The San Francisco Fall Antiques Show 2011

I love to attend the Preview Party for the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show, the oldest continuously operating international antiques show on the West Coast.  The glamourama of San Francisco don their most stylish dresses and suits to strut their stuff up and down the aisles filled with vintage collectibles, art, and antiques to decorate their home(s). It was also nice to run into some friends in the design community (you know who you are).


Some of my favorite exhibitors this year included:
Kathleen Taylor - The Lotus Collection
My family spent last summer in Notting Hill in a lovely home decorated by the owners, who loved to travel. Their walls were covered with vintage and antique textiles stretched on canvas. I loved the laid-back look that is perfectly suited for Bay Area homes. So I was thrilled to come across The Lotus Collection, an amazing source for decorative antique textiles from all over the world. I particularly coveted the Kuba textiles, such as this ceremonial skirt from the Congo dyed in red and cream with a fish design.

Richard Gould Antiques
Richard is known more for his pottery and small ceramics; however, his small silhouettes inspired me to design a framed collection for my store based on famous characters. Stay tuned as a track down portraits of Audrey, Marilyn, James, and Liz and turn them into wall art. 


Inspiration Image:

Yew Tree House Antiques
They carry 18th-20th C. Bristish, Continental, American furniture and folk art. They always have great accessories, such as this rare Charles II box.

Lucy Johnson - Modern British Pictures
I am still dreaming of the Venetian noblewoman who possessed the cedar bridal chest and the fabulous silk gowns it must have once held for all the balls she was required to attend. I was inspired by the carved ornamentation based on a 1st century mosaic floor from the House of the Faun in Pompeii.



Colonial Arts
What house doesn't need an orange trastero with painted spindles, paneled doors, and bracket feet. The original paint with patina is such a wonderful, happy color, it would look amazing in a kitchen or breakfast room and would be perfect for storing linens. It would also look amazing in my in-laws home in Santa Fe (I don't know if I'm willing to share this info and I don't think they read my blog - whew!)

Hacket Mill

I can't begin to tell you how much my husband and I loved the art of David Beck. He was in attendance and, honestly, reminded me of Einstein. He has this great look of intensity, which probably explains the amazing detail on each of his wonderful curiosities. I'm a sucker for a curio cabinet filled with armillary spheres, magnifying glasses, fossils, stones, and carved objects. Each one of Beck's pieces is like a curiosity cabinet of its own. For example, a beautiful carved ebony box opens to reveal a puffer fish carved in a lighter wood, which opens to display an according style book of smaller carvings.  I loved them all and wished I could take them home with me. 

I also whizzed by Matt Murphy's stylish booth and Epoca's lovely pieces, but didn't get to spend nearly enough time in them.