February 2009

Check out these delicately spun crystal vases and bowls that were hand-blown on the Venetian island of Muran……PSYCH!—they’re rubber! A sparkling window display at the MCA lured my eye, so I took the bait and trolled in to investigate. The vessels are produced at architect and designer Gaetano Pesce’s Fish studio in Milan, and the flexible resin pieces jiggle like Jell-O when you touch them. Just the resilient accent piece if you have small kids, frisky dogs, or want to fool your guests by hip-checking one off a side table (they’ll fall for it hook, line, and sinker). Some remind me of striped ribbon hard candy, other anthropomorphic whimsies have the hint of feet or arms. The MCA has stocked quite a nice selection, and all are unique, numbered, and stamped with the Fish logo and G.P.’s moniker.

 —BRADLEY LINCOLN

We were pleasantly surprised to see the new Ethan Allen catalogue and some of the sharp, modern pieces in it. Two of our favorites, shown here: The Xanadu bench, $439, made of brushed nickel. Choose any fabric for the seat (this white cotton would look great in a bathroom). The Paris Grid series of framed prints are $269 each. These antique-inspired giclées were created by enlarging and rescaling a Paris map from the 1850s. They’re 23 inches wide by 19 inches high and would look great hung en masse. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

—Jan Parr