In the early days of 1995 The Metropolitan Museum of Art orders
two Gilded Leather panels for an exceptional piece of furniture.
It turns out to be a side chair.
Made in 1881 by the leading New York cabinet makers and Interior decorators                                       “The Herter Brothers”
The side chair was part of a huge project for William H. Vanderbilt.

“In May 1880 when Herter Brothers received the profitable contract for designing, decorating and outfitting Vanderbilt’s large New York mansion, it was a crowning achievement for the firm, providing the brothers with the opportunity to create the epitome of the cosmopolitan environment with few financial constraints. They were superbly matched with their client, who wanted a grand interior to equal his elevated social and economic status, who embraced the firm’s predilection for mixing eclectic styles as an indicator of culture, who relished and could afford the Herter’s lavish use of luxurious materials, and whose public stature would ensure lasting fame for Herter Brothers’ designs. “
Quote: “Wendell Garrett”

This Famous side chair was going to be part of a traveling exhibition entitled
“Herter Brothers: Furniture for the gilded age”
Organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and  The Museum of Fine Arts Houston and held in 1995

As often the case, when the spotlight shines  upon a forgotten name or an exceptional talent that went out of the picture, not only does it create stupefaction, it also reveals hidden treasures.
Indeed, little later four more chairs appeared in the Mid-West and sold for a considerable price at Sotheby’s
Also a single side chair turned up and we were to supply the same leather as for the Metropolitan chair. Eventually in 2008 this same chair came on auction at Sotheby’s.  Setting a new record for a Herter Brothers chair.
http://www.artvalue.com/auctionresult–herter-brothers-usa-chair-from-the-dining-room-of-2054423.htm

Here you will find a link to the article written by Wendell Garrett on the Herter Brothers and more specifically on the side chair. Published by Artnet.com
http://www.artnet.com/magazine_pre2000/features/garrett/garrett7-13-99.asp
for those of you who don’t want to click the link please find here a copy of the text.
By Wendell Garett

