I wanted to take a moment to spotlight one of the newer artists in our Contemporary section. I love the work of Jen Renninger (see her blog for some great inspiration) and I think her Modern Design Deck series fits in so well with the Century Finds vibe.

These stylish prints feature iconic modernist furnishings from the first half of the 20th Century. They are very sympathetically rendered and the style is so versatile, slotting in well with all kinds of decor.

We have a selection of these affordable 11.5″ by 8″ pictures in stock.

Eames RAR Print + Image from booiecanoe

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Eames Lounger Print + Image from May61

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Panton Chair Print + Image from Fran6co

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Nelson Lamp Print + Image by tampatroy727

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Le Corbusier Chair Print + Image by b_fantasti

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You can find our current stock from Jen Renninger here, and if we don’t currently have the print you want,  most are also available by special order . These prints make great gifts – whether you are shopping for others or for yourself – and the best thing is, they will not break the bank .

Can’t decide? For the complete Modern Design Deck experience, we also stock a poster showing all 30 images in the series.

Meredith Heron pulled together a perfect balance of styles for the Canadian House and Home Junior League showhouse. Can you believe this was once a basement safe?

It’s all about contrast: the rustic, worn table, the sleek and clean Panton chair, the glamour of an oversized leaning mirror, the bohemian quality of a tie-dye rug. And what I think what really takes the cake in execution is leaving the exposed pipes and wires wrapping around a traditional light fixture.

Today I’m covering offset lithography or offset printing.

Offset uses the resistance method of printing. The basic principle of resistance printing is that oil and water don’t mix, so the same surface can be used for ink and un-inked surfaces.

Images and text are transferred to photosensitive plates (made of zinc or aluminum) photographically. The plate is then placed on a cylinder on the press. The plate obtains ink from the ink rollers, while the non-printed areas attract a water-based film (fountain solution), keeping the non-printing areas ink-free. The image is then rolled on to a rubberized offset cylinder, which in turn, inks the paper. The advantage of offset printing is the ability to print thousands of images from one plate.

Below is a side view of the offset process.

Offset Presses

There are two types of paper feeds on offset presses: sheet fed and web fed.

Sheet fed presses feed one sheet at a time through the rollers. It is commonly used for short-run jobs like brochures, letterhead, business cards, etc. Short-runs are considered less then 10,000 to 20,000 impressions.

Sheet fed presses also come in different sizes. In smaller print shops the presses are usually 2-head presses. That is that they can run 2 inks at a time. Larger print shops have 6+ head presses. These presses can run numerous inks and coatings at the same time.

Web fed presses feed off a roll of paper. Web fed presses are commonly used for large jobs like newspapers, catalogs, magazines, etc.  Jobs run on web presses exceed 10,000 to 20,000 impressions. Web presses generally have 4+ heads for ink.

Spot versus CMYK

When press people talk about ink it seems to be in a strange code: of spot, CMYK, PMS, etc. What they are talking about is ink.

Spot color is a solid ink color (versus a dot-pattern of CYMK). Letterheads and business cards are the most common users of spot color.

CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black. CMYK is also called process color. Process color creates images using a mixture of dots from all four inks. CMYK is used in magazines, brochures, etc.

PMS stands for Pantone Matching System. Pantone creates solid and CYMK inks.

Digital Printing

Since the 1990s digital printing has slowly began to replace some offset printing practices. Digital presses do not use a photographic plate. The image can be sent directly from the computer to the press, eliminating the plate and the plate making processes.

The advantages of digital presses are a lower cost in printing. Images can be changed “on the fly”. This is convenient when only one or two aspects of the image are changed. Less wasted chemicals and paper.

