The mermaid, a creature formed from the upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish, has long been a legendary figure in folklore. From animated films to the sea creatures of sailor lore, the mermaid has been the subject of speculation and admiration. This green-glazed bowl with silver trim designed by Wilhelm...

This teapot by the American ceramicist, Richard Notkin, draws its material influence from Chinese Yixing clay teapots. This type of clay is found in China in the city of Yixing in the Jiangsu Province, and is typically a red or brown color. While the clay has been used to create many different wares, the most...

An object like this brooch can tell a thousand stories. Are these two lovers on a romantic ride? Are they escaping and rowing into the sunset, never to return again? Have they been separated and is this the first time they’ve seen each other in years? The choices are endless, and that is only part...

While the 1960s brought on the Jet Age, the Beatles, moon landings and more, it also was a time of strife. The Vietnam War was not without its opposition, with students, anti-establishment activists, and mothers forming the largest groups of resistance. Mothers in particular were a strong sub-group of protesters, with groups such as Another...

When a piece of jewelry is made of natural materials such as this neckpiece designed by Liv Blåvarp, it forges a special connection with the wearer. There is something about natural substances that bring out feelings of sensuality and an intimate connection on a deeply primal level. When Blåvarp began making jewelry in 1984, she sought to make...

Before the age of safety matches, matchbooks, and lighters, was the age of delicately intricate or simply functional matchsafes. Known as ‘vesta cases’ in Britain for their association with Vesta, the Roman goddess of fire and the hearth, matchsafes reigned as king when early friction matches were considered highly combustible and unreliable. To avoid the...

A discussion of American architecture cannot be complete until Frank Lloyd Wright enters the conversation. One of the most prolific and renowned architects of the 20th century, he was a radical designer and intellectual who embraced new technologies and materials. Largely focusing on organic architecture, he believed that structures should be in harmony with humanity...

It is not very often that a clock’s origins provide as much mystery as that of the Zephyr clock. Designed during the mid-30s, it was originally attributed to Kem Weber, a German émigré designer who created several iconic designs of the Streamline Moderne style until evidence arose via a 1938 Lawson Time brochure that Weber...

Vermelha, Portuguese for “red”, comes from the Latin vermiculus, or “little worm”, in reference to the Kermes vermilio, a scale insect used to make the color crimson. This is the source of the Vermelha Chair’s name, a vibrant, brightening shade of red that is both jarring and mesmerizing. Designed by Brazilian designers – and brothers...