A traveling exhibition entitled “Herter Brothers: Furniture for the Gilded Age” was organized and held in 1995 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. In that groundbreaking show on Gustave Herter and his brother, Christian — New York’s leading cabinetmakers and interior decorators in the late 19th-century — was a single Herter Brothers dining room side chair. Originally made for the palatial William H. Vanderbilt residence on Fifth Avenue, it was one of the two known examples from a set of at least 18. The chair is currently on permanent exhibition in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Since then, four more side chairs from the suite unexpectedly turned up in the mid-west, and sold at Sotheby’s New York for $99,000 on June 24 in a 19th-century furniture and decorations auction.
In 1848 the young cabinetmaker and woodcarver, Gustave Herter (1830-1892), left his native Germany and emigrated to New York City. By 1858, he owned what would become a leading New York cabinetmaking and interior decorating company. Together with his younger brother, Christian (1839-1883), who arrived in New York in 1859, they formed Herter Brothers, which became one of the most respected firms not only in the city but in the whole country.
Herter Brothers created cosmopolitan environments encompassiong every aspect of interior design, including furniture and woodwork, wall and ceiling decoration, floor treatments and drapery. The firm’s clients were among the most visible and affluent of the era — the White House, Mrs. Mark Hopkins, Jay Gould, J. Pierpont Morgan and William Henry Vanderbilt, who during 1880-1882 was building his mansion at 640 Fifth Avenue.
A writer in the Decorator and Furnisher in 1887 claimed that “every private residence ever before constructed in America is entirely eclipsed by the house of the American railway king, Mr. William H. Vanderbilt.” It was estimated that 600-700 men worked to complete the huge Beaux-Arts house that occupied the entire block between 51st and 52nd Streets. The total expense was approximately $1.75 million. Interior decorations and furnishings alone were said to have cost about $800,000 — more than had ever been spent on the interior of any other American house.
William Henry Vanderbilt (1821-1885) was the son of the financier and railroad promoter Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt (1794-1877). When his father died, William Vanderbilt inherited the bulk of an estate estimated to be worth about $90 million. In less than a decade he had more than doubled that sum. Like many Herter clients, Vanderbilt spent most of his life in business, and was able to enjoy his dream palace for only three years before he died.
Relatively free from the lingering influence of historical styles and European guild traditions, the Herter factory was able to take certain liberties in its cabinetmaking, carving, gilding and upholstery. Thus a chair in the Second Empire style, which by French convention might have been made by a menuisier of gilded or painted wood, in the Herter’s hand could become a vibrant combination of imaginatively upholstered, carved, ebonized natural wood decorated with marquetry or ormolu and highlighted with gilding.
Herter examples have a vivid and adventuresome appearance; they frequently contrast rich rosewood veneers with bright marquetry bands and classical imagery. Part of the firm’s success was due to its exceptional ability to create handcrafted, luxury products in an industrial environment. What also distinguishes Herter furniture from its English counterparts of this era is its assertive, complex, floriform marquetry decoration, as opposed to painted and often figurative English surfaces.
In May 1880 when Herter Brothers received the profitable contract for designing, decorating and outfitting Vanderbilt’s large New York mansion, it was a crowning achievement for the firm, providing the brothers with the opportunity to create the epitome of the cosmopolitan environment with few financial constraints. They were superbly matched with their client, who wanted a grand interior to equal his elevated social and economic status, who embraced the firm’s predilection for mixing eclectic styles as an indicator of culture, who relished and could afford the Herter’s lavish use of luxurious materials, and whose public stature would ensure lasting fame for Herter Brothers’ designs.
Indeed, the Vanderbilt house garnered considerable notice during its day, most of it focusing on its immense size and cost. The house also achieved lasting posterity from its being published in two lavish limited-edition, multi-volume publications, both appearing in the 1880′s. This remarkable house was demolished in 1946.
The dining room was of oak carved in the Neo-Renaissance style, as was typical of dining rooms in the 19th century, and appeared solid, somber and rather dark. Motifs such as swags of fruit, putti in full relief and low-relief classical vases from which emanate symmetrical floral tendrils were found on the furniture as well as on the built-in buffet and cupboards, which housed some of Vanderbilt’s collection of 18th-century continental porcelain.
The dining room chairs were carved of oak to be en suite with the surrounding woodwork. The carved crest rails depict fruit, nuts and flowers, which allude to the function of the room. The chairs’ solidity is belied by the delicacy of the carving. Symmetrical, stylized foliage climbs the square-sectioned legs. The side stretchers are a conceit of the carver’s art: they appear as separate elements — a loop, a chain link and two square rings hang from the center of the side seat rail and join each leg by means of a sash carved to look as if it is looped through each square ring. The stretchers seem to be attached to the legs by means of Egyptian palmettes at either end. Corners of brass cut into ornamental profiles highlighted with incising to conform to the shape of the carved ornament cover the top of the legs just below the seat rail. Brass also covers the “sock” portion of each leg, and a narrow strip is affixed by means of floral-headed screws to the edge of the chair back.
Furniture historians have tended to disparage the quality of American design during the years following the Civil War, and not without some reason. But Herter Brothers’ rational approach, its uncompromising quality and impeccable craftsmanship, and its ability to identify the best in many cultures and embrace it as its own, have set the firm apart from the majority of other furniture factories.
The decades following the Civil War, at once brilliant and depressing, dramatize the contradictions within American culture. During the rich confusion of this era, we became industrialized and developed a new life in an Eden that had embarrassingly outgrown its old patterns and institutions. We produced the most amazing gallery of powerful and picturesque personalities we have ever fostered — some ethically corrupt, economically ruthless and politically incompetent, others dreamers and reformers who carried utopias in their heads and men who had money to spend without knowing very well how to spend it.
The ruthless accumulation of wealth and uninhibited display of possessions by “captains of industry” such as Vanderbilt reflected the laissez-faire social Darwinism of the American aristocracy. “Who knows how to be rich in America?” demanded E. L. Godkin in the Nation in 1866. “Plenty of people know how to get money; but not very many know what best to do with it. To be rich properly is a fine art. It requires culture, imagination and character.”

WENDELL GARRETT is senior vice president of American decorative arts at Sotheby’s.

 Finally dont miss the amazingly complete article on the W.H. Vanderbilt house at 640 Fifth Ave NY published by

http://halfpuddinghalfsauce.blogspot.com/

Wishes
Frederic

Will this New Year bring something new ? One can question this.

  As we were heading for the last straight line Lut decided to buy a work of art.

  She chose a ceramic sculpture from Maarten Stuer.

We both love his work which is cerebral, technical and aesthetical.

