Vintage Style Keeps Kitchens Creative
31 Jan 2022
No room better invites charming and irreverent “objets de art” than the kitchen. The kitchen possesses a friendly personality that is the opposite of a wood-paneled library or a music room. Because a kitchen isn’t stuffy, you can have fun with vintage finds in that happy space.
Such decorative objects flourish at GasLamp, where kitchen collectibles come in all manner of styles. Here are some we love, from a cheery Bjorn Winblad candlestick to a romantic set of salt cellars. Enjoy!
BJØRN WIINBLAD CANDLESTICK
If you seek midcentury magic for your kitchen, look to the late Danish artist Bjørn Wiinblad, internationally renowned for his whimsical designs. He worked in ceramics and painting and created tapestries and kitchen wares.
Wiinblad painted eccentric ladies known for their pert noses, heavy-lidded eyes, spidery lashes, round faces and pixie haircuts. As seen in this 13-inch-tall candlestick, many of these gals wore grandiose hats ($125; Booth B-101). Anyone who loves the midcentury aesthetic should welcome Bjørn Wiinblad’s works into their world. He captured that era’s innocence and optimism in his unique way.
ROSEVILLE CONSOLE BOWL
Who doesn’t love a romantic clematis vine climbing up a trellis? You can also have clematis in the kitchen with this fabulous Roseville console bowl in the “Clematis” pattern ($79; Booth B-234). Its large size – 14 ¼ inches wide by 4 inches tall – gives it all kinds of versatility for serving usage.
Marked Roseville USA 459-10 on the bottom, this piece of art pottery was especially popular during the 1940s. The clematis blossoms are embossed into the pottery on both sides of the bowl, and the terracotta background color is accented with green leaves.
The Roseville Pottery Company was founded in 1892 in Zanesville, Ohio, due to that regions’ abundance of rich clay deposits suited for making pottery.
ELVINWARE GERMAN SALT CELLARS
In my opinion, there’s nothing more retro on the table than salt cellars. Their history stretches back hundreds of years, and they can be found in a wide variety of styles and materials. (Jacqueline Kennedy bought one for the White House during the Kennedy administration.) This set of 10 salt cellars is stamped Elfinware, a mark found on Dresden-like porcelain sold decades ago in dime stores and gift shops. It is unusual to discover such a large set intact ($145; Booth T-101).
These individual serving baskets are circa 1910 to 1920. This hard-paste style of porcelain has long been a favorite of collectors who love the hand-painted details and raised flowers. These ten little baskets, each just under 3 inches long, feature a generous application of Elfinware flowers (tiny blue forget-me-nots and roses set amid moss).
FAMILLE ROSE CHARGER
Famille rose (French for “pink family”) is a much-admired style known for fanciful designs inspired by traditional Chinese porcelain. This 10-inch diameter charger is hand-decorated with flora and fauna in an eye-catching color palette ($75; Booth W-405). All such Chinese porcelain was introduced in the 18th century, and the presence of pink color overglaze enamel defined the pottery. This charger would look fantastic hung in a kitchen with an assorted collection of chic planning.
RATTAN CONSOLE
Now that you’ve seen a sampling of the most glamourous tchotchkes in Nashville, you’ll probably need something to display them. Might we recommend this beautiful bamboo-and-rattan console that doubles as a martini bar ($129; Booth W-408). It is in excellent condition, and its midcentury modern design gives it a lot of personality.
Have fun perusing the halls of GasLamp and GasLamp Too as you seek to feather your kitchen with glorious finds. We know there’s something special waiting just for you.