Shoot for the Moon :: Circa Designers' Sale Picks

As we launch the Blue Moon Sale this week, our Staff
stockpile their favorite treasures in store

Cindy :: Painted Armoire from the Alsace Region of France, c. 1840


Jane :: Pair of Spanish Demilunes, c. 1890


Heather :: Cornelia Sofa by Bobby McAlpine, Catbird Collection


Patrick :: French Trestle Base Picnic Table, c. 1880


Kathy :: French Iron Dining Table with Parquet Top, c. 1880


Catherine :: Estancia Butterfly Chair


Eleanor ::  Lee Leather Slipcovered Swivel Chairs


Leigh :: French Painted Chest, c. 1860


Brooks :: French Bar with Tambour Doors, c. 1920


Annemarie :: Kathryn Banquette by Emily Bourgeois, Catbird Collection

Emily :: Louis XVI-Style Fauteuil Chair

Whitney :: Hand-Glazed Stoneware Dinner Service

Rebecca :: French Fruitwood Bergere with Ottoman, c. 1840

The Best Seat in the House

The "Whitlow" sofa 

Good morning everyone!  To kick off this Tuesday, we wanted to share the inside scoop on Cindy Smith’s “Whitlow” sofa from the recently revealed Catbird Collection.  Enjoy!

“My father, Whitlow, was the epitome of a southern gentlemen.  Soft spoken, charming, and witty, it was he who first introduced me to the term “Catbird” whether to label the best seat in the house at a baseball game or to describe a dapper gentleman in a seersucker suit.  Growing up in a small southern town, everyone knew and loved Mr. Whit and his trademark chewed off cigar that covered him with a perfume I can still smell today.  He not only gave me a sense of security of the most loving kind but also instilled an enduring respect and discipline for a steadfast work ethic.  Today, it brings me so much joy that my grandson is named after him and can his continue his legacy."

"When it came to designing the “Whitlow” sofa for this upholstery collection, I wanted it to represent more than a dedication to his name and become an embodiment of the love and memories I have of my father.  The sofa reminds me of the comfort of his enveloping arms and the affirmation that love and family are the most important things in life.” -Cindy Smith

Designer Cindy Smith and grandson Whit on the "Whitlow" sofa

 To learn more about the "Whitlow" sofa and all of the designs in the Catbird Collection, please visit the website:

 http://www.catbirdcollection.com/

 

Shipment is here!

Today is an exciting day!  Circa has been unpacking our latest antiques shipment and transforming the shop floor with treasures from abroad.  Come tomorrow, the shop will re-open and these pieces will be out for all to see and enjoy.  

Every year, Circa’s owner Cindy Smith travels to France for multiple buying trips to curate a collection of special finds and antiques to bring back home to our retail shop.  The buying process is a complex and involved endeavor that Cindy has fine-tuned through the years.  She started her buying trips back in 1981 and has gone back every year since in the pursuit of the best. During a trip, she travels to numerous cities and countless vendors daily which she relishes every minute of.  “After over 30 years of buying trips to France and beyond, I have formed precious relationships with vendors and locals of the places I visit,” Cindy says. “They are always keeping me up to date on new finds and resources, which I am so grateful for and allows me to pursue the most exceptional pieces.  The buying process is a never ending one but an indelible one that I love and enjoy so much.”  The result is a culmination of timeless and invaluable selections that are each handpicked by Cindy.  This philosophy extends to all items selected for the retail floor including upholstery, lighting, and accessories.  Each is hand-picked, personal, and contributes to a collection that is, for lack of a better word, Circa.

Cindy shares with us below a peak of her buying trip and a few items from this shipment that can be found in our shop starting tomorrow! 

French cartoons

French cartoon

French cartoons

“These 18^th century French cartoons were hand drawn samples on canvas that would have later gone to needlepoint to be made into tapestries.  It is a great example of the painstaking detail and craftsmanship of that time.  Now, I see these drawings framed and hung as a gorgeous group of art.”

Venetian wedding trunks and a cat friend who made the picture!

“These Venetian wedding trunks are from the 17^th century and would have been owned by a family with great wealth.  I can picture these on stands at the end of a hall or used alone as pieces of art.”

Crystal chandelier

Antique leather and nailhead mirror

Marielle, left, and Cindy Smith, right
Photo credit:  MILIEU magazine

We want to give a special mention and BIG thank you to Marielle, an antiques courier who has helped and guided Cindy through the years and sees all of our shipments through.  “One of the greatest parts of the buying process that I take pleasure in is talking with and visiting Marielle.  She has become the dearest friend and confidante who I cherish so much.  Together we have the biggest time and I cannot thank her enough for her friendship and guidance."