It has found its place  on an Empire Commode with above it a Nativity.

Very much so appropriated for the time of the year.

http://www.maartenstuer.net/

last: Our house at night when it was snowing….. already few years ago.

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year

2012 We are ready for you !

Some details

Details matter.

They Do !

Best Wishes

Fred

At least we know this trade.

In earlier mails I’ve shown several applications for our leathers. Here’s another one.

Making a handbag is something I wanted to do for a long time and yet it never happened.

 You will notice that this is a prototype, a one-off.

all pieces were glued,  there is not one stitch.

because I couldn’t make handles that matched my ambition,

I tought “lets forget about the handles”

the matter here is how does it look, does this sort of hand bag make sence,

are we in the right proportions and many considerations of this sort.

Well let’s hope Lut will enjoy the bag and have some good use of it.

Bien à Vous

Fred

In our collection we have this Japanese picture frame from the 19th century.

The work is detailed and small scaled, it’s beautifully done with finesse and métier. The colors have faded and blend nicely into one another. Yet I’m convinced that even when newly done the color scheme would have been a well-balanced one.

It’s a precious and unusual object I have not seen any other alike. Having said that, it could well be that in other areas of this small planet there are plenty of them and that they are regarded as a banality. I you happen to be there and know more do not hesitate to share your thoughts.

The picture frame has a book shape and you will notice on the front the heavily ornate hinges. To me they look like  Spanish or Portuguese baroque items.           

 They have no function but to add some Kitsch to the ensemble, it’s more likely that they’ve been added to please an international clientele.

There must be descriptions if this sort of designs somewhere out there but I couldn’t find any.

 You can se for yourself, here’s my attempt.

 It’s a geometrical pattern of squares and lozenges. In the two opposite corners of the squares, there are again squares and the other two opposite corners there are sort of circular flower ornaments. The whole surface is ornate with small geometrical patterns on which they have disposed raised floral ornaments. It’s all a bit over the top, one could use the term Horror Vacui.

Again the design is small scaled and the mould to produce this sort of pattern doesn’t need to be big I can imagine it    being 50 X 50 cm.

The pattern itself must be inspired from a fabric or, why not, the other way around.

Your expertise is welcome to enlighten us.

In all western literature on leather craft I have found but one illustration of such a work it’s in a reference work called Leather Craft from Henri Clouzot edited in 1920, soon a century ago… the fragment is conserved in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs Paris.  Some similar leather panels are in the collection of Hermes Paris  aswell.

Best Wishes

Fred

The Verentuil is a unique design from the early 18^th century probably around 1710.

Its uniqueness resides in the fact that the central theme is a bouquet of feathers. Strangely enough in the specialized literature this panel is hardly described. The panel is dated and dimensions are given only very few panels have survived. This is it.

Other designs give more readable info with grapes and insects, birds or flowers. Some designs are allegorical themes and these are also pretty easy to comment on.

My guess is that they have not seen it was a bouquet of feathers or that they didn’t dare to come with an interpretation of this design, its anyone’s guess.

When Lut and I came across this design at an antique shop in Ghent we were wild about it, we never saw this design, it was a revelation

We decided to reproduce this design and called it Verentuil as to us it was obviously a bouquet of feathers

Throughout the ages Feathers were used to in ceremonial and festive events when grandeur or respect was demanded or when one decided to stand out. Feathers did ornate helmets and shako’s as to add a touch of elegance and brightness in a poor attempt to compensate the brutality of the men wearing them.

Few years after we made the panel a booklet was published on the subject of gilded leather and in there was a picture of a room (pictured here above) in a small castle owned by a Flemish Knight 5 min from where we lived, I was blown. We have been there and put along the original panels a panel of our production in exactly the same color ways. The Knight couldn’t believe it, neither could we, it was a perfect match. Unfortunately no business spin-off, well at least not immediately.

Today the Verentuil is one of the classics in our collection

While doing some research for this article I came across a picture of a chair upholstered in the Verentuil and look the seat is upholstered in the correct way whilst the back is just some piece of a panel upside down, nevertheless it still  looks good.

I have seen interiors where some panels were hung upside down, and it looked very good, today this is unthinkable. Poor us.

This panel  is painted in a traditional way on a silver-gilded ground.

 Here a more contemporary version on a silver ground.

