Stolen art watch

Drouot, Paris France

A DROUOT auctioneer and eight commission agents were given preliminary charges, including organized theft, with three others released with no charges, in Paris police raids on Drouot, its warehouses and homes of employees. A stolen Courbet painting was found at the home of one of the commission agents. Other pieces seized in the sweep included artworks, frames and furniture.


art hostage

Salvage yard fined for asbestos cement roof sheets

Ipswich, Suffolk UK

Following reports that Edward Thomas Webster had been storing waste illegally at his yard in Thorington, Suffolk two agency officers inspected his premises. They found pallets with materials such as cleaned bricks, roof tiles, wood and old beams, however in one field they saw a large pile of asbestos roofing sheets. Mr Webster, who trades as Preservation in Action, has pleaded guilty at Ipswich Magistrates Court to dumping chrysotile asbestos and not having the right papers for dealing with potentially fatal material.


edie

Reuse is the new recycling - government can and should create a new reuse agenda

Sustainable construction experts have published new research showing that the amount of building material being reclaimed has declined and that reclamation is in fact becoming more difficult in the UK. Ironically, over the past two decades, the Government's own policy has been hindering reuse, although they now claim that reclamation and reuse is higher on the agenda.

Pushing Reuse commissioned by BioRegional, and written by Thornton Kay of Salvo Llp, looks directly at this problem.

Jonathan Essex said, "Pushing Reuse clearly shows the benefits that reuse brings over recycling. For example, if we reclaimed 50 percent of reusable construction iron and steel the carbon savings would be equivalent to taking 29,000 cars off the road - and that's for just one material. Yes, reclamation is currently more labour intensive than recycling which makes it more expensive, but it creates green jobs and products that often have a higher value than recycled - for instance reclaimed bricks are worth much more than bricks recycled by being crushed to form recycled aggregate".

The full text of Pushing Reuse

Also see the Webinar on Pushing Reuse on 3 Feburary 2010

Monument demolition kills two in Georgia

Kutaisi, Georgia - A mother and child have been killed by flying debris from the demolition of a 150ft high Soviet World War II memorial. The monument has been removed to make way for new Parliamentary buildings.

BBC News

Granville County, USA - Habitat for Humanity's Restore in Granville County offer this message

Habitat for Humanity

Christmas Cards - don't bin them!

We all know there must be loads of things you can do with Christmas cards after they have spent a few weeks making us feel christmassy and getting dusty on the shelf. Obviously the best thing is to cut them up a bit and use for next years cards, but if you are feeling a bit more creative there's a load more ideas on the web, including this star...

Squidoo - Ways to reuse a christmas card

Time for the government to listen to reuse

Steve Tomlin discusses the outcome of his meeting at the House of Commons on his blog (see link below). Unfortunately after his meeting at Whitehall which held so much promise, sadly there was no mention in any literature, posters or speeches about Reuse and Reclamation.

Steve asks if the authorities will wake up to Reuse and Reclamation? He calls for the reclamation trade to "lobby to convince politicians that they are directed into a policy cul-de-sac that solves nothing. We need to remove subsidy to the demolishers and recyclate industry and redirect priorities away from incineration as a central plinth of our campaigns for Environmental Sustainability. There will be a case for crushing and burning, but only on the margins if we are to recover the full carbon value of scarce materials," said Steve.


Masco

Architectural salvage owner sues mayor

Wavely, Tennesse USA

A civil lawsuit has been filed against the mayor of Waverly over a confrontation in July. “He is suing ... for a battery both in [Bostic’s] personal and official capacity in two counts of the complaint against Mr Bostic,” said Lowder’s attorney, Michael A. Hankins of Jacksonville.

Police were called to the scene following a report accusing Mr Bostic pushing Lowder during an argument that ensued after the mayor told Lowder he could not use public streets and sidewalks to dismantle boards and recondition building materials.

Journalcourier

Mini structures from repurposed throwaways

San Francisco, USA

Golden Gate Express exhibit, a miniature steam train that rolls through a miniature San Francisco, complete with Coit Tower, TransAmerica Pyramid Building, Golden Gate Bridge and the Conservatory of Flowers. These mini structures are all made from repurposed throwaways found in a skip. The Ghirardelli clock tower is made with old chocolate brown light switch plates; 1,000 computer keys stud the TransAmerica Pyramid, and Coit Tower is made with plumbing supplies, tape measures and mini blinds.




Craft

Creative reuse

Dutch designer Jo Meesters has a sustainable and handmade approach to his work. His new collection is made entirely out of 34 discarded wooden beams and 16 left over blankets. Entitled Odds and Ends, Bits and Pieces, the collection uses basic upholstering and weaving techniques.






apartment therapy

The cultural demolition of Kashgar, China

Kashgar, Xinjiang province China

According to Chinese officials Kashgar must be destroyed because of its susceptibility to earthquakes. Kashgar is one of the best preserved traditional Islamic cities in central Asia. Many of the families will be offered apartments in high-rise buildings. In place of the old city, the Chinese plan to erect apartments, plazas and avenues lined with reproductions of ancient Islamic architecture, which they say will help "preserve Uighur culture." Families have been offered cash bonuses if they move out early - $30 for those who vacate within 20 days; $15 if they move in a month.



