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 sterling silver, hand wrought set of eight cups each with yachting flag details enameled into the sides.  These are a unique and hand made set of drinking cups that were made by one of America's finest silver workshops as a private commission for Mr. Jesse Lauriston Livermore yacht, the Athero II.

There is much that can be read about this man, from his early days at fifteen years old trading stocks in Mr. Arnold Rothstein's "Bucket Shop", to being requested in 1907 by J.P Morgan, who had bailed out the entire New York Stock Exchange during the crash, to refrain from further short selling in the interests of the national economy. Livermore agreed and instead profited to the tune of $3 million by buying into the rebound.  Then going on to corner the cotton market in 1919 following the end of the First World War.  He felt that demand would cease now that military requirements were waning but that they would recover in time. He began to secretly buy cotton and almost ended up owning every single bale. It was only interception by President Wilson after a call from the Secretary of Agriculture asking him to the White House that stopped his move. When asked why he had cornered the Cotton market Livermore replied, "To see if I could." He agreed to sell back the cotton at break even, thus preventing the troublesome rise in cotton which could have resulted.

Each cup weights a heavy 4.45 troy ounces each and not only has the yachting burgee of the New York Yacht club, but also that of the Livermore family.  One of the oldest traditions in yachting is that of the “Private Signal.”  A private signal is a unique flag that communicates the presence of a specific individual or family on a boat.  They are personal flags, or logos, similar to family crests. The tradition of the private pennant signal, or “house flag,” currently used dates back to the 18th and 19th century when the sailing ship lines were at their peak.

Some yacht clubs display the private signals of their members. Traditionally, a private signal referred to the owner or his/her family; today some private signals refer to the boat.

The Athero II was a 160 foot long yacht finished in 1926 by George Lawley and Sons, Corp., Neponset, Massachusetts.  George S. Lawley Sr., a boatbuilder originally from the Limehouse, London, he moved to the U.S.A and opened his first yacht building yard in Scituate, in 1866.  In 1874, he moved to City Point, in South Boston, to a site next door to the Boston Yacht Club, but by 1909 he needed more space, so he moved again, to the former Putnam Nail Works, at Point Norfolk, in Neponset.  Lawley built an amazing number of boats, with hull numbers reaching 1677, and developed a worldwide reputation.  He even built flying boats and the Navy's first airship, DN 1, eventually closing for business in 1945.

The yacht itself has a long history of varied ownership after Livermore when Eldridge R. Johnson bought it and renamed the boat Caroline until replaced by a much larger vessel, also named Caroline, in 1931. The smaller yacht was sold to Joseph M. Schenck of Los Angeles and New York, briefly, before be sold John R. Brinkley, M.D. of Del Rio, Texas, and renamed Doctor Brinkley. In 1940, the US Navy purchased her and renamed her Jade, after the ornamental mineral jade, she is the only Navy ship to bear this name.  It went on to sink in 1948.

The set are able to stack neatly into each other, and are all in excellent original condition with one cup having slight damage to the New York Yacht Club burgee.  They are all fully marked on the base for the Kalo Shop, Chicago.  Made circa 1930, they represent both a great piece of U.S history and silversmithing.


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Item Dimensions
Height of Cup
3 inches (7.62cm)
Diameter at Top
2.5 inches (6.35cm)