Wedding Season: the Ultimate Gift Guide!

Summer is in full swing by now which means that wedding season has also officially commenced! Party favours, designer dresses, silky flowers, champagne showers, cringe speeches by university friends and inebriated in-laws causing inappropriate situations have by now become definitive of the wedding tradition.

As a kick-starter, Pippa Middelton’s May 20th perfect countryside wedding might have set the bar pretty high for the rest of us, especially in terms of the guest list. But here at Gallerease, there is one very important aspect that we are very happy (and able) to help you out with: wedding gifts! 

A little tradition never hurt nobody, so let’s begin with something old that has served a very important purpose throughout the centuries and definitely still does: a wine cooler. This elegant Louis XVI Dutch Silver Monteith Bowl was crafted by renowned silversmith Reynier de Haan in 1778. It has been recorded in Dutch literature and comes with a very fine provenance.

_{Reynier de Haan (1731-1783), elegant Louis XVI Dutch silver monteith bowl, 1778. Jacob J. Roosjen SRI.}

Moving on to the next, something new doesn’t necessarily mean that it can’t be traditional, on the contrary! The photographer Dik Nicolai has completely revived the concept of a family- or group portrait. He creates still-lifes using objects with a sentimental or symbolic value, resulting in a very unique portrait and of course an unrivaled wedding gift!

_{Dik Nicolai (1975 -), Bridal, 2016.}

Something borrowed usually belongs to a close family member or friend that has already enjoyed a long and happy marriage. But let’s be honest, who would ever think of leaving a husband that spoils their wife with such a beautiful gold brooch with an unusually large pearl and fitted diamonds surrounding it. We can only imagine what a glamorous and inspiring lady the lucky original owner of this lavish gold 19th century brooch must have been. On another note, the brooch mechanism can be unscrewed and worn as a clasp to a necklace, so it can be adapted to suit a bride’s personal taste. The pearl comes with a lab report from the Dutch NEL. 

_{Unknown, Large natural pearl brooch-clasp, 19th century. Ans Hemke-Kuilboer Juwelier & Antiquair.}

Finally, we wouldn’t be an ART platform if we didn't add something International Klein Blue to our list. French artist Yves Klein developed this colour, officially known as IKB, by combining ultramarine with a synthetic resin known as polyvinyl acetate, resulting in a matte yet very intense pigment. How about this exquisite 1962 sculpture titled ‘L'esclave Mourant D'après Michel-Ange’ that was signed and numbered by the artist himself? Something blue, traditionally known as a symbol of fidelity, purity and love, doesn’t get much better than this! 

_{Left: Yves Klein, L'exclave mourant d'après Michelange, 1962.} 

As for the sixpence in your shoe, that’s one last part of this Old English wedding rhyme we will leave up to you. Because if it were up to us, that would be a very rare and valuable coin which should probably not be taken out of its display case to be danced on all night…

For more artworks please have look at our online collection of fine art!