No, I am not referring to our current political climate, but rather to last week’s New York Times article about Victoriana. While I’m not so convinced that the Victorian aesthetic will ever again have widespread appeal, it has never fallen out of favor with me. I adore the exuberant patterns, exotic influences and overripe blown-out decor of the era. You can read the full New York Times article here.
There certainly was a dark and stormy aspect to the long Victorian period, but also a sense of discovery and illumination.
They feature a new design boutique, House of Hackney, that draws inspiration from William Morris, Liberty of London and the like, showing how well Victorian style can blend with more modern furnishings. Here are a few examples of their joyfully maximalist design work.
I recently acquired some spectacular and rare chromolithographs from the early Victorian period. They were produced for the famed Great Exposition of 1851-1852. This was the pet project of Prince Albert who was a great patron of the arts and sciences. The Crystal Palace was built in London’s Hyde Park for this exposition. The plates seen below depict some of the the most beautiful industrial designs of the day.
These plates are quite large and will be appropriately matted for 16×20 frames.
We have many, many other Victorian prints to choose from including more design and ornament series such as the ornate and oddly modern French 1860s Racinet print below.
And we are fully stocked in all manner of lush Natural History (a Victorian obsession) from butterflies to bats….
WINDSOR PLACE ANTIQUES 