Above: Kashgar's old wall, a 35-ft. berm, meets a billboard promoting a new residential compound.


Above: Dust from demolitions engulfs the ancient city.


Time

IT dumped in developing countries

Computer Weekly claims that IT managers are failing to properly question technology recycling firms, which they employ to dispose of their machines supposedly ethically. Consequently according to reports many thousands of crates of toxic IT waste is reportedly being dumped in developing countries.

"We are finding people saying they have a contract with a refurbishment firm, and this firm has promised it is going to do all sorts of good things," said Adrian Harding, policy advisor at the Environment Agency. "But they never check it. The problem is people are taking things on trust - you would not do that when you are buying the equipment. We want people to take as much interest in their end of life equipment as they do on the procurement side."

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive was introduced to reduce the amount of IT waste being sent to landfill. But Tony Roberts, CEO and founder of re-use charity Computer Aid International, said, "The directive has had the positive effect of increasing awareness around IT environmental issues," he said. "But the most significant growth area has actually been the sham re-use companies. The equipment which we hoped would be diverted for re-use has largely been diverted for commercial resale - both by legitimate organisations, but also by the cowboys who pack it into trucks and send it to Africa and India."


Computer weekly

Festivities at Lassco's

Lassco, Brunswick House London
Lassco are inviting people to join them at Brunswick House on Thursday 17th December from 8pm for mince pies, mulled wine and a festive 15 per cent discount.


Lassco

Peter Mandelson launches a low carbon group

Peter Mandelson has has launched the government’s low carbon construction innovation and growth steering group, which will review the industry’s fitness for reducing carbon emissions.

The group is chaired by Paul Morrell, the newly appointed chief construction adviser. Mr Morrell said, "“Our aim is… to ensure a road map is in place for the industry to play their part in delivering a low carbon future.”


bd online

Sealing the fate of a generation

Copenhagen, climate change summit

The Guardian and 56 other newspapers from around the world have joined together to call for action from the worlds leaders on climate change. A spokes person for The Guardian said, "If we, with such different national and political perspectives, can agree on what must be done then surely our leaders can too." As the Copenhagen climate change summit is underway the joint voice of the newspapers ask that the leaders do not blame each other but seize the opportunity to make a difference whether the countries are rich or poor as the outcome will inevitably seal the fate of a generation.

Rich nations like to point to the arithmetic truth that there can be no solution until developing giants such as China take more radical steps than they have so far. At the deal's heart must be a settlement between the rich world and the developing world covering how the burden of fighting climate change will be divided — and how we will share a newly precious resource. Social justice demands that the industrialised world digs deep into its pockets and pledges cash to help poorer countries adapt to climate change, and clean technologies to enable them to grow economically without growing their emissions.

Few believe that Copenhagen can any longer produce a fully polished treaty; real progress towards one could only begin with the arrival of President Obama in the White House and the reversal of years of US obstructionism. Even now the world finds itself at the mercy of American domestic politics, for the president cannot fully commit to the action required until the US Congress has done so.

The politicians in Copenhagen can and must agree the essential elements of a fair and effective deal and, crucially, a firm timetable for turning it into a treaty. In the meantime, many of us, particularly in the developed world, will have to change our lifestyles. The era of flights that cost less than the taxi ride to the airport is drawing to a close. We will have to shop, eat and travel more intelligently. We will have to pay more for our energy, and use less of it.

The Guardian

Phone box reused as libary

Above: The traditional phone box was bought from BT for £1 [photo BBC]

Westbury-sub-Mendip, Somerset UK

A traditional red phone box has been reused as a library in the village of Westbury-sub-Mendip. The worlds smallest library regularly gives out books, dvds and cds to the local villagers.

A resident dreamed up the idea when the village lost its phone box and mobile library in quick succession. Users simply stock it with a book they have read, swapping it for one they have not. "It's really taken off. The books are constantly changing," said parish councillor Bob Dolby.

So far BT have given over 350 phone boxes to parish councils, these have been transformed into art installations, a shower and even a public toilet.

BBC

Reuse before recycling

According to the mantra reuse should come before recycling, however, the reuse industry is often overlooked in favour of recycling. The website Treehugger asks if the Government could help to turn around the decline in the reuse of building materials.

The new report, Pushing Reuse (from BioRegional and Thornon Kay of Salvo) argues that reuse has been traditionally overlooked by policy makers, although it offers greater environmental benefits. It suggests that a reuse champion is needed to advocate reuse and potentially set up an incentive scheme for reuse which gives payment for materials diverted from landfill.

