Sunny Arundel days, English Victorian Bamboo and Beautiful Riverside walks

Hello from Arundel.

Sunny, Sunny Arundel ,

at very long last.

Yes, Summer has at last arrived in Sussex.

Lets just hope it lasts.

I spent yesterday finishing a 

large order for the shippers to collect.

Some of the day was spent 

backwards and forwards to our showroom/ warehouse

at the other end of Fitzalan Road.

Most of the time I managed to stay

 in the sun in the back garden.

All the Bamboo was lined up in my tiny lounge awaiting the  pick up...
but alas they wont make it today...back in Arundel, tomorrow

The English bamboo furniture is 19th century.

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 or lacquer

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.

http://www.achome.co.uk/antiques/bamboo_furniture.htm

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 one that comes out in August
watch out for us..


Oh and also our BBC TV appearance.
Ha Ha 
Fame at last, coming to the Nassarian household.
That will be in Oct/ Nov time.

Victorian bamboo heading off to a new life in the US

Phew...many hours work in this lot...the table and cabinet
 at the back have been first gilded and then decorated with decoupage.





Early evening, I took off for a riverside walk, with the trusty camera.
The idea was a power walk, but too much catches the eye and I had to keep stopping to take photos.

The early evening light made my house look gorgeous...LOL

Swanbourne Lake is so peaceful in the evening with only the residents at home

shadows on the reeds by the River Arun

What a gorgeous evening and what a beautiful place Arundel is.

Actually,Sussex itself is so picturesque.

I passed walkers and people just sitting, maybe with a glass of wine or good old English, Fish and Chips.

Mill Road was deserted for a change.

Have a great day

Have a little sit in the sun if you can, like this little chap. LOL
I found this picture in my memory box the other day.
It is one of my favourites of photos I took in Annecy old town, in France.
We spent many summers there visiting friends over the years.

Anyway, enough of this chatting,
back to the old bamboo.

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