Monday 29 February 2016

2 Willow Road - Winter Clean 2016


Erno Goldfinger's desk - Studio 2 Willow Road
I so enjoy guiding at the home of Erno Goldfinger that I really miss the house when it closes in November not to open agin in March the following year. So where there is a will, there is a way, you can go between times by volunteering to come in and help with the winter clean.

The house, once closed is systematically checked over, every nook and cranny, from top to bottom, from light switch to roof felt. The wear and tear of the floors, walls and doors are checked and logged The house is allowed a max of 10,000 footfall, and we often wonder about what we would do when we reached 10,001! 

Dining Room

The conservation staff at 2 Willow Road are mainly part-time so they have their work cut out.  It is a pleasure to help them.  Last time I was on cotton bud wielding, light switch duty. Painstaking and laborious, so hoped I would be on lighter duties this time. No pun intended.

To my delight I was given more archaic 'lights' to work on, the candelabra’s.The family heirlooms from Erno’s mother’s side to clean up. My initial instincts were to grab a bottle of silver cleaner, but of course this would not do for a museum piece. The candelabra are fragile and the worry is that bits might break or fall off.  The implements of choice are paint brushes. Hogs hair is stiff and used for the first once over, to remove dust and dirt. Then on to Pony Hair, softer and starts to clean and burnish the silver. Goats hair brushes are also used, particularly for textiles, books and paper.



Often when cleaning larger pieces chairs, book cases it is important to use a suction tube from a vacuum cleaner to suck up the dust you are removing so it does not contaminate other objects. Not essential for the candelabra but the little mats upon which they sat, need a vacuum to remove accumulated dust.

There is of course a special vacuum cleaner to use which has a piece of gauze or cheesecloth over the nozzle. You then place a mesh over the mats to work over, this stops any threads loose or embroidered being sucked away, or compromising the textiles.  



I was fascinated with these little squares of hand embroidery. They reminded me of Eastern European work I had seen on clothes, shawls and tablecloths during my time working with antique textiles.  I have a feeling they once were part of something larger, perhaps a huge tablecloth border and were then recycled as doiliesm, edged in blanket stitch. 





Here is a before and after, can you see the difference?  The circle is created by the base of the candelabra, and fading which has occurred over many years of being in the bright sunlight.






I was supervised by Jennifer who had been busy for many weeks cleaning the items on the windowsills of the dining room and studio. So many artefacts tenderly cleaned, the glassware with cotton buds. A labour of love.


My next job was in the kitchen, I done the clean out here last year.  I put on my vacuum backpack, Ghostbuster style and once the shelves were cleared sucked out any dust.  I photographed the shelves before emptying, but do sometimes end up with a tin wondering where on earth that went in the jigsaw of groceries. 






All dating back to 1991, some with the prices still on them, yes everything has doubled in price since then!  I also hasten to add, except for the bowl of ‘petrified’ Christmas pudding, all the tins are empty.  However, some of the sauces are still as they were, and Tomato Ketchup becomes HP Sauce colour if you keep it long enough, I can assure you no taste test made! 


On the same day a fellow guide, Anne, was carrying on with the task of logging all the books from the bookshelves.  Not as onerous as it might first seem.|In fact most diverting for all of us, as she discovered notes, bits of paper, book marks of interest, and signed copies. Also interesting to see the special packaging used for books that have lost their covers or are particularly fragile.




2 Willow Road is open again on 2nd March. Open Wednesday to Sunday.
Please check the National Trust Web Site for full opening times and guided tours. 
Non guided viewing commences at 3pm.

MissB will be Tour Guiding at Willow Road on: 
5th March, 19th March and 2nd April at 11am & 1pm
5th May 2pm
19th May 11am & 2pm
2nd June 11am & 2pm
30th June 2pm
On all the above dates, I will also be present for non-guided viewing from 3pm.

A shining candelabra!