Below are examples of spot color offset printing:

• Brett Dennen with Angus and Julia Stone Poster by Strawberryluna
• An Irish Toast to Your Coffin Poster by Madam Talbots
• Rebuilding by Kiriko Moth

Below are examples of process (CYMK) offset printing:

• The Brave Tabby by Bohemian Cats
• Miss Coquelicot Poster by Sybile
• The Bawdy Ladies: Bootsies by Art by Fox

Hope you enjoyed this little snippet about Offset Printing, next up Screenprinting.

So, ich bin wieder da. Endlich. Es kam viel Privates dazwischen, lange Zeit schien es als würde der PC hier einstauben, eingeschlossen Dennis and the Starsheriffs. Aber es geht wieder. In dem Sinne möchte ich mich beim Retropa und Magrat entschuldigen. Ich hätte das Stöckchen sooo gerne gefangen und weitergereicht, aber irgendwie hats nicht so ganz geklappt. Entschuldigung dafür. Ich bin wieder hier und mitgebracht habe ich eine neue Kategorie, den

“Kennst du noch…?” Flohmarkt

Hintergrund ist der, dass ich in den letzten Jahren sehr viel angesammelt habe was ich nun langsam wieder loswerden will, ihr wisst schon, Balast abbauen.  Das meiste sind Gegenstände aus den 50er – 70er Jahren, fast alles habe ich mir selbst nach eigenem Gefallen von Flohmärkten, e_bay, etc. zusammengesucht und mir meine Wohnung damit eingerichtet. Ich hoffe, dass ich hier auf genauso verrückte Menschen wie ich selbst treffe, Leute die das Besondere lieben und sich an kleinem Schnickschnack erfreuen können.  Für das meiste habe ich selbst Geld bezahlt -  mal mehr,  mal weniger. ALso, wenn euch irgendwas gefällt, schreibt mich einfach an, über den Preis können wir eigentlich immer reden, vor allem wenn ihr an mehreren Dingen interessiert seid. Aber das erstmal fürs erste. Fangen wir einfach mal an! /dennis

i spy with my little eye something beginning with s...

s is for scarf: nine to five vintage glamour pinkmilkvintage scarf

u is for umbrella: cream and embroidered by DJVV

n is for well n: vintage typography signage by junkculture

d is for design: vintage design70s Pierre Cardin  Bar by fabulousmess

a is for anorak: but with a twist thelittleanorak vintage bangle

y is for yellow: Panton yellow button tufted sofa by thevintagesupplyco

and that makes it sunday on etsy.

view more pictures

ANON is preparing for his latest installation sculpture in ARTE’ WEEKEND JULY 2009 in Retro concept by using his tape collection mix with the most notable chair in that regime, the Panton chair and what he is going to present, is a-must to see how stun he could do this time at the middle of Thonglor soi 10, Football Arena.

“Retro by Anon Pairot

“A less successful experiment is preferable to a beautiful platitude.”

Verner Panton, born in 1959, Danish designer Verner Panton spent many years thinking about how to produce a plastic chair moulded in one piece. Together with Vitra, he came up with the first prototypes in the 1960s and Panton Chair went into series production as of 1967. Unlike the cheaper Panton Chair Standard in solid plastic, Panton Chair Classic is made of rigid expanded plastic and has a lacquered surface.

that all history come to Anon PAirot landmark sculpture idea to represent a good symbolic of 1970’s-1980’s history and the Retrospective design context. This experiment will be represent the good charecteristic of Retro installation by the retro graphic composition arrangement with very vevid colour of TAPE work What Anon Pairot love to do in many art installation.”

from www.arteweekend.com

Follow this link to view more information
http://www.arteweekend.com

Igår var vi ett gäng som trotsade regnet och promenerade iväg till Liljevalchs för lite inspiration i form av IKEA-utsällning. (Eller, ja, trotsade och trotsade, vi snarare flydde undan kontorets trasiga luftkonditionering…).

Jag hade innan hört en del negativt om utställningen, men blev glatt överraskad!

