{Giovanni Raspini Silver Christmas Balls + 500 Posts}

Just would like to thank all my loyal readers from 148 countries again, for making it a reality that yesterday I launched my 500th post. Especially for this Christmas season it has a special meaning. Something to really be grateful for, being healthy and managing to do what I want to do. Enjoy some of my most favorite Christmas decorations in solid silver from Giovanni Raspini, Italy. These upscale silver Christmas balls were available at my Zen Cart Boutique Mariette's Back to Basics. Shown below are my personal balls and angel.

The special 925/000 solid silver angels were also available at Mariette's Back to Basics.

Nothing else works like candles for this special season...

Photo is from the Giovanni Raspini book.

143 countries since July, 2010...

Related articles:

Giovanni Raspini Silver Christmas Balls previous post

{2 French Camille Tharaud Limoges Angel-Cherub boxes}

This time I have for you two French Camille Tharaud Limoges boxes with angels - cherubs on a cloud in a paler blue than the previous ones. Some call this also a bisque finish. They both will make lovely jewelry or dresser boxes.

This Angel Cherub trinket box is available at: Spectrenoir.

Shown on a blue tea towel from Le Jacquard Français

Marked in gold...

Sorry Sold Out...

Lovely oval angel cherub box by Camille Tharaud Limoges available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique

Markings are in gold as well.

Sorry Sold out...

Christie's auctioned these so-called bisque (biscuit in French) plaques in 2005, see link here at CHRISTIE'S.

These are a lot taller than any of the boxes and a lot older probably...

This is a scan from page 137 of my book: ART DECO LIMOGES Camille Tharaud and other ceramists

Keith & Thomas Waterbrook-Clyde see here at Amazon.

{1920s Limoges Camille Tharaud pâte-sur-pâte Angel/Cherub Box}

1920s French Limoges Camille Tharaud pâte-sur-pâte Angel/Cherub/Putti round box for your jewelry, candy or chocolates...

• Camille Tharaud born in France in 1878 was probably the most important artist ever, for making Limoges Enameled Elegance. 
• He also mastered pâte sur pâte, or literally translated: paste on paste. The translation paste on paste however is misleading. 
• The dark tint of the cobalt blue used for these jewelry or candy boxes, makes these pâte sur pâte objects so striking. 
• They are finely painted and hand tooled on white slip. Tharaud's conception of the grand feu ̶ a single firing of an enameled piece at 1400 degrees ̶ literally locks the enamel decoration into the porcelain, permanently capturing the intended colors and decorating effects in one fell swoop. 
• You can read more on page 17 of the 2009 high gloss book Deco Décor by Donald-Brian Johnson Leslie Piña. 
• For you I do have this very special 1920s Camille Tharaud round Limoges box with pâte sur pâte enameled angel/cherub/putti reliefs. 
• Exclusively available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

• Placed on a blue tea towel from Le Jacquard Français...

• This box has a diameter of 6" and it is almost 3" high.

• There is a letter 'J' in the underside of the box, as well as a T within a C with France above and Limoges below.
• Also the C (Camille) Tharaud signature.

Sold out...

If you want to, you can get a matching brooch in a gold frame at Ruby Lane...

• Christie's did auction off this heavenly plaque of pâte-sur-pâte by another artist, signed M. Chaufriasse Limoges. 
• That sold on April 24 of 2003 for $ 5,019! at CHRISTIE'S.

Related links:
{1930s Camille Tharaud Limoges Shaker for dusting YOUR Cappuccino's with Cocoa} | previous post by me

{Camille Tharaud Limoges Cobalt Blue Round pâte-sur-pâte box} | previous post by me
{2 French Camille Tharaud Limoges Angel-Cherub boxes} | previous post by me
{Early 1900s French Camille Tharaud Limoges pâte-sur-pâte plaque} | previous post by me
{20th Century French Limoges Pill Box with Ormolu - Gilt-Metal} | previous post by me
{1920s Limoges Camille Tharaud pâte sur pâte Angel Boxes} | previous post by me

{1920s Limoges Camille Tharaud pâte sur pâte Angel Boxes}

Camille Tharaud  born in France in 1878 was probably the most important artist ever for making Limoges Enameled Elegance.  He also mastered pâte sur pâte, or literally translated: paste on paste. The translation paste on paste however is misleading. The dark tint of the cobalt blue used for these jewelry boxes makes these pâte sur pâte objects so striking. They are finely painted and hand tooled on white slip. Tharaud's conception of the grand feu ̶ a single firing of an enameled piece at 1400 degrees ̶ literally locks the enamel decoration into the porcelain, permanently capturing the intended colors and decorating effects in one fell swoop. You can read more on page 17 of the 2009 high gloss book Deco Décor by Donald-Brian Johnson Leslie Piña. For you I do have three very special Camille Tharaud oval Limoges boxes with pâte sur pâte enameled angel reliefs. All three Camille Tharaud boxes are available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics. They measure each 7" x 4½"

Angular shaped oval box with angel relief by Camille Tharaud, Limoges and in perfect shape!

