The Scandinavian Design

Posted on July 16, 2013 by helene

We owe the Scandinavian design a lot of “Chef d’Oeuvre”, masterpieces of design history; most of them are now vintage furniture pieces. The Scandinavians have created a style, warm and sober, to fit in any interior. Some produced in high series were quite cheap, and others signed could be really expensive, but you could always find one for yourself.

For the house fitting as well as for the society issues, the North countries had always been beforehand. The proof? Since the 20’s, the Finn architect and designer Alvar Aalto puts into practice the concept of “beauty for all” and tries to offer to the largest number of people some furniture with a design close to nature, appeasing and comfortable. Alvar Aalto is one of the pioneers of the waisted plywood, which offers sinuous forms, used on the famous “Paimio” chair(c. 1929), produced by Artek. Here is an indication to make the difference between the Finn design and its cousin the Danish design: all Danish furniture has more geometrical lines than the Finn one. The wood is a constant of the Scandinavian design, quite as the search for an uncluttered drawing, which makes it timeless and easy to fit in any interior. From where its success!

The most looking for Scandinavian production is the one from 1950 till 1970, is nevertheless far from being uniform. The Danish Arne Jacobsen became a celebrity in 1952 for its famous Ant chair; it is very appreciated for its qualities of resistance and its joyful shape. Since 1955 are following a mass of declensions of it like the 7 series with a changing back. The talented Jacobsen has designed another masterpiece: the Egg Chair,

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Industrial strongbox that can be used as a perfect vintage decoration

Posted on July 8, 2013 by helene

You think, where am I going to handle all my gold coins?

Well, in an antique strongbox that can be used as a perfect vintage decoration as well!

If you want to find an antique one, be prepared to carry it! They were all very heavy, even empty!

It all began in England, with an impregnable lock. In 1784 Joseph Bramah patented a mechanism that was impossible to force, and founded the Bramah Locks Company. An American locksmith, Alfred C. Hobbs, succeeded in opening it and in turn he began to manufacture strongboxes. As for the armour plating, this we owe it to two British brothers, Charles and Jeremiah Chubb, who invented it in 1835. The Chubb lock company was founded in 1818. Jeremiah has invented the “Detector Lock” winning him £100 in a government competition to create an un-pickable lock that could only be opened by its own key. His “Detector Lock” mechanism was designed to automatically jam the lock as soon as any attempt was made to pick it, and thus would let the owner knows about the unauthorised attempt.

Ten years earlier, in France, a certain Alexandre Fichet had opened a locksmith shop in Paris.

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Vintage Coffee Grinders

Posted on July 3, 2013 by helene

Another great vintage decoration that can fit in your kitchen and add this kitchenalia style you’re looking for.

And for the purist you will probably be able to use them! Some coffee grinders are still in good condition for their age.

Very popular item, you can find a lot of different coffee grinders since the arrival of coffee in 1669 in Europe. Even if there is no quoted value for them, since 1989, the collectors called in French: “Mylokaphephile” (called before the “Molafabophile”) have created a non-profit organization to create a site with all the coffee grinders models, and to exchange as much information as possible, to exchange information and pictures about all those vintage coffee grinders, it is called the: AICMC (Association Internationale des Collectionneurs de Moulins à Café).

The coffee grinder was created in the 13^th century in Turkey; they were at first using to crush all spices. At that time the coffee grinder was very rare, also the coffee. It’s in the 15^th century that the distribution of coffee grinders and the craft manufacturing take their development, and during the 19^th century, that the manufacturing in series appears.

Since, the foundries from the East region of France are manufacturing some good quality spare parts to get some strong grinders and commercialised in series by Peugeot and Goldenberg or Mutzig-Framont.

In 1889, “Peugeot Freres” is the leader on the market and commercialised 350 000 coffee grinders. Among the famous brands such as Peugeot Freres you can find Japy, Grulet, Gourdin-Lefevre, Goldenberg, Zassenhauss, Mutzig-Framont, Coulaux, Birambeaux… The brands present so many different coffee grinders; they can be of table, of wall, of “dinette”, of counter, of journey, electric, each brand is offering a range in every category. Their prices depend on their size and of course their rarity. You can try to find those made by cabinetmakers from the 18^th century, made from different wooden essences with sometimes some inlaid ivory works, just fantastic!

