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Shot straight-on at night with the kind of compression that makes a seventeen-story tower feel like it's about to tip into your lap, this image does something most architectural photography refuses to do: it lets the building be boring in the best possible way. The Santa Monica Professional Building — completed in 1963 and one of the tallest structures on the Westside for years — is a masterclass in restrained commercial modernism. The facade is almost compulsively repetitive: grid upon grid of punched windows set into a warm limestone-clad curtain wall, the vertical piers providing just enough relief to save it from pure banality. There's a ghost of late Streamline Moderne in the base detailing, particularly around the ground floor entrance surround, a nod to the pre-war Santa Monica that was rapidly disappearing when this tower went up. What anchors the image is the ground-floor contrast: the Misfit restaurant's dark canopy and warm entry glow carving out a human-scaled moment beneath twenty floors of corporate repetition. The long-exposure light trails at street level, the lone figure on the sidewalk, the neon blade sign bleeding in from the left — together they make the case that Santa Monica's downtown, perpetually underestimated, has more atmospheric density after midnight than most people bother to notice.
captured in the heart of paris, this image portrays a lone figure walking with quiet determination, as if moving between light and shadow. the architectural lines above stretch like a futuristic web, guiding the viewer's gaze directly to the man at the center. there's a sense of stillness and introspection in his steady steps, while the silhouettes in the background fade like distant memories, barely tangible. the black-and-white format emphasizes the geometry and rhythm of the lines, creating an atmosphere of detachment and contemplation. it's a silent, almost melancholic moment that reflects the pace of modern life, highlighting the contrast between the solitude of the individual and the busy world around him.
Pl. VIII: Egyptian No. 5 (The whole of the ornaments on this plate are from mummy-cases in the British Museum and the Louvre, and like those of the last plate are mostly composed of the lotus-flower and single leaves of the same plant. In number 2, above the lotus-leaves, is a white ornament on a black ground, very common in the tombs, suggested by the interwoven strands of a rope; and no. 7 we have the chequered pattern, one of the earliest ornaments, evidently derived from the weaving together of different-coloured strands. In the lower part of no. 18 we have another very common ornament, derived from feathers.)
Owen Jones (British designer, 1809-1874)
1856 57 cm (page height) x 39 cm (page width)
From: Jones, Owen. The grammar of ornament ; Illustrated by examples from various styles of ornament. One hundred and twelve plates, London: B. Quaritch, 1868
See MCAD Library's catalog record for this book.
Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Today however we are not in Lettice’s flat. Instead, we have followed Lettice south-east, past the Royal Academy*, across Picadilly, through the neighbouring borough of St James’ with its private clubs and gentlemen’s tailors, over St James’ Park and Birdcage Walk where once the Royal Menagerie and aviaries of King James I and King Charles II had stood, to Queen Anne’s Gate** in Westminster, lined with fine early Eighteenth Century townhouses. It is here that Member of Parliament for the constituency of Towers Hamlets***, Mr. Charles Hatchett, and his wife Dolly are establishing their London base whilst their newly acquired townhouse after extensive structural works to make it habitable after many years of neglect under its former owner, a decrepit old Admiral of Queen Victoria’s navy. Lettice has been commissioned by Mrs. Hatchett to redecorate some of the principal rooms of the newly renovated and restored townhouse. Today is the day that after the hanging of very modish Art Deco papers from Jeffrey and Company****, the Hatchett’s rooms are finally ready to be furbished – Lettice’s favourite moment in the whole redecoration process, when her watercolour images of interior designs finally come to life.
Queen Anne’s Gate, already difficult to navigate with Twentieth Century traffic trying to manage Eighteenth Century layout, is additionally clogged and a hive of activity outside the Hatchett’s townhouse. A lorry emblazoned with Blessed Upholsterers in bold red letters is parked out the front and Mr. Blessed’s men bring furnishings carefully chosen by Lettice, some reupholstered or repurposed by Mr. Blessed under Lettice’s instructions, are carefully unloaded and down the ramp set at the back of the lorry and through the grand front door beneath the ornately carved canopy unique to the townhouse*****. Other men, painters and decorators judging by their paint splattered overalls are carrying ladders and pots of paint back to a lorry parked further down the narrow street.
We find Lettice in what a year ago had been the townhouse’s main reception room: at the time too gloomy and in a sad state of disrepair to be able to show off its elegant Georgian proportions and period features, smelling of the seemly pervasive unpleasant odour of damp. Yet what a transformation has taken place! The walls once papered in a dreary, faded and tattered old fashioned Victorian flocked wallpaper which must have been a beautiful gold when first hung, are now covered in a dove grey paper lightly embossed with a white geometric pattern imported from a French supplier Lettice met at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes****** last year, which highlighted and showcased the new modern style of architecture and interior design known as Art Deco of which Lettice is an exponent. The brighter paper and the removal of the dirty and torn scrim which obscured the view and daylight through the window have given the room a light airiness which is only enhanced by its high ceiling and ornate Georgian white marble fireplace, meticulously stripped of its layer of brown grime built up over decades of neglect. Even the large floor to ceiling bookshelves made of dark mahogany running along the walls to either side of the fireplace, no longer have the power to darken the room, having been polished to a warm burnished glow beneath a layer of fresh beeswax polish*******. The pervading smell of damp, like the dark cheerlessness of the room, has been banished and replaced with the fresh scents of paint, wallpaper glue and polish. The room is all at sixes and sevens with antique and daringly modern furnishings, paintings in gilded frames and crates of objets d’art all jostling for space whilst Mr. Blessed’s men bring in more items and other workmen traverse the room carrying ladders or holding pots of paint. And in the midst of this chaos, Lettice sits on the floor with her feet curled neatly beneath her, hidden by her powder blue skirt, surrounded by crates of silverware, glass and decorative china and froth of white tissue, strands of straw and butchers paper, all used for packing.
Lettice inspects the delivery docket attached to a lidded crate on the floor in front of her. “Aha!” she exclaims with satisfaction as she reads, ‘L. de Vries Curios’******** on it, her blue eyes brightening with excitement as she takes up a pair of sharp shears and severs the thick red and yellow striped twine from about the wooden crate which recoils like a snake as the tension is broken. Lancelot de Vries Curios and Collectables in the Portobello Road********* is a trove of treasures, and a regular haunt for Lettice when she is looking for that certain “Je ne sais quoi” to add to her interior designs and bring them to life with a unique and beautiful objet d’art. Opening the lid, Lettice delves with a noisy crinkle into the white tissue filling the crate and clears away the top sheets to reveal the second in a pair of large Japanese Dragonware********** jugs which are to stand on modern Art Deco pedestals to either side of the fireplace, flanking it. She runs her hand over the crisp white trailing moriage*********** form of the dragon’s back, raised like finely crafted marzipan icing. “Beautiful.” she murmurs. “Well done Mr. de Vries.”
“Ahem, Miss Chetwynd!” a moustached man in blue overalls and a flat tweed workman’s cap************ interrupts her quiet enthusiasm for the Dragonware she has bought from Mr. de Vries with an awkward, yet attention grabbing staged cough*************.
Lettice glances up into the man’s expectant face “Yes, Mr. Clarke?” she queries, her voice bristling with irritation at being disturbed.
“I’m sorry, Miss Chetwynd.” he replies meekly. “Could I trouble you to sigh this now?” He holds a small wooden clipboard and pen down towards her.
“I wasn’t overly impressed with your, or your men’s, work here.” Lettice politely berates the manager of the crew of men hired by Lettice to paint and paper the Hatchett’s principal rooms as she eyes the paper foisted under her nose unceremoniously with suspicion.
“Well, I did fix that bubbled paper around the fireplace, you pointed out, Miss Chetwynd,” He indicates to where a metal pail and wooden backed brush stands atop a ladder to the left of the fireplace surround. His cheeks flush with embarrassment like juicy red apple halves. “And you did say you were happy with the fix.”
“I’m happy with it, yes,” Lettice mutters in reply. “However, I am not happy with the fact that the paper wasn’t properly hung in the here in the first place. I shouldn’t have to point out your mistakes. There shouldn’t be any to begin with.” She gives him a withering look in response to his statement. “I don’t pay you good money to complete a shabby, haphazard job, Mr. Clarke.”
“No Miss!” Mr. Clarke acquiesces.
Lettice may not currently be in control of what impacts her private love life, but she is certainly has a grasp on the reigns of her interior design business.
“Don’t ‘no Miss’ me, Mr. Clarke. Mr. Hatchett is a Member of Parliament, and these rooms are meant to be his and his wife’s statement showpieces when entertaining other politicians and influential guest who will shape our government. How can they do so if work is poorly completed.”
“Err… no Miss.”
“I shan’t be signing anything until the job is done to my satisfaction, Mr. Clarke.” she affirms as she looks with distain at the invoice on the clipboard. “You know this. Take that away immediately, and don’t ask me to sign your ledger until I say I am satisfied.” She pauses. “Unless of course you want me to revise my arrangement with you as my painters and paper hangers of choice.”
“Oh no, Miss!” Mr. Clarke gasps, taking a step away from the young woman.
“And how many times must I remind you, to take off your hat when you talk to me for goodness sake?” Lettice asks as she grows impatient with his cloying presence. “I’m your employer, not your doxy down at your local pub. Treat me with the respect and dignity I deserve.”
“Yes Miss Chetwynd... err… I mean, no, Mis Chetwynd.” He snatches the cap from his head apologetically.
“I may only appear be a silly little girl, or a female dilettante************** in the interior design business to you in your eyes, Mr. Clarke,” Lettice commences extracting the Dragonware vase out of its packaging by wiggling it slightly, to loosen the protective paper bedding around it. “But I can assure you I am anything but that. I am a shrewd businesswoman, and I’m not in the habit of compromising my exactingly high standards, since my own name and reputation as a society interior designer relies upon your continued excellent finishes.”
“Err… no… no, of course not, Miss Chetwynd.” Mr, Clarke stammers.
“Good!” Lettice replies crisply. “Then we’ll have no more foisting of tradesman’s accounts before me until I have inspected the work, at my own pace. Thank you, Mr. Clarke.”
The way Lettice utters the last sentence indicates that this is a conclusion to their conversation, and summarily dismissed, Mr. Clarke retreats quietly without any recourse or protestation.
“Good riddance to him,” another male voice, a much softer one than Mr. Clarke’s, mutters a moment or two later.
“Chris!” Lettice purrs with the familiarity of seeing an old friends as she glances up into the bright face of her chosen furniture restorer and upholsterer from Croydon, Christopher Blessed.
“He’s out for himself at every turn, Miss Chetwynd.” Mr. Blessed continues, his face crumpling with concern. “You ought to watch yourself around him and his sneaky ways. If you give him an inch, he’ll take a mile***************.”
“Oh I know men like Mr. Clarke, dear Chris.” She extends her hands to the muscular young man with blonde hair in his workman’s overalls standing over her, and silently he helps Lettice get up. “But thank you for your concern.”
“That may be the case, Miss Chetwynd, but I’d keep my wits around him all the same, if I were you, Miss Chetwynd.”