Monday 8 February 2016

Guildhall Gallery - Exhibition - Visscher Redrawn by Artist Robin Reynolds OPENS SOON

Pen & Ink Drawing by Robin Reynolds
Shakespeare's London redrawn for 400th anniversary of Bard's Death
Exhibition opens 20th February to 20th November 2016
at
Guildhall Art Gallery


Claes Jansz. Visscher 1616 engraving of London


Artist Robin Reynolds has created a pen and ink version of Claes Jansz. Visscher’s 1616 engraving of London, which will be on show at Guildhall Art Gallery from Saturday 20 February from 10am and displayed alongside Visscher’s original image. Reynolds’ single drawing has been arranged to fit the Visscher landscape, which stretches from Whitehall to St. Katharine’s Dock on four large plates. Visscher’s engraving was published in the year of Shakespeare’s death and in recognition of the 400th anniversary this year, the new drawing includes references to his 37 plays, three major poetic works, and the sonnets.
Sonia Solicari, curator of Guildhall Art Gallery, said: Visscher’s engraving is not only one of the most recognisable and historic images of London, it is also one of the most important, because few visual records exist of the City before much of it was destroyed by the Great Fire in 1666. I am delighted that Robin Reynolds, who set himself a huge challenge, has allowed us to display his work at Guildhall Art Gallery, and that it will be presented next to Visscher’s original. Visitors to the art gallery will certainly enjoy comparing the 400-year old engraving to details in the new work, and trying to spot Robin’s references to the plays, poetry and sonnets.”
Artist Robin Reynolds said: “The project was prompted initially by what I felt was a similarity between my style and Visscher's and subsequently, by the coincidence of landmark anniversaries in 2016. After two years’ work, I'm thrilled and grateful to Guildhall Art Gallery for granting the finished piece such exposure in this prestigious venue. I hope that, as they explore the new panorama, visitors to the art gallery will be able to share some of the fun that I have had compiling it.”
Visscher Redrawn: 1616 – 2016 runs from 20 February to 20 November at Guildhall Art Gallery and forms part of a programme of special events and exhibitions to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, which includes the Shakespeare Son et Lumière show in Guildhall Yard on 4 and 5 March. For full details, please visit www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/visscher and www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/shakespeare400

Currently on show in the Heritage Gallery in the Art Gallery is the lease of a property in Blackfriars signed by William Shakespeare and a first complete works of his plays by John John Hemminge and Henry Condell. Open daily.








The Georgian Dining Academy - The Piscean Party - 10th March 2016



Presents
The Piscean Party
Miss Kitty Pridden and Miss B are once again pleased to invite you to join them for a special evening of Georgian conviviality and hospitality to celebrate their Birthdays!
10th March 2016
at Simpson's Tavern, 38 1/2 Cornhill, London EC3V 9DR


Miss B & Miss Kitty Pridden - your hosts - Image: Paul Lindus
Experience the glittering splendour within the candelit atmosphere of Simpson's Tavern. The C18th chophouse will be transformed into a theatre of laughter and gastronomic indulgence. 
A warming punch on arrival to sweep away the chill of the journey, then to enjoy sumptuous fare in good company, washed down with fine wine and port. All the time being entertained with Georgian anecdotes, frivolous pastimes, song and talk, with more than a little mystery. A magical evening indeed!
All we ask of you is to wear a mask on arrival, preferably much adorned with feathers and frippery!
Further information:
A Three Course Supper with drinks, and performance throughout included in the price! 
A bargain, ‘theatre’ and dining combined!
Dressing up as a Georgian is most definitely encouraged but not obligatory.
The menu which offers three choices for starter and main courses, a dessert or a savoury will be sent to you for pre order two weeks prior to the event. 
If you wish to discuss arrangements for a party table of 6 or more please contact the organiser. MissBtakesawalk@gmail.com
Vegetarian and other dietary options available.
BOOK HERE: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-georgian-dining-academy-simpsons-tavern-tickets-20035517773

FUTURE DATES;
9th June 2016
1st September 2016
1st December 2016
See some of our previous events on our FaceBook page : https://www.facebook.com/GeorgianDiningAcademy?ref=hl


Image: Paul Lindus