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| September 28, 2009 |
Greetings from New Mexico There are 88 days until Christmas and 74 days until the beginning of Hanukkah. You know you have a list of presents you have to get for those special people. Some are for very special people and you need something great. Some are for special people where you need something of quality but not too expensive. And we haven't sent out a newsletter (which usually includes something special) in a long time. We apologize for the long delay between newsletters.. Unfortunately, we were hit by a major spam attack - 7,000 to 10,000 e-mails a day. This took its toll on our server and web page, so we delayed correspondence until we felt comfortable with the reliability of AndrewsGallery.com. But enough about us, let's focus on you and Lladro. As we said above it's time to start thinking about gifts for those you love and those you want to reward. Also, you don't want to have the headache of last minute shopping, gift wrapping, delivering, and hoping your present is just right. This newsletter can help. First are the Lladro Bells and Balls. Don't forget the special person with the bell or ball collection or both. You can see them at this link: http://www.andrewsgallery.com/gallery.htm There are two types of bell and two types of balls - the traditional and the Re-Deco. If your recipient has collected for a long time, the traditional is probably in order. If the individual is new to Lladro, you might consider the Re-Deco. By the way, the link to out home page is set up to speed up your purchase. Now that's a little easier. If the bells and balls are a little more that you want to pay for that special reward, you should consider the lithophanes. A litho-what you say? Lithophane is the generic name for a porcelain art form dating back to the 1800s. Quoting Seeley's Dollmaking, "the word is a combination of Litho from lithography, the art of producing a picture on a flat, specially prepared stone, and phane from the middle part of the Latin-derived word (dia)phane(ous), or translucent." But accorinding to the Blair Lithophane Museum (http://www.lithophanemuseum.org/what_is_a_lithophane.htm), "The Greek origin of the work means "light in stone" or to "appear in stone". The article continues, " How beautifully this describes these porcelain castings which, in ambient light, seem only to be bumpy surfaces forming a vague picture "and these [sic] is really nothing to see" as Mr. Blair always said. But, when the ambient light is extinguished and the lithophane is back-lit, a beautiful, three-dimensional picture appears in incredible depth and detail. In the Lladro Fall 2009 introductions, there are three lithophanes available - Parrots, Toucans, and a snowflake. Each is available in two forms: The lithophane shade by itself and as a votive light. A perfect gift for those absolutely required rewards for dedication and support is the votive light at $60.00. The shade (at $45.00) needs a stand for the candle, available on the same page: http://www.andrewsgallery.com/09introductions3.htm So make your list and place your order. We will gift wrap and attach a gift card if you want. Just tell us what you want in the "Special Instructions" during check out. We'll even include a short personalized message. And, if you order by midnight, October 4, you can receive a 10 percent gallery discount on all of our southwestern jewelry, art by local artists, liquid silver, etc., if your order is over $100.00. We'll tell you how later. Perhaps you want a little more expensive present, want quality, style, chic, or you add the adjective. But you still don't want to break the bank. Then take a look at the earrings and cufflinks of Jaime Hayon. His website (http://www.hayonstudio.com/about.php ) says: "Spanish artist-designer Jaime Hayon was born in Madrid in 1974. As a teenager, he submerged himself in skateboard culture and graffiti art, the foundation of the detailed, bold-yet-whimsical imagery so imminent in his work today…." You can view Jaime's Lladro jewelry at this link: http://www.andrewsgallery.com/lljewelry1.htm There also are some new introductions in the Lladro line featuring Jaime. The Love Explosion, The Clown Lamp, and The Pied Piper of Hamlin can be seen by scrolling down on this page: http://www.andrewsgallery.com/09introductions1.htm A great aspect about the Hayon choices is that you can spend just a little time at his website and then tell that special someone just how special the gift is artistically. The other Fall 2009 Lladro introductions represent an eclectic selection of diverse designs appealing to a variety of tastes and price points. Some of our favorites include Championship Team for soccer players and soccer moms, Giselle Reverence w/base and Giselle Arabesque w/base featuring ballet, and The Tiger w/base (Chinese Zodiac). I personally like the Renaissance Obelisk Boxes while Maria appreciates Our Lady of Divine Providence. All of these pieces and more can be seen here: http://www.andrewsgallery.com/09introductions2.htm The third page of introductions is mainly devoted to the works of Jaime Hayon and the lithophanes. One additional item, however, just might be the perfect gift for the younger set (just a frame of mind - we still think of ourselves as young). The Cell Phone String OM is attachable to a cell phone and, at $30.00, could be the perfect gift for that special person. From my limited knowledge (and what my daughter who is into Yoga tells me) the OM symbols is written in Devanagari an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal. You can see them about half way down this page: http://www.andrewsgallery.com/09introductions3.htm The introduction pages cited above also include new limited edition Ganeshas, mirrors, wall art, pieces for Havdala and a Kiddish cup, elephants, classic issues, Re-Deco and Gres. You can do your holiday shopping now, get your items gift wrapped, and reduce your stress level. And, if you want delivery at a later date, say so in the special instructions. We will have your order gift wrapped (if desired), prepared for shipment, and ready for dispatch to meet your schedule. Perhaps this means no more hiding. Finally, we would be remiss if we didn't mention the retirements. As always, at the end of 2009, Lladro will retire certain selections. Retired pieces then are available only through the secondary market, which could mean scarcity and increased prices depending on demand. We recommend exploring the pieces that are retiring and, if that Lladro you have been coveting or that is needed to complete a collection is scheduled for retirement, order it now. Here's the link: http://www.andrewsgallery.com/09retirements1.htm That's it for this newsletter. Get that shopping done now. Get your gift wrapping done. Get your gifts delivered by your schedule. And receive a gallery discount on all Andrews Gallery southwestern jewelry, art by local artists, liquid silver, etc., by entering this code during checkout prior to midnight, October 4, 2009. Plus free shipping and no tax. What are you waiting for, get you holiday shopping done now. Here's the discount code: Shop Early Till next time, have a great fall and shop now. |
| Andy Andrews http://www.andrewsgallery.com |
This page, and all contents, are Copyright (C) 1995-2008 by Andrews Gallery, Los Alamos, NM, USA. Andrews Gallery is not responsible for typographical pricing errors that may occur within this web site. If in doubt, please call the Gallery to confirm the price. Lladro, USA, owns the trademarks for Lladro.