För mig var det en walk down memory lane, att se och känna den gamla doften av alla möbler. Möbler som vi hade när jag var liten. Möbler som mina kompisar hade hemma. Möbler som mormor hade. Möbler som var så fula att man undrar vem sjutton som köpte dem.

Till exempel hade jag ingen aning om att min egen favoritdesigner Verner Panton hade haft ett samarbete med Ikea. Men samtidigt var det heller inte förvånande, många stora designers har lämnat sitt avtryck i Det Stora Varuhuset genom tiderna:

Vico Magistretti, som skapat mycket för Vitra och Artemide genom åren. Säkerligen har du sett hans fantastiska skapelser i plast, och säkerligen har du varit på något kontor där hans klassiska aluminiumstol ”Silver Chair” funnits.

Tapio Wirkkala, som fick sitt kommersiella genombrott för Iittala, och för dem gjorde till exempel min favoritserie i glas, ”Ultima Thule”. Hans ”X-frame table” är också en favorit bland designintresserade.

Även Jon Eliasson, den ständigt pigga och glada inredaren du inte kan ha undgått i Kanal 5’s Roomservice, började sin bana med att designa produkter för Ikea. Idag är han en erkänd designer som arbetat med allt från produktdesign för Sagaform till inredning av Strand Hotel. (Han har även designat glaset som Kylie Minouge sitter så snyggt i på omslaget av amerikanska Vogue 2003.)

And so on.

Något som förstås också var extra kul, var att se alla gamla katalogomslag, uppsatta i kronologisk ordning. Att se hur katalogen genom åren utvecklats från att vara en liten anspråkslös liggande A5 i svartvitt, till ett stort internationellt fläskmagazine i färg med glossy papper. Och designen av omslagen – vad i hela friden tänkte de egentligen 1992: siffrorna stort typograferade i rött med svart outline?! Usch.

För att dämpa typografichocken blev jag tvungen att ta en dubbel espresso och ett vaniljhjärta på Blå Porten efteråt. (Mina kollegor måste även de varit i djup chock, då de på sina tallrikar lassade upp bullar och bakelser för ett mindre land.)

//s

Rum fullt av tygdesigners. Och en och annan Greyare.

Suddiga kollegor.

]]> http://cissan.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/bricka-och-fat-med-pantontryck/ Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:10:55 +0000 cissan http://cissan.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/bricka-och-fat-med-pantontryck/

Åh, vad detta hade varit fint att ha! Jag har kopparna och skålarna sen tidigare, men skulle gärna kompletterat med brickan och faten. Dessa faten går bl a att köpa hos Tilbords som just nu har 25% rabatt på kopparna. Kopparna är så sköna att hålla i och man bränner inte fingrarna då kopparna har dubbel “vägg”.

I vintras när min mamma var här i Norge på besök hos oss, så blev hon lika förtjust i dessa kopparna. De är ju vackra också eller hur?

Det är danska  Pernille Vea som står för designen av dessa produkter och självklart är det Verner Panton som designat mönstret.

(Bilder från Panik)

Jag hoppas att ni som firat midsommar har haft en riktigt skön sådan och önskar alla en riktigt god helg

Oi gente, tudo bem com vocês??

Resolvemos criar uma categoria fixa aqui no blog que será a “Cadeira do mês”. O nome já é explicativo, mas a cada mês vamos eleger uma cadeira de design assinado e falar sobre ela aqui no nosso cantinho.

Para começar bem, escolhemos a Panton, cadeira do designer Verner Panton (1926-1998) nascido na Dinamarca. Verner foi um especialista em desenvolver peças de tom lúdico e baseadas em formas geométricas em uma época em que a tecnologia ainda não se fazia presente. Panton iniciou uma revolução no mobiliário daquele período, adicionado o plástico, poliuretano, espuma além das cores, quebrando a seriedade e rigidez do ferro, muito utilizado. Sua idéia era dar humor às peças por ele criadas!

