1

A Day
Observed

A story presented by

Scene 1:
‘Morning’

It was a bright cold day with glassy surfaces that looked hard.
Into the square frame he stood as if in a dream.

What emerged was precisely what he expected to find: a reflection of memory images. Contemplating his face in the photo frame he waited.

1960s lucite and chrome 3 image photo frame

By the steady hands of his watch, he listened to time. Every day for the past sixteen days he saw her. Silver lingered in the crease of
an open book.

Rolex burlwood dial, Jubilee bracelet Miniature
oar English university trophy, sterling silver.

So absorbed in his thoughts
he hardly saw the platinum catch-all, the key, or the revelation locked inside those lapis lazuli cufflinks tossed unmistakably in cold blue.

Hans Hanson catch-all. Mid-century, Danish sterling silver. Stirrup money clip, by Hermès. Padlock keyring, sterling silver " Tie bar-slide " Round lapis lazuli cufflinks" Square cufflinks, two tone rose and yellow gold, diamond."

Only by whirling on his heel could he hope to comprehend
the panorama.

Shoe horn, circa 1930. American sterling silver
Scene 2:
‘Noon’

He remained.Trapped in that enormous room,
unmistakably familiar in feeling yet so peculiar.

Above the mantle was
displayed an Austrian hound
of impeccable integrity.

Hagenauer sculpture, 1930

His gaze fell on the letter opener. By accident she had learnt more about his life from the contents of that letter than anywhere.

Dunhill letter opener with lighter top, circa 1950

Cleopatra’s eye reflected
the sun. Through the hypnotism
of precious metals there
emerged a dark slender shadow.

Cleopatra’s eye magnifying glass. Mid-century, gold plated
Hermès weighted pen. Silver plated.

A lighter presented itself, smooth to the touch
it gave the impression of
intelligent company.

Table lighter St Dupont, circa 1960. Gold plate
Scene 3:
‘Evening’

All this time light was receding from the room.

“I should explain why I spend so much time here”, said the silhouette. Leaves moved like shadows across her eyes.

Hermès rope bottle opener. Plated silver.

It’s not too late to turn back. Time moved with faint sounds.

Venini hourglass. Hand-blown lurid Murano glass.

He unscrewed the telescopic cup, rolled and remained still. Black eyes on the dice prophesied a new cycle.

Telescopic cup, J. E. Cauldwell. Gold plated. Dice,
Cartier for America. Vitreous enamel glass, silver

Staring down at the varnished surface her mouth worried him while her eyes examined the gold cufflink.

Audemar Piguet evening watch. gold plated, Roman dial, alligator strap
Scene 4:
‘Night’

Everything went crashing black.

Pale graceful hands placed
the gold stud box delicately
on the table.

Men’s Edwardian jewellery box, 1910. Gold plated.
Mid-century British cigar ashtray. Sterling silver and crystal.

He lit a match to make sure the watch had really stopped. Smoke lingered from its vesta case.

Realist wrapped tobacco leaf march vesta. Silver.

As the travel clock neared
one the figure vanished into dappled shadows.

Art Deco Jaeger LeCoultre travel clock.
Gold and silver plated. Retailed by Aspray.

On the newly varnished table two bronze shot cups sat alive like in a dream.

Tooth shot cup by Foundwell. Bronze and silver plated.
Set of 4, 3 silver 1 gold. Heath & Midleton champagne decanters circa 1900.
Sterling silver and glass.
The End

‘A DAY OBSERVED’
A story by FOUNDWELL
Photography Matthieu Lavanchy, creative direction OK-RM,
notes by Kate O’Brien and objects selected by Alan Bedwell

‘A DAY OBSERVED’
A story by FOUNDWELL
Photography Matthieu Lavanchy,
creative direction OK-RM
notes by Kate O’Brien
and objects selected by Alan Bedwell

Early and Rare Sterling Silver Gorham Martini Mixing Bucket

Golf Cocktail Shaker
and Matching Golf Bag Cup

Sterling Silver Woven Bottle Coaster

Foundwell

A SELECTION OF ITEMS BY THE PRODUCER OF
CRAFTED GOODS & PURVEYOR OF ANTIQUE WATCHES,
JEWELLERY & OTHER SUCH OBJECTS

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A solid sterling silver and vitreous enamel stick pin featuring the yacht burgee for the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club.  The yacht club burgee flag is a unique flag that represents each yacht club across the world, and is flown by members of the club's on their yachts. The hand painted flag in this case is from the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club.  

The Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club was formed in 1872. The club had strong links with members of the Royal Family and gentry, which put it in a very enviable and privileged position. The Duke of Connaught, was the first Commodore, and was largely responsible for obtaining the Admiralty Warrant from his mother, Queen Victoria.

This means that Royal Cinque Ports is one of just twenty nine yacht clubs in the United Kingdom permitted to fly the undefaced Blue Ensign. Members of the club must apply for permission to do so and once granted, protocol dictates that the Blue Ensign must only be flown along with the club’s own burgee, or flag.

A frequent patron of the club in those exciting early years was the then Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII. He had been bitten by the sailing bug and invested in a series of ever-more impressive sailing vessels, which culminated in having Britannia built in 1893. He often raced from the club, whilst his mother, Queen Victoria, gave trophies to be contested at the club’s regatta. Britannia, sometimes with His Royal Highness on board, used to race against similarly impressive boats in a series of events around Britain, with Dover and the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club featuring prominently as one of the highlights in the racing calendar. What a sight it must have been to behold these 200-tonne cutters doing battle in the English Channel!

In 1893, at the RCPYC regatta, Britannia beat Valkyrie a boat built specifically to contest the America’s Cup, the blue riband event of all yacht racing. The Prince collected the Commodore’s Cup for his victory, which was slightly tempered by the fact that the two boats and another called the Vendetta all collided on the way back to port and had to be towed back to Dover. A newspaper report of the time stated: “When the impact occurred, many of the persons on the decks of the vessels were precipitated into the water, but they were all rescued.”

Among those to have visited the club in its formative years were Capt. Matthew Webb, who had a reception held in his honour in 1875 for becoming the first person to swim the English Channel, and Paul Boyton, who is renowned for crossing the same stretch of water with the aid of a somewhat bizarre patented rubber lifesaving suit, an achievement, while perhaps not as impressive as Capt. Webb’s, is said to have “caused the wildest excitement over all the world”.

The club’s President is the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the post held by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother until her death in 2002. Former holders include the Duke of Wellington, Robert Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia, and Sir Winston Churchill. The current Lord Warden, Admiral the Lord Boyce, KG, GCB, OBE, DL, was installed in 2005, and is a great friend and supporter of the club. On St. George’s Day 2011, Her Majesty the Queen created him Knight of the Garter, an award granted to only 23 persons outside the Royal Family.

As for the club’s name? The “Confederation of The Cinque Ports and Ancient Towns” was founded in 1050 by Edward the Confessor. Dover is one of the Cinque Ports, and provided ships and men for the defence of the country, in consideration of which they were granted certain privileges, particularly in regard to taxation. Cinque derives from the Norman French for five and is pronounced “sink” not “sank”.

The club’s original premises were destroyed by fire in 1940. A seemingly disastrous occurrence at the time, it did lead to the club moving to its present outstanding harbour-front location after the Second World War at the invitation of the then owners, an exclusive businessmen’s club known as the Dover Club.

A charming little study, in excellent condition. it is marked "Sterling" on the back side of the flag.  Made in England, circa 1920's, the pin is presented in excellent condition.


Price $425.00

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Item Dimensions
Length
2 inches (5.08cm)