Terrific Trifari

This pretty pussycat pin with gleaming green eyes is a very collectible piece from Trifari, an American company renown for its beautifully crafted costume jewelry. 

As big as it is beautiful, this vintage brooch displays the solid construction, meticulous detail, and creative craftsmanship that Trifari was famous for. This fascinating feline would enhance any outfit.

Trifari was founded in 1919 by Gustavo Trifari, who came from an Italian family of goldsmiths. Collectors agree that the force behind Trifari's quality and creative designs was designer Alfred Philippe, who joined Trifari in 1930. Philippe had previously worked for high-end fine jewelry companies Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels and he applied the same craftsmanship,  fabrication techniques, and quality control to Trifari's pieces. Philippe remained with Trifari as the lead designer until he retired in 1968, and collectors consider the pieces produced during Philippe's tenure among some of the finest and most desirable pieces of collectible costume jewelry.  Trifari designed custom pieces for Broadway and Hollywood stars and Mamie Eisenhower even wore Trifari to her husband's inauguration. 

Philippe introduced the famous Trifari crown brooches, enhanced by shimmering stones, and the pins were so popular that Trifari added a crown to its signature mark around 1937. This classy cat carries the Crown Trifari mark with a copyright symbol, dating it from 1955 to 1969. 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

15725-4

Good (Luck) Kitty!

This fancifully decorated feline is a traditional nemuri neko, or sleeping cat, of Japan. The serenely sleeping cat symbolizes peace and harmony. The most famous nemuri neko was immortalized by the master woodcarver Hidari Jingorō at the Tōshō-gū Shrine in Nikko, Japan. The round golden bells decorating the cat's collar are symbols of good fortune, as in Japan the sound of ringing bells was thought to drive away evil and bring good luck.

This ceramic kitty is decorated in moriage, a technique in which liquid clay slip is carefully piped or painted on a piece to create intricate raised designs. The elaborate decoration on this hand-painted pussycat is lavishly highlighted with gilt.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

14137-266

In Memoriam

Longtime Next-to-Next volunteer Daphne McCully passed away on September 14, 2021, at the age of 93. As one fellow volunteer said of Daphne, she was someone whose cup was always full. Ever-cheerful and friendly, she had a smile and welcoming word for everyone who came to the store. Petite and always elegantly dressed, the energetic and effervescent Daphne will not only be missed by her fellow volunteers and the Next-to-New staff, but also the many customers she helped over the years.

Daphne was born on January 8, 1928, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She arrived in Austin in 1955 with her husband WC and her then eight-year-old son, Cecil. The following year saw the birth of her daughter, Sherrie. Daphne was a stay-at-home mother until 1965, when she began to work part-time at the University of Texas. In 1969 she took a full-time position at the Internal Revenue Service and the following year Daphne began a second job at Dillard's in Hancock Center, working at the perfume counter. 

Daphne loved her family, gardening and growing flowers, swimming with her friends, and volunteering at Next-to-New. She also loved cats and is pictured here with her kitten, Seabiscuit.

There will be a celebration of Daphne's life on Saturday, May 28, 2022, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Sumners Hall in Saint David's Episcopal Church, 301 East 8th Street. Please feel free to share any stories or pictures you may have of our beloved Daphne.

Requiescat in Pace, Daphne

Sleek Chair by Saba Italia

The epitome of modern Italian design, this geometric chair with angular chrome legs has both a futuristic and retro vibe. The chair was produced by the furniture design house Saba Italia in 2014. Designed by Sergio Bicego, this sophisticated yet simply elegant chair is dubbed "New York." As is typical of Saba, the chair was offered in a variety of fabrics and finishes, but this bright burnt orange velvety cover would thrill a Texas Longhorn fan as much as a connoisseur of contemporary furniture design. 

Established in 1987 by Amelia Pegorin in San Martino di Lupari, Italy, Saba is one of the few design companies operated by a woman CEO. Working with a variety of world-renown designers, Saba creates furnishings that are artistic and ergonomic, combining clean linear designs with bold colors. Bicego was born in 1953 and left formal education to research furniture design and building on his own. He opened his independent design studio 1991 and began collaborating with Saba in 1993. 

What is better than one Saba New York chair? How about a pair of chairs (sold separately). . . .

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

15736-30