English Victorian bamboo
Hoooray the sun is shining,
everyone has more of a smile
instead of the grimace
you see on their faces,
through sheets of rain.
The studio is drying out.
Thank goodness.
I will be getting on with some bamboo today.
So...what bamboo is that?
English 19 Th century bamboo to be precise.
The well-to-do Victorians,
were hooked on it,
as they were on all things Eastern.
All those shabby bamboo tables you
see in granny's loft & car boot sales,
were actually made in around 1860.
 |
| mostly they were covered in rattan |
Here is a link to a fascinating site,
that lists most of the factories
that were
making these pieces.
Its also an incredibly informative site.
(If 19th century bamboo is something
you are interested in,
make yourself a cup of tea
before you sit down to read it.
You will see why.)
Many factories were in London,
but they were scattered
all over the country.
 |
| many pieces had lacquer work on the surfaces. |
It's not easy these days, to find
items of bamboo, in great condition.
They were made as everyday
pieces of furniture,
so they haven't done badly
to survive at all
for over 150 years.
If I can leave them in
their original state,
as much as possible,
I do.
Mostly, though, they are beyond that.
I love the fact I am working on an item
destined for the rubbish tip,
and that after several hours of
cleaning, polishing the bamboo,
taking off the old ripped rattan,
(complete with 150 years of dust)
....Cough cough.....
and resurfacing.
Then
painting before decorating
with decoupage,
there is a much more
beautiful item of furniture,
going out of the door
than the one that came in.
Hopefully, it will last
another 150 years.
Certainly, many of these pieces of furniture,
end up gracing some amazingly smart stores
in
London, Paris, New York......
Most go to the US,
to start a new life,
via the antique trade.
Look out for our
Victorian Bamboo in
interiors magazine.
The September issue of
House & Garden
will feature two of our pieces.
the images I use are all Victorian.
Have a great day
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