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 eighteen carat yellow gold and tortoise shell cigarette holder made bay Cartier.  This is a spectacularly stylish piece in and of itself, let alone when one contemplates what it was used for.  Sadly, as society is well aware today, smoking is incredibly detremtal to one's long term health and wellbeing.  However, when this piece was made, smoking was very much a habit that bot rich and poor enjoyed with wanton abandon.  However, those in the upper eschelons of scoiety and fashion did not want the nasty after effects of smoking on their hands.  Therefore precious pieces like this were designed and created by the world's leading ateliers in order to assist removing the need of handling the lit cigarette.

The piece itself in the in the form of a conical piece of bamboo.  A pattern and design that Cartier have adopted and used throughout jewellery, watches and objects of vertu for decades.  Other brands such as Dunhill also used bamboo in its smoking accessories.  Also making lighters made from bamboo and gold for Cartier to retail as well. The body is beautifully created, picking up on all of the details one finds on actual pieces of bamboo.  The mouthpiece is hand carved from a piece of tortoise shell and then screwed into the holder as the thread is visible through the more transparent part of the shell.  This also helps to highlight the beauty of the construction of the holder.

Another beautiful, mechanical if you like, detail on the holder is the fact that once the cigarette is finished, rather than again having to use ones hands to remove the end of the cigaette the central part of the body pushes up through the hodler to dispose of the butt.  Once this is exposed to the end it is also fully stamped with the French eighteen carat poinçon and the makers mark stamped along side.

Perhaps one of the most special and charming elements to this piece is the fact that a copy of the orignla bill of sale is present with the holder.  The lady who originally ordered this holder was an exceptionally chic individual.  Everything that she purchased was of the highest quality and the most wonderful  quality.  So much so that her wardrobe, which comprised of the finest ateliers in Paris and Milan have both been donated to two major museum's across the country. 

The other fascinating part of having this special document is that Cartier sent this wonderful lady a collection of holder to chose from.  Noting that the one she actually selected was featured in Harpers Bazaar!  The unique Cartier hand stamped numbers present on the hodler correspond to those on the invoice! 

This is a very rare opportunity to own a part of Cartier's illustrious history. Add ito that this is an eighteen carat gold piece made in Paris, not a fourteen carat gold piece which were becoming more prevalent for clients in North America shopping at the US retail stores.  It is one of those pieces where, it is not of great importance to not use the item for its intended purpose, but, rather enjoy it as a pure sculptural, objet d'art embodying a wonderful moment in time.  With the rise in weed smoking, it is also possible to use for this.

The holder is fully stamped with French control marks and makers poinçon.  It is in near perfect condition with only signs of light use.  It is, as one would come to expect, superb quality and a thick and fairly heavy, although not uncomfortable in the moth, weight of gold.  A true piece of history illustrating the opulence of how people used to live.


Price $4,850.00

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Item Dimensions
Length
3.75 inches (9.525cm)