A Fine Catch. . .

for a collector of Lladró is this large and lovely sculpture of two pescadoras (fisherwomen).  Called "Sea Harvest" or "Pescadoras," this evocative figurine was sculpted by Antonio Ramos in 1984 and retired in 1990. It is stamped underneath with the Lladró mark and comes on its original wood base. 

The figurine is in a finish called "gres." In the 1970s, Lladró developed a unique material that blended  porcelain with clay, giving a figurine the earthy tones of pottery. Lladró used a warm color palette for its gres creations, carefully layering the enamel glazes to give the colors a special depth, luminosity,  and subtly. Gres requires significantly longer firing and cooling times that porcelain to ensure that the enamel paints crystalize evenly.

Lladró was founded in 1953 by three brothers, Juán, José, and Vicente Lladró. Encouraged by their mother, the brothers were educated at the Valencia School of Arts and Crafts, where they studied sculpture and painting. They first began with a kiln they built at their parents' home, producing ceramic flowers and decorative items for sale in the local market and by 1956 the brothers began creating the sculptural figurines for which Lladró has become world famous. After expanding their workshop several times to meet growing demand for their porcelains, the brothers in 1958 relocated to a factory in Tavernes Blanques, where Lladró still resides today.

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

15901-90

You'll Raise a Toast. . .

. . . to this incredible credenza. In a soft golden-brown finish named "champagne," this marvelous mid-century modern buffet was made by the American furniture company Heywood Wakefield. The company was created in 1897 with the merger of the furniture companies Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company. In the 1920s and 30s, Heywood Wakefield introduced designs based on the art deco and art moderne movements and these sleek streamlined styles remained popular until the factory closed in 1979. The furniture was finely crafted from solid America birch wood and offered in wheat and champagne finishes. 

This model is was called M193 and would have served as a buffet or sideboard in the dining room.  However, this understated versatile style would fit in any room or decor, from a bedroom bureau to a stylish home office.

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

16122-9

Eternal Spring

Throughout Austin, purple irises are bursting into bloom, signaling the coming of spring.

However, you can bring an eternal spring into your home with this ever-blooming iris trinket dish or bowl from the French maker of Daum. The dish is created by an intricate and detailed process called pâte de verre (glass paste). Although dating back to ancient Rome and Egypt, the process of pâte de verre was perfected in France during the art nouveau era of the early 1900s. Currently, Daum is the only crystal manufacturer still using this technique. The technique, which uses finely ground crystal called "frit," produces a luminous crystal sculpture with sharp details and soft gradations of precisely placed colors.

The process requires multiple steps by skilled artisans. First, a sculpture is created and used to make a flexible mold. The mold is then filled with molten wax.  After the wax hardens, it is removed from the mold and any imperfections are smoothed over. The wax is then encased in plaster. One the plaster is dry, it is heated and the melted wax is drained from the mold. This leaves a plaster mold, which is then cut open.  The plaster impression is cleaned of residue and the frit packed into the mold, with the artisan carefully layering the different colors. Once filled, the plaster mold is placed into a kiln and heated until the frit has melted. The plaster mold is removed from the kiln and allowed to cool. Because the crystal now adheres to the mold, the plaster must be carefully broken away to reveal the sculpture. The remaining plaster is washed away and the crystal piece is polished, with details sometimes sharpened by hand with a special drill. Only after all these steps are complete and the piece passes a final inspection will it be signed "Daum France." This complex pâte de verre process means that every Daum sculpture is unique.

This beautiful bowl comes in its original fitted Daum box.

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

16049-108