Lettice smiles gratefully to Mr. Blessed as she stands fully upright in front of him, encircled by glassware with blue tinges, a silver punch bowl and candelabra, and the two large crates containing the Dragonware jugs. “I will heed your advice, Chris. Thank you”
“Decoration day is here at last, Miss Chetwynd.” Mr, Blessed opines, indicating to the mayhem occurring as his men return with crates of books destined for the mahogany bookshelves flanking the fireplace, where they will be dispersed on the shelves between pretty trinkets, since neither Mr. nor Mrs. Hatchett are great readers, and have no need of a library like the former owners might once have housed in this lofty room.
“Yes Chris,” Lettice sighs through her nostrils with a mixture of awe and satisfaction. “My favourite day! Aren’t you relieved?”
“The days when everything has to be set up in readiness for the new owners is always a day of reckoning, stresses and exhaustion for me and my men, Miss Chetwynd. I’ll be relieved when it is over and done with, leaving you to manage the little tweaks Mrs. Hatchett will doubtless like to make to ensure her own satisfaction.” He smiles at Lettice with his gentle and winning smile. “But I’m sure she will be grateful to you, for all you’ve done, once you’ve set it up just so. It all culminates in a job well done.” Mr. Blessed goes on. “And I’m sure it will be a job well done, knowing you, Miss Chetwynd.”
“Thank you for your vote of confidence, dear Chris.” Lettice says with an embarrassed smile. “I just hope Mrs. Hatchett will like it.”
“You told me that you once decorated for her. Miss Chetwynd. Isn’t that so?”
“You have a good memory, Chris. I did indeed. I decorated a few rooms at her home, ‘The Gables’ in Sussex a few years ago.”
“Then she knows what the quality of your interiors are like, Miss Chetwynd. She cannot help but be delighted. In fact,” Mr. Blessed nods towards one of the doors leading into the room. “You can ask her yourself, now.”
Lettice turns and sees Dolly Hatchett standing in the doorway leading from the next principal room. Like her latest vibrant portrait, which now rests on the sofa behind Lettice, waiting to be hung over the fireplace, Mrs. Hatchett’s pale blue eyes twinkle and sparkle with life, and her soft skin has a gentle glow to it as she smiles as she looks around the room with admiration, her simple gesture adding extra warmth and joy to the room. Again, Lettice is not at all surprised that handsome and dashing Captain Charles Hatchett, home on leave during the Great War, had fallen in love with the pretty chorus girl with the sparking blue eyes from ‘Chu Chin Chow’*************** as he watched her in the darkened auditorium of His Majesty’s Theatre. Today she is arrayed in a smart black and white crêpe de chiné outfit with a black pleated skirt that falls softly to just below her pretty knees and a white jacket with black lapels and black buttons – an ensemble Lettice immediately recognises as one of her best and oldest childhood chum Gerald Bruton’s designed outfits. She accessories it with her now standard string of pearls at her throat, a creamy white silk scarf decorated with playful polka dots draped loosely across her shoulders and down her front, and a fashionable little black felt hat pinned at a jaunty angle to her blonde marcelled waves*****************. The whole outfit gives her an air of elegance and confidence.
“Mrs. Hatchett!” Lettice exclaims, self-consciously brushing down her own skirt, anxious it be free of any dirt or smuts from unpacking boxes. “Welcome to your new home!” She goes on in an apologetic tone. “I’m afraid that we haven’t finished unpacking and arranging yet. Work on that has only commenced today.”
“Not at all, Miss Chetwynd.” Mrs. Hatchett replies as she steps into the room, carefully manoeuvring around a black japanned chinoiserie style desk and accompanying chair, a sleek Art Deco style club armchair with geometric patterning and several boxes of smaller decorative items which have only been partially unpacked. “I see you have remembered how much I love blue.” she remarks, pausing her traversing of the room towards Lettice and Mr. Blessed, and bending elegantly to retrieve a delicate blue spangled basket of spun glass from a box overflowing with a froth of creamy yellowish translucent tissue paper before carefully putting it down again.
“Of course I did, Mrs. Hatchett.” Lettice replies. “I hope you approve.”
“Oh yes, I do.” Mrs. Hatchett replies, but in a rather distracted tone which surprises Lettice and Mr. Blessed as flat, considering her enthusiastic words. “It’s all rather splendid, isn’t it?” Her eyes flit around the room in a desultory way, landing first upon one of the two Art Deco pedestals that the large Dragonware vases will stand on, then to the Dragonware jugs themselves in their open chests, framed by layers of protective paper, and then from the sofa and her portrait upon it, to the rolled up large carpet left near the fireplace.
“You don’t sound too pleased, if you don’t mind me saying, ma’am.” Mr. Blessed ventures.
“I… I beg your pardon?” Mrs, Hatchett replies falteringly, turning her attention to Lettice and her upholsterer.
“You don’t appear to be pleased, Mrs. Hatchett. Is the room’s décor not to your liking?” Lettice ventures politely.
“Oh, that.” Mrs. Hatchett answers rather wistfully. “No,” her attention returns from wherever it is. “No it’s looking lovely. Pardon me for showing up unannounced. I was passing you see, and I saw the lorries parked in the street, and your men unloading furniture.”
“Mrs. Hatchett,” Lettice remarks. “This is your property. You may come and go as you please. You need no permission from me.”
“No,” Mrs. Hatchett chuckles sadly. “No, of course not.”
“What’s wrong, Mrs. Hatchett?” Lettice persists.
“Pardon my moment of melancholy, Miss Chetwynd,” Mrs. Hatchett explains. “I was just wondering whether all this,” She gesticulates around her. “Might all be for naught.”
“For naught, Mrs. Hatchett? What on earth do you mean?” Lettice feels her pulse increase as Mrs. Hatchett’s words sink in, as a sudden chill fills her. “Mr. Hatchett isn’t planning to resign from politics, is he?”
“Oh no, Miss Chetwynd.” Mrs. Hatchett replies. “I didn’t mean to sound so dire in my predictions for you to jump to that conclusion. No, it is more that we might not get a change to enjoy this as a Member of Parliament and his wife because of the backlash from his constituents.”
“From his constituents?” Lettice persists. “I thought the people of Tower Hamlets loved your husband. I know my charwoman******************, certainly speaks highly of him according to my maid.”
“Well, she might not like Charlie so much now. The sheen seems to have worn off.”
“What on earth has happened, Mrs. Hatchett?”
“Last week Charlie and I went canvassing in Bethnal Green, and we were jeered in the street by the people around us. A woman even hurled a head of rotten lettuce at us, Miss Chetwynd. Can you imagine?”
“Oh, that’s horrible, Mrs. Hatchett!” Lettice gasps, raising her hands to her delicately painted lips. “It must have been quite traumatic.”
“It was awful, Miss Chetwynd. Positively beastly!” Mrs. Hatchett’s blue eyes now shimmer with tears threatening to spill from them. “We’ve never been received so hostilely before.”
“What has caused this sudden shift, Mrs. Hatchett?” Lettice queries. “Has Mr. Hatchett changed his stance on something that affects his constituents?”
“Oh no, Miss Chetwynd.” Mrs. Hatchett insists. “Charlie hasn’t changed at all. It’s that awful Trades Union Congress whom I blame, for abruptly calling off the General Strike the way they did. The working class feel abandoned by us******************* because we couldn’t stop the Conservative Government from siding with the mine owners who support the pay cuts and longer hours for the colliery workers********************. Even though Charlie still believes in the idea of a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay, his constituents think him decidedly on the nose.”
“Oh,” Lettice huffs, shrugging her shoulders blithely. “I’m sure sentiment like that will all blow over soon enough. My maid and charwoman are just as hard-working and peaceable as they were before the strike.”
“I wish I had your faith, Miss Chetwynd.” Mrs. Hatchett replies dourly. “You are very lucky in the loyalty you have from your domestics. Our constituents are not so kind or forgiving of Charlie or his political party. The vehemence. The hatred they showed towards us.” She pauses for a moment. “It shook me so. I’m not used to being loathed like that, by people on the street, people I don’t even know, and who don’t know the first thing about Charlie or me.”
“But there are no mine workers here in London, Mrs. Hatchett.”
“No, but there are relations of them, Miss Chetwynd, and they are angry – positively mutinous – since some have relatives up north who are still on strike, even without the support of the Trades Union.”
“Well, I feel sure that things will settle down after a little while, Mrs. Hatchett. Don’t give up on your husband so easily with defeatist talk.”
Mrs. Hatchett clears her throat and coughs. “Yes, yes of course. I’m sure you’re right, Miss Chetwynd.” She tries to shake the feeling of despondency off. She sighs heavily. “Anyway, I have no wish to spoil your day of decorating. Now, tell me about these.” She points to the large Dragonware jugs. “They look rather smart and select, as well as exotic.”
*The Royal Academy of Arts is a prestigious, independent institution in London dedicated to the visual arts, founded in 1768 by forty artists and architects under King George III. It was originally located at Somerset House before moving to Trafalgar Square and finally to its permanent home at Burlington House, Piccadilly, in 1868. It is renowned for hosting the annual Summer Exhibition (a major feature of the London Season) which it has been holding since 1769, promoting art through education, and being run by artists and architects.
**Queen Anne’s Gate is a street in Westminster, London. Many of the buildings are Grade I listed, known for their Queen Anne architecture. Simon Bradley and Nikolaus Pevsner described the Gate’s early Eighteenth Century houses as “the best of their kind in London.” The street’s proximity to the Palace of Westminster made it a popular residential area for politicians.
***The London constituency of Tower Hamlets includes such areas and historic towns as (roughly from west to east) Spitalfields, Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, Wapping, Shadwell, Mile End, Stepney, Limehouse, Old Ford, Bow, Bromley, Poplar, and the Isle of Dogs (with Millwall, the West India Docks, and Cubitt Town), making it a majority working class constituency in 1925 when this story is set. Tower Hamlets included some of the worst slums and societal issues of inequality and poverty in England at that time.
****Jeffrey and Company was an English producer of fine wallpapers that operated between 1836 and the mid 1930s. Based at 64 Essex Road in London, the firm worked with a variety of designers who were active in the aesthetic and arts and crafts movements, such as E.W. Godwin, William Morris, and Walter Crane. Jeffrey and Company’s success is often credited to Metford Warner, who became the company’s chief proprietor in 1871. Under his direction the firm became one of the most lucrative and influential wallpaper manufacturers in Europe. The company clarified that wallpaper should not be reserved for use solely in mansions, but should be available for rooms in the homes of the emerging upper-middle class.
*****Originally a street and a square, Queen Anne’s Gate began life as Queen Square and Park Street. The two were separated by a high wall until 1873when the two areas were combined into Queen Anne’s Gate. Queen Square was constructed first, then when Park Street was constructed, residents of Queen Square were so concerned that the road would be used as a cut through for carriages to avoid the traffic of King Street, the Sanctuary and Tothill Street that a subscription was collected for the building of the wall to avoid the residents having the peace of their square disturbed. The architecture of the buildings in the original Queen Square part of Queen Anne’s Gate is superb, and the main doors to the majority of buildings have very elaborate decorated wooden canopies.
