BONNET LADIES, May I introduce......

If I had known how charming - and how rare - these French 'bonnet ladies' were I should have started colleting them 20 years ago. They are called 'marottes' and were used to display bonnets and coifs in little millinery shops in France. The best are made of papier mache and are hand painted with doll-like faces and simple hair styles. They have been dug out of attics and store-rooms and have often suffered damage to their pert little noses but their eyes are fixed towards you in a naive stare and demand attention. I have seen them in museums of folk art, and did once own one but it did not stay long with me. The folk museum at Laduz not far from Auxerre in Burgundy has several, and these are from the Regional Art Museum at Saintes in the Charente. They now fetch several hundred pounds - if you can find one!

MAKE AN EXHIBITION OF YOURSELF

I have just been reading an interesting piece on making a success of a stand at an antique or other Fair, and thought I might pass on a few hints. First, arrive in good time so that you can park near your 'goods' entrance, be it house, hall or marquee. When booking, remember that most people go round clockwise, so a stand near the entrance is good, also corners can be useful if you want to display hangings, curtains and long pieces of linen.

Find your place and mark it out well with table(s) and chair - sometimes your neighbours have adjusted things a bit to your disadvantage so check size with what you have paid for. Spread your cloths over tables and bring your containers in so they can sit either behind or directly in front of tables and display furniture. Then remove your car to exhibitors car park which is a courtesy to other stallholders waiting to park and unload. If you have a lot to show, make a good square or semi circle so that everything is within reach from the front, except stuff which is hung back of your stand on rails or screens. Do not set up a table across the entrance of your stand, as your aim must be to persuade buyers to come into your 'shop' and linger and discover, and to discuss things with you. Remember good lighting is a huge bonus, but be careful that spotlights cannot be touched and burn - and textiles are highly inflammable.

Finally, give yourself time for refreshment before the opening and time to dress yourself as attractively as possible (after all, you are selling good taste and style) and do not think of reading a paper or book sitting on a chair with your back to the customers; they then feel that you are not interested in them and will not disturb you. Eye contact and a smile give a much better impression! Have a good supply of printed trade cards with details of goods and services available, offer one to every person who passes, saying they might need to contact you in future.

Personally I have always found it very effective to have a large basket or other attractive container, really full of something small and inexpensive, price clearly visible, not available elsewhere, whether it be bundles of scraps for quilting, little jam jars full of buttons, little pill boxes or any old haberdashery items like wooden cotton reels, lengths of tape or ribbon, which intrigue children, and tempt the grown-ups, and give you the chance to engage in conversation.
Everything you do on your stand must be to encourage the public to stop and look - passers-by are of no use to you and your sales results.

THE VERY FIRST and last THING

I THOUGHT THIS WAS A VERY SAD PICTURE - A POOR KOREAN LADY LOST EVERYTHING SHE HAD IN A FLOOD-PRONE AREA AND SAVED ONLY THIS PICTURE OF HER SON.

And then I wondered about the shocking pink textile background - was this well known British photographer, Martin Parr, trying to tell us something - that the country she lived in could produce a joyous and startling burst of colour among all the detritus of wars, floods and misery? and then I wondered AGAIN, what would I save if I could take only one thing - should my house catch on fire, the River Avon, only one street away, should the river burst its banks and I had to climb out of a window? What would I clutch? It all seemed so futile and hopeless that I decided there and then to tidy my house up from top to toe and that's what I have been doing for the last week - finding good homes for surplus furniture, charity shops for excess clothes, books and kitchen gadgets - in between I have rounded up all the sewing, mending jobs, hoovered behind and under every lump of furniture, cleaned every hanging light, got my showrooms into apple-pie order (and made some apple-pies with the last of the harvest apples) so thank you, Mr. Parr, for sparking my re-formation of house and belongings and I do hope that the sad lady in KOREA HAS MORE THAN ONE PICTURE TO LOOK AFTER AND HAS SOMEWHERE TO HANG THE PRECIOUS MOMENTO!

TRUE BLUES

Checking out the bathroom.

