Hunt Cup Day!

The Hunt Cup is such a long and enduring part of the history of Maryland, and of course, of our Green Spring and Worthington Valleys. First run in 1894, when the members of the Elkridge Fox Hunting Club challenged the members of the Green Spring Valley Hounds to a timber race, the race is one of the most difficult in the world.The Maryland Hunt Cup is four miles long, with twenty two timber fences, a feature unique to America. Please stop by the shop on your way north on Greenspring Avenue and say hi! We’d love to see you!

Spring Has SPRUNG!

It’s really amazing what a difference three short weeks can make! It was snow one day and then flowers popping out everywhere the next! Flowers that are usually first to bloom, like forsythia, are blooming at the same time as the fruit trees. Crazy. We’ve got spring-time colors with some great new glassware and vases. Eric did a great job bringing in flowers from our gardens (and Whole Foods!) and decorating the front mantelpiece. These vases come in the most delicious shades and shapes.I can see a whole line of these smaller vases running down the center of a table, alternating colors, filled with a small but casual arrangement of fresh-cut flowers. Or you can just add a stem or two to one of the taller vases. Remember, peonies will be blossoming shortly!

As ever, contact Eric at the shop for more information about anything you see on the blog. We don’t call him E-commerce for nothing!

The Platters

Platters are an essential entertaining element!Platters can be used almost any time you’re serving food – even if it’s just for a party of two. Think about serving a roasted chicken, surrounded by beautiful roasted vegetables, and what do you serve it on? A platter, of course! Think about bringing a plate heaped with beautiful corn on the cob to the table… it’s on a platter, of course! There are so many times when you’ll find yourself reaching for a platter, and sometimes it’s just a matter of which platter!

At Halcyon House, we have a wide range of platters, from square, to oblong, from classical china pattern, to a contemporary glass pattern, from bright colors, to more muted shades, we have a wide range of platters to suit your every need!

As we start moving into the summer entertaining season, think about all of the ways you would use a platter and then come see our selection of gorgeous platters from all over the world!

As always, if you’re interested in anything shown here, please contact Eric at the shop!

Riders Up!

Saturday marks the first of the Big Three steeplechase races in the rolling hills north of Baltimore. We are big fans of horse racing and know that many of our friends are, as well. At Halcyon House, we’ve gathered a collection of equestrian-themed items for your consideration.

We found some gorgeous cuff-links and studs earlier this year, all in an equestrian or hunt theme. So sorry for the poor quality of these images, as the pieces are very small, and it was quite sunny!Most of the pieces are gold and enamel. And they’re packaged in leather presentation boxes, so they’re ready for giving!

Over the years, Stiles has collected equestrian china and porcelain, and the range of patterns is really quite amazing. From hunt scenes on plates, to cups with riders and saucers with fences, to this whimsical scene of a rider dumped in the pond, his horse taking a runner, and the ducks flying off, each piece is unique, and fascinating in its detail.

And of course, we have equestrian artwork! Our friend Sam Robinson, a local artist, has an eye for the horses and riders that he sees around the Greenspring Valley. After you’ve taken in one of the three big races, you might consider one of Sam’s pieces to remind you of how much fun your day at the races was!

Here are a few more equestrian-style pieces we’re showing.

What’s left to say after that, but Tally Ho!

As always, if you have questions about anything shown here, please contact Eric at Halcyon House Antiques.