The picture here under is the same panel but with a different setting on the camera which shows you how difficult it is to make good pictures from gilded (or silvered) leather !

As always.

Fred

I have the privilege to know her since a long time. As an introduction I just wand to add to what you will read that she and her husband Leif run a upholstering business, they are very well-known and work mainly for Antique dealers and Museums besides this Annika loves gilded leather and has a good collection rare and authentic material. I let you discover http://www.lagestapetserarverkstad.se/startsida.html

lagestapetserarverkstad@telia.com

The fascination and the dream of gilded leather

Once, a long time ago my husband Leif started his own workshop as upholsterer, then we met and since 21 years I’m his happy team-mate. Our workshop is located in an old building in the idyllic place of Nora a 18th century town in the center of Sweden.

I have also the privilege to be a distributer of Lutson Goudleder for over 10 years now.

In my work as an upholsterer I have become very interested in cultural history, antique furniture and interiors, during my spare time I visit antique shops and auctions in hope to find interesting objects that need care. It touches me when a ruined and wrecked object can be saved, sometimes just conserved in his present condition, sometimes restored to his previous glory. Being part of that chain the handles over objects in a respectful way to the next generation of users moves me deeply, I guess this is why I love my profession so much.

As a distributer of Lutson Goudleder I will tell you a little about myself and my interest in gilded leather.

It all started many years ago and the place was our workshop. What happened is that I came in contact with gilded leather for the very first time. There it was on a chair and it was not very much left of it. Immediately it catched my eye and it was not difficult to imagine how fantastic and magnificent it must have been once. I was totally lost in its beauty and it was then, in that moment my fascination for gilded leather started, I felt that I just had to see more of it and learn more…..

And I also got a dream to one day  possibly make my own gilded leather……..

   A glimpse of beauty and elegance in my first contact with gilded leather.

Many telephone calls later and to my enormous happiness I finally came in contact with Frederic, Lut and their so wonderful gilded leathers and the doors to this world of beauty and elegance opened up for me.

I was completely charmed by the patterns which are so unique for the gilded leather, the magnificent colours and of course the gold shining and giving wonderful reflections.

Frederic, Lut and I have now had a long and very pleasant coöperation which has grown and resulted in a warm friendship.

      Abondance with the pattern from 1650 is my favourite of all the favourites.

One step at a time I have moved forward in my interesting journey. My dream to make my own gilded leather has also become true and I am a member of Norways gilded leather society. I have also studied and learnt about the history of gilded leather with help from Frederic and Lut. Through them I have also come in contact with Mr. Jean-Pierre Fournet, an expert on gilded leather. He has shared his great knowledge with me in a fantastic way, he has also visited us. We had a good time together when he and his friend came to us spending time in different castles studying gilded leather. We have seen unique hangings and It is really a privilege that the owners of these private castles (with consideration to their privacy) are welcoming us.

One of them is Skoklosters Slott www.skoklostersslott.se  Is open to the public and is very famous for its unique collection of gilded leather. The castle is a baroque museum from the 17^th century and totally untouched. Besides the gilded leather you can see furniture, textiles, artistic work, weapons and books.

My husband and I are visiting castles together and I am trying to find out where else in Sweden gilded leather is hidden in private collections to make a documentation.

There is lots of gilded leather in Sweden and it is really a pleasure and a great privilege to come inside the castles, both open for the public and private and to have the opportunity to see these extraordinary and magnificent interiors, some of them with rare and unique hangings are of great historic interest and have left a totally unforgettable impression on me.

In our showroom I have started to build up an exhibition about gilded leather with my collection of authentic leathers, pictures and a place where I show and tell a little about how to make gilded leather. I also tell as much as I can about the origin and the history. In this way I wish to share my interest with others and offer them the experience of it all.

As I am in the beginning of making the exhibition I am trying to find special and unique objects and to my happiness I recently obtained a wonderful Flemish gilded leather from the middle of  the 17^th century . It’s a part of a still existing hanging from the dining room of a castle in the south of Sweden.The scenes are pastoral and sacral showing different groups of figures, buildings,  vegetation with big trees and you can also see a river with a boat.

Very different from what I have seen before and I feel deep respect about having a part of such a treasure with me.

    Part of a gilded leather hanging from the 17^th century.

So for me all this will continue, looking for gilded leathers for the exhibition, visiting castles and documenting gilded leathers ……….this is an exciting world and I wonder what more I will see and discover………..

