René Jules Lalique, Victoire or Spirit of the Wind.

René Jules Lalique, Victoire or Spirit of the Wind.

René Jules Lalique 1860-1945 was a French Art-Nouveau jeweller, glass maker and designer known for his frosted glassware. Twenty nine mascot designs were produced for popular luxury cars of the time. They had special metal mounts to illuminate the glass. The Spirit of the Wind has become an Art Deco Icon.

Victorian Photography.

Paul Martin originally an engraver became a professional photographer, concentrating on social events such as parades and state occasions. he is remembered for his informal images on beaches and in the streets of London. One of the first candid photographers, Martin used a disguised hand-held camera to supply magazines with photographs of street scenes that seemed amazingly natural.

Paddling at Yarmouth, 1892.

Yarmouth, 1892.

On the Beach, 1894.

On the Beach, 1899.

Southend Beach.

Entrance to Victoria Park, 1893.

The Organ, Lambeth, 1893.

The Crowd.

Billingsgate Market, 1893.

A Magazine Seller at Ludgate Circus, 1893.

Alice.

Favourite things: the illustrations for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by John Tenniel.

Lewis Carroll.

John Everett Millais, Effie and children by Lewis Carroll.

Lewis Carroll.

Alice Liddell as The Queen Of May photographed by Lewis Carroll.

Pre-Raphaelite.

John Everett Millais, For The Squire, 1885.

405 Lexington Avenue.

At 405 Lexington Avenue, New York stands a work of art which is The Chrysler Building. It was built 1928-30 for automobile tycoon Walter P. Chrysler. It was designed by William Van Alen. Outside this Art Deco skyscraper are chevron helmets and aluminium gargoyles it is one of the most distinctive buildings in the world. It is just over a 1,000 feet in height and for a short time was the tallest building in the world. The walls of the lobby are faced with African marble on a symmetrical butterfly pattern. The marquetry elevator doors and panelling are beautiful.

Summer.

The finches gold and green are again visiting the garden but are very nervous and flit about hurriedly. This is not helped by the presence of two noisy magpies in the area who love to annoy everyone.