COGNAC CUVEE 1888 PAYS TRIBUTE TO PIERRE FRAPIN

COMING FROM THE PRESTIGIOUS FAMILY OF FRAPIN RABELAIS THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCING WINE AND BRANDY FOR THE PAST 20 GENERATIONS, THIS SPECIAL COGNAC CUVEE 1888 IS DESIGNED AS A TRIBUTE TO PIERRE FRAPIN. THE STUNNING NEW COGNAC IS A BLEND OF COMPLEX AROMAS FROM DRIED FRUITS, NUTS, RAISINS, PLUMS AND HINTS OF CANDIED ORANGE INVITING SCENTS OF BALSAMIC AND ROASTED COCOA, BEANS TONCO AND COFFEE. IT CONCEALS A SUBTLE BURST OF PEPPER HIGHLIGHTED BY A TOUCH OF IMMORTELLE COMBINED WITH THE SWEETNESS OF LIME: SPICY NOTES SOFTENED BY THE FLORAL AROMA EXPRESSING FINESSE AND ELEGANCE. SEALED IN A UNIQUE DECANTER WITH PURE LINES THAT GIVES AN IMPRESSION OF A SPINNING 'TOP' FORMATION, THE SPECIAL COGNAC IS PRODUCES IN A LIMITED SERIES OF 1888 PIECES. PRICED AT $7,400, THE CUVEE 1888 IS BOTTLED BENEATH A 24 CARAT GOLD STOPPER IN THIS TWISTY CRYSTAL DECANTER.

IRAN TO CUT TIES WITH ENGLAND OVER ARTIFACT LOAN

IRAN SAID IT WILL CUT TIES WITH THE BRITISH MUSEUM ON MONDAY BECAUSE OF THE MUSEUM'S FAILURE TO LEND TEHRAN AN ANCIENT BABYLONIAN ARTIFACT DESCRIBED AS THE WORLD'S EARLIEST BILL OF RIGHTS. THE SPAT OVER THE LOAN HAS LONG FESTERED BETWEEN LONDON AND TEHRAN, AND COMES AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF INCREASINGLY TENSE IRANIAN-BRITISH RELATIONS. TEHRAN IS UNDER HEAVY PRESSURE FROM THE WEST OVER ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM, AND HAS ACCUSED BRITAIN AND OTHER FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS OF INTERFERENCE IN DOMESTIC POLICIES AND OF STOKING THE COUNTRY'S POST-ELECTION STREET PROTESTS. THE ARTIFACT IS A 6th CENTURY BC CLAY TABLET WITH AN ACCOUNT IN CUNEIFORM OF THE CONQUEST OF BABYLON BY PERSIAN KING CYRUS THE GREAT. IT DESCRIBES HOW CYRUS CONQUERED BABYLON IN 539 BC AND RESTORED MANY OF THE PEOPLE HELD CAPTIVE BY THE BABYLONIANS TO THEIR HOMELANDS. CALLED THE CYRUS CYLINDER, IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY THE UN WEB SITE AND ELSEWHERE AS THE WORLD'S OLDEST HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENT. ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS IN IRAN, THE PIECE WAS TO HAVE BEEN LENT TO TEHRAN BY SUNDAY FOR AN EXHIBITION AGREED ON BY THE MUSEUM AND TEH IRANIAN GOVERNMENT. VISE PRESIDENT HAMID BAQAEI, WHO IS ALSO THE HEAD OF IRAN'S CULTURAL HERITAGE AND TOURISM ORGANIZATION, WAS QUOTED BY STATE PRESS TV AS SAYING THAT THE TIES WOULD BE CUT BY MONDAY. IT WASN'T IMMEDIATELY CLEAR IF THIS HAS HAPPENED AS OF YET. BAQAEI SAID THE BRITISH MUSEUM'S FAILURE TO KEEP ITS PROMISE IS 'NOT ACCEPTABLE'. HE SAID THE BRITISH MUSEUM INITIALLY WAS TO LEND TEHRAN THE CYRUS CYLINDER LAST SEPTEMBER BUT POSTPONED THE DEAL, CITING TECHNICAL REASONS AND THE POST-ELECTION UNREST FOLLOWING IRAN'S QUESTIONABLE JUNE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND POSSIBLE HUMAN RIGHT'S VIOLATIONS. BAQAEI SAID IRAN WOULD SEND A PROTEST LETTER TO THE UN EDUCATION AGENCY, UNESCO, OVER THE MATTER.