The bigger ones, of counter are very desired by collectors and of course very rare to find in good condition. You can fix them on the table, they exist in 6 different sizes and they can weight until 25 kg, some with cranks and others with steering wheels.

The new materials will mark the 20^th century, with bakelite and aluminum. Those can look really great in your kitchen as well!

You can also find some models in earthenware with flowery decoration, and some with atypical scenes from different regions, to add a country style. And if you prefer a 60′s – 70′s style there are some with geometric patterns or with words which can be wonderful too!

By 1930, the electrification led the crank to disappear, despite a resistance of the manual coffee grinders until the 50’s.

I’m sure you can find one to fit in you interior, those items are perfect vintage decoration. You will love them!

Have a look at all the kitchenalia we have in stock today!

A British iconic industrial lamp: the Anglepoise lamp!

Posted on July 2, 2013 by helene

The Anglepoise lamp is an amazing Industrial lamp which was commercialised by Herbert Terry & Sons Company for more than 80 years.

The Anglepoise History:

The British industrialist George Cawardine (1887-1948), who designed vehicle suspension systems, invented an extendible spring in 1932 and came up with the idea of using it for jointed lamp. Inspired by the movements of the human arm, this lamp was mounted on to tubes on which four of the famous springs allowed it to hold its position. The first version of the Anglepoise lamp was issued in 1934.

From 1955 onwards, Anglepoise lamps were installed on workbenches of the workshops at the “Maison Hermès”, their ergonomics responded perfectly to the requirements of this world in which accuracy and the quality of each movement were essential.

The Anglepoise lamp “Original 1227”

This lamp was first presented on an enamel base, 3 stalks maintained in position by 4 springs. The lampshade is in aluminium. First change in 1935: only 3 springs and the base has 3 different levels. Three years later the base again is reduced to 2 levels. The after war lamps are easy to recognize because of the stalks made in aluminium, and the heads in zinc. Then in 1969, the base became round.

In 2004 with the help of the designer Kenneth Grange, the company had launched the “75 Type” and in 2007, the “1228 Type”.

Few dates:

1932: creation of Anglepoise by George Cawardine
1932-1933: hand made production “Equipoising”
1934: creation “Anglepoise 1209” for industrial use

1935: “Anglepoise 1227”

1969: “Anglepoise Model 50” substitute to the “1227”

1989: “Apex 90” a better version of the “Model 50”

2003: “Type 3”, contemporary version of the “1227”
2004: “Type 75”, new version of the “Model 75” and “Giant 1227”, the “1227” XXL version with suspension

2007: “Fifty” the original to “50 degrees”
2009: Republication of the “Original 1227”

The Anglepoise Nowadays

Nowadays the Industrial Lamp Anglepoise is still manufactured, few miles from Brighton (the “Giant” only) by the 6^th generation of Herbert Terry & Sons Company who was first to manufacture it. The rest of the 40 000 to 50 000 items produced each year are manufactured in Asia.

You can buy a brand new one or hunt for a Vintage one!

All about the Anglepoise:

Why not adding a vintage decoration style in your kitchen?

Posted on July 1, 2013 by helene

After hanging on your wall your grandma’s moulds, keep going with the kitchenalia style by using different wire objects as the famous vintage egg wire basket!

Skillfully shape, the wire is the ally of the cooker, it takes care of the grills and the salads, it drips the frying fish, it presents the bread and the fruits, it is sometimes an egg-cup, a bottles-carrier or a table mat. It is also known for other applications which extends in many domains.

Cheap and strong, the wire complies with all desires. In the 17^th century it was used for everything, most for repair. Then, in the 20^th century this wire exceeded the utility and became a wide range of domestic objects in a country style. Like eggs basket, bottles carrier, gloves carrier, the wire object is protean. You can find so many different objects: wastebaskets, egg-basket, colander, bread-basket, fruits-basket… a lot of items to give a vintage decoration style to your interior.

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