Em 1960, lança a Panton, cadeira que seria ícone da Pop Art. A peça foi revulocionária pois é toda em plástico e feita de uma só peça. Seu desenho em S representava a liberdade pregada nos anos 60. O tom lúdico entre suas formas sinuosas e suas cores marcantes foi resultado da busca da emoção entre técnica e estética, muito buscada pelo designer. A cadeira é símbolo de versatilidade, podendo se adaptar a diversos ambientes e se tornou uma das peças mais imporantes do século XX.

I vintras fick jag dessa Pantonkopparna av min sambo. Kopparna är designade av Pernille Vea och hon har använt Pantons mönster. Kopparna  är störtsköna att hålla i och så bränner man sig inte på fingrarna, fastän man han kokhett te i koppen. Sånt uppskattas. Men så ville jag gärna ha en liten bricka och när jag var i Sverige sist och rotade i mina gömmor så hittade jag två små trävita brickor som jag köpt på IKEA för väldigt många år sen. Nej, jag vill inte säga hur länge sen det var

Men så tyckte jag inte riktigt de passade till kopparna och skålen, så jag målade om brickorna i svart och vitt. Nu känns det mer trevligt när man sitter och hänger framför tv’n eller vid datorn och har allt på en bricka.

Jag skulle så gärna vilja ha Panton-tyget som går i samma mönster som kopparna. Om någon har en bit över så får ni gärna kontakta mig

(Eget kollage med bilder från Casanova)

(Bilder: Cissans privata)

De sista två bilderna är dålig kvalité, men gör väl inget?

Saw a red version of this at the Verner Panton exhibit at the National Museum. Turning the top radio deck reveals a second lower record player.  I NEED THIS!

Verner Panton Wega 3300 Hifi

Panton designed the famous, award winning pattern in 1960: An instant success and an eternally modern, Scandinavian classic. Menu have used the black and white artwork on a new, elegant side plate, designed by Pernille Vea. The shape and the motif are a perfect match!

Couple the Panton plates with Menu’s Panton thermo cups and set a funky brunch table!

Available from Panik Design

1. 1969 VERNER PANTON ORIGINAL HOTEL LUGANO MIRA-X LAMP

Item number: 250420535438

2. 1960s Opaque/Teak Table Lamp

Item number: 280342138703

3. RETRO 1970′S CHROME AND SMOKED GLASS DINING TABLE
COMPLETE WITH THE ORIGINAL 4 MATCHING CHAIRS

Item number: 110387000257

4. Retro Vintage 1960’s Danish Teak Dining Table and Chairs

Item number: 270386465494

For 15% off all the Design Classics, visit www.conranshop.co.uk before May 10th.

Click the link below to download the PDF of the Design Classics – would make a great poster!

theconranshop_design-classic

Selfridges , London department store famed the world over celebrates 100 years of business with true style! If you didn’t know Selfridges is branded around Pantone 109, so they’ve gone and teamed up with some of the hottest brands around for exclusive limited edition items. Polo, Evisu, Converse, Fender Guitars, Coca-Cola are to name just a few. Check out the hotness…… http://www.selfridges100.com/

Woke up to rain on Saturday morning-NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.  I have a house on the North Fork of Long Island and I spend my Saturday mornings hitting the local Yard Sale circuit with my father.  Usually this means a 6am wake up, and a quick trip to my father’s house which serves as our usual departure point.  Being that its relatively early in the season and there was only one “rain or shine” yard sale advertised in the local paper, I chose to forgo my usual Saturday morning routine.

Instead, I had breakfast with my daughters and decided to wait for the local thrift and antique stores to open. Although the thrift stores proved fruitless, I decided to go visit a local antique/junk barn.  There, covered in dust, dirt and shoved into a dark corner, I discovered my prize-An early, vintage Verner Panton Pantella floor lamp, made for Louis Poulsen back  in 1970 (or 1971 depending on who your believe).

