Vintage Books on One Kings Lane

Some of my very favorite gifts to give- and to receive, of course- are vintage and rare books. One of the first out of print books that was given to me was Christopher Petkanas' "Parish Hadley- Sixty Years of American Design". It was a birthday present from my parents, and it was one of the books that really got me hooked on design and, more importantly, my idol Mr. Hadley.

Perhaps this is why I'm so excited about my Tastemaker Tag Sale that will take place this evening on the website One Kings Lane. I'll be selling all kinds of vintage books including tomes on design, cooking, photography, fashion, gardening and jewelry. "The Givenchy Style" and "Horst Interiors" are just two of the titles that will be featured. The common thread that runs through all of my selections is that these are all titles that I either have in my own library or that I feel every library should have.

It will be a great opportunity to buy a few Christmas presents (for others or for you!) at really great prices. The online sale starts tonight at 9PM EST (6PM PT) on One Kings Lane. Click here for more information.

Here's a sneak peek of what will be included in the sale, but this is only the tip of the iceberg:

Books for a Bad Day

Last week was one of those weeks. You know the kind; they go from bad to worse. When I found myself playing Morrissey on my ipod one too many times, I realized that it was time to, in the words of Cher, "Snap out of it!" But how? Well, a few fun books always help, so that was the first course of action. (By the way, see Morrissey there at top? I totally know how he feels.)









Thank goodness for Rebecca Moses new book, A Life of Style. When you're blue, this is the kind of book you need to read. Fashion designer Moses is a natural to write a book about style, or rather, a life of style. Her charming watercolors illustrate Moses' thoughts on Style DNA, Playing the Color Cards, Scent, Crystal Chandeliers, and everything else under the stylish sun. Speaking of scent, Moses writes "Scent can send a bad mood running." I think the same thing could be said about her book, too.





Then it was on to shoes. Manolos, that is. Of course, what would really help me add a little spring to my step would be a new pair of Manolos. Alas, not this week. But the second best thing might be Manolo's New Shoes. Again, another book filled with wonderful illustrations, only this time depicting Blahnik's most fanciful creations. The only problem was that I realized that this baby needs a new pair of shoes.







I was feeling immensely better. But books alone don't banish the blues or even the mean reds. It takes a few other things, like candles. My new favorite ones are by Matouk. They smell divine, but I'm not sure what I like more- the scent or the packaging. Burn one, or a few, of these and, as Rebecca Moses said, it will send your bad mood running.




And of course, looking at this little guy on his brand new bed makes me very happy. It was a gift from Chelsea and Sabina at Fleabag Bed, and it's perfect for the both of us. Alfie likes it because it's comfy, and I like the glam metallic silver print fabric.



Wow, I feel like a new woman!

(Moses images from A Life of Style: Fashion, Home, Entertaining ; Manolo drawings from Manolo's New Shoes)

Literary Leopards

It seems that camel and leopard prints are going to be hot this Fall, at least according to the fashion magazines. Well thank goodness because I have a closet full of both. But really, both are classic, so were they ever really out? I don't think so; I just guess they're a little more "in" than usual.

I've never met a leopard print that I didn't like. (Although, I'm not quite sure about that Givenchy ensemble at top.) I have leopard print coats, purses, sweaters, and shoes. My apartment isn't neglected either. There are leopard print Wilton weave rugs and leopard pillows. Something else I have? Books with leopard print covers. Now I really love those. If I see one in a bookstore, I make a beeline for it and usually end up buying it.

To be perfectly honest, I tend to buy leopard print books as accessories rather than for the text that lies between the covers. I know, shame on me. It's really the only time I buy a book for its cover. But you know what? They really do look pretty nifty on display in my home. I'm always looking for books to add to my collection. Are there any leopard print books that I've left out from the list below?







Now, first let me say that I don't display my books on the floor; I was just experimenting with the layered leopard look. (Not so successful, eh?) I bought this book (Dictator Style: Lifestyles of the World's Most Colorful Despots) for that cover alone. What I found inside, though, was pretty darn amusing...in a sick kind of way.




We all love Jan Showers' glamorous work as well as her book Glamorous Rooms. Have you peeked underneath the dust jacket? That print on the book's boards is Hinson's "Snow Leopard". I've been displaying this book without the jacket- for obvious reasons.




