A charming bleached wood primitive stick stool, the top crafted from a single section of trunk. This for us epitomises Wabi-sabi, the Japanese aesthetic and philosophical concept that finds beauty in the things that are imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. The appreciation of simplicity, age, and the natural cycle of growth and decay - finding happiness in the present and letting go of the need for perfection. This gorgeously wonky humble little stool has all these qualities and speaks volumes.

Provenance: The Tudor House, Old Town Hastings, UK

Dimensions: Length 35cm / Depth 26cm / Height 33cm

Country of origin: Turkey

Date of manufacture: c.1920

Material: wood

Condition: excellent - doesn't stand completely flat and has a slight wobble.

The Christmas House

The Tudor House, Hastings, also known as The Christmas House, when it opened to visitors each December, had a place in the hearts of the many that passed through its wee front door.  It was a magical experience, and was likened to stepping into a Brothers Grimm fairytale.  The house is now sold and has passed into memory, yet its magical contents are not quite gone, as Alastair has saved the best for last - for our extra-special Christmas House Contents Sale.

The eclectic mix of primitive Eastern European furniture, English country furniture, folk-art and Black Forest antiques chosen for the house were honest and humble, yet always remarkable, and put together with a sense of theatre - to achieve a more contemporary take on the past.  “It’s all about a careful mix, a telling of a story, and I hope others will find pleasure in the treasures I’ve collected and curated” says Alastair.  “Select pieces that create surprise, that transform your space beyond reality!”