Jonathan Essex, Reclaimed Materials Manager at BioRegional said: "Pushing reuse clearly shows the benefits that reuse brings over recycling. For example, if we reclaimed 50% of reusable iron and steel the carbon savings would be equivalent to taking 29,000 cars off the road - and that's for just two materials. Yes, reclamation is currently more labour intensive than recycling which makes it more expensive, but it creates green jobs and products that often have a higher value than recycled - for instance reclaimed bricks are worth much more than bricks recycled into aggregate"

The full text of Pushing Reuse

Treehugger

Walcot Reclamation moves after 32 years

Walcot Reclamation, Bath UK

Walcot's city center site is closing after 32 years. However, the shop will be retained to allow some pieces to be displayed. Owner Rick Knapp said, "The move makes sense, with the shop acting very much as a taster of what would be on offer at the Bathampton premises. We are focusing on trying to get more people at Bathampton and making more of that rather than spreading ourselves too thin."

This is Bath

Victorian and Albert Museum opens it's new galleries

The Renaissance City Courtyard at the V&A

Victorian & Albert Museum, London UK

The V&A's new Medieval & Renaissance galleries open this December, designed by architects MUMA. The 10 new galleries will showcase its amazing Medieval and Renaissance collections. The £30m new additions fill a whole wing of the museum and contain more than 1800 treasures from AD300 to 1600. The collections chronicle how European art and design changed from the fall of the Roman Empire to the end of the Renaissance era.

The V&A boasts the greatest collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy, including pieces by Donatello and Giambologna. The highlights of the new galleries include; Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks, Santa Chiara Chapel: the only example of Florentine Renaissance church architecture outside Italy, Choir screen from the Cathedral of St John at 's-Hertogenbosch (1610–13), the Netherlands, The elaborate Gloucester Candlestick (1104-15), The Symmachi Panel: one of the finest surviving ivories from the Late Antique period in Rome.

The V&A is creating innovative new displays which place objects within their original social and cultural context. In a review for the Daily Telegraph, Richard Dorment describes the exhibition: "The 10 contiguous galleries occupying two floors of that vast building on the Cromwell Road feel like a museum within a museum, where every effort is made to give a feel for a church interior or Renaissance study without turning the galleries into a succession of stage sets."

Mark Jones, Director of the V&A, said: ‘For the first time, these new galleries present the V&A’s medieval and Renaissance treasures as continuous displays telling the story of European art and design from the year 300 to 1600. We hope that the new displays, featuring some of the most beautiful and historic objects from our collections, will inspire all our visitors.’


Above: V&A Curator Kirstin Kennedy

Guardian

Titanic reconstruction

Channel 4 are currently looking for architects and professional in the fields of engineering, design, planning or construction, to take part in a reconstruction of the ill-fated Titanic. The team chosen will have to use traditional Edwardian techniques, machinery and materials to gain an insight in to the problems the original builders would have faced.

The programme will be aired on channel 4, filming will begin in early March 2010 and continue for approximately 12 weeks.

bd

Western Heritage fire under investigation

Teton, Wyoming USA

A fire which swept through part of Teton is currently under investigation by state and local authorities. Fire Chief Mike Hoyle said, "he did not notice any obvious structural damage to the building, but he noted that wood was stacked inside the building to a height that under ordinary circumstances would require fire suppression equipment the building did not have." The building's occupant, a reclaimed lumber business called Western Heritage, was issued a cease and desist order by the County Attorney earlier this year.

Tenton Valley News

Energy efficient buildings: EU lays foundation for buildings of the future but misses towering opportunity to convert buildings of the past

After one year of difficult negotiations with the Council, the European Parliament and the Swedish Presidency reached a political agreement (1) yesterday evening on a text of the energy performance of buildings directive.

Luxembourg Green MEP Claude Turmes commented, "The Greens are very pleased that the EU has laid the foundation for the buildings of the future, but deplore that an opportunity has been missed to boost the renovation of existing structures.

"Our Green concept of "near-zero-energy buildings" has been accepted as the future standard for Europe. After 2020 (2), new buildings will have near zero consumption of energy thanks to requirements to use the latest construction technologies and insulation, with the remaining energy made up from solar and biomass generation. This will spark a green revolution along every link of the chain from architects to construction companies and for every new building, from private home to shopping centre.

"We deplore however that no stringent standards were agreed to renovate existing buildings, which account for 40% of all energy consumption in the EU. The Greens and the European Parliament had called for an ambitious EU building renovation programme to go beyond basic measures and convert inefficient structures into very low energy buildings. This depended on fresh funds from the EU budget to leverage cheap credits for large scale renovation.

Opposition from the EU's newer Member States led Council to reject this initiative. Earlier damage had already by done by Barroso's failure to allocate a single Euro to energy efficiency of buildings in the so-called recovery package. The EU is failing to capitalise on a golden opportunity to create millions of jobs, reduce dependency on energy from beyond its borders and tackle climate change. A better outcome from the negotiations would have definitely led to stronger action. Given that 36% of the EU's CO2 emissions come from the building sector, this would have been a prime area to target to allow the EU to step up its climate commitment from 20% to 30% emissions reductions by 2020."

