UPDATE: Direct from Market: Tabletop
By Bessie Nestoras -- Gifts and Dec, 10/27/2009 5:30:00 PM
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The Fall 2009 Tabletop Market held at 41 Madison and 7 West New York followed the summer markets in that vendors seemed overall pleased with the show reporting that they had solid appointment bookings, as well as making new contacts and finding potential new customers.
Most companies had a fair amount of introductions. WWRD debuted its new showroom at a cocktail reception on Tuesday night. Attendees were treated to hors d’oeuvres and drinks in the newly renovated 23rd floor showroom. The bright and airy space highlights the products in all three brands — Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton — in a much cleaner setting allowing them to really pop. The party was attended by many industry insiders, as well as LuAnn de Lesseps from Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City.
7 West also hosted a party on Tuesday night. Guests mixed and mingled after a long day at market and
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were treated to cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, as well as mini cupcakes — a
big hit with everyone.
Lifetime Brands’ party on Wednesday night featured a candy maker who created lollipops in the shape of guests’ requests. From tigers to dogs to butterflies — the pieces were works of art. People lined up and waited up to ten minutes for their finished treat that looked too good to eat.
Also on Wednesday evening, Lenox hosted a party to celebrate its re-emergence. CEO Peter Cameron greeted the assembled guests and gave a brief overview of the company's new direction.
Gallery on Six hosted a party on Thursday night with Mexican food and margaritas to celebrate its Décor Mexico section.
There was a fair amount of product introductions, but vendors are still playing it safe with many offering extensions to existing lines. Christofle continues to focus on its gifts and jewelry. Peggy Huyn Kinh, who created a jewelry collection for Christofle, has designed Silver Story — a collection of decorative bowls, vases and a votive holder. The line incorporates the various patterns from Christofle’s flatware. Gem Gem is a new jewelry collection that takes on an Art Deco feel. The silver is cut in such a way to make the pieces look like they are adorned with jewels. Pythagore, Attractive and Quadrature are three other new jewelry collections that take on a more geometric feel. They are very modern and sleek using circles, squares and rectangular shapes.
Mikasa offered buyers several new dinnerware patterns in both formal and transitional. Among them, Infinity
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Color Studio from Mikasa |
Band which features a scrolling band of linked infinity symbols. Mikasa Ikat features a classic Ikat diamond design. Color Studio comes in six place settings and 12 colors with a platinum banding and four colors with a gold banding. The plates come in a solid colored band, a stripe and a polka dot. Simplicity Platinum and Gold are simple dinnerware collections featuring a coupe shape. Feathered features a gold peacock feather motif. Dining Redesigned is a transitional dinnerware collection. There are seven patterns in the collection and each is dishwasher and microwave safe, and chip resistant. The line includes Sparkle Circles, Geometric Circles, Modern Butterfly, Cascading Rose, Optic, Spun Charcoal and Spun Ivory.
Love Story continues to be a success for Mikasa and the company has added several new giftable items in the line including cake servers, albums and vases. The company also introduced a new contemporary art glass collection by artist Abby Modell. Rockswirl features a selection of vases, bowls and votives in dome and rock shapes in five colors: green, yellow, orange, blue and turquoise. The collection was well received by buyers according to Lisa Lochner of Lifetime Brands.
Pfaltzgraff, known for its stoneware dinnerware, is now experimenting with porcelain. The company featured one pattern to buyers this market. In total, Pfaltzgraff Everyday introduced 25 new patterns this market. And Pfaltzgraff introduced seven dinnerware collections.
Juliska continues to focus on its gift items adding new pieces to its Jardins du Monde — Beehive Collection,
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Beehive Collection from Juliska |
including a sugar/honey pot, scallop tray, mini blossom dish and pitcher. Three Wise Monkeys is new in the company’s Cornerstons Collection which was introduced over the summer. The plates value Optimism: “Hear no evil, ”Appreciation: “See no evil” and Praise: “Speak no evil.” The company’s new Charity Piggy enourages people to give back. Juliksa has joined forces with Save the Children to raise money and awareness for children in need. All profits from the Charity Piggy will be donated to Save the Children. The company’s goal is to sell 10,000 piggies. Also new is the Marriage ring dish which features the quote: “Marriage doubles your joys, halves your sorrows and gives you wings.”
Haviland goes Art Deco this market with its Cible dinnerware collection. The plates feature a silver and gold
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Haviland's Cible dinnerware |
striped pattern. In giftware, Tigre is a new collection of dessert plates, tea cups and saucers, as well as trays featuring an illustration of a woman seated in a chair with a tiger beside her. The line is also offered with the illustration done in silver and gold called Silhouette.
