The auction drought is over, from mid December to end of January there’s little in the way of auctions to feed the need of an obsessive auction goer. However from this week that is all over, not only have Cordy’s delivered me a nice little ‘present for self’ (in a non décor line) and Maidens & Foster have delivered a sweet little footstool but Dunbar have put there antique catalogue online.

We like footstools. They are one of those eminently sensible objects that have somehow been discarded, but that greatly aid comfort when seated and can be pressed into service as a small occasional table – for a cup of tea, glass of wine or somewhere to put a book – when required. Admittedly one has to be aware at all times where they are so as not to be sent flying.

Strangely most of our footstools are from the 1920 and 1930s rather than of the beadwork Victorian variety. What’s nice about the new addition is that it is redolent with 20s/30s notions of luxurious décor of which relatively few examples survive. Another we have is perhaps from the opposite end of the spectrum made of empty tins bound into a clever shape and then upholstered – Depression ingenuity in décor.

DLJ