“A Portkey is an object enchanted to instantly bring anyone touching it to a specific location.”
Wikipedia
I have a thing for old pieces and fragments of brass and bronze hardware. Some are keyhole covers from old doors, others are perhaps decorative fragments that once adorned beautiful pieces of furniture. Somewhere along the way they have been removed, probably when people have updated locks or replaced doors, and thus they began a journey to the land of “Things No One Knows What to do With.” Some pieces were salvaged off broken furniture or likely removed because someone wanted to “update” the piece. These pieces definitely don’t give off a contemporary vibe in furniture.
All the lovely fragments I’ve found digging through dirty boxes fall under one of my favorite categories — “Things they don’t make like this anymore.”
This bronze beauty becomes the center of attention when placed behind an old, beautifully gilded and ornate frame from Belgium.
To me they are Portkeys that can transport you to another time, another place. Back to a time when an artisan spent hours casting a mold and carving intricacies into metal, never knowing who would one day witness the result of their labor. I see an individual work of art forever cast in metals that glow. Each piece carries its own character within, sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical.
All of the pieces pictured in this post are from the brocante at Carpentras in Provence or from a flea market outside of Paris.
I like to add them to walls to accent paintings, they add a little je ne sais quoi to what would normally just be a picture hanging on a wall. They also could be added to a buffet table as a decorative piece or positioned on a garden wall. The possibilities are endless.
A self portrait painted by my daughter J. Morgan several years ago when she was in college.
The faces are always so beautiful, I am always enraptured with the level of detail.
The face of Bacchus with grape clusters on either side of his face. The god of wine is known for the frenzy he induces.
At times when I am longing to be on an adventure, traveling to and experiencing life in a place far from home, I walk past one of my Portkeys and remember exactly where it found me. And then I get transported back to a different time and place, just long enough to tide me over until the next trip. What is your Portkey?
This was so interesting makes me want to start a collection of port keys – I will definitely be looking for them! Very nicely done – thank you
Thanks Louanne! Everyone has something that “speaks” to them and turns into a collection, right? My problem is there are too many things that keep catching my eye!