Monday, September 15, 2014

In anticipation of a book

The photographs below are from a post I wrote about Geoffrey Bennison nearly five years ago. In the Topics list in the side bar I find I wrote about Mr Bennison ten times, making him one of my favorites. Were there any doubt that he should be one of the most esteemed decorators of the twentieth-century, the publication of this book early next year should leave no doubt at all. 


The author is Gillian Newberry and Sir John Richardson has written a Foreword. Of all the books in the publishing lists for the coming months this is the only one with any interest for me. Gillian Newberry who had worked as Bennison's assistant founded Bennison Fabrics together with her husband in 1985 after Geoffrey Bennison's death. 


Published forty years ago these rooms remain to my eye remarkably undated. Greenery in baskets, even a plant in the summer fireplace date the photographs to the 1970s. That era's equivalent of today's clump of white phalaenopsis, ferns, ficus, etc, always looked a little self-conscious, as well they might given their role as swank purchases from the newly-established fancy garden centres. They didn't last long of course, those tropical parvenues, for the decidedly chilly air of social decline soon saw them off, their places cleared for the amaranthine qualities of silk plants and flowers. Even silk as a designation in this context has declined, I fear, for now we must say permanent. As a nomenclature permanent can cover a multitude of sins – from what once may even have been silk at its genesis, to what might well be its very worrisome end, resin. 

And that brings me in a very roundabout way to the subject of my next post but one – something that has been worrying at me for a while. This link to one of my favorite websites will give you a clue. 



Photography by Derry Moore from Architectural Digest November/December 1976



The book will be published by Rizzoli on March 24th 2015 – a long time to wait, I know, but I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.  

12 comments:

  1. Exciting News!
    Have you seen the new Stephen Salny book, on William Hodgins?
    Dean

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    1. I haven't seen it, Dean. I know of it, of course, and I shall look for it.

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  2. I actually don't know a whole lot about him other than what I've read here on your blog so I look forward to this book! Agreed that the publishing lists seem a bit slim this fall. Too much competition? A pity we have to wait for this until spring!

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    1. Stefan, There's so much dross in the lists for the Fall but having said that it could be that I'm just jaded and being unfair.

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  3. Yes! I can hardly wait! His projects were few and I had read that he turned down more than he accepted.

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    1. The Devoted Classicist, thank you. I was so enthused about the book I couldn't wait. If I understand the pre-publicity right the book will have all of Bennison's projects.

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  4. Love dezeen, too, and am glad to see mossy bookshelves being built to be that way. We hear, too, from another blog you admire, that Rizzoli has her (oops) own book on the way. Does such news come in 3's?

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    1. Laurent, you intrigue me! I have a tale to share but under wraps as it were. Look for an email from me.

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  5. Oh dear. I haven't bought a decorator book (and I love that the the title includes "master decorator) in a long while, but I fear you may have seduced me with this one. Damn. And I was being so good.

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    1. Bennison was and remains one of the best. Look through my side bar Topics for his name and see his for yourself. As to the books, there isn't much worth buying, except maybe Houghton Hall later this year.

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  6. Thanks to your post, I've just been through the 10 that came before and have enjoyed them (again, others for the first time) as well as the textile site. I had thought it composed mostly of faded, large scaled florals but found good variety,proportion and rich color too. Gillian Newberry is Bennison's digne héritière.

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    1. gésbi, thank you. Bennison in many ways began that whole "tea-stained" or faded look so popular since the 80s – it's a look I like and is fitting in some situations though it was used to death in the 80s and early 90s.

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