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There is plenty of evidence that the people of very early times concentrated along the borders of the sea and large bodies of water. The shores of these waters provided shells which served as natural spoons with which to eat certain types of food. These were available long before man knew how to fashion metal into weapons or implements. Stone knives were made at a very early time, but they were fairly clumsy and apparently were used for hunting rather …
The most famous U.S. jeweler – Tiffany & Co. The jewelry enterprise Tiffany & Co. can trace its origins back to 1837, when it was founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in New York. Due to the prominent location of its flagship store on the famous Fifth Avenue, which opened its doors in 1910, Tiffany’s soon became a widely successful brand, going as far being named the royal purveyor to the imperial court in Vienna. Audrey Hepburn …
It all began on the Rue de la Paix Cartier is one of the most famous jewelry manufacturers in the world and has secured a long tradition of quality. Merely the characteristic red packaging in itself conveys the promise of a special surprise waiting within. The beginnings of Cartier can be traced back to 1874, when master goldsmith Louis-François Cartier founded the Maison Cartier in Paris, which was followed by a move to a prestigious Paris address, the Rue de …
Oil Paintings As the name suggests, the binding agent in oil paint is oil. The main advantage of oil paint, besides the richness of its colors, is that the colors remain well preserved over time. Oil paints are also valued by artists for practical reasons as the paint dries more slowly than Tempera paints. Oil based painting reached its apex in the baroque period with such artists as Paul Rubens. Tempera Paintings The term tempera painting originates from the Latin …
Millennia-old Cultural Tradition The art of carpet knotting has a long history and has been closely ingrained in human cultural evolution since time immemorial. The oldest specimens were dated back to around 500 B.C., when they served as versatile items of furniture to early nomadic communities in the Near East and Mongolia, at which point they already embodied the key characteristics of Oriental carpets. Alexander the Great’s military campaign through Asia resulted in such carpets arriving in the Occident for …
Sir Rowland Hill Sir Rowland Hill (1795- 1879) may not have “invented” the postage stamp but his British postal reforms of 1839 recognized the growth of literacy created by the Industrial Age. The “father” of the adhesive postage stamp was a North London schoolmaster by trade and a self-proclaimed efficiency expert. In 1839, he was commissioned by the deficit-ridden British Post Office to help them straighten out the mess. When Hill presented his proposal to Parliament he was met with …
First issued in 1840, the “Penny Black” was the first adhesive postage stamp ever made. The product of an industrial technology new to the 19th century, the stamp nevertheless conveys the sense of tradition, probity, and decorum we often associate with the Victorian Age. The stamp’s status as a masterpiece of the engraver’s art lies in its simplicity and elegance. The profile of the young queen Victoria wearing a crown, designed by printer Charles Heath and inspired by a medal …
Limited Treasures Although graphic prints are usually printed in small numbers, which prevents them from being considered unique, they are to be regarded as fully-fledged originals. Every graphic print is however unique in that it embodies an artistic notion, which could only be implemented with the chosen printing technique. Furthermore, it is common practice to make the printing plate unusable following the completion of the printing run, which prevents further duplication. A single graphic print is called a copy. The …
Coco Chanel was already a celebrated legend of the fashion world during her own lifetime. Today, her highly elegant yet simple designs remain a big influence on designers and fashionistas the world over. She built up a fashion empire, which produced numerous design icons and cult objects and to this day, remains one of the most renowned addresses for Haute Couture. Chanel can look back on an unmatched success story, ranging from the founding of the first Chanel boutique in …