Amazingly enough, this lamp remains in production today and sells for around $750.00. The insane vendors on 1stDibs sell a vintage original in good condition for over $2000.

When I asked the store’s owner how much he wanted for the “dirty white plastic lamp in the corner,” he replied $70.  Now even at $70 it would have been a great deal, but I couldn’t help but try to haggle a bit.  After offering $50, we agreed on $60.  I quickly picked it up and brought it to my truck with out saying another word.

Now as I mentioned above, the lamp is not one of the new Poulsen production pieces, but an early, original from the 70’s.  The way to tell the difference between the new and the old, is that the early lamps are actually sightly two-toned as opposed to the bright white monotone of the newer edition. The tulip base and the the flared light bulb holder of the older lamps were originally produced in beige with the plastic diffuser and enameled neck closer to a true white. The new version is bright white throughout.

As for Vernor Panton, he was one of Denmark’s preeminent architect / designers. He “was a master of the fluid, futuristic style of 1960s design which introduced the Pop aesthetic to furniture and interiors.” More about Verner Panton He designed furniture, lighting, textiles, interiors, structures and just about anything else you can think of.

A few of his ICONIC designs can be found below

Panton S Chair

Panton Textile for Mira X

Panton Flowerpot Lamps

Panton knockdown weekend house/garage

A couple of interesting pieces of Panton Trivia

1. He worked in the architectural Practice of Arne Jacobsen from 1950-1952

2. He designed the first single-form injection-moulded plastic chair- The Panton “S chair”

From the Daily Sanduskian

Our readers will perceive that we publish a letter from California, for which we are indebted to James Belden, Esq. It is from his son Robert H., who belongs to the Marsfield company. We are glad to learn that he has reached the “land of promise” in safety, and hope he will

“A pocket-full of rocks bring home.”

LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 4, 1849.

Dear Parents:

At last, after all my trouble, vexation, hard living and detention I am here at the grand emporium and head quarters of the El Dorado. — But I will commence back a short time. We left Panama in the steamship Panama, at one o’clock on the morning of the 18th of May. –

For the first two or three days the weather was very warm and the sea almost a dead calm — we suffered greatly from heat. After that we had the land and sea breezes which made it much wore pleasant. At night I would swing my hammock on deck in the open air and sleep as sweetly and soundly as if I were in a luxurious bed in the open air. As we worked our way up the coast the winds became heavier and when in the vicinity of Mazatlan, in Mexico, we fell in with a small schooner in distress, out of water, and one half of those on board had the scurvy. It was a distressing scene. We relieved their necessities as much as possible and went on.

The last three days before our arrival here, was very stormy and we began to run short of fuel. The captain ordered every spare spar burnt and soon every thing combustible was in requisition. The last night out, the passengers in the lower forward cabin were turned out of their berths which were all burned at five o’clock. The morning of the 4th, we entered the bay of San Francisco with scarcely fuel sufficient to propel her to her anchorage, and at six o’clock she dropped her anchor at a cable’s length from a U.S. sloop of war.

The ship we came in is a fine vessel and a good sea boat, with good accommodations for one hundred and fifty passengers but she was crammed with over three hundred which crowded us very much, and consequently we were very uncomfortable. Our food was rice, beans, salt pork, beef and once a week we had what sailors call duff, and on shore we call plum pudding — this food would have been good but the beans and rice was usually musty and burnt, and the pork and beef rusty. We had to wash in salt water and the fresh water to drink was horrible. We had no table set and in fact lived like a parcel of brutes, but all this we could and did stand first rate and arrived here in most perfect health.