******The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts was a specialized exhibition held in Paris, from April the 29th (the day after it was inaugurated in a private ceremony by the President of France) to October the 25th, 1925. It was designed by the French government to highlight the new modern style of architecture, interior decoration, furniture, glass, jewellery and other decorative arts in Europe and throughout the world. Many ideas of the international avant-garde in the fields of architecture and applied arts were presented for the first time at the exposition. The event took place between the esplanade of Les Invalides and the entrances of the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, and on both banks of the Seine. There were fifteen thousand exhibitors from twenty different countries, and it was visited by sixteen million people during its seven-month run. The modern style presented at the exposition later became known as “Art Deco”, after the exposition's name.
*******Beeswax polish is a natural, non-toxic blend of pure beeswax and nourishing oils, like mineral oil, used to condition, protect, and shine timber. It penetrates the wood grain to highlight its natural beauty, prevents drying or cracking, and creates a water-resistant barrier. It nourishes, restores, and protects wooden furnishings, whilst providing a long-lasting, lustrous satin finish. It also helps to fill in and conceals minor scuffs and surface imperfections, as well as sealing wooden surfaces against moisture, causing water to bead on the surface.
********In the 1920s, antique shops were commonly referred to as curiosity shops, antiquaries, or bric-à-brac shops. These spaces often served as a hybrid between a museum and a retail store, where dealers sold a mixed variety of historical relics, estate furniture, and decorative knick-knacks.
*********In the 1920s, Portobello Road was a bustling, working-class hub in Notting Hill, London. Originally established to sell fresh food and daily essentials, the area featured legendary sites like the Electric Cinema—one of the UK's first cinemas—and famously provided inexpensive lodgings to the author George Orwell in 1927.b The antiques we know Portobello Road for today began its germination in the 1920s, becoming a mainstay and attraction by the 1930s.
*********“Je ne sais quoi” is a French phrase used in English to describe a little, (indescribable) something which cannot be pinpointed. A little 'I don't know what'. “Je ne sais quoi” translates directly from the French as “I don't know what”.
**********Dragonware is a highly collectible style of Japanese export porcelain and pottery, typically produced from the late 1800s to the mid Twentieth Century. It is famous for its intricate, hand-painted raised relief dragons (a technique called moriage) and items often feature hidden "lithophane" images of a Geisha's face at their bottoms. The base porcelain usually features a matte or lustre glaze, commonly in black, grey, or dark blue.
***********The dragons are applied by artisans using a slip-trailing technique called moriage, which is very similar to piping icing on a cake, to create a crisp bas relief against the matte or lustre baze glaze. The dragons wrap around the pieces alongside clouds and flames.
************A worker's flat cap is a traditional, rounded cap with a small, stiff brim in front, historically worn by working-class men in the UK, Ireland, and North America from the Fourteenth Century onwards. In 1571, the English government mandated that all males over six (except nobility) wear a wool cap on Sundays and holidays to boost the wool industry, solidifying the flat cap's status as a working-class staple. Over time, it became a symbol of working-class culture, often associated with the phrase "flat cap and whippet," before also being adopted for leisure activities like golf. It was designed to be practical for manual labour—worn by farmers, miners, and factory workers — providing weather protection. It is known for its simple, rounded shape, which can be pulled forward for extra protection against the wind. Made typically of wool, tweed, or cotton, it was favoured for its durability, affordability, and warmth.
*************A "staged cough" is a deliberate, acted-out cough usually used in dramatics as a plot device to signal an underlying emotion, cover an awkward moment, or establish a character's physical illness. It is a controlled physical action performed to sound convincing without causing actual vocal strain or interrupting the play's pacing.
**************A dilettante is a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts or a field of knowledge, superficially or just for amusement rather than with serious dedication or professional expertise.
***************The phrase "give him an inch and he'll take a mile" means that if you make a small concession or offer a small favour, the recipient will unscrupulously take advantage of your generosity and expect much more. It warns that some people do not respect boundaries. The original phrase first appeared in print as "Give him an inch and he'll take an ell" in John Heywood's 1546 collection of English proverbs. An "ell" was an old measurement of cloth that was typically about 45 inches long (roughly the distance from a man's middle finger to his opposite shoulder). As the metric and imperial systems standardised measurements in the Twentieth Century, the old-fashioned "ell" fell out of common use. The proverb was then adapted to the modern "mile" to exaggerate the scale of the entitlement and make it punchier for modern speakers.
****************‘Chu Chin Chow’ is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based on the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. It was the most popular show in London’s West End during the Great War. It premiered at His Majesty’s Theatre in London on the 3rd of August 1916 and ran for 2,238 performances, a record number that stood for nearly forty years!
*****************Marcelling is a hair styling technique in which hot curling tongs are used to induce a curl into the hair. Its appearance was similar to that of a finger wave but it is created using a different method. Marcelled hair was a popular style for women's hair in the 1920s, often in conjunction with a bob cut. For those women who had longer hair, it was common to tie the hair at the nape of the neck and pin it above the ear with a stylish hair pin or flower. One famous wearer was American entertainer, Josephine Baker.
******************A charwoman, chargirl, or char, jokingly charlady, is an old-fashioned occupational term, referring to a paid part-time worker who comes into a house or other building to clean it for a few hours of a day or week, as opposed to a maid, who usually lives as part of the household within the structure of domestic service. In the 1920s, chars usually did all the hard graft work that paid live-in domestics would no longer do as they looked for excuses to leave domestic service for better paying work in offices and factories.
******************* The 1926 General Strike was a nine-day nationwide stoppage in the United Kingdom between the third and twelfth of May. It was called by the Trades Union Congress to support over a million coal miners facing wage cuts and longer hours. Following "Black Friday" in 1921, miners faced a lockout after refusing "not a penny off the pay, not an hour on the day" wage reductions and longer hours. The Labour Party and trade union politicians faced intense backlash and accusations of "betrayal" from sections of the working class across Great Britain in the aftermath of the General Strike, when the Trades Union Congress abruptly called it off after only nine days. The Trades Union Congress leadership—which included prominent trade unionists and politicians—was widely condemned by rank-and-file workers. They were accused of capitulating to the Conservative government, who were pro mine owner and anti-worker, out of fear of the strike escalating into a broader social revolution. The Miners' Federation of Great Britain felt particularly betrayed because they continued their strike for seven months on their own before being starved back to work with pay cuts and longer hours. The Communist Party of Great Britain heavily criticized the reformist Labour leadership. The backlash fuelled an internal ideological battle between moderate politicians and the radical, pro-union left. In the aftermath, the Labour Party national leadership launched purges against Communist Party members and heavily disciplined local labour branches that defied official directives during the crisis.
********************A colliery worker is someone employed at a coal mine (or "colliery"), either underground or on the surface. While often referring to coal hewers (who cut the coal), the term includes a variety of roles, such as byeworkers repairing tunnels, haulage staff moving coal, and surface workers managing machinery and processing.
This slightly chaotic upper-class still life of redecoration in progress is different to what you might think, for it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures, some of which come from my own childhood and teenage years.
Fun things to look for in this tableau include:
The two black and blue Dragonware jugs appearing out of the wooden crates are from my early teenage years. They are from the 1860s. I bought them at a car boot sale one day, as I was slowly building my 1:12 miniatures collection. I knew that they would come in handy one day! The lidded wooden crates they are in, with their Edwardian advertising labels have been purposely aged and came from The Dolls’ House Supplier in the United Kingdom. The shears with black handles balanced on the edge of the crate open and close. Made of metal, they came from Doreen Jeffries’ Small Wonders Miniature Shop in the United Kingdom.
The painting on the sofa is my own selection of what I thought Mrs. Hatchett might look like, put into a gilded frame that also came from Kathleen Knight’s Dolls’ House Shop in the United Kingdom.
The sofa and chair are beautiful J.B.M. miniatures. The stylised Art Deco soft furnishings with their striking geometric patterns have removable cushions, just like their life sized examples. The Art Deco pedestal stand in the midground has been made by the high end miniature furniture maker, Bespaq.
All the glass items on the floor and in the aged crate have been blown and decorated and tinted by hand by Beautifully Handmade Miniatures in Kettering. The stopper in the decanter in the foreground is removable.
The silver candelabra and punch bowl in the foreground, and the silver plates stacked on the sofa, come from Kathleen Knight’s Dolls’ House Shop.
The stylised Art Deco fire screen poking out from behind the sofa and pedestal is made using thinly laser cut wood, made by Pat’s Miniatures in England.
The miniature Oriental rug rolled up in the background of the photo was made by hand looming by Pike and Pike in England.
The metal step ladder, bucket and brush in the background come from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House Shop.
The fireplace is made of plaster, and also comes from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House Shop.
A wide, dramatic, and symmetrical shot capturing the immense architectural scale of the main hall's ceiling within the San Francisco Ferry Building. The composition looks directly up, centered on the long, glass-paneled skylight that runs the length of the building, providing bright, natural light. The vaulted ceiling is defined by a rhythmic series of arched, dark metal trusses and structural beams, contrasting sharply with the pale, warm-toned interior brick and stone walls. The windows high up on the side walls feature intricate, geometric latticework, characteristic of late 19th-century industrial architecture. This image perfectly highlights the blend of classical and industrial design that defines the historic landmark, emphasizing the cavernous space and the airy, light-filled atmosphere.
Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Tonight, however we are not in Lettice’s flat. Instead, we have followed Lettice south-east, past the Royal Academy*, across Picadilly, through the neighbouring borough of St James’ with its private clubs and gentlemen’s tailors, over St James’ Park and Birdcage Walk where once the Royal Menagerie and aviaries of King James I and King Charles II had stood, to Queen Anne’s Gate** in Westminster, lined with fine early Eighteenth Century townhouses. It is here that Member of Parliament for the constituency of Towers Hamlets***, Mr. Charles Hatchett, and his wife Dolly have established their London base after extensive structural works to make it habitable after many years of neglect under its former owner, a decrepit old Admiral of Queen Victoria’s navy. Lettice was commissioned by Mrs. Hatchett to redecorate some of the principal rooms of the newly renovated and restored townhouse, and this evening, the Hatchetts have invited Lettice for celebratory drinks and canapés to thank her for all her hard work.
