Mastery of Design: A Gold and Enamel Bracelet from Paris, 1880

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This flexible gold chain bracelet is punctuated by a square enamel plaque decorated with a musical instrument and flowers. Four bars in blue enamel with a delicate scrollwork decoration further adorn the bracelet.


The theme of the bracelet is one of everlasting love as evidenced by the symbols depicted in the enamel. It is the work of the jeweler Auguste Perette who had a brilliant reputation in Paris

Masterpiece of the Week: “The Trumpeter,” 1654

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This jewel-like Dutch painting shows an army trumpeter blowing his horn while the men and women around him, decidedly oblivious, continue to go about their daily business. This is the work of Anthonie [Stevers] Palamedes, (b Delft, 1601; d Amsterdam, 1673), a Dutch painter who studied in Delft with the court painter Michiel van Mierevelt.


Palamedes joined the Delft Guild of St Luke in 1621 and was a genre, portrait and still-life painter who was best known for his paintings of musical scenes and merry groups of soldiers. A favorite subject of Palamedes was the trumpeter and he painted the theme several times.

Sunday Morning Special: Punch and Judy from the Custard Pie Puppet Co.

Some of Conor Lambert's puppets.

Here we have some handsome puppets and an undoubtedly talented performer. Now, the problem is that Mr. Punch isn’t speaking with his proper voice. The puppeteer isn’t using a swazzle—the device which produces Punch’s distinctive squawking sound.


Now, I have been practicing the swazzle for several weeks and can tell you quite honestly that it’s a tricky thing to master. I’m far from being able to use it well. However, I’m a Punch purist and subscribe to the school of thought that a real Punch Professor can only be considered as such if he uses the swazzle.

So, I’ll leave you with this humorous clip and let you decide whether or not it’s lacking because of its lack of squawk. It is nevertheless enjoyable—the work of Irish puppeteer, Conor Lambert.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Madras Necklace, 1850

Made in India around 1850, we see a gold pendant set with rubies, diamonds and other precious stones on a sliding gold chain. The pendant can also be worn as a brooch. Though the necklace shows obvious European influence in it style, it is clearly an Indian creation with its thicker gold work and distinctively Eastern design.


The piece was acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum from an exhibition in 1855 by the Indian Museum which had been formed by the East India Company in the early Nineteenth century.

Coming this Week at "Stalking the Belle Époque" and Punch's Cousin

This week, of course, we have the usual wonderful items in store for you from the sparkly to the colorful and the majestic to the strange. We’ll also take our usual look at some interesting people and places. A treat of the week and the obligatory Gratuitous Bertie Dog Picture all await you.


Punch’s Cousin will continue with Chapter 351. Can you believe it’s been over three hundred and fifty chapters? This week, Mr. Punch is still nervously separated from his “master” as Julian wages an internal battle. Led by the image of Prince Albert, Julian comes face-to-face with the painful memories which have prevented him from being whole. Will he triumph over the evil which took away his ability to function or will he sink further into his strange world? We’ll find out this week.

Similarly, while Julian is trapped within himself, Marjani and Robert are struggling to keep his body alive. After suffering a blow to the head, Julian is unconscious and shows no signs of coming to anytime soon. Robert may have to take drastic actions to establish contact with his dear friend.

And, Adrienne and Cecil are in for a surprise from Agnes Rittenhouse who shows that the decades haven’t softened her cruel streak. Let’s not forget, also, that Marie Laveau is still holding court over her strength gathering of people. Charles and Barbara have a tough decision to make while Giovanni and Ulrika take a step in a direction for which even they aren’t prepared. Meanwhile, Iolanthe Evangeline finds that her powers aren’t limitless.

I can’t wait to share everything with you! Come back next week to see what’s in store!

Card of the Day: H.M. King George V Wearing the Royal Robe and Stole

Originally called the “loros,” the Royal Stole is a cloth (sometimes of gold) that is worn over the Royal robes after the coronation. These two garments are traditionally an important part of the coronation ceremony and have been employed for centuries.


Here, we see King George V in the Royal Robe and Stole upon the day of his coronation in 1911. Is it just me or does ol’ George look terribly uncomfortable? Like St. Edward’s Crown (which George V wore at his coronation as opposed to his grandmother and father who deemed it too heavy), the robe and stole are both quite heavy and cumbersome. This is evidenced by George’s expression.

Object of the Day: Museum Edition: A Pair of Painted Spanish Gloves, 1800-1820

Gloves
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This pair of women's gloves of cream kid leather is printed with a neo-classical design printed in black outline which was then and hand-painted. The gloves come from Spain and date to between 1800 and 1820. Probably made for export to the U.K., the gloves epitomize the trend of the era for neoclassical iconography.


Furthermore, gloves of this style were very fashionable in England at the early part of the Nineteenth Century. Many such gloves originated in Spain. The origins of this pair are clear by the caption beneath the image which reads, “'Venus y las tres Gracias.”

As the name would suggest, the image depicts Venus and the three Graces (Thalia, Aglaia and Euphrosine) together with Cupid and reminds the wearer of the idea that beauty and love will disarm and triumph over force.

Gloves were a customary gift and one of the few tokens that etiquette decreed a gentleman could, with propriety, present to a lady who was not his wife.