You have seen and heard so many descriptions of this place that it is useless for me to particularise; I will say however that it is very windy and unpleasant at this time, and they say it is a fair specimen of the weather. I am much disappointed in this, but the moment we get back from the coast it is delightful, as fine as could be asked for. As soon as I could get on shore I found Henry D. Cooke — he was very glad to see me and has been of much benefit by his advice and introductions. We have pitched our tent in the town and are living first rate, still every thing we have to buy is enormously high. Wages are high. A laborer gets ten dollars per day and mechanics as high as twenty dollars per day, of course other thing, are in proportion; for example I saw a small room about 12 by 18 which rents for $1,000, and a moderate two story house which at home would cost perhaps $1,500 or $2,000 to build, rents for $100,000 per anum.

We shall start for the gold mines to-morrow in a small vessel, in which we will go to Sutter’s Fort, and from there by land until we stop to dig. And by the next steamer I will be able to advise you by my own experience as to the gold. There are reports here of different kinds, as to the gold found, trouble with the Indians, and the San Joachim river, &c., &c., but we pay little attention to them. We shall go north of the Indians. They lie so much about the gold it is impossible to tell anything from reports. I think the prospects are favorable and so do my friends, but my sheet is exhausted.

The Daily Sanduskian (Sandusky, Ohio) Aug 27, 1849

Chagres (Image from www.maritimeheritage.org)

Extract of a letter from Henry D. Cooke of this city, on his way to California, to one of the editors of this paper, dated
PANAMA, Dec. 1st, 1849.

My Dear Friend;

Here I am again in Panama, the venerable “city of the past;” a city once of opulence, splendor and magnificence, but now, alas! in its decayed grandeur, its own epitaphic record of its former glory. Here I am, in the midst of broken shrines, crumbling cathedrals, all gray and moss-grown, decaying palaces, once brilliant with beauty and taste, and gay with the festive song, now deserted and cheerless. –

Here am I, in a word, (to drop down into prose reality,) here am I in a large, antiquated room of one of these whilome palaces, now converted into a hotel, kept by a Frenchamn, seated at a rickety, greasy table, writing by the feeble, flickering light of a miserably lean and dyspeptic-looking tallow candle; my door thrown open upon the balcony, to admit the cool and fragrant night air, while I can gaze out upon the moonlit and crumbling edifices. But hark! The charm and romance of this once queen of the Pacific is now gone forever, for a large party of Americans in an adjoing square are awaking the echoes and the turkey-buzzards, with

“Oh Susannah don’t you cry for me,
I’m bound to California, with my tin-pan on my knee!”

There are now on the Isthmus eighteen hundred and fifty Americans bound to California — more than the steamers can take away in four months. — Still there are fresh arrivals every month, averaging, say seven hundred per month. I took passage in the “Crescent City” from New York, which steamer arrived at Chagres one night in advance of the Alabama from New Orleans, and four days before the Ohio’s passengers who were transferred on board the Falcon at Havana. The three steamers had on board in all one thousand and fifty passengers. This will give you an idea of the rush of Americans across the Isthmus. Three gentlemen, and I, were first of all these to reach Panama.

Here we found over seven hundred Americans waiting opportunities for getting up to California. Many of them have been here one, two and three months, without being able to get away. It is estimated that there are now on the Isthmus nearly a thousand persons, who have no tickets for the steamers. Sailing vessels, however, are leaving every week or ten days. The passage in these is long and tedious, and they are always very much crowded. Yet no sooner, are they filled, and about to sail, than their tickets at once command two or three times their original cost.

I heard today of a steerage ticket in the ship “Sea Queen,” which cost $175 being re-sold for $380. Steerage tickets on board the steamer “Panama,” which cost in New York $150 are selling at five and six hundred dollars! For a cabin ticket on the same steamer, for which I paid in New York three hundred dollars, I have been offered nine hundred! Of course I would not sell it, but if I had chosen to do so I have no doubt I might have got a thousand dollars for it. Yet notwithstanding these high prices, there are many poor fellows who have been here so long that they couldn’t give fifty dollars for a ticket, for their means are exhausted by their long detention here. –

There is in consequence, much suffering, some sickness, a good deal of desperation, more gambling and occasional deaths. How many hast thou ruined, oh, lucre! We found the river from Chagres to Cruces, uncommonly high, and the roads from Cruces to this city, owing to the severe rains of the past four months, were almost impassable; and notwithstanding we made all possible haste in crossing, four days were consumed. Some are just arriving; having been seven days on the road. We met on the road several passengers from the “Panama,” just arrived from San Francisco.

