Decorating with Antique Replicas

The Antiques and Garden Show in Nashville kicks off on Friday, February 3rd, and runs through Sunday the 5th. We are proud sponsors of the Early Champagne Walk-Through on Thursday the 2nd at 12 noon. To celebrate the remarkable antiques that will be on view at the Music City Center at 201 Rep. John Lewis Way South, we’re presenting a number of our products that make decorating with antique replicas a snap. Designer Jared Hughes tapped two of our sculptures, the Head of Zeus and Ancient Greek Torso, for his space in the Flower Atlanta Showhouse that we featured in this blog post.

Decorating with Antique Replicas

One of our new introductions that has its feet in history is our Boardwalk White Jewelry Box. The exquisite artistry of the decorative box has its origins in Victorian Shell Work. The handmade decorative accent is regally balanced on conical shell legs to enhance the delicate beauty of this decorative box. Though it is artful, it will also be a handy storage helpmate. We also offer this design in a more colorful version that is on our bestseller list.

The Tang Dynasty Palace Servants set includes two sculptures that are reproductions of authentic artifacts from that era made of glazed ceramic. The green and yellow sculptures are dressed in period garb in the colors the helpers during their time would have worn. This brings the figurines the feel that they are true antiques.

The Greek Female Torso Bronze is a metal sculpture with a beautiful patina. The plissé effect of the crinkled fabric that perfectly represents a robe of a very important philosopher or politician at the height of the Greek era gives this work of art a great sense of movement. Made using a lost-wax technique when boiling bronze is poured into a mold covering an original wax sculpture that melts away, the raw bronze is only halfway to its ultimate beauty. Once set, there is a very long process of refining the surface to lend it greater sheen and patina.

Made of composite in an aged beige finish with random spritzes of antiquing, the Head of Zeus masquerades as an artifact. The marble-like sculpture has two artisans to thank for its feeling of authenticity: the mold maker, who is central to the work; and the painter, who hand-paints the piece to create the illusion that it was unearthed after being carved ions ago. The white sculpture is mounted on a metal base in a black finish.

The Mongol Horse was created by Thai artist Arjan Deng, who is known for his one-of-a-kind ceramic statues of emotionally evocative characters. This is his interpretation of the dynamic animal, made of terracotta that is splattered with a reactive glaze to bring the sculpture a sizable dose of texture and character.

The Zlato Vase Set teases the eye into thinking that they were handcrafted in a bygone era when vessels like these were used for storing liquids and food. But they are new ceramic pieces that have been aged with a strong brown reactive glaze applied by hand. The vintage vibe is created by the mustard color underneath the darker glazes, as well as by the way the artisans created heavier drips at the fluted and narrowed necks.

Made of composite, the Turtle Shells Set fools the eye into thinking they are composed of the natural materials turtles carry on their backs. Placed on black metal stands, the brown sculptures have two artisans to thank for the feeling of authenticity: the mold maker, who is central to the work; and the painter, who hand-paints the pieces to create the illusion that they are from nature.

The Assyrian Horse Bronze is made from a lost-wax technique where boiling bronze is poured into a mold covering an original wax sculpture that melts away. Once set, there is a very long process of refining the bronze to give it patina. The Etruscan style and the aged finish of this bronze sculpture make it feel like an antique.

We have sourced our Mandalay Offering Bowls with their stupa-shaped lids from Myanmar’s royal city of Mandalay. Made from woven dried bamboo that has been covered with a paste that resembles stucco, these black decorative vessels are covered in five layers of black lacquer applied by hand. Each layer of the Mandalay Large Offering Bowl has been polished by hand with sand to bring a satiny smooth feel to its surface.

Made of composite in an aged beige finish with random spritzes of antiquing, the Ancient Greek Torso masquerades as an artifact. The marble-like sculpture has two artisans to thank for its feeling of authenticity: the mold maker, who is central to the work; and the painter, who hand-paints the piece to create the illusion that it was unearthed after being carved ions ago.

The Nandi Cow Set includes two vintage-inspired sculptures that represent bulls (Nandi in Hindu) sacred to Hinduist religion. Original artifacts were carved by villagers as donations to the Temples of Shiva. We have mounted our versions of the wooden decorative sculptures on black stands.

Our Lady Dreaming Bronze sculpture is made from a lost-wax technique when boiling bronze is poured into a mold covering an original wax sculpture that melts away. Once set, there is a very long process of refining the bronze to give it patina. This is among our bronze art pieces created by an unknown artist. We love her strong body language.

Jean-Charles Chappuis, our maestro of accessories sourcing, adores the Barbados Bust inspired by a plaster of Paris sculpture that was in vogue during the 1940s. This Pirate is created when a rough bust is molded in raw porcelain. Then an artist with a knife adds texture to the skin of the sculpture, carves the eyes, and gives the profile its emotional demeanor. All of this is then given a plaster of Paris finish and baked.

And not to forget the Garden!

Bring the garden indoors (or enhance outdoor spaces) with the Cinisi Small Greenish White Planter that has a strong Mediterranean vibe. Inspired by classic shapes that have been staples in Italian gardens for centuries, the dark green planter has pitting in its terracotta surface to create the ruse that it, too, has been tucked away in the landscape for ions.

Nashville, Here We Come!

If you’re going to attend the Antiques and Garden Show in Nashville, be sure to check out the events that include a lecture lineup. Aerin Lauder and Alice Naylor-Leyland will discuss The Beauty of Home & Entertaining; Tom Filicia and Mary McDonald will talk about Adventures in Home Design; a remarkable ensemble that includes Corey Damen Jenkins, Suzanne Kasler, Celerie Kemble, and Richard Keith Langham will present a panel discussion on The Tapestry of your Home; and Christin Geall will lecture on Cultivated Floral Design: Color Theory for Designers & Gardeners. Tickets are available online.