Trend Spotter: VMFA Shop
Owen Suter’s Fine Furniture reproduction walnut cellaret or bottle case. $3485.
Youth chair. $775.
Marie Chamblin diamond gold pendant necklace. $2,600.
Fred Williamson vase. $840.
Kamal stationary and paper goods. $25.95 for set of 6.
VMFA’s jewelry collection includes affordable cuffs. $134 to $248.
While there’s plenty to be excited about with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ reopening, we might be most excited about the newly revamped and expanded VMFA Shop. It’s packed full of interesting wares, plenty of which are crafted by Virginia artisans, as well as some that were created exclusively for the museum. We took a spin through the shop last week to check out the goods. Some highlights…
For the big spender
Owen Suter’s Fine Furniture has created a handful of reproduction pieces, meticulously crafted based on items in the museum’s collection. Our favorite is the beautiful walnut cellaret, or bottle case. At $3485, it ain’t cheap, but it’s the type of thing that can be passed down for generations.
Expose your little one to fine art early on with a hand-painted youth chair from Brighton Pavilion. The charming chair features details adapted from Albert Marquet’s painting Ebb Tide at Pyla, 1935, in the Mellon collection. There are fewer than 20 pieces of each item in the Marquet furniture collection – and once they’re gone, they’re gone. $775.
Local jewelry designer Marie Chamblin traditionally has worked by-appointment-only from her studio workshop in the Fan. For the first time, she is offering pieces outside her studio at the museum shop, including this exclusive diamond gold pendant necklace. Divine. $2,600.
Charlottesville artisan Fred Williamson turns found wood into true pieces of art. This 18” tall vase, crafted from red oak burl, was a personal favorite. $840.
For the rest of us
I almost swooned over the VFMA Shop’s collection of letterpress stationary and paper goods, including a varied collection of card sets, individual cards and coasters from locally designed and printed Kamal. $25.95 for set of 6.
I’d seen these clever Pantone mugs in numerous blogs and publications. Now you can buy them locally. $11.95 each.
Lillian’s Romanov chocolates, so named for Lillian Thomas Pratt, who donated her extensive Faberge collection to the museum upon her death, are like edible pieces of art. $10 for 4 pieces.
The shop boasts a collection of ceramics and linens based on the Fish with a Crown of Isis in the VMFA Ancient Art collection. Our favorites are the hand-painted ceramic mugs by Vietri of Italy – perfect for summertime entertaining. $79.95.
I was super impressed with the VMFA’s jewelry collection, making a mental note to keep the museum on my regular gift-scouting missions. In addition to highbrow pieces by artists like Kranitzky and Overstreet and Chamblin Design (see above), the shop features trendier baubles, like chunky gemstone rings and fabulous python cuffs. $134 to $248.
Worth noting: Members get 10 percent off shop goods, as well as invites to trunk shows that will soon take place the second Wednesday of every month.
Trend Spotter is our shopping column. It runs every Tuesday and covers everything from where to get the best bag to where to find the best patio furniture.
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