BEYOND REACH....

As children we are tantalized by just about anything... As for me, beginning very early, I was tantalized by shoes! Now, my (almost) two year old granddaughter, has filled not one but two hanging shoe bags in her closet.....What can I say???... All dressed up in handmade dress and bonnet and trying on a pair of tennis shoes! 

So, WHAT does this have to do with antiques? Let us go back to the history of the gods and goddesses of Greek Mythology.

There was once a wicked king, a son of Zeus, who, for his crime was condemned to Hades. The king's punishment was to stand in water that receded she he tried to drink. To further complicate his situation, the king was forced to stand beneath a tree heavily ladened with luscious fruit overhead, but beyond his reach. The king's name was.......
Tantalus.  Thank you Tantalus!

The Free Dictionary by Farlax defines the Latin word tantalize as : "To tease, frustrate, or torment with the sight of something greatly desired but inaccessible."

At Pickwick Antiques in Montgomery, Alabama, we have a fabulous collection of tantaluses, decanters, and cave a' liqueurs.

So...what is the difference between a tantalus and a cave a' liqueur? In so many words...the difference is in the liquids they were intended to hold and the size of the decanters.

A tantalus is an "open-work rack for large decanters." These were extremely popular in the late 19th Century England through the early 20th Century. The general purpose of a
tantalus was to hold and protect alcohol-based beverages.

 These pictures do not do these pieces justice!... The cases are quite lovely. It is difficult to choose to keep them open or closed!


On the other hand, a cave a' liqueur is a caddy with diminutive decanters and small glasses. A cave a' liqueur's purpose is to hold and protect fermented-based beverages.

These are exquisite examples of cave a' liqueur:

PROTECTED??? Yes....Locked in Fact....Why?  A locking mechanism was more often than not built in to discourage household staff from imbibing as well as watering down the liquid to hide the evidence!

Please enjoy the pictures of these truly beautiful items from Pickwick Antiques in Montgomery, Alabama.


I would like to give credit to Mr. Buzz Kaplan as a source of information for this article.

On  final note...Buzz Kaplan of  Marigini Antiques and Restoration in San Francisco is one of my favorite go to sources. Mr. Kaplan is one THE authorities of high end 17th,18th,and 19th century European Antiques. I encourage you to visit  his blog:  
buzzonantiques.blogspot.com


Remember...as ALWAYS.... Design is in the Details. Visit me at pickwickantiques@bellsouth.net or www.pickwickantiques.com or pks@knology.net