When I was trying to come up with leopard print books, I remembered the Assouline title Les Must De Cartier. I ordered my copy a few days ago so I'm anxiously awaiting it. In the meantime, here is an image that I found on the web.






It may be hard to see, but this leopard print book in Chris Spitzmiller's apartment is Diana Vreeland: Immoderate Style- a book that I really wish that I owned.




Another title I'd give my right arm to own? The 1999 Christie's auction catalogue "Innovators of Twentieth Century Style Including Property Sold to Benefit the Elsie de Wolfe Foundation". The copy shown here is available at Nick Harvill Libraries.


(Givenchy photo from Style.com; Spitzmiller photo from Elle Decor, William Waldron photographer; auction catalogue photo courtesy of Nick Harvill Libraries. Glamorous Rooms and Dictator Style photos by Jennifer Boles.)

Darling Nicky

How easy it is to forget about preparing a blog post when you're reading Nicky Haslam's new memoir Redeeming Features. Forget delving into my design archives and actually researching something scholarly. I've only been interested in reading about things that are a bit more prurient.

I had anxiously awaited my copy because I knew it would be provocative. Actually, I ordered both Redeeming Features and The Queen Mother: The Official Biography, but I passed the Queen Mum along to my mum because I wanted to read the book with the naughty bits first. In the first three chapters alone, Haslam has gained more, um, experience than most garner in a lifetime and has spent the weekend with Tallulah Bankhead- all this by the time he was a young teenager. Hmmm....

So, while I continue to read about who did what with whom and where, I leave you with a few photos of Haslam's work from his previous tome Sheer Opulence.


The salon in a New Orleans home designed by Haslam. The design of the magnolias on both the wallpaper and armchair fabric was taken from a hunting schloss. Haslam lacquered corrugated paper and hung it beneath the room's chair rail.


The entrance hall in a London mansion apartment. Haslam says that he got the idea to drape the stairwell in white fabric from Christian Dior's Paris home.


A London dining room. The wallpaper is actually "cheap" textured paper that Haslam had silvered and hand painted.


Haslam installed the overscaled columns and pillars in this London dining room. What I find most interesting is the chinoiserie panel that can be seen in the mirror. It was inspired by the Chinese Palace at Oranienbaum (more on that this week) and was made of silver mica paper made to look like beadwork.


The study in Haslam's former London apartment. The wallpaper was painted by George Oakes, the famed decorative artist who worked with John Fowler. Can you imagine anything more comfortable than curling up in this room and reading a book? Perhaps a book like "Redeeming Features"?

(All photos with the exception of the image at top from Sheer Opulence)

That Cover Girl Face

Hard to believe that it's been about eight years since Osa Johnson's I Married Adventure entered our design consciousness. Obviously there were those who were familiar with the book- and its jazzy cover- long before, but most of us had not a clue about the zebra print book until it started hitting practically every published interior earlier this decade. In a 2001 House & Garden article, designers were polled about books with which they liked to decorate.

Jeffrey Bilhuber mentioned that he had used I Married Adventure in every job. "It's visually exciting, and then there's that title!"

Miles Redd touted the pink impact that Elsa Schiaparelli's Shocking Life had, especially in blue rooms.

Larry Laslo listed not one but three books whose colorful boards rather than dust jackets captivated him. For a dash of red, it's Best of Flair; burgundy is introduced through Horst: Interiors. And orange? That would be Geoffrey Beeneby Brenda Cullerton.

When asked for his opinion, Albert Hadley said "I hope people have more respect for books. Of course, if you have a pile of them, you do put the best-looking one on top." I think that I have one foot in each camp; I do have a weakness for a great dust jacket, but I also read the book as well. My pick for a book whose cover packs a punch? That would be Great Art Treasures of the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg (2 Volume Set). A wee bit expensive, but look at those malachite covers. I first spied the books at my friend Sally's house. The set wasn't even displayed on a cocktail table but rather in the bookshelves, where it still managed to catch my eye...even after two glasses of wine.




(Photo at top House & Garden Nov 2001, Eric Piasecki photographer)