Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Today we are in her drawing room, which has taken on a festive air with a smart Christmas tree, expertly decorated by Lettice taking pride of place in the middle of the room. A collection of gaily wrapped Christmas gifts sit beneath its boughs, awaiting either for the arrival of their intended at Lettice’s invitation or to be taken to their intended by her. A garland drapes elegantly over the fireplace, the mantle of which is decorated with brightly coloured cards in the latest Art Deco style.
“There you are Miss!” Edith, Lettice’s maid, says with satisfaction as she places a beautifully iced Christmas cake of a gingerbread man on the black japanned coffee table. “A MacFarlane Lang’s Christmas Cake from Harrod’s, just as you requested.”
“Oh good,” Lettice replies as she fossicks through the Christmas gifts beneath the tree. “Thank you, Edith.”
“Will there be anything else, Miss?”
“Oh just wait a moment, would you Edith?”
“Yes Miss.”
The maid watches her mistress searching through the presents.
“Pardon me for asking, Miss,”
“Yes,” Lettice’s muffled reply comes from beneath the bauble decorated boughs. “What is it, Edith?”
“Well, it’s not for me to say, Miss, but you asked me to set out tea things for two,”
“I did, Edith.”
“And you insisted that I buy a cake for morning tea, rather than make a cake.”
“I did, Edith.”
“Yet, there isn’t anyone expected Miss: at least no-one that I know of.”
“That’s right Edith. Aha!” Lettice cries triumphantly as she withdraws a beautifully gold foil paper wrapped gift tied expertly with purple satin ribbons.
“Then, pardon me for asking, Miss, but who is the second place setting for?”
“Why for you, Edith!” Lettice replies, as she deposits the gift on the table and settles herself back on her tub armchair.
“Me, Miss?” Edith says in disbelief, her eyes widening with shock at her mistress’ matter-of-fact statement.
“Yes, Edith,” Lettice replies. “Please do sit down.” Lettice indicates to the tub chair opposite her with a sweeping gesture.
Edith looks around rather guiltily as she lowers herself timidly so that she is perched on the edge of the chair’s cushion. She feels very awkward and is quite sure that it shows on her face as she feels a blush warming her skin as it rises from her collar bones, up her neck and throat and to her cheeks.
“Merry Christmas, Edith!” Lettice pushes the expensively wrapped gift across the surface of the table to her maid opposite with a beautifully manicured hand.
“Oh Miss!” Edith gasps. “I… I don’t know what to say?”
“Then for once, say nothing and listen.” Lettice replies, smoothing down her dress and running her fingers through her bobbed hair. “I know that I’m not always the most conventional of employers, and I probably shock you sometimes with my modern talk.”
“Well…”
“Ssshh!” Lettice puts a finger to her red painted lips. “You’ve been a real brick, Edith, and I just want you to know that I appreciate all that you have done for me during your first year of service with me. You’ve proven to be a most invaluable servant, and I hope that you will be with me for many years to come.”
“Yes Miss.” Edith replies humbly as she fingers the satin bow of her gift.
“Well don’t just play with it, Edith, open it up!” Lettice’s palpable excitement charges the air.
“Oh, it’s almost too beautiful to unwrap, Miss.”
“Nonsense! Now don’t spoil it for me. I thought long and hard about a gift for you.”
Edith carefully unwraps the bow from the present and places the discarded ribbon on the green brocade stool next to her. Nestled within the foil wrapping she finds a bottle of Yardley’s English Lavender eau de toilette and some silk lisle stockings.
“Oh Miss!”
“For your afternoons off!” Lettice says. “I didn’t think a bottle of ‘Amour Amour’* was quite your style, so contrary to my own taste I thought you might like a bottle of English Lavender, and you can wear the stockings the next time you and your friend… what is her name again?”
“Hilda, Miss.”
“That’s it! You can wear them when Hilda takes you to the Hammersmith Palais de Danse**.”
“Oh Miss, I… I don’t know what to say.”