Waterford’s new campaign this market is “Sparkle of a new beginning.” The company launched the Alana Prestige collection, a heritage pattern from the 1950s that has been revived with oversized decorative pieces cased in light green crystal. Also new is the Butterfly collection which includes pieces in clear, pink and green in a ring holder, perfume bottle, flutes and vases. In Lismore Essence, the company’s best selling pattern, Waterford decided to soften the look and give the cut an update by adding softer shaped barware and giftware including hi ball glasses, a wine coaster, pitcher, votive, serving platter and picture frame. There are two new
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Alana Prestige Collection from Waterford |
china patterns: Flight and Halo, both taking on a soft modern design. Flight is done in a neutral green, and Halo features a white body with platinum circles. There are new pieces in Evolution. Armada is the newest collection and inspired by the sea with colors of aqua, teal and coral. The contoured bottle shapes are meant to be reminiscent of architecture in Spain’s New World. The company is also launching an iPhone application that will allow two iPhone users to clink glasses. Waterford has also announced that it is the official award for the 2010 People’s Choice Awards scheduled for January.
Wedgwood introduced Silver Aster Dinnerware, a white china pattern with a platinum band and feathering detail on the rim. Vera Wang introduced three new dinnerware patterns in Vera Wang at Home, a collection of everyday bone china. Ikat features bold colors in a graphic design, Floral Leaf takes an artistic approach with watercolor florals and Glissé is a modern pattern inspired by Vera’s love of figure skating.
Royal Doulton offered a new dinnerware pattern from Monique Lhuillier. Couturier features a black and platinum band. Her Platine dinnerware is banded with polished platinum accents and raised stitched on the rim that resembles the stitching on a gown. The company's Opalene is inspired by the many shades of an opal gem. It was created with a new technique that creates a Prism effect allowing each piece of the geometric design to reflect multiple shades.
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Sorella Home's Botanica |
Sorella Home made its debut at the summer markets. The company offers a selection of dinnerware and gifts hand crafted in Italy with a modern approach. Botanica is an elegant, earthy dinnerware collection that can go from casual to formal with ease. It features a botanical theme in soft beiges and creams. Vento is a glass dinnerware line done in ivory and gold and is sand blasted and handpainted. It is also available in black and gold and includes a selection of giftware items.
Lenox launched L by Lenox this market. The new line is made up of four dinnerware and six stemware patterns. Included in the dinnerware is Gilded Tapestry, a floral pattern in turquoise and brown with gold accents. Silver Bouquet, featuring clusters of flowers with a modern positive/negative approach with a platinum band. Golden Bough, done in a chocolate and gold motif featuring
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Gilded Tapestry from Lenox |
vines and leaves. And Floral Waltz, a more modern setting with blooms and leaves with a platinum band.
The company’s new Lifestyle Collection includes dinner settings that are less formal, in keeping with today’s entertaining habits. Platinum Ice, Silver Song, Silver Mist and Platinum Leaf round out the collection. Also new in this collection is Napa Valley stemware. The glasses are boxed in a set of two and are break-resistant.
From Dansk, Classic Fjord dinnerware is an extension of its successful Fjord Metal Serveware and takes on its sweeping lines and fluid shapes. Also new is Terning, a dinnerware collection which incorporates cubes and architectural designs into the pattern. The designer, Tim Carder, was inspired by United States Capitol dome when designing this dinnerware collection.
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Vera dinnerware from The Zrike Company |
Copper Canyon from Nambé |
The Zrike Company introduced new dinnerware featuring the patterns of artist Vera, who began her business in 1946 with printed placemats, but became known for her signature scarves. There are four dinnerware patterns: two in blue and two in orange. The plates are fine bone china, the first time Zrike has worked in this medium. There is also hand-painted glassware available that coordinates with the patterns.
Nambé introduced Copper Canyon to celebrate its nearly 60 years of New Mexican heritage. The pieces are made in the Nambé metal, but feature a copper layer. The Rocks collection incorporates metal with granite and includes candlesticks, votives, a wine rack cake plate and more.
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Silver Dust from Rosenthal |
Silver Dust is a new dinnerware pattern from Rosenthal. Done in white porcelain, the plates feature a platinum edge. Velvet Beige takes on a more feminine look with a delicate floral pattern in warm creams with a gold band.
Sambonet’s Party flatware borrows from the idea of wine markers and takes it to flatware. Each utensil features its own shape, and that way each guest knows which place setting is theirs.
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Tesserae Tortoise from Herend |
Herend’s Tesserae Tortoise features 38 different Herend patterns on the tortoise’s shell. The limited-edition piece takes five Herend artists and 19 hours to paint. Also new this market is a Turtle Trio available in blue, green and raspberry, a Duckling and Bunny and Herend’s Hugging Chimpanzees available in four fishnet colors: raspberry and key lime, blue and raspberry, green and blue and black and chocolate.
