Ormolu encriers shaped like beehives. Amaze your business acquaintances when they visit your office. They’ll never guess that India ink lives inside.

Ormolu beehive model Encrier (ink well). Beehive central well with a hay stack cover and several bees on the surface, flanked by two baskets with covers laden with fruit, flowers and wheat sheaves. At the base of one of the baskets sits a bird leaning over a large basket with a container of sand in the shape of a large bunch of wheat tied with a rope and a bird perched on top as a cover. The rear of the encrier is composed of a group of garden implements which include a sickle, a spade, a trowel, a scythe, ring pliers and a pitch fork tied with an attractive bow and hung with garlands of flowers, masses of grapes, and wheat forming a support for a quill. The base is designed as naturalistic wood logs topped with rustic wood planks. An amusing mouse sits by the handle of the large front basket nibbling a piece of wheat. Gilt bronze with porcelain liners. 19th c. Empire. French. Maker not given. Image © 1stDibs.com, Inc. 2024. Fair use license. via https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/decorative-objects/desk-accessories/inkwells/gardeners-delight-antique-french-empire-gilt-bronze-beehive-model-encrier/id-f_32219442/

Freemasonry gilt bronze (ormolu) inkwell designed with a beehive shaped system decorated with bees on the top, on a base animated with flowers and vegetation. The basket-shaped receptacle is decorated with wheat sheaves and bees. This inkwell is embellished with two lidded cups, one with a stopper featuring an eagle. ca. 1824-1830. French. Ormolu (gilt bronze) with a porcelain ink cup. Maker not known. Image © Ouaiss Antiquites Paris 2024. Fair use license. via https://www.ouaissantiquites.com/en/objectdetails/859309/french-19th-century-gilt-bronze-inkwell/19678

The beehive with its worker bees is a Freemasonry symbol. Whether these inkwells are connected with Freemasonry, were made for one of their lodges, etc. it is not possible to learn as far as I know. But they probably were.

Theatrical Set Designs and other Fripperies. December 27th issue in the 2024 winter show . . .

meandering on the frozen air as somewhere far to the north of Greenland where polar bears rule and human beings shiver the Inuit little girls come out to play as a peep of sun appears . . . not much more and that not for months but a dolly house to build . . . tiny igloo and a mama doll with a huge hood for her twin babies with malamute puppies to sit and watch . . . umiak to ride in to the next village one day but not now. . . someone to dance with and maybe . . . time to be happy for now and that forever for memories never die.

my winter series post for today published over on my Substack if you’d like to see-

https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahbguestperry/p/theatrical-set-designs-and-other-3a2?r=kbn1g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

People straight out of the Middle Ages but painted in the 1860s and 1870s. History pictures by Swedish artist Johan Georg Otto von Rosen (Georg von Rosen). Living from 1843 to 1923, he studied art at the Swedish Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

*Julmarknad/The Christmas Fair.* 1872. Swedish. Watercolor. Georg von Rosen (1843-1923). Signed *Gvon. Rosen. f. 1872*. Collections of the National Museum Stockholm. Image source: Åsa Lundén/National Museum.Artwork in the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 100 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Christmas_Fair_(Georg_von_Rosen)_-_Nationalmuseum_-_24400.tif?page=1 though I found it here https://www.instagram.com/genadijm/p/DEB_dNxRwgD/?hl=en

*Erik XIV, King of Sweden.* 1871. Swedish. Oil on canvas. Georg von Rosen (1843-1923). Signed *G. von Rosen f. 1871*. Collections of and image credit the National Museum, Stockholm. Artwork in the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 100 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erik_XIV,_King_of_Sweden_(Georg_von_Rosen)_-_Nationalmuseum_-_18157.tif?page=1

*Vigsel i ett smedsgilleskapell på Vasatiden.* 1865. Swedish. Oil on canvas. Georg von Rosen (1843-1923). Signed. Artwork in the public domain due to age. via https://www.artnet.com/artists/georg-von-rosen/vigsel-i-ett-smedsgilleskapell-p%C3%A5-vasatiden-6b3zjGHSxpmOHec_vv70Tg2

Happy Hanukkah

Wishing a very happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends and followers.

Image: Menorah. Sterling silver. Made in Jaffa, Israel by silverworker Ben Zion David who descends from a family of Yemenite silverworkers.

https://yemenite-art.com

Theatrical Set Designs and Other Fripperies for Christmas Eve in the year of Our Lord MMXXIV . . .

sparking on air on the smile of a duckling peeking out from under his mother’s wing as in the courtyard of the great art museum something sparkly is coming up . . . glass trees in every shade of green that Pantone knows about and that’s a lot . . . but wait. . . fairies too or maybe they are elves in holiday dress starting to dance as they emerge from under the boughs . . . wonderful . . . gone by suppertime perhaps but there now and maybe tomorrow.

my winter series post for today published on my Substack at the link.

https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahbguestperry/p/theatrical-set-designs-and-other-a48?r=kbn1g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Visions of the far north before it all began to melt. Imagery from Arthur de Capell Broke’s 1827 work “A winter in Lapland and Sweden. . .” Published in London by J. Murray.