AN OLD PLATE TAKEN TO ANTIQUES ROADSHOW VALUED AT £100,000

AN OLD PLATE TAKEN TO THE ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, CARRIED IN A WORN TESCO BAG IS VALUED AT £100,000. NEVER BEFORE IN THE TV SHOW'S THREE-DECADE HISTORY HAS A PLATE BEEN AWARDED A SIX-FIGURE VALUATION. BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WENDY JONES TOOK AN OLD PIECE OF CROCKERY TO THE WELL KNOWN PROGRAM. THE GRANDMOTHER WAS SHOCKED TO BE TOLD THAT THE PLATE, WHICH HAD SET ON A 'RICKETY' SIDEBOARD IN HER HOME FOR YEARS, WAS WORTH £100,000. SHE ONLY ATTENDED THE ROADSHOW EVENT HEAR HER HOME IN ABERGLASNEY, WALES, BECAUSE HER HUSBAND WANTED SOME BOOKS VALUED. SEEKING SOMETHING TO TAKE ALONG, JONES GRABBED THE 22 INCH PLATE ON HER WAY OUT OF THE DOOR AND CASUALLY TRANSPORTED IN IN A TESCO CARRIER BAG. BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE MOST VALUABLE PLATE TO HAVE APPEARED ON THE BBC PROGRAM. EXPERT VALUER JOHN AXFORD TOLD JONES THAT THE 18th CENTURY OVAL SHAPED PLATE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE PRUSSIAN EAST INDIA COMPANY FOR FREDERICK II. MADE BETWEEN 1750 AND 1755, IT IS CONSTRUCTED OUT OF HARD PASTE PORCELAIN AND IS DECORATED WITH THE ARMS OF THE HOHENZOLLERN FAMILY, THE ORDER OF THE BLACK EAGLE AND THE MALTESE CROSS. THERE ARE PIECES OF THE SERVICE IN THE BEST MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD BUT ONLY TWO ITEMS HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE LAST DECADE, AXFORD SAID. HE THEN DELIVERED HIS VALUATION OF £100,000 TO THE SPEECHLESS JONES, WHO REVEALED THAT THE PLATE ACTUALLY BELONGS TO HER SON AFTER IT WAS LEFT TO HIM BY HIS GRANDMOTHER. SHE SAID: 'HE DIDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR IT IN HIS LONDON HOME SO I HAD IT FOR YEARS, IT WAS ON THE SIDEBOARD ON THE RICKETY STAND. ONE DAY IT FELL OFF THE STAND AND CRASHED ONTO THE SIDEBOARD BUT LUCKILY IT WASN'T DAMAGED. I EXPECT MY SON WILL SELL IT AS HE HAS A YOUNG FAMILY.' AXFORD, AN EXPERT FROM WOOLLEY AND WALLIS AUCTION HOUSE IN SALISBURY, WILTSHIRE, BASED HIS ESTIMATE ON A MUCH SMALLER SOUP PLATE FROM THE SERVICE RECENTLY SELLING FOR £31,000. HE SAID: 'IT IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING BY FAR THAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE ROADSHOW. IT IS A FANTASTIC PIECE OF A VERY RARE ROYAL SERVICE AND IS VERY UNUSUAL.'

AGENT PROVOCATEUR LAUNCHES JEWELRY COLLECTION

LUXURY LINGERIE MAKER AGENT PROVOCATEUR HAS RECENTLY EXPANDED INTO CREATING STUNNING AND UNIQUE JEWELRY.LIKE THE BRITISH BRAND'S SEXY AND SAUCY LINGERIE, THE NEW JEWELRY PIECES ARE BOTH FLIRTY AND A LITTLE BIT NAUGHTY WITH LOVE MIXED WITH S&M. THE COLLECTION OF EARRINGS, RINGS, NECKLACES AND CHARM BRACELETS SPANS THE MINIMALIST DARK FAIRYTALE AND EQUALLY SEDUCTIVE SLAVE FOR YOU RING AND BRACELET, TO THE SWEETER SAFETY PIN AND SALLY PADLOCK CHARMS. PRICES RANGE FOR $40 TO $700 DEPENDING ON THE COLLECTION CHOICE AND ARE AVAILABLE AT www.agentprovocateur.com

QUEEN ELIZABETH II PLAYS ROLE OF DINNER LADY

QUEEN ELIZABETH II PLAYED THE ROLE OF DINNER LADY WHILE ATTENDING CHURCH ON THE LAST DAY OF HER WINTER BREAK. ACCOMPANIED BY THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, SHE WENT TO ST PETER AND ST PAUL'S CHURCH IN WEST NEWTON NEAR THE SANDRINGHAM ESTATE IN NORFOLK. SHE HANDED OUT PRIZES TO CHILDREN FOR THEIR GOOD ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH AND THEN BROUGHT THEM LUNCH OF SAUSAGE AND MASH. CHARLIE ADAMS, WHO HELPS OUT AT THE SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR THE PARISH OF SANDRINGHAM AND WEST NEWTON, SAID: 'THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS. ABOUT 20 OF THEM PERFORMED A VERSION OF DANIEL AND THE LION'S DEN FOR HER. THEY PRACTICED SO HARD.' THE QUEEN, WHO WAS WEARING A FUCHSIA COAT WITH A MATCHING HAT AND BLACK KNEE HIGH BOOTS, MET THE CROWDS LINING THE STREET TO WISH HER WELL. JORDON CHERVENKOFF, A STUDENT FROM BULGARIA, CAME TO LINE THE STREETS TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE MONARCH. THE 21 YEAR OLD SAID: 'AT FIRST I ACME OUT OF CURIOSITY, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO COME AND SHOW MY ADMIRATION FOR THE QUEEN. IT WAS A GREAT HONOUR TO MEET HER.' YESTERDAY THE QUEEN REFLECTED ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HER ACCESSION TO THE THRONE AT THE SANDRINGHAM ESTATE. SHE BECAME MONARCH 58 YEARS AGO ON THE DEATH OF HER FATHER KING GEORGE VI. HE DIED ON 6.FEBRAURY.1952, AT THE ESTATE IN NORFOLK AFTER SUFFERING LUNG CANCER. SHE IS SET TO CELEBRATE HER DIAMOND JUBILEE, 60 YEARS AS QUEEN, IN 2012.