Detail of the pâte sur pâte and also of the intricate gold painting all around the lid and bottom.

In the center, above the gold painting, you can see the CT (Camille Tharaud) initials and below Limoges. Very hard to capture on camera however...

On the bottom of the box is a green colored Camille Tharaud mark with Made in France above and Limoges France below.

An additional CT mark in gold with France Limoges above and below.

Sold out...

Another beautiful cobalt blue oval Camille Tharaud Limoges box in pâte sur pâte and in perfect shape.

This one has top and bottom both done in cobalt blue enameled porcelain. Again it shows frolicking angels on some clouds and they seem to release a dove from a bird cage...

The gold decoration is in perfect shape as is of the other two oval boxes.

On the lid it does show the initials CT and Limoges

The bottom of he box shows Camille Tharaud's signature in green and Made in France above and Limoges France below.

This is the third Camille Tharaud Limoges box in pâte sur pâte with angels and again, in perfect condition. This too has a white with gold bottom part.

You can see the initials CT on the lid with the word Limoges underneath written into the clouds.

Here you see the signature even better.

In blue there is a mark Limoges and below that, you read France above the initials CT in gold with Limoges underneath.

Sold out...

This was all I had to show about the pâte sur pâte angels on cloud nine. Hope you enjoyed it!

Above are two vases from Camille Tharaud with an angel cameo. I did scan this from page 53 of my 2009 book Deco Décor (you see the link + image to the left below this post). This set of vases is estimated at $ 1500 - 1800!

Christie's did auction off this heavenly plaque of pâte sur pâte by another artist, signed M. Chaufriasse Limoges. That sold on April 24 of 2003 for $ 5,019! 

This high quality hard cover book I can highly recommend! Pages are all in high gloss with excellent photos: Deco Décor by Donald-Brian Johnson Leslie Piña.

{Our 'GREEN' Bedroom}

As promised yesterday, today I will show you our bedroom itself. Maybe you get an idea for keeping the planet Green, by conserving energy... We at least tried to reach that goal. Too bad that those Historic Windows indoor shutters from Virginia are no longer available. We fell in love with them and had them already in our previous home in Georgia. My brother Harry than even made a set for us, for the guest bedroom; proving his woodworking skills successfully! So we were thrilled when we built this house in 1990 to find once more those solid oak Historic Windows indoor shutters. We painted them white however! But come on in...

This is where we left yesterday, the new 'Green' indoor shutters hung by Pieter himself. These are ready made Masonite bi-folds from Home Depot. 

Our floors are Bruce solid oak planks of 5" width and we're very pleased with that quality. Consumers Report gave them the highest rating at the time we were doing the research.
Our furniture we did ship 3 x across the Atlantic Ocean and due to the solid French oak, it survived each time, without any damage.

Here you see those solid oak (painted white) Historic Windows indoor shutters. The six panel is called 'Charleston'. The same hand crocheted filet lace valence, in French DMC, for the window as I had on the shades for the French door. We both love the unobstructed view without curtains and yet have privacy with the shutters and they're the ultimate for Going Green for saving energy!

When opened, they fold away to the side and they close with a magnet that you see at the top.

Closed view

Our six pound Tiggy Tiger, she loves the French Yves Delorme bed linens... We've been lucky with an Yves Delorme Outlet in Chattanooga, TN; a four-hour drive for us. They also sell the lightweight batiste down duvet and down pillows. We have on all our beds the European squares and the standard down pillows from Yves Delorme. That makes you sleep like a rose... while being watched by wooden Cherubs from Italy.

The double oak armoire with tassels from Yves Delorme...

The door to the hallway, of the same Masonite with six panels and matching the solid oak indoor shutters in Historic Charleston raised panels.

Our build-in closet with the very same Masonite bi-fold doors that Pieter got the idea from! Except that he needed to add a third one to each folding unit.

Above the TV hangs an authentique antique letterpress drawer for my silver, silver plated and other little treasures.

My Dad did clean them out, removing the ink and staining them.

Husband Pieter made with tiny hinges an acrylic sheet cover hanging from the top and being closed with clips at the bottom. You can see it entirely here: {My OPA - GRANDDADDY} click link

The door to our bathroom and again back to the balcony...

Our walls + ceiling are painted in Benjamin Moore® Natura® 2096-70 Early Sunset an eco-friendly choice.

The all cotton Vista area rugs in natural are from Solutions and are very practical and hygienic.

Hand crocheted filet lace rose doily in fine DMC thread and cross stitch alphabet letters are done by me. Not the tablecloth. The braid on the ombré silk in the shadow box, is of course mine and not Pieter's...

Hand embroidered silk doilies on the table are from China. Pieter did bring them back from his trip as Citizen Ambassador.

Our Balcony with teak table and chairs...

Vintage Woodworks balustrade in wood...

Home is where the heart is...
Heart shaped bird feeder with pull out drawer

Related link:

{Going Green for our Bedroom + Confederate Jasmine in bloom} | previous post about husband Pieter installing the French door's indoor shutters...