tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post5910136531038505017..comments2024-03-16T10:01:48.154-07:00Comments on Chronica Domus: The Tale of Two HowardsChronica Domushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-32964242370788632552017-06-25T22:29:42.409-07:002017-06-25T22:29:42.409-07:00Hello Lisa,
I'd dearly love a gander at your ...Hello Lisa,<br /><br />I'd dearly love a gander at your father's mourning pieces. I imagine they depict the typical mourning symbols which might account for their similarities. However, from the many mourning embroideries I have seen, I can tell you that Ms. Archer's piece and my own look to have been separated at birth.Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-65717013635490264582017-06-23T11:08:30.843-07:002017-06-23T11:08:30.843-07:00My father owns a couple of mourning pieces. I seem...My father owns a couple of mourning pieces. I seem to remember that these look so similar because they were copied from a sketch or something made available to multiple young women to copy? No?LPChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18209861350905135093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-20528767614776996122017-06-19T12:12:37.951-07:002017-06-19T12:12:37.951-07:00Hmmm... I never thought of a stencil/pattern befor...Hmmm... I never thought of a stencil/pattern before but you could be right if I only knew the dimensions of Ms. Archer's girl. Thanks for that.Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-9126073658457766872017-06-19T12:00:41.949-07:002017-06-19T12:00:41.949-07:00Dearest GSL,
Sharing a cuppa with the esteemed ra...Dearest GSL,<br /><br />Sharing a cuppa with the esteemed racheld and GSL is one thing, but I'll skip the calf's foot jelly thank you very much! You can have my portion though.Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-12096854898783470492017-06-19T11:58:49.930-07:002017-06-19T11:58:49.930-07:00Hello racheld,
A new word for me, 'boggly'...Hello racheld,<br /><br />A new word for me, 'boggly'. What does it mean, pray tell? <br /><br />Unlike the hair mourning art I've featured in various posts of this blog, this mourning embroidery is simply that, embroidery. No human hair in sight. The pattern theory is an interesting one though and if that were the case I would think that perhaps a pattern for the plinth and urn might have been used as they are almost identical. However, generally, these embroidery works did not follow any set pattern, other than the inclusion of certain mourning symbolism (such as a broken branch of a tree, an urn/plinth, forlorn mourner etc.). <br />Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-24311223809808942272017-06-19T11:53:43.463-07:002017-06-19T11:53:43.463-07:00Hello columnist,
Oh, yes, I do recall reading and...Hello columnist,<br /><br />Oh, yes, I do recall reading and enjoying your blog posts on the research you did to uncover the true identity to your art pieces, and the success of your sale. <br /><br />The internet has indeed made amateur detectives of us all, which can only be a good thing in my opinion. It is akin to having access to the most comprehensive library in the world, and writing a blog has only enhanced that experience, especially if you consider the story of this post. I am so pleased to have made contact with Ms. Archer.Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-5834912993961076052017-06-19T11:46:26.589-07:002017-06-19T11:46:26.589-07:00Hello KL Gaylin,
I've not heard of Sarah Stew...Hello KL Gaylin,<br /><br />I've not heard of Sarah Stewart Taylor or her novel Mansions of the Dead. I can see that it might make for an interesting read, thank you. However, it will be a long time before we see another rainy afternoon around these parts I'm afraid. I'll have to wait until at least November if rain is a prerequisite for the enjoyment of this book. Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-84018847751407732482017-06-19T06:32:12.910-07:002017-06-19T06:32:12.910-07:00The similarities are intriguing and hope you get t...The similarities are intriguing and hope you get to the bottom of this mystery. Speaking of mysteries, I ran across an interesting mystery novel by Sarah Stewart Taylor called Mansions of the Dead. Perhaps you know of her work? The protagonist, Sweeney St. George, is an art professor and an expert on mourning jewelry. The murder victim happens to be one of Prof. St. George's students and is found with mourning jewelry on his body. It makes for entertaining reading on a rainy afternoon.<br /><br />Best,<br />KL Gaylin<br />Rly Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-83461313626768100582017-06-19T01:29:06.653-07:002017-06-19T01:29:06.653-07:00CD I wholeheartedly agree with you that responses ...CD I wholeheartedly agree with you that responses such as the one you received from Ms Archer, make blogging such a fulfilling exercise. During my currently dormant picture collecting phase, I relied a lot on my own initiative, and although much lacking in the skills of Philip Mould and Bendor Grosvenor from "Fake or Fortune", I was able to unearth a hugely valuable piece of information about a John Hoppner portrait which I bought in America, and sold at Sotheby's in London a couple of years ago. Similarly a China Trade watercolour, which was bought in America and incorrectly attributed to the famed George Chinnery. This turned out to be incorrect, but I was not easily put off, and through my own research, found that it was painted by a one time pupil, (and subsequently a rival) of Chinnery, and as it was a rare subject matter, (the first establishment of British settlement in Hong Kong in 1841), and it was correctly designated to Marciano Baptista, it sold exceedingly well at auction at Christie's in London. columnisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03764365428633038329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-12771001710278290262017-06-18T16:51:50.569-07:002017-06-18T16:51:50.569-07:00My theory could be quickly eliminated if the figur...My theory could be quickly eliminated if the figures of the young lady were not exactly the same size. GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-53351146769631472232017-06-18T16:47:52.263-07:002017-06-18T16:47:52.263-07:00My Dear Rachel,