Next year marks Portmeirion’s 50th anniversary. To celebrate, the company is taking its archive patterns and placing them on mugs. Each will be presented in a gift box. There are five designs in all. Liquid is a new dinnerware collection that takes on a modern approach and features fluid shapes. The simple dinnerware collection is offered in white. This is the first time Portmeirion and Spode exhibited together since Portmeirion acquired Spode. The Portmeirion Group is relaunching its Spode Stafford White and Stafford Flowers bone china dinnerware collections accented in 22-kt. gold. The company also announced that it is moving more than 50 percent of its Spode Woodland assortment and 30 percent of its Spode Blue Italian assortment back to U.K. factories. By this time next year, the company expects that 80–90 percent of production will be back in the U.K.
Austin Floral Majolica is a fine earthenware collection from Reed & Barton’s Thomas O’Brien line that features
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Farmyard Friends from Reed & Barton |
fruit and floral branches in a raised pattern. The collection includes a set of four salad plates, oval serving platter, footed salad bowl and footed centerpiece. The company has also introduced a selection of baby gifts in its Williamsburg collection. Farmyard Friends includes a child’s cup, infant feeding spoon, picture frame, a lamb coin bank and a musical waterglobe that plays “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Also new are several flatware patterns, including Andover Pearl, Nelson, Dalton, Silver Ridge and Bayberry. Another new piece in the Williamsburg line is the Tarpley Flatware Case. Based on an archival knife box, it holds service for up to 18, including serving pieces.
Flower Dream is a new dinnerware pattern from Villeroy and Boch. The
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Villeroy & Boch's Flower Dream |
pattern is featured on the company’s Louis XIV form and incorporates a tulip bloom as its central motif and lattice work on the rim of the plate. Anmut, an archival pattern from the 1950s is updated with a platinum band. In its popular New Wave Caffe, Villeroy & Boch introduced Colours of Arabia. The collection features four patterns.
Royal Crown Derby breaks from its traditional look to offer buyers the Hachi Collection. Designed by Peter Ting, the artist showcases details from traditional patterns on this new collection of dinnerware. The look is updated and modern. The company has also introduced a selection of decorative pieces by contemporary artist Ken Eastman. The line features patterns from the factory archives.
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Hachi from Royal Crown Derby |
Since joining forces with Haviland, Lalique has introduced a new dinnerware collection — Lalique by Haviland. Perles features a dotted motif and Hirondelles features the classic sparrow motif in a combined matte and glaze finish. Also new is the Perles coffee set. Next year marks the 150th anniversary of René Lalique’s birth and the company is presenting an Hommage à René Lalique collection. The line reinterprets iconic glass creations in crystal.
Kim Seybert turns to summer for next year’s inspiration. The new collections feature coral and capiz shell in a variety of bright colors. Included in the introductions are the Beaded Coral Collection which includes a hand beaded charger and hurricanes. Also new is Sea Star which features a family of starfish clinging
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Hirondelles from Lalique by Haviland |
to the edge of a placement in bright coral stones and pearl and shell tones. And for an edgier look, take a look at Petal Metal, which features a raised petal motif.
Tag also turned to the beach for its inspiration. Most of the collections featured a seaside theme, but without the shells. Summer Cottage can go from lakeside to seaside with its simple picnic theme. Azure takes on a Mediterranean look with bright colors in floral pattern reminiscent of tiles. Also new is Summer Song, the Jardin Collection, Sarah’s Garden, which features a sophisticated floral motif, and the Verde Collection.
Wilton Armetale’s new Florentine collection is a bit of a departure from its usual pieces. The line features new
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Azure from Tag |
shapes and a new sculpted chip and dip in the shape of a fleur de lis. Belle Mont is another new collection and is reminiscent of the Queen Anne style.
Gallery on Six at 7 West featured Décor Mexico, a collection of ceramics and other decorative accessories from Mexico.
Queen Lace Crystal has joined the Richard Cohen Collection in 7 West.
And Arte Italica introduced Marletto, which means lace, a new dinnerware collection.
Micheal Aram is working in a new medium: wood. The Fig Leaf Collection finds inspiration in the northern Californian lifestyle and its wine country. The designer features serving pieces made from acacia wood mixed with oxidized metal elements. One of the highlights is a wood and metal platter with notched edges to hold skewers. Also included in the introductions is a mesh-domed cheese platter with a green marble insert. Aram takes a more whimsical approach with his Corn Collection of serving pieces, corn picks and salt and pepper shakers in the shape of corn on the cob. The new Garland Collection is geared toward the bride. Many of the pieces in this line are multifunctional. For example, a ring carrier becomes a wine coaster and a flower basket becomes as a vase. The line also includes an invitation frame, bowls, votive holders and more. Also new is a selection of kitchen decoratives that includes canisters, towel holders, a salt and pepper caddy and a cruet caddy.
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