Number 42, Before Us
Yesterday we had the great pleasure of being visited by a former resident of number 42. One who grew up here and loves the place as much as we do. … Continue reading
A Very Mazamet Summer: Flowers, Food & Wine
And a good time was had by all, I believe. Our first guests of the year have come and gone. My brother and sister-in-law. I realised something fantastic happened to … Continue reading
Mid-March in Mazamet. Sold, sold, and please don’t sell that!
It seems we’ve arrived at the hot-cakes stage of the market. The Reynes house sold for asking price, approximately one million US$. I don’t know who bought it. The park … Continue reading
February Auction Highlights, London & Madrid
Still time to bid! Each with caned seat and back with loose cushions upholstered in red and cream damask. Profoundly French. I’ve always loved sitting at dining tables where everyone … Continue reading
The Secret of Life: We all play the status game, but who are the real winners?
“Life is a game. To understand this is to understand why the human world can be so maddening, angry and irrational. The behaviour of racists, transphobes, conspiracy theorists, cult members, … Continue reading
2021, Summer in Mazamet — and art
… and what a strange summer it has been so far. Another year without Summer-Girls visiting. Had they come, we’d be listening to Thomas Dutronc’s album Frenchy and drinking champagne … Continue reading
Brilliant Idea for Next Door + A Brussels Tapestry
And so it becomes clear. The house next door has been purchased to become a co-living residence for seniors. It’s a fantastic idea and an interesting option both for the … Continue reading
Camellia Season, Work and Many Versaries
First of all I’d like to know what the moratorium is in the post-Trump era before we can say offensive things again and not be confused with his supporters? I … Continue reading
Masterpiece, from Master Piece, Objet de Maîtrise, Meesterstuk
Excerpt from Walter Cahn, Masterpieces: Chapters on the History of an Idea, Princeton, 1979 “The exercise of a profession during the Middle Ages necessitated admission to a guild or corporation, … Continue reading
The Redemptive Power of Beautiful Things
A more light-hearted post since whenever one turns on the television all we hear are terrible things – so I give you some beautiful things: I found this great little … Continue reading
She’s Leaving Me!!!
She’s decided she’s going to live in America. I won’t lie, I’m a little bit shaken. I thought that considering the virus and the turmoil in the world, she’d … Continue reading
Beautiful Things: Roland Oudot and Mercier Freres
Roland Oudot and Mercier Frères. Two names that aren’t terribly well known although they should be. A few weeks ago I saw a painting by Oudot at auction and thought … Continue reading
Isolation has increased productivity.
I finally got around to restoring the George I st chest that we found in Castres. If you recall, it was in a dubious state (see below) – which meant … Continue reading
A Lady of a Certain Size – and results. Also, STEP AWAY FROM THE ART!!!
Where do I begin? Well, the Spanish tapestry I mentioned in the last post nearly doubled its 2018 sale price. That’s some serious appreciation in a year’s time! The walnut … Continue reading
(Often Overlooked) Modern Artistic Wonders of Weaving
via tapestry ||| sotheby’s This is up for auction again – not sure why, but usually when things come up for sale just a year or two after they were … Continue reading
An 18th Century Walnut Sofa, Circa 1730; And other thoughts including on people who see Jesus on toast
It’s a very conservative estimate, but there’s a chance someone will end up with an outstanding piece of furniture for a very reasonable price. I still find it baffling that … Continue reading
Self-Isolation, Louis XV Stools & Some Cooking
We’re following the French governments’s advice and in self isolation because Mike fits the risk group criteria. We already live in quasi-self-isolation, so the main difference is instead of food … Continue reading
Louis XVI Commodes, Including a Highly Important Marquetry Dresser by RVLC
Firstly, have a look at this: “… The commode having three drawers, the first set in the frieze, mounted with panels of ormolu interlace and rosettes above the remaining two … Continue reading
Lights, Camera – Mazamet
Lights, lights, lights in the garden! Absolutely wonderful. There was one thing I missed terribly about Spain and that was the ambience at night. Particularly in the garden at Villa … Continue reading
Call this number and tell the woman I must see her chest without delay.
That’s the sort of unusual note Mike finds on his desk in the morning. And let me tell you, what a chest it turned out to be! Central or Northern … Continue reading
A Hanging, our Mazaversary and Various Other Versaries
The Hanging: It looks right. It was March 2015 when we arrived at number 42. Many corners have been turned since, but now it looks as if the big ones … Continue reading
In research this week: The Commode en Console
“… It’s French name, commode en console, indicates that it is, in fact, a console table designed to stand against a wall and a commode or chest of drawers. A … Continue reading
Christie’s: The Kenneth Neame Collection, Including Arts of India, English and European Furniture and Works of Art
“This June, discover the refined taste of Kenneth Neame, one of London’s most respected antique dealers. Ahead of his forthcoming relocation, Neame is offering a curated selection of pieces from … Continue reading
Number 42: Upstairs Landing Update
The bedrooms side of the landing is now painted. Scaffolding will be needed for the stairs side. The Baudson Wisteria mirror (from the charity shop) has a new glass and … Continue reading
The Mezzaro & Other Textiles (an update)
The person you see in the video is J.C. Bordes. He’s a local artisan with shops here in Mazamet, in Labastide Rouairoux and in Albi – and he makes woodblock … Continue reading
Countdown + the newest family member
It’s countdown to Holy Week when the family arrives. People from Holland, (the) Ukraine and Britain. One of them is heavily pregnant with this child above! They don’t want … Continue reading
From a 2014 Sale: An Italian green and gilt-japanned chinoiserie bureau cabinet, Venetian, circa 1750
“This striking bureau cabinet, decorated with chinoiserie scenes imitating Oriental lacquer, takes its inspiration from the form of early 18th century Anglo-Dutch examples, which quickly took root as important pieces of … Continue reading
Many days are irritating, this wasn’t one of them.
