TWO FRENCH LADIES AND A XMAS TREE

Yesterday was Addison's Winter Auction and so we braved the weather and went and watched the bidding. We had pre-viewed and selected interesting lots and done some research into probable artists, fakes and values so we were ready to wave our bidders number.
I lusted after this terracotta reproduction of Madame Recamier, made to look like the original bronze by Chinard but worth far less than $500,000. Madame now adorns the sideboard in the sitting room and it made me clear away all the things that end up on sideboards when they haven't got a bust to display.

DJ fancied Frieda. Well that's what she has been named because she was painted by Pal Fried, who signs all his paintings as Fried Pal so that he makes people think of cooked dogfood. This lady is wearing clothes. Many of his don't. And she has a nice bit of Paris in the background like they tend to. There's some space on the wall beside her so she might get a friend at the Spring Auction.

There were some very interesting paintings "in the manner of" various artists that I liked. They look pleasing on the wall, are real paintings and don't need six figures to buy. A dealer was snapping them up and I missed out on a painting "after Boudin" which had a lovely seaside scene. But you never know how far other people are willing to bid so he got it for the next bid after I stopped bidding!

It snowed this morning so we got the xmas tree out. Well we were going to anyway, but it made it feel like winter is really on the way.

The lights still work, the baubles all hang well and the corner will glow for a few weeks.

Xmas approaches.

Cheers Gillian