Stairway to Heaven

The auction is beginning to take its toll.  As I am down to the last week and a half, the devil is clearly in the details and it is taking all of my time.  It makes me oddly edgy when I don’t post.  People around here often ask me, “How do you come with stuff to write about?”  Or, “It’s so much pressure.  Do you ever want to skip a day?”


No.  Sometimes I have to, as the demands of other things press in, but, no, I don’t ever not want to.  And, oddly, even when I’m feeling a bit uninspired, something always seems to come my way that seems of note.  At least for this, my own little corner of blogland.

Today was a jumble of art projects, carbonless paper, proofreading and at least thirty punchy phone calls with my co-chair.  In the back of my mind I was thinking, “I surely cannot post today.”  I was bone dry.
And then, out of the blue, one of my readers with whom I have become email buddies sent me these.  Pamela Colangelo is a wonderful designer in New York.  And these are what she would collect if she had the budget and the space.

These staircase models were created by the compagnonnage, a French guild in the Middle Ages.  They began their eduction with geometrical drawing; when they completed their internships, they created these masterworks.

Clare and Eugene Thaw collected twenty models over thirty years.  When they donated the entire collection to the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Mr. Thaw said they chose the spot because, “they will feel at home here.”

Too bad we didn’t have a chance to hit him up for the auction.
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14 thoughts on “Stairway to Heaven

  1. Stair Master! A carpenter took a course and had to make a staircase – it was like looking at a Bonzai tree-
    a miniature work of art.
    Great post, and I too feel the same way, never at a loss for what to post on, in the midst of jobs, projects, boards, family and a fast pace life. Posts are an outlet to keep my sanity in step.

  2. These are beautiful. Bill Blass collected these too. You post every single day? I didn’t realize that. I can’t do it. I always need a few days down time between posts and also this is weird – but I think it gives people time to read it – like if I post every day – they would miss some of these wonderful gems I write. hahahah!!!

  3. They’re beautiful – how lovely it would be to have the space and cash to collect them!

  4. Found a smaller simpler version online at Obsolete that I lusted for. Someone once told me if you have to ask the price you can’t afford it. They were right.

  5. Lovely collection of unique objects. Who would ever think of collecting models of staircases, but they are wonderful.

    Please do post everyday, as often as possible…. a day without a new Mrs. Blandings post is, well, you know, like a winter’s day in Ohio. I was in withdrawal all day yesterday, and not because it was Tax Day.

    Good luck with the auction, and keep us posted. ‘Scuse the bad pun.

  6. I was going to mention the Bill Blass thing too but Joni beat me to it 🙂

    These pieces are so elegant and remind me of the Blandings home — the objects that have been collected so far.

  7. Wonderful objects! I love that you post every day. Believe me…I check everyday.

  8. Me three- Bill Blass came to mind! They certainly are exquisite, aren’t they!

  9. I have always loved these. Perhaps it was the Bill Blass collection I remember seeing at some point. Phew, I can’t post every day either. I have to at least do every other day, so I have time in between to visit all of the other blogs out there (like your wonderful blog!).I like that part of blogging too.

  10. I love that you post daily — or almost daily. It’s been the highlight of my day a time or ten. You’ve made this long winter a bit more bearable. Thanks for doing what you do.

  11. Katie – I like your idea of reading one day and writing the next. When I started, I was reading far fewer blogs – there are so many good ones. I’ve sort of taken to reading my favorites one day – then all the next. I get so much out of them.

  12. These are amazing,Patricia! I admire your ability to stay “on” your blog all the time, even when you are busy – phenomenal!

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