Lettice pays the driver of the blue London taxi through the glass divider between the driver’s compartment and the passenger carriage before pressing down on the shining chrome handle and stepping out onto the pavement, the flash of a white silk stocking clad leg and one of Gerald’s beautiful evening frocks embroidered with strings of glittering pink glass beads poking out from underneath her luxurious full length white fox fur coat**** as she moves from a seated to a standing position. With a glittering beaded headdress sparkling on her head and fine magenta dyed velvet pumps, she cuts a fashionable figure. The heels of her pumps click in the cool evening as she walks a few paces along the footpath before up with admiration at the simple, elegant façade of the red and rich brown brick building before her, set with rigid rows of twelve, nine and six pane Georgian windows. Lettice smiles up at the benign face of Queen Anne, as the former ruler peers out through a mixture of flowers, draped festoons, oak leaves and acorns that surround her on the ornately carved canopy** over the main door of the residence. Painted in white to match the window frames of the house, the wood of the canopy takes on a ghostly appearance in the evening light. Unlike her first visit to the townhouse, there are no muffled sounds of distant hammering emanating from within, and all is serene and quiet in the terrace lined street where Austins and Worsleys are parked awaiting their owners. Walking up the two Portland stone steps to the front door Lettice wraps her white kid leather evening glove hand around the brass bell pull sticking out of the red brick to the left of the door. From within the house the sound of the bell rings. As she waits on the stoop, Lettice can almost imagine she can hear the familiar sound of a pair of shuffling footsteps, indecipherable muttering and that known fruity cough, as Lettice remembers Mrs. Boothby answering the door the first time she visited, much to her astonishment. Lettice still wonders whether her Cockney charwoman******, who is not unknown from being a little sly, eavesdropped to know that Lettice was going to decorate for the Hatchett’s and secured herself a job as a cleaner for them when they were first clearing the house.
“Oh, good evening, Miss Chetwynd,” the maid who answers the door to Lettice says brightly in her slightly sing-song accent and elongated East Anglian vowels. “How lovely to see you again.” She beams happily. “Please come in.”
“Good evening Jennie.” Lettice replies as she steps across the threshold into the warmly it entrance hall, acknowledging the maid whom Lettice first met five years ago when she decorated ‘The Gables’: sprawling Arts and Crafts style home of Mr. and Mrs. Hatchett in Rotherfield and Mark Cross******* in Sussex.
“Madam is expecting you in the upstairs drawing room” Jennie says as she helps Lettice out of her coat, revealing the ravishing pale pink spangled bead evening frock she is wearing.
Lettice follows Jennie betheath the carved dividing screen of two burnished mahogany columns with a delicate glass lunette******** of seven panes of clear glass splaying out from a central semi-circle above, and ascends the sweeping balustraded Georgian staircase upstairs. As they traverse the long corridor, once dark and dingy but now ablaze with electric illumination, Lettice is pleased to see that even though she did not decide the décor of the passage, that her prevailing simplistic Art Deco style has been carried through it, with panels of geometrically patterned papers designed by Jeffrey and Company********* breaking up the mahogany panelled walls, and elegant and modern light fixtures suspended above their heads.
Jennie wraps smartly on the restored mahogany double doors leading to the first-floor drawing room before throwing them open. “Miss Chetwynd, Madam.” she announces proudly.
And then Lettice steps into her latest interior design masterpiece. Gone is the grime and darkness, along with the pervasive smell of damp that seemed to cling to your every pore. In its place is a room that is clean and gleams with modernity. The walls are hung with pale dove grey papers featuring a stylised geometric Art Deco pattern, created specifically for Lettice by Jeffrey and Company to her own designs, inspired by what she saw on her visit to the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes********** in Paris in 1925. The mahogany floor-to-ceiling bookshelves flanking the white marble fireplace – the only original furnishings – are filled with a selection of titles Lettice would call ‘light shipboard reading’***********, owing to the fact that neither Mr. nor Mrs. Hatchett are great readers. Supplied by book dealer friend Mr. Mayhew of Charring Cross Road************, the books which suggest a level of intelligence and varied interests are indispersed with interesting and pretty objects to lighten the space. A thick Persian rug covers the polished parquetry floor, and soft furnishings in the latest Art Deco style are accessorised with choice pieces of Eighteenth Century chinoiserie************* furnishings. The gleaming white marble fireplace, once yellow, brown and black with fire and pipe smoke, is flanked by two large Dragonware************** jugs in black and blue with fine white tracings, standing atop two Art Deco stands, provided by her antiques and curios friend, Lancelot de Vries. And presiding over it all from her gilded frame over the fireplace, Mrs. Hatchett herself in a beautiful and most arresting portrait.
“Well Lettuce Leaf,” a familiar voice comes from behind an opened copy of the Daily Mirror.
“Gerald!” Lettice gasps in surprise, to startled to admonish him for using her most hated childhood pet name, as she sees him sitting in an armchair where he lowers the newspaper and smiles up at her. “I wasn’t expecting you!”
“Well, it was a last-minute idea that Dolly threw up at me at the last minute.” Gerald explains, putting the paper aside, getting up and walking over to Lettice. “She feels that it’s tradition, darling.” he continues as he embraces her.
“Tradition, Gerald darling?” Lettice queries.
“Yes.” Gerald replies. “At least that’s how she sees it, since we were both present at the little soirée she held following your redecoration of ‘The Gables’ back in 1921.”
“Good heavens!” Lettice exclaims. “Do you know, I had quite forgotten about that, Gerald darling!”
“I’m shocked!” Gerald replies in mock horror, making an exaggerated face of horror and throwing his hands up melodramatically. “You don’t remember every moment you’ve been with me at social occasions? Good god!”
Lettice’s blue eyes narrow and her well manicured eyebrows arch as she replies cheekily, “Getting acting lessons off your new thespian friends?” referring to the theatrical and rather melodramatic homosexual men who all board with his friend Harriet Milford in her large house in Putney, along with Gerlad’s lover, West End oboist Cyril.
“Cheeky Lettuce Leaf!” Gerald wags an admonishing finger at her. “And here I was, about to pay you the nicest compliment.”
“Well, you still can, Mr. Buttons.” Lettice retorts, using the nickname given him by Lettice’s former client, Lady Gladys Caxton: a name which Gerald despises as much as she abhors the nickname Lettice leaf.”
“Touché, my dear.” Gerald holds up his hands in acquiescence. He sighs before going on, “I was going to say that this room oozes your restrained good taste, as usual.” He waves his hand about in understated, laconic gesticulation.
“Thank you, Gerald darling.” Lettice replies with a contented sigh. “This was a very large job, and I’m pleased to say I think it a job well done.”
“I’m sure, with the Hatchetts being as prominent as they are at the moment, ascending to the heavens of politics, I have no doubt that this will elevate your services amongst the political elite.”
“Thank you, dear Gerald.” Lettice purrs. “At least I didn’t have to convince Mrs. Hatchett not to have chintz upholstery this time.”
“Thank goodness for that!” Gerald opines with a curt nod.
“And where are our hosts?” Lettice asks, looking around the room, which is empty save for themselves. “Jennie said that I was expected.”
“Call it another Hatchett tradition, Lettice my dear. Remember that they were late to dinner the night we did spend in Rotherfield and Mark Cross?” Gerald looks over at his friend, standing in a gown of pale pink satin decorated with glass bugle beads – one of his own creations. He looks down and runs his evening pump distractedly over the luxurious Persian carpet on the floor.
“I had quite forgotten that too, Gerald darling.”
“Dolly is seldom on time for her fittings, which is the bane of Edna’s life, since she runs to time like the Great Western Railway***************.”
“Poor Edna.” Lettice giggles girlishly. “I know how important her schedules are to her.”
“Champagne?” Gerald asks, changing the subject as he foists a bottle of Deutz champagne from its bed of ice in a silver cooler, also provided to Lettice after her visit to Lancelot de Vries curio shop**************** in Notting Hill.
“Oh Gerald darling!” Lettice exclaims, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “We mustn’t, without our hosts being here. You know it’s rude!” she admonishes.
“So too are they for being late. Don’t be such a stickler for the rules, Lettuce Leaf. I say we crack it open.” He starts to unwrap the foil from about the neck and opening of the bottle.
“Don’t call me that, Gerald!” Lettice finally quips peevishly. “We aren’t three any more, and you know I loathe it.”
“Then don’t be such a stickler for social niceties, and join me.”
He pops the cork, making both he and Lettice gasp as it flies forward, ricocheting off the bricks at the back of the fireplace and landing in the flames of the crackling fire.
“Gosh! That was a whizzer, wasn’t it?” he trills with delight as he pours bubbling champagne into the first of four champagne glasses sitting alongside the silver cooler on the tray.
“Rather!” Lettice laughs, accepting the glass from Gerald before he promptly fills his own.
“Actually,” Gerald goes on, lowing his voice slightly as he deposits the champagne bottle back into its bed of ice and taking up his glass returns his attentions to Lettice. “I’m rather glad we’re here alone just now.”
Lettice tilts her head and cocks her eyebrow again, this time questioningly.
“Guess from whom I received a short letter from this afternoon, just prior to coming here?” Gerald asks mysteriously.
“Not Mr. Cookson?” Lettice asks, referring to the Pinkerton that she and Gerald have engaged to investigate the truth behind the lie that Lettice’s former beau was engaged to an Antipodean***************** diamond mine heiress.
For nearly a year Lettice had been patiently awaiting the return of her then beau, Selwyn Spencely, son of the Duke of Walmsford, after being sent to Durban by his mother, Lady Zinnia in an effort to destroy their relationship which she wanted to end so that she could marry Selwyn off to his cousin, Pamela Fox-Chavers. Having been made aware by Lady Zinnia in October 1924 that during the course of the year, whilst Lettice had been biding her time, waiting for Selwyn’s eventual return, he had become engaged to the daughter of a Kenyan diamond mine owner whilst in Durban. Fleeing Lady Zinnia’s Park Lane mansion, Lettice returned to Cavendish Mews and milled over her options over a week as she reeled from the news. Then, after that week, she knew exactly what to do to resolve the unpleasant issues raised by Lady Zinnia’s unwelcome news about her son. Taking extra care in her dress, she took herself off to the neighbouring upper-class London suburb of Belgravia and paid a call upon Sir John Nettleford-Hughes.
Lettice is now engaged to Sir John Nettleford Hughes. Old enough to be her father, wealthy Sir John, according to London society gossip enjoys dalliances with a string of pretty chorus girls of Lettice’s age and younger. As an eligible man in a aftermath of the Great War when such men are a rare commodity, with a vast family estate in Bedfordshire, houses in Mayfair, Belgravia and Pimlico and Fontengil Park in Wiltshire, quite close to the Glynes estate belonging to her parents, Lettice’s mother, Lady Sadie, invited him as a potential suitor to her 1922 Hunt Ball, which she used as a marriage market for Lettice. Although she did not become engaged to him then, Lettice did reacquaint herself with Sir John at an amusing Friday to Monday long weekend party held by mutual friends Sir John and Lady Gladys Caxton at their Scottish country estate in 1924. To her surprise, Lettice found Sir John’s company rather enjoyable. She then ran into him again later that year at the Portland Gallery’s autumn show in Soho, where she found him yet again to be a pleasant and attentive companion for much of the evening. Sir John also made a proposition to her that night: he offered her his hand in marriage should she ever need it. More like a business arrangement than a marriage proposal, Sir John offered Lettice the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of his large fortune, be chatelain of all his estates and continue to have her interior design business, under the conditions that she agree to provide him with an heir, and that he be allowed to discreetly carry on his affairs in spite of their marriage vows. He even suggested that Lettice might be afforded the opportunity to have her own extra marital liaisons if she were discreet about them. When Lettice’s understanding with Selwyn Spencely, son of the Duke of Walmsford, fell apart, Lettice agreed to Sir John’s proposal. Then, during the General Strike****************** that almost brought the nation to a standstill earlier in the year, Selwyn and Lettice were reintroduced, and she found out that Selwyn wasn’t engaged to another woman at all, as she was led to believe by Lady Zinnia, and it had all been a fabrication, leaving her in a quandary over what to do: break her engagement with Sir John and marry the man she truly loves and has never stopped loving, or remain engaged to Sir John, preserving his honour and the good name of her own family.
