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Laura Landrum and “Lafayette.”
This week, Antiques and The Arts Weekly had the opportunity to speak with private collector and reader Laura Landrum, who generously volunteered her time and gave us a peek into her collection. For the past few years, Landrum has focused her acquisitions to reflect one of her great loves in life: dogs! In doing so, she has created a world-class gallery of furry friends that live alongside her husband, as well as their pack of real-life pets. The pair recently began sharing the collection through Facebook and Instagram, virtually opening up their lovely home to a new generation of admirers and collectors. Antiques and The Arts Weekly corresponded with Landrum via email to learn more.
Please tell our readers about yourself and your background.
I’ve been obsessed with antiques for at least 30 years. Growing up, my grandmother’s home was filled with Meissen mirrors, Venetian glass chandeliers and marble mantels. She and her mother would take trips to Europe to buy antiques, so I suppose you could say antiquing is in my blood.
My favorite childhood memories are listening to the stories my grandmother told of the items in her home. One such story was about Penelope. Penelope was the name of an alabaster bust. The bust was purchased by my great-grandmother. She wanted to give it as a gift to one of her children. The problem was she had two children and one bust. My great-grandmother’s solution was to hold a scavenger hunt between her adult children, with their spouses, and the winning couple was given the bust. My grandparents won the hunt, and Penelope was from then on proudly displayed in my grandmother’s foyer. Penelope was lost to the family due to unfortunate circumstances after my grandmother passed. Thankfully, after almost a decade of searching, I found and acquired either the original Penelope or a nearly identical replacement. She now resides in a special place in our home.
I was a bit of an odd young person loving antiques like I did in the early ‘90s. At 19, I managed a store in the Texas Hill Country that specialized in American antiques. Participating in the Round Top and Heart of Country antique shows back then helped shape my tastes in my home today.
During that same time period, I befriended a reclusive, retired antiques dealer. Just like my grandmother, she had a treasure trove of stories to accompany her extensive collections. One of her most impressive collections was her brightly polished Victorian copper jelly molds. The molds lined the entire circumference of her vast kitchen and were a site to behold. There are a few antique copper jelly molds in my current kitchen, in honor of Esther.
When I moved to Kentucky in my early twenties, I managed an interior design firm. Maximalist designers like Mario Buatta were all the rage. I am still very much inspired by his English country house/American style. Photos of the wonderful spaniel paintings Buatta had in his home were definitely an inspiration for my own collection. I acquired another antique loving friend in a fine English dealer; Michael Stewart. He would happily inspect my finds and help me with identification. He taught me a lot and encouraged me by complimenting me on what a good eye I had for antiques. My Saturdays I spent working for a spunky woman, Phyllis, who ran a fun weekly antique auction. I learned a tremendous amount about the dynamics of bidding observing some hilariously grumpy old men antagonize one another week after week.
Yorkshire Terriers in Maud Earl’s “A Coign of Vantage.”
I’ve been a lover of antique dog art from the beginning. When I was 19, I bought a book on dogs in art and was hooked. At the age of 24, on a trip to the High Point Market, my job was to find the best French cabinets at the show for our clients. My mission for myself was to bring home a dog oil painting. Both were accomplished! Soon after, one of my very first eBay purchases was a painting of a Yorkshire terrier. Looking back, I have been buying dog art for quite some time.
Seven years ago I started a local group, Whatcom & Skagit Antiques [also on Facebook], dedicated to connecting antique enthusiasts with the local dealers. I have a knack for networking, promoting art, and antiques is my passion. I’ve found the group to be a rewarding way to do both every day.
When did you begin focusing on dogs?
I started collecting pretty much as soon as I got involved with antiques, in 1992. I’ve always loved dog items; I have a handful that I’ve owned for 30 years. However, I decided to primarily focus on antique dog art about five years ago. The collection has grown tremendously in that time period.
Gallery wall with Niels Peterson Mols’ “Pool” at center.
Is there a breed or breeds that you prefer to collect?
Yorkshire terriers are my favorite. I’ve had multiple Yorkies in my life and the paintings remind me of specific individuals. That said, my collection is varied. It contains a lot of Spaniels, Collies and Terriers of all kinds. Many of the breeds I have never had as pets. Some I have never even seen in real life. One breed, in the collection, the Old English white terrier, is now sadly extinct. The focus of our collection is pet dogs, I tend to shy away from hunting breeds and pieces depicting dead animals. Pampered pet pooches on pillows, or those sporting bow collars are my favorite subjects.
“Izzy” by Anthony Valentino Robinson and a teracotta terrier by Richard Faith.
In addition to your collection, you also have a few living canine companions who recently sat for portraits! Please tell us about that experience.
I really love commissioning artists, and it seems I always have a commission in the pipeline. I had two portraits of my dogs commissioned recently, one by Anthony Valentino Robinson, and another by Anne Zoutsos. Both artists were lovely to work with.
One of the most important things when commissioning an artist for a portrait, is to have an excellent quality photo source that the artist can work from. Lucky for me, my husband Sam is an excellent photographer.
I also feel very strongly that when working with an artist, that they have an obvious enthusiasm for the project. Artists need to be inspired to do their best work. If the job is a chore, it will show and that is not what I’m after. When I have a project in mind, I try my best to match the right artist to my vision. However, once the artist agrees to a project, I will not meddle. Almost everyone has heard the saying “too many cooks spoil the broth,” same goes for art. I recommend choosing an artist that you love, giving them good source material, and then letting them be the professional they are and stay out of their business.
“Boo,” oil on canvas by Anne Zoutsos.
Which pieces would you consider to be the highlights of your collection?
We have so many wonderful artists in the collection, Maud Earl, Frederick Daws, Arthur Hayer are a few. I am beyond thrilled to own a Maud Earl Yorkshire terrier. A friend and fellow collector helped me find it, which makes it all the more special. Another stand out piece is by Niells Pederson Mols, it’s a Cairn terrier named Pool, painted in 1892. Pool is likely my favorite and he is hung in a prominent place in the center of our living room. Almost every time a dealer views the collection, they take note of “Pool”; he is truly special.
You and your husband have started cataloging the collection on social media, do you have plans for a
publication?
It is something that we’re working on; you can follow our progress at @the.landrum.dog.house on Instagram. I regularly post our dog art and collectibles, as well as updates on our fur family. I recently did a four-part walk through of our home, though it is certainly not all inclusive, it gives viewers a good opportunity to see a lot of our collection.
—Z.G. Burnett
