First stop Currey & Company, maker of interior table lamps, chandeliers, and sconce lighting, which is available at both the Santa Barbara and Mill Valley Cabana Home Stores.

Most interesting find: An elaborate shell encrusted Console Table, with a similarly fantastic Mirror with flanking Shell Sconces, all finished in flat black paint. I must say this was one of the most interesting interpretations of shell encrusted furniture I’ve ever seen.

Was it good? Yes, it was good!

Next, a chandelier made of Sea Urchin Shells that had been strung to create the shaped into a multi-tiered chandelier. The shells natural finish is like honed marble, with faded colors of pink, coral, crème, brown, and a touch of black. Fabulous!_______________________________________________________________

Other new introductions that were noteworthy:

The Natural Bamboo Bench with exposed natural occurring root finials, shown left; and the Glass Bubble Chandelier Series, shown right, a modern offering for the normally conservative Currey.
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We missed the debut party for Celeb Interior Designer Thom Filicia’s new line of furniture for Vanguard Furniture, and the launch of his new Book, “Thom Filicia Style”.
Filicia, an alum of the television show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”, and currently star of his own show on the Style Network, “Dress My Nest”. The invitation for last night’s party arrived last week at our store in Santa Barbara, with a copy of the book attached to it! What an invite!
Okay, am I a heel since I kept the book and didn’t go to the party?…But the book came unsolicited!

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Oh, did I mention that we also missed the debut party launching the twenty eight piece Candice Olson Collection, at the showroom of Revco International, a moderate priced maker of casegoods.

We reviewed the line this afternoon, and according to the California sales rep from Revo, Ms. Olson of HGTV’s popular “Design on a Dime”, was mobbed by the crowd.

In that case, can’t say that I was sorry that I missed it.
Instead, we were at the Baker Furniture party for the launch of their new collection.

Above: Canadian born Candice Olson.

Below:

Left: Olson’s Fitzgerald Desk in Mango wood, trimmed in faceted Nambe-type metal alloy decorations.

Right: The Chantelle Nesting Tables, in Mango with beveled mirror tops.

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We finished our day with that ever so chic Baker party, arriving on the Market “Red Line Bus” (a far cry from yesterday’s chauffer driven Buick that we had hopped a ride with).

One of Baker’s star designers, Thomas Pheasant, refers to the influence on his personal design style of the late Andre Arbus.

In homage to Mr. Arbus, two rooms were staged with Arbus furniture designs which was great fun to see.

I loved a quote by Mr. Arbus that was stenciled on the wall:

To be an artist is to invent and choose…
It is through the knowledge of the past
that one gains a spirit “Avant-Garde”

My research of the French born André Arbus (b.1903-d. 1969) on the Internet revealed his sense of the aestheticism that he wanted to give each of his objects. It was purely material, yet also a spiritual search, achieved by adding charm and a humanistic touch to all of his executions. His designs, as if established by an architect, are logically equipped with bases, facades, entableture’s, sculptural ornaments and painting all of which re-heighten the eloquence of his vast selection of cabinetry. So too is the design of Mr. Pheasant.

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Mr. Pheasant considers the Bracelet Cocktail Table (shown above, left) as one of the star pieces of his collection, with its unique apron, finished in gilt, is an abstract fretwork design based on a carpet by 20th century artist, Andre Arbus.

Thomas Pheasant is best known for the iconic Villa Sofa (shown above, right)

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Newel Antiques (www.newel.com), owned and operated by 3rd generation family member Lewis J. Baer, specializes in the sale of Andre Arbus furniture, including the table they currently offer at $32,500..

Photo:
French 1940s sycamore 5 legged table, with gilt rope stretcher (glass top included at no extra charge), available at Newel, New York.

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Also notable at Baker:

The incredible mix of fabric and leather and texture in this vignette. The sofa upholstered in pale grey leather on the back and sides; the top of the arm and the seat and back cushions upholstered in pale grey pure wool crepe; and throw pillows in pale grey velvet with appliquéd pale grey satin stripes.

The adjacent club chair was fully upholstered in the same pale grey leather; both the sofa and chair were detailed with bronze nailhead trim; between them stood a floor lamp covered in pale grey Shagreen (pronounced sha-grin, which is Stingray) with pale grey lacquered grey shade.

This was one of the most beautiful and subtle combinations I’ve ever seen.

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Other finds of the day:

This glazed ceramic Italian floor lamp, in high relief, which stood five feet tall; at the old guard and stalwart Chelsea House, known for their traditional styled lighting and accessories.

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Okay, time for another kind of observation here at market. As usual, it only takes a day or two to collect photo’s that qualify as “worst in show”, or at the very least “most interesting of the day”.

And, the first two day’s at this market have been no exception!

I overheard this lady say, in a charming Southern drawl, “That’s just so beautiful I could just cry”, when discovering an seven foot tall chartreuse green upholstered headboard.

So could I.

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Pictured:

Five foot diameter ceiling medallion, from which to hang one of the even more elaborate, sparkling crystal chandelier’s in the background.

So Beverly Hills, that I wanted to cry.

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This ornately carved bathtub of solid marble gives new meaning to the phrase, “getting soaked”.

The water spout is actually the carved marble Nymph at the end

of the tub, who dumps water on you from her vessel.

Sorry, towels, shown on side of tub, not included.

Also avaialbe from this vendor: A pair of ten foot tall Lion statues, available in bronze or white marble; no Photo avaialbe of these, though they were in the vendor’s market booth but I couldn’t get far enough back to get the photo in the frame of my camera!

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Photo’s:

Left: A Hershey’s Kiss wrapped in crystals.

Right: Caroline enthroned on the Flower Petal Chair.

We saw these chairs in the showroom, Asia Minor, owned by a very nice Belgian family. However, I could not figure out the relationship between the Asian name, these Las Vegas style chairs, and the Belgian owners, who were so lovely, they offered us a taste of their Belgian Dark Chocolate.

Something just doesn’t fit here.

Well once again it’s very late, and I have a huge day tomorrow. As you may have figured out by now, I’m a day behind on my market reports, but rest assured I will catch up!