Lettice and Gerald have engaged the services of an Inquiry Agent*******************, Mr. Cookson, to get to the bottom of the matter, who has left for Nairobi and Durban to further his investigations away from the difference paid to Lady Zinnia which have stymied his enquiries.
“The very same.” Gerald admits. “He docked in Mombasa last month and travelled overland to Nairobi, which is where his note was posted from.”
“What does he say?” Lettice asks with excitement.
“Well,” Gerald replies, putting his flute back down on the surface of the silver tray, before delving into the satin lined breast pocket of his black barathea******************** tail coat and withdrawing a small piece of creamy paper. “You may read it for yourself.”
Lettice passes Gerald her glass with a shaking hand before pouncing upon the note, unfolding it. Inside, Mr. Cookson’s spidery, sloping copperplate spreads across the page in untidy rows with splotches of ink blooming from the paper like inky flowers, looking as though the correspondence were written whilst aboard the overland from Mombasa to Nairobi. She glances up at Gerald with alarm.
“His penmanship is awful, but your perseverance will pay you dividends, Lettice darling.”
Lettice returns her gaze to the page.
‘Dear Mr. Bruton,
Well, I have reached Nairobi safely, albeit a little shaken from the rudimentary journey from Mombasa overland. The origins of Kitty Avendale remain elusive, however I have been able to ascertain that a Miss Kathy Daleeth, daughter of an agricultural labourer who immigrated from Ireland to Australia last century, arrived in British East Africa********************* about six months before Kitty Avendale appeared at the Muthaiga Club********************** in Nairobi. She promoted herself about town as a fine horsewoman, capable of breaking in wild horses after growing up on her father’s farm in the colony of New South Wales, where there were Brumbies, which from what I can gather are wild Australian horses. She was taken on as a stable hand by a rogue local racehorse breeder from the Aberdare Range***********************, Mr. Charlie Chet - none other than Miss Chetwynd’s errant elder brother Lionel. I have been able to establish that she was in his employ up until the time of Miss Avendale’s arrival. This seems mysteriously to coincide with a change in Mr. Chetwynd’s luck. Known locally as a mediocre horse breeder whose nags are better suited for farmwork than winning races, Mr. Chetwynd is somewhat of a profligate gambler, often losing what few decent brood mares he has in his stable on reckless wagers. Yet at the same time as Miss Avendale turned up at the gambling tables of the Muthaiga Club, throwing money around like pebbles, so too did Mr. Chetwynd. Sources close to him tell me that when he had imbibed a little too much, he spoke of going into partnership with a great lady with an eye for good business. I am now pursuing this lead, as well as the probable likelihood that Kathy Daleeth and Kitty Avendale are one and the same woman.
Sincerely,
J. E. Cookson Esq.’
Lettice’s hand holding the letter drops as she looks Gerald squarely in the face, her own face suddenly pale and drained of blood. Her lower lip begins to quiver as the gleam of unshed tears begin to shimmer in the corners of her blue eyes. “It’s Lionel. He’s involved.”
“As we speculated he was, Lettice darling.” Gerald reminds his best childhood chum sagely. “As we feared.”
“As we knew.” Lettice corrects, handing the letter back to Gerald before delving into her small beaded reticule covered in petit-point roses in sparkling pink and gold and withdrawing a small lace trimmed handkerchief which she begins to dab at her eyes with, trying very hard not to smudge the dark kohl************************ that she has rimmed her eyes with dramatically. “My worst nightmare come to fruition. My own brother involved in some way with Lady Zinnia and that awful Kitty Avendale.”
Gerald puts down Lettice’s glass alongside his own and reaches out to Lettice, grasping her around the upper arms and smiling at her. “No blubbing************************* now. You don’t want Dolly and Mr. Hatchett to guess anything is amiss, do you? We’re supposed to be here to celebrate. They’ll know something is afoot f they see tears.”
Lettice sniffs deeply and Gerald can feel her stiffen in his hands as she tries to steel herself.
“Besides,” Gerald goes on. “We have no definitive proof that Lionel and Lady Zinnia are connected.”
“Do we need it?” Lettice asks in a deflated fashion. “You know Lionel every bit as well as I do, and you know how perfectly perfidious he is. I know he’s involved.” She looks her best friend squarely in the face. “And so do you, Gerald darling. Let’s not insult each other’s and our own intelligence, and pretend otherwise.”
“Yes,” Gerald heaves a heavy sigh. “There is no denying that.”
As if she knew she was being spoken about, Mrs. Hatchett, followed by her husband, bustle rambunctiously into the room just at that moment, filled with apologies as they greet their guests.
“We’re so sorry to have kept you waiting Miss Chetwynd, Gerald.” Mrs. Hatchett apologises. “We couldn’t fasten up poor Charlie’s bow tie, and he was all a-bother after sitting later than expected in The House.”
“I need you to be my valet, Mr. Bruton.” Mr. Hatchett remarks jokingly as he puts his finger into the cavity between his stiff evening collar and the flesh of his neck.
Dressed semi formally compared to Gerald’s set of tails, Mr. Hatchett in his dinner jacket, looks every bit the successful politician who still enjoys a few too many long luncheons and dinners at his club, or in the Palace of Westminster. He still retains a certain handsomeness with salt and pepper hair. And Mrs. Hatchett is every inch the politician’s wife in a striking black frock shimmering with silver bead appliqués which has Gerald’s hallmarks of fine couture.
“I see you’ve cracked open the bottle of champagne already!” Mr. Hatchett chortles, the remark making Lettice blush, which helps to hide her underlying distress. “Capital! Capital, Gerald, old bean!”
“Now,” Mrs. Hatchett remarks with an air of conspiracy as she winds her arm though Lettice’s, as her husband pours both of them a champagne into the unused glasses. “What have you and Gerald been gossiping about in my absence, Miss Chetwynd? You must tell me! I insist!”
“Well… I… that is… we…” Lettice stammers.
“We were gossiping about home.” Gerald quickly interjects, thinking more quickly on his feet than Lettice. “I received a letter from my mother full of home county gossip. You know the thing, Dolly – cattle shows, country fêtes and that sort of thing.”
“Oh, how terribly dull.” Mrs, Hatchett opines with disappointment. “Well, I must tell you all about our first political soirée we had here the other night, Miss Chetwynd! Even Ellen Wilkinson had to admit that this was a tasteful interior, and she’s a Socialist! Come and sit.” She leads Lettice to the empty sofa and drags Lettice down to sit with her.
*The Royal Academy of Arts is a prestigious, independent institution in London dedicated to the visual arts, founded in 1768 by forty artists and architects under King George III. It was originally located at Somerset House before moving to Trafalgar Square and finally to its permanent home at Burlington House, Piccadilly, in 1868. It is renowned for hosting the annual Summer Exhibition (a major feature of the London Season) which it has been holding since 1769, promoting art through education, and being run by artists and architects.
**Queen Anne’s Gate is a street in Westminster, London. Many of the buildings are Grade I listed, known for their Queen Anne architecture. Simon Bradley and Nikolaus Pevsner described the Gate’s early Eighteenth Century houses as “the best of their kind in London.” The street’s proximity to the Palace of Westminster made it a popular residential area for politicians.
***The London constituency of Tower Hamlets includes such areas and historic towns as (roughly from west to east) Spitalfields, Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, Wapping, Shadwell, Mile End, Stepney, Limehouse, Old Ford, Bow, Bromley, Poplar, and the Isle of Dogs (with Millwall, the West India Docks, and Cubitt Town), making it a majority working class constituency in 1925 when this story is set. Tower Hamlets included some of the worst slums and societal issues of inequality and poverty in England at that time.
****White furs were highly sought after during the Jazz Age and were often used to create opulent, full-length coats, stoles, or large collars and cuffs on velvet evening coats. White fur coats in the 1920s were primarily made from fox, especially white and silver fox, mink, ermine, and dyed rabbit. For a more textured or voluminous look, women also wore Tibetan (or Mongolian) lamb. Additionally, faux fur (made from early synthetic textiles like plush pile) was already available.
*****Originally a street and a square, Queen Anne’s Gate began life as Queen Square and Park Street. The two were separated by a high wall until 1873when the two areas were combined into Queen Anne’s Gate. Queen Square was constructed first, then when Park Street was constructed, residents of Queen Square were so concerned that the road would be used as a cut through for carriages to avoid the traffic of King Street, the Sanctuary and Tothill Street that a subscription was collected for the building of the wall to avoid the residents having the peace of their square disturbed. The architecture of the buildings in the original Queen Square part of Queen Anne’s Gate is superb, and the main doors to the majority of buildings have very elaborate decorated wooden canopies.
A charwoman, chargirl, or char, jokingly charlady, is an old-fashioned occupational term, referring to a paid part-time worker who comes into a house or other building to clean it for a few hours of a day or week, as opposed to a maid, who usually lives as part of the household within the structure of domestic service. In the 1920s, chars usually did all the hard graft work that paid live-in domestics would no longer do as they looked for excuses to leave domestic service for better paying work in offices and factories.
*******Rotherfield is a large village and civil parish in East Sussex, located in the Wealden district, which includes the nearby village of Mark Cross. Known for its rich history dating back to the Eighth Century, the area is characterised by scenic farmland, and notable sites like Eridge Park and Rotherfield Hall.
********A lunette is a crescent- or half-moon–shaped or semi-circular architectural space or feature, usually above a doorway or walkway, variously filled by windows, masonry, a painted mural, or sometimes left void.
*********Jeffrey and Company was an English producer of fine wallpapers that operated between 1836 and the mid 1930s. Based at 64 Essex Road in London, the firm worked with a variety of designers who were active in the aesthetic and arts and crafts movements, such as E.W. Godwin, William Morris, and Walter Crane. Jeffrey and Company’s success is often credited to Metford Warner, who became the company’s chief proprietor in 1871. Under his direction the firm became one of the most lucrative and influential wallpaper manufacturers in Europe. The company clarified that wallpaper should not be reserved for use solely in mansions, but should be available for rooms in the homes of the emerging upper-middle class.
**********The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts was a specialized exhibition held in Paris, from April the 29th (the day after it was inaugurated in a private ceremony by the President of France) to October the 25th, 1925. It was designed by the French government to highlight the new modern style of architecture, interior decoration, furniture, glass, jewellery and other decorative arts in Europe and throughout the world. Many ideas of the international avant-garde in the fields of architecture and applied arts were presented for the first time at the exposition. The event took place between the esplanade of Les Invalides and the entrances of the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, and on both banks of the Seine. There were fifteen thousand exhibitors from twenty different countries, and it was visited by sixteen million people during its seven-month run. The modern style presented at the exposition later became known as “Art Deco”, after the exposition's name.