“Thank you is usually customary.”
“Oh! Where are my manners!” Edith stands. “Thank you, Miss.” She drops a quick bob curtsey.
“Now, none of that this morning Edith. Sit down and let me cut you a slice of this delicious cake. I might not be any good at making hot chocolate, but my Swiss finishing school education did teach me how to slice a cake. And anything we don’t eat you can wrap up for your mother, wen you see her on Sunday.”
“That’s very generous of you.”
“Not at all Edith,” Lettice flaps the compliment away with a languid hand. “You deserve it, and I’m sure she is equally as deserving! Call it a Christmas treat to your mother, from me, as thanks for raising such a brick of a maid!”
“Merry Christmas, Miss.”
“Merry Christmas, Edith.”
Edith settles back ever so slightly further back into the cushions of the tub chair and accepts the plate proffered by her mistress, and the two women eat their cake in companionable silence punctuated only by the sound of cutlery on crockery and the ticking of the clock.
*’Amour Amour’ was a perfume created in the early 1920s by French couturier Jean Patou: his first of many.
** The Hammersmith Palais de Danse, in its last years simply named Hammersmith Palais, was a dance hall and entertainment venue in Hammersmith, London, England that operated from 1919 until 2007. It was the first palais de danse to be built in Britain.
This year the FFF+ Group have decided to have a monthly challenge called “Freestyle On The Fifth”. A different theme chosen by a member of the group each month, and the image is to be posted on the 5th of the month.
This month the theme, “Christmas magic” was chosen me.
I love Christmas, and I love decorating at Christmas too. This even extends to my miniatures collection. This upper-class domestic scene is different to what you may think, for it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures.
Fun things to look for in this tableaux include:
The elegantly decorated Christmas tree is a hand-made 1:12 size artisan miniature made by an artist in America. The presents beneath it come from various miniature specialist stockists in England.
The 1:12 miniature garland over the Art Deco fireplace was hand-made by Karen Lady Bug Miniatures in England and the 1;12 Art Deco card selection on the manle came from Doreen Jeffries’ Small Wonders Miniature store in England.
The black Bakelite and silver telephone is a 1:12 miniature of a model introduced around 1919.
Lettice’s tea set is a beautiful artisan set featuring a rather avant-garde Art Deco Royal Doulton design from the Edwardian era. The Christmas cake featuring a gingerbread man wearing a green ribbon is another hand-made 1:12 artisan miniature from Karen Ladybug Miniatures.
Lettice’s drawing room is furnished with beautiful J.B.M. miniatures. The Art Deco tub chairs are of black japanned wood and have removable cushions, just like their life sized examples. To the left of the fireplace is a Hepplewhite drop-drawer bureau and chair of black japanned wood which has been hand painted with chinoiserie designs, even down the legs and inside the bureau. The chair set has a rattan seat, which has also been hand woven. To the right of the fireplace is a Chippendale cabinet which has also been decorated with chinoiserie designs. It also features very ornate metalwork hinges and locks.
On the top of the Hepplewhite bureau stand three real miniature photos in frames including an Edwardian silver frame, a Victorian brass frame and an Art Deco blue Bakelite and glass frame.
The fireplace is a 1:12 miniature resin Art Deco fireplace which is flanked by brass accessories including an ash brush with real bristles.
On the left hand side of the mantle, behind the cards, you can just glimpse the turquoise coloured top of an Art Deco metal clock hand painted with wonderful detail by British miniature artisan Victoria Fasken.
In the middle of the mantle is a miniature artisan hand painted Art Deco statue on a “marble” plinth. Made by Warwick Miniatures in England, it is a 1:12 copy of the “Theban Dancer” sculpture created by Claire-Jeanne-Roberte Colinet in 1925.
The carpet beneath the furniture is a copy of a popular 1920s style Chinese silk rug, and the geometric Art Deco wallpaper is beautiful hand impressed paper given to me by a friend, which inspired the whole “Cavendish Mews – Lettice Chetwynd” series.
