A LIFE OF THINGS, by Daniel Rozensztroch

You will soon understand why it is absolutely necessary for me to write about Daniel Rozensztroch's latest book, A Life of Things (Pointed Leaf Press).

Those of you who follow this blog (or my publications) will no doubt remember the book Daniel and I co-authored, thanks to Pointed Leaf Press : 

My French-speaking readers will also have taken notice of the short, illustrated biography I published last April, called Daniel au Pays de la Déco. 

If not, let me just tell you that Daniel is one of those who, unbeknownst to most of us, influences our choice of the pieces that we will buy for our homes. He is what is called a "trend-setter", a stylist, a designer, whose keen perception of our domestic environment leads him to shape it, rigorously, albeit always with a touch of humor. 

This, to introduce Daniel's latest book, a beautiful album that shows pictures of the objects that surround him in his Paris and Nice homes. Since we can't all be invited to admire them in situ, this book allows us to discover each piece, as we leaf through it with growing interest. 

Me and my collections

To begin with, Daniel Rozensztroch explains the reasons why he turned out to be such a compulsive collector.  His collections are varied, but there is a meaning and a common point to them. The first thing he acquired says it all. He experienced love at first sight – for a "splendid 19th century bowl for eggs, made of thick brown glass" (...) like a giant version of a wine glass". Daniel had spotted it in an old-fashioned dairy and was eager to acquire it. What's a bit unusual is that he was then only a teenager...

Photo © D.R

This is when you realize how appropriate the title of this book is. "Things" started to invade Daniel's life at an age when his peers collected stamps, or LPs. 

From then on, Daniel longed for and acquired a number of "things". What they all had in common, in his eyes, was their unicity. Mostly, each had its own use, and was the result of a skill acquired by a master artisan. Daniel then learnt about the history of their countries of origin. Thanks to these "things", he was also able to discover all about the society that produced them, its way of life, its politics and economy. Come to think of it, this was as good a college education as any! 

The magic of glass: utilitarian glassware is one

of Daniel's oldest passions.

Here, a series of Provençal oil lamps

from the 18th and 19th centuries,

ranging from the simple to the elaborate

At the same time, the reader is led to understand that there is a meaning to the accumulation of these objects: their sheer number reassures and satisfies the collector. Their organization is certainly not left to chance. The reader will learn all about the strict rules that Daniel follows as he places them, moves them around, depending on his mood. The "things" are organized, in a family-shaped sort of way. One  might even imagine Daniel speaking to them – he certainly thinks that they talk to each other while he is away!

A sculpture by Élisabeth Joulia

and two pots by Eric Astoul,

famous potters in La Borne, France, 

along with a few wooden spoons

A collection of metal strainers hangs from

magnets on the back of a metal garage cabinet

Daniel designed his Paris loft with the help
of his friend, the architect Valérie Mazérat,
as an open space 
to showcase a maximum of objects 
according to his taste

A few other pages are entitled: "All my houses are cabinets of curiosity". The term is an old-fashioned one that conjures up the travelers of yore, whose messy collections were more due to chance than to necessity! The idea makes you smile, when you know how passionately tidy Daniel is. As a matter of fact, "the things of his life" are presented in this book in a very orderly fashion.

Just take a look at the beautiful collection of majolica dishes that adorns one of the walls of his apartment in Nice: 

On a wall of his Nice apartment,

Daniel has hung pieces of colorful

majolica pottery depicting fish, 

shellfish and seafood on plates and platters 

In the kitchen, some pichets

of various sizes are hung 

on a perforated metal shelf 

designed by Paola Navone, 

Like the majolica dishes, such trompe l'oeil faux wood
Grandjean-Jourdan ceramic pieces were very popular 
on the Côte d'Azur when Daniel was a child.
Made in Vallauris, they were looked down upon
by those who thought them "bad taste". 
Daniel's collecting them now is a kind of revenge! 

While leafing through this book that enhances the beauty of the things Daniel surrounds himself with, the reader is fascinated – and not least because of the quality of the full page photographs by Francis Amiand, and the talent of Pointed Leaf Press artistic director Frederico Farinas. Daniel has chosen each and everyone of these objects. This is when another thought comes to mind: are those of us who live among objects and furniture that were put together more haphazardly, or inherited, as free as this compulsive collector is? Are we, at the same age, as independent-minded? As bold as he is? 

Whatever your answer, you will be surprised to realize the impact of Daniel's choices on your own home. These days, the concept of maximalism (i.e. more is more) makes the headlines of many trendy deco magazines. You now know who that comes from. If you are fed up with the sobriety of the past decade,  the "minimalism" (i.e. less is more) that we have chosen (chosen, really?) to adopt in our homes all that time, well, now you can also understand who initiated the former trend, and who now rejects it! 

If you now want to check the facts, all you have to do is order this beautiful book. It will be a priceless gift for yourself or someone you love: one that will make everyone dream!

Maybe you think I am partial? To prove you right, here is one last image taken from this book. A water-color by French artist... Eugene Fidler. Daniel also has good taste where painting is concerned!

If this painting seems to be standing 

on its base, it is because it has been 

framed in a box, so that 

the bonus-water-color that

adorns its back can also be seen.

A Life of Things

by Daniel Rozensztroch

Photographs : Francis Amiand

Ed. Pointed Leaf Press

194 pages -  $50 

Photo credits ©Francis Amand, 

Photos kindly lent by Pointed Leaf Press

More books by Daniel Rozensztroch:

 HERE.