Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Old New England Wicker

Photos by Salt Water New England

Comment by Maine Antiquarian 'Chimney Cupboard':

Old New England wicker is, as the photographs show, ratty, rough and self protectively fragile as overtures to, particularly, males seating... Old New England wicker is not perfect and painted white. That suggests one “bought it”. Old New England wicker, in the family shore cottage or lake camp, was (is), if fortunate, “closed up” on the porch during off season. More often it was “stored” under the porch. This is where old family wicker found in old New England garners the ‘ratty, rough and fragile’ states. That is the true old New England wicker surface. The posted photograph of the wicker “sofa”, table, lamp and “rug” is one of the finest photographs I’ve seen this blog post. Going past the abstract art qualities of the photograph image, past the relevant content of the comprehensive show of true old England Wicker, past that wicker being in its proper setting inclusive of the “new” crumpled cushions and past the Oxford button down, et al, attire to notice the nuance among the bountiful nuances already noticed, of the fragile seating poise of the male on the sofa. This classic old New England defensive poise demonstrating self awareness merged with applied engineering and physics acumen in this complex (social) setting is a foundation old New England that speaks volumes. With this last nuance link pin, one sees (in the whole image) what is not seen of old New England “another way”. The photograph in this post, with the wicker-on-porch among the Doric columns: The butt end of the air conditioner signaling above is special. 

     


 


   
  
 

12 comments:

  1. Shabby old school chic passes muster.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We can make do for one more year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought the exact same thing.....that's my family for sure saying that!

      Delete
  3. This is the stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Superb! Thank you so very much!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hate wicker. Just plain uncomfortable.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Always a pleasure to see an honest comment.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Replies
    1. Part of the uncomfortable charm.

      Delete
  8. Another wicker-hater here. Ugly and often uncomfortable! It does remind me of my grandmother's farmhouse porch, though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, and yes also to BlueTrain just above.

      Delete
  9. Our paternal grandmother was as old New England as it gets. She was a direct descendant of the first minister in Concord. Her family founded one of the oldest settlements on the Connecticut shoreline. Then they went into the ice business. For generations it served them well. Electricity eventually put paid to “the icebox.” The big old Victorian family home aside the reliable pond on the main road was sold after the death of my great grandfather and after the family scattered to other nearby bedroom communities. The house became a wicker furniture store. First for sale we’re some of the porch leave behind chairs and tables. Time passed.
    A bank bought the property. You can imagine what happened. We weren’t able to salvage any of the wicker. But there was an old copper lighting fixture hanging from one of the barns. It now graces the entry of one of our family member’s drives. It’s as solid as the wicker was squeaky.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated.