Friday, July 9, 2010

Country Living Magazine and My Stone Fruit

If I am known for anything it is my collection of Stone Fruit. My collection was featured in Country Living Magazine in November 2001. Later it was featured in the wonderful book Jessie Walker's Country Decorating.

So I was thrilled this week to find some additional pieces.



Stone Fruit was.... and still is... made in Italy.




It isn't really stone... rather it is marble.




First made around 1900 it is often shown with other "Country" decorations...




But, the heyday of it's popularity was the 1950's when it was used with other Italian decorating items...cream colored furniture, gilt mirrors, marble lamps, and tole.




I am drawn to the wonderful colors, great paint surface, and robust presence!

More about Stone Fruit in my next post.

21 comments:

  1. My mother has collected stone fruit for years. It's been a long while since I've found any for her. (You must have it all!) Nice photos.

    Jan

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  2. Joan, you've just given me an education. I've never heard of this before but am drooling over the pictures and their incredible detail! Another of your collections I would love to have!
    Thanks so much for enlightening me, can't wait to hear more about them.

    ~♥~
    Kristal

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  3. Wow...I have never seen these before. Love them and will be keeping an eye out for them.

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  4. So cool and so neat to be in a magazine...maybe they need to do a re-visit ?
    Hugs ~ Kammy

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  5. What a great collection and that is so great that you got a feature in Country Living!!! I bet a bowl of that fruit is REALLY heavy!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

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  6. I have never seen stone fruit but I have a wood fruit collection:) Not nearly as pretty as yours!

    Have a blessed day!

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  7. Hey Sweet Pea!
    Love the stone fruit... I have many friends, that collect it... I could never afford it... so I started buying up, the mid 1900's wax fruit...I love it... It's inexpensive, and beautiful... {I really, really LOVE the grapes...}I have started a collection of wood fruit, too... Had about a bushel, then it all sold... in an enormous wooden bowl... But, I'm back on the hunt!
    Take care sweetie... and when you sell all that fruit... could ya float me a loan? You will be RICH!
    My Love to Ya!
    Barb C.

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  8. It has been a long time since I have seen any. Ditto what someone else said - Country Living needs to do another visit. :-D
    Have a great weekend.

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  9. I don't think I've ever seen a piece of stone fruit in person. They sure are lovely, and very realistic looking too. You have the best out of the ordinary collections, Joan!
    Have a great weekend!
    Carol

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  10. Never heard of it before, but it's beautiful.

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  11. I also have never heard of this. They are so pretty, I look forward to learning more!!

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  12. Love that your collection was featured...it's such a beautiful collection. It's not that easy to find these days, either.

    Please join FrenchGardenHouse for our Ruffled Belgian Table Linens GIVEAWAY~Lidy

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  13. I had no idea people collected stone fruit from Italy. I bought some when we were stationed with the Navy in Sicily from 1968-71. I have it sitting in a basket in the dining room. My big regret is that I let the kids play with it when they were little. What was I thinking? I've touched up some of the chips with paint over the years. Where is it sold in the States?

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  14. I have some small fruit like this. Mine were handed down from one generation to another. They are very real looking and heavy.

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  15. Great collection. Looks so real makes me hungry! well everything makes me hungry!
    xxx

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  16. Hi there!
    I remember you article!! I'll have to look through my collection of CL mags and find it! I have a collection also... mainly of the really large, oversized (6" peaches/apples/pears). I know for a while they were all going for big $$ on ebay, but haven't looked in years.
    Nice to meet you!
    joan

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  17. Oh my goodness, they look so real. I'd never heard about these before. Thanks so much for sharing.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  18. This is the first I have heard or seen any thing on stone fruit1 It is so very beautiful. Thanks for the lesson.

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  19. You have a great collection of fruit. When I see them in the shops out here they are quite expensive. Thanks for sharing...Julian

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  20. Congratulations to the note in the magazine! your stone fruits are just lovely...great collection!

    Hugs

    magdalena

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  21. Mom has a big bowl of the marble fruit. It's been sitting on her kitchen counter for so long...probably since the 50's. I oogle it every time I visit. :) It's so cool that you were in the CL magazine. xo

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