The Greens

Government defers PPS15

London UK - THE Government has back-pedalled on the immediate replacement of PPG15 with PPS15 (see Salvo calls for architectural salvage trade to lobby their MPs about a proposed new undemocratic law/rule). They are now reviewing things.

In October 2009 Mark Field, TK's constituency MP for Westminster, kindly sent our comments about PPS15 to Rt Hon John Healey MP for Wentworth and minister of communities and local government (since 2009), who referred the letter to Ian Austin MP for Dudley North and junior minister CLG. He replied to Mark Field confirming that my comments have been registered as a formal response to the consultation on PPS15 and 'will be given careful consideration'. The government will publish their response to the consultation in 2010.

It is important that as many people as possible continue to lobby their MPs about this issue if more is to be saved from demolition.

Salvo calls for architectural salvage trade to lobby their MPs by 30 Oct 09 about a proposed new undemocratic law/rule

Convivial in Cumbria

Cartmel, Cumbria UK - THE gathering in Cartmel on Friday 27 November 2009, kindly organised by Clive Wilson of WRS, and hopefully the first of an annual event at the Cavendish Arms, was deemed a very pleasant occasion. It was marred only by the devastation wreaked the previous week by the floods further west at Workington and Cockermouth. Some damage was sustained at properties nearer to hand, including Cartmel itself.

Fifteen people attended the evening meal, mostly dealers, several with partners. Dan Hill of Tiger Enterprises in Brighton called in later in the evening having spent a day in the worse hit flood town Cockermouth encouraging reuse of salvageable items from flooded properties. Steve Tomlin left in the morning for a site in Glasgow owned by a prominent plc who have been keeping him busy of late, having contracted Masco to undertake a reclamation audit for each site they redevelop.

A surfeit of jollity and paucity of hard news ensued. One upcoming event that was mentioned was that 27 January is the annual Thomas Crapper day, with 2010 being the centenary year of the great plumber's death. Simon Kirby hoped to hold a graveside vigil at Elmer's End Cemetery in Beckenham, the location of which, to Simon's delight, is a few yards west of the grave of Samuel Shenton (d1971), founder of The Flat Earth Society who explained gravity by stating that the earth disc was moving upwards through space at the rate of 9.8m/sec2, and whose comment about a photo of planet Earth taken from outer space was, "It is easy to see how a photograph like that could fool the untrained eye."

The construction of a bypass two years ago around nearby Low Newton, the home of Wilson Reclamation Services, eliminated passing traffic completely, so Mr Wilson changed tack. WRS is still a vital local source of reclaimed material and architectural salvage, but also now has an upper gallery showcasing the work of local craftspeople together with a new old cafe which was thriving on the Saturday after Friday's meal. He organises events there, of which a forthcoming Christmas fair of the work of dozens of local craftspeople is one example, and does what he can to drum up publicity to help offset the lack of signage alerting bypass traffic to WRS' existence. The bypass has resulted in some other businesses, especially the erstwhile successful folk pub up the road, closing their doors permanently.




Above: Thornton Kay of Salvo takes a tour around Wilson's architectural salvage yard in Cumbria, guided by owner Clive Wilson. The video explores Mr Wilson's vast selection of architectural salvage and other reclaimed items such as an extensive array of door furniture. Also, see local artisans and craftspeople working on site.


WRS Ltd

Cardboard art

Chris Gilmour is an English artist who specialises in the creation of life-sized sculptures made of recycled cardboard and glue, using both plain packaging cardboard and recycled packaging material. His works replicate in painstaking detail many objects and machines out of our ordinary lives, ranging from objects from daily life.









Chris Gilmour

Daruma-otoshi skyscraper demolition

Tokyo, Japan
Japanese construction firm Kajima Corporation is using an innovative new skyscraper demolition method to dismantle a pair of old company buildings in Tokyo.

Unlike conventional demolition that begins at the top of the building, Kajima’s new method starts on the bottom floor, where the support columns are cut and replaced with giant computer-controlled jacks. Once the floor is demolished and the debris removed, the entire building is lowered and work begins on the next floor. The process is repeated for each floor until the entire building is gone.

According to Kajima, the daruma-otoshi demolition method — which is now being used to dismantle a 75 meter (246 ft) tall, 20-story building and a 65 meter (213 ft) tall, 17-story building — is safer and creates less noise and dust pollution because the work is kept close to the ground. In addition, this method cuts demolition time by 20% and makes it easier to separate materials for reuse and recycling.

uTube

Pushing Reuse

BioRegional has worked to push reuse of construction materials since initiating BedZED, the UK’s largest low carbon community. With low carbon industry high on the agenda, BioRegional commissioned Salvo Llp to write Pushing reuse. The hope is that the Government will seize this opportunity to drive investment and enterprise in this neglected green market.

