By Louise Irvine Last weekend I luxuriated in the new Downton Abbey movie and watched the aristocratic Crawley family prepare for a royal visit by King George V and Queen Mary. I was dazzled by all the Art Deco dresses and the elegant social rituals of the English landed gentry,

By Louise Irvine Bees have been declared the most important living beings on this planet by wildlife experts and scientists, who have added them to the endangered species list. Albert Einstein once predicted that if the bees disappear, humans would have four years to live. See how they have inspired

By Louise Irvine This monumental Pangolin vase is the latest Ardmore piece to join the Wiener collection. Pangolins are believed to be the world’s most illegally trafficked wild mammals. In the last few years, Fée Halsted, the founder and creative director of Ardmore Ceramic Art, has supported the cause of

Our Birdwatching at WMODA blogs continue with a closer look at the Royal Crown Derby paperweights collection, which includes an aviary of bird designs in glistening Imari patterns. Dr. Gwendolen Reasoner will be highlighting some rare birds and other animals during our Celebration of Ceramic Art on Friday, September 20. Royal Crown Derby

Our new carousel horse was acquired for WMODA thanks to Dr. Pat Sager Lane who commissioned the galloper 20 years ago. Carousel horses have been an attraction at fairgrounds in Britain and Europe since the late 18th century, developing from the jousting games of medieval times.The name is derived from

Our Carnival & Cabaret exhibit celebrates the art of having fun. This month we are looking back at how ceramic artists have portrayed amusement fairs of the past. Romany gypsies, peddlers, and other travelers were romanticized in the figure collections of Charles Vyse and Royal Doulton during the 1920s. William Henry

Princess Badoura was the most prestigious and expensive figure ever made by Royal Doulton. It was made to order for wealthy clients for nearly 50 years and a special color version was devised for Harrods of London. Three different models are on display in the Fantastique exhibit at WMODA and

Pictures in porcelain are practical as well as beautiful as the image is protected by the glaze, never fades and is easily cleaned. Not surprisingly, Wedgwood introduced several rectangular and circular plaques, in their successful Fairyland Lustre collection. Their lustrous flat surfaces reflect the vision of paradise in porcelain created