As the days get longer in the summer and the sun comes up earlier, birds greet us with their joyful song at dawn. The charm of antique birdcages and the relaxed yet refined styles they bring create an understated romance and luxury to a décor. Simply put, birdcages make a unique accessory or centerpiece.
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We have been fascinated with birds and have cherished the creatures since the dawn of civilization. In ancient Egypt we know that birds were kept as pets, thanks to hieroglyphs. According to legend Alexander the Great was given a parakeet by one of his generals and the Alexandrine parakeet was named in his honor. Ancient Romans were fond of birds as well. As western traders brought back spices and textiles from the Far East, they also brought the exotic birds as pets.
During the 18th and 19th century bird keeping and elaborate birdcages became status symbols. We see the subject of bird keeping in many artworks of this era such as tapestries, trumeaux and paintings.
In fact we just received a Louis XVI period hand painted trumeau from France with the romantic scene of lover presenting the gift of a songbird in a birdcage to the object of his affection.
During the neoclassical era of Marie Antoinette an exotic bird in a cage would have been an ultimate gift. In today’s style birds and birdcages have become popular subjects of both design and art. In our showrooms and on our website we have a number of paintings and accessories with this romantic theme. Of course we always look for unique and interesting accessories on our buying trips abroad. On my January and March trips to Europe I was fortunate to discover several lovely birdcages and they have all arrived in our showrooms. We just photographed them and they can be found under Accessories ~ Miscellaneous on www.inessa.com.
Birdcages make wonderfully inventive centerpieces; I have used one as an inspiration for the table setting and the theme at the TableScapes Charity Benefit in Dallas. Using avian-themed accessories to accentuate the cage certainly makes an interesting visual effect.
Antique birdcages also look great on top of a Country French armoire or perhaps a Italian Country buffet as a part of a still life setting.
Of course ~ you can always use them for birds!