Pushing reuse, towards a low-carbon construction industry, written by Thornotn Kay of Salvo is currently available to download (see link below). The key findings were; reuse is better than recycling, reuse in construction has declined in the past 10 years, policy is not driving reuse, simple policy interventions are available.

The full text of Pushing Reuse

Bioregional

Historical society offers tours of decorated homes

Romeo, Michigan USA

As Christmas approaches the Romeo Historical Society have announced their annual Christmas Homes Tours, with several houses showing off their Christmas decor. The event will take place on the 12 December with two tour times available from 4pm - 7pm and from 6.30pm - 9.30pm, leaving from the First Congregational Church, 102 Church St.

Source

Old Master Sculpture and Works of Art

Sotheby's, New Bond Street London UK
Tue, 8 Dec 09, 10:30 AM

Sotheby's sale of old master sculpture and works of art will include carved, cast and modelled sculpture in marble, wood stone, ivory, bronze and gems by well known named artists as well as anonymous craftsmen from the early medieval period through to Neoclassicism.


Above: A French sixteenth century 'Misericord of a Demon' in wood, estimated at £2,000 - £3,000.


Above: English, Leicestershire, fourteenth century or early fifteenth century example of a gargoyle in limestone. Estimated at £4,000 - £6,000.


Above: Circle of Michael Rysbrack (1694-1770), Hercules resting, white marble with a green crystalline stone background. English eighteenth century, estimated at £20,000 - £30,000.


Above: An English thirteenth century or early fourteenth century label stop with a greenman n stone. Estimated at £5,000 - £7,000.


Above: An English thirteenth century red standstone head of a king. Estimated at £3,000 - £5,000.

Sotheby's catalogue

Stoneage need your help to stop their closure by Enfield Council

Stoneage, Enfield UK

Currently Stoneage are appealing an enforcement notice from Enfield Council who want to close the reclaim yard in Crews Hill, Enfield. Stoneage have been providing reclaimed materials and a full restoration service from their site in Enfield for the past three years and the previous owner also traded for fifteen years in sales and repair of vintage items. Stoneage are asking for your support, sign their petition to stop the closure of their architectural reclaim center.

Email; johnsturner@btconnect.com directly with any support, advice or to be emailed their petition which they will send to you along with a stamped addressed envelope for you to send it back to them.

Stoneage Reclamation & Salvage

BCA steams into reuse

Above: Part of the 19th century railway sheds outside Paris


Paris France - DAVID Ackers of France's premier demolition and salvage company, B.C.A. Materiaux Anciens S.A., has today posted a gallery of images of a historic nineteenth century steam engine and railway goods shed complex on the outskirts of Paris for which BCA are seeking interest. Bruno Cottier, head of BCA, is hoping that this fabulous early reclaimed structural ironwork can be found a new home or homes where it will be reused, rather then being scrapped and sent for recycling. Contact BCA via their website for more info.

BCA architectural ironwork elements for sale

Photo gallery of the engine sheds

Northfleet to be demolished

Demolition is set to begin at a 200-year-old industrial site as plans to turn it into a housing development press ahead.

SEEDA (South East England Development Agency), a government-funded organisation responsible for regeneration, will start the 30-week demolition of Northfleet Embankment. The majority of the disused industrial buildings on the derelict 40 acre site will be demolished, although some in the west and north will remain for redevelopment.

SEEDA proposes to create a housing development on the site, although no planning applications have been submitted yet.

A spokeswoman said: “Its closeness to Gravesend and Dartford makes the site a prime development location, just a mile away from the new international station at Ebbsfleet.”

San Francisco Architectural Heritage open house

San Francisco, USA

San Francisco Architectural Heritage invites the public to the annual Holiday Open House at The Haas-Lilienthal House, 2007 Franklin Street on Sunday, December 6th from 12 noon to 3:00 p.m. The Ballroom of the Haas-Lilienthal House will be filled with San Francisco, architecture, and Victorian themed items, and green arts and craft items.

examiner.com

The Recycled House

Mark Hill and Kate Shipp have bought nothing new for their house, 95 per cent of their possessions are pre-owned, ranging from the 1940's gas stove to one of their beds that they found in a skip.

"Everything is something found that we've used. I would describe our style as quite Eccentric" says Kate.








Above: All photo's taken by Charlie Pinder Photography

Recycled House

Sotheby's offer the exquisite collection of the greatest Florentine antique dealers

Sotheby's, Palace Magnani Feroni, Via Dei Serragli 8, Florence Italy

Sotheby's Italy have held a four day sale from 12th-15th October 2009, to auction a selection of of 1,800 lots from the dealing dynasty stock of the spectacular Salvatore Romano and his son Francesco Romano. The total sum exceeded the pre-sale low estimate, reaching €10,508,407 / $15,505,155 (pre-sale estimate: €10,361,060 - 15,435,780 / $15,287,744 -22,775,493).

The auction comprised of sculptures from the 14th to the 18th century, Old Masters paintings and drawings from the 1600s and 1700s, 19th-century Italian paintings, furniture and decorative objects including antique textiles and an interesting library. The collection bears witness to the legacy of one of the 20th century’s greatest Italian antique dealers.

