Photo of the Day

Love the play of pattern in the fine details...

Update:

Well our commenter was correct it is of Egyptian inspiration but filtered through the lens of the English arts and crafts movement. I present Liberty and Co.'s fabled "Thebes" stool.

Clearly Liberty is summoning a true understanding of ancient Egyptian forms which was a refreshing change amidst the veritable ocean of sham revival styles in the 19th century. This particular example dates to 1880 and is formed out of very nicely figured walnut.

The dished yet squared top is hauntingly modern, which is only enhanced by the rigid geometry of the woven seat.

This example is presently on sale in the vintage section of Liberty in London for the princely sum of £2,850. But not to worry they do come up at auction for those who are not in need of the full retail experience. Christie's South Kensington outpost is offering a lovely example in beechwood next month for a mere whisper of the Liberty price at an estimate of £700-900. We shall have to wait and see where it goes... --AR

Liberty of London for Target Liberates Cash from Wallets

I have to say that like most anglophiles I was delighted to hear that Liberty of London was partnering with Target on an extensive line of clothing and lifestyle accessories. Well, the sellout and early closing of the NYC pop-up store last week was an early indication of how well the line would go over. For those not familiar, Liberty of London was founded in 1875 and offered exotic housewares and fashions that became essentials for the Aesthetic Movement crowd. Liberty's bold floral fabrics are iconic in the design world and have logically formed the centerpiece of the Target collection. I awoke on Sunday only to find that most of the collection had already sold out online. Not to be discouraged I rented a car and hit the burbs...I was not the only one to do so. It was a madhouse but after hitting two stores I felt sated in the knowledge that I had seen the collection and bought a few of the "must have" items.

The hoard above is comprised mostly of their stationary, giftware and clothing. I have to say that at these price points the quality is pretty fair. They did get it wrong with most of the bedding because the patterns are blown-up to near distortion and the thread counts are low enough to be rash inducing. That said their Lucite boxes, frames and stationary are very well done and would be a bargain at twice the price. I of course I had to compare some of the clothing with Liberty pieces I already possess...

Placed side by side these ties feel fairly similar in weight and texture. The print on the Target tie is a bit simplified and the finish lacks the sheen of its better cousin but overall I was pleasantly surprised. By the time I left both stores most of the shelves were picked clean and by mid-afternoon "Liberty for Target" items started popping up allover eBay at double and triple the retail price. That's life in the world of design...