On The Road — Exploring Vintage Virginia

I traveled to Charlottesville to attend a wedding.

First stop: Richmond, Virginia. I had heard about the great decorative arts exhibits at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and was not disappointed!  The museum had some of the best Art Deco and Art Nouveau furniture, jewelry, ceramics and silver that you will find anywhere. And their Fabergé collection is also impressive. The southern-style food in the museum restaurant was delicious, and the exhibits were designed so you can easily see the collections. Pictured here are a few of my favorite pieces.

Then on to Charlottesville, home to the University of Virginia. Our trip coincided with a home football game. Charlottesville is a small college town with excitement, good food, great architecture and lots of history. You can visit Thomas Jefferson’s house, Monticello; James Madison’s house, Montpelier; and the UVA campus. Or you can tour the mountainous countryside with vineyards. But I had shopping to do! Terry’s birthday was soon and I wanted to get a present—an antique of course. Charlottesville has lots of used clothing stores and “vintage” furniture stores. Many are off Allied Street where you find the Heyday Antiques and Vintage mall.

Here are a few items that caught my attention in the two cities.

First, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts:

 

Fabergé Imperial Pelican Easter Egg, 1898. Gold, diamonds, enamel, pearl glass, miniature watercolor on ivory paintings inside. Very expensive, one of a kind, but copies have been made.

 

Marcel Breuer Wassily Chair, 1925. Nickel plated steel and canvas. This chair “revolutionized modern design” and is still being produced today.

 

Tiffany glass punch bowl with three ladles, 1900. Favrile glass, silver, gilding, copper. One of the many standout Tiffany objects. Very expensive!

 

Louis Majorelle bedroom suite, 1905–08. Mahogany, rosewood, marquetry, bronze gilding, upholstery. This suite is considered some of the most important Art Nouveau furniture in the United States and the only set made.

 

Now, Charlottesville:

 

Flower frog, $45. The perfect gift for Terry, an avid gardener and flower arranger, with the added bonus that it was made in Ohio. The bent wire holder is harder to find than the pin holders.

 

Antique picture frames, about $45 depending on the design of the frame. Hand carved is best. Gilded wood is also wanted.

 

Early 1900s birdcage. I don’t have a bird but I liked the Victorian detailed look. Birdcages need a steam cleaning to make the bird happy.

 

Vintage, hand-stenciled metal hat boxes, $30 for the pair. Still useful and attractive for storage.