In the early years of the C20th tribal artefacts were often regarded as curiosities rather than art. Many people considered them unrefined compared with European art. But in the early 1900’s, as artists in Europe rediscovered their roots, tribal work came to be recognized as a powerful form of artistic expression. Two of the most […]
The era twenty years either side of the Second World War can be regarded as a golden age for motor bikes. The First World War had seen a huge production of bikes for military use with Triumph alone making over 30,000. In the early 1920’s bike ownership considerably increased, and between the wars it was […]
Rocking horses have been made for hundreds of years. The earliest examples date back to the times of Charles I. The first are reputed to have been made in Germany, however the most well known designs originated in England in the late Georgian and early Victorian times. The traditional English dappled grey rocking horse, was […]
The earliest stained glass in Britain dates from Saxon times, but almost none has survived. The coming of the Normans saw the inflow of French craftsmen, and some of the greatest examples of their work can be seen in English cathedrals. Almost all stained glass at this early period was in religious buildings. In Norfolk […]
The decoration of dining tables has for long been a minor art form. In classical times wealthy Romans scattered rose petals on their elaborate tables. In subsequent centuries objects on tables have been ways of displaying wealth and indicating status – hence the concept of the high table and the phrase ‘above’ or ‘below the […]