I am looking forward to it all.

Originaly gilded leather was fresh, bright, brilliant,  in some ways one could say, flashy.

Yet they avoided the trap of easy and cheap decoration they were rich and opulent, with gold’s and bright colors, though they avoided the trap of  being kitsch.

Gilded leather was powerful and joyful more than an expression of wealth

  This is the spirit we try to recapture

We made this set of 3 Fleurance panels painted on a gilded ground in the way of some Delft china, using  Blue, Green and White paint obviously the Delft china was painted on  a whitish ground.

Few months ago we participated with this set of panels at a conquest “For the intelligence of the hand”    http://intelligencedelamain.com/  this is prestigious prize form the Fondation Bettancourt Schueller.  To cut a long story we didn’t win.

One of the 3 panels forming the tapestry

In our catalogue we said the design dates from circa 1750 and originates from Spain.

Some details, they do matter !!!

Well, Anna Soler form the “Museu del’Arté de la Pel” in Vic near Barcelona says its 18^th century and of Italian origin. She is more an expert than I am so I’ll change that in the next edition of the catalogue.

Any way this museum is worth a visit, http://www.euroleather.com/museums/vic.htm#miniatures

Anna Soler wrote a technical and historical text about this design which has been helpful and for which Lut and I thank her very much.

For the fun  here the Fleurance in a different colourway and here in a 4 panels tapestry

Our Fleurance is  similar but by no means an exact match of the original. this is the real story

Lut and I were incognito visiting the museum taking pictures, later we tought about what we saw and decided to reproduce some of these magnificent designs to complete our collection. Once at home we found that the pictures (I took) were of a mediocre quality.  As usual I had to rely on Lut’s skills to produce something in the right spirit.

Here a set of 8 panels.

Best Wishes

Fred

In this posting I’ll show some tables and tabletops I’ve made over the years.

This is a coffee table in an unusual setting, in the natural light its easy to note the difference between the base of the table made in anthracite silver leather and the tabletop, the center of the top is of the same anthracite silver leather and the border is out of regular silver leather embossed with our rivets print

This is the same table at a show in Kortrijk Belgium.

A detail of the assemblage

For our dining room table, I used aged black leather and inserted a central rectangle of embossed silver croco. The embossing of the croco is  secured  to avoid squeezing out the embossing.

Leather tabletops offer a tactile surprise, one thinks he will touch a metallic surface ad expect it to be cold and hard,

instead of this one sets hands on a warm and friendly surface.

The question about the durability rises all the time.

Invariably I will reply that it’s a tough material our tables are in use for over 10 years and yes they age and wear but they do it gracefully.

Sliding doors of elevators can be lined with leather the same way as the tabletops.

This glamorous person poses in front of an elevator Lined with our Palmettes at,

Hotel Adlon Berlin

Best Wishes

Frederic

]]> http://lutson.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/tabletops-elevator-doors/feed/ 0 derf32 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Marie voor Adlon lift http://lutson.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/gilded-leather-in-the-rubenshouse-antwerp/ http://lutson.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/gilded-leather-in-the-rubenshouse-antwerp/#comments Wed, 11 May 2011 21:29:19 +0000 derf32 http://lutson.wordpress.com/?p=573 ]]> The Rubens House is the place where you get closest to the world of the greatest baroque artist north of the Alps. The museum ‘uses’ the former function of the monument in which it is housed and the unique atmosphere it is steeped in. It makes use of the ‘esprit’, the spirit which very much pervades the house, to achieve one of its principal aims: to inform, inspire and excite people about their past. All of which combines to makes a visit to the Rubens House an emotional experience, enhancing accessibility to non-traditional museum visitors in the process.

http://www.rubenshuis.be

Rubens is master of the Flemish Baroque and was not only a leading painter, but also a book illustrator, designer and diplomat with considerable interest in antique literature, architecture and history. From his home base in Antwerp, he set his seal on a flourishing artistic, political and economic climate.

Important Flemish houses of this period  had several rooms lined with gilded leather,  Rubens house was no exception to this rule.

There were at least two reasons for this choice first gilded leather had managed to become a status feature the wealthy and the powerful. If you were or pretended to be someone you needed gilded leather in the at least one reception room.  Secondly a room lined in gilded leather creates an atmosphere that can’t be matched with another wall covering.

