Thinking of buying a pool table, chess table, or poker table? Emmanuel Couture creates beautiful, medieval/gothic style game tables. See for yourself.
Kristina Bazan in Black & Red
Swiss fashionista Kristina Bazan recently showcased a gorgeous black and red outfit on her blog, Kayture. Her ingredients were as follows:
COAT / SKIRT : ZaraSHOES : MangoBAG : Fab. by KaytureGLOVES : H&M
.
.
Dark, Vintage Bathroom Designs
The ever-tasteful Sarah Ferguson has gathered a collection of delightful dark and vintage bathroom designs from around the web. Take a look and be inspired:
(Click on each picture to view a larger version)
The Art of José Guadalupe Posada
José Guadalupe Posada was a Mexican cartoonist who lived from 1852 to 1913. With a sharp, satirical wit, Posada frequently lampooned society and politics. He is best known for his “Calaveras” (skeleton) cartoons, which have now become associated with the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday.
(Click a picture to see a larger version)
The Calavera of the Alley Cat
The Calaveras of the Aristocratic Couple
Posada enjoyed taking jabs at the high society of his day.
The Dance and Party of the Calaveras
Even partying and dancing is soon to be replaced by death.
The Calavera of Don Quixote
The Calaveras of the News Carriers
The newspaper carriers of the late nineteenth century racing and trampling over each other to bring news of death and sorrow.
The Calavera from Oaxaca
A satirical jab at the Oaxaca revolutionaries.
The Calavera Proposal
Marriage is represented as a form of death by Posada.
The Calavera of Señor Madero
Francisco I. Madero (1873-1913) was a wealthy lawyer from the north of Mexico who by 1910 had crystallized around himself the opposition to Diaz’s reelection. Escaping from prison to the north, Madero slowly descended on Mexico city after the outbreak of the Revolution (Nov. 20, 1910) and entered the capital in triumph in the spring of 1911, becoming President a few months later. He failed to rally the country around him, however, and was forced to combat several rebellions. One of his own generals turned against him, forced him to resign, then had him murdered in 1913.
One of the purposes of the depiction of “calaveras” is to remind us, those with power and those without power, that the end comes for us all.
The Happy Street Sweepers
Even the most mundane activities of life are tinged by death.
The Trolley Car of the Calaveras
A cemetery crowded with victims of the then fairly new electrical conveyances.
The Calavera of Catrina
Catrina represents the “fashionable lady” of the era. The point of the cartoon is the ephemeral nature of beauty and fashion.
Calavera Siglo XX
These calaveras represent the turn of the twentieth century. As the nineteenth century departs, the baby calavera of the twentieth century rides in on its back.
The Cigarro Calavera
A popular Day of the Dead icon is the calavera smoking a cigar. Even affluence and high class cannot ward off death.
See a Real, Authentic, Used Guillotine
Paris, France’s museum, Musée d’Orsay, offers an exciting exhibition on Crime & Punishment. As part of this exhibit, they recently added a vintage 1872 guillotine. The contraption stands 14 feet tall, and is the first guillotine to be publicly displayed in France since France’s abolition of the death penalty in 1981. The controversial but morbidly fascinating item is a powerful reminder of an era now gone. The side of the wooden bed nearest the blade is stained an ominous reddish-brown, no doubt from years of active usage.
“The Widow” is not the only reason to visit the Musée d’Orsay. Other mesmerizing paintings and displays, featuring many portrayals of suffering, death, and decapitation, tell the story of crime and punishment in France from the Revolutionary to the modern era. Get a taste of what they have to offer on their website.
Cardigan and Bow Tie Onesie
If I had a little rascal of my own, I’d dress him in this navy and grey gingham onesie being sold on Etsy.com:
Where to Purchase Wax Seal Kits
Seal your envelopes and packages in style! It may be the twenty first century, but you can still purchase and use wax seals on your letters. Putting your distinctive emblem on your correspondence will make it easily recognizable from the other junk mail people receive, and will show the respect and dignity with which you hold the person to whom you are writing.
Some good places to buy wax seal kits are:
Odd Folks Home
I’m quite excited about the Science Channel’s new television series, “Odd Folks Home”. From the now-famous mortician-turned-clothing-designer Laura Flook, to a woman who collects things that come out of her dog, to a man who paints masterpieces with his own blood. The 30-minute episodes are interspersed with fascinating factoids of the macabre.
Check out the preview, below. If you don’t get the Science channel at home, you can purchase each episode for streaming on YouTube for only $1.99.
Antique Armoires and Cabinets
M. Markley Antiques has acquired quite the collection of antique armoires and display cabinets, particularly of the Renaissance, Louis XIII, and Louis XIV eras. These beautiful pieces can be used to hold your wardrobe, to display books or heirlooms, or even to conceal more sinister things. The woodworking is exquisitely intricate and the material is of undeniably high quality.
Where to Buy a Suit of Armor
Whether it’s for display in your main hall or for wearing around the house, an authentic suit of Medieval armor is a great investment and can be passed down as an heirloom in your family for many generations. MedievalCollectibles.com sells a wide variety of suits, from Gothic to Tournament to Samurai. They range in price from $1900 to $11,000. A bit pricey, but at least they’re high quality.
Dark Class 