Antique Judaica

Jews all over the world are celebrating the holiday of Chanukah this week. Chanukah, or The Festival of Lights, is a very minor holiday with little religious significance. A battle fought between the Greeks and the Jews, under the leadership of Judah Maccabee and his brothers, was finally ended when the Jews drove out the Greeks and began to rededicate the second Jewish temple in Jerusalum. Olive oil, which was needed to burn the temple's eternal flame, was scare. There was only enough oil to last one night, but miraculously God enabled the oil to burn for 8 days - the time it took to process new olive oil. Alongside the huge growth of the commercialism of Chrismas, Chanukah has become a widely celebrated holiday by mostly Jews worldwide. The most visible symbol of the holiday is the menorah, or the candelabra with its eight candle holders plus one which is used to light each individual candle. The fesital lasts 8 days and corresponds with the winter solstice, as does Christmas. Most Jewish families have several menorahs, a new one given perhaps as a wedding shower gift, and an old one that has been passed down for a generation or two.

These old menorahs are widely valued in the collecting field known as Judaica, or the area of collecting Jewish ceremonial and secular items. This field has grown enormously in the past decade and major auction houses such as Christies and Sotheby's have their own Judaica divisions. Perhaps it is the hunger for a more spiritual life that has fueled this field of collecting or maybe it result of the Holocaust that has caused this pride of religion. Regardless of it's reasons, Judaica is a hot item - not quite reaching Major Trend Alert status, prices of Judaica are going through the roof.

There are three components of Judaica: manuscripts and books written in Hebrew, fine art, and ritual objects (of which the menorah would fall under). Items can be secular or relgious. Since Jew migrated from the Holy Land through Spain, into Eastern Europe through Germany and finally Russia - before they began their westward flight to the Americas, Northern and Southern, Judaica comes from many countries, with each country's unique influence onto a single object. Religious objects are universally either silver, pewter, or brass. Gold is rarely, if ever seen.

Mimmi O'Connell

White walls, symmetry, tufted ottoman used as a coffee table, ticking used for upholstery, black iron accents, seagrass matting: elements used over and over again.

In the 70’s - there was a designer in London who started a trend that lives on, 35 years later – the cornerstone of this trend was oriental furniture imported from the far east. The young designer combined these eastern pieces with large accessories: wooden boxes that doubled as coffee tables, bowls, blue and white porcelains, and eastern baskets, to name a few. She used mostly cotton tickings and rolled up mattresses instead of bolsters. Her beds were made of black iron and they usually were four poster. Her look was one of high contrasts: lots of darks and lights. She used red as a neutral, her walls were always white, her rooms always had black accents. Her look was new and fresh and very innovative. It still is today. Her name is Mimmi O’Connell.

Mimmi was never a household name in the United States. Most images of her work come from English books and publications. Through the store she owned, Port of Call, she started a look, the fusion look, that is still going strong today. She combined relatively inexpensive eastern furniture that she imported with inexpensive fabrics to produce a look that was strongly visual and rich, texturally. Through her design work, O’Connell was the force behind using seagrass and bamboo blinds in settings other than orangeries and sunrooms. Her look has spawned hundreds of imitators, her business helped launch others: OKA in England comes to mind immediately. Her use of cotton and linens and tickings is oft copied today – you would never see a room that O’Connell designed using chenille and mohair and brocades. It’s just not her style. Despite the enormous impact she made on design today, O’Connell rarely receives press or recognition for her work. Apparently, she’s still active, still in business, but it’s been a while since any current work of hers has been seen. So, take a look at her portfolio and keep in mind, many of these images are from years and years and years ago. And remember, the next time you see a room with an iron four poster bed swathed in tickings or oriental chairs mixed with bespoke upholstery on seagrass, give a nod to Mimmi O’Connell, wherever she is today.

An iron four poster bed, hallmark of Mimmi's style. High contrast black and white.

Traditional Mimmi: white walls, eastern chairs, blue and white porcelains, large, spare accessorizing


The previous room seen from the other side. Large, tufted ottomans are often used as coffee tables.


Heaven to Mimmi: rolled bolsters, blue and white ticking, plaids, iron furniture, seagrass. The striped poles seen in the corner are frequently used in her designs.


High contrast black and white, iron furniture, highly edited spaces.


Red is another favorite, as is wicker.


Outdoors styling: black iron, oversized votives set a romantic atmosphere.

Quintessential Mimmi: black iron canopy, white walls, ticking, plus white bedding.


Her Italian country home in a restored school house.


Mimmi at her best: symmetry, black iron, high contrasts, oriental furniture, tufted ticking, oversized accessorizing, baskets, corner poles, black iron curtain rods, and white wallss.


Italy meets Zen.


Port of Call merchandise: antique oriental furniture and accessories.

Mimmi: iron day beds used as sofas, ottomans used as coffee tables, iron bistro chairs, ticking, tufting, garden seats, symmetry, oversized accessories.

Again and again - her recognizable design.

Here the architecture becomes the design: high contrast black paint vs. the ever present white walls, seagrass matting, reds mixed with black ticking.

A Mimmi kitchen: eastern influenced chairs and table, eastern baskets and buckets, the plates provide the usual symmetry and black color, iron drapery rods, white walls, red checks for curtains.

A departure for Mimmi: aqua painted chairs!!!!

This room looks Rose Tarlow-ish to me. Notice how even in a library/dining room, the ticking is present, the walls are white, the symmetry is intact.