Big is Beautiful!!

OMG! How excited are we???

We have just arranged to show a fantastic piece of original art by Paul Kenton, well known for his amazing cityscapes! This new piece is just gonna take your breath away!

It measures 5 feet high by over 6 feet wide and is in the purest black and white line style for which he is best known!

This stunning view of our impressive capital city shows the view as though crossing the River Thames over the Millenium Bridge, from the Tate Gallery to St. Paul's (a walk we have done ourselves!).

'Across the Water' Original by Paul Kenton £3950

We dare you to send a photo of the place you would put this in your house!

Alne Afternoon with Rayford!

This weekend we took the opportunity to visit one of our most popular artists, Rayford, to see what is on his easel at the moment and what new prints he has for us to show you!

He has been working hard with new images of lots of local places... Castle Howard, Whitby and a fabulous Newcastle scene to name a few!

We've brought back a huge selection of new prints and replaced some of the ones we had sold so we are now fully stocked again :)

Following the sale of two of his originals last week we have also been able to acquire another gorgeous York scene to accompany the superb 'Tea with Yorks Mayor' which shows the famous Bettys Tea Rooms. The new piece shows the beautiful and infamous Kings Staithe, York.

Artist Rayford in his studio at home in Alne

Click here to see the new array of prints and click here to see available originals.

Breaking News! NEW Lost Impossimals Discovered!

Pompidoos French Fancy Filly

England, 1879

The Natural Twistory

Lady Pompidoo, one of the most respected French aristocrats and a direct descendant of Empress Eugénie who fled the Tuileries, held a passion for French pastries and sweets. The arrival of a new chef at her estate Pompidoo Hall was greeted with delight, finally she had managed to secure one of the most revered chefs and master of the new ‘fondant’ method first pioneered in 1877, Chef Charles Ranhofer.

Charles set to work in the extensive kitchens and produced some of the most magical creations of his career, from the huge Crème de la Mountain Fountain to the fabulous Choux Pistache aux Fruits Rouges with Rum Baa-baa et Flambé (I need to try that, don't you?). His crowning glory though was a delicate little cake filled with a fondant cream and decorated with four delightful colours each one to represent memorable characters in Shakespears plays. Othello was represented by chocolate, Desdemona by white, Lago was coffee and the fourth pink after Rosalind from ‘As You Like It’. A drizzle of a second colour set off the whole thing and they quickly became Lady Pompidoo’s favourite.

Lady Pompidoo amassed vast stocks of French Fancies which were kept securely in a special room called the Cakeararium, an exquisitely decorated room reminiscent of a pre Revolution French boudoir filled with rare and expensive furniture. Only Lady Pompidoo was allowed entry and she would sit for hours looking out over her vast estate delicately eating her beloved French Fancies.

Then one day she noticed that a gap had appeared in her precious stocks! Immediately she summoned her servants. It was impossible, not only did all the servants deny taking any but they also pointed out that Lady Pompidoo had the only key to the room.

After much discussion Lady Pompidoo allowed one of her most trusted maids to hide in the forbidden room whilst a tray of French fancies was placed temptingly on the table in full view.

Shortly before midnight the maid heard a noise sounding like footsteps and leaped out to surprise the thief. Instead she was surprised to find herself standing face to face with an ornate tallboy in the centre of the room and promptly fainted for the item was in fact a piece of furniture that Lady Pompidoo had recently acquired from a sale of items from Hamilton Palace.

The next day the maid told her curious tale to Lady Pompidoo who, whilst full of doubt decided to investigate. Holding a French fancy up to the tallboy elicited no response, neither did a full plate of fancies so she popped the plate on the table and made as though to leave... Only then did she hear the slightest noise of a drawer being opened... Turning around quickly she saw the drawer pulled shut!

Very slowly she took over the plate of fancies and softly spoke to the tallboy. After a few minutes Lady Pompidoos soft and reassuring voice elicited a response.

From out of the top draw came the most beautiful, furry pink-nosed head with amber eyes and the tallboy tentatively shuffled forward and took a French fancy in its mouth... Slowly the bottom draw opened to reveal two more woolly faces, this time with lemon and purple noses. Gently the French fancy was passed down to the drawers occupants who purred with delight.

Lady Pompidoo and her French Fancy Filly, as she called it, could regularly be seen at Pompidoo Hall sharing plates of French Fancies. It was a friendship that lasted many years and was commemorated in this painting. A painting which Charles Burroughs our renowned explorer was commissioned to paint and eventually formed part of a brief touring exhibition of his works. The painting inspired furniture makers of the time to adopt the French Fancy Filly’s delicate curves and detailing into their work.

Records show that the French Fancy Filly is still out there, so should you come across a tall white set of French drawers don’t forget to check all the drawers and of course always have plenty of French fancies available!