Flower Power

It's officially flower show season! Last month saw the iconic Chelsea Flower Show hosted by the Royal Horticultural Society with many more taking place through the Summer months right up until September. The RHS was founded in London in 1804 and has since become the UK's leading gardening charity. The society aims to promote horticulture making the UK a greener place through their inspirational flower shows, promotion and education.

Here are some of our favourite plant based pieces from around Alfies:

A Monet print, 1970s. Available from Moe Heidarieh

A Chinese prunus vase, 1916. Available from Horner Antiques

A Jean Allen dress, 1960s. Available from June Victor

Flowers in vase painting, signed, 1940s. Available from i Fine & Contemporary Art

An enamel flower scent bottle, 1970s. Available from Gloria Sinclair

A watercolor floral painting by Lucy Kemp Welsh, 1930s. Available from Robert McKoy Fine Arts

A floral button down dress, 1950s. Available from June Victor

A floral painting, oil on board, 1950s. Available from i Fine & Contemporary Art

Glass

Among some of the most vibrant pieces on show at Alfies right now is lots of coloured glass. Always popular and striking, glass also has huge scope, coming in many forms. Technically known as glass art, Murano is considered to be the birthplace of the modern styles and is still one of the most popular styles of glass available. 

As a decorative medium, glass was developed in early Egypt and Assyria and was desired by the Romans. The earliest evidence of glass blowing was found in Chogha Zanbil during excavations where many glass bottles were found and were dated to the 2nd millennium BC.

In the context of being used as an art form, glass reached the height of popularity during the Middle Ages, when the builders of the cathedrals of Europe began creating stained glass windows as a major decorative element in their architecture.

The 19th century saw factory glass blowers replaced by mechanical bottle blowing and birthed some of the great modern designers such as Lalique, Tiffany and Whitefriars which are still hugely popular in the world of antiques today.

Here are some of the most eye-catching pieces we have seen around Alfies...

Yellow and orange glass serving dishes, c1970s. Available from W & L Antiques

A cranberry crackle glass, c1890s. Available from W & L Antiques

Midnight blue and turquoise glass perfume bottle, c1980s. Available from Hayman & Hayman

An orange glass splash vase, c1950s. Available from Beth

A Davidson Pearline yellow glass sweet dish, 1915. Available from Beth

A French peach splash glass bowl, c1950s. Available from Horner Antiques

A Czech aquamarine glass vase, c1960s. Available from Robinson Antiques

An amber glass perfume bottle, c1940s. Available from Hayman & Hayman

A Whitefriars ruby glass vase, c1965. Available from Robinson Antiques

A Val St. Lambert lime green glass vase, c1950s. Available from Louise Verber Antiques

 

A Murano crackle glass cased vase, c1960s. Available from Robinson Antiques

May's Birthstone: Emerald

May is the heart of Spring, making the Emerald a very fitting birthstone for the month with its colour matching the lush growth and landscapes of the season. Just as Spring is associated with renewal, in the eyes of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the emerald is a symbol of rebirth.

The Egyptians also valued emeralds, considering them to have protective powers, which led to them using the gem in jewellery and burial ceremonies. Cleopatra is possibly the most famous character in history with a fondness for the emerald, using them heavily in her personal adornment and even taking ownership of all the emerald mines in Egypt during her reign.

Some of the oldest emeralds are estimated to be 2.97 billion years old and are still among the most valuable gemstones to own today.

In honour of the dazzling jewel, here is a selection of our favourites from Alfies:

Emerald and diamond baguette ring, 1980s. Available from Kieron Reilly

French Art Deco emerald and diamond filigree earrings, 1920s. Available from Pari's Jewellery

French Art Deco diamond and emerald platinum ring, 1920s. Available from Kieron Reilly

A diamond and emerald bow brooch, 1940s. Available from Zeeba Jewels

A Columbian emerald and diamond gold ring, custom made, 1970s. Available from Pari's Jewellery

Diamond and emerald drop earrings, 1970s. Available from Kieron Reilly

The Queen's Birthday

Happy birthday to Queen Elizabeth II who will turn 92 on April 21st! Whilst this is her date of birth, the Queen's official birthday takes place in June. All British sovereign are given the option of choosing an 'official' birthday to celebrate. This tradition dates back to 1748 when King George II decided to celebrate his birthday twice - once on his date of birth in November and again in the Summer, having decided that Autumn wouldn't be an ideal time for public celebration because of the weather.

On her birthday in April, the Queen will celebrate privately but the occasion will be marked by gun salutes in London at midday - a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London. For her official birthday in June, a parade will take place in central London.

Here are a few fun facts about a hugely interesting figure in British history, Queen Elizabeth II -

• She is the only person in the UK who is allowed to drive without a licence
• She is the longest reigning monarch ever in Britain, beating Queen Victoria
• The Queen first sent an email in 1976
• She has seen 12 Prime Ministers come to power
• Her favourite dog breed is the Corgi
• She is a trained mechanic after having joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II
• She has sent around 50,000 Christmas cards to date, and counting..

