Sunday 30 November 2014

Another sneak preview


Ok, this is my Christmas card to all of you lot (everyone else gets a hard copy), and you are getting it unseemly early.

It is based on a photo taken by a friend of mine who took the picture of another friend's recently acquired wine glass dated to about 1750, and diamond-stipple engraved with these cherubs - an 18th century wine glass within an 18th century wine glass. Absolute pure magic.

Sadly, because this glass (the engraving attributed to the best engraver in all England at the time - Wolfe) cost so much money - about £40,000 -  the buyer could not afford to keep it, so it was wrested from his hands a matter of about a week, before he had the chance to break it as he has done with many other of his acquisitions.

I have not asked the photographer his permission to use the image, but since he was complicit in ripping me off to the tune of around £8000 on a lesser glass at auction, I don't feel too bad about it. You would not believe how difficult it is to even see stipple engraving, let alone photograph it. This picture took him about 24 hours to get.

May I be the first to wish you all a Happy Christmas!

13 comments:

  1. Oh, and btw - this image of mine is copyrighted, even if I did rip the basic one off.

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  2. Merry Christmas Tom. I really like the photo of the cherubs.

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    1. I've had that photo for ages, but it only occurred to me yesterday to use it.

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  3. 'We three cherubs of orient are..."

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  4. Cherubs with Goblet and Snowstorm

    A bit early to say Happy Christmas so I'll save it until nearer the time but nice card.


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    1. The 'snowstorm' is an astronomical photo of a star field, and the star is a deep-space photo of a White Dwarf - unnecessarily authentic, but pleasing for me to know.

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  5. An early Happy Christmas to you too, Tom.

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  6. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and yours, Tom!

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  7. Thank you both. I have just updated the card.

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