February 16, 2010

** UPDATE** Call for Fabric

I got a message from my friend, James Archer Abbott today. He is the curator of Evergreen House here in Baltimore and also the author of two definitive books on Maison Jansen.

Evergreen is putting together an exhibition on Billy Baldwin, who was a friend of the owners of this house. You can read a little about the friendship here. As part of the exhibition, they are looking for a piece of the dark-chocolate-on-white textile that was based on a Matisse drawing. It was used in the apartment that Baldwin and his partner, Woodson Taulbee owned in the 1960’s. The fabric is on the cover of Billy Baldwin Decorates.BB Decorates CoverIf you have any of this amazing fabric, and would be willing to lend it to Evergreen House, which is part of Johns Hopkins University, they would be more than happy to acknowledge your efforts. I know Jim Abbott would love to hear from you if you can lend a piece of history.

The Billy Baldwin exhibit will open at Evergreen in May 2010.

**UPDATE** My friend Christopher found the fabric, after a bit of searching. It’s called “Arbre de Matisse” from China Seas and it’s available through Quadrille at $110/yard. Click on the image for the link.arbre de matisse Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!

13 comments:

  1. I wish I did!!!
    Good Luck... I hope someone comes up with it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isn't that book cover still gorgeous? Outside of wanting to "supersize" the Chinese screen, I'd walk into that room and think it was decorated yesterday, not thirty years ago.
    Good luck to your friend in his hunt for that fabric. What a great score if he does!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Quadrille's "arbre de Matisse" and Clarence House's "Fauve" are both similar to this print and come in many colorways. They all seem to be inspired by Indian palampores.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tracy... it would be perfect to have something made with it in the exhibition!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anon@22:27... I think that he wants the exact fabric for the exhibit, but the suggestions are great.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I will spread the word! Agree the design looks very courant!
    Karena

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://quadrillefabrics.com/66.html

    after seeing the above photo, on second thought, i'm going to stand by clarence house "fauve". but they are both so similar, would anyone but us nit-picky decorators ever even know the diff?

    ReplyDelete
  8. oops- my first comment didn't get posted, but i've always thought it was clarence house "fauve":

    http://cgi.ebay.com/CLARENCE-HOUSE-Fauve-Printed-Cotton-Brown-White-Trees_W0QQitemZ350314105891QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20100208?IMSfp=TL100208199015r249

    but according to this post by style court, hobac thinks it's quadrille:
    http://stylecourt.blogspot.com/2007/08/timeless-prints-ii.html

    i had also said go with hobac and style court 'cuz they are way smarter then moi!

    ReplyDelete
  9. An Aesthete's Lament, the fount of all knowledge, knows for sure. Ask him, as all I can recall is it wasn't either.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Do call the showroom Hinson & Company, which is located at the D&D Building in New York City. That particular pattern is still made by that firm, if I am not mistaken.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Luuuv the Evergreen House! Can I tell you how many times we scaled that fence from the Loyola grounds? That was back when I was a naughty girl...XXOO

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is a beautiful print. So glad to know now what it is! Marija

    ReplyDelete
  13. dammit. i KNEW better then to disagree with hobac & stylecourt. silly moi.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading and commenting on Pigtown*Design. I read each and every comment and try to reply if I have your e-mail address.