***********Light shipboard reading refers to engaging, easy-to-digest books, magazines, or articles that travelers can comfortably consume while journeying on a boat or ship. The phrase implies portable, accessible material that doesn't demand heavy concentration, making it ideal for passing time on a voyage.
************A. H. Mayhew was once one of many bookshops located in London’s Charring Cross Road, an area still famous today for its bookshops, perhaps most famously written about by American authoress Helene Hanff who wrote ’84, Charing Cross Road’, which later became a play and then a 1987 film starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins. Number 56. Charing Cross Road was the home of Mayhew’s second-hand and rare bookshop. Closed after the war, their premises is now the home of Any Amount of Books bookshop.
*************Chinoiserie (from the French chinois, meaning "Chinese-esque") is a recurring Western decorative style and art movement. Inspired by traditional Asian art—primarily from China and Japan—it is characterised by fanciful, often idealised interpretations of Eastern motifs, including pagodas, exotic birds, lush flora, and fantastical landscapes.
**************Dragonware is a highly collectible style of Japanese export porcelain and pottery, typically produced from the late 1800s to the mid Twentieth Century. It is famous for its intricate, hand-painted raised relief dragons (a technique called moriage) and items often feature hidden "lithophane" images of a Geisha's face at their bottoms. The base porcelain usually features a matte or lustre glaze, commonly in black, grey, or dark blue.
***************The saying of “running to time like the British railways” stems from the Nineteenth Century Railway Time revolution. Before trains, towns operated on varying local solar times. To prevent collisions and schedule departures, the Science Museum notes that the network mandated a single standard Greenwich Mean Time across the country in 1847. Because trains allowed people to cross the country quickly, strict Great Western Railway timetables became the benchmark for discipline and synchronised timekeeping in Great Britain. This birthed a lasting idiom equating impeccable reliability to the railways.
****************In the 1920s, antique shops were commonly referred to as curiosity shops, antiquaries, or bric-à-brac shops. These spaces often served as a hybrid between a museum and a retail store, where dealers sold a mixed variety of historical relics, estate furniture, and decorative knick-knacks.
*****************Antipodean is a term relating to Australia or New Zealand (used by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere).
******************The 1926 General Strike was a nine-day nationwide stoppage in the United Kingdom between the third and twelfth of May. It was called by the Trades Union Congress to support over a million coal miners facing wage cuts and longer hours. Following "Black Friday" in 1921, miners faced a lockout after refusing "not a penny off the pay, not an hour on the day" wage reductions and longer hours. The Labour Party and trade union politicians faced intense backlash and accusations of "betrayal" from sections of the working class across Great Britain in the aftermath of the General Strike, when the Trades Union Congress abruptly called it off after only nine days. The Trades Union Congress leadership—which included prominent trade unionists and politicians—was widely condemned by rank-and-file workers. They were accused of capitulating to the Conservative government, who were pro mine owner and anti-worker, out of fear of the strike escalating into a broader social revolution. The Miners' Federation of Great Britain felt particularly betrayed because they continued their strike for seven months on their own before being starved back to work with pay cuts and longer hours. The Communist Party of Great Britain heavily criticized the reformist Labour leadership. The backlash fuelled an internal ideological battle between moderate politicians and the radical, pro-union left. In the aftermath, the Labour Party national leadership launched purges against Communist Party members and heavily disciplined local labour branches that defied official directives during the crisis.
*******************In 1920s England, private investigators were most commonly referred to as Inquiry Agents or Private Inquiry Agents. They were frequently engaged for matters involving surveillance and divorce, with other common terms including private detectives, commercial agents, and private investigators used.
********************Barathea is a soft, durable, high-end fabric known for its distinctive pebbled or broken-twill weave, offering a matte finish with a slight, elegant texture. Originally developed in the 1840s, it is typically produced as worsted wool, but can be found in silk or wool-cotton blends. It is traditionally used for formalwear, tuxedos, and military uniforms due to its ability to hold a deep black colour and a sharp crease, and it is favoured for its durability.
*********************The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya, commonly known as British Kenya or British East Africa, was part of the British Empire in Africa. It was established when the former East Africa Protectorate was transformed into a British Crown colony in 1920. Technically, the "Colony of Kenya" referred to the interior lands, with a ten mile coastal strip, nominally on lease from the Sultan of Zanzibar, was the "Protectorate of Kenya", but the two were controlled as a single administrative unit. The colony came to an end in 1963 when an ethnic Kenyan majority government was elected for the first time and eventually declared independence as the Republic of Kenya.
**********************The Muthaiga Club is a club in Nairobi. It is located in the suburb of Muthaiga, about fifteen minutes’ drive from the city centre. The Muthaiga Country Club opened on New Year's Eve in 1913, and became a gathering place for the colonial British settlers in British East Africa, which later became in 1920, the Colony of Kenya.
***********************The Aberdare Range (formerly the Sattima Range) is a one hundred mile long mountain range of upland, north of Kenya's capital Nairobi with an average elevation of thirteen thousand one hundred and thirty feet. It straddles across the counties of Nyandarua, Nyeri, Muranga, Kiambu and Laikipia.
************************Kohl is a cosmetic product, specifically an eyeliner, traditionally made from crushed stibnite (antimony sulfide). Modern formulations often include galena (lead sulfide) or other pigments like charcoal. Kohl is known for its ability to darken the edges of the eyelids, creating a striking, eye-enhancing effect. Kohl has a long history, with ancient Egyptians using it to define their eyes and protect them from the sun and dust, however there was a resurgence in its use in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1920s, kohl eyeliner was a popular makeup trend, particularly among women embracing the "flapper" aesthetic. It was used to create a dramatic, "smoky eye" look by smudging it onto the lash line and even the inner and outer corners of the eyes. This contrasted with the more demure, natural looks favoured in the pre-war era.
*************************Blubbing (a word used in my own childhood, directed to me) means crying uncontrollably, and usually in a messy or dramatic way. It is a common British term that equates to "sobbing" or "bawling." The word often carries a slightly unsympathetic or mocking tone, implying that the person crying is making a scene or being overly dramatic, and shouldn’t.
**************************Ellen Wilkinson (1891–1947) was a pioneering British Labour Party politician, feminist, and lifelong socialist advocate for the working class. Standing under five feet tall with vibrant auburn hair, she was famously nicknamed "Red Ellen" and "The Mighty Atom" for her fierce oratory skills and radical political views.
This slightly chaotic upper-class still life of redecoration in progress is different to what you might think, for it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures, some of which come from my own childhood and teenage years.
Fun things to look for in this tableau include:
The two black and blue Dragonware jugs on the stands are from my early teenage years. They are from the 1860s. I bought them at a car boot sale one day, as I was slowly building my 1:12 miniatures collection. I knew that they would come in handy one day! The Art Deco pedestal stand in the midground has been made by the high end miniature furniture maker, Bespaq.
The sofa and chair are beautiful J.B.M. miniatures. The stylised Art Deco soft furnishings with their striking geometric patterns have removable cushions, just like their life sized examples. The black japanned chinoiserie table was made by the high end miniature furniture maker, Bespaq.
The painting hanging above the fireplace is my own selection of what I thought Mrs. Hatchett might look like, put into a gilded frame that also came from Kathleen Knight’s Dolls’ House Shop in the United Kingdom.
All the glass items on the floor and in the aged crate have been blown and decorated and tinted by hand by Beautifully Handmade Miniatures in Kettering. The stopper in the decanter in the foreground is removable.
The silver candelabra and punch bowl in the foreground, and the silver plates stacked on the sofa, come from Kathleen Knight’s Dolls’ House Shop.
The stylised Art Deco fire screen poking out from behind the sofa and pedestal is made using thinly laser cut wood, made by Pat’s Miniatures in England.
The miniature Oriental rug rolled up in the background of the photo was made by hand looming by Pike and Pike in England.
The metal step ladder, bucket and brush in the background come from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House Shop.
The fireplace is made of plaster, and also comes from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House Shop.
Closeup of a portion of the east facade of the Banco Santander Building at 45 E 53rd Street, NYC (seen from Park Avenue)
[G85-1010199 DxO-PScc]
These tiled façades in Lisbon’s Alfama district capture the enduring beauty of Portuguese azulejos, a ceramic tradition deeply woven into the city’s architectural identity. Dating back to the 16th century, azulejos reflect a blend of Moorish geometric influence and Renaissance ornamentation, later evolving into the baroque storytelling panels found throughout Portugal. Here, repeating starburst and floral motifs in shades of blue, green, and black cover the façades, contrasting elegantly with arched windows, wrought-iron balconies, and crisp stone frames. Beyond their decorative appeal, tiles served a functional purpose—cooling interiors and protecting walls from weather. Today, they remain an iconic symbol of Lisbon’s timeless charm.
Welcome to Kabukicho Ichiban-gai, the iconic gateway to Tokyo’s most vibrant entertainment district. This unmistakable red arch, adorned with retro-style neon lights and bold Japanese characters, serves as a cultural and architectural landmark. The bright red design juxtaposes modern Tokyo’s sleek, high-rise buildings and reflects Kabukicho’s lively energy as the “Sleepless Town.” The signage warns visitors that smoking on the street is prohibited, a nod to Tokyo's meticulous city planning and emphasis on urban cleanliness.
Originally developed after World War II, Kabukicho was named for a planned kabuki theater that was never built. However, its name lives on, and the area flourished into a hub of entertainment, blending traditional Japanese aesthetics with ultra-modern urban design. The Ichiban-gai entrance stands as a symbolic welcome to a world of eclectic adventures, from izakayas and karaoke to late-night ramen shops and vibrant nightlife.
Framing the entryway are modern glass-front buildings, such as the one on the left featuring geometric patterns, contrasting sharply with the bold, colorful advertising to the right. This architectural mix highlights the district’s adaptability, fusing cutting-edge design with the neon-drenched nostalgia of mid-20th-century Tokyo. The narrow streets beyond the arch hold endless treasures, including hidden alleyways brimming with culinary delights and niche bars.
Kabukicho Ichiban-gai is more than an entertainment district—it’s a testament to Tokyo’s ability to evolve while retaining its unique character. Whether you’re here for a night of exploration or simply soaking in the atmosphere, this dynamic entryway sets the tone for the unforgettable experiences that lie ahead.
Built by the Public Works Department for a princely £7,000.00, the Mount Buffalo Chalet was opened in 1910 by the Victorian State Government as Australia’s first ski lodge, and it quickly became a popular destination within the alpine region. Initially leased to private enterprise as a guest house, The Chalet was taken over by Victorian Railways in October 1924. Described as the “last word in luxury”, The Chalet featured large sitting rooms, ample fireplaces, a smoking room, well ventilated rooms of capacious size and hot and cold baths. They offered holiday packages with train services running to Porpunkah railway station and then a connecting Hoys Roadlines service. It was a very popular destination for newlyweds as the perfect place for a honeymoon, and over the years traditions began to emerge such as an elegant dress code within The Chalet, a dinner gong to announce dinner, costume parties and grand balls in The Chalet’s ballroom.
