Thursday, December 10, 2009

My Christmas Decorating-Vintage Beaded Fruit

The Christmas tour of my home today focuses on a vignette in my dining room. Here we see my sideboard which is a Regency piece of brass and black marble. Displayed on it are a pair of Chinese blue and white porcelain vases and a pair of brass and black marble candlesticks with English striped paper followers. You also see the pair of Chinoiserie sconces I have posted about before. For the holidays I add this exuberant display of vintage beaded fruit, homage to the style of Tony Duquette. Beaded flowers and fruit date back to the Victorian era and were often displayed under glass. These date from the 1940s to the 1970s. Originally sold in kit form, these were a popular hobby and typically graced kitchen tables, especially at Christmas. Beads came in sequin, glass, or plastic. These are all pinned, with short straight pins holding on the beads. Do not confuse these with fruit with glued on "sugar" or glitter. Some hints if you are starting a collection. Great sources include eBay, Etsy, flea markets, and estate sales. Beaded are more valuable than sequined, but both are wonderful together. You can buy groups of fruit averaging a dollar or two a piece. Don't be concerned if any are missing a bead or sequin. As your collection grows you can steal beads from duplicate pieces you don't need. I have a drawer of extras for this purpose. Watermelon slices and pumpkins are very rare and highly prized, and go for considerably higher prices. Be on the lookout too for vegetables which are quite rare. I have radishes, mushrooms, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Click on the pictures to enlarge-the colors are wonderful! All photos are of my collection, except the last from Country Home.





17 comments:

  1. Hi Beth, scrumptious! very lovely..

    Kit

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  2. Ah, my grandmother collected these, though unfortunately we lost them (along with many of her wonderful chinoiserie pieces) in a fire a few years ago.

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  3. I think TD would be very pleased! If a girl can't put sequins on her fruit, where can you now? What fun!

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  4. Yes, yes yes!! This is fantastic, so visually succulent. Collections are always so much better en masse, and you have quite the collection! Not too long ago, I went on an ebay bronze-fruit buying spree (what is it about fake fruits??), but I'll have to look into these beaded varieties. Lauren

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  5. I love them . What a great statement they make!!!

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  6. I have some somewhere!!!!!

    What a nice idea.

    great Post. I just found you.

    yvonne

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  7. Kit-Thanks-I think they make a great display!

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  8. Averill-Sounds like she had great style!

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  9. Home Before Dark-Thanks, I think they're wonderful!

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  10. Lauren-The colors are quite spectacular when grouped like this.

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  11. Lady Jicky-Thanks, glad you like it!

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  12. Yvonne-You might have to dig them out!

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  13. Sometime around 1975, I was laid up with a miserable case of extracted wisdom teeth. One of my mother's friends gave me a craft set: hollow plastic fruit, long steel pins, and plastic beads. The result? "Vintage beaded fruit!" It's so funny that my craft-in-a-box activity has become a collectible!

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  14. Denise-I have made many myself. Quite fun!

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  15. Great display of beaded fruit! Love the vegetables! I also collect vintage beaded fruit. You can see photos at: http://antiquesshamtiques.blogspot.com

    Michael

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