Chess is Not for Playing - a photo on Flickriver

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 she is entertaining her old childhood chum Gerald, also a member of the aristocracy who has tried to gain some independence from his family by designing gowns from a shop in Grosvenor Street.

“Oh Lettice!” enthuses Gerald as he looks about the well appointed drawing room. “I do love what you’ve done with the flat! It’s not at all like the Pater’s crumbling pile of bricks; all fusty Victorian clutter.”

“Thank you Gerald! No indeed! I craved space, light and clean lines.”

“Well, you’ve done very well. People will be flocking to have their drawing rooms done over by the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd.”

“If Elsie de Wolfe can do it, then so can I! Ah! Thank you, Edith.” Lettice remarks as the neatly uniformed maid comes into the drawing room, bringing in a tray laden with tea for two.

“You know Lettice, there is only one thing better than lemon Viennese biscuits.”

“And what’s that Gerald?”

“Someone else’s lemon Viennese biscuits! How divine!” He picks up one gratefully, takes a bite and places it on his plate. “Goodness, even your china is de rigueur! Royal Doulton, darling? And… oh! I didn’t know you play!”

“Play what Gerald?”

“Why chess of course!” Gerald replies, indicating to a smart chess set glinting in the sunlight, set out on a board at Lettice’s left elbow. “I didn’t think it was your kind of game, darling.”

“What?” Lettice looks about her. “Oh that! Gerald, please notice how it’s set out.”

“How do you mean, Lettice?”

“It’s set at right angles to the chairs, silly! It’s not for playing with. No, it’s meant to be a distraction for the husbands when their wives come visiting to see about having their houses redecorated!”

“Ah,” Gerald replies, smiling smugly as he lifts his cup to his lips. “Clever girl!”

This year the FFF+ Group have decided to have a weekly challenge called “Snap Happy”. A different theme chosen by a member of the group each week, and the image is to be posted on the Monday of the week.

This week the theme, “games” was chosen by David, DaveSPN.

What better game to play, or not as the case may be, this chess set amid the elegance of Lettice’s fashionable Mayfair flat drawing room. However this upper-class domestic scene is different, for it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures, some of which come from my own childhood.

Fun things to look for in this tableaux include:

The beautiful 1:12 size chess set is an artisan piece. To give you an idea of size, the pawns are only two millimetres in height! There are two wooden drawers beneath the board to house the pieces when not in use, and what is really wonderful is that the chess board surface is magnetic, which holds each metal piece nicely in place until moved!

Lettice’s tea set is a beautiful artisan set featuring a rather avant-garde Art Deco Royal Doulton design from the Edwardian era. The lemon Viennese biscuits are also artisan miniatures from a specialist stockist of food stuffs. He has a dizzying array of meals which is always growing, and all are made entirely or put together by hand.

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 is 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.

Taken on: August 15, 2020

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Camera: Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS, f/2.8, 1/30 sec, 6.2mm, ISO 320 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	0.033 sec (1/30)
Focal Length:	6.2mm
ISO:	320
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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