A blue-eyed boy .

Mr. Blue and White, otherwise the late well-known and admired decorator, Roger Banks-Pye of Colefax and Fowler, had a 'thing' for everything striped, checked and shaded blue. His lofty Belgravian flat was clad from top to toe with patches and remnants, fringed and frayed, in every shade of blue. The curtains, which may well have been the famous pair invented by his hero, John Fowler, made from blue and white tea towels or possibly large handkerchiefs, hung at the windows and the bathroom had small squares of all different blue/white combinations with edges trimmed and frayed, stuck to the walls chequerboard fashion, with Spray Mount. If you have enough different shades of blue, it all melds together in a pleasing way, a pile of tickings, ginghams and voile casually arranged on a chest or sideboard always catch everyone's eye. Add some cornish blue striped kitchenware and a blue enamel bowl and you will be on to a good scheme.

Simple, effective, cheap and witty!

PINS AND NEEDLES; IN THE BAG

This little travailleuse or work -bag, is so typically French. Made with the greatest care for a specific use and made as pretty as possible for a lady who cared about her tools and accessories. It is of course meant to contain her current work, whether crochet, knitting or needlework and can be moved around with the greatest ease with two little ribbon handles that close the top when lifted, out of the way of cats, feet and busy cleaning ladies! The fabric is a scrap of old Indienne, lined in matching pink with a handy little pocket for scissors and buttons, and the crossed legs are finely turned to make it elegant and light to move. The old materials which can be carefully removed to repair and wash, are often quite interesting document pieces and if damaged, can be used for smaller projects - waste not! The screen in background is 4 fold and covered in a pretty pink toile. It is almost identical with the piece in the following blog, but smaller scale and with less curls and flowers, with classical beauties having a love-ly time. NOW SOLD. Still trying to find out its name! see Monsieur Cl0uzot blog e earlier and HELP ME DATE earlier

BOYS AND GIRLS

I found this odd little bit in a pile of old cotton 19c. from a Bordeaux chateau. It is rather charming but I find the mix of children's games with willow pattern images rather odd and wonder where it might have been used - nursery or bedroom curtains? As is usual in prints of this period, (circa 1900?) the children are wearing miniature versions of the grown ups and I can imagine that wearing a big and flouncy hat with feathers must have been a trial for the little girl bowling her hoop. I once had eight such hoops with their iron guiding 'sticks' from a closed -down ironmongers and they soon ran away from me!

Monsieur Clouzot, help me track these lovely people

Further to last month's S.O.S. for more info re a large bedcover or wall hanging which might be Toile de Jouy, I attach some close-ups of main features: hope we can give this genre design a name - it is so very lovely and romantic and the people are all so beautiful! There seem to be so many symbols of love and peace, as well as grand fountains and triumphal arches!

See also, PINS AND NEEDLES

NETWORKING ON THE NET

I have had a very busy and interesting week and am now discovering just how useful the internet is as a trading tool, for both contacts and the selling/purchase of goods. My website (quite recently published by my own efforts with help from Linda and Co.) is now bringing in overseas general enquiries for hemp, linen and long chateaux curtains, all my specialities. This week I had one from S.America, one from S. Africa, and one from Tasmania. I was then able to inform with details of any particulr request, like a long set of best damask linen table napkins for a special party, with scans on my computer of the weave, initials and family crests, with price and condition - I find it best to deal in table linen only if in immaculate condition so there are no hidden surprises. For long curtains, I have some special French tapestry hanging brass rods placed very high in a good light and can hang a sample up and digital photo it to attach to my email in return. This last week, I have thus been able to send info. and scans of furnishings for U.S. city appartment being designed for a new foreign client, have them checked by the London decorator, confirmed by client, relayed to me and bingo! I can instruct seamstress with latest orders! All in one day! Blackberries take a bow. I don't have one (yet). The other overseas contact wanted chateau curtains for an English drawing room, and the lady Down Under is keen on linen and ticking for making up as she cannot get to France easily! A parcel is already done up waiting for the Post Office to pull its socks up. It is high time they got real with modern techno.