Originally intended to be built in granite, cost blowouts of £3,000.00 meant that instead The Chalet was built of timber. To this day, it is still the largest timber construction in Victoria. It was designed in the fashionable Arts and Crafts style of the period. Reminiscent in style to northern European Chalet architecture, the Mt Buffalo Chalet is built on a coursed random rubble plinth, with a series of hipped and gabled corrugated iron roofs. Originally designed as a symmetrical, gabled roof building, early additions were carried out in a similar style and continued the symmetry of the front facade. The second storey addition to the central wing altered the appearance of the building, however the bungalow character was retained. Slender rough cast render chimneys with tapering tops and random coursed rubble bases, a decorative barge board over the main entry, decorative timber brackets supporting timber shingled gable ends, exposed rafters and double hung, paned windows are all typical architectural details of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It was constructed over a thirty year period during which time extensions, extra wings and outbuildings were added and removed with the changing times and its tourism demands. Improvements were made soon after construction and these included a golf links in 1911, a north wing addition in 1912 and a south wing and billiard room in 1914. Heating and lighting in The Chalet was improved and upgraded in 1919. Between 1921 and 1922, an addition to the south wing increased bedroom and bathroom facilities. The billiard room was moved to the front of the house and the terraced garden, with rubble granite retaining walls, was laid out at the front of The Chalet. The present dining room, the kitchen and billiard room wings were constructed in 1925, and the original dining room was converted to a ballroom, with a stage. Balustrading along the front of the building was removed and large windows inserted to provide uninterrupted views. Between 1937 and 1938 major alterations were made with the extension of the south wing and a second storey added to the central wing of the building. At this time the provisions for two hundred guests at The Chalet was noted as more than equalling the best Melbourne hotels. Internally, some remnants of decoration remain, reflecting various stages of The Chalet’s development, and these can be viewed through The Chalet’s large windows, where several suites, the lounge and the dining room are all set up to display what the accommodation was like. The formal terraced gardens built around the Mount Buffalo Chalet were seen as a civilising image within the context of the wild and relatively harsh Australian landscape. The key built features if the gardens seen today remain intact. The garden’s shape and form remain largely unchanged from when they were created including the stonewalling, terracing, central set of stairs and exposed bedrock.
The Mount Buffalo Chalet is lovingly sometimes referred to as the “Grand Old Lady”. If nothing else, she is a unique survivor of the earliest days of recreational skiing in Australia. It was included on the Victorian Heritage Register in 1992 and is maintained today as a time capsule to show what life was like when tourism was done on a grand scale.
Built by the Public Works Department for a princely £7,000.00, the Mount Buffalo Chalet was opened in 1910 by the Victorian State Government as Australia’s first ski lodge, and it quickly became a popular destination within the alpine region. Initially leased to private enterprise as a guest house, The Chalet was taken over by Victorian Railways in October 1924. Described as the “last word in luxury”, The Chalet featured large sitting rooms, ample fireplaces, a smoking room, well ventilated rooms of capacious size and hot and cold baths. They offered holiday packages with train services running to Porpunkah railway station and then a connecting Hoys Roadlines service. It was a very popular destination for newlyweds as the perfect place for a honeymoon, and over the years traditions began to emerge such as an elegant dress code within The Chalet, a dinner gong to announce dinner, costume parties and grand balls in The Chalet’s ballroom.
Originally intended to be built in granite, cost blowouts of £3,000.00 meant that instead The Chalet was built of timber. To this day, it is still the largest timber construction in Victoria. It was designed in the fashionable Arts and Crafts style of the period. Reminiscent in style to northern European Chalet architecture, the Mt Buffalo Chalet is built on a coursed random rubble plinth, with a series of hipped and gabled corrugated iron roofs. Originally designed as a symmetrical, gabled roof building, early additions were carried out in a similar style and continued the symmetry of the front facade. The second storey addition to the central wing altered the appearance of the building, however the bungalow character was retained. Slender rough cast render chimneys with tapering tops and random coursed rubble bases, a decorative barge board over the main entry, decorative timber brackets supporting timber shingled gable ends, exposed rafters and double hung, paned windows are all typical architectural details of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It was constructed over a thirty year period during which time extensions, extra wings and outbuildings were added and removed with the changing times and its tourism demands. Improvements were made soon after construction and these included a golf links in 1911, a north wing addition in 1912 and a south wing and billiard room in 1914. Heating and lighting in The Chalet was improved and upgraded in 1919. Between 1921 and 1922, an addition to the south wing increased bedroom and bathroom facilities. The billiard room was moved to the front of the house and the terraced garden, with rubble granite retaining walls, was laid out at the front of The Chalet. The present dining room, the kitchen and billiard room wings were constructed in 1925, and the original dining room was converted to a ballroom, with a stage. Balustrading along the front of the building was removed and large windows inserted to provide uninterrupted views. Between 1937 and 1938 major alterations were made with the extension of the south wing and a second storey added to the central wing of the building. At this time the provisions for two hundred guests at The Chalet was noted as more than equalling the best Melbourne hotels. Internally, some remnants of decoration remain, reflecting various stages of The Chalet’s development, and these can be viewed through The Chalet’s large windows, where several suites, the lounge and the dining room are all set up to display what the accommodation was like. The formal terraced gardens built around the Mount Buffalo Chalet were seen as a civilising image within the context of the wild and relatively harsh Australian landscape. The key built features if the gardens seen today remain intact. The garden’s shape and form remain largely unchanged from when they were created including the stonewalling, terracing, central set of stairs and exposed bedrock.
The Mount Buffalo Chalet is lovingly sometimes referred to as the “Grand Old Lady”. If nothing else, she is a unique survivor of the earliest days of recreational skiing in Australia. It was included on the Victorian Heritage Register in 1992 and is maintained today as a time capsule to show what life was like when tourism was done on a grand scale.
A geometric pattern on the floor.
As a reminder, keep in mind that this picture is available only for non-commercial use and that visible attribution is required. If you'd like to use this photo outside these terms, please contact me ahead of time to arrange for a paid license.
Nestled in the vibrant heart of Osaka, the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Building stands as a testament to the city's rich architectural heritage. This iconic structure, completed in 1933, is a stunning example of Art Deco design, characterized by its bold geometric patterns, lavish ornamentation, and a sense of modernity that was ahead of its time. As you approach the building, the first thing that catches your eye is the magnificent entrance. The facade is adorned with intricate stone carvings, including elegant motifs and geometric designs that reflect the meticulous craftsmanship of the era. The entrance itself is a masterpiece, featuring a series of stained glass panels in warm hues of yellow and orange, arranged in a repetitive star pattern. These panels not only add a touch of color but also create a welcoming glow that beckons visitors inside. The ornate metalwork on the doors and surrounding areas further enhances the building's grandeur, showcasing the attention to detail that went into its construction. Inside, the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Building continues to impress with its opulent interiors, including a grand lobby with a stunning mural depicting the history of transportation. This building is not just an architectural gem; it also holds historical significance as a cultural and social landmark in Osaka. Whether you're an architecture enthusiast, a history buff, or simply someone who appreciates beauty, the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Building is a must-visit landmark that embodies the spirit of Osaka's architectural innovation and cultural heritage.
The Ben Youssef Madrasa was an Islamic college in Marrakesh, Morocco, named after the Almoravid sultan Ali ibn Yusuf (reigned 1106–1142), who expanded the city and its influence considerably. It is the largest Medrasa in all of Morocco. The college was founded during the period of the Marinid (14th century) by the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hassan and allied to the neighbouring Ben Youssef Mosque. The building of the madrasa was re-constructed by the Saadian Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib (1557–1574). In 1565 the works ordered by Abdallah al-Ghalib were finished, as confirmed by the inscription in the prayer room. Its 130 student dormitory cells cluster around a courtyard richly carved in cedar, marble and stucco. The carvings contain no representation of humans or animals as required by Islam, and consist entirely of inscriptions and geometric patterns. This madrasa was one of the largest theological colleges in North Africa and may have housed as many as 900 students. One of its best known teachers was Mohammed al-Ifrani (1670-1745).
Closed down in 1960, the building was refurbished and reopened to the public as an historical site in 1982.
Built by the Public Works Department for a princely £7,000.00, the Mount Buffalo Chalet was opened in 1910 by the Victorian State Government as Australia’s first ski lodge, and it quickly became a popular destination within the alpine region. Initially leased to private enterprise as a guest house, The Chalet was taken over by Victorian Railways in October 1924. Described as the “last word in luxury”, The Chalet featured large sitting rooms, ample fireplaces, a smoking room, well ventilated rooms of capacious size and hot and cold baths. They offered holiday packages with train services running to Porpunkah railway station and then a connecting Hoys Roadlines service. It was a very popular destination for newlyweds as the perfect place for a honeymoon, and over the years traditions began to emerge such as an elegant dress code within The Chalet, a dinner gong to announce dinner, costume parties and grand balls in The Chalet’s ballroom.
Originally intended to be built in granite, cost blowouts of £3,000.00 meant that instead The Chalet was built of timber. To this day, it is still the largest timber construction in Victoria. It was designed in the fashionable Arts and Crafts style of the period. Reminiscent in style to northern European Chalet architecture, the Mt Buffalo Chalet is built on a coursed random rubble plinth, with a series of hipped and gabled corrugated iron roofs. Originally designed as a symmetrical, gabled roof building, early additions were carried out in a similar style and continued the symmetry of the front facade. The second storey addition to the central wing altered the appearance of the building, however the bungalow character was retained. Slender rough cast render chimneys with tapering tops and random coursed rubble bases, a decorative barge board over the main entry, decorative timber brackets supporting timber shingled gable ends, exposed rafters and double hung, paned windows are all typical architectural details of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It was constructed over a thirty year period during which time extensions, extra wings and outbuildings were added and removed with the changing times and its tourism demands. Improvements were made soon after construction and these included a golf links in 1911, a north wing addition in 1912 and a south wing and billiard room in 1914. Heating and lighting in The Chalet was improved and upgraded in 1919. Between 1921 and 1922, an addition to the south wing increased bedroom and bathroom facilities. The billiard room was moved to the front of the house and the terraced garden, with rubble granite retaining walls, was laid out at the front of The Chalet. The present dining room, the kitchen and billiard room wings were constructed in 1925, and the original dining room was converted to a ballroom, with a stage. Balustrading along the front of the building was removed and large windows inserted to provide uninterrupted views. Between 1937 and 1938 major alterations were made with the extension of the south wing and a second storey added to the central wing of the building. At this time the provisions for two hundred guests at The Chalet was noted as more than equalling the best Melbourne hotels. Internally, some remnants of decoration remain, reflecting various stages of The Chalet’s development, and these can be viewed through The Chalet’s large windows, where several suites, the lounge and the dining room are all set up to display what the accommodation was like. The formal terraced gardens built around the Mount Buffalo Chalet were seen as a civilising image within the context of the wild and relatively harsh Australian landscape. The key built features if the gardens seen today remain intact. The garden’s shape and form remain largely unchanged from when they were created including the stonewalling, terracing, central set of stairs and exposed bedrock.
