it in the MOST COMPLIMENTARY WAY, you sound like a PROFESSIONAL at giving guided house tours!!! ARE you SURE your home isn't on a Historical Guided List....'cuz most of us would probably be there in person!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU, once again!!!
     
  10. Roaring20s

    Roaring20s Well-Known Member

    All those mirrors really increase the space and reflect the light. Any original "fancy" frame on a Parrish is a plus. ;) Love the stained glass, tapestry, plant stand, and did I mention those tall mirrors. :)
     
  11. bercrystal

    bercrystal Well-Known Member

    Well somebody has to & that means you trust somebody a lot to handle all the beauties you have shown us. :happy::happy:

    I hate to tell you but that is not a lot. :rolleyes::rolleyes: My BFF has every Beatrix Potter porcelain figurine except the Duchess (black dog) with flowers one. Her mother bought the first ones when they were stationed in England in the early 60s when she was a toddler. She continued buying them whenever she could find them which became much easier after eBay. She does have the Duchess with the pie that is on the top shelf on the left but she says that unless she hits the 6 numbers she will never have the other because she refuses to spend that kind of money on something that is under 4" tall. :p:p:eek::hilarious::hilarious:

    She does have other pieces such as the character jugs but her collection is housed in a glass-enclosed bookcase that is about 5' tall by 4' across & it is basically a--hole to elbows in there. ;) :hilarious::hilarious:

    Once again absolutely gorgeous furniture!!! Even though it is not my taste I can appreciate it for its beauty & craftsmanship. :happy::happy::kiss:
     
  12. pearlsnblume

    pearlsnblume Well-Known Member

    Gorgeous simply gorgeous. I have to say I do love those canes too. Never heard of those before, live and learn. You should be a set decorator.
    I think your home is quite peaceful looking. I am green with envy.
     
  13. Lucille.b

    Lucille.b Well-Known Member

    Agree with Pearls, you could be a set decorator. Your home is absolutely stunning!

    Thank you for the tour! :)
     
  14. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    I like the McCoy umbrella stand.

    Regarding the smaller items that were not already n your family, did you know exactly where you were going to place each piece in your home when you purchased it?
     
  15. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    Thanks Ghopper. I guess we know who the Victoriana person is in here!
     
  16. Ghopper1924

    Ghopper1924 Well-Known Member

    @bercrystal : You're right...the company we deal with has a special crew that comes to our house. Not ONLY to our house, but you get the idea.

    Ms. G is jealous of your friend with the amazing collection. I don't think she's ever known anyone with a bigger or better one....until now! LOL about paying high prices for things that are less than 4" tall.

    @Aquitaine : Thanks as always for your wonderfully articulated kindness. A couple of funny stories to show you how perceptive you are: During a tour of the Iowa Governor's mansion I started telling the group about the architect of the house and who made the furniture in the parlor. After that, the docent gave me the hand mic and had me lead the tour. Same thing happened in Atlanta. The docent asked the group if anyone knew who had carved the woodwork in the library of this huge early 20th century mansion. I said "Grinling Gibbons" and he said I was the first person in 10 years to get that right. So every time we left a room, the docent looked at me and asked if he had left anything out, ha ha.

    All this is to show you how smart you are. I'd love to be a docent, but unfortunately the pay is pretty bad, if there is any.

    @Lucille.b and @pearlsnblume :Thanks!! We strive for peace in our home, given the nature of the outside world. And despite Ellie's best efforts, we usually have it :)

    @Bookahtoo : Not really. We usually buy things because one of us feels that something is a "must." So we make room for it, sometimes moving 3, 4, or 5 things around until we achieve equilibrium. Actually, that is usually at least half the fun. And....there are sometimes things that we MUST HAVE. With those things we must MAKE ROOM, even if we have to sell something. Fortunately, that only happens once or twice a year these days.
     
  17. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

  18. bercrystal

    bercrystal Well-Known Member

    @Ghopper1924 - If you ever want to get her something unusual in the Beatrix Potter line you could always get her one of these character jugs. I gave my friend 2 for her birthday one year. I remember one was Peter but I can't remember the other. When she opened them she went crazy as she had only seen them in her books. She asked where I had found them & I had to tell her I had bought them at the auction. I didn't tell her until much later that I had paid like $15.00 for both of them. :jawdrop::smuggrin:

    They are quite small so they would easily fit on a small corner. :happy::happy:

    https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...13&_nkw=beatrix+potter+character+jug&_sacat=0
     
  19. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    Your home is so peaceful looking. Isn't it wonderful to have someone in your life who absolutely shares your interests? I love the Beatrix Potter figures and the stack of books on the shelf.
     
  20. Rob Langdon

    Rob Langdon Well-Known Member

    That is your own museum! Gorgeous stuff there Ghopper! I just love the 2nd floor landing!
     
    Aquitaine, kyratango and Ghopper1924 like this.
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