Wooden bench that features intricate carving, with tassled cushions that add a nice touch.
Barbara Ellington, Features Co-ordinator
THE CATALOGUE declared, "Important Auction, Seized High Value Merchanise." Those words pulled the curious like moths to a flame. And who could blame them? It's the time of year to spruce up dull spaces and nothing sparks living room conversation like an expensive range of intricately carved, strategically positioned item of furniture.
And with price tags ranging from $2,000 to $250,000 the possibilities are endless. Last Tuesday's massive carpet auction took place at the upscale Constant Spring Golf Club. (Check out the lit, palm-treed driveway).
Representatives from the auctioneers, the C.D. Alexander Company, were on hand to dispense valuable information about carpets and as General Manager, David McNulty, said, "You must first pick out what you like but everything is the best quality."
But how does the untrained eye know a good quality carpet? We could always go by country of origin; after all, Persian carpets are legendary but so are unscrupulous persons who want to make a quick dollar with close-to-perfect knock-offs.
The carpets auctioned last Tuesday, were described by Hans Christensen, a representative of C.D. Alexander as, "in distress, not selling or seized from illegal importers."
Mr. McNulty said, "The density of the knots, the evenness of weave, the pattern and the use of silk are just some details an untrained eye can look for. Good quality carpets come from Persia, North East India, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan." He advises "Buy the best you can afford because it will last a lifetime."
The average auction lasts for about five hours from viewing to the end. Such auctions are usually held once or twice per year and if some pieces are not sold, C.D. Alexander will telephone private clients such as hotels. However, you cannot reserve a carpet before the auction.
You have bought the carpet but finding the pieces to complete a theme that reflects your love of things beautiful, could be a challenge. Decorators Corner has always been synonymous with interesting and exquisite items for all the rooms in the house. With the addition of some select pieces of furniture, clients are now able to expand their imagination and transform an ordinary room into a decorator's dream.
The patterns and carvings on chairs, tables, cupboards, armoires, cabinets and cushions, clearly show that these designers and craftsmen are talented and creative. The attention to detail in each carved surface, etched motif or painted pattern, is evident even at a casual glance.