 In the midst of the 17^th century there was not such a vast choice of wall coverings anyway, there were the bare painted walls, there were tapestries, wood paneling and gilded leather  … and there “must” have been more choice ?

Often descriptions of the Rubenshouse do mention besides de fabulous collection and the  generous  baroque architecture… the rich interiors with the gilded leather hangings.

Despite the verbal mentioning the “rich interiors” I couldn’t find actually one single picture of the so praised interiors.

One picture was sent in by the restoration workshop “Cordovano”  they have worked on the subject in 2007

Funny enough this panel is made of cardboard and was produced at the beginning of the 20th century by a famous Antwerp antiques and restoration workshop called Van Herk (still in the business).

I thought the wall covering in the concerned room was partly authentic 17th century leather and that at the beginning of the 20th century cardboard reproductions had been inserted where gaps and lacunes ruined the aspect of the room , this needs to be confirmed by some experts.

The design is a 100 % 17th century design and we have it in our collection under the name Abondance

here a little stool made by our friends and distributors

Annika & Leif form Lages AB

We have just finished an order for two custom polychrome panels.

Anyway, if anyone of you have some pictures of the “rich interiors” thank you so much

Frederic

Tatiana Tafur’s London Showroom

572 King’s Road

The wall is lined with 21 Mandarine Panels.

The bookcase is from the Lucien Rollin Collection of William Switzer

My guess is that the chandelier is from Niermann Weeks

The picture is distorted by the wide-angle lens.

Best Wishes

Frederic

We are happy to present our new design “Curule” at the occasion of

the French Design Forum.

Source of inspiration for this design was the Curule chair or footstool.

This timeless design was popular since the Roman Empire .

Is was the seat of the Magistrates and to the Powerfull men of the  Roman Empire

In 44 BCE a senate decree granted Julius Ceasar the sella curulis everywhere,

 except in the theatre, where he enjoyed the comfort of a gilded trone and wore a juweled crown

….. putting him on a par with the gods.

Those were the days.

Although often of luxurious construction,

the Roman curule seat was meant to be uncomfortable to sit on for long periods of time,

the double symbolism being that the official was expected to carry out his public function

 in an efficient and timely manner, and that his office, being an office of the republic, was temporary, not perennial.

 Quite  brilliant qualities for a  piece of  furniture !

Edwin Booth – Hamlet 1870

The curule chair has curved legs that form an X shape.

This mirrored curve is the basis the design of our Curule panel

Send me a mail for a VIP invitation, info@lutson.com

Or simply come and visit us at the show,

The French Design Forum, Shandos House London

BW

Frederic

Dont pass by this major design event

 While being in London you might just as well visit the

Chandos House near Trafalgar and enjoy

The French Design Forum on March 15

We attend to this Show and be happy to welcome you on our stand along with our new UK distributor

Tatiana Tafur Ltd

 During this one-day event we will introduce some new designs amongst which the never shown Curulle.

At Lutson we  pretend to specialise in bespoke services therefore I carry in my bags samples of prove !!

See you soon In London

Frederic  

 This posting is about things going wrong but ending smelling like roses.

For instance sometimes panels refuse to dry.

Not only God moves in mysterious ways so do our leathers from time to time.

In a series of panels all treated the same way, one would expect all the panels to react the same. They don’t !!  Hidden in the pack there are rebels, sort of terrorists who have nothing but sabotage in their minds (?)

Earlier in 2010 a customer has chosen a rebel panel as THE sample for a major job. Impossible I told him, you can’t reproduced  a Rebel Panel they are unique !

I almost lost the order, saving half, which was already good considering the sabotage act of the Rebel Panel.

My experience is that Rebel Panels are often nicer than the regular ones, so thought my customer.

Here pictures of Rebel Panels

The paint went off while applying the antiquing, creating an unusual and impossible to reproduce pattern.

This lovely Mandarine panel is one of my favorites.

 And this Ottoman Panel with the faded colours.

 Some failiures give birth to beauty.

There is real joy when experiencing this, as witnessing a small Miracle.

 Ponder this.

 Wishes

   The Lutson Team

for a long time.

Yet for over two years we have been without a U.K. distributor

 indeed a long time.

However, during this ” Traversée du Désert ” we have talked to many eventual distributors.

 And here we are !