Among them I met several friends and acquaintances. They gave incouraging accounts of the state of affairs there — which were sufficiently confirmed by the large amount of gold — (over a million and a quarter) of the monthly remittance. Mr. Wilson, ex-consul, told me that according to his advices from California, the amount next month, would be still larger. This of course will keep up the excitement; and how they are to get away from this place as fast as they arrive is difficult to say.

I arrived here on the day of the sailing of the English steamer for Valparaiso, and met Robert Belden, just as he was leaving the hotel with his baggage to go on board. It was mutually an agreeable surprise — for he was just from San Francisco, bound to Valparaiso on business, and had much late news to give me, while I had letters for him from his friends in Sandusky. We had an hour’s chat together, and he was then obliged to hurry off on board the steamer. He was looking very well, and has been “doing wonders” in California, having succeeded beyond all anticipation. –

Messrs. McKnight, Stewart E. Bell, H.U. Jennings, and the other Sanduskians were all well when he left, and all making money as rapidly as could be desired.

The Daily Sanduskian (Sandusky, Ohio) Jan 4, 1850

Robert H. Belden left again for California last evening on board the steamer America. He does not speak very favorably of San Francisco, in many points of view, although he has been very successful there. He says he would not live there [ten] years if he could make a million of dollars a year.

The Daily Sanduskian (Sandusky, Ohio) Mar 30, 1850

San Francisco Fire (Image from www.sfmuseum.org)

SAN FRANCISCO ENTERPRISE.

The following is an extract of a letter from Mr. Robert H. Belden, formerly of this city, to his father:

SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 1850.

On the 1st of this month, I left Panama in the fine steamship Oregon, Capt. Patterson. We had a fine passage. Our ship was clean, orderly, and the staterooms pleasant. Our table was fine, as good or better than I expected, with my former experience in Howland & Aspinwall’s steamers in the Pacific. –

We had a fine pleasant cabin full of passengers, among whom were some ten ladies. They of course made every thing more pleasant, and our gentlemanly captain did all in his power to make the time pass as agreeably as possible for his passengers.

On our arrival at San Diego, which is in California, five hundred miles south of this city, we learned that San Francisco had again been visited by a terrible fire. On the morning of the 4th of this month, at about four o’clock, the fire broke out, and burned until seven, consuming over four hundred buildings. The loss is estimated at five millions of dollars. –

Thus, in the short space of three hours, was the best and fairest part of this city destroyed, and hundreds of persons who the night previous retired to off, and doing a fine business, were awakened in the morning to the sad reality that in a moment as it were, they were stripped of every thing, and wholly ruined.

We were among the sufferers. The building which we erected last September (of which I sent you a plan) at a cost of twenty thousand dollars in case, was entirely consumed, with all the contents, excepting our books and papers, which we succeeded in preserving. The buildings of all our tenants on the same property, were also burned, leaving the entire lots one hundred and thirty-eight on Clay and sixty-nine feet on Montgomery streets, (you will recognise this as the Davis property in my plan,) entirely cleared off by fire.

Image from http://www.zpub.com

* Link to a larger view of the map: HERE

As you can readily imagine, this was very unpleasant news to reach me as I neared my home. — However, as I am something of a philosopher, and act upon the principle of “not crying for spilt milk,” I did not grieve much, or sleep less, on account of my loss.

