Monthly Newsletter

How times have changed! The armchair shopper and serious collector have a bigger world out there to find everything from the mundane to the superlative, all with the click of a few computer keys.  We are on the side of the exceptional find, coupled with the exercise of some restraint. Some of our favorite haunts are listed below and are nowhere complete in presentation.  All enhance the accessories of those who entertain with style and who are constantly looking for a new table accessory to alter the dining scene.  There is a well-known quote from Patrick Dunne: "The dining table is the last retreat of the old values and more human scale of past."  Enjoy your search for old and new pieces.

Pieces with Patina

eBay
Perhaps it was eBay in 1995 that got the ball rolling.  eBay Inc., the Silicon Valley company that is practically synonymous with online auctions, is now a diversified internet technology giant.  eBay may be largely responsible to the shifting retail landscape. Individual sellers, a mainstay of eBay’s business, have everything to sell, from shabby to chic.  Personally, we focus on antique porcelains and silver.  We feel as if we have made several coups in the area of porcelains and European silver from a well-known art deco silver maker.  On the other hand, we have made a poor purchase on occasion.  It is easy to get carried away, so it is best to stay focused on your needs and wants.  While it was once all auction-oriented (and the pros hovering over their targets seem to get the best deals), much of the inventory is now on the "Buy It Now" basis.  (www.ebay.com)

One Kings Lane
Launched just last year, the website One Kings Lane has registered nearly a million members who log on for 72-hour advertised "tag sales" on designer furniture, home accessories, kitchen and tableware.  Among the choices are antique porcelains, linens and silver.  Tag sales are offered by big names such as Bunny Williams and Tony Duquette.  One of the recent weeks featured tabletop selections by Gwyneth Paltrow, coinciding with the publication of her run-away best selling cookbook,  My Father's Daughter.  One Kings Lane works directly with top designer brands and has amazing home essentials as well as fantastic gift selections at up to 70% off the retail price.  Join. It's free. (www.onekingslane.com)

Devonia Antiques
Devonia Antiques fills an important niche for the serious collector and for the person who wants a statement piece.  We  mentioned in an earlier newsletter to head to the seventh floor of Bergdorf Goodman for tabletop when visiting New York.  At that time, we had not made the connection between the wonderful niche shop at Bergdorf's and Devonia of Boston and Palm Beach.  Owner Lori Hadler delights in the filigree and gilt of the Gilded Age china she sells at her Charles Street shop in Boston, in West Palm Beach and at Bergdorf Goodman.   "When you set a beautiful table, you're telling a story," according to Ms. Hadler whose inventory includes some of the best available on the web. (www.devonia.com)

Ruby Lane
Ruby Lane inventory consists of antiques, collectibles, jewelry and art for retail sale by member dealers.  Along with GoAntiques and TIAS.com, it is considered one of the 3 major online antique malls.  The site lists more than 275,000 items from more than 2000 dealers around the world, which may account for a seemingly heavy emphasis on European tableware.  We have found, in the past, fabulous silver items from France and Belgium. (www.rubylane.com)

Bardith Ldt. Antiques
Bardith Antiques is another of the very rare shops whose inventory is of museum quality. The very small Madison Avenue space in New York is crammed with rare and highly breakable pottery and porcelain, some of it dating back to 1680. The collection is principally oriented towards English porcelain.  Mother-and-son proprietors Edith and Steve Wolf make frequent trips all over Europe to acquire items, including picturesque pieces of blue-and-white Dutch Delft pottery, Chinese-export plates and platters, and ever-popular British creamware, all of which have been authenticated. The Wolfs have cultivated relationships with foreign dealers who alert them to special finds, and, as a result, they can offer sets of plates for a collection or display. A website makes their finds more accessible to the connoisseur and to the admirer of beautiful objects. (www.bardith.com)

Replacements
Replacements, Ltd. has the world's largest selection of old and new dinnerware, including china, stoneware, crystal, glassware, silver, stainless, and collectibles. Their 455,800 square foot facilities in Greensboro, North Caroline house an incredible inventory of 13.3 million pieces in more than 340,000 patterns. If you are looking for pieces to match your china and silverware, this is the best place to go.  Once you register your preferences, you will receive notifications of available pieces in your patterns. Don't just limit your search to missing pieces. It is easy to find entire collections on your wish list.  Keep checking the site. (www.replacements.com)

Gump's San Francisco
Many of us remember the fond days of Gump's presence at Dallas' Galleria. Its jewelry and tableware added special dimensions to our retail scene. The selection of china and flatware has always been extensive, and the same choices are out there on the web.  Buccellati and Jensen silver, Royal Copenhagen and Haviland china are only some of the choices. We love the accessories for the table.  Sales are frequent. (www.gumps.com)

Something Old, Something New

Horchow Collection
In 1971, Dallas resident Roger Horchow started the Horchow Collection, the first luxury mail-order catalog that was not preceded by a brick-and-mortar presence. He later sold the Horchow Collection to Neiman Marcus in 1988. Many aspects of the Collection remain the same, the pursuit of unique objects, from luxury linens to fine furniture, rugs, lighting, antiques, decorative accents, and distinctive tabletop designs - in short, merchandise for everyone's home. There has been rapid change recently to keep up with the times. The collections are more varied and category presentations on the site are easier to find.  It also seems that the merchandise and photography have become more sophisticated as the fourty-year site has matured.  Table top collections and related seasonal decor are extensive. Sales are often, including a 25 to 30 percent off the entire site at the moment. (www.horchow.com)

Scully and Scully
Scully & Scully opened its doors in 1934, aspiring to provide the world's finest home furnishings and gifts in a gracious and beautiful atmosphere. Now celebrating our 75th year, the Park Avenue still sets the standard for upscale home decor. In addition to their furnishings, creating a distinct English look, they also offer an extensive selection of home accessories from around the world. These include china, crystal, and sterling flatware and ever-expanding assortment of Herend figurines. (www.scullyandscully.com)

The wealth of selection on the web is non-ending, but we have presented the best of a wide range.  We should have included the Pottery Barn and Wisteria, for example.  Our very own Neiman Marcus sells its tabletop wares over the internet and, then, there is Tiffany & Co., but since these have major Dallas presences, we do not want to keep you away from our local stores. There will be many opportunities to add to our web selections.  Perhaps you have others to recommend at .  We welcome your additions.  Meanwhile, we have decided to offer Linens on Line another time since the collections are so numerous.

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