PORTLAND ART MUSEUM PRESENTS THREE WORKS BY CY TWOMBLY

AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT AND INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS OF HIS GENERATION, CY TWOMBLY HAS USED MARK-MAKING AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE AS THE CORE OF HIS ARTISTIC PRACTICE SINCE THE LATE 1950s. TWOMBLY'S WORK HAS COME TO DEFINE AN IMPORTANT BRANCH OF GESTURAL ABSTRACTION THAT CONFLATES PAINTINGS AND POETRY, LINE AND WORD. A NEW EXHIBITION WILL SHOWCASE THREE RECENT WORKS; TWO VIRTUOSIC PAINTINGS AND A BRONZE SCULPTURE, THAT ILLUMINATES THE ARTIST'S CONTINUING ENGAGEMENT WITH PROCESS AND CONTENT, THE IMMEDIACY OF MATERIALS, AND THE CONTINUUM OF HISTORY. THE ARTIST'S INSTINCTIVE AND INTUITIVE BRUSHSTROKES COAX POETRY FROM THE INTERACTION OF THE PULL OF GRAVITY AND THE LIQUIDITY OF PAINT, DAZZLING THE VIEWER'S SENSES. LIVING AND WORKING IN GAETA, ITALY AND LEXINGTON, VA, THE 82 YEAR OLD TWOMBLY CONTINUES TO CREATE CHALLENGING NEW BODIES OF WORK IN PAINTING AND SCULPTURE. HIS WORK HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT RETROSPECTIVES AT THE TATE MODERN, LONDON, AND THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, AND IS IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS INTERNATIONALLY. THE STUNNING EXHIBITION OPENED 6.FEBRUARY AND RUNS THROUGH 16.MAY.2010 AT THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM, PORTLAND, OR.

JULIE COLLINS SMITH MUSEUM OF FINE ART TO SHOW WORKS BY CHARLES MOTTALINI

JULIE COLLINS SMITH MUSEUM OF FINE ART, AUBURN, AL, OPENS A NEW EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHARLES MOTTALINI ENTITLED 'AFTER YOU LEFT, THEY TOOK IT APART: DEMOLISHED PAUL RUDOLPH HOMES'. THE EXHIBITION, ON VIEW 6.FEBRUARY THROUGH 17.APRIL, FEATURES A SERIES OF HAUNTING IMAGES THAT RECORD THE DEMISE OF THREE ABANDONED HOUSES DESIGNED BY WORLD-RENOWNED ARCHITECT PAUL RUDOLPH, WHO EARNED HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY. RUDOLPH, WHO DIED IN 1997, WAS ONE OF THE 20th CENTURY'S MOST ICONOCLASTIC ARCHITECTS. ORIGINATOR OF THE SARASOTA MODERN STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE IN FLORIDA, HE STUDIED AT HARVARD AFTER GRADUATING AUBURN AND LATER BECAME DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT YALE UNIVERSITY. BEST KNOWN FOR HIS STARKLY GEOMETRIC, CONCRETE BUILDING DESIGN TERMED 'BRUTALISM', HIS RESIDENTIAL WORKS SHARED THE SAME MODERNIST AESTHETIC WHILE REFLECTING REGIONAL AND VERNACULAR INFLUENCES. BY EXPLORING THESE NEGLECTED PARADIGMS OF MODER DESIGN, MOTTALINI FOUND POIGNANCY AND NO SMALL MEASURE OF IRONY IN THE STARTLING CONTRAST OF HIGH MODERNISM LAID TO RUIN. PHOTOGRAPHED IN SOME CASES IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO TEH HOMES' DEMOLITION, HIS IMAGES ARE THE LAST 'PORTRAITS' OF RUDOLPH'S STRIKING CREATIONS. MOTTALINI'S PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE APPEARED IN NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS WORLDWIDE AND HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN RECENT EXHIBITIONS AT THE SANTA MONICA CENTER OF ARTS IN BARCELONA, SPAIN, AND THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY IN CHICAGO, ILL. THIS IS THE FIRST SHOWING IN ALABAMA.