May 2, 2022

It’s finally May, so perhaps we’ll consistently have nice weather for a while! 😊This month’s featured product is just the thing if you want to check out your look before you step out the door. Dating from the 1880’s, this Eastlake cheval mirror has the ball and claw feet some of us love! This is commonly thought to have derived from Chinese art in which the Emperor (represented by a dragon) is shown grasping an orb with a 3-toed claw. The orb is variously a pearl, a crystal ball or a flaming crystal—all of which represent wisdom or purity, that the dragon is protecting from the forces of evil. An alternate theory is that the ball is a polished river stone being held by a crane standing on one leg and protecting its nest. These Oriental motifs were modified by English furniture makes in the early 1700’s into a lion’s paw, with the lion being a symbol of British authority. Different areas had different variations on the ball and claw or ball and paw, helping identify where furniture was made. This mirror is an American piece.

If you’re looking for something a little smaller, the store has had a recent influx of clocks that we’ll be featuring in upcoming newsletters or on our Facebook page. As many of you know, Bob is a huge clock fan, so is very excited to have some new ones around. It’s surprising how easy it is to not notice the sound of their chimes after a short while . . .

We’ll be taking a vacation around Memorial Day weekend at the end of the month, so will be posting any changes to hours on our website and on Facebook. Hope to see you between now and then!

 

Bob & Lynne McCann