*The author in his winter dress as he traveled through Lapland with an appearance of the Northern Lights. Drawn on stone by W. Westall A.R.A. Figures by D. Dighton.* Frontispiece. Page 9 of Arthur de Capell Broke’s 1827 work *A winter in Lapland and Sweden . . .* J. Murray, London, publisher. Wellcome Collections. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/b22012862/page/n9/mode/1up

*Mountain Laplanders’ tent of Qualöen. Drawn on stone by D. Dighton. Printed by C. Hullmandel.* Page 64 of Arthur de Capell Broke’s 1827 work *A winter in Lapland and Sweden . . .* J. Murray, London, publisher. Wellcome Collections. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/b22012862/page/n64/mode/1up

*Per Andersen Turé, Karin Nielsdatter, and Amund Andersen Turé. Three young shore Laplanders. Drawn on stone by W. Westall, A. R. A. Printed by C. Hullmandel.* Page 88 of Arthur de Capell Broke’s 1827 work *A winter in Lapland and Sweden . . .* J. Murray, London, publisher. Wellcome Collections. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/b22012862/page/n88/mode/1up

*A Laplander descending a mountain in his snow skates when in pursuit of wild reindeer. Drawn on stone by D. Dighton. Printed by C. Hullmandel.* Page 250 of Arthur de Capell Broke’s 1827 work *A winter in Lapland and Sweden . . .* J. Murray, London, publisher. Wellcome Collections. In the public domain due to age. https://archive.org/details/b22012862/page/n250/mode/1up

*Travelling along the Alten River in Norwegian Lapland Mid day. Drawn on stone by D. Dighton. Printed by C. Hullmandel.* Page 469 of Arthur de Capell Broke’s 1827 work *A winter in Lapland and Sweden . . .* J. Murray, London, publisher. Wellcome Collections. In the public domain due to age. https://archive.org/details/b22012862/page/n469/mode/1up

*Crossing Russian Lapland. Drawn on stone by D. Dighton. Printed by C. Hullmandel.* Page 576 of Arthur de Capell Broke’s 1827 work *A winter in Lapland and Sweden . . .* J. Murray, London, publisher. Wellcome Collections. In the public domain due to age. https://archive.org/details/b22012862/page/n576/mode/1up

Envisionings of ancient interiors supposedly located in Pompeii, Ancient Greece and somewhere along the Ancient Egyptian Nile. In the collections of the New York Public Library as part of their Ancient Interiors collection. Published by different people but they all have that 1870-1910 ish look.

*Home of a rich Athenian woman (also released titled ‘Greece’).* Chromolithograph © 1907 by George Barrie and Sons. New York Public Library Digital Collections. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e4-37dd-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99/book?parent=5b222810-c5be-012f-70b2-58d385a7bc34#page/3/mode/2up

*Interior View of the House of Sallust Pompeii. Restored.* 1879 chromolithograph. New York Public Library Digital Collections. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e4-37d7-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

*Ancient Egyptian interior* with the decor and the clothing being worn looking more Ottoman Turk. Chromolithograph © 1907 by George Barrie and Sons. New York Public Library Digital Collections. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e4-37da-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

*Décoration d’une villa–peinture de Pompéi d’après Zahn. Volume 2, published in 1880. Dulong, lithographer after P. Sellier. Librarie Hatchett et Cie.* Chromolithograph. New York Public Library Digital Collections. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e4-37db-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Theatrical Set Designs and other Fripperies for December 22nd in the 2024 winter show

meandering in air on the wagging tail of a puppy chasing her sister as the floodlights change colors and the music starts as the star dives and the aquacade begins . . . new bathing caps and sequined bathing suits that flash red and green . . . a holiday spectacular it is and better than last years . . . more money spent and Esther Williams as the star instead of that girl who worked for less that does cartwheels on the beach at Santa Monica.

My winter series post today on my Substack at the link. Including this wonderful image from an installation in Paris a few years back.

https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahbguestperry/p/theatrical-set-designs-and-other-1ab?r=kbn1g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Theatrical Set Designs and Other Fripperies. December 20th 2024 edition perfect to watch the snow come down at least where I am.

Pirouetting on air at the very tip of the Cheshire Cat’s tail as Alice sits down on a toadstool and the dancing begins . . . very quietly though . . . no need to wake up the Queen of Hearts . . . only crankiness lives there . . .

My winter series post for today over on my Substack at the link. Enjoy!

https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahbguestperry/p/theatrical-set-designs-and-other-083?r=kbn1g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Interior spaces painted by Norwegian artist Harriet Backer. Living from 1845 to 1932, she studied art in Berlin and Paris.