74. Hungarian rack.
When we moved to our present house we did the usual thing of re-arranging several walls and doorways. When the chaos was over we bought the house a present of this Hungarian shelf and rack. It hangs in a space created by the removal of a door.
It has a wonderful patina of age, with the date 1882 barely discernible in the faded paintwork. The decorative flowers and patterns will once have been bright and colourful.
The importer who was selling to us asked if we wanted him to do some restoration work on the piece.
"NO" was our immediate and horrified response.
This practical object has a celebratory feel and was probably made as a wedding gift. Now it celebrates a happy retirement. It is barely visible beneath a collection of coats and hats, dog leads and umbrellas.
The image on the top, when a thumbnail, looks like a 1980s sound system console. Thank God - I thought it might have been the same Hungarian Rack that my father was stretched on during the uprising.
ReplyDeleteA good lick of paint.....Maybe some nice modern hooks.... Believe me, I've seen people do it!
ReplyDeleteDear Tom and Cro, I so enjoy your responses to my objects. Do you think it is an art school thing, this appreciation of random pieces?
ReplyDeleteOne can usually tell the home of an ex-art-student. We tend to appreciate objects for their individual worth and beauty, rather than stick to accepted interior-design concepts.
ReplyDeletefollowed Cro here...and found the explanation for the style/state of my house.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very beautiful object,no paint needed!