BY NICHOLAS ENGERT There was a time when, in public, everyone would be adorned with a hat. It was unthinkable to be seen without a hat. Neither men nor women would venture out without the most defining of all accessories. The hat is not only practical, in that it assists in keeping one warm and dry, but more importantly, perhaps it confers the status of … Continue reading The Fedora
BY NICHOLAS ENGERT I recall studying the history of 20th century architecture back in the 70s and being enthralled by the work of one of the Great Four architects of the first half of the century. The Great Four being Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wight, Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe. Whilst all four produced buildings of immense importance there was only one that, … Continue reading The Farnsworth Dilemma
BY NICHOLAS ENGERT It has been at least five years since I have worn a watch. I have a collection of timepieces, none of which are exceptional but all of which had broken down and remained unloved for over five years in a drawer. Whilst I had not forgotten about them, it had not been a problem to manage without one as, like everyone else, … Continue reading The Quiet Beauty of Mechanical Watches
BY NICHOLAS ENGERT It is a simple question. Why are most production cars so dreadfully boring these days? Shapeless, styleless and completely lacking in elegance, most cars today are dull beyond belief. To level this criticism at the designers, and them alone, would be unfair as we must assume they are meeting the requirements of the market they serve. That said most manufacturers appear to … Continue reading The End of Beauty – The Triumph of Boring
BY NICHOLAS ENGERT Beauty and Design in the Early Elizabethan Era When Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952 following the death of her father King George VI, Britain faced the future with a fragile optimism. It was a time when even the smallest things — the postage stamps that bore her image — reflected a quiet confidence and beauty that spoke of a nation still … Continue reading EIIR – The Art of Stamps