GSL yearns for the high honor of e...My Dear Rachel,<br />GSL yearns for the high honor of enjoying the charming company of you and Madame CD over tea and calf's foot jelly.GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-6078221198583137572017-06-17T10:52:00.051-07:002017-06-17T10:52:00.051-07:00What an absolutely intriguing search! The odds of...What an absolutely intriguing search! The odds of such serendipitous reunion are boggly, are they not? <br /><br />Such painstaking work, in the day when "leisure pursuits for ladies" consisted of dainty-work, china painting, and carrying of calf's foot jelly made by hands not their own, to the less fortunate, is still a mind-bending process. Just those long hours at the embroidery frame or easel, with back never touching the fragile settee---just finding conversation with the same old fellow stitchers day after day, candlelight after-dinner time slowing the process---I cannot imagine such dedication to intricacy.<br /><br />I'm simply enchanted by your mystery, and am, as Fanny Dashwood so often put it, "convinced within myself" that they are twins. I was about to ask if they might have been a pattern, to which an appropriate name might be affixed, but I see that my dear GSL has proposed just such a theory, as well.<br /><br />The idea that their tresses might have been embroidered with the actual hair of artist or deceased also occurs, spurred by the prevalence of such mourning jewelry, or that exchanged between sweethearts. . .<br /><br />Looking forward to other chapters of this charming long-ago mystery.<br /><br />Hope you've been well and are enjoying this lovely Spring! <br /><br />rachelRachelDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11204947567574886675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-66908455768480808342017-06-16T21:29:03.040-07:002017-06-16T21:29:03.040-07:00Hello GSL,
I've seen a fair number of these m...Hello GSL,<br /><br />I've seen a fair number of these mourning embroidery works but none that resemble my Howard piece as closely as Ms. Archers does. Fingers crossed that more detail comes to light as to their provenance. Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-48732494729376826262017-06-16T21:15:01.451-07:002017-06-16T21:15:01.451-07:00Hello Diogenes,
Although there are a few details ...Hello Diogenes,<br /><br />Although there are a few details that differ, overall I think there are more similarities than not. Either the same hand made both, or a mother made one while teaching her daughter, or sisters embroidered them. The plinths and urns are almost identical. Shall we ever know the truth behind these pieces? I very much hope so. Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-16004210900789964582017-06-16T19:42:57.107-07:002017-06-16T19:42:57.107-07:00Hello Jim,
This really is an exciting discovery, ...Hello Jim,<br /><br />This really is an exciting discovery, especially as these pieces were crafted by hand and not in any way mass produced. I suppose they are a little like American quilts. <br /><br />I eagerly await news of Ms. Archer's research as I've a strong hunch our pieces started life together. Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-1810152713104426192017-06-16T19:33:07.699-07:002017-06-16T19:33:07.699-07:00Thank you, Heidi, appreciate the pointer. YouTube...Thank you, Heidi, appreciate the pointer. YouTube to the rescue! I have one lined up for this evening's entertainment.<br /><br />Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-5583756830414027982017-06-16T09:48:41.668-07:002017-06-16T09:48:41.668-07:00My Dear CD,
Perhaps a Crafty Old Pro's perspec...My Dear CD,<br />Perhaps a Crafty Old Pro's perspective might be helpful. GSL suspects Ms Archer's van and tent should be directed towards a scholar/ repository of late 18th Century prints <br />with subject matter not of Hogarth's satire but genteel domestic life and likely at a penny a sheet finding its way into many a fashionable drawing room whereupon young girls of refinement and resouce might stencil/trace onto silk or linen and then embroider into the near identical scenes we see here. GSLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903412564467078538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-3513278732091634062017-06-15T19:48:38.684-07:002017-06-15T19:48:38.684-07:00The sisters theory sounds plausible. And it is in...The sisters theory sounds plausible. And it is interesting to note that the two figures have different colored hair, one dark, the other light brown or red. Also, the waistbands on the dresses seem different, as do the sleeves.<br /><br />A fascinating story indeed! Thank you for sharing it.Diogenesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-46063445156586753982017-06-15T00:56:10.905-07:002017-06-15T00:56:10.905-07:00You have to look up his shows - you'd absolute...You have to look up his shows - you'd absolutely love them CD! They're called Fake or Fortune. <br /><br />Such a fascinating thing to have two examples of the same scene. I hope you're able to dig deeper and unearth the secrets to this little mystery. xHeidihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01432089507602828735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-18727797656207129142017-06-14T22:51:22.802-07:002017-06-14T22:51:22.802-07:00Hello CD,
What a remarkable development this ...Hello CD,<br /><br /> What a remarkable development this discovery is. It pays to write about unusual antiques and get the images out there because one cannot even imagine what information or parallel examples others may hold. Between these two memorial embroideries there is a real opportunity for research--the most important reason why I collect things.<br />--JimParnassushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08958901307538141468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-67254136701689316032017-06-14T10:06:47.161-07:002017-06-14T10:06:47.161-07:00Hello Naomi,
I don't know who Mr. Mould is bu...Hello Naomi,<br /><br />I don't know who Mr. Mould is but get him on the case, and sharpish! <br /><br />I'm hopeful that Detective Archer will indeed succeed in her mission of unearthing more around this fascinating mourning doppelgänger. Please, stay tuned...Chronica Domushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732224119040843337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454554472800124620.post-74395946206833079812017-06-14T09:05:26.074-07:002017-06-14T09:05:26.074-07:00Utterly fascinating! It is something Philip Mould ...Utterly fascinating! It is something Philip Mould would have done on his show. I would love to know if you both get any updates on it - an antique mourning doppelgänger!Coulda shoulda wouldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507021618497645667noreply@blogger.com