We arrived here on the morning of the 20th, and I immediately repaired to the scene of the fire, and found, to my surprise, our property entirely covered with buuildings, and all occupied, expepting the corner, where my partner had nearly completed a large two story building, for ourselves and Messrs. Harris & Panton, which we have now completed, and are occupying. So you will see that in less than two weeks from the morning of the fire, ten respectable two story stores were erected on our lots which were burned over.

Our property on the opposite corner was not injured by the fire. Our old friend, Henry D. Cooke, Esq., is one of our tenants, having an office there. — The most of the burnt district has been re-built, but we are in dread continually of another fire, several attempts having already been made to fire the city in different places; but the vigilance of the police has so far defeated the object.

The Daily Sanduskian (Sandusky, Ohio) Jul 12, 1850

The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco has this:

Six months later, on May 4, 1850, the second great fire occurred. It began at 4 o’clock in the morning and by 11 o’clock three blocks of the most valuable buildings in the City had been destroyed, with an attendant loss of property estimated to be $4,000,000.

It was supposed to have been of incendiary origin. Several persons were arrested, but no formal trial took place.

You can read about the other three San Francisco fires at the link as well.

“RETURNED TO THE STATES.”

It seems that the California people can yet hardly realize that they are in the United States. The editor of the California Courier, in announcing the dissolution of the firm of VanDyke & Belden, says that Mr. VanDyke “finding that the climate did not agree with his constitution, under medical advice, he has returned permanently to the states,” just as if he was out of them. The paper adds that he carries a snug pile with him, amply sufficient for a life of east “in the states.“

R.H. Belden, his late partner, is authorized to close the concern.

The Daily Sanduskian (Sandusky, Ohio) Jan 4, 1851

Panton Relaxer is designed by the famous Danish designer Verner Panton who has enjoyed a renaissance in the past few years.
An advocate for free and outspoken “spage-age” living throughout the 1960s and 70s.
Many of Verner Pantons objects are today destined to reach the status of “design icons of the 20th century”.

In one sweeping curve, Panton has accentuated the art of seating, which is ergonomically fit to anybody size and posture.

The Panton Relaxer is perfect as a poolside relaxation furniture and bar lounging, to the kids favourite computer gaming chair, the Relaxer chair is already re-claiming its former state as one of the most interesting icons of Verner Pantons design universe.

The base on the Panton Relaxer is oiled natural Oak Wood.
Covers are easily attached to the frame with Velcro straps.
Cover is made of 100% wool and is available in three different colours, black, red and off white.

Available from Personal Interior Design:

http://www.pid.se/en/seating/lounge-furniture/panton-relaxer_1619.html

Vi är nog många som drömmer om att ha en pantonstol i hemmet. Jag själv skulle gärna vilja ha några som stod runt mitt matbord. Jag har ett runt vitt matbord och skulle kunna tänka mig en färgglad Pantonstol som piggade upp i allt vitt. Fast så är jag lite feg också och hade helt säkert kört med en vit stol OM jag fått köpa några. De kostar så pass mycket att jag kört en fegis
Man kan ju lägga på en liten rund och tunn sittkudde som bryter i en passande färg.

Har du en Pantonstol? Vad tycker du om den? Skriv gärna och berätta och om du vill så får du gärna maila mig en bild på just hur du har din stol, så lägger jag ut bild och länk till din sida.

(Egna kollage med bilder från Vitra)

Här i Norge kan du bl a köpa dem från Villa Europa

The new series of The Apprentice starts tonight on BBC 1 and this year the house features a number of Mid Century Iconic pieces including Verner Panton and Eames chairs, Arco Lamps and Saarinen Side tables! Who knew that Sir Alan had such good taste!

This original Verner Panton chair is a lovely cream colour, it is NOT a Vitra reproduction. Over 30 years old so in need of a little TLC but you can’t beat the real thing!

Item number: 290305281798

It is not often that I do a post on an item that has not got a make attached to it but this panton style lamp deserves a mention as I think it is one of the nicest stand up lamps I have seen for a long while.

Item number: 320352615653