Skye, the rough haired Jack Russell from Berwick-upon-Tweed, England

Little Skye, a Jack Russell.

Skye would like to sleep.

2 Warren's Liquid Blacking pots, early 19th century.

2 early 19th century liquid blacking salt glaze pots.     These stoneware pots were first made by Jonathan Warren in c1795, his premises being at 18 Great Suffolk Street, London.      In c1800 Jonathan's brother Thomas opened a shop at 14 St. Martin's Lane, Charing Cross, London.    Thomas died in 1805 and his son Robert moved the business in 1816 to 30 The Strand,   then in 1821 Jonathan moved from Great Suffolk Street to Hungerford Stairs, London  selling the business in 1822.   Robert Warren continued making blacking, eventually selling out to Cherry Blossom. Poor Charles Dickens worked as a boy at a blacking factory at Hungerford Stairs, he was only 11 years old but was sent by his father whose finances were in a precarious state. He pasted labels onto liquid blacking pots and put paper covers onto blacking paste pots. Blacking was used extensively in the 19th century for the cleaning and polishing of boots and shoes, floors and doorsteps. The pots above show one with the Charing Cross address c1800, the other would have had a paper label and is c1820.

Amarylis bulb in glass jar, 3 views of the unfolding bud, painting by Tessa Bennett.

Painting of an amarylis bulb growing in an old glass jar. Three unfolding views of this magnificent flower.

Antique tiles, Dutch, English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and books, painting.

6 antique tiles, Dutch, Spanish, English, and Portuguese, books by Albert Camus, Desmond Morris and George Orwell,  painting by Tessa Bennett.

Angels in stained glass, c1880

We all need an angel, this one stands at the half way point of an imposing staircase in Berwick-upon-Tweed. She holds peace symbols, white lilies and a white dove.

Another angel stands at the top of the same staircase. She floats,  and gathers roses.

Life of a Tulip, 24 drawings and a short history of the tulip

Geese fly North over a Northumberland beach towards Scotland at Cocklawburn..

Geese fly North over Northumberland, England, towards Scotland.

Geese  fly North over Northumberland, England, towards Scotland.