In the Old Master paintings and drawings section of the auction, both Pompeo Batoni’s Madonna col Bambino (est. €100,000 – 150,000) and St. Gerolamo by Nicolas Tournier (est. €50,000 – 70,000) were offered.

Among the significant number of sculpture lots were a number of Haute Epoque sculptures – the great passion of Salvatore Romano and the main focus of his research, among which is the Madonna col Bambino, a magnificent white marble sculpture attributed to Maestro della Madonna Piccolomini and dating to the end of the 15th century (est. €70,000-90,000). The sculpture was formerly housed in the celebrated collection of Samuel Kress, a significant portion of which now forms part of the collection of the National Gallery of Washington.

The furniture lots included a spectacular group of four scenographic pedestals, each centred by a grotesque masque, similar to those preserved at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, dating to the 17th century and estimated at €30,000 – 50,000.

The stock had been stored on the first floor of the city's Palazzo Magnani Feroni and had laid untouched for over half a century. Sotheby's held the sale insitu, using the palazzo to display the collection for the four-day view, with the auction itself held on the terrace. It was primarily marketed a the Florentine trade, who would be hard pressed to absorb so much. A third of the sale covered by commissions in advance was an encouraging start and the event was well attended, but much of the buying came from absentee bidders. It was reported that at least 30 per cent of the buying was non-Italian, and there was a mix of trade, private and institutional bidding.


Above: Pietà with St. Giovanni and Maria Maddalena, a group of figures in wood which was and written about by Leo Planiscig in 1929 and is attributed to Giacomo Cozzarelli (1453-1515), sculptor, painter and architect and one of Francesco di Giorgio’s best pupils (est. €10,000 - 15,000).


Above: [ITALIAN, 13TH CENTURY, A PAIR OF STONE COLUMNS AND AN ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT, WITH AN ADDED BASE] Coppia di colonne binate in pietra e un frammento in pietra; con una base non pertinente le colonne: cm 153 secolo XIII
ESTIMATE 5,000 - 7,000 EUR


Above: ITALIA SETTENTRIONALE, LOMBARDIA, FINE SECOLO XIV
[NORTH ITALIAN, LOMBARDY, LATE 14TH CENTURY, A LIMESTONE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT CARVED WITH A FIGURE OF ST. LOUIS OF TOULOUSE]
Elemento architettonico in arenaria scolpita raffigurante San Ludovico da Tolosa tra due colonne stilizzate coronate da capitelli fogliacei, quello di
sinistra con giglio araldico, che sostengono un arco inscritto:"ST LUDOVICUS REG KAROL FULIUS" Altezza: cm 63; larghezza: cm 48,5; profondità: cm 18
63cm., 24¾in.; width; 48.5cm., 19 1/8 in.; depth 18cm., 7in.
ESTIMATE 15,000 - 25,000 EUR

Sotheby's

Join the National Antiques Week

The theme for the first National Antiques Week 23 - 30 November will be 'Antiques are Green'. Antiquesnews is encouraging every dealer in the UK and beyond to upload the 'Antiques are Green' logo to their web site.

"The aim is for every dealer to encourage newcomers - particularly the younger generation, into the world of antiques and to publicise the fact that dealers offer excellent value to buyers. Much has been written recently about what good value antiques offer – this is the ideal time to promote that fact," said Antiquesnews. The website gives numerous ideas of how to embrace National Antiques are Green week.

National Antiques Week

The call of nature at auction

UK gallerist Edward Horswell has reported a growing interest in all things animal related, especially lions, tigers and bears immortalized in bronze. "Our perennial love of animals and a postcrisis quest for quality have led to six-and-seven-figure prices for bronze animal figures, whether 19th, 20th or 21st century," said Mr Horswell.

The mid-19th century marked a turning point for animalier, the French word for the school of artists who made animals their subjects (and frequently used zoos for inspiration). Mr Horswell reports, "animalier has been stubbornly recession proof. Since the banking crisis, we're finding that bronzes from the 19th century are particularly strong. Prices for the very best pieces have increased by at least 50 percent in the past ten years."

Some of the biggest stars of the period are Isidore Bonheur, Pierre-Jules Mene, and the so-called Michelangelo of the Menagerie, Antoine-Louis Barye. In the early 20th century, Rembrandt Bugatti, a member of the Italian automotive family, created the genre's most coveted pieces. Today his work, based on subjects in the Antwerp Zoo, can fetch millions.


Above: Bugatti's Babouin Sacré Hamadryas (1909–10), one of 11 casts, sold for a stunning $2.3 million at Sotheby's in late 2006, driven up in part by buyers pushed out of the market for Giacometti sculpture, which now can sell for $20 million. (The previous Bugatti baboon on the market--in 2000 at Tajan in Paris--brought in about $965,000.)