In celebration of Her Royal Majesty, we took a look around Alfies for a few objects dedicated to her:

A Royal Worcester 'Queen's 8th Birthday' figurine. Available from W & L Antiques

A selection of memorabilia mugs, c1950s. Available from W & L Antiques

A Silver Jubilee swim costume by Speedo, 1977. Available from Tin Tin Collectables

A selection of memorabilia mugs, c1950s. Available from W & L Antiques

A set of tea forks with the royal insignia, 1937. Available from Goldsmith & Perris

A Silver Jubilee stationary set, 1977. Available from W & L Antiques

A Silver Jubilee scrapbook, 1977. Available from W & L Antiques

Diamonds are Forever

The birthstone for April is the show stopping diamond, said to be a girl's best friend, we have plenty on display around Alfies.

Almost every civilisation has had some form of lore surrounding diamonds. In Ancient Greece warriors wore diamonds because the stones were thought to strengthen the muscles and bring invincibility. They have also been considered the adornment of winners and were worn as a talisman by many leaders including Julius Caesar, Louis IV and Napoleon.

Throughout history the diamond has also represented eternal love, possibly symbolic of one of the diamond's key features - strength. Diamonds have the hardest structure of any gemstone, are believed to be the hardest substance known to man and can only be cut with another diamond. For all of these reasons, the diamond has become the traditional gem used for engagement rings. However we believe that diamonds look good on everyone!

A 1960s platinum and diamond leaf brooch. Available from Kieron Reilly

An onyx and diamond ring, c1930s. Available from Kieron Reilly

A Victorian silver and diamond brooch. Available from Pars Jewellery

An onyx and diamond ring, c1930s. Available from Kieron Reilly

A pair of Art Deco diamond earrings. Available from Kieron Reilly

An Edwardian platinum and diamond brooch. Available from Pars Jewellery

Spring has Sprung

This week Spring has officially begun. With the arrival of March 21st, so too comes the arrival of the period that marks the start of seasonal rebirth. Following Winter - which symbolises death - Spring is viewed as the resurrection and represents rejuvenation and renewal. These symbolic representations are long standing and can be seen throughout culture in poetry, literature, theatre and art. Common depictions of this season are flowers, baby animals, and vibrant shades of yellow and green.

With this in mind we took a look around Alfies to find some Spring like representations of our own..

An Oriental decorated vase. Available from Hongman Yang

A floral watercolour, 1934. Available from Moe Heidarieh

A Carlton Ware buttercup sugar shaker, c1930s. Available from Beth

Flowers in vase, oil on canvas, c1930s. Available from i Fine & Contemporary Art

A Chinese 'Famille Noire' brush pot, late Qing period, c1900. Available from Horner Antiques

An Edwardian glass and enamel trinket pot. Available from Beth

A Chinese dinner plate with painted design, Qianlong, 18th Century. Available from Diplomat Treasures International

A floral print, c1870s. Available from Moe Heidarieh

Sculpture in the City

Sculpture in the City is an annual event taking place in the heart of the capital, featuring contemporary sculpture among some of London's most iconic architectural landmarks. This year there are 16 pieces of art which make up the outdoor sculpture park including works from Kevin Killen, Paul McCarthy and Damien Hirst.

Sculpture has been seen as one of the most arresting art forms often because of the dedicated labour involved, attention to detail and the scale. Whilst the definition of sculpture and the techniques that fall under its umbrella have changed over the years, the tradition of sculpture began in Ancient Greece with many of the great masterpieces of the classical period being produced there. From there sculpture has remained a predominant discipline in most western cultures and time periods, from gothic and religious sculpture in the middle ages through to Michelangelo's David in the Renaissance, along with being a celebrated form of art in many other parts of the world such as Africa and Asia. 

The reasons using sculpture varies widely, with some cultures like the Romans using the media because it is a durable and long lasting form of art, and others such as tribes in Africa using it because it can be viewed as a life like symbol in religious and ritual practice. In the present day, sculpture is still alive and well, with many artist still working in what could be considered a traditional manner and others such as Henry Moore and Tracey Emin bringing a modern vision to the media.

As always, you can always count on Alfies to have something interesting to see. Carry on reading for a few of our favourite sculptural items found around the building...

A Congo carving from Africa. Offered by Diplomat Treasures International.

A 1960s bronze boulder sculpture on slated base, signed Gerster. Offered by Travers Antiques.

A 1970s piece of art glass in the style of Picasso. Offered by Diplomat Treasures International.

A contemporary sculptor's impression of Michelangelo's David made from resin and fibreglass. Offered by i Fine & Contemporary Art.

A 1950s bronze torse of a male. Offered by Good Time Antiques

A Chinese Unicorn carved from celadon jade. Offered by Diplomat Treasures International.