Category: Writing

Year of the Rooster

February 11, 2017

To begin a new year on Retromode, I have chosen this colourful bottle from my collection of mid-century ceramics. It features a lively decoration of a cockerel and was produced in the 1950/60s by the DeSimone Pottery, Palermo, Sicily. It’s been some time since my last post in April 2015 and since then much has happened. I don’t think many of … More Year of the Rooster

Norwegian Wood…

April 30, 2015

Actually a Norwegian leaf, from well known silversmiths David Andersen, (D-A). Originally founded in Oslo in 1876, succeeding generations of the Andersen family developed the company and employed many talented designers, goldsmiths and silversmiths over the years. This lovely example of midcentury design was created by Willie Winnaess during the 1950s. Gold washed sterling silver … More Norwegian Wood…

Bird on a wire

July 24, 2014

Still on the theme of blackbirds, I couldn’t resist posting this image taken on a recent holiday, this little blackbird perched every evening outside our window, overlooking Badachro and Loch Gairloch. He wasn’t singing though, probably exhausted after feeding his brood but at least he could enjoy this lovely view at the end of the day.

Atomic Age

April 16, 2014

Powder compact, gilt and enamel with engine-turned pattern on the back. ‘Made in Great Britain’. 1950s/1960s. The design on the lid of the powder compact is a simple pattern of circles and squiggly lines, probably representing atoms, a lively optimistic piece from the 1950s when scientific progress was widely celebrated in everyday objects. The splitting … More Atomic Age

Moon Musings

April 14, 2014

Danish goldsmith Poul Warmind created the ‘Lunar’ cufflinks around the time of the manned moon landings in the late 60s and early 70s. I’m not sure why I chose to post these particular cufflinks from my collection, perhaps I had space travel in mind after seeing Gravity which was an amazing film and convincing portrayal … More Moon Musings