Forbes.com

Prices hit the roof at Gaze’s

Gaze Auctioneers, Diss Norfolk

Gaze held a Rural and Domestic Bygones Auction on Saturday 21 November 2009. Head auctioneer Carl Willows said, "Bygone door furniture hits the roof at Gaze’s. An enamel finger plate for Sunlight Soap sells for £2300 (incl. premium). Enamel signs generally making good money. No man traps but kingfisher traps going to £380. Baker’s trolleys- excellent display or shelving at £223."


Above: A Sunlight soap enamel finger plate, sold for £2,000.


Above: A Kingfisher trap stamped IXL, sold for £340.


Above: A 2" round jaw Kingfisher trap, marked XL to base, other marks rubbed, sold for £300.


Above: A pair of Bakers trolleys sold for £200 each.

Gaze

Michael Gainer back in charge of Buffalo Reuse

Buffalo, NY USA

Michael Gainer explains why he is now back in charge of Buffalo Reuse following months of tension and turmoil. In an audio interview available through the link below Mr Gainer said, "The green demolition company is back at work with a renewed mission."


WBFO News

David Heathcote in BBC's Art Deco series

David Heathcote in BBC's Art Deco series - The Art Deco movement swept through Britain in the 1930s, bringing a little glamour to everyone's life. In this series, architectural historian David Heathcote explores and enjoys four of the best examples of Art Deco in Britain.

Heathcote checks into Claridge's Hotel in London's Mayfair and explores the Art Deco makeover of the 1930s, which transformed the old Victorian hotel into a fashionable destination for the rich and famous.

Second life

The Guardian has put together an eco-minded article on how to transform old household goods. Ashe Deleuil shares her ethos of, 'give your things a makeover and make good from what you already own'. In the artcile She said, "I bought an old pine door from a salvage yard for £30 (try salvo.co.uk), and replaced the glass, hinges and handles.

Guardian

Thornton ICI chimney demolition

Explosive demolition experts Tobinson & Birdsell have carried out a successful impolsion at the Thornton Power Station near Blackpool.

Franny Armstrong green personality 2009

edie awards 2009

The edie awards recognise environmental excellence within projects and individuals. Winner of edie green personality of the year was Franny Armstrong, who has made some landmark independent films (McLibel, The Age of Stupid, Baked Alaska and Drowned Out). Her most recent project is 10:10, a campaign which aims to cut 10% of the UK's emissions within 2010. Launched in September 2009, 10:10 has since been signed up to by the UK's leading politicians, as well as by prominent organisations and individuals.

Unconnected to her work, during November 2009, Ms Armstrong was rescued by London mayor Boris Johnson from an assault in Camden, London. Ms Armstrong praised him as her "knight on a shining bicycle"and reported that he chased off the attackers and then insisted on escorting her home. During the 20 minute journey, she suggested that he adopt the 10:10 policy for the tube and that he pedestrianise Camden Town to which he replied that he wanted to pedestrianise all across London.

edie

Keeping warm without costing the earth

Sarah Lonsdale, reporter for the Telegraph, asks if it is possible for an average Victorian terrace to half its energy bills. "I’m in a quiet residential street in Balham, south London. The rows of smart Victorian terraces and semis, with their white stucco work and bay windows are now a desirable design classic. But for a government charged with reducing the nation’s carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, they’re an absolute nightmare. Increasingly, too, for the owners who have to heat these solid-walled, single-paned, airy-lofted, yet rather lovely dinosaurs, they are a growing drain on family finances," said Mrs Lonsdale.

Architect Susan Venner’s has set out to prove she can reduce the environmental impact of her Victorian terrace home. The only visible sign of the project is the cork cladding on the outside end of terrace wall: to be specific, 180mm- deep cork, in two layers fixed with wooden battens up which a few climbing plants have started to move. "This cork cladding has had a massive impact on heating bills, we used it where ever we could. The 130-year-old solid brick walls of these houses let out masses of heat, now 10 times less escapes through this cork," said Mrs Venner.

Other energy-efficient measures that Mrs Venner has introduced include underfloor insulation and newly fitted reclaimed flooring, laid on top of the original wooden floorboards to increase the installation. The reclaimed boards were from a gym at Loughborough University and found on an ad on SalvoWEB!!

"Solar thermal panels on the roof provides hot water for most of the year. Finally, autumn and spring heating is now done with a super-efficient wood-burning stove, licensed for use in smokeless zones, fed with builders’ offcuts and collected wood from Tooting Common. We have very nearly reached the 80% emission reduction we have been striving for." said Mrs Venner

Telegraph

New trendy Ashmolean and old-fashioned Pitt Rivers

Above: Pitt Rivers does look similar to how it did in the 1901 photo. Now the display cases are chock-full and the spacious-lloking hall is crammed to the gunwales with stuff.

Above: Architectural spaces have been created at the Ashmolean but these are slightly disconnected from the exhibits. Here a load of unlabelled Chantrey plaster busts have been used as decorator items in a stairwell. Is that wrong? It is the modern way that salvage is used.

