Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The Chinoiserie Etagere & Lettuce Ware

Leta Austin Foster - Flower Magazine

Isn't this absolutely wonderful? A black and gold pagoda Chinoiserie etagere filled with lettuce ware with a backdrop of Chinoiserie wallpaper.

I have a miniature version of this etagere I turned into a Chinoiserie dollhouse. How many of you remember that blogger dollhouse debacle?


Lettuce ware - like by Dodie Thayer is crazy collectible and has been for decades. Tory Burch has a wonderful lettuce ware collection she did in collaboration with Dodie Thayer's estate. Lettuce ware has been hot since the sixties with people like the Duchess of Windsor, C. Z. Guest, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis and I know it is a Palm Beach thing as well. Mario Buatta's collection recently sold at auction for $48,000.

Do you collect lettuce ware? It does combine beautifully with Chinoiserie. Do any of you subscribe to Flower Magazine? I am thinking I should.

14 comments:

  1. I love Flower magazine, Beth, and, if you subscribe now, you will receive a signed book by Margot Shaw, Editor in Chief of Flower magazine plus a subscription to the magazine for $45. I'm hoping I can continue my current subscription and also receive the book. The book is titled Living Floral.

    Best regards,
    Deborah

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  2. I subscribe to Flower & love it! Two yr. subscription(12 issues) is $25.00.I just ordered a gift subscription from their website.If you use the promo code SAVE5 you save $5.00.
    Elizabeth

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  3. I love lettuce ware although I do not collect it. I have some antique majorca. I absolutely love the etagere in the top photo. The lettuce ware is so striking. I am not familiar with Flower magazine but will check it out as I am a Master Gardener.

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    1. I was Treasurer and Vice President of Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia and have a certificate in Landscape Design from George Washington University and taught there. So interesting that you are a Master Gardener too. And I was just appointed to the Landscape Committee in my community. I am really enjoying gardening here in Florida.

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  4. This is beautiful, as is everything Leta Austin Foster does. When I still blogged, she and I exchanged a few notes, and she seems as nice as can be, too. I do not have any lettuceware, but I do greatly admire it. I don't remember: what was the dollhouse debacle? 🙃

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    1. Back in 2011, a well known interior designer created a dollhouse challenge where bloggers would create and decorate dollhouses and the finalists would be featured in a major magazine and in a home store chain in major cities. Many of us spent a great deal of time and money on the project and after postponing the completion date, she then never followed through, never mentioned it again, and never apologized. Complete lack of integrity.

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  5. I certainly do remember that 'dollhouse debacle'. I was so upset. You created the most magnificent, beautiful, imaginative, extraordinary dollhouse that would have won First Prize in any legitimate contest anywhere, but you WERE CHEATED out of your obviously deserved win by a certain unethical, nefarious individual and the corrupt powers that be behind her. What an injustice!
    I would love to see a post showing all those gorgeous rooms and that whole magical dollhouse sometime...so those who missed those posts can experience it!

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    1. You are so sweet and funny. I did just put the dollhouse all back together in my "bonus room." I am planning a little Florida refresh to it and that's a great idea to do a post on it. That would be fun.

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  6. I have ALWAYS loved dollhouses! I wish that series had come to fruition. Will you share where the tiered piece to the right of your dollhouse is from?

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    1. It is a Mottahedeh Blanc de Chine Vista Allegra Chinoiserie Epergne that I bought for $39.00 - the identical one is currently for sale online for $4,500.00.

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    2. I didn't realize it is so valuable!

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