May 2010
Between 31st May and 14th June Papilionaceous is featured at the Devonshire Collection of Period Costume – Totnes Costume Museum, Totnes, Devon.
Alongside bags, braces and bookmarks we are delighted to be showing very fine silk trimmed Fair Trade Panama hats from Pachacuti.
For more information on these lovely hats visit Pachacuti here.
April 2010
We came across Bookdarts a while ago now. Similar to a bookmark in as much as they are place keepers, but also very different in that they keep a specific place, a specific line on a page – without the need to resort to the (sharp intake of breath) underlining in pencil that you may just let yourself use in your ‘working’ copy.
This is what their makers in Oregon, USA have to say:
Book Darts are precision-cut, paper-thin metal line markers that attach easily to any page.
To use, place Book Dart at desired line, close book and press in. Sliding a Dart onto a passage assures you can recall it easily even in a closed book.
Often judged indispensable by students, educators, and other readers of what has lasting value.
Answers the question: “How can we mark our exact passages, find them again, quickly and surely, and never harm the page?”
A good idea we thought, so slightly odd that they have yet to be really taken up here – as far as we know that is. To address this issue we have ordered some stock and they are now available in the UK from Papilionaceous at Amazon.
We are currently sending out free samples with all silk bookmark orders but if there is nothing else that you need at present just send us a stamped, self-addressed envelope and we will send you some Book Darts by return. Our address is here.
Book Darts are available from us in three colours: brass, bronze and stainless steel and quantities of 12, 18 and the tins of 50 pictured above.
Book Darts from Papilionaceous at Amazon
March 2010
One of the questions I get asked most often is: how did I get into weaving silk ribbons in the first place?
Part of the answer to that is that my first job on leaving college was selling silk ties in the tie hall of Liberty in Regent St.
At the time (1989) the dominance of printed silks for men’s ties was starting to give way to wovens and this resurgence of woven silks resulted in a steady stream of rather interesting pieces of silk weaving turning up in front of me on a regular basis; pieces of silk that provided me with a great deal of inspiration and encouragement that this might be an interesting path to follow.
Second on the list of questions most often asked is: do we weave silk ties?
No we don’t; for the simple reason that we only weave at 40mm wide. Even if it were to be a very narrow tie it would still need to be cut diagonally across the cloth (ties are cut on the bias so that they have a certain amount of stretch and are able to be tied in a nice knot) and what we weave is just not wide enough.
Having said all that, twenty years after first selling ties I am now selling them again!
Designs are by Simon Drew, with whom we have a long association, and though we neither weave the silk nor make the ties they are still a ‘Made in England’ product and complement our range of Simon Drew bookmarks rather well we think.
The first two designs are available now via our shop at Amazon:
trust me I’m a ducktor silk tie
And also from the Papilionaceous Silk Emporium
trust me I’m a ducktor silk tie, tall duck and handsome silk tie
February 2010
For some, myself included, the topic of Fly Fishing will forever be associated with the name of J.R. Hartley; he may have started out as a fiction but the book he was looking for eventually became reality.
There is no need to scour Cecil Court to find our Fly Fishing bookmark though!
Also, from the original by John Collier: ‘Lilith’
A woman with a chequered past who may, or may not, be suitable for your Valentine.
Both are available now from Amazon:
Lilith
and the Papilionaceous Silk Emporium:
Lilith, Salmon Flies
January 2010 (II)
The snow and frost has gone for now so our thoughts turn towards Spring (perhaps).
We have some tulips anyway!
Also, from the original by Gustav Klimt:
‘Water Serpents II’, a new double sided bookmark.
January 2010 (I)
To keep that New Year’s Eve feeling going just a little longer we present a new, double sided, his and hers ‘Cocktail’ bookmark.
Cocktail bookmark at Amazon
‘The Courtesans Wakana and Wakanoura of the Wakana House’, by Utamaro Kitagawa
Utamaro Kitagawa bookmark at Amazon
December 2009
With Christmas on the way we thought stockings would be in order.
Our silk stockings are courtesy of Alberto Vargas.
Available here: Vargas Silk Stocking bookmark at Amazon
Also seasonal in parts of Europe, carp.
We present ‘Red Carp under Wisteria’ by Kuniyoshi Utagawa
Available here: ‘Red Carp under Wisteria’ silk bookmark at Amazon
Completing the three wise bookmarks is a new colouring of our very popular Aubrey Beardsley Lily.
Available here: Green Lily bookmark at Amazon
November 2009
Two new book marks this month. Both feature small details from much larger works.
The details are taken from:
The Virgin and Child Enthroned by Margarito of Arezzo
and
The Annunciation by Carlo Crivelli
for further information see the Bookmarks ~ Fine Art section
also available to buy from Papilionaceous at Amazon
October 2009
Thank you to everyone who stopped by at Alexandra Palace.
If you have now arrived here to find out more, you could try:
Papilionaceous bookmarks on Amazon
September 2009
New bookmarks this month:
Featuring artwork by: Follower of Hugo van der Goes, Georges Seurat, Paul Cezanne