The October Sale!!!


Well, here we are in October. Can you believe it is holiday season already? I am going to get prepared for the holidays early this year. I spent three weeks last year trying to find non-LED lights in Paris for the Christmas tree. It was a bloody disaster, as you recall. A Halloween pumpkin in Paris? You will probably have to make do with a large squash. A Thanksgiving turkey? Don’t hold your breath.

However, I will say that Paris is chock full of the accoutrements for the holidays and they do it better than anyone else. Tablecloths, soup tureens, serving platters, monogrammed napkins, dessert forks, crystal glasses… Everything you need for the holidays.

And that brings us to the theme of the October sale. The fall holidays! So let’s get started…

The October sale starts this Friday, October 9th, at 10 AM Pacific Standard Time.

As always, I have my favorites…

For the past 20 years, I have had a small obsession with antique paisley. There is just something about the colors, the design and the je ne sais quoi. I have a small collection of  tablecloths, pillows etc. I share this antique obsession with one of my favorite designers, Martin Lawrence Bullard. Let’s take a look at the guestroom of his Hollywood Hills home…


 
How gorgeous! The rich colors are everything. I keep a paisley hanging over the back of my Napoleon III style chaise in my living room. Love love love. I plan to use one of my paisleys for the tablecloth for this year’s Thanksgiving. And guess what? You can as well because I have two huge paisleys available for the October sale! I found both of these paisley in Paris. The first one is in absolute mint condition with beautiful fringe. The second one is definitely more bohemian, circa 1800s, with the most charming ball fringe. Usually these paisley sell for thousands of dollars but I found them for a good price so I can pass on the deal to you which I love doing! Take a look…



 

Next up is a truly remarkable piece. A mustard yellow Provençal antique soup tureen. I’m not sure if it gets better than this. Three words: Butternut Squash Soup. Take a look...
 

 
 
Sticking with our autumnal color theme is a set of green escargot plates. I almost had a heart attack when I saw these. Could not be more charming and there is a set of five! My friend Adrienne thought these would be great for deviled eggs as well and I have to agree. When not in use, I would hang these on the walls of a kitchen.
 

 

The holidays are all about entertaining and I always get excited about the holiday hors d’oeuvres. I love to put together a charcuterie tray and cheese platter. My mother always taught me that presentation is as important as the hors d’oeuvres themselves. So, I have found the greatest sets of hors d’oeuvre forks and knives for the October sale. Take a look…
 



 

I am always on the lookout for interesting serving platters and I was truly pleased when I saw this Ironstone oval fish platter. I just love the shape and the size! It doesn’t just have to be for fish, I think it would look great with holiday side dishes (cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing) as well. This might be one of my favorite pieces.

 

The October sale has other items that are fantastic as well. I found one of the most charming paintings that I’ve ever seen. It incorporates everything I like about life. White roses and Chinese blue and white pots. This little painting really has a palpable wow factor.

 
 
I also have a very special cabbage ware tea/coffee set. Cabbage ware was popular in the 1960s amongst the uber chic social butterflies… Jackie Kennedy, C.Z. Guest, the Duchess of Windsor. Tory Burch has brought the cabbage ware craze back to life with her Dodie Thayer cabbage ware line. And as luck would have it, I found a vintage set of Portuguese cabbage ware! Take a look…

 
I am always on the hunt for sunburst mirrors. However, I always feel like they are not quite right. I either don’t like the shape of the sunburst, the gold gilt is tacky, or it is not quite the right size. I found one in an antique shop in St. Germain in Paris that was perfect. It was about 5 feet in circumference, circa 1700s and only cost $120,000. Ugh! Why does everything that I love the most have to cost so much money? So, I have to just look at that sunburst mirror from afar. The good news is that I found another one the very next weekend that is beautiful, the perfect shape, the perfect size, the perfect gold gilt and does not cost the price of a starter home. I think you guys will love it! Take a look…


 

So that’s a little sneak peek of Friday’s sale. There is a lot more and yes I will always have a collection of chinoiserie on the sale. How could I not? The sale starts promptly at 10 AM, Friday, October 9!

Happy shopping!

 

12 comments:

  1. YOUR EYE and the detail.........and the "STARTER HOME" ALL MAKE ME SMILE!
    This willNOT last LONG........is MY GUESS!
    Off to NAPA I go for lunch................with my foot in a BOOT!
    XOXO

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  2. I'm shocked that you continue to find such beautiful things for your sales! So exciting. I've re-arranged my week so I can be home for the sale because there are a couple of things I have both my eyes on... I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for bringing us the beauty Ellie XOXOXO

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  3. I didn't even know I loved antique paisley. I love the idea of using it on the table. It's kind of Stephen (I refuse to accept Stephen spelled with a V) Tyler English country. If it's to be the layered look I'm imagining. Can't wait to see how you use it!

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  4. I have one half of a very beautiful paisley shawl. The story is that several generations back in my family a pair of sisters could not decide who should get the beautiful shawl when their mother died so they...gulp...cut it in half. If I ever come across a time machine my very first stop is going to be to slap those scissors out of their hands! Your shawls are very lovely - I look forward to perusing the sale!

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  5. Ellie,
    I saw that exact same cabbage ware this past Sunday at an antique market in PA. Unfortunately the vendor wasn't manning her booth. She never is and she has great finds. Isnt that the worst. I was tempted to sneak it out in my purse! You have great style, a great blog and a great sense of humor.
    All the best,
    Cynthia

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  6. Oh kill me now I want it all...sigh..the paisley throws are the best ...you make me dream big...xo

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  7. I did a double take when I saw the painting as it looks like our wedding invitation 23 years ago. Showed my husband the painting and asked him what does it look like, and he said is that our wedding invite? He asked where did you find it and I told him about your blog. You have another customer. Den xx

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  8. I love paisley also--still have the paisley that my great grandmother arrived in from Ireland in 1894!!
    Happy sales! xoxo Mary

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  9. How can you bear to sell these? I would want to keep them. The or'doeuvres sets are fabulous, as is the paisley. Love the platter, the mirror and the painting , too. I will have to make do with my local flea market, sigh :-)) Good luck, everyone. Hugs to you, Ellie

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  10. I want everything. But, no cash. So I'll enjoy watching them fly off the shelves.

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  11. I finally have to comment after reading your website for almost two years. I love absolutely everything you have to say about decorating, food, Paris, Santa Barbara, daughters and dealing with chronic illness. Thank you for making every day that I get to read your blog brighter. Your admirer, another Midwestern former Santa Barbaran Ellie

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  12. I just have to say one thing. My original winter chairs were upholstered in antique paisley shawls. I should have taken pictures of them before I put the winter slipcovers on top! (I will strip one and show)! The cats thought that they were scratching posts and decimated them like you cannot believe! If you have cats....you can keep them as a throw over a chair....just don't upholster! Very expensive scratching posts....it finally looked like a homeless camp!

    I love them! Just keep them safe from the cats!!

    Love you, Ellie! On to the sale!!!!

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