Today we are happy to announce that Lutson Leathers will again be available in the UK.

 Through the services of Tatiana Tafur Ltd 

 Managing team  Tatiana Howard and Andy Tolson have started Tatiana Tafur Ltd  back in 1993

They are known their selective range of products among which you will find brand such as.

William Switzer, Neirmannweeks a range of unusual, made to order wall coverings, lighting by Casella and many more.

Their, very nice, King’s Road showroom is worth a visit.

www.tatianatafur.com 

BW

Frederic

Here some ideas,

Often its a matter of … “do it”

For the 2000 winter collection Versace did it .

The least we can say is that she is glamorous

A little box made from cut offs

Over the top. Glorious chairs made by J.Nelson

http://www.jnelsoninc.com/

A little stool made by Lages AB Sweden

http://www.lagestapetserarverkstad.se/

Yes I can, and will add more application in a following posting.

And

Sooner or later I’ll dive in my library and will scan some “Historical “applications.

Please be patient by now you all know I’m not a fervent blogger.

BW

Fred

]]> http://lutson.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/applications-for-the-gilded-leather/feed/ 0 derf32 Abondance for Naomie dressed by Versace OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Abondance chair 2 16407JNELSON_HOWDES002 Abondance http://lutson.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/torrino-passion/ http://lutson.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/torrino-passion/#comments Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:33:01 +0000 derf32 http://lutson.wordpress.com/?p=417 ]]>

Torino-Passion

89 X 55 cm match @ 89 X 41 cm

Embarrassing but through we lost track of the origin of the Torino-Passion.

From the top of my head, it’s based on a 17th century Italian archive.

The Torino has a strong “masculine” structure.

The Pomme Grenades are the “feminine” touch of the design.

Recently we  had an order for Torino-Passion  for a famous UK designer.

Here some pictures of the production.

Hand painted as always ..

Drying on the line ..

The first polychrome touches

drying on the floorboards

drying in the workshop…. and then finally..

Crated and ready to Go !

Wishes Frederic

]]> http://lutson.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/torrino-passion/feed/ 1 derf32 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA http://lutson.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/the-epv-label/ http://lutson.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/the-epv-label/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:38:39 +0000 derf32 http://lutson.wordpress.com/?p=398 ]]> The EPV Label

Last June Lutson Goudleder received the EPV Label

This is a label of the  ministry of industry to company’s whom’s work is rare.

And nevertheless innovating.

The represented companies are rigorously selected as they are ambassadors of France, they (should be) the best  “traditional”  company’s in France.

And thus the best of the French ”Savoir Faire” in this competitive  and industrialised world.

Well I just try my best to explain what a EPV co° is , at the present time the site of the EPV is not available in english.

http://www.patrimoine-vivant.com

 You all master the language  of Moliere ?!

  59 X 49 cm - 23,23 X 19,29 “

It’s a fragment of a Louis XVI wrought iron balcony that was the basis for the Soleil panel.

The wrought iron fragment was hardly a fraction of the actual panel.

As usual at Lutson, Lut did the rest, and ended up with the Soleil

Soleil is one of those designs that stands on its own.

It has a wide range of applications, lining doors, or tabletops

or for a large border.

Here’s another one

     Some years later we made a “Large” Soleil 

     120 x 90 cm – 47,24 x 35,43″

The Large Soleil was developped to decorate a ceiling.

 Wish you a sunny day

Therefor  when it comes to buying a house, have a close look at the garden.

Which trees have they chosen to plant  and most of all, did the previous owners give the garden a good structure.  

You will find it easy to change well tought of garden into your own garden .

How will you recognize such a garden?

 At first sight, I would be inclined to say.

Unfortunately when we bought the house, there was no garden at all.

 There were some trees in the wrong places.

And  wrong varieties had been chosen.

First we cleaned the garden and started planting …. now 15 years later we are still planting.

 However the garden is coming to maturity, except for the trees,  the main structure we aimed for is getting there.

Gardning is a year arround ongoing pleasure with changing moods

Few months ago

 Yesterday !

The Bowl is made by ”Lesbotta”  Agnes Decoux & Serge Bottagisio http://www.lesbotta.com/ 

 See the site, we are big supporters of their art.

 This is our little patio with the home build greenhouse,

needs some tidying up actually.  

This too is one of the hidden pleasures of gardning ….