Five Finds That Stopped Me in My Tracks (And Might Just Steal Your Heart Too)
Sometimes an object or scene commands your attention—its hue or silhouette beckoning you to linger and take it in. These five discoveries—from the vibrant energy of a Matisse print to the warm glow of a mid-century lava-glaze plate—carry quiet histories beneath their surface.
Explore them at 11 Hamilton Home and let each piece spark fresh wonder in your surroundings.
Henri Matisse, Interior with Egyptian Curtain (1948)
Wild red blooms collide with crisp stripes—her knowing gaze draws you into stillness
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First sight: A tucked-away exhibition poster placed behind less adventurous prints at a local museum shop. The museum’s embossed seal and Matisse’s publisher credit on the margin confirm it’s an official exhibition poster—still rich with the immediacy of the original 1948 acquisition.
Midcentury French Lava-Glaze Plate (B.F.A. Pornic)
Red sparks float above a light blue background—useful art that won't be ignored.
Discovery: Spotted, almost hidden, beneath stacks of dinnerware at a weekend flea market in Austen, TX. The hand-written “B.F.A. Pornic – peint à la main” on the back and the telltale pitting of true lava glaze leave no doubt: this plate was born in a kiln, not on an assembly line.
Vintage Hand-Carved Shorebird Decoy, Painted Wood
Weathered wings locked in mid-glide—time-worn patina meets elegant stillness.
Rediscovered at a barn sale on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, wedged between broken oars and faded buoys.Thick layers of original oil paint—now crackled from sun and salt air—reveal hand-brushed feathers beneath. A faint carver’s mark on the keel and the pliable, hand-hewn cedar body (standard for early 20th-century Atlantic decoys) confirm it was crafted to lure real birds, not tourists.
Mid-century Brass & Enamel Geometric Trinket Box
Brass and electric blue converge in a hypnotic grid—small-scale, commanding presence.
Found on a glass shelf of a Palm Beach retro shop, wedged between sunburst mirrors and blown-glass vases.
The precise, recessed enamel grid set into solid brass channels speaks to 1970s European metalwork—too exact to be a souvenir.
Splendid Settings: 100 Years of Mottahedeh Design (Wendy Kvalheim)
an invitation to a century of porcelain elegance, where every setting tells a story.
I discovered this book at a trade show, and it immediately caught my attention. The stunning cover drew me in, and inside I found a captivating world of photography and impressive craftsmanship in the plates and creative table settings that inspired me to recreate them. I want to leave the book open on a table to admire the beauty of these objects.
As you close the cover on these five heart-stealing discoveries, you’ll find they share more than color or craft—they each spark a moment of wonder, a pause in time where the everyday becomes extraordinary. From the bold tension of a Matisse print to the gentle surprise of cherries resting on a centennial porcelain plate, these objects invite you to hunt with curiosity and style your story in unexpected hues.