The Mount Buffalo Chalet is lovingly sometimes referred to as the “Grand Old Lady”. If nothing else, she is a unique survivor of the earliest days of recreational skiing in Australia. It was included on the Victorian Heritage Register in 1992 and is maintained today as a time capsule to show what life was like when tourism was done on a grand scale.
On a quiet Chinatown block, this mural turns a plain façade into a layered conversation about labor, belief, and forward motion. The composition unfolds horizontally, anchored by two figures who never quite meet: one bent inward, absorbed in a phone, the other reaching outward, arm extended toward something just beyond the frame. Between them, geometry, pattern, and maritime imagery collide, stitched together by color and line rather than narrative clarity.
What makes the scene distinctly San Francisco is its restraint. The palette stays cool and coastal—blue-grays, teals, and muted reds—allowing the wall to sit comfortably within the street rather than shouting over it. Even the bold typography of “OPTIMISM” feels weathered and earned, less slogan than artifact. The mural doesn’t erase the building beneath it; windows, trim, and surface texture remain visible, reminding you this is a working street, not an outdoor gallery.
There’s a quiet tension here between movement and stillness. The figures suggest action, yet the street is empty, the sidewalk bare. That pause gives the work space to breathe and lets the viewer read it slowly, the way San Francisco often asks you to—through fragments, overlaps, and contradictions. It’s public art that rewards proximity without demanding attention.
Photographed straight-on, the mural becomes a flat plane of ideas held in balance by the city itself. It’s not decorative; it’s situational. Another example of how San Francisco’s street art works best when it feels inseparable from the block it inhabits.
At the Sylvester House in San Francisco’s Bayview, ornament is not an accent—it’s structure. These interior details reveal a disciplined visual language where color, geometry, and craft work together to shape the experience of a room long before furniture or people enter the frame.
Painted ceilings unfold in confident bands of blue and ochre, punctuated by stars, Greek-key borders, and repeating square motifs. The composition feels both celestial and grounded, a reminder that late-19th-century interiors often balanced symbolism with order. Nothing here is casual. Every line resolves into another, guiding the eye across surfaces designed to be read slowly, almost musically.
Below, walls transition into richly textured panels—dark, pressed patterns that absorb light rather than reflect it. The effect is quiet and anchoring, a deliberate counterpoint to the livelier geometry above. Even modern interruptions, like brass switch plates, feel oddly at home, reinforcing how well-considered materials age into one another over time.
The gilded mirror and layered moldings continue this conversation. Gold is used sparingly but decisively, catching light just enough to register depth without glare. Reflections are softened, controlled, and secondary to the craftsmanship framing them.
Together, these details capture a side of San Francisco architecture that rarely announces itself. Bayview’s historic houses hold their stories indoors, in paint layers, carved profiles, and surfaces shaped by hands rather than trends. The Sylvester House offers a masterclass in restraint—an interior that rewards attention, honors craft, and still feels grounded in the daily life of the city.
Creator: George Jackman for Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd.
Location: Ascot, Brisbane, Queensland.
Date: Undated
View this image at the State Library of Queensland: hdl.handle.net/10462/deriv/119892
Information about State Library of Queensland’s collection: www.slq.qld.gov.au/resources/picture-queensland/
You are free to use this image without permission; please attribute the State Library of Queensland.
Bold navy and white triangles framed by orange and ochre bands cover a corner of weathered plaster. The flat graphic pattern contrasts with the rough, crumbling wall beneath it in Szentendre.
I planted myself at the far end of this corridor and let the floor do the talking. The opus sectile pavement — a radiating geometric composition in rosso antico, verde antico, giallo antico, and white Carrara marble — is frankly staggering up close, and the low camera position was a deliberate choice to let its pattern fill more than half the frame, transforming what might read as a transitional passageway into the photograph's actual subject. This is not a glamorous room by conventional museum standards: there are elevator doors in warm oak, a modest bench, an exit sign. But that is precisely the point. Machado Silvetti's 2006 renovation embedded this level of ornament into the Villa's circulation infrastructure — the corridors, lobbies, and transitional spaces — drawing on Roman precedents where no square inch of a distinguished interior was left undecorated. The wall revetment runs through at least six distinct marble varieties in horizontal bands, punctuated by verde antico diamond inlays framed in giallo, with a dentil cornice above and the painted ceiling — terracotta ground, naturalistic grapevine panels — closing the composition overhead. The whole room is an argument that the journey through a building is as significant as the destination.
Plate XLII+: Moresque (Moorish) No. 4, Moresque ornament from the Alhambra (5. Paneling on the walls, House of Sanchez. 6. Part of the ceiling of the portico of the Court of the Fish-pond.)
Owen Jones (British designer, 1809-1874)
1856 57 cm (page height) x 39 cm (page width)
From: Jones, Owen. The grammar of ornament ; Illustrated by examples from various styles of ornament. One hundred and twelve plates, Folio ed., London: B. Quaritch, 1910
See MCAD Library's catalog record for this book.
A shattered shop window in Basel transforms an ordinary storefront into something unexpectedly graphic. Cracks, reflections and the temporary repair frame create an image that sits somewhere between damage and abstraction.
I decided to do some monotone embroidery in a departure from my more usual colorful embroidery. This iPhone 4 cozy is embroidered in light gray cotton on gray wool felt
Collection: Cornell University Collection of Political Americana, Cornell University Library
Repository: Susan H. Douglas Political Americana Collection, #2214 Rare & Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library, Cornell University
Title: 1892 Republican National Convention Admission Ticket
Political Party: Republican
Election Year: 1892
Date Made: 1892
Measurement: Ticket: 2 3/4 x 4 7/8 in.; 6.985 x 12.3825 cm
Classification: Ephemera
Persistent URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1813.001/619r
There are no known U.S. copyright restrictions on this image. The digital file is owned by the Cornell University Library which is making it freely available with the request that, when possible, the Library be credited as its source.
Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavík, Iceland. The glass facade is inspired by the basalt columns found in Iceland.
© 2005 All rights reserved by JulioC.
Paris (August 2005)
Taken in Paris (quartier La Défense - business quarter, as seen inside the "Arche de la Défense" - width: 108m)
My other photos: Most Interesting | Random photos | In Explore | Photo-Blog
This Mammillaria matudae (Thumb Cactus) shows a flawlessly geometric crown of interlocking spines — and a perfect ring of bright magenta buds, just to make sure the wreath sits right.
Learn more at Top Tropicals: toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/mammillaria_sp.htm
Collection: Cornell University Collection of Political Americana, Cornell University Library
Repository: Susan H. Douglas Political Americana Collection, #2214 Rare & Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library, Cornell University
Title: 1900 Republican National Convention Admission Ticket
Political Party: Republican
Election Year: 1900
Date Made: 1900
Measurement: Ticket & Stub: 2 5/8 x 6 in.; 6.6675 x 15.24 cm
Classification: Ephemera
Persistent URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1813.001/619z
There are no known U.S. copyright restrictions on this image. The digital file is owned by the Cornell University Library which is making it freely available with the request that, when possible, the Library be credited as its source.
Styles & attitudes ...
Some glittering pieces of trend
Miss GIOVANNA BATTAGLIA
#pfw16 #giovannabattaglia # #paris #glitter #brillant #metaliccolors #strasses #fashion #trend #geometricpatterns #geometry #streetstyleparis #streetstyle #mode #skirts #navystyle #colors #beauties #stylishpeople #
Rising regally in the heart of Shinsaibashi, Osaka’s Daimaru flagship department store is a masterclass in early 20th-century Art Deco architecture. Originally designed by American architect William Merrell Vories and opened in 1933, this iconic building is beloved for its geometric harmony, rich material palette, and sheer visual impact. In 2019, the landmark underwent a meticulous renovation that preserved the historic façade while upgrading the interiors to modern luxury standards.
The building’s lower half is clad in creamy stone, intricately carved with floral and lattice motifs. The grand entry arch glows with a striking line of lotus-inspired lights, dramatically backlighting a series of recessed floral medallions. Cast ironwork grilles above the doors feature traditional Japanese elements filtered through a Deco lens—symmetry meets symbolism. Above, the brick façade and rhythmic window pattern evoke a sense of urban elegance, culminating in a tiled upper story that feels both regal and futuristic.
Every element of this structure tells a story: of imported design philosophies mingling with Japanese craft traditions, of Osaka’s post-industrial growth, and of a retail institution adapting gracefully to a new century.
Today, Daimaru Shinsaibashi isn’t just a place to shop—it’s a place to look up, breathe in, and admire a city that holds its history close while always moving forward.
front cover Folio ed. 1910
Owen Jones (British designer, 1809-1874)
1856 57 cm (page height) x 39 cm (page width)
From: Jones, Owen. The grammar of ornament ; Illustrated by examples from various styles of ornament. One hundred and twelve plates, Folio ed., London: B. Quaritch, 1910
See MCAD Library's catalog record for this book.
'Venetian' lace mat, Cyprus, 1920/30s. Needle-made lace in buttonhole stitch, design incorporates three women dancing and two figures playing pipes. This rather stiff lace produced mainly for tourists was derived from Italian reticella lace. 32.5x47 cm. Collected by the Needlework Development Scheme.
By capturing this building from this particular vantage point, I wanted to transcend ordinary architecture to reveal its sculptural dimension. The upward angle and black and white treatment transform this urban facade into an abstract composition where concrete dialogues with space. The contrast between smooth surfaces and the rhythmic central band creates a visual tension that guides the eye towards infinity. I chose to isolate the subject against a dark background to amplify its presence and verticality, thus transforming an everyday architectural element into a meditation on urban geometry. This image is part of my ongoing exploration of the hidden poetry in modern architecture and how light can reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary.
This wonderful Art Deco walnut case wireless radio was made by the New Zealand manufacturers, Temple. According to its serial number, it was made in 1935 and is very much typical of a wireless found in most middle-class homes during the 1930s. It has a pyramid case; still a popular shape after “Egyptomania” or “Tutmania” gripped the world after the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922. Its edges however, are rounded, hinting at the Streamline Moderne style so popular in the mid 1930s. Whilst the fine veneer is a warm walnut, the very Art Deco speaker grille and the two fin details on the front are made of stained blackwood. The manufacturer’s name is picked out in brass on red enamel above the convex glass dial and the lozenge knobs are of mottled chocolate brown Bakelite (an early form of plastic that came into everyday use in the 1920s and 30s). Worked with beautiful glass valves, this radio has to be allowed to warm up before use, but still works beautifully, sending forth a soft, slightly dappled sound that only wireless radios of this era and vintage can do. It can still pick up all AM radio stations as well as shortwave radio from around the world.
Private collection.