Oxford UK - TWO Oxford museums have been given a makeover in 2009: the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers, the former at £60m costing more than any museum makeover since the £100m British Museum roof project, and the latter costing £2.5m. What do you get for your money? Both museums were founded on substantial early collections, with the Ashmolean (the oldest museum in England) having a more classic spread from Egypt to Pre-Raphaelite situated in a series of galleries, while Pitt Rivers was more ethnographic including huge North American totem poles and medieval English spells, located in many display cabinets in one large hall.

The money at the Ashmolean seems to have been spent on creating space - an architect designing a museum - and not on showing the collection, although the determined visitor will find plenty to satisfy. The labelling was not complete, and it was not obvious what some of the items were. This cannot be said of Pitt Rivers where the architecture and joinery has been left intact and the handwritten labelling intricately comprehensive. The pleasant and spacious ambience of a modern museum without a cluttered mass of exhibits is the Ashmolean. For an original Victorian museums the Pitt Rivers has no peer.

Both museums have free admission and both invite schoolchildren - older children at the Ashmolean and the youngsters at Pitt Rivers.

Rotting wood 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide

Each year anything between five and ten million tonnes of wood is thrown away in the UK. Recycling rates for wood have improved in recent years. In the mid 1990s, less than 2 per cent of discarded wood a year was recycled, that figure is now between 40 and 50 per cent.

However this still means that each year the equivalent of many forests are being buried in holes in the ground! As the biodegradable wood lies in landfills, gently rotting away, it creates methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide.

"Kitchen cabinets are regarded as the low-grade end of the used-wood market. Most are made from wood chip and are bound by glue and other substances, all of which have to be filtered out when recycled. Because of present economic conditions, there is a surplus of used wood on the market. But the great hope for the future are wood-fuelled biomass power plants: wood surpluses could be burned as more of these facilities come on stream. Wood recycling groups, operating in virtually every city and county, are an excellent drop off and buying point for used-wood products. Find out where your local one is at the charity Furniture Re-Use Network www.frn.org.uk" said the Green and Confused Organisation.

Times online

Thornton Kay said . . .

The figures given by The Times are misleading. The article says 'In the mid 1990s, less than 2 per cent of discarded wood a year was recycled, that figure is now between 40 and 50 per cent.' and that 7m tonnes of wood is discarded.

The truth is that much more than 7m tonnes of wood is discarded from all waste streams in the UK annually of which around 7m tonnes is discarded from construction and demolition alone. In the mid 1990s 10 percent of this C&D wood, or 700,000 tonnes, was reclaimed for reuse as wood by the salvage sector. Officially less than 2 percent was recycled by being chipped, mulched or burnt, although anecdotal evidence is that unrecorded burning was much more prevalent.

In 2009 the amount of reclaimable wood being recycled increased to 50 percent, and 250,000 tonnes are reclaimed for reuse by the salvage sector.

The Times story is greenwash. It is promoting the view that the best option for reusable old demolition timber is burning in waste to energy plants. All reusable wood should be reused. Burning reusable wood is never the best option, and it would only be carbon neutral if the world's forests are expanding by the amount of wood being destroyed and the energy costs of felling and converting the timber were nil. But in reality forests are contracting rapidly and the energy costs of growing new forests and logging and converting new timber are high.

14 NOVEMBER, 2009 02:52

Electrical insulator table

Architectural Forum, Islington London UK
Reuse of the week
A recrafted glass table made with a reclaimed ceramic electrical insulator base with polished ferrules.





Table for sale on SalvoWEB

Architectural Forum

Scrap wood table

A table made from random pieces of scrap wood which have been laminated together. Then carefully smoothed and polished only on one side of the finished block, leaving the underside rough to show off the process.







MAKE

IBS strike it lucky

IBS Reclaim, Oakley Buckinghamshire UK

"Now you are going to smile," exclaimed David Marlow, manger of IBS Reclaim in Buckinghamshire, when questioned about his latest ad on SalvoWEB; a medieval stone corbel carved from gritstone.

"Once in a while we all fall upon something or have a bit of luck. The truth is we purchased some yorkstone paving back in June/July this year from the Lancashire/Yorkshire borders, there was a crate of bits and pieces given to us free.

"The contents of the crate were of no value and most of it was put in the skip as unwanted waste, right in the bottom we discovered the head. You may recall that in the Denner Hill, IBS blog that Salvo recently featured there was reference to Dr Nick Cutler 'Apart from its sales and redevelopment, IBS has also donated old stone samples from its reclaimed stocks to Dr Nick Cutler of Oxford University's Centre for the Environment who was making a study of biodeterioration which includes the effects of algae and lichen on stonework. He was fascinated by David Marlow's knowledge of Sarsen stone and Denner Hill stone history especially the story of the snipers. . .' Nick examined the head during his visit and his conclusion forms the basis of the current advert on salvo. Some think it is a depiction of Christ others are not so sure, we remain undecided," said Mr Marlow.





Ad on SalvoWEB

IBS