What will 2025, the Lunar or Chinese New Year of the Snake bring. According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Snake is wise, charming, calm, introspective and graceful. In contrast, the popular western view of snakes is of cunning, sleek and deceitful creatures – smooth operators, not to be trusted! Unfortunately, the latter description brings to … More Year of the Snake
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
Lively, modernist bangle or bracelet, probably a studio piece from the 1960s/1970s. When I first saw this piece it was upside down, so looked quite abstract and then I turned it the other way up and surprisingly the dancing figures appeared! Perhaps inspired by tribal art it seems to embody the spirit of dance. http://www.retromode.co.uk
Although I have titled this post ‘Boy’s Toys’, I couldn’t resist this lovely die-cast model tractor myself with its cheery orange-red body and pale blue rubber tyres. It has obviously provided many happy hours of enjoyment and despite being a little bashed and missing the driver’s seat it is still very appealing. It measures 10 cm x 5.5 cm, is … More Boy’s Toys
From Finland, small, angular, Pala glass vases or candleholders, simple in form, rich in colour and surface texture. Pala translates roughly as part, piece or element. There is something elemental about these, like building blocks of life, structured but flowing and filled with light. They are not unlike another ubiquitous plastic Scandinavian building block. Designed by Helena … More Cool Scandinavian Glass
A small majolica storage jar by Giovanni DeSimone. This is a lovely little work of art from the DeSimone Pottery, Palermo, Italy. Born in 1930 into an aristocratic family, DeSimone chose to study ceramics and some time after World War 11 opened his own ceramic studio, where production continued until 1992, a year after his death in 1991. Usually depicting … More Mid-Century Italian Style
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
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
Personal Musings and Thought Experiments
fine stationery & artists' supplies
art and photography
independence - self-determination - autonomy
mostly painting
Reflections on Canadian Culture From Below the Border
featuring West German art pottery, Fat Lava and more 20th century ceramics
collecting retro
Purveyors of Bijouterie, and Beautiful Bits and Bobs.
the intersection of graphic design + picture books
Retromode 