Sorry, the pictures are awful; but what you see resting on the desk is a wonderful Belle Epoque mirror frame we found earlier today (I put another mirror behind it … Continue reading
Exceptional Beauty: Up Close and Personal with Goya
Boys with Mastiffs, de Goya y Lucientes Prado Museum 1786. Oil on canvas, 112 x 145 cm. “Two boys hold two large, muzzled mastiffs by their leads. On the collar … Continue reading
Autumnal
‘Tis the season to be raking – which is tiresome; but at least I like looking at the red ivy. It gives me a chance to exercise silencing my mind, … Continue reading
A very good blue & Larkin
“A Louis XV ormolu-mounted blue and gilt Vernis Martin bureau en pente. By Pierre IV Migeon, circa 1735-40, the vernis decoration attributed to the Martin Frères. Estimate: £120,000-180,000 The brothers … Continue reading
Ask not what a mirror can do for you-
Above are all Louis XIV mirrors. Fascinating period. As transitions go, probably one of the most significant in the history of art. We leave behind the heavy-handedness of everything that came … Continue reading
From Venice to Florence to Mazamet
… Finally settled on a mirror for the entrance hall. Not as nice as the blue glass Venetian version from the other day, but attractive nonetheless. This one is Florentine. … Continue reading
A North Italian, Clear & Cobalt Blue Glass Mirror| VENICE, 1st half of the 18th century | Christie’s
A NORTH ITALIAN ENGRAVED, CLEAR AND COBALT BLUE GLASS MIRROR VENICE, FIRST HALF 18TH CENTURY The rectangular plate within a stepped foliate-decorated surround interspersed with oval medallions depicting flowering urns … Continue reading
Pastoral Amusements
Isn’t that room stunning? The tapestry you see on the wall on the left is the Cheval Fondu from the Amusements Champêtres series. It was thought to be Beauvais but … Continue reading
Light-hearted things
In the first half of the 20th century there were squads called Einsatzgruppen- HA! Just kidding. No depressing history or politics today. I promised a picture of the Louis Philippe … Continue reading
A Saturday in Mid-October
I’m politically exhausted. This weekend I don’t want to hear about Trump, Theresa May, Spain’s lack of government- or François Hollande (France’s version of lack of government.) So let’s talk … Continue reading
This week at nº 42: wildlife pictures (sort of) and guest rooms
Okay- so it’s not wildlife pictures in that Sonel or Ark sort of way. It’s one where nothing is moving, which means I can almost photograph it in focus! It’s … Continue reading
Ollie Dabbous at Sotheby’s
From: Anna Pinkney Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 6:25 PM Subject: Dabbous Pop-Up Restaurant at Sotheby’s DABBOUS AT SOTHEBY’S A celebration of all things British: In a one-off experience that … Continue reading
Christie’s NY: The Joan Rivers Sale
“As the first female host of a late night network television talk show, well-known for her co-hosting of E!’s Fashion Police and her acerbic but honest and clever remarks, the … Continue reading
Comments not loading + this brand new life
I click on the orange thingy on the upper right hand of the screen and nothing happens. That means I can only answer comments from the post itself, and then … Continue reading
Light at the end of the… scraping.
The dining room: My floor scraping activities are going well. A bit hard on the hands, but there you go. The chandelier arrived and I couldn’t be more pleased. The … Continue reading
A Master Bedroom Is Born (Almost)
I’ll take pictures next week once everything is in place. The only thing not yet chosen is the fabric for the curtains. It was all looking a bit too dur … Continue reading
The Works. August in Mazamet
The bathroom in the master bedroom is finally nearing completion! I wasn’t sure about a new bathroom in a century old house, but I’ve been converted. Everything Mike chose is … Continue reading
Schizophrenic Weather
We’re slowly trying to get accustomed to this completely different sort of weather. The temperature changes from day to night are drastic. Sometimes up to a 20 degree difference. Although … Continue reading
Just another mini-update. Of furniture and new homes.
Home alone, as Mike is off to Burgundy to see a double dresser on stretcher legs in Burgundy. Nearly identical to the one above except instead of three drawers it has … Continue reading
My Mazamet 
Recent Comments