Kolonn’s Decorative Auction Catalogue is a tasteful, surprising, graceful, and delightfully dizzying aesthetic cacophony of handpicked objects from near and far, from then and now.
A jardinière — a true masterpiece — in Russian silver from the turn of the 19th century stands out as one of the highlights. It sits beautifully alongside a Chinese wedding basket or a saffron-yellow tea tin in lithographed metal. And if one were to linger a little longer by a single item, the tea tin would be an exquisite choice.
It comes from James Lundgren & Co, “SCANDINAVIA’S LARGEST and FINEST TEA COMPANY”, which, from 1920, was run by the then 20-year-old Douglas Lundgren — a commercial prodigy who, just a year later, hired japonologist Ida Trotzig, said to have introduced the tea ceremony to Sweden. So there you have it — a tin of great cultural and historical significance.
But as mentioned, that’s just one piece in a refreshingly multifaceted theme that also includes Alvar Aalto shelves, a plastic champagne cooler, silk embroidery, and much more.
We dare say, there’s something here for every taste.
