Paraplu met dek van grijze zijde in een koker van esdoornhout, met verguld koperen beslag en een zijden koord met dito rozet after 1909

Curator: Here we have an umbrella, or rather the components neatly arranged for storage. Created after 1909, it features a grey silk canopy within an elegantly crafted maple wood case, complete with gilded copper fittings and a silk cord finished with a rosette. Editor: It’s remarkably unassuming, isn’t it? Almost sculptural. The restrained palette—the cool grey of the silk against the warmth of the wood—suggests a quiet elegance, though perhaps somewhat austere for its time. Curator: Austerity can be deceptive. J.C. Vickery, though the name is less recognizable today, catered to an elite clientele during the Edwardian era. His shop in London was synonymous with luxury goods, often blending practicality with exquisite craftsmanship. This umbrella would have been one of many desirable items for discerning shoppers. Editor: It's precisely that blend I find intriguing. Note how the wood is treated—the smooth finish, the almost imperceptible seams. Maple wasn't simply chosen for its availability; it speaks to the desired aesthetic and durability. And the hardware, while ornate, is integrated seamlessly. There's a tension between ostentation and function. What class do you think it was aiming at? Curator: Upper class. Consider that in those times, carrying an umbrella wasn't just a practical act; it signified status. It indicated a certain detachment from manual labor, the leisure to care about shielding oneself from the elements. Vickery understood that performance. This particular item seems less about display of wealth, more about signalling subtle refinements of the time. Editor: Right, less a showpiece, more a quiet assertion. The materials, too, support that reading. Silk was of course prized. I see a contrast between natural forms and manufactured. It almost speaks of this awkward tension between hand and industry! It’s tempting to see this as embodying the aesthetic anxieties brewing in the Edwardian era. Curator: Perhaps you're right. It mirrors, in some ways, the broader social fabric: anxieties about industrialisation, and the desire for refinement amidst growing uncertainty. The umbrella as a symbol of both protection and perhaps a barrier against a changing world. Editor: Indeed. Examining the details like this, one begins to really see all that an ordinary umbrella conceals. A piece that speaks of a transition.