We all all wish wewere rich and famous. (Well, maybe not all, but anyone reading this certainly does....)We also wish,(whether we admit it or not) that we could do,and buy, whatever we want.Well, Edward James could, and did.But unlike a lot of his ilk,he had amazing taste, and was in the right place at the right time,orif you prefer, he was placed at the right place and right time.... Monkton House Dining RoomMonkton House1986"First International Surrealist Exhibition"London,1936L to RSalvador Dali, Edward James, Paul Eluard, Eileen Agar, Herbert Read,Stellan Mörner, Nucsch Eluard, Roland Penrose, ELT Mesens., Diana Brinton Lee, and Rupart Lee. Salvador Dali"Chair"1936 Man Ray"Photograph of Edward James"1937 Rene MagritteOil on Canvas"Pleasure Principle"1937Salvador Dali"Lobster Telephone"1938Salvador Dali with Edward James"Mae West Lips Sofa"1938 Andre DerainBody Mask for Bearded Genie from"Fastes"1933 Edward JamesChillin' in his pool with bust byIsamu Noguchi "Map Room"Really? "Map Room"? More like"BJ Room"Monkton House1986 Tilly Losch"Footprint Carpet"1930sWest Dean House1995 Rene Magritte"The Future of Statues"1937 Mariana YampolskyXilitia1996 Mariana YampolskyXilitia1996 Mariana YampolskyXilitia1996 Mariana YampolskyXilitia1996 Edward JamesinXilitia
(Matt, I KNOW you love that poncho!) Eddie Jamesin front of his Salvador Dali"Sleep" Ed with"Dream of Venus"model1939 Ed and Saldiscussing"Dream of Venus"New York World's Fair 1939 Norman Parkinson"Edward James on the stairway of 35 Wimpole Street"Late 1930s Paul NashBathroom for35 Wimpole Street1930s Norman Parkinson"Edward James and Igor Markevitchin the 'Tent Room' at35 Wimpole Street"Late 1930s CorridorMonkton House Entrance to Plutarco Gastelum's HouseXilitla1993 Mariana YampolskyXilitia1996 Edward withLiz Guinness (va-voom), Poppy and Zita Lloyd,Jasimine Guinness and Patrick Guinness Cecil Beaton"Edward James"Late 1930s Cecil Beaton"Edward James"1948 Cecil Beaton"Edward James"1948 Cecil Beaton"Edward James"1948 Norman Parkinson"Edward Kames with Igor Markevitchand his wife at 35 Wimpole Street"Late 1930s Norman Parkinson"Edward James with Rene Magritte's'The Future of Statues'"1930s Edward James posing behind a mountainofKleenex tissue boxesand firelighters(?)atMonkton House(Nearing the end....)Edward James1907-1984
Recommended reading:"Swans Reflecting